Tales from the Rocket House
Now, something as super-light as Risus or FU would be hard to use for Simulationist-Immersive Roleplaying, just due to the degree of granularity (and due to the fact that FU is solidly dramatist/narrativist in its design). I’m not saying it’s impossible, but it would be difficult.
However, that doesn’t mean you need GURPS with all the options turned on. If you like that, then great - go for it. If your group knows the rules well enough that they no longer intrude on their immersion, then awesome.
But if you’re used to something about as crunchy as World of Darkness (without the splats, which tended to kludge on a ton of extra rules) or Buffy, or even lighter, like FUDGE, that’s fine too. So long as you maintain the main goals of Simulationist-Immersive Roleplaying: an authentic world where things happen because of in-world reasons (even randomization), and aren’t manipulated for drama or challenge level, and a supportive place for players to immerse into a deep in-character state, you’ll be doing fine.
(A note for those who may not have read my previous columns on this topic, but I’m using the rec.games.frp.advocacy definitions for Simulationism and Immersive play. Immersive is used in a very specific way here, meaning to immerse deeply into the perspective of your character, playing from a “first-person” perspective, making decisions from within your character’s viewpoint. I know ‘immersion’ can also be a synonym for ‘engagement,’ as in, “I was really immersed in that game of FATE we played last Friday,” but I’m specifically NOT addressing that meaning in this column. If I use “immersion,” I mean immersion into the character’s perspective. I’ll use “Engagement” for the other meanings).
So, what I’m doing here is comparing four versions of Tarafore System firearms rules, using the same system with different levels of “crunch.” This is the same system I’ve detailed throughout this column, and the rules are explained in detail in the first four columns.
Example One: Lowest Crunch
The point is to preserve the most fundamental aspects here in as few rules as possible: the danger of violence, the possibility of instant death or life-threatening injuries, use of cover, and the increased difficulty of hitting at longer ranges. The goal is a mega-simple setup that takes at most half a page (since the total game mechanics in short form need to fit on two pages).To-Hit is the shooter's Gunsv(Specialization, if any) versus the target’s Athleticsv(Dodge) trait (an opposed test, like any other in the game).
Cover: If the target is behind cover, then use the Cover rating instead of the Dodge trait.
- Slight Cover (less than half the body): Cover 13
- Partial Cover (most of the body): Cover 16.
- Full Cover (almost all the body): Cover 19
- Total Cover (all of the body): cannot be targeted, but you can’t shoot back, either.
- Pocket Pistols: for each full 10 yards, -1 to hit (-1 beyond 10, -2 beyond 20, etc.)
- Pistols and Shotguns: for each full 30 yards, -1 to hit (-1 beyond 30, -2 beyond 60, etc.)
- Rifles: for each full 100 yards, -1 to hit (-1 beyond 100, -2 beyond 200, etc.)
- Poor visibility -1 to -6, depending on how bad it is. Firing Blind/Total Darkness: -9 to hit.
Armor: All guns ignore ancient-style armor. Rifles and ignore soft ballistic armor, too.
Damage: All guns (except buckshot and birdshot) are Location-Dependent (long story short, they start off doing less damage on a Basic hit, but have twice the bonuses for Special and Exceptional hits).
Lowest Crunch Firearm Write-up:
I’ll note that only the bolded part, three lines, is actual game mechanics.
Assault Rifle (M16, real AK47, Steyr AUG) or Modern Defensive Carbine (civilian AK, AR15)
Caliber: Intermediate Rifle (5.56 NATO, 5.45x39, 7.62x39, 6.5 Grendel, etc.)
Stun/Wound: 15 (18 with Premium ammo).
Capacity: 30+1
Concealability: Tarp, Guitar Case, or similar*
Weight: Medium (Used as Club: +3 Stun/+0 Wound)
Cost $750+ (yes, I know you can get some AKs for less. I’m being general here)
Military Models can fire in semiautomatic or 3-round burst
* Models with folding stocks can be stored in Backpacks with the stock folded. They have a -2 to hit with the stocks folded, and it takes a full round to unfold the stock.
