Alternate Guns Specialties and Techniques

An article that reviews the differences in the Guns skill specialties, and a proposal to simplify the specialties into three main categories:
* Long Arms
* Pistols
* Light Anti-Armor Weapons (LAWs)
They default to each other at -4, and there may be familiarity penalties (see below). Luckily, most action-themed adventurers will have multiple Guns skills--or the Cross-Trained perk!
== Familiarities ==
* -1 for a substantial caliber difference. This penalty especially applies whenever there’s a damage difference of 1d or more.
* -1 for ignition (flintlock, caplock, self-contained cartridge, etc.).
* -1 for action or operating mechanism (automatic, pump-action, lever-action, etc.). For this purpose, there’s no difference between semiautomatic and full-automatic.
* -1 for grip or handling (normal stock vs. bullpup, pistol vs. revolver, etc.).
* -1 for sights (iron sights, scope, reflex sight, etc.).
* -1 for feed (internal magazine, detachable magazine, revolver cylinder, muzzle-loading, belt-feed, etc.). This doesn’t apply if someone else has loaded the gun for you!
All familiarity penalties disappear after eight hours of practice, so be sure to test out any weird new weapons out on the range. You'll never know when you need that Martian holdout laser or synthweb tangler gun.
== Examples ==
* Going from a .38 Special S&W Model 10 revolverHigh-Tech, p. 95 to a .357 Magnum S&W Model 19 revolverHigh-Tech, p. 96 is a caliber difference. 
* Going from a Remington Model 870 pump-action shotgunHigh-Tech, pp. 105-106 to a Remington Model 1100 semiautomatic shotgunTactical Shooting, p. 60 is an action difference. 
* Going from a Colt M16A1 assault rifleHigh-Tech, p. 117 to a Steyr AUG assault rifleHigh-Tech, p. 118 is a grip difference.
* Going from a Colt XM177E1 assault carbine with iron sightsHigh-Tech, p. 119 to a Colt M4A1 assault carbine with collimating sightHigh-Tech, p. 119 is a sights difference. 
* Going from a FN M249 light machine gun with magazine to a FN M249 light machine gun with beltHigh-Tech, pp. 135-136 is a feed difference.
== See Also ==
* Guns skill
* Guns for TL7+ adventurers (Fanon)
==References==
*Pyramid 3/65: Alternate GURPS III
Category:Pyramid Vol 3 Articles
Category:Hans-Christian Vortisch
Category:Firearms