Supplement Four
SOC-14 5K
HITS
CT refers to damage as "hits". This is the amount of damage applied to a target's physical stats. The idea I'm trying to share is that not all "hits" are the same, but our brains default to thinking that 6 total points of damage now is just as damaging to the target as 6 total points in a different situation. This is not true at all. Damage, in classic Traveller represents different results and is handled differently, depending on the circumstance.
WOUNDS
Damage that does not reduce any of the physical stats to zero is a Minor Wound. Damage that reduces one physical stat to zero is also a Minor Wound with the added problem of unconsciousness.
It takes two physical stats at zero to indicate a Serious Wound has been applied to the character. And, we all know what all three physicals at zero means: it means the game is up--that all she wrote, and its time for the fat lady to sing as its tits up for the character.
So consider...
A target with average attributes of 777777 is hit by an Autopistol slug doing total damage of 6. The First Blood rule kicks in, and all the hits land on STR, reducing the target to stats of 177777.
Next round, the same target is again hit by an AutoPistol attack, and damage again is 3, 2, 1 for a total of six points. No longer using the First Blood rule, the player takes damage of 5 (3,2) on his END and damage of 1 to his DEX. Now, the character has: 162777.
Third round, the same target is hit, again, by that AutoPistol, and damage is 1, 1, 4, for a total, again, of six points. The player takes a 1 on his END and a total of 5 (4, 1) on his DEX. Now, the character is at: 111777.
Fourth round, that damn enemy with the AutoPistol hits again, and damage is, again is six points: 2, 2, 2. Now, the target is dead.
EXAMINATION
Why is the last shot any different from the first three? All four shots were accomplished with an AutoPistol. All four shots scored 6 points of damage. Yet, one attack killed the character outright while the first attack gave him a Minor Wound, and the second and third attacks, together, while successful hits, did not increase the damage done to the character!
It can be eye opening to look at this exercise.
UNCONSCIOUS!
Consider this, as well. The average attribute in the game is 7. An average human, in all respects, is statted: 777777.
If you look at the Book 1 weapon table, you'll see that the majority of weapons do 3D damage, making average damage 10 hits.
This means that the average successful attack from a gun in this game will render an average target unconscious with a Minor Wound. That is, incapacitated with a Wound that is easily healed.
The character will wake up from that gunshot attack in 10 minutes. His wounded stats will grow to their halfway level. And, he will be completely healed, regardless of the number of wound hits remaining, to his full, healthy level, after just three days of rest.
Or! The character can heal much, much faster by seeking help from an ally with a minimum Medical-1 skill and a medkit. This character will be fully healed, after suffering the gunshot wound, in half and hour!
CT refers to damage as "hits". This is the amount of damage applied to a target's physical stats. The idea I'm trying to share is that not all "hits" are the same, but our brains default to thinking that 6 total points of damage now is just as damaging to the target as 6 total points in a different situation. This is not true at all. Damage, in classic Traveller represents different results and is handled differently, depending on the circumstance.
WOUNDS
Damage that does not reduce any of the physical stats to zero is a Minor Wound. Damage that reduces one physical stat to zero is also a Minor Wound with the added problem of unconsciousness.
It takes two physical stats at zero to indicate a Serious Wound has been applied to the character. And, we all know what all three physicals at zero means: it means the game is up--that all she wrote, and its time for the fat lady to sing as its tits up for the character.
So consider...
A target with average attributes of 777777 is hit by an Autopistol slug doing total damage of 6. The First Blood rule kicks in, and all the hits land on STR, reducing the target to stats of 177777.
Next round, the same target is again hit by an AutoPistol attack, and damage again is 3, 2, 1 for a total of six points. No longer using the First Blood rule, the player takes damage of 5 (3,2) on his END and damage of 1 to his DEX. Now, the character has: 162777.
Third round, the same target is hit, again, by that AutoPistol, and damage is 1, 1, 4, for a total, again, of six points. The player takes a 1 on his END and a total of 5 (4, 1) on his DEX. Now, the character is at: 111777.
Fourth round, that damn enemy with the AutoPistol hits again, and damage is, again is six points: 2, 2, 2. Now, the target is dead.
EXAMINATION
Why is the last shot any different from the first three? All four shots were accomplished with an AutoPistol. All four shots scored 6 points of damage. Yet, one attack killed the character outright while the first attack gave him a Minor Wound, and the second and third attacks, together, while successful hits, did not increase the damage done to the character!
It can be eye opening to look at this exercise.
UNCONSCIOUS!
Consider this, as well. The average attribute in the game is 7. An average human, in all respects, is statted: 777777.
If you look at the Book 1 weapon table, you'll see that the majority of weapons do 3D damage, making average damage 10 hits.
This means that the average successful attack from a gun in this game will render an average target unconscious with a Minor Wound. That is, incapacitated with a Wound that is easily healed.
The character will wake up from that gunshot attack in 10 minutes. His wounded stats will grow to their halfway level. And, he will be completely healed, regardless of the number of wound hits remaining, to his full, healthy level, after just three days of rest.
Or! The character can heal much, much faster by seeking help from an ally with a minimum Medical-1 skill and a medkit. This character will be fully healed, after suffering the gunshot wound, in half and hour!