Example Two: Low Crunch
In order to keep things simple, everybody gets ONE action per turn. There is ONE set of Range Difficulty Numbers and very broad rules about Visibility, Armor and Cover penetration.The important “believability” things are covered: it’s hard to hit at long range, one shot can kill, it’s harder to hit when you can’t see what you’re shooting at or when the target has cover, and powerful rounds go right through simple obstacles and light armor. It even covers 3-round bursts and skilled machinegunners laying down cover fire.
The weapon writeup is kind of long for such a Low-crunch game, but it includes elements of description (firearm type and caliber) as well as the basics (range, accuracy, damage, capacity) and some extra information (is it concealable? What happens if I have to use it as a club?)
To keep things even simpler, just keep full-auto weapons out of the PCs’ hands. Burst fire weapons are dead simple, though.
Range Difficulty Numbers:
- Grappling Range (within 1 yard): 4
- Melee Range (within 3 yards): 7
- Close Range (within 10 yards): 10
Note: Weapon Accuracy Bonuses only apply beyond Close Range (10 yards) - Short Range (within 30 yards): 12
- Medium Range (within 100 yards): 14
- Long Range (within 300 yards): 16
- Very Long Range (within 1,000 yards): 19
- Extreme Range (beyond 1,000 yards):22
All firearms and bows, with the exception of Buckshot and Birdshot, are Location-Dependent (Special Hit: +6 Stun/Wound, Exceptional Hit: +12 Stun/Wound). Buckshot and Birdshot are standard weapons (Special Hit: +3 Stun/Wound, Exceptional Hit: +6 Stun/Wound). Yes, that means Birdshot is nearly useless against humans. That’s no surprise: it’s made for birds.
Armor and Cover Penetration:
All Firearms ignore ancient-style armor (chain, plate armor, car doors, interior walls, etc) Rifles and Shotguns using Slugs (not bird or buck shot) ignore soft ballistic armor and light cover (car wheel wells, small trees, furniture, residential interior walls, etc) Anti-Material rifles ignore hard ballistic armor and most cover (car engine blocks, any tree, most sandbags, cinder block or brick walls, etc.)
Cover:
- Slight Cover (less than half the body): cover absorbs Grazes
- Partial Cover (most of the body): cover absorbs Basic hits and Grazes.
- Full Cover (almost all the body): cover absorbs Basic hits, Grazes, and Special Hits
- Total Cover (all of the body): cannot be targeted, but you can’t shoot back, either.
Concealment:
- Slight Concealment (less than half the body): no penalty to hit.
- Partial Cover (most of the body): -1 to hit.
- Full Cover (almost all the body): -2 to hit.
- Total Cover (all of the body): Firing Blind: -9 to hit, but you can’t shoot back, either.
- Mediocre Visibility (Slight glare, light smoke/fog, somewhat dim light) -1 to -2
- Poor Visibility (Significant glare, smoke/fog, or low light) -3 to -4
- Very Poor Visibility (Extreme glare, thick smoke/fog, near darkness) -5 to -6
- Horrible Visibility (a nasty combination of the above, or near-total dark) -7 to -8
- Firing Blind (total darkness, etc.) -9
- Drawing a weapon from a holster/sheath or drawing an arrow to a bow gives a -6 initiative penalty to the character’s next action.
- Changing magazines for a firearm, reloading a crossbow, or reloading a single-shot or double-barreled gun gives a -10 initiative penalty to the character’s next action.
- Reloading a revolver or other non-magazine fed gun takes a full turn.
If a character is not being shot at or otherwise disturbed, and has plenty of time to line up a shot, the character can delay shooting by 1 turn for a +1 bonus to hit, to a maximum of +2.
Automatic Weapons:
- Burst Fire adds +1 to hit for (military) weapons with 3-Round Burst settings.
- Full-Auto Fire adds no bonus and uses a minimum of 5 shots per action unless the character is specifically trained in its use. Those with specific automatic weapons training can also simulate 3-Round Burst mode in weapons that don’t have it, just by firing short, controlled bursts.
- Cover Fire: Those with specific automatic weapons training can use 10-round bursts “cover” a narrow area for one round (under 5 feet wide), forcing anyone moving into that area or caught without cover to face an attack at +0 to hit. Wider areas (under 15 feet wide, like the width of a car) take be covered either with 30 rounds (and the +0 to hit) or 10 rounds and -3 to hit. Coverage stops when the character runs out of ammo, Dodges, stops shooting for any reason, or declares it stopped.
