From:	Marc A Renouf <jormung@*****.UMICH.EDU>
Subject:	Re: Vipers and head shots
Date:	Tue, 20 Jun 1995 14:05:32 -0400

On Tue, 20 Jun 1995, P Ward wrote:

> NO NO NO, don;t let them use optical sights wiothout a simple action,
> no way should you be able to instantyl acquire and geek a guy with
> the build in eye-ware.

Agreed. The way I run this is that Mag I can acquire without an
action, Mag II can acquire after 1 simple action spent aiming, and Mag
III can acquire after 2 simple actions spent aiming. This reflects the
fact that at larger distances, the cross-hair of your smartgun link will
probably spend a good deal of it's time out of your field of view (which
has become small) Note also that this kind of "aiming" does not lower the
target number to hit, although you can continue to aim for a reduction in
target number after you have acquired the target.
This only comes into play with cyber-magnification systems used
in conjunction with smartgun links, where it is easy for the gun to be
pointed somewhere other than where you are looking. With scopes, your
gun is always pointed roughly where you are looking, so the smaller field of
view is not as important.

> IO had a player for months who used these beatuies and was quite suprised
> when he didn't get 2's for every firearms TNo, he had smart and optical 3,
> what did he have to worry about?
>
> Always cover and smoke, and preferably injury modifiers (his not yours!)
> to ensure your enemy can;t hit you.

Yes. Oh, yes. Many players are surprised by the target number
mods in my game. I take them very seriously, and the average "fire
fight" target number is around 10, though often as high as 15. This is
what makes the difference between a realistic combat in which lots of
rounds are sprayed with little effect and the cinematic "kill all the bad
guys before they get to move regardless of the conditions" romp. It also
makes run-of-the-mill NPC's *much* more potent.

Marc