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Over and over I am struck with a problem in GURPS.
Using a TL skill to operate something of a different TL than your native is supposed to incur penalties varying depending on the difference in the TLs and if it's an IQ or DX based skill.
DX skills are a flat -1 per TL difference.
We are TL8 in the modern world.
When I was born, it was TL7. Round about 1980 it beccame TL8.
TL6 ran from 1880 to 1940.
TL5 was from 1730 to 1880.
Where this concerns me is a Colt Peacemaker, or clone thereof, is a TL5 design.
I should have a -3 to my Guns/TL8 - Pistol skill to use it.
An M1911A1 is a TL6 pistol... so -2.
BUT
I might not have Guns/TL8 - Pistol.
I learned how to shoot a pistol in the US Army on the M1911A1.
I might have learned Guns/TL6 - Pistol.
That'd be -1 for the Peacemaker, but -2 to shoot a Glock.
I don't think I exhibit that penalty because I transition seamlessly from the TL6 Browning Hi-Power to the TL7 S&W 59 to the TL8 S&W M&P 9.
One explanation could be that I've learned the same skill at four tech levels.
Another could be that Guns/TL is actually Guns/TL5+ once cartridges are invented. The difference in loading is simply a familiarity.
Another could be that all pistols made since the mid thirties (possibly earlier) have been made to be used with the TL6 skill. Revolvers might even use TL5 as their ossification point.
Not sure what to do with it.
Kind of what you said. Pistols are, well, pistols. Would someone familiar with a flintlock or wheellock pistol be able to understand a more modern pistol? Most likely, once shown how to load, aim, fire and clean, a 17th Century Ritter would be able to use a more modern pistol, even a very modern pistol. Aim, pull trigger, bam. Actually, someone used to a smoothbore muzzle-loading pistol should, with minimum practice, be able to be far better on a modern pistol than a modern person just learning. Stable arm, form, extension, all very necessary to hit a target translates to modern shooting very well.
ReplyDeleteI would more think that 'Pistol' is a general skill, and then the modifiers are for familiarity with specifics dealing with said pistol. So, well, Pistoleer (ability to aim and shoot, and basic handling skills) for the shooting of said pistol, and then 'Cartridge pistol' or 'Wheellock' or 'Muzzleloader' or 'Cap and Ball'.
Seriously, except for complete parts breakdown and deep cleaning, a semi-auto magazine-fed pistol is a semi-auto magazine-fed pistol, a revolver is a revolver, a break-action single shot cartridge pistol is yada yada.
Same could be said for longarms, though the multi-variations in actions and designs gets a tad weirder. A specialty in bolt-action, or pump, or lever-action, or whatever, for function, but 'Rifle-eer' for shouldering, aiming and firing hasn't changed much since the first trigger action was taken off of crossbows and replaced the serpentine match-holder.
Or not. But seriously, say you are a TL 8/9 (transitionary period) pistol shooter. And someone hands you a gauss pistol or a laser pistol or an Auricon PPG from Bab5 or a (pistol gripped) phaser from Star Trek (not the killer dustbusters of 'next gen' or the killer palm buzzer from the original series.) Or a wheellock cavalry pistol from the 30 Years War. You should be able to aim and fire the darned thing (of whichever variety you end up with.)
Now, loading and cleaning and fixing and accessorizing the not-your-tech-level pistol? Er... (Sudden vision of a red-dot mounted on top of one of those club-handled wheel-lock cavalry pistols... Ouch, brain hurtz...) Seriously, shooting a cap-and-ball single action revolver, easy for a modern gang shooter. Loading and cleaning, not so much, like, would said gang shooter know to cap each loaded cylinder with grease?
I see this like a skill in cooking. A knowledge of spoon and knife, of seasoning and cutting and boiling and such, transition from rough-riding cowboy trail camp to medieval kitchen to 21st century kitchen. Some of the tools and functions are different but the basics are the same.
Of course, since I've never played or used GURPS, I may be talking out my arse, but skills are skills. Manual typewriter skills transfer to computer keyboard skills and vice versa, with just a few hangups (like learning to slow down or speed up.) Steering a TL4 car isn't much different (except for no power steering, but you can get away with that with a lighter vehicle) than a TL9 car. A brake pedal is a brake pedal. A gas pedal yada yada.
Like any gaming system, GURPS artificially simplifies a lot of things. Reality doesn't get that luxury. There are always exceptions to the exceptions.
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