Supplement Four
SOC-14 5K
S4's Ammo Tweak for T5
I saw today that Rob wrote that T5 doesn't have any sort of ammo tracking buriend within the rules somewhere. That's actually pretty disappointing to me. I don't necessarily need to count every bullet, but I do want some sort of mechanisim where I know when a character has run out of ammo. I'm betting there's a lot of Traveller fans out there who feel the same way. It baffles me how something like this could be completely ignored in the T5 rules, especially when the game is so detailed in other areas (Big, detailed rule sections for MAKING weapons, but nothing about ammo expenditure!).
I've been thinking about a tweak to add simple ammo tracking to the game. I have a couple of other ideas in posts #53, #54, and #58 of THIS THREAD.
T5 needs a simple ammo rule in keeping with the abstract one minute combat round. I'm going to list below the direction that I'm thinking about this, and I welcome tweaks or improvement ideas to make the rule better.
DESIGN THOUGHTS
Since T5 uses an abstract one-minute combat round, we don't need a detailed rule that would count each and every bullet fired from a weapon. I don't want a rule that forces bookeeping on the GM and players.
All we really need is a simple rule that removes magazines on an average basis. We remove mags from the character's inventory based on his rate of fire and the size of the ammo clip.
Page 248 of T5 gives us general information on ammunition and magazines, along with some examples. One thing that I think really should be added to the game (GunMaker) is a description of how many rounds the weapon can hold in one mag. As it stands now, it looks like it's up to the GM to determine this information. And, I think some general ideas of magazine weight should be listed, as well.
S4's Ammo Tweak
Every three combat rounds** (every three minutes, there abouts) magazines are discarded from a character's inventory. This means that, during most engagements, ammo will only be addressed once or twice during the combat.
Ammo Usage will be addressed at the end of the Attack phase on the appropriate round.
Ammo Usage: On round 3, round 6, round 9, etc.
Aimed Fire: If a character uses Aimed Fire, or does not fire at all (but uses Aimed Fire in at least one combat round), for all three preceding rounds, then mark off one ammo magazine*.
SnapFire: If a character uses SnapFire or a mixture of SnapFire and Aimed Fire during the three preceding rounds, then mark off two magazines*.
AutoFire: If a character uses AutoFire at any time during the three preceding combat rounds, then mark off three magazines*.
*This is based on a 15 round magazine. Adjust ammo usage by the size of the magazine of the weapon that is used.
For example, if a character is using a revolver that holds 6 rounds, and that character uses Aimed Fire in rounds one and two, but did not attack in round three, then normally the character would mark off 1 magazine per the rule above. But since the weapon holds 6 bullets, that's about half of 15, the character would double his ammo expenditure, making off 2 magazines (6-round revolver speed loaders).
In another example, let's say that a character is using an automatic rifle that has a 30 round magazine. If the character uses AutoFire in any of the three rounds, then he would mark off two magazines in the Ammo Usage phase during combat round three (the 30 round mag is twice the 15 round mag tha the rule was based upon, thus ammo expenditure is halved, and I rounded up).
**If a combat lasts one or two rounds, then review Ammo Usage on the last combat round, otherwise, review Ammo Usage only every three rounds.
For example, if a combat only lasts one round, then review Ammo Useage that round.
If a combat lasts five combat rounds, review Ammo Useage on round three only (not round five).
Simple Examples
Weapon: Advanced Magnum Revolver-8 with 32 round spiral magazine (see page 236 T5).
Round 1: Aimed Fire
Round 2: Does not attack--performs a different action.
Round 3: SnapFire
Round 3 Ammo Usage: Remove 1 magazine.
Weapon: Gauss Rifle-12 with 100 round bullet reservoir. (See page 236 T5.)
Round 1: AutoFire.
Round 2: AutoFire.
Round 3: AutoFire.
Round 3 Ammo Usage: No magazine removed. About half the magazine depleted.
Weapon: 8mm Battle Rifle with 10 round magazine. (See page 248 T5.)
Round 1: Aimed Fire.
Round 2: SnapFire.
Round 3: AutoFire.
Round 3 Ammo Usage: Remove 6 magazines.
Weapon: 8mm Battle Rifle with 20 round magazine. (See page 248 T5.)
Round 1: No fire - round used to aim.
Round 2: Aimed Fire.
Round 3: SnapFire.
Round 3 Ammo Usage: 2 magazines used.
Weapon: 8mm Battle Rifle with 30 round magazine. (See page 248 T5.)
Round 1: No fire. Instead used round to operate vehicle computer.
Round 2: Aimed Fire.
Round 3: Aimed Fire.
Round 3 Ammo Usage: No magazines removed--used about half a clip.
WHAT THIS RULE NEEDS!
We need standard (average) weight (or burden) for magazine clips. A few, generic magazine types should do. GMs can customize as needed. This will keep characters from carrying unbelieveable amounts of ammo magazines due to Load restrictions.
EDIT!
Further thoughts on this rule can be seen later in this thread in post #21 HERE, post #23 HERE, and post #30 HERE. Also look at post #31 HERE.
Post #36 presents an easy method, using the T5 Notation Style, for describing ammo useage on the weapon's description line.
Update GunMaker with two easy steps to include ammo in your weapon descriptions. See post #48 HERE.
