Ranged weapons in melee
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- Hard-Bitten Adventurer
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Ranged weapons in melee
How should ranged weapons work when mechs are next to each other? This is a question that Dieter and I haven't resolved yet. One option is for them to work just like they always do - it's easy to remember that, but it also leads to more static battles, where mechs just stand in place hurting each other. A second option is for them to not work at all when mechs are adjacent, which encourages movement but is a big drawback for ranged mechs. Other suggestions include giving weapons minimum ranges, or giving them an Accuracy penalty when they're adjacent. What would you folks suggest?
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- Cold-Hearted Immortal
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Tracking a distant target requires less degree of swivel than tracking a close object. Now imagine I'm in a 50 ton mech powered by slaves. Rotating 30 degrees to aim a ray weapon at a target beside me is much more difficult that rotating 5 degrees to aim a ray weapon at a distant target.
I'd much rather just swing my axe and know that I'll connect at some point along the weapon's arc.
So I'd argue for severe accuracy penalties to ranged weapons used at close and short range, and if you want to get sophisticated, catapults have a minimum range (but hopefully do the most damage).
Edited as per the mythological fish.

Tracking a distant target requires less degree of swivel than tracking a close object. Now imagine I'm in a 50 ton mech powered by slaves. Rotating 30 degrees to aim a ray weapon at a target beside me is much more difficult that rotating 5 degrees to aim a ray weapon at a distant target.
I'd much rather just swing my axe and know that I'll connect at some point along the weapon's arc.
So I'd argue for severe accuracy penalties to ranged weapons used at close and short range, and if you want to get sophisticated, catapults have a minimum range (but hopefully do the most damage).
Edited as per the mythological fish.

Last edited by Harley Stroh on Mon Jan 21, 2008 1:59 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Personally, I'm for a full on range chart, but knowing that you;re tryingto keep from adding too many rules, I'd say a penalty when firing on an opponent 2 or less hexes away.
or
It could be incorporated into the weapon description so diff weapons could have diff advantages/ drawbacks. This one will work when adjacent, but that one wont, but it does more damage. that sort of mentality. It'll also help people customize their mech thru weapon selection.
or
It could be incorporated into the weapon description so diff weapons could have diff advantages/ drawbacks. This one will work when adjacent, but that one wont, but it does more damage. that sort of mentality. It'll also help people customize their mech thru weapon selection.