Direct Fire Hit Procedure
Direct fire is one of the two most common forms of combat in the game (the other
being melee). In direct fire, the target is visible to the firing character. Both small arms
and heavy .weapons use direct fire.
Small arms are rifles, pistols, machineguns, shotguns, and the like. Their two principal distinguishing characteristics are that they are generally man-portable and they fire a simple nonexploding round of less than 20mm in diameter. Small arms fire is most effective against living targets, but it can be used against other types of targets, such as vehicles, for instance.
Heavy weapons fire rounds which are 20mm in diameter or greater, and which are capable of containing a significant explosive filler. Most heavy weapons in are man-portable. They include such things as grenade launchers, rocket launchers, and some antitank missiles. Other heavy weapons must be mounted on vehicles or heavy field carriages (things such as howitzers). Few combats in will involve such large weapons, but rules for their use are included for those rare exceptions.
Heavy weapons use high-explosive (HE) and other similar ammunition to attack living targets and light vehicles, but some may have an array of specialized rounds for attacking armored vehicles.
In direct fire, the chance of hitting a target with individual shots is dependent primarily on three things: marksmanship, range, and recoil. The combination of these factors will produce a 020 chance of hitting a target. The person controlling the firing player rolls 1020 for each bullet fired. Any die that has a result less than or equal to the necessary hit number means that the bullet it represents has hit the target. Any roll higher than the hit number means that bullet missed.
Automatic Miss: A roll of 17-20 results in an automatic miss when using firearms or any missile weapons.
Marksmanship: All small arms use Small Arms (the appropriate subskill) as their marksmanship skill except for bows, which use the Archery skill. Crossbows use Small Arms (Rifle). Large-caliber guns and howitzers use Heavy Weapons. Grenade launchers use Small Arms or Heavy Weapons, whichever value is greater. All other heavy weapons use the Heavy Weapons skill.
Aimed Shots: An aimed shot is an action that takes place after one action (phase) has been spent aiming the weapon. For an aimed shot to be allowed, the target must be visible in both the aiming and firing phases. Also, the player must declare the target being aimed at. While it is possible to aim at one target and then fire at a different one, the benefits of the aiming action are lost in doing so.
Targeted Shots: Only aimed shots may be targeted; if multiple shots are fired, any shots after the first (or the first three if using a laser scope and within 40 meters) roll randomly to see what locations they hit, if they hit. For instance, a sniper at Medium range aiming at a target's head would have a Hard Difficulty: Small Arms task (Hard Difficulty for Medium range, modified to Moderate Difficulty for aiming, further modified back down to Hard Difficulty for targeting a specific location). Subsequent shots in the same action would , be counted as unaimed, striking random hit locations.
This option may also be used for anti-vehicle fire, assuming that the aiming action indicates that the firer is bracing and carefully aiming for a specific point on the target. If successful, the firer may choose the area hit, which determines the armor coverage and the appropriate sub-table-the actual amount of damage done to the vehicle still depends on the AV versus Penetration result on the Vehicle Damage Resolution Chart. If multiple damage results are indicated, both hit the targeted area.
Quick Shots: Any shot that is made without being preceded by an aiming action is considered a quick shot. (This includes shots at a target other than the one originally aimed at.) Even if an aiming action is performed prior to fire, if more than one shot is fired in the phase, only the first counts as aimed; all subsequent shots are considered quick shots.
All quick shots are conducted at one level of difficulty higher than normal (i.e., an Routine difficulty shot becomes Standard, Standard becomes Moderate, etc.).
Laser Sights: Laser sights may be fitted to any small arm (at additional cost), and can only be used in semiautomatic fire. Laser sights may only be used at 40 meters or less, and enable up to three shots fired during a phase to count as aimed shots instead of only the first one (all other shots fired in the phase count as quick shots). All other modifiers (movement by target, movement by firer, etc.) still apply. Ultraviolet and infrared laser versions exist.
Range: There are four ranges for direct fire: short, medium, long, and extreme. The value printed in the range column of the weapons tables is the weapon's short range in meters. Medium range is twice short range, long range is twice medium, and extreme range is twice long range.
For example, a weapon with a printed range of 50 has a short range of 50 meters, a medium range of 100 meters, a long range of200 meters, and an extreme range of 400 meters.
It is a standard task versus the appropriate marksmanship skill to hit a target with direct fire at short range. At medium range it becomes a Moderate task. At long range, the task becomes Hard. At extreme range, the task becomes Near Impossible. (Remember to always round down.)
