From:	Rand Ratinac docwagon101@*****.com
Subject:	Questions of great importance (Steve, Jon, RA:S people especially)
Date:	Tue, 7 Sep 1999 21:00:29 -0700 (PDT)

> > It's called protection. Could you imagine sneaking up on a sniper
and then having him let loose a barrage of minigrenades at you? :)
>
> Sneaking up on a sniper? That assumes you can pinpoint the sniper's
location (in which case the sniper hasn't done his or her job well
enough) and that the sniper doesn't see you coming (unlikely, as
observation is about as important in sniper training as accuracy with a
rifle). If you try to approach a sniper and the sniper has time to set
up a shot, I wouldn't rate your survival chances very highly...

Good points. Still, it's called "contingency planning". :) It's
unlikely to happen, but one time in ten, or a hundred, or a thousand,
SOMEONE'S going to get the drop on you.

And it's MUCH more of an issue in SR than in real life. I've played an
SR sniper and I've NEVER had a spotter (not enough manpower), and I've
rarely had the clear lines of sight of an open-field sniper that I need
in order to be able to observe everything around me.

> > It's SUCH a cool idea, though. :)
>
> So put the grenade launcher on the assault rifle.

Errr...that's what I meant. :)

> You could also make the sniper an ork, so that the weight won't be
much of a bother, either. Or equip the spotter with the assault rifle
and grenade launcher...

True - or a bulked-out adept or sammie. :)

Again, the spotter thing just doesn't happen in SR, except in the
largest of teams.

> Good, just making sure :) Too many shadowrunner teams carry all kinds
of different weapons, with the effect that when one person runs out of
ammo, the others can't share theirs...

Oh yes - way bad news.

Of course, that's not such an issue in SR GAMES, as different weapons
in the same class have interchangeable ammo. Unless you want to get
realistic, of course.

> > Ahhh...but I said an advanced milspec laser. I'm not going to give
it stats, but think of a man-portable version of the Firelance vehicle
laser - with more battery capacity. 15S base damage AND anti-vehicular.
>
> Okay, but what about the number of shots? That's my main objection to
a laser as a support weapon -- if the common types of laser hold only
20 shots, the best ones available might hold maybe 50 or so and still
be portable. For the same bulk and weight, you could have hundreds of
rounds for a machinegun.

Good point. But those bullets would just be bouncing off the tougher
drones. As I said, the laser is just for drone-killing and emergencies.
The only other thing that'd be of use in that role would be an assault
cannon (which also suffers from ammo limitations) and is hellishly
noisy.

> I don't remember if you mentioned this or not, but a large load of
grenades is also a necessity if they're going into a place like the
Renraku Arcology. Roomclearing gets very hard without them.
> Gurth@******.nl

Yup, mentioned. Not gonna forget them.

I'm not sure, but I think I may actually have given everyone MGL
pistols and a wide assortment of minigrenades. Tasty, neh?
==Doc'
(aka Mr. Freaky Big, Super-Dynamic Troll of Tomorrow)

.sig Sauer
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