Uspsa/ipsc?
- Thread starter Leitz
- Start date
Well, speaking from experience as an IPSC competitor and as a firearms instructor my LE agency, practical pistol competition is about as realistic when compared to combat shooting as sport fencing (something else I've done in national competition) is to a real sword fight.
I once upon a time figured that (as a sport shooter in pistol and rifle since I was a wee lad in Jr. Hi) I'd do what you are thinking in Traveller, but back then I couldn't figure out how it would make much difference. A character with a high skill rating could, under the broad interpretations of CT, be considered either (or both) an experienced combat vet or Olympic level shooter. I let it lie as both in MTU.
Now, older and wiser with real life experience in both competition and life or death combat, I have decided to also let it lie as is. The only way to otherwise do it in a strictly realistic sense, IMHO, would be to penalize the player if his skill is in sport shooting and in combat, and penalize the combat shooter trying to win in sport competition. For example, all the single-minded hit the center of the bullseye and take the full 10 seconds to do it I had learned from competitive shooting (non-practical) went out the window when I learned real combat shooting where the last nine seconds might cost you your life. Same with IPSC: yeah, I can drill out a set in a few seconds, but I'm racing against a clock through a contrived drill and using a racegun totally unlike the Glock I carry on the street. And no one is shooting back at me or at someone else while I'm doing it so the feel isn't the same.
Not to discourage you, I guess it just depends on your level of realistic simulation. Maybe a separate skill? Or it equates to a faster training program for skill levels?
I once upon a time figured that (as a sport shooter in pistol and rifle since I was a wee lad in Jr. Hi) I'd do what you are thinking in Traveller, but back then I couldn't figure out how it would make much difference. A character with a high skill rating could, under the broad interpretations of CT, be considered either (or both) an experienced combat vet or Olympic level shooter. I let it lie as both in MTU.
Now, older and wiser with real life experience in both competition and life or death combat, I have decided to also let it lie as is. The only way to otherwise do it in a strictly realistic sense, IMHO, would be to penalize the player if his skill is in sport shooting and in combat, and penalize the combat shooter trying to win in sport competition. For example, all the single-minded hit the center of the bullseye and take the full 10 seconds to do it I had learned from competitive shooting (non-practical) went out the window when I learned real combat shooting where the last nine seconds might cost you your life. Same with IPSC: yeah, I can drill out a set in a few seconds, but I'm racing against a clock through a contrived drill and using a racegun totally unlike the Glock I carry on the street. And no one is shooting back at me or at someone else while I'm doing it so the feel isn't the same.
Not to discourage you, I guess it just depends on your level of realistic simulation. Maybe a separate skill? Or it equates to a faster training program for skill levels?
I agree that we're not talking 1 to 1 skills. That coming from a low level competitor and never an operator. I flew a workbench in the AF. More thinking of an organization that lets people who shoot compete, keep up their skills, and associate with like minded folks.
So maybe we have the Imperial Practical Shooting Confederation which has local clubs on most planets. A person new to the planet who was a member could find some folks to associate with and gain the social benefits of knowing at least someone on the planet.
As a person in real life who has moved around a lot, it's nice to find at least one friendly person who shares an interest. Makes the worlds seem not so boring. For Traveller characters it'd be a place to find more training, you could hook up with the MIL/LEOs that are also members and get some ins to non-public gear or ranges, etc.
That make more sense?
BTW, Aramis, a friend is trying to talk me into buying his M28. My next character may carry something similar.
Leitz
So maybe we have the Imperial Practical Shooting Confederation which has local clubs on most planets. A person new to the planet who was a member could find some folks to associate with and gain the social benefits of knowing at least someone on the planet.
As a person in real life who has moved around a lot, it's nice to find at least one friendly person who shares an interest. Makes the worlds seem not so boring. For Traveller characters it'd be a place to find more training, you could hook up with the MIL/LEOs that are also members and get some ins to non-public gear or ranges, etc.
That make more sense?
BTW, Aramis, a friend is trying to talk me into buying his M28. My next character may carry something similar.
Leitz
far-trader
SOC-14 10K
Ah, the "club"
IMTU all ex-service members have limited access to bases, allowing them to buy stuff cheap at the PX, get repairs to their gear that may be higher tech and law than the world they're on, even buy some stuff from the surplus warehouse. Connect with old service buddies. Even use the range and simulators to keep up the skills that may be rusting.
The TAS also has similar facilities and services for it's members, and guests.
I've long wanted to implement a simple way to have characters maintain (or suffer penalties to) their skills. It's bookkeeping. Simple enough but usually not enough to make a difference. Generally that week in jump space is presumably spent on maintaining the skills, fitness, and equipment. And if travelling low, well you don't lose anything during the trip so not keeping it up is ok then.
IMTU all ex-service members have limited access to bases, allowing them to buy stuff cheap at the PX, get repairs to their gear that may be higher tech and law than the world they're on, even buy some stuff from the surplus warehouse. Connect with old service buddies. Even use the range and simulators to keep up the skills that may be rusting.
The TAS also has similar facilities and services for it's members, and guests.
I've long wanted to implement a simple way to have characters maintain (or suffer penalties to) their skills. It's bookkeeping. Simple enough but usually not enough to make a difference. Generally that week in jump space is presumably spent on maintaining the skills, fitness, and equipment. And if travelling low, well you don't lose anything during the trip so not keeping it up is ok then.
saundby
SOC-14 1K
I ran my game with skills maintenance, and physical attribute maintenance, for a couple of years back in the 80's. It was a side effect of bringing in too many ideas from the popular skills-based RPGs of the time, I think.
I gave it up as I didn't feel it added much to the game.
Ditto to sabredog's comments on IPSC. I forced myself to shoot stock guns since my goal was personal improvement rather than an arms race, but I ended up going back to less formal sport/combat/pin shooting and silhouettes. I felt the concentration in IPSC shooting wasn't where my own interests lay, so I pretty well got everything out of it that I was going to after two seasons. My first three-gun competition, where I went in with a stock .45, a Mossberg 500, and a BAR in .30-06 was educational, my intent was to get through it cleanly, and it was fun. Repeats were less valuable to me, though.
In my game I now tacitly assume characters take action to maintain their skills. Like Far-Trader I use the assumed locales to introduce characters, situations, etc., the same way as shipping dock banter and other routine activities.
I gave it up as I didn't feel it added much to the game.
Ditto to sabredog's comments on IPSC. I forced myself to shoot stock guns since my goal was personal improvement rather than an arms race, but I ended up going back to less formal sport/combat/pin shooting and silhouettes. I felt the concentration in IPSC shooting wasn't where my own interests lay, so I pretty well got everything out of it that I was going to after two seasons. My first three-gun competition, where I went in with a stock .45, a Mossberg 500, and a BAR in .30-06 was educational, my intent was to get through it cleanly, and it was fun. Repeats were less valuable to me, though.
In my game I now tacitly assume characters take action to maintain their skills. Like Far-Trader I use the assumed locales to introduce characters, situations, etc., the same way as shipping dock banter and other routine activities.
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