Assault Rifle (M16, real AK47, Steyr AUG) or Modern Defensive Carbine (civilian AK, AR15)
Caliber: Intermediate Rifle (5.56 NATO, 5.45x39, 7.62x39, 6.5 Grendel, etc.)
Stun/Wound: 15 (18 with Premium ammo)
Capacity: 30+1
Range: 300 yards
Weapon Accuracy +2
Concealability: Tarp or Guitar Case*
Weight: Medium (Used as Club: +3 Stun/+0 Wound)
Cost $750+ (yes, I know you can get some AK’s for less. I’m being general here)
Military Models can fire in semiautomatic, 3-round burst, and fully automatic modes
*Models with folding stocks can be stored in Backpacks with the stock folded. They have a Weapon Accuracy of -2 with the stocks folded, and it takes a Full Action to unfold the stock.
Example Three: Moderate Crunch
This includes Gunfighting and Marksmanship differentiation, more complex rules for Visibility, more differentiation between firearm types and Armor and Cover penetration. More firearms types would be listed, as well, but they are still listed by Type, not broken into individual weapons (so the listing is for “Assault Rifle” not “AK 47” or “M16”). Draw speed also addresses the issue of concealment holsters and quality of holsters. Range Difficulty Numbers
Note: every firearm has both Gunfighting Accuracy and Marksmanship Accuracy, and each applies to a different situation.
Gunfighting/CQB:
Ranges and Difficulties:
- Grappling (1 yard): Always opposed by a Trait, either Prowess or Strength(Wrestling)
- Melee (3 yards): 10, although someone might try to attack in hand to hand, and may be able to parry with hands or a melee weapon.
- Short (up to 10 yards): 13
- Medium (up to 30 yards): 16
- Long (over 30 yards): 19 (if you’re much beyond 30 yards, it’s not really Close Quarters Battle).
Ranges and Difficulties
- Grappling (1 yard): 4, although at this range, it’s virtually always Gunfighting.
- Melee (3 yards): 7 although at this range, it’s virtually always Gunfighting.
- Short (10 yards): 10
- Medium (30 yards): 12
- Long: (100 yards): 14
- Very Long 1: (300 yards): 16
- Very Long 2: (1000 yards): 19
- Very Long 3: (3000 yards): 22
- Extreme: (beyond 3000 yards): 25
unchanged
Armor and Cover Penetration:
listed on each weapon write-up, with more differentiation and categories, but generally unchanged.
Cover and Concealment:
unchanged
Visibility:
- Glare: -1 to -6, halved if wearing sunglasses
- Dim Light: -1 to -6, halved with proper night sights, laser, red dot, etc.
- Fog, Smoke, etc.: -1 to -6, depending on how much it obscures vision.
- Total Darkness/Firing Blind: -9
Drawing and Reloading Firearms:
- Drawing a weapon from a high-quality, non-concealed holster gives a -6 initiative penalty to the character’s next action.
- Drawing a weapon from a basic non-concealed holster, a high-quality concealment holster, or a sheath, or drawing an arrow to a bow gives a -6 initiative penalty to the character’s next action.
- Changing magazines for a firearm, reloading a crossbow, or reloading a single-shot or double-barreled gun gives a -10 initiative penalty to the character’s next action.
- Reloading a revolver or other non-magazine fed gun takes a full turn.
unchanged (applies only to Marksmanship)
Automatic Weapons:
Unchanged
Medium Crunch Firearm Write-up:
Assault Rifle (M16, real AK47, Steyr AUG) or Modern Defensive Carbine (civilian AK, AR15)
Caliber: Intermediate Rifle (5.56 NATO, 5.45x39, 7.62x39, 6.5 Grendel, etc.)
Stun/Wound: 16 (19 with Premium ammo) Ballistic Armor Piercing
Capacity: 30+1
Range: 300 yards
Gunfighting Accuracy +0
Marksmanship Accuracy +2
Armor Penetration: Ignores Ancient Armor and Soft Ballistic Armor
Cover Penetration: Light (stopped by car wheel wells, small trees, furniture, exterior walls, etc.)
