From: nexus@ylum.cgd.ucar.edu (Jeff Berry)
Subject: Comparison of Damage (was Re: Let's talk REAL sci-Fi systems
Summary: 9mm, 7.62mm, sword
Organization: Climate and Global Dynamics Division/NCAR, Boulder, CO
Date: Wed, 16 Sep 1992 02:43:17 GMT

porterg@gems.vcu.edu challenges:
>If the system is *much* more realistic than all others, I think a side by
>side comparison is in order, to convince the net.public of the truth.  Using
>examples we can all imagine, and hope to not personally experience.
>1.      A medium caliber pistol hit (9mm or .45) to the unarmored head.
>2.      A medium caliber rifle bullet (7.62mm) to the unarmored torso.
>3.      A broadsword swung by an average person to the unprotected neck.
>4.      And of course, a plasma cannon (equivalent to a RPG-7) to the groin.

Let's see, Space Opera

9mm AutoPistol has a modifier of -1, so roll 1d20-1, on average say 9,
	a serious wound, averages about 10 points of damage out of 28,
	and make a shock roll of 11 or less on d20 or go into shock.  A modified
	roll of 11+, though, will do about 14 points out of 28, require the
	same roll of 11 or less amd has 24% of killing an NPC outright (yes, the
	rules for NPC's are different.)

7.62 AutoRifle to chest, works out to exactly the same as above, oddly 
	enough.  It has a +1 modifier, but the break between serious and 
	critical occurs at 12, not 10.

Broadsword to the neck. +0 Damage, so it is a hair more effective than the 9mm,
	since the break between serious and critical is the same for head/neck.

RPG-7, call it a Grenade Launcher-H, +5 damage puts it right at the same effect
	as the broadsword.

Needless to say, Space Opera Combat is not particularly lethal.  But it has
some neat ship combat rules:-)

And how about FTL 2448 (same as Fringeworthy), average HPS are 35.

Pistol, Semi-Auto, at PB does 5d6 damage, for an average of 17.  Now let's
	discount grazes and such and assume we hit in 2,4.  8 points blows
	through the skull, the next 4 damage brain (and cause a roll on
	the bleeding chart), the last 5 points are expended damaging the back
	of the skull.  THe chance of death is 98%, we also check on the Bone
	Damage table after the skull is penetrated, but it will still kill on
	98%.  The bloodloss chart cause extra bleeding about 50% of the time.
	Note:  This assumes a good solid head hit.  The head  has 36 specific
	hit locations of which 2 are misses, and 14 are grazes.  Of the
	rest, only 12 have to kill chances of >80, and 4 have less than 20
	(mostly jaw hits).

Rifle, the assault rifle at PB also does 5d6 damage.  A solid hit to, say, the
	3,4 (a heart shot) takes 6 to go through the bone, 4 more to maim
	the heart (80% chance of death) and burns it's last 7 trying to
	go through the spine.  (this means, of course, we roll on the spinal
	damage chart as well).  Well, you get the idea.  Now of the 36
	chest locations, 6 are grazes,  5 have kill chances of 80+,
	and 17 have kill chances of 10- (including 6,3 Pancreas - 6,4
	Duodenum - and 6,6 Spleen)

Sword in the neck - Blade damage of d10, call it 5, attacker has average
	strength, 10, sword is a medium object, so add 2d6, for a total
	of 12.  Call the neck chest location 1,3 Trachea, Air passage.
	3 points mashes the trachea and the remaining 9 do spinal damage.
	the roll on spinal damage does 2d6 more damage and raises the
	death chance to 8%.  Not too bad.

RPG - Call it an HE Grenade,  Direct hit does 200 points of damage - bye.

All of the above is the complicated system.  In the "fast" system, the
results are:
Pistol -  50% chance of shock, if in shock, 40% chance of death - roughly
		20% chance of death total.
Rifle -   40% shock, if shock 20% death, or 8% chance of death total.
Sword -   same as rifle
RPG -     same as complicated system.

This is kind of fun, actually.


badger                                      Don Alexandre Lerot d'Avigne
Jeff Berry                                  Seneschal of Caer Galen, Outlands
               nexus@ncar.ucar.edu
NCAR doesn't tell me what to think, and I return the favor.
"You're a notch and I'm a legend"-------Alice Cooper
"You're still doing the things that I gave up years ago.."-----Lou Reed