The Inside Scoop on Gaming

Subtitled "...What gun control was meant to be!", Killer Crosshairs, is a universal game suplement that strives to simulate targeting as well as hit locations in firearm, melee weapon, and hand-to-hand combat. And while it does its job, I know that there's got to be a better, or at least easier way!

A transparancy and a host of silhouettes have been provided within the supplement. The firearm transparancy is laid out in dartboard format. The transparancy is placed over a silhouette that resembles the stance of the target. An attack roll is made standard to whatever game is being played and based on what the player made/missed his/her roll by determines how close to or far from the target the shot is. A d20 is then rolled to determine where on the "dartboard" the shot hit. For example, 9 is the lower-right of the transparancy and 19 is the upper right. Based on the d20 roll and the made/miss modifier the player can now tell exactly where the target has been hit.

For melee weapon and hand-to-hand combat another transparancy has been provided, and most of the silhouettes work with this transparancy as well. The transparancy is laid out in four sections of five to four parallel lines. The transparancy is placed so that the lines run in the direction of the swing. Just as with firearms, however much the player missed/made their roll by determines how close to the target they actually came.

The largest problem with this suplement is that to actually hit exactly what what was being aimed for the roll would have had to be made by eight (or eight successes)! Even GURPS rules aren't that strict! In multiple system tests I constantly killed the hostage (see below) even when I made my roll!

A smaller, more time & energy consuming problem with Killer Crosshairs is even pointed out in their given example! The example is that of a sniper taking out a criminal with hostages. In the example a page must be photocopied and the silhouette cut out to correctly simulate the possibility of hitting a hostage. Fortunately, I have immediate access to both a scanner and printer, but the time it took to do even that was annoying. ...And I was prepared for the situation! Using Killer Crosshairs can lead to the frustrating need to have folders full of cut-outs for any combat scenario.

Overall the system is best used for those who like extreme amounts of realistic possibilites.... But to those players I must ask... Why aren't you just playing GURPS? It already has hit locations and modifiers built in!

Seriously though, for those who are die-hards in systems, yet still feel the need to complicate it further by knowing EXACTLY where that bullet/arrow/fist went, Killer Crosshairs is for you!

Style: 3 (Average)
Substance: 2 (Sparse)

Killer Crosshairs
Author: Jeffrey Barber Category: game Company/Publisher: Biohazard Games Cost: $9.95 Page count: 24 Playtest Review by Shadow Sprite on 10/17/97. Genre tags: none	Subtitled "...What gun control was meant to be!", Killer Crosshairs, is a universal game suplement that strives to simulate targeting as well as hit locations in firearm, melee weapon, and hand-to-hand combat. And while it does its job, I know that there's got to be a better, or at least easier way! A transparancy and a host of silhouettes have been provided within the supplement. The firearm transparancy is laid out in dartboard format. The transparancy is placed over a silhouette that resembles the stance of the target. An attack roll is made standard to whatever game is being played and based on what the player made/missed his/her roll by determines how close to or far from the target the shot is. A d20 is then rolled to determine where on the "dartboard" the shot hit. For example, 9 is the lower-right of the transparancy and 19 is the upper right. Based on the d20 roll and the made/miss modifier the player can now tell exactly where the target has been hit. For melee weapon and hand-to-hand combat another transparancy has been provided, and most of the silhouettes work with this transparancy as well. The transparancy is laid out in four sections of five to four parallel lines. The transparancy is placed so that the lines run in the direction of the swing. Just as with firearms, however much the player missed/made their roll by determines how close to the target they actually came. The largest problem with this suplement is that to actually hit exactly what what was being aimed for the roll would have had to be made by eight (or eight successes)! Even GURPS rules aren't that strict! In multiple system tests I constantly killed the hostage (see below) even when I made my roll! A smaller, more time & energy consuming problem with Killer Crosshairs is even pointed out in their given example! The example is that of a sniper taking out a criminal with hostages. In the example a page must be photocopied and the silhouette cut out to correctly simulate the possibility of hitting a hostage. Fortunately, I have immediate access to both a scanner and printer, but the time it took to do even that was annoying. ...And I was prepared for the situation! Using Killer Crosshairs can lead to the frustrating need to have folders full of cut-outs for any combat scenario. Overall the system is best used for those who like extreme amounts of realistic possibilites.... But to those players I must ask... Why aren't you just playing GURPS? It already has hit locations and modifiers built in! Seriously though, for those who are die-hards in systems, yet still feel the need to complicate it further by knowing EXACTLY where that bullet/arrow/fist went, Killer Crosshairs is for you! Style: 3 (Average) Substance: 2 (Sparse)