From:	Paul Jonathan Adam <Paul@********.DEMON.CO.UK>
Subject:	Re: With all this new stuff.
Date:	Sat, 23 Sep 1995 08:42:44 GMT

In message <199509230351.XAA12358@*****.gatech.edu> SHADOWRN@*****.nic.surfnet.nl
writes:
> So the objective is to get the runners away from their Big Fragging Guns?
> That's easy! Just make it necessary for them to spend a lot of time in
> clubs. Or in the airport. Or across borders. If you page through any of
> the FASA adventures, it seems sometimes like the runners' guns are being
> taken away from them more often than they get to keep them.. Which makes
> sense, IMO. There are very few places you need to be where they will NOT
> mind your heavy machine gun.

One interesting trend in our game is that our powergamed (!) characters
tend to have Reactions of around 10+4d6 to 15+3d6, but very high Firearms
and armed or unarmed skill (typically 9-10).

Partly this is because we (house rule) fix a Combat Turn at 3 seconds,
therefore each combat phase is 0.1 second, so the maximum initiative
possible is 30. Partly it's because you can take pistols into places
that will remove anything heavier... so you need to be *good* with
those pistols.

It does mean that they tend to be absolute death when they get to use
LMGs, assault rifles and so on. Which, of course, they almost never do:
a mercenary mission into Aztlan ('Moon Shadows' from Adventures Unlimited)
was the last time they had a free choice of weapons...

Besides... watch a John Woo movie. Isn't it just so much more *fun* to take
on twenty SMG-toting psychos armed only with an Ares Predator in each hand?
:)

Also, strength augmentation (cyber, bio or magical) plus thrown weapons
are nice. Especially if you use nonmetallic shuriken. They need skill and
smarts to use well, but they make a great (and almost undetectable) ace
in the hole.

--
"When you have shot and killed a man, you have defined your attitude towards
him. You have offered a definite answer to a definite problem. For better
or for worse, you have acted decisively.
In fact, the next move is up to him." <R.A. Lafferty>

Paul J. Adam paul@********.demon.co.uk