Concealibility: Tarp or Guitar Case*
Weight: Medium (Used as Club: +3 Stun/+0 Wound)
Magazine Change Speed: Fast (drop-free magazines, standard controls)
Cost $750+ (yes, I know you can get some AK’s for less. Work with me here)
*Models with folding stocks can be stored in backpacks or similar bags with their stocks folded. However, they have -2 accuracy with the stocks folded, and it takes an action to unfold the stock.
Example Four: Heavier Crunch
At this point, we begin differentiating between different specific weapons, and more information about ammunition and accessory quality is brought in. Magazine Change Speed becomes an issue, and the rules for Cover Fire are explored in more detail.Ammunition types receive greater differentiation, with differences between 5.56 NATO (.223 Rem) and 7.62x39mm explored as well as differences between 9mm and .45 ACP. Arguably, none of these are “better” than the others across the board, but have different advantages and disadvantages … although modern calibers are objectively better than obsolete ones that are no longer supported (nobody makes Premium ammunition for .455 Webley revolvers, but they do make it for .45 Colt and .45 ACP).
Range Difficulty Numbers:
same as Medium Crunch
Armor and Cover Penetration:
listed on each weapon write-up, with more differentiation and categories, but generally unchanged.
Cover and Concealment:
unchanged
Visibility:
same as Medium Crunch
Drawing and Reloading Firearms:
- Drawing a weapon from a high-quality, non-concealed holster gives a -6 initiative penalty to the character’s next action.
- Drawing a weapon from a basic non-concealed holster, a high-quality concealment holster, or a sheath, or drawing an arrow to a bow gives a -6 initiative penalty to the character’s next action.
- Reloading a crossbow, or reloading a single-shot or double-barreled gun gives a -10 initiative penalty to the character’s next action.
- Reloading a revolver or other non-magazine fed gun takes a full turn.
- Reloading a stripper-clip fed weapon gives a -15 initiative penalty to the character’s next action.
- Changing Magazines varies by Mag Change Speed: “Fast” gives a -7 initiative penalty to the character’s next action. “Medium” gives a -10 initiative penalty to the character’s next action. “Slow” gives a -13 initiative penalty to the character’s next action. “Very Slow” gives a -16 initiative penalty to the character’s next action. Proper Magazine Couplers (not duct tape) reduces this initiative penalty by 3.
unchanged (applies only to Marksmanship)
Automatic Weapons:
- Burst Fire: unchanged
- Full-Auto Fire adds no bonus and uses a minimum of 5 shots per action unless the character is specifically trained in its use. Those with specific automatic weapons training can also simulate 3-Round Burst mode in weapons that don’t have it, just by firing short, controlled bursts.
- Cover Fire: Those with specific automatic weapons training can use 10-shot bursts “cover” a narrow area for one round (under 5 feet wide), forcing anyone moving into that area or caught without cover to face an attack at -1 to hit. If they use 20-shot bursts, the penalty becomes +0. To increase the area covered, the character suffers an additional -1 to penalty per additional 5 feet wide unless they add an additional 10 rounds per additional 5 foot area. Characters can pour an additional 10 shots per turn into an area to get +1 to hit, to a maximum of +3. So a 10-foot wide area would use 60 shots per turn with a +3 to hit, 50 shots per turn with +2 to hit, 40 shots per turn with +1 to hit, 30 shots per turn with +0 to hit, 20 shots per turn with -1 to hit or 10 shots per turn with -2 to hit. A 5-foot wide area would use 50 shots per turn with +3 to hit, 40 shots per turn with +2 to hit, 30 shots per turn with +1 to hit, 20 shots per turn with +0 to hit, or 10 shots per turn with -1 to hit, and so on. If the character Dodges, runs out of ammo, or stops shooting, the “cover” stops. Cover fire starts on the character’s initiative, but if it continues from turn to turn, there is no “down time” – it is considered to be continuous, no matter how high or low the covering character’s Initiative roll is.
Assault Rifles (broken down by specific weapon this time, two NATO, two WARSAW style).
NATO Style Assault Rifle or Civilian Defensive Carbine (M16, civilian AR15, and the like)
Caliber: Intermediate Rifle (5.56 NATO, generally.)
