Fire Arms Range (2nd ed)

[HaplessOperator]

Originally Posted by The Zappster

This is why I (nervously) posted this here. Having never served (medically unfit, not unwilling) and living in the UK. It's very difficult to even see a rifle, never mind fire one. Hapless seems to know his stuff, so if he says everything beyond 220 meter with an M16 a2 counts as extreme range, then i won't argue the toss.
It has made me notice something else though. Am I the only referee here who makes short range fire a difficult (x1 skill) action ?

I don't. The closer your distance, the easier the shooting is, period. There's less ability to take effective cover other than completely removing yourself from the angle of fire, zero functional deflection, your weapon is perfectly zeroed for the range you're fighting at, there's functionally zero delay from shot to impact, removing any need at all to lead a target, and if you sweep someone with the muzzle and they're in the open, you've more or less got them dead to rights.

It's one of the reasons close-in fighting through structures, in trenches, and dense vegetation is so lethal. You see extremely high ammo expendifures, because the only way to stay alive fighting close in is through sheer weight of fire superiority and violence of action or to straight up not be where the gunfire is. You go into that room, SOMEONE's getting shot. Someone runs across that street with your rifle or LMG pointed down the axis, SOMEONE's getting shot. Turn that corner, align the muzzle, squeeze on sight picture, and you just put a hole in someone, no chance of them dodging or dipping behind cover, or - usually - any real cover to be found.

It's also the reason that your first goal, other than seeking cover, in a surprise or disadvantageous engagement is to get distance. Offers you better protection against the shooter, makes it harder for him to hit you, makes it easier to break contact.