| From: | David Hinkley dhinkley@***.org |
|---|---|
| Subject: | Concealing Stuff |
| Date: | Sun, 21 Feb 1999 20:39:29 -0800 |
To: <shadowrn@*********.org>
Subject: RE: Concealing Stuff
Date sent: Mon, 22 Feb 1999 09:47:09 +1000
Send reply to: shadowrn@*********.org
> Paul J Adam (no relation to Adam J) writes:
> > The Neo-Anarchist's Guide to Real Life expanded on this.
>
> *bleah* It's been too long since I looked at NAGRL... I'll check it out.
>
> > Basically, the concealability listed is for a 6-20 second patdown
> > search, by a trained (Professional Rating 3 or 4) individual.
> >
> > A cursory search by an average/amateur searcher (Professional Rating 1)
> > adds +4 to the Concealability of the weapon: and that's a search where
> > the investigator gets to _touch_ you.
> >
> > I'd say +4 for a visual check at distance, and that the weapon goes
> > unnoticed unless the player flashes it or someone is actively looking
> > for it. No "walk through a room, and everyone there gets to roll
> > Intelligence to see if they point at you shouting 'Gun! Gun!'"
> >
> > In real life, do _you_ stare at every person you pass to see if they've
> > secreted a weapon about their person?
>
> Nope but I'm not a security guard, either. Hmm... okay, take a
> Concealability 10 weapon. Add +4 for the visual check. That's a TN 14.
> Hmm... average joe has a bit less than a 5% chance of spotting.
>
> Assume 2 guards. Assume 6 runners. Okay, that gives us about a 40% chance
> that at least _one_ guard spots at least _one_ weapon. Those still aren't
> good odds.
>
> And I won't even get into things like metal detectors which make the life of
> those guards so much more 'interesting'...
>
> So, to recap my earlier question: who here puts faith in concealing their
> weapons?
>
First of all my call would be that there only be one roll, the better of the two
guards vs the least concealed weapon. In my experence increasing the
number of people and guards decreases the chance of detection. First
because any single guard would have less time to observe each of the
subjects. Second because there is a tendency for each guard to assume that
the other guy is checking, so he does not need to be as carefull.
Some years ago while in college taking a security management class I had
an interesting experence. It was an hot indian summer evening (a night
class) 80+ degrees F and during President Carter's entergy conservation
program that required that themostats in air conditioned public bulidings be
set at 85 degrees. I was looking about the room when I begain to notice that I
was the only person without a coat or jacket, when one of the other students
removed his, at hich time I noticed that he was carrying. Soon everyone else
removed theirs, To my surprise I discovered that I was the only person who
was not armed. Now I was aware that many of the other students were police
officers, active and retired federal agents and corprate security types and
that it was likely that some might be armed, but that all of them were was a
surprise. Since then I have observed many of a "off duty" law enforcement
officer, spotting their pistol is not easy even when you "know" it should be
there. Effective concealment depends on many factors the size of the
weapon and the clothing worn only being two of them.
Now to answer your question, one of my character carries a sword cane,
and on those occasions were it is wise he carries a small, shrouded hammer,
5 shot, 38 revolver (Concealment 9) in a concealed holster (+2) under a
properly tailored coat (+50%) for a total of 16.5 [(9+2)+((9+2)/2)] before any
other TN modifiers. The other carries at least a Predator (concealment 5), in
a concealed holster (+2) under a long coat (+50%) for a total of 10.5 and at
times (i.e. questionable meets) it is a HK 227S (Conceal 5) or a cut down
M279 grenade launcher (conceal6) on a quick combat sling (+1) under a
long coat (+50%) for a total of 9 or 10 respectively. Is there a risk, yes. Is
the risk greater if unarmed, yes. O and yes you stay out of airports, high
security areas and away from metal detectors with out a real good cover.
David Hinkley
dhinkley@***.org
******************************************************
They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a
little temporary safety deserve niether liberty or
safety.
Ben Franklin