Rifle Scopes: Sniper rifles come with a scope fitted to them, and other rifles may be purchased with a scope attached, for an additional price. The printed range on the appropriate tables is for a rifle without a scope. If a scope is mounted, add 15 meters to the printed range figure when conducting aimed shots. In addition, aimed shots at extreme range are conducted as if at long range for purposes of hit determination. Note that scopes have no effect on quick shots.
For example, a rifle with a printed range of 75 and a scope would be treated as having, for purposes of aimed fire, a short range of 90 meters (Average task versus marksmanship), a medium range of 180 meters, a long range of 360 meters , and an extreme range of 720 meters.
Recoil: Recoil is a measure of how much a weapon kicks when it is fired . This recoil affects accuracy in two ways. First, people tend to flinch in anticipation of the kick. Second, when firing shots in rapid succession (i.e., more than one per phase), recoil moves the weapon off target for all shots after the first.
For the purposes of this game, recoil affects only small arms, not heavy weapons. Each small arm has a recoil value listed for a single shot. If it is capable of automatic fire, it also has a recoil value listed for firing a burst. Whenever a character fires a small arms weapon, total the amount of recoil the weapon generates that phase by multiplying the recoil of a single shot or a burst by the number of single shots or bursts fired.
For example, Nicki has an M60 slung from a shoulder strap and is firing it on full automatic. She fires five bursts for the phase, each with a recoil value of 4, for a total · recoil of 20 for the phase. If, instead, she were firing two single shots from a .357 magnum, her total recoil for the phase would be 6 (two shots with a single-shot recoil value of 3).
Once you know how much recoil the weapon generates in a phase, compare the total to the firing character's Strength. If the recoil is equal to or less than the character's Strength rating, fire is resolved normally. If it is greater than Strength, reduce the final hit number (after range, etc.) by the difference.
In the example above, if Nicki has a Strength of 7, the recoil from her shots with the pistol are less than her Strength, so she suffers no negative effects to her shots. If she were to fire three shots, however, recoil would jump to 9, so she would be at -2 to hit. (Recoil effects from autofiring the M60 are figured slightly differently, as explained under Automatic Fire.)
This means that high recoil weapons can physically be fired as rapidly as low recoil weapons, but it becomes much more difficult to hit anything with them.
Pistols: Pistols may be steadied by using both hands and bracing yourself. This may only be done while stationary, and it reduces the printed recoil value by 1.
Two Weapons: Characters who are carrying two weapons at once (one in each hand) may fire either one in a single phase, but not both. For purposes of controlling the recoil of either weapon the effective Strength ratings of such characters are reduced by 10%, rounding fractions down.
Small arms are rifles, pistols, machineguns, shotguns, and the like. Their two principal distinguishing characteristics are that they are generally man-portable and they fire a simple nonexploding round of less than 20mm in diameter. Small arms fire is most effective against living targets, but it can be used against other types of targets, such as vehicles, for instance.
Heavy weapons fire rounds which are 20mm in diameter or greater, and which are capable of containing a significant explosive filler. Most heavy weapons in are man-portable. They include such things as grenade launchers, rocket launchers, and some antitank missiles. Other heavy weapons must be mounted on vehicles or heavy field carriages (things such as howitzers). Few combats in will involve such large weapons, but rules for their use are included for those rare exceptions.
Heavy weapons use high-explosive (HE) and other similar ammunition to attack living targets and light vehicles, but some may have an array of specialized rounds for attacking armored vehicles.
In direct fire, the chance of hitting a target with individual shots is dependent primarily on three things: marksmanship, range, and recoil. The combination of these factors will produce a 020 chance of hitting a target. The person controlling the firing player rolls 1020 for each bullet fired. Any die that has a result less than or equal to the necessary hit number means that the bullet it represents has hit the target. Any roll higher than the hit number means that bullet missed.
Automatic Miss: A roll of 17-20 results in an automatic miss when using firearms or any missile weapons.
Marksmanship: All small arms use Small Arms (the appropriate subskill) as their marksmanship skill except for bows, which use the Archery skill. Crossbows use Small Arms (Rifle). Large-caliber guns and howitzers use Heavy Weapons. Grenade launchers use Small Arms or Heavy Weapons, whichever value is greater. All other heavy weapons use the Heavy Weapons skill.
Aimed Shots: An aimed shot is an action that takes place after one action (phase) has been spent aiming the weapon. For an aimed shot to be allowed, the target must be visible in both the aiming and firing phases. Also, the player must declare the target being aimed at. While it is possible to aim at one target and then fire at a different one, the benefits of the aiming action are lost in doing so.
Targeted Shots: Only aimed shots may be targeted; if multiple shots are fired, any shots after the first (or the first three if using a laser scope and within 40 meters) roll randomly to see what locations they hit, if they hit. For instance, a sniper at Medium range aiming at a target's head would have a Hard Difficulty: Small Arms task (Hard Difficulty for Medium range, modified to Moderate Difficulty for aiming, further modified back down to Hard Difficulty for targeting a specific location). Subsequent shots in the same action would , be counted as unaimed, striking random hit locations.
