18 October 2023

Not Player Popular

I've made several weird historical worlds over the years.

Many, or most, have been in places where the open display of full-on military weapons is, if not encouraged, absolutely OK.

Hardly any player takes a sub-machine gun.

Never has a player taken a machine gun without external forces being applied to them.

Machine guns are heavy and expensive in GURPS, so players instinctively avoid them.  3e's shitty cumbersome rules for applying them to an area target mask their utility.

Plus, some machine guns don't even have a lot of shots before needing reloading.

But sub-machine guns kinda confused me for a while.

The rock-and-roll is offset by the lack of damage and, unless you applied all the buck-fever, bullet-shyness and flinch mods, 3e encouraged aimed single shot fire.

If you could make one die roll and get a 7d hit to the vitals, why waste most of the bullets for a couple of 3d-1 hits to the body?

Oh, and WW1 and WW2 era sub guns are as heavy or heavier than full-power bolt-actions.

Then, after a certain history point, a battle or assault rifle lets you have your cake and eat it too.

4e has replaced the beaten zone rules with suppressing fire.  It's much simpler and smoother running.

Unfortunately, I have a lack of 4e playing time to lure an unsuspecting player to hump the pig.

2 comments:

  1. One problem with full auto in general is that it eats ammo like popcorn. Unless you've a good source of ammo close by, or some way to carry a LOT of it, you're likely to run short of it at a most inconvenient time. Much as I detest admitting it, the "gravel bellies" had a good point when they opposed full-auto.

    ReplyDelete
  2. *wonders if anyone has cosplayed with an M2 Stinger*
    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M2_Stinger

    God rest the soul of Corporal Tony Stein and his tremendous brass gonads.

    ReplyDelete

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