View Single Post
  #27  
Old 06-25-2016, 02:06 PM
swaghauler swaghauler is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Jan 2015
Location: PA
Posts: 1,481
Default Rate of Fire in a 1 Second Initiative Step

If you decide to treat each Initiative Step as 1 Second or use my system, your rates of fire will be different. The current ROF is based on the number of shots you can fire in 5 seconds. Current bursts are approximately 1/2 a second of time. The following ROfs are closer to "real world" rates of fire when you consider a 1/2 second time to fire in a single 1 Second Initiative Step.

BURSTS:

If you are using the 1 Second per Initiative Step System, then you should allow ONLY 1 burst per Step.

Under my system, you can only fire 1 Burst per attack (and those can take multiple seconds). I also determine Bursts differently in my game. A weapon's Burst Rate is determined by dividing its Cyclic Rate by 100 ( a 600 rpm would equal a ROF of 6).

The real change comes with the other action types.

Bolt Actions: A typical bolt action takes around 2 seconds to cycle. Experienced riflemen can get some impressive rates of fire (just Youtube "Mad Minute" to see this) but this requires a skill Roll in my game.
This roll is Average(Skill X 1): Small Arms (rifle) to reduce the bolt run time to 1 Second. An Outstanding Success would allow an attack in the NEXT Step/Second but this Attack is ONE LEVEL MORE DIFFICULT. Certain rifles that have "fast" bolt actions (such as the SMLE or The Schmidt-Rubin "straight pull" rifle) will allow a Routine (Skill X 1.5) test and certain "rough actions" (such as WW2 made Mosins) or "long throw actions" (such as the long .338 Lapua or .50 BMG) would require a Difficult (Skill X 0.5) test to increase bolt speed.
Specialization: if you are using The Special Operations Guide's Weapons Specializations Rules (pg 22), a Level 1 Specialist gets to increase his chance of success by ONE LEVEL (ie Average becomes Routine) and a Level 2 Specialist automatically reduces Difficulty Level to Easy (Skill X 2).

Pump/Lever Actions: A typical "pump gunner" (and lever guns too) takes between 1/4 of a second and 3/4 of a second to run the action. Most experienced operators can do it in about three-tenths of a second. This means that the average shooter can fire ONE SHOT in a single Initiative Step (or attack in my system). Very experienced shooters could manage TWO SHOTS if they are very skilled or dextrous. A character may fire TWO SHOTS in a Step if they have an AGL of 9+ AND a Raw Skill (not Asset) of 9+.
Fast pumps/levers: Some guns are so short of stroke (such as .22s) or so smooth (Winchester Model 12, Benelli Nova, Berretta pumps) that they allow the operator a bonus of 1 to his raw skill AND AGL to determine if he can shoot TWO SHOTS. The Winchester "Trench Gun" (1917s & 1918s) were not only smooth but had no sear disconnector so you could hold down the trigger and "pump-to-fire" them. These guns add 2 to the user's Raw Skill and AGL. All Recoil effects do apply to multiple shots.
Level 1 Weapons Specialists (Special Operations Guide, page 22) add 1 to their Skill AND AGL and Level 2 Specialists add 2 to their scores.

Single Action Revolvers: These are treated just like Pumps and Levers above in that you can fire and RECOCK the weapon in about 1/2 a second. Fast shooters can average TWO SHOTS in an Initiative Step. If their RAW (non-asset) Skill AND AGL is 8+, TWO SHOTS CAN BE FIRED.
Level 1 Specialists can add 1 to their scores and Level 2 Specialists add 2.

Double Action Revolvers & Double Action Only (DAO) Autoloaders: The typical shooter can fire ONE shot per 1/2 second and experienced shooters can fire more per Initiative Step (or Attack). A shooter with a Raw (non-asset) Skill of 7+ and an AGL of 7+ can fire TWO SHOTS in 1 Second.
Level 1 Specialists add 1 to their scores and Level 2 Specialists add 2.

DA/SA Autoloaders: They can increase their rate of fire to TWO SHOTS if their Skill/AGL is 6+. Level 1 Weapon Specialists add 1 and Level 2 Specialists add 2 to their scores.

Semi Autos/Single Action Automatics: These guns also have a 1/2 second to one shot ROF. You can fire TWO SHOTS if your Skill/AGL are both 5+. Weapons Specialists get to add their level to their scores (as always).

Single Action Automatics: These weapons must be carried "Cocked and Locked" (also known as "Condition One") in order to fire without a 1 Second Ready Action to rack the slide. Guns such as The 1911, Hi-Power, Luger, PA-15 and VZ58 can be safely carried in "Condition One" but other guns may be easier to carry in "Condition Three" (chamber empty) or even required to be carried that way. The Beretta M34 and M51 pistols have safety levers/buttons which are VERY difficult to disengage WITHOUT breaking a firing grip and are often carried chamber empty. The Baby Brownings (.25 and .32 calibers) would discharge if dropped and the Nambu Pistols were also noted for this. The T33 Tokarev had NO SAFETY AT ALL. These pistols MUST be carried "Condition Three" to ensure personal safety and will require a 1-second Ready action to get up and running.

Open Bolt MGs & SMGs: Like Single Action Automatics above, many of these weapons must either be carried with the bolt locked open or the user must perform a 1-Second Ready action to bring it into the fight. Many guns like the UZI, Beretta PM-12, CZ series, Carl Gustaf/Swedish K, and MAT-49 can be carried safely with the bolt open. Others like the M3, MP40, PPsh-43 Sten, and MAC-10 can be VERY dangerous OR require a Ready action to "unlock the bolt" before the gun can be brought into action. Still others like the Thompson, Sterling, or Owen fall into the middle where they COULD be dangerous if dropped. The GM should refer to descriptions of these weapons to determine where they fall.
Open bolt SMGs/MGs CANNOT carry an extra round in the chamber because the weapon "strips a round from the mag upon closing" and having a round in the chamber will cause a "double feed."

Closed Bolt SMGs: These are all safe to carry EVEN with an EXTRA round in the chamber. H&K MP5 users will find it hard to seat a mag with a round in the chamber (The Colt, Walther, the CZ Scorpion, the Scamp, and the vector Kriss DO NOT have this problem).

These are the rates of fire based on real world weapons speeds if you want to use each Initiative Step as an "Action."

Use what you want and ignore the rest.

Swag.

Last edited by swaghauler; 06-25-2016 at 07:07 PM.
Reply With Quote