Suppressive Fire '08, Consensus possible? Options

[Nightwalker450]

Ok, with the idea that multiple passes can force multiple tests on suppressive fire. 1 IP still has an advantage in that anybody who enters or leaves the area still has to make a test. So the result is this, 1 IP guy can keep people from entering the area for a longer time with only 20 rounds. But if someone is in that suppressive fire once they (make or not make their dodge) they can charge the person during their passes, and never have to make another resistance as long as they don't leave the suppressed area.

SO, new suppressive fire suggestion.

Suppressive fire takes 9 rounds per pass (36 rounds for a full combat turn), during each pass (whether you can act or not) if you are in a suppressed area, or enter a suppressed area you must dodge. 1 IP can hold down an area now, but not as effectively as multiple IP person, since he could shift his area during his passes. Other possibility:

2 IPs
(1)Suppressive Fire, (2)Delay Action, (3) Use Action, (4) No Action Available (18 rounds used for suppressive fire)
Continuing Suppressive fire does not use an action, just more ammo.

This will be firing at a rate at 720 RPM no matter your number of IP's, instead of the 400 to 1600 RPM depending on number of IP's. Full Automatic, is just holding down the trigger, not pumping it, so single IP should do just as well as multiple IP.

House rule for yourself, whether someone can cease suppressive fire without an action (I'd be ok with allowing it just so one IP person isn't forced to burn 36 rounds, he could do short bursts of suppressive fire) Perhaps this would only be available if the weapon is smartlinked.

[Heath Robinson]

10 rounds is a burst lasting less than a single second on most modern SMGs; 20 rounds is going to be about the average number of rounds expended in keeping targets in the area suppressed using short bursts of fire seperated by overwatching the target area. For an example of this watch Gunslinger Girl episode 1 and think about what Henrietta does when she comes to the table being used as cover by the Republicans; she doesn't spray wildly but fires a few bursts of 3 to 6 rounds at the edges to catch anyone trying to emerge.

If we assume that Shadowrun gun technologies have adapted to allow people with additional IPs to make the most use of their weapons, it's believable that they have multiplied the cyclic rate of fire and people are trained to use shorter timing on their bursts or else use guns with a CROF calibrated to how fast they can align on targets. A 1 IP character can only, at most, realign his weapon so many times in 3s, higher IP characters can do this more often and therefore can perform suppression using more rounds for a higher chance of catching people in the open; it's not really important that their weaponry is firing faster, because suppression is not about spraying an area with rounds at full CROF, it's that they can realign their weapon faster and can therefore cycle through the targets more rapidly if they so choose.

I think that allowing people to extend a single supression action up to a full combat turn is a valid and useful option for everyone as well as allowing higher IP characters to change their suppressed area and even fire the weapon normally during that suppression period, if nothing else it's far simpler than using up rounds at a rate per IP. People should also get the option of using an interrupt action to hit cover or go prone if this isn't already allowed.

[DTFarstar]

See, I don't see even suppressive fire as just holding down the trigger, I would assume you would pulse it while move the gun back and forth in an arc to keep the bullets as on target(target being the area suppressed of course) as possible. I have never fired a fully automatic weapon, but if they kick as much per shot as normal shotguns/pistols/rifles do, then I am highly skeptical of anyone's ability to keep it on target, even an area target like suppressive fire, if they just hold the trigger down and let the gun fire as fast as possible.

Chris

[DTFarstar]

Heh, so basically what Heath said, just stated in a less technical fashion.

Chris

[DTFarstar]

Heath- Interrupt to go prone or take cover is allowed. Yeah, I like to think my suppression rules reflect reality at least moderately well with being so flexible.

Chris

[Larme]

@Heath: Your post gets the Larme Stamp of Approval! Combined with the idea that one suppressive fire test can only force the enemies to test for getting shot once, I think that sticking with the RAW is totally the right way to go. It means that there is a point to using suppressive fire with 60 bullets per round instead of just 20, and it also means that this is realistic (enough).