Stun/Wound: 12 (18 with Premium ammo)*
Capacity: 30+1
Range: 300 yards
Gunfighting Accuracy +0
Marksmanship Accuracy +2
Armor Penetration: Ignores Ancient Armor and Soft Ballistic Armor
Cover Penetration: Light (stopped by car wheel wells, small trees, furniture, exterior walls, etc.)
Concealibility: Tarp or Guitar Case
Weight: Medium (Used as Club: +3 Stun/+0 Wound)
Magazine Change Speed: Fast (drop-free magazines, standard controls)
Cost $1,000+
*Mil-Spec Surplus Ammo is available. It costs half as much as premium ammunition, is as commonly available as Cheap Ammo, and acts as Premium Ammo (18 Stun/Wound) within roughly 150 yards, beyond which it acts like Cheap Ammunition (12 Stun/Wound).
Military Models generally fire only Semi Auto and 3-Round Bursts, but some models do have full-auto capabilities.
NATO Bullpup Assault Rifle or Civilian Equivalent (Steyr AUG, L1A1, MSAR, FS-2000)
Caliber: Intermediate Rifle (5.56 NATO, generally)
Stun/Wound: 12 (18 with Premium ammo)*
Capacity: 30+1
Range: 300 yards
Gunfighting Accuracy +0
Marksmanship Accuracy +2
Armor Penetration: Ignores Ancient Armor and Soft Ballistic Armor
Cover Penetration: Light (stopped by car wheel wells, small trees, furniture, exterior walls, etc.)
Concealability: Backpack
Weight: Medium (Used as Club: +2 Stun/-1 Wound – less damage because of less leverage)
Magazine Change Speed: Medium (drop-free magazines, awkward mag position)
Cost $1500+
*Mil-Spec Surplus Ammo is available. It costs half as much as premium ammunition, is as commonly available as Cheap Ammo, and acts as Premium Ammo (18 Stun/Wound) within roughly 150 yards, beyond which it acts like Cheap Ammunition (12 Stun/Wound).
Military Models generally fire only Semi Auto and 3-Round Bursts, but some models do have full-auto capabilities.
AK-47 and Civilian Equivalents
Caliber: Intermediate Rifle (7.62x39)
Stun/Wound: 15 (18 with Premium ammo)
Capacity: 30+1
Range: 200 yards
Gunfighting Accuracy +0
Marksmanship Accuracy +1
Armor Penetration: Ignores Ancient Armor and Soft Ballistic Armor
Cover Penetration: Medium (stopped by engine blocks, large trees, brick walls, etc.)
Concealibility: Tarp or Guitar Case*
Weight: Medium (Used as Club: +3 Stun/+0 Wound)
Magazine Change Speed: Slow (obsolete “rock and lock” magazine design)
Cost $500+
*Models with folding stocks can be stored in backpacks or similar bags with their stocks folded. However, they have -1 Gunfighting Accuracy and -2 Marksmanship Accuracy with the stocks folded, and unfolding the stock gives a -10 initiative penalty to the character’s next action.
Military Models generally fire only on full auto. These are typically third-world firearms, as the former Soviet nations have mostly moved on to AK-74 and AK-101 models in 5.45x39mm
AK-74, AK-101 and Civilian Equivalents
Caliber: Intermediate Rifle (5.45x39)
Stun/Wound: 12 (18 with Premium ammo)
Capacity: 30+1
Range: 300 yards
Gunfighting Accuracy +0
Marksmanship Accuracy +1
Armor Penetration: Ignores Ancient Armor and Soft Ballistic Armor
Cover Penetration: Light (stopped by car wheel wells, small trees, furniture, exterior walls, etc.)
Concealibility: Tarp or Guitar Case*
Weight: Medium (Used as Club: +3 Stun/+0 Wound)
Magazine Change Speed: Slow (obsolete “rock and lock” magazine design)
Cost $700+ (for a quality model).
*Models with folding stocks can be stored in backpacks or similar bags with their stocks folded. However, they have -1 Gunfighting Accuracy and -2 Marksmanship Accuracy with the stocks folded, and unfolding the stock gives a -10 initiative penalty to the character’s next action.
Military Models generally have Semi Auto, 3-Round Bursts, and full-auto capabilities.
