From: trip@cco.caltech.edu (Trip)
Subject: Re: Let's talk REAL sci-Fi systems
Organization: California Institute of Technology, Pasadena
Date: Fri, 11 Sep 1992 23:48:35 GMT

porterg@gems.vcu.edu writes:

>But hey, I'm a quasi-famous game designer whose product might be in danger,
>so before I put up my 50 bucks, how about a few *facts* instead of *hype*.

>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.

>As the author of TimeLords, I of course will open my own system to comparison,
>and further suggest we add GURPS, Hero System, and Twilight:2000 to the list
>(as a control point, maybe we should throw in Macho Women w/Guns as well).

For what it's worth here are the numbers for Hero (Using the bloody
combat options). A normal human has 8 Body, is bleeding to death at 0
Body, and dead at -8. It requires 5 Body in one hit to inflict an
impairing wound, 9 Body for a disable. A normal human has 16 Stun and is
unconscious at 0. For each multiple of their Recovery (4 in this case),
they will be be unconscious for one time step longer (phase, 12 sec,
minute, 5 min, GM's option).

>1.      A medium caliber pistol hit (9mm or .45) to the unarmored head.

9mm is 1d6+1 killing, averaging 4-5 Body. Head is x2 Body and x5 Stun,
for 8-10 Body and 40-50 Stun. 9 Body is enough to produce a disabling
wound.  Minor characters die instantly.  Major characters may survive
with brain damage, blindness, or horrible scarring if the GM is feeling
kind and someone reaches them before they bleed to death, but will
certainly be unconscious for quite some time.

.45 is 1.5d6 killing, averaging 5-6 Body, for a total of 10-12 Body and
50-60 Stun. Overall effects are much like the 9mm only messier.

>2.      A medium caliber rifle bullet (7.62mm) to the unarmored torso.

7.62mm is 2d6+1 killing, averaging 8 Body. Chest is x1 Body and x3
Stun, so a normal will be unconscious and bleeding to death, with an
impairing wound to the chest. Stomach is x4 Stun, so he'd be
incapacitated for even longer, and still bleeding to death.  Vitals is
x2 Body, x4 Stun, for 16 Body and 32 Stun, which is instant death.

>3.      A broadsword swung by an average person to the unprotected neck.

A broadsword does 1d6+1 killing when swung by someone of normal
Strength and the neck is considered part of the Head hit location (x2
Body, x5 Stun), so the results are the same as for the 9mm to the head:
dead except by GM's mercy.

>4.      And of course, a plasma cannon (equivalent to a RPG-7) to the groin.

A LAW does 4d6 killing, armor-piercing. I suspect an RPG-7 does a little
more, but for the sake of argument we'll say it's 4d6 killing. The
armor-piercing doesn't do any good against an unarmored human, who has
no resistant defense. IMHO, the groin counts as Stomach rather than
Vitals (x1 Body rather than x2, but still x4 Stun). 4d6 killing averages
14 Body, hence 56 Stun. This is a disabling wound, but it probably
doesn't matter because the victim is going to bleed to death in 2
turns. If you choose to consider the groin as Vitals it's 28 Body,
which is an instant kill and then some.

Trip				|   Never be the first to believe
President, ECNG			|   Never be the last to deceive
(trip@cobalt.cco.caltech.edu)	|   Nobody's on nobody's side
				|			-_Chess_