Quote:
Originally Posted by copeab
Lighter bullets tend to be smaller diameter bullets, so you are focusing the energy over a smaller area. It's like a 1 kg icepick vs a 1 kg hammer. Both ht with the same force, but the icepick concentrates it over a much smaller area.
Also, remember that kinetic energy is velocity squared times mass, divided by two.
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This is why I allow pistol rounds of .30 Cal or smaller and rifle rounds UNDER .30 cal that are within 10% of the Velocity Threshold to jump up the PEN (and smaller .25 cal rounds to jump 2 PEN). This is an easy way to factor in bullet diameter and cross-sectional density without forcing you to do the math. The original Damage and Penetration systems are not that precise anyway.
My goal is to give the casual GM a chart they can look at without having to do a lot of math to reach a realistic Penetration (and Damage). My system is still in its infancy, but if you check out modern armors and ballistics, you'll find my system takes into account a lot of the small details of weapons without changing the base gameplay that Twilight2000 established long ago. I even use FF&S's formulas so as not to upset the game too much. I just "tweaked" what the Devs' started based on my 40 years of shooting experience.