Hi, all! I'm new to the forums, and I have a question that I hope you can answer.
If I understood properly, you can shoot as many enemies as you can using the normal 3 shots cost for it, with a penalty of -1 per enemy targeted.
But then there is no way to shoot more than once to the same enemy. You can fire multiple bullets with an automatic weapon, with +1 to damage for every three bullets, or you can use both guns blazing for more than normal damage... but it's still like only one attack. Real multiple attacks would do more damage.
Why is that so? I think it's easier to fire three times with my Automag V to the same guy than firing three timnes to three different enemies. But the rules allow shooting multiple times in the same action (although with a small penalty) only to different enemies, which should be more difficult.
Are the rules really that way, or I misunderstood them?
Feng Shui isn't supposed to be "realistic". That's about all there is to it, really. Attacks are judged on net effect, not what elements comprise them.
Ok, so then I understood well... it's just that it's the way it is. Thank you, Kiero.
Another thing that got me thinking is: with an automatic weapon, I can choose to shoot just in semiautomtic mode, bullet by bullet, can't I?
When using an automatic weapon against several enemies in one action, if I shoot in the fully automatic mode I would spend three bullets per burst, I would suffer a -1 penalty for every three bursts, and I would gain +1 to damage for every burst of three bullets that hits EACH ENEMY, wouldn't I? So if I choose to shoot three bursts at enemy A and two at enemy B, I would have a -1 penalty -three to five bursts-, another -2 penalty -two enemies in the same three shots action- and +2 damage to enemy A and a +3 to damage to enemy B, am I right?
If I choose to fire in SemiAutomatic mode, then I wouldn't have damage bonus for the bursts, nor AV penalty for shooting several bursts, correct?
And my last question is: Using "both guns blazing" with two automatic weapons, like two HK MP5 K, how do I know the penalty for bursts? Imagine I shoot two bursts with each weapon in an attack to a single enemy, with "both guns blazing": do I get away with no penalty (except the one for using Both Guns Blazing, if it exists) because I didn't use three bursts with any of the weapons, or do I get a -1 to AV because I am shooting four bursts between both of them?
When having one automatic weapon en each hand and using them against several enemies in a three shot action, the answer to the question above applies as well?
I hope I'm being clear enough. Thanks again in advance.
In general, things are very simple. You can certainly shoot bullet by bullet with an automatic weapon if you like.
Well, actually, I would run it more simply than that. You're firing five bursts (-1 penalty) at two targets (-2 penalty) but damage a damage bonus of +5 against both of them. Realistic? No. But it's simpler to keep track of. Although if your GM prefers he could run it that way.
If you didn't fire automatic bursts then there would only be penalty for the multiple targets, yes. you can actually fire as many bullets in an action as your GM lets you get away with, regardless of weapon. So you can target six mooks with a revolver as long as you have the ammo. Bursts are simply a way of increasing your damage when you really need it, at the cost of additional ammo.
Interesting question. I hadn't given it thought before, but I've always levied the penalty per weapon, so you could get a +2 damage on each before incurring a penalty. Theo ther way seem just as acceptable without going back and reading the rules very closely, searching for nits to pick.
Against mooks, where damage is irrelevant, it's just an attack against multiple targets, and only incurs that penalty, even if you're firing both weapons.
For named enemies, you can target as many as you like but not use Both Guns Blazing- firing from both weapons is just a style thing. You get the regular damage of the weapons and only the penalty of multiple targets. You could also fire bursts, again just treating it as a single weapon.
Alternatively, you can invoke BGB and add both the bonus damage and any penalty. You can get twice as many bursts this way before running into penalties, if you choose to use them.
Sounds about right to me. Remember of course that damage is only a relevant concern if you're shooting at Named Characters.
If they're mooks you don't do damage anyway, so using lots of bullets is a bit of descriptive colour. What matters there is how many you're taking out.
Sum up the bursts seems the easiest and most natural reading of the rules. So it would count as four bursts, even though it's 2x2.
Unless you've got 10,000 Bullets (from Golden Comeback) technically you can't use bursts against multiple targets in the same action. Again as before, unless they're Named Characters, it's probably a waste of time firing bursts except for flair.
The thing is I wanted to understand if it was better using an Automag V or a HK MP5 K, and considering the rules, now I know it's generally better to use the MP5 K, since with two bursts you can have a +2 damage (and then do the same damage as with the Automag) without any penalty, and then decide to use more bursts if it's convenient. It uses more bullets, but it also holds more bullets. The only thing agaist it is that it takes longer to reload, but it's not a big thing considering the advantages...
But then I realised I really like the Automag, so I'll use it anyway . Anyway now I understand better how everything works.
BTW, can I target different named characters with BGB on each one of them in the same three shot action (suffering from the penalty for targeting multiple enemies besides the penalties for using BGB, if any)?
You should always be choosing your weapons on the basis of what looks coolest, not the game effect in Feng Shui.
I think the whole point of BGB is that in one action you shoot one target. You really don't want to be targeting multiple Named Characters in one action, chances are you'll just miss.
Two guns mowing down multiple opponents is the stuff standard Guns multiple-mook-stunts are made of.
Indeed. The reason that attacking multiple named targets seldom occurs is that it's just not optimal, unless you're packing 10,000 Bullets (which I consider broken). That's perhaps why we contradicted ourselves a little.
[color=white]Of course, against standard AV 8 mooks the optimum number to aim for is 3, unless you're an old master in which case it's 4.
. Anyway now I understand better how everything works.