From: chem7l@jane.uh.edu (Corbit, Jim)
Subject: Re: SR: Holes wanted
News-Software: VAX/VMS VNEWS 1.41    
Organization: University of Houston
Date: Wed, 12 Aug 1992 18:00:00 GMT

In article <Bsu530.7yI@news.cso.uiuc.edu>, dv52151@uxa.cso.uiuc.edu (Axly) writes...
>chem7l@jane.uh.edu writes:
> 
>>In article <wilder.713337780@mik.uky.edu>, wilder@mik.uky.edu (jeff wilder) writes...
>>>In <BsKG1o.HCx@news.cso.uiuc.edu> dv52151@uxa.cso.uiuc.edu (Axly) writes:
> 
>>>|Armor: Right off the bat, make a decision on whether wounds staged past
>>>|deadly remove a point of armor or merely ignore it. This will save some 
>>>|arguing down the road. You may want to change the armor rules, but doing
>>>|it at the beginning is probably the best time. I like the method where
>>>|armor subtracts its rating from the power of the attack. Otherwise, an
>>>|armored jacket alone lets players shed most damage too easily.
> 
>>I dislike this system because I think it makes armor too powerful.  An armored
>>vest (armor rating 5 if I remember correctly) can stage the damage from any 
>>single handgun, SMG, or assault rifle round to nothing automatically and in all
>>situations.  At least the old system allows for the _possibility_ of being hurt
>>by a handgun.
> 
>Makes armor too powerful? Ha. The old system lets people bounce Panther
>assault cannon rounds off their body. No one can be killed by a Panther
>assault cannon if wearing a lined coat. 10D4 staged down means a Serious
>Wound is all you can do with a Panther unless you stage. 
> 
>The old system has people just as invulnerable to most pistols. 4M2 against
>a armored coat? No wound there. 
> 
>As far as the assault rifles and SMG's go, sure, 1 rd. isn't going to hurt
>someone using the new system but now a burst of rounds is serious business.
>People can actually die from a burst of SMG fire while wearing a lined coat.
> 
>Axly
> 
>********************************************************************************
>*   Axly      *  "Is Axly tough? Yes. Talented? Yes. Brave? Oh, certainly.     *
>* Red Sword   *   He is also erratic, irresponsible, accident-prone, and a     *
>*   Targa     *   constant threat to public safety. The trick is to keep him   *
>*             *   pointed in the right direction. "                            *
>*             *         -Niki                                                  *
>********************************************************************************

Neither system is perfect, but if you change auto-successes to auto-sixes, most
of the problem with the old system disappears.  With the old system, a very
good/lucky person could get enough successes to stage a single shot with a 
pistol up high enough to hurt people in moderate armor.  With the new system,
this is IMPOSSIBLE.  Single shots CANNOT HURT a person wearing an armored vest.
I personally dislike systems that make anything impossible.

As far as the Panther Assault Cannon goes, I think there are serious problems
with this and with hand grenades.  Upping the damage is the best way to fix it.

Also, remember that when you get few successes with any gun, it implies that
you didn't hit a particularly vulnerable spot.  Body  armor should stop handgun
and SMG bullets that don't get several successes.  On the other hand, if someone
fires a 4M2 handgun and gets 6 successes in the old system, he does 4D2 damage.
If it is a surprise attack as well, there is no way to avoid taking damage.  In 
the new system, a surprise attack with three rounds of aiming and infinite 
successes does NO damage with a handgun, ever.

Lastly, anyone wearing a suit of heavy armor, according to the new system, can
NEVER be harmed by a PANTHER!!!!  (not to mention a grenade, an HMG firing a 
three round burst, some missiles and rockets, etc.)  Considering that these
weapons can turn armored vehicles into swiss cheese, this is VERY powerful body
armor -- much more powerful than in the old system.

On the other hand, if you just rule that armor in the new system cannot stage 
damage below a power of 2, or that each step below power 2 is an auto-success
instead, then I too would prefer the new system.

Jim Corbit
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.advocacy