So, I got finished watching WestWorld.... wow!!!...I am hooked. It is due to the latter, I am making a huge lost O'Neil cylinder that is given a western theme with a twist.
I have the theme down, but I am having a hard time with some equipment stats. For example... I drafted up some black powder weapons, which fail on a roll of 2-3, but I want to give a special feel or ability to fan the hammer. I understand this is due to the action being single, but I want it to stand out against double-action weapons. But since already established double-action pistols get no benefit, not sure if I should provide a benefit for 'fanning hammer'.
What do you think?
I am trying to make situations that someone might pick a single-action weapon over the double-action model.
Thanks.
Fanning would be pretty well covered under a the panic fire rule in LBB4. Empties the gun, allows 3 normal fires at -2DM each. Which really is pretty much the effect you seem to be reaching for.
As for single vs. double action: you could allow for a +1DM to hit with a single action revolver since the trigger is much lighter on those in RL. The double action ones have a long, heavy pull from rotating the cylinder and setting the hammer. Usually revolvers will not have stacking on the pull, but it can be a long one before the gun goes off. That does require more practice to achieve the same accuracy as you would have with a light, single-action trigger.
Compare it with set triggers on long range target rifles: the first trigger takes up the tension and has a longer pull, when if clicks in place you switch to the set trigger behind it to actually fire the gun, and that trigger is very light and hardly travels once it is "set". Some types of set triggers come in a single trigger configuration, too, and work the same way.
You could also look at some like a Mateba Single-action Revolver.
They are kinda futuristic looking - a character on Ghost In The Shell uses one for the light trigger and revolver durability/reliability. The first shot is either single-action (if you manually cock the hammer, or double action if you don't, but all the rest of the shots are single-action ones for fast accurate targeting. That's a pretty zoomy looking gun, too, and might appeal to future Travellers who think a wheelgun is too old-fashioned.
Finally....consider that it is easier to selectively load a revolver on the fly with different types of rounds without swapping out the entire magazine - just pop the cylinder, swap the round, snap it closed and ready to go. You can also have an assortment of rounds loaded and ready if you wanted to for special tasks. Snub Pistols are revolvers (for the most part) for that reason. Revolvers also don't jam (or if they do it's because you beat on it with a hammer and broke it) often if at all - the malfunction drill is to just pull the trigger again till it goes bang, or you figure out that you've fired all six shots. Revolvers can use much heavier loads (more damage, greater range, better accuracy especially with a longer barrel and light trigger) than autopistols can.
So figure out some DM's and a few types of revolvers for them to use, show the advantages of them (they'll already know the only real disadvantage in Traveller: 6 shots, but you can sometimes squeeze in a 7th or 8th - and speedloaders will reduce reload times to one round) and they'll probably want to try one. Especially if you make them common and effective among your NPC's.
If that fails then just shoot a player a few times with one and they'll run to the nearest gunstore and buy them for themselves.