This option may also be used for anti-vehicle fire, assuming that the aiming action indicates that the firer is bracing and carefully aiming for a specific point on the target. If successful, the firer may choose the area hit, which determines the armor coverage and the appropriate sub-table-the actual amount of damage done to the vehicle still depends on the AV versus Penetration result on the Vehicle Damage Resolution Chart. If multiple damage results are indicated, both hit the targeted area.
Quick Shots: Any shot that is made without being preceded by an aiming action is considered a quick shot. (This includes shots at a target other than the one originally aimed at.) Even if an aiming action is performed prior to fire, if more than one shot is fired in the phase, only the first counts as aimed; all subsequent shots are considered quick shots.
All quick shots are conducted at one level of difficulty higher than normal (i.e., an Routine difficulty shot becomes Standard, Standard becomes Moderate, etc.).
Laser Sights: Laser sights may be fitted to any small arm (at additional cost), and can only be used in semiautomatic fire. Laser sights may only be used at 40 meters or less, and enable up to three shots fired during a phase to count as aimed shots instead of only the first one (all other shots fired in the phase count as quick shots). All other modifiers (movement by target, movement by firer, etc.) still apply. Ultraviolet and infrared laser versions exist.
Range: There are four ranges for direct fire: short, medium, long, and extreme. The value printed in the range column of the weapons tables is the weapon's short range in meters. Medium range is twice short range, long range is twice medium, and extreme range is twice long range.
For example, a weapon with a printed range of 50 has a short range of 50 meters, a medium range of 100 meters, a long range of200 meters, and an extreme range of 400 meters.
It is a standard task versus the appropriate marksmanship skill to hit a target with direct fire at short range. At medium range it becomes a Moderate task. At long range, the task becomes Hard. At extreme range, the task becomes Near Impossible. (Remember to always round down.)
Rifle Scopes: Sniper rifles come with a scope fitted to them, and other rifles may be purchased with a scope attached, for an additional price. The printed range on the appropriate tables is for a rifle without a scope. If a scope is mounted, add 15 meters to the printed range figure when conducting aimed shots. In addition, aimed shots at extreme range are conducted as if at long range for purposes of hit determination. Note that scopes have no effect on quick shots.
For example, a rifle with a printed range of 75 and a scope would be treated as having, for purposes of aimed fire, a short range of 90 meters (Average task versus marksmanship), a medium range of 180 meters, a long range of 360 meters , and an extreme range of 720 meters.
Recoil: Recoil is a measure of how much a weapon kicks when it is fired . This recoil affects accuracy in two ways. First, people tend to flinch in anticipation of the kick. Second, when firing shots in rapid succession (i.e., more than one per phase), recoil moves the weapon off target for all shots after the first.
For the purposes of this game, recoil affects only small arms, not heavy weapons. Each small arm has a recoil value listed for a single shot. If it is capable of automatic fire, it also has a recoil value listed for firing a burst. Whenever a character fires a small arms weapon, total the amount of recoil the weapon generates that phase by multiplying the recoil of a single shot or a burst by the number of single shots or bursts fired.
For example, Nicki has an M60 slung from a shoulder strap and is firing it on full automatic. She fires five bursts for the phase, each with a recoil value of 4, for a total · recoil of 20 for the phase. If, instead, she were firing two single shots from a .357 magnum, her total recoil for the phase would be 6 (two shots with a single-shot recoil value of 3).
Once you know how much recoil the weapon generates in a phase, compare the total to the firing character's Strength. If the recoil is equal to or less than the character's Strength rating, fire is resolved normally. If it is greater than Strength, reduce the final hit number (after range, etc.) by the difference.
In the example above, if Nicki has a Strength of 7, the recoil from her shots with the pistol are less than her Strength, so she suffers no negative effects to her shots. If she were to fire three shots, however, recoil would jump to 9, so she would be at -2 to hit. (Recoil effects from autofiring the M60 are figured slightly differently, as explained under Automatic Fire.)
This means that high recoil weapons can physically be fired as rapidly as low recoil weapons, but it becomes much more difficult to hit anything with them.
Pistols: Pistols may be steadied by using both hands and bracing yourself. This may only be done while stationary, and it reduces the printed recoil value by 1.
Two Weapons: Characters who are carrying two weapons at once (one in each hand) may fire either one in a single phase, but not both. For purposes of controlling the recoil of either weapon the effective Strength ratings of such characters are reduced by 10%, rounding fractions down.
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