From:	mal2@**.com (Jerry Hill)
Subject:	SR4 Combat and Grunts, Lieutenants, and Prime Runners
Date:	Tue, 4 Oct 2005 17:41:57 -0000 (GMT)

I was reading through the Friends and Foes section of the SR4 rulebook the
other day and came across the guidelines for a team's opposition.
Opposition usually consists of a group of Grunts, sometimes accompanied by
a Lieutenant. The grunts generally share the same stats and equipment,
while the lieutenant is slightly more skilled and better equipped. The
whole group shares a Professional Rating, which is used as a shared Karma
pool.

Also, both grunts and lieutenants only get a single condition monitor
each, for tracking both Stun and Physical damage, with (8 + 1/2 Body or
Willpower, whichever is higher) boxes. As soon as they take that much
damage, they're considered out of the fight.

That seems to really elevate the shadowrunner above his opposition. I
guess the intention is for most of you opponents to go down quickly?
Glancing through the sample opposition, it seems like anything up to
Professional Rating 3 or 4 should be a pretty quick fight, even for
starting runners, as long as they don't come in hordes.

Is anyone playing this way, or are you using seperate Stun / Physical
wound tracks? Does it really make much difference? How have your PCs
stacked up against the opposition from the book?

Disclaimer: I haven't had a chance to play SR4 yet. Hopefully someday soon.