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|
Kitsune's Modified Burst Rules |
By: Mischa (Mischa.campen@tip.nl) and Kitsune
(Kitsune@vabch.com)
Minor tweaks by: Dustin M. Ramsey (DustinM@rifts-rpg.com)
Standard Palladium modern weapons rules list the number of shots that are fired in a burst as a percentage of the magazine. This means that for the purpose of bursts, you will fire a different number of rounds with your M-16 by having a 10 round post-Brady Bill magazine or having a 99 round snail magazine. A better system is to list the number of rounds fired instead of a percentage of rounds. The system is based on considering a magazine to be twenty rounds for an automatic or semiautomatic pistol or rifle, and a magazine of one-hundred rounds for a full machinegun. This means that a short burst from an M-16 would be 4 bullets instead of 20% of the magazine. This of course means that you cannot do an entire-magazine burst with a ten round clip.
The numbers listed below have been adjusted for game purposes because a short burst averages four rounds but may be three or five rounds. Machinegun damages have been revised further in an attempt to represent them more accurately. These rules may be used for energy weapons if the game master and players wish.
Special Bursts
Double Tap: Most law enforcement officers are taught a technique called the double tap, which involves firing two rounds in rapid succession. This is an effective combat technique that is also very conservative on ammunition. This technique can be used with all semiautomatic and fully automatic weapons, including automatic rifles, automatic pistols, and double-action revolvers. When using a double tap, a separate strike roll is made for both of the shots and they are considered to be bursts (use burst bonuses for each of the shots rather than aimed shot bonuses), with the second shot receiving a -2 to strike penalty. Roll damage once if one round hits or roll twice if both rounds strike their target. This technique uses up one attack even though it fires two rounds.
Three Round Burst: Several weapons, including later M-16 models, have been designed to fire three rounds each time the trigger is pulled. There are huge advantages with this because it conserves ammunition and makes shooting more accurate. A three round burst does the same damage as a short burst (one round x 2) but enjoys the same bonuses as an aimed shot. Some of the weapons that can fire three round bursts cannot fire fully automatic bursts. This technique uses up one attack even though it fires three rounds.
Bursts from Fully Automatic Weapons (Pistols, Rifles, and Submachineguns)
Short Burst: Fires 4 rounds per burst and can only be directed at one target. The damage is one round x 2 and costs one attack even though it uses four rounds. The person firing has standard burst bonuses.
Long Burst (One Target): Fires a 10 round burst that is directed at a single target. The damage is one round x 5 and costs one attack even though it uses ten rounds. The person firing has standard burst bonuses.
Long Burst (Spray): Fires 10 rounds and is directed at multiple targets. The damage is one round x 1 and costs one attack even though it uses ten rounds. This is considered to be a wild shot, so characters using a weapon proficiency do not have any bonuses or penalties to strike, but those without the proper weapon proficiency suffer a -6 to strike. Roll 1D4 to determine how many targets will be hit and there is a 20% chance of striking an innocent bystander if there is one in the firing area.
Extended Burst (One Target) [was Entire Magazine ]: Fires a 20 round burst at one target. The damage is one round x 10 and costs two attacks even though it uses twenty rounds. The person firing has standard burst bonuses.
Extended Burst (Spray) [was Entire Magazine ]: Fires 20 rounds and is directed at multiple targets. The damage is one round x 2 and costs two attacks even though it uses twenty rounds. This is considered to be a wild shot, so characters using a weapon proficiency do not have any bonuses or penalties to strike, but those without the proper weapon proficiency suffer a -6 to strike. Roll 1D4 to determine how many targets will be hit and there is a 50% chance of striking an innocent bystander if there is one in the firing area.
Bursts from Full Machineguns
Short Burst: Fires 4 rounds per burst and can only be directed at one target. The damage is one round x 2 and costs one attack even though it uses four rounds. The person firing has standard burst bonuses.
Medium Burst (One Target)[was Short Burst ]: Fires a 10 round burst that is directed at a single target. The damage is one round x 5 and costs one attack even though it uses ten rounds. The person firing has standard burst bonuses.
Medium Burst (Spray)[was Short Burst ]: Fires 10 rounds and is directed at multiple targets. The damage is one round x 1 and costs one attack even though it uses ten rounds. This is considered to be a wild shot, so characters using a weapon proficiency do not have any bonuses or penalties to strike, but those without the proper weapon proficiency suffer a -6 to strike. Roll 1D4 to determine how many targets will be hit and there is a 20% chance of striking an innocent bystander if there is one in the firing area.
Long Burst (One Target): Fires a 30 round burst that is directed at a single target. The damage is one round x 10 and costs one attack even though it uses thirty rounds. The person firing has standard burst bonuses.
Long Burst (Spray): Fires 30 rounds and is directed at multiple targets. The damage is one round x 2 and costs two attacks even though it uses thirty rounds. This is considered to be a wild shot, so characters using a weapon proficiency do not have any bonuses or penalties to strike, but those without the proper weapon proficiency suffer a -6 to strike. Roll 1D8 to determine how many targets will be hit and there is a 50% chance of striking an innocent bystander if there is one in the firing area.
Extended Burst (One Target) [was Entire Magazine ]: Fires a 100 round burst that is directed at a single target. The damage is one round x 20 and costs an entire melee of attacks. The person firing has standard burst bonuses.
Extended Burst (Spray) [was Entire Magazine ]: Fires 100 rounds and is directed at multiple targets. The damage is one round x 2 and costs an entire melee of attacks. This is considered to be a wild shot, so characters using a weapon proficiency do not have any bonuses or penalties to strike, but those without the proper weapon proficiency suffer a -6 to strike. Roll 2D8 to determine how many targets will be hit and there is a 70% chance of striking an innocent bystander if there is one in the firing area.