.
I saw today that Rob wrote that T5 doesn't have any sort of ammo tracking buriend within the rules somewhere. That's actually pretty disappointing to me. I don't necessarily need to count every bullet, but I do want some sort of mechanisim where I know when a character has run out of ammo. I'm betting there's a lot of Traveller fans out there who feel the same way. It baffles me how something like this could be completely ignored in the T5 rules, especially when the game is so detailed in other areas (Big, detailed rule sections for MAKING weapons, but nothing about ammo expenditure!).
I've been thinking about a tweak to add simple ammo tracking to the game. I have a couple of other ideas in posts #53, #54, and #58 of THIS THREAD.
T5 needs a simple ammo rule in keeping with the abstract one minute combat round. I'm going to list below the direction that I'm thinking about this, and I welcome tweaks or improvement ideas to make the rule better.
DESIGN THOUGHTS
Since T5 uses an abstract one-minute combat round, we don't need a detailed rule that would count each and every bullet fired from a weapon. I don't want a rule that forces bookeeping on the GM and players.
All we really need is a simple rule that removes magazines on an average basis. We remove mags from the character's inventory based on his rate of fire and the size of the ammo clip.
Page 248 of T5 gives us general information on ammunition and magazines, along with some examples. One thing that I think really should be added to the game (GunMaker) is a description of how many rounds the weapon can hold in one mag. As it stands now, it looks like it's up to the GM to determine this information. And, I think some general ideas of magazine weight should be listed, as well.
S4's Ammo Tweak
Every three combat rounds** (every three minutes, there abouts) magazines are discarded from a character's inventory. This means that, during most engagements, ammo will only be addressed once or twice during the combat.
Ammo Usage will be addressed at the end of the Attack phase on the appropriate round.
Ammo Usage: On round 3, round 6, round 9, etc.
Aimed Fire: If a character uses Aimed Fire, or does not fire at all (but uses Aimed Fire in at least one combat round), for all three preceding rounds, then mark off one ammo magazine*.
SnapFire: If a character uses SnapFire or a mixture of SnapFire and Aimed Fire during the three preceding rounds, then mark off two magazines*.
AutoFire: If a character uses AutoFire at any time during the three preceding combat rounds, then mark off three magazines*.
*This is based on a 15 round magazine. Adjust ammo usage by the size of the magazine of the weapon that is used.
For example, if a character is using a revolver that holds 6 rounds, and that character uses Aimed Fire in rounds one and two, but did not attack in round three, then normally the character would mark off 1 magazine per the rule above. But since the weapon holds 6 bullets, that's about half of 15, the character would double his ammo expenditure, making off 2 magazines (6-round revolver speed loaders).
In another example, let's say that a character is using an automatic rifle that has a 30 round magazine. If the character uses AutoFire in any of the three rounds, then he would mark off two magazines in the Ammo Usage phase during combat round three (the 30 round mag is twice the 15 round mag tha the rule was based upon, thus ammo expenditure is halved, and I rounded up).
**If a combat lasts one or two rounds, then review Ammo Usage on the last combat round, otherwise, review Ammo Usage only every three rounds.
For example, if a combat only lasts one round, then review Ammo Useage that round.
If a combat lasts five combat rounds, review Ammo Useage on round three only (not round five).
Simple Examples
Weapon: Advanced Magnum Revolver-8 with 32 round spiral magazine (see page 236 T5).
Round 1: Aimed Fire
Round 2: Does not attack--performs a different action.
Round 3: SnapFire
Round 3 Ammo Usage: Remove 1 magazine.
Weapon: Gauss Rifle-12 with 100 round bullet reservoir. (See page 236 T5.)
Round 1: AutoFire.
Round 2: AutoFire.
Round 3: AutoFire.
Round 3 Ammo Usage: No magazine removed. About half the magazine depleted.
Weapon: 8mm Battle Rifle with 10 round magazine. (See page 248 T5.)
Round 1: Aimed Fire.
Round 2: SnapFire.
Round 3: AutoFire.
Round 3 Ammo Usage: Remove 6 magazines.
Weapon: 8mm Battle Rifle with 20 round magazine. (See page 248 T5.)
Round 1: No fire - round used to aim.
Round 2: Aimed Fire.
Round 3: SnapFire.
Round 3 Ammo Usage: 2 magazines used.
Weapon: 8mm Battle Rifle with 30 round magazine. (See page 248 T5.)
Round 1: No fire. Instead used round to operate vehicle computer.
Round 2: Aimed Fire.
Round 3: Aimed Fire.
Round 3 Ammo Usage: No magazines removed--used about half a clip.
WHAT THIS RULE NEEDS!
We need standard (average) weight (or burden) for magazine clips. A few, generic magazine types should do. GMs can customize as needed. This will keep characters from carrying unbelieveable amounts of ammo magazines due to Load restrictions.
EDIT!
Further thoughts on this rule can be seen later in this thread in post #21 HERE, post #23 HERE, and post #30 HERE. Also look at post #31 HERE.
Post #36 presents an easy method, using the T5 Notation Style, for describing ammo useage on the weapon's description line.
Update GunMaker with two easy steps to include ammo in your weapon descriptions. See post #48 HERE.
.
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