So,
my latest rant about the unfitting imaging scope mechanic and
Michael Chandras latest houserule post got me thinking about
Snipers and
Ranges general. While I donīt think that the current rules are too bad here (I mean, even that dumb Scope mechanic doesnīt really matter that much because itīs unlikely to apply for actual long-range Sharpshooting tests...
), Iīve found a few little tweaks to sand off some raw Edges:
Max Ranges (Part 1):This one is mostly for those gun nuts who correctly noticed that the simplified Medium range of up to 250 Meters is
a bit long for a Heavy Pistol. Thereīs a bunch of other weapons where the current maximum range is just unrealistic, mostly those that go up to the medium range. Apart from realism, this is also a missed chance to set further differentiate some weapon categories that are otherwise too similar in their stats. So, hereīs an additional Maximum range to
some of the current weapon categories that cuts their current maximum range Intervall down to a more realistic number.
- 80 Meters: Light Pistols, Machine Pistols, Flechette Pistols, Sawed-off/Pistol Shotguns
- 100 Meters: Heavy Pistols, Shotguns w. Flechettes
- 150 Meters: Shotguns w. Slugs
Most others are fine or tolerable IMO. From what Iīve seen, SMGs in real life usually cap out at about 200 Meters,
but then again... Range Thresholds: Firing and hitting with a Gun or Rifle on longer ranges is hard - even if the target isnīt moving. To better reflect this, thereīs an additional Threshold to overcome if you want to hit a target in a certain Range category. No worries, they are easy to remember:
- Close: Zero Hits*
- Near: 1 Hit
- Medium: 2 Hits
- Long: 3 Hits
- Extreme: 4 Hits
If this Threshold isnīt met, the shot misses automatically, and the target isnīt even required to make a defense test (fewer dice rolls? Streamlining, baby!
)). If the Threshold is met, the target defends normally
and the threshold playsno further role for the Attack: If you Score 5 Hits to beat the extreme range threshold of 4 and the target only scores 2 Net hits on the defense test, this counts as 5-2=3 net hits, not 5-4=1.
*Meaning: You will even hit with no Hits at all if
if your target doesnīt score a Hit as well. Note that this is mostly for the sake of coherency here. This is nothing thatīs going to happen that often anyways.
Max Ranges (Part 2): Ok, now for the extreme Ranges. Sniper Rifles have a looooong range, Hunting Rifles as well. But is that range
really indefinite? And for Assault Rifles as well? Of course not, and granted, I guess that this is supposed to a GMīs call if things get too cheesy. But if you donīt want argue about stuff like the earthīs curvature (letīs hope the sniper isnīt a flat-eather
), try this:
For every full 50 Meters above 500 Meters of Range, the AR is reduced by one. If it reaches Zero, the shot is not doable. That effectively introduces a kind of flexible maximum Range for the different Longarm modals. It also adds an additional value to the different ways of increasing AR (Vision Magnification, Cruouching, Bipods) for extreme Ranges.
Imaging Scopes: Ok, letīs get this over quickly: Scrap that line about denying Edge for the Defender. Instead, the Scope just counts as mounted imaging device with a Vision Magnification whose perks are activated when using the
Take Aim Action. The AR bonuses from the Vision Magnification possible (and the perks from other Enhancements in the Scope) are
added to the +1 dice you would get normally get from using the Take Aim Action.
That was it for me so far,
until I had an additional idea yesterday evening. Maybe the Scope could use some additional Perk over just having Cybereyes or goggles with a Vision Magnification. Also, Iīm still a bit dissatisfied with the current narrative "flow" of Sniping. Itīs just one "Quickscope"-style Minor Action (if the Sniper feels that iīs even necessary) and then a Major Action for the actual Shot - a shot which, due to the lowered damage levels is unlikely to incapacitate the target unless the GM handwaves it. In the movies, "Sniper Scenes" are tensefull situations, with the crosshair slowly circling around the target until the perfect moment for the killshot. Thereīs tension and decision-making: Is the situation really right for the shot? Maybe someone gets in the way, or the target gets lost or someone spots the reflection of the scope if the Sniper waits too long. And in reality, thereīs obviously a huge difference as well between just yanking the Scope up to you eyes and actually lining up a shot. So, how about this?
Snipe (Major Action): A more carefull version of the Take Aim Action that requires an actual top-mounted Imaging Scope. Make the standard opposed Firearms+Agility VS Intution + Reaction test, with all the usual modifiers due to cover, the prone status, smartguns, defensive Actions etc. still applying. As usual, if the target is unaware of the looming dange, it canīt use Edge or densive Actions on their defense test. However: No Edge is granted to either side, and - most importantly - no shot is fired. Instead, the Shooter adds the net hits to the dice pool and AR of the next Attack test against the target. This may be the actual Shot, or
even another
Snipe Action.
I obviously havenīt tested it yet, but I think that i fits the theme of Sniping quite well. Once the Sniper has locked down on the target, it becomes a bit of gamble to either use more Snipe Actions or finally taking the shot. It also bears some resemblance to other mechanics from various Editions like the Set-Up/Finishing Move mechanic, Active Sensor Targetting or this Editionīs Probe/Backdoor Access.
Finally, tīs also good opportunity to introduce some more teamwork options. Military Snipers often have a designated Spotter. In SR, that could be the teamīs Face with a Binocular just as the Rigger with a well-placed drone. So, feel free to add this as well:
Spotters: While the actual shot is still the Shooterīs responsibility, properly equipped Teammates can still act as Spotters aid the
Snipe tests of the Shooter. This is resolved as a standard Teamwork test, with the Spotters using their Intuition+Perception.