Please read the whole post, before answering. Otherwise you might misinterpret.
This is just a quick proposal, which is far from being perfect, so feel free to comment and suggest.
Constructive posts only please.
New combat system for SR4:
1. The weapons SR have always been a bit unrealistic, at first i intended a system that treats ammo and weapon separately, but i figured that with weapon design rules gone, it would be overkill.
So, here goes: cal describes the range the caliber can be found in reality e.g.: S7mm-S11mm means rounds like 9mm Para or .45ACP, while L7mm-L9mm would be 7.62x51mm rifle rounds and similar ammunition.
Light Pistols/Holdouts: cal.: < S7mm DMG.: 2P AP.: 0 Ammo: 4-10 rounds
Heavy Pistols: cal.: <L7mm DMG.: 1P AP.: -5 Ammo: -20 rounds
cal.: S7mm-S11mm DMG.: 3P AP.: 0 Ammo: -15 rounds
SMG/Carbines: cal.: <L7mm DMG.: 1P AP.: -6 Ammo: 30 rounds
cal.: S7mm-S11mm DMG.: 3P AP.: 0 Ammo: 20-30 rounds
cal.: L7mm-L9mm DMG.: 2P AP.: -6 Ammo: 25 rounds
Assault Rifles: cal.: <L7mm DMG.: 2P AP.: -6 Ammo: 30 rounds
cal.: L7mm-L9mm DMG.: 3P AP.: -6 Ammo: 20 rounds
Shotgun: cal.: S12mm DMG.: 4P AP.: 0 Ammo: -15 rounds
MG: cal.: <L7mm DMG.: 2P AP.: -6 Ammo: belt
cal.: L7mm-L9mm DMG.: 3P AP.: -6 Ammo: belt
cal.: >L9mm DMG.: 4P AP.: -8 Ammo: belt
Rifles(sniper): cal.: <L7mm DMG.: 2P AP.: -6 Ammo: -20 rounds
cal.: L7mm-L9mm DMG.: 3P AP.: -6 Ammo: -20 rounds
cal.: >L9mm DMG.: 4P AP.: -8 Ammo: -10 rounds
I personally consider Sniper rifles nothing more than converted standard weapons, which can be sports rifles, AR and even heavy MGs, so no different Damage but an +4 accuracy bonus and higher ranges.
Damage and AP refer to standard ammunition
2. Fire rates: i would recommend that each person has 5 free actions,1 free and 2 simple or 1 free and 1 complex action per pass. pressing the trigger is a free action therefore one can fire five single shots per pass.
Also on full automatic one can fire 45 rounds per turn (equaling 900 rounds per minute, which is quite realistic). The player cannot attack multiple targets with this, because that would be suppressive fire. he may however split it into several bursts of 6 + 1d6 rounds each.
The shooter might decide to split it into standard bursts, burst fire usually comes in 3 or 6 round variety selectable via selector, if the player uses a smartlink he might chose any number of rounds that is 45 or smaller in total per turn.
Suppressive fire remains the same but the player spends 45 rounds or whatever is left in the clip, with a minimum of 15 rounds. Should the player attempt suppressive fire with less than 15 rounds it will be treated as a burst with which he only covered one half over his firing zone.
3. Weapon usage:
There are basically 3 different ways to use your weapon
I. The pointed shot, which means that you point your weapon in the general direction of your target and fire. this means however that u did not target it and that you neglect the use of the weapons stock. Therefore firing a weapon this way gives a -4 penalty. It is cool looking though.
II. Bringing the weapon up to aim and firing it. this is what skilled shooters do, the weapon is pointed to the ground, brought to aim and fired. This gives no penalty, however bringing the weapon to aim cost you a free action.
III. Perceiving through weapons sights. This method is nothing else than having your weapon already brought to aim while you move. The advantage is that it safes you one free action, the disadvantage is that your field of vision is narrowed, so you receive a -2 on visual perception tests for everything not right in front of your weapons sights.
4. Recoil:
Weapons don’t have recoil compensation in the classic SR sense. Recoil is only relevant for single shots or bursts , meaning that each time you press that trigger again you get a -1 dice modifier.
For automatic fire (burst and FA) there is also the rule that firing at short range is always considered a narrow burst, while firing beyond that is considered wide burst.
Recoil reducing equipment, reduces by its rating for single shots and for every 2 points of RC the range for narrow burst is moved by one. (from short to medium range for example)
GasVent systems give only 1 point of RC (who buys GasVent 1anyway if i he can get GasVent4).
5. Damage:
For this the body is divided into 3 different zones:
I. Peripheral (Arms, lower legs, shoulders non vital parts of the torso) base damage of the weapon is multiplied with 1
II. Vital (Upper Legs, pelvis and the gross of the torso) base damage of weapon is multiplied with 3
III. Fatal ( Heart, Neck/throat, upper spine and most parts of the head)base damage is multiplied with 6
1-4 net hits mean a peripheral hit, while 4-8 mean a vital hit and everything beyond means a fatal hit, after that damage is increased by on per 4 net hits. Called shots for the vitals get a -4 penalty, while called shots for fatals receive -8. Targeting only the peripheral is also penalized with -4. apply additional penalties for called shots that bypass partial protection.
The target may dodge per standard rules. Armor protects only the body parts it covers. If the modified armor exceeds the unmodified damage code, the damage is converted into stun. Otherwise the damage is reduced by the modified armor rating. Once hit however the target rolls body with a DV of the received physical damage, failure means that the target goes into shock and is unable to act. it may however retry every turn. if not treated (first aid) the received damage is automatically inflicted again after "Physical track"-damage minutes.