I occasionally GM for our group and have often been frustrated that gunfights tend to be over in a round or two at most. Even when the goons had a lot of cyberware and magic and used good cover they tended to die quickly. Last Sunday I tried a different idea - I spaced the goons out over a large area instead of trying to make them faster and tougher!
The first shootout took place in a section of steam tunnels leading away from an underground parking garage. There was no light at all, so everyone was using thermographic. The team went through about ten meters of tunnel - at a right angle turn there were two company men about 20 meters up the tunnel (at another turn - think of a squared of "S" shape). The team overcame those two easily enough, but there was another pair about 10 meters past them. All told they spent 5 rounds moving and taking these four guys out - none of whom was particularly powerful. And that the team's troll got knocked out by stun damage was rather awesome as well. At last, but certainly not least, both the mage and street samurai had to reload while under fire!!!!
The second shootout took place in a corporate compound that was occupied by a bunch of wasp soldier spirits. The compound consisted of four buildings connected by walls with a walled garden in the center. The spirits were low force and armed primarily with SMGs. The team took out six by stealth, then got to mix it up with a couple more plus the leader in the compound. Most rounds were spent jockeying for position rather than actually shooting and by coincidence this fight ran for a full five rounds as well.
I'm totally psyched about how this turned out. So dumpshockers, what are your tricks for running out a gunfight?