Conceability of weapons, Confused about searches Options

[Luca]

Two questions:

1) SR3 page 270. I understand that the conceability acts as target number just for perception tests to casually notice the weapon (or simply visive searches?), while if one searches (I think this means Manual search) the target number is half the conceability.
his rule seems fair....but it is contradicted by SR3 page 237 where, under the paragraph "manual detection", it is explicitely said that one has to make "a standard Perception test against the conceability of the weapon", obviously modified by modifiers of the table in page 236.
Does anyone know what target numer i have to use?
Conceability or Half-Conceability?
Page 236 seems to suggest clearly that manual searches uses the whole conceability ("standard test") + modifiers, so the real problem is page 270.
Does the difference mean casua-visual-perception (whole conceability as target) and purposive-intentional-visual-search (in this sense half conceability as target)? In any case this interpretation does not make sense to me....because it seems that teh target numer for manual search isdouble that intentional visive search.
In any case my problem is only with manual searches, I have no problem with MADS, I understand that the target in that sense must be the whole conceability.

2) How much armor/clothing improve conceability of weapons? I suppose that the dimensions and thickness of armor and/or weapons should affect the thing.
One cannot hide an assault cannon under a t-shirt...Anyone can show me the canon rules for this?

[hahnsoo]

[Critias]

Where'd you get the rule for a methodical search cutting the Conceal in half? I think I remember a rule that provides TN modifiers based on the length/professionalism of search (IE, patting someone down compared to a casual glance), but I can't remember what book they were in... and, regardless, I'm pretty sure they were flat TN mods (-1, -2, etc), not anything based on fractions of a Conceal rating.

[hahnsoo]

[Edward]

According to the rules in SR3 you use the total conceal ability of the weapon and the modifiers the table on page 236.

I however recommend a house rule as this creates the unforgivable situation where an average guard performing an average search on an average day has a lower chance of finding the weapon during a pat search than he would just watching you walk past with a clear view.

Based on my security training I will tell you that even a quick search performed by an average guard has a /far/ greater chance of finding /any/ concealed item than simple observation.

Halving consealability works for me but it is a house rule.

Edward