of course. that doesn't mean that the situation isn't unfortunate, though.

My group has the silent understanding that while wielding large weapons in CQB is not strictly penalized by the rules they will usually use carbines and other smaller weapons in tight quarters for role-playing reasons.

Game balance is not, for the most part, the reason why the firearms rules in Shadowrun are silly. The silliness mainly comes from the fact that the game designers obviously knew little to nothing about firearms. The second most important reason is simplicity, but there's a lot that can be done to make the rules more sensible without making them any more complex.

In this particular case, there are already modifiers separately for so many types of gunfire that adding one for sound suppressed rifles (Sporting and up) shouldn't be too difficult, or maybe two in case someone wants a suppressed MMG or HMG. And then CC could have rules for subsonic rifle ammo. I can't see how that'd screw with game balance.

Just ranting, nevermind me.

You hit the nail on the head, Aus.

And you know, most people that complain about additional firearms rules making the game too complicated are perfectly happy agreeing with crap like "all guns of the same type can share ammo" and "suppressing a high-caliber sniper sniper rifle doesn't in the least affect terminal ballistics".

And it seems that those of us with at least a modicum of firearm knowledge/experience see the need for more accurate rules that at LEAST aid in the suspension of disbelief, not take away from it.

Btw, with the use of a SML2, you get a +2 tn adjustment to called shots, rather than the +4. Is that before, or after SML adjustments? Do you reduce tn by 2 for a grand total of +0, or does it stay +2. And if it stays +2, how is that really a bonus feature? Wouldn't you reduce that TN anyway with a SML?

SL2 changes the modifier of a called shot from +4 to +2. when you use an SL2 to make a called shot, the TN is (Range), +2 for called shot, -2 for SL2, for a total TN of (Range).

Huh. Somehow doesn't sound right to me...seems too easy to get all those nice aimed shots at the head with no nasty TN modifier.

*shrug* i can do just about the same thing with 8 points of RC and a clip of tracer ammo. Gas-vent IV, personalized grips, foregrip, folding stock, and Str of 6--headshot city, here i come.

Eh, good point. Think I'll be investing in sturdy new helmets for some of my favorite characters...

Or just not allow called shots to bypass armor and not worry about it.

...which is exactly how it should be. Stupid house rules.

well, stupid FAQ. there's a discussion i'm not going to get into.

Anybody interested can just dig up the (hundreds of thousands of) "Does Called Shot Bypass Armor? I Just Found This In M&M!!!112" flamethreads there have already been.

Semi Off topic ... how do you get such high recoil compensation?? I'd love to try the tracer trick, or just have good RC ni general, but I can't seem to beat about ... 4 or 5-ish RC... gas vent IV, shock pads (which of course are totally crap but hey, I'll use them if I can ) -- is there something I'm missing? Are these numbers including the -1 from uber-strong characters (which none of mine would qualify for)?

gknoy, recoil comp:
1 to 3 points can be built in, as in the Ares Alpha.
Shock Pad(rifle or bigger), stock (smg or smaller), Hip Brace (Hvy Weap)
Gas Vents IV, Strength 6+, Foot Anchor(s)
Personalized Grip, Heavy Barrel, Bullpup configuration
Bipod, Tripod, Gyro-mount, Foregrip, or Barrel Weight

Why is the Str of 6 important?

There's an optional rule somewhere that strength of 6 or above adds recoil compensation.

optional rule
Cannon Companion, p. 103, "Recoil and Strength"

i personally prefer Raygun's body/reaction average. but, yeah, str is canon, according to cannon.

You are right. Aiming does help the TN. But, you can only get half your weapon skill in bonuses.

I know those quotes were mine, and after reading everything here I think I am going to just stick to what everyone in my group knows already, canon.

All I was saying was that it seemed like you were trying to figure out a way to make aiming take up time(action). But, as you said, it already does...so...I'm lost, we're you thinking of having the Smartlink aim take even longer than normal aiming or something?

While statistically creating benefits that seem very pleasent, I can't see this really helping you if you were a character in a unverse called Shadowrun.

There's a crosshair in the scope. There's a crosshair in the SL.
I personally don't see how the two crosshairs lining up together are going to help you shoot better.
Wouldn't that just result in the SL crosshair overlaying the already present crosshair in the scope.

I guess if you consider that the SL crosshair is centered on your pupil, that it would garantee that your pupil is dead center of the scope which could provide a technically better shot by a tiny fraction.

I'm not sure how much of an actuall difference this would make.

Not saying that it doesn't work...just pondering the consideration after understanding it a little better.

I think you're misunderstanding. The question regarding the aim action with a SL was in regards to combining SL with cybered vision mag. My statement about scoped weapons was not including SL; I was referring to using a scope only. If the logic holds that one needs the extra time (ie: an aim action) to properly aquire a target with cybered vision mag and a smartlink, then that same logic applies to aquiring a target with an everyday scoped weapon.