Ranged Combat: Explanation of Terms


"Aimed" Short Burst: With this ability, a character can fire a short burst with the same accuracy and bonuses as an aimed shot, rather than the bonuses for burst shots.

Burst Damage Multiples: Simply put, this represents how good an attacker's groupings are when firing an automatic weapon during combat. The more experienced the solder is, the tighter his groupings, and hence the damage inflicted becomes greater.

Coldcock: This is where a person bludgeons an opponent with the butt of his weapon. The character can inflict an additional +1D4 SDC damage from the butt of a pistol, or an additional +1D6 damage from a rifle butt. At level 12, can also knock out a target for 1D6 melees on a natural roll of 19 or 20. This does not require the additional purchase of WP: Blunt, although the bonuses from that skill may be added to the strike roll.

Double Tap: This feared sniper ability allows a character to get off TWO single shot attacks in a single melee attack/action, at the same target. But, there are restrictions. First, the character must be within 10 feet of the target if using a pistol, or 30 feet of the target if using a rifle, plus an additional 5 feet per additional level of experience. Both the shots are rolled to hit separately, with only HALF their total bonuses, and can not be Wild shots. Firing at a second target in this way is possible, but only if the two targets are close together, and the second target is -6 to hit. The sniper can use this ability with ANY single shot weapon he has a WP for.

Head Shot: This ability gives the sniper the ability to target the head and hit it with a normal, non-called shot attack roll with all bonuses. Requires one full melee action to take the steady aim required for this precise strole, effectively making it use two attacks.

Imposed Dodge Penalties: The penalty does NOT apply to the shooter, it is imposed against the target the character is aiming at. The reason behind this is because more experienced characters can raise their weapon, aim, and fire more quickly (but not necessarily more accurately) than those of lesser ability. Because of this, the defender has less time to react and avoid getting shot by dodging before the trigger is pulled. In this sense, the act of dodging a ranged attack isn't the act of getting out of the way of a speeding bullet or burning laser, but anticipating where the sights are assumed to be zeroed in at. This is intended to replace the dreaded -10 penalty to dodge ranged attacks introduced in Warlords of Russia, and made "official" in the Rifts Game Master's Guide.

Leading: This is the act of aiming in the path of a moving object so that the shot will it where the target will be, instead of aiming where its currently at. This bonus only offsets the penalties listed to hit a moving target; should the leading bonus be greater than the penalty to hit, the remainder of the bonus is negated.

Pinning Fire: This is the ability to saturate an area with a controlled spray of fire. Anyone in the area is considered to AUTOMATICALLY be under attack, and an attack roll is required only for the benefit of the defenders' dodge rolls. The number of targets under attack cannot exceed half the number of shots in the burst, but each target hit takes the damage from one round from . Pinning Fire can be maintained for as long as ammo holds out. A short burst/spray can cover a 2 meter/yard wide area, a medium burst/spray can cover a 3 meter/yard area, and a long burst can cover a 7 meter/yard area. This ability cannot be used in conjunction with Rapid Reload, but can be with a Speed Load.

Rapid Reload: This allows the character to change magazines and attack in the same melee action. The attack counts as a Wild attack, but does not use two melee actions.

Snap Shot: This is the ability to pop out from behind cover, fire either a short burst/pulse, or an aimed shot, with half bonuses, and return to the safety of cover, all in one melee attack. Not considered a Wild Attack.

Speed Load: Basically, this is an improved version of Rapid Reload. The character can reload and attack in a single melee action with no penalties and still retain HALF of all applicable bonuses to hit.


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