Ammunition tracking

[GuernseyMan]

I hate tracking ammunition. My players hate tracking ammunition. Some of my players are more conscientious that others about tracking their ammunition but they still don't like it.

I really like the Ammunition Expenditure option on page 46-47 of the Compendium. Each weapon has an ammo threshold based on firing mode and clip capacity. Given the granularity of a D6 there's always a 1 in 6 chance of running out of ammo with a full clip which is a problem; characters seem to run out a lot more often than you'd expect.

I've tweaked it a bit. Now each clip is either "mostly full", "about half" or empty. A failed roll on the ammo dice now reduces the clip from "mostly full" to "about half". A subsequent failure means the clip is out. It also gives a bit of tactical depth to the system. Ammo is still tracked but only the general level of a clip is important.

We'll be trying it out this week.

 

[AnotherDilbert]

I hate tracking ammunition. My players hate tracking ammunition.

So don't?

 

[Sigtrygg]

Just assume the character reloads when necessary and only track magazines, power packs or what not.

Or you could just have high tech guns that make their own ammunition...

Personally I track ammunition and my players track ammunition, playing a Chamax plague scenario without an ammo track is a waste of time

 

[Condottiere]

 

[Faelderg]

Hey! I gots to know!?

 

[ShawnDriscoll]

I hate tracking ammunition. My players hate tracking ammunition. Some of my players are more conscientious that others about tracking their ammunition but they still don't like it.

I really like the Ammunition Expenditure option on page 46-47 of the Compendium. Each weapon has an ammo threshold based on firing mode and clip capacity. Given the granularity of a D6 there's always a 1 in 6 chance of running out of ammo with a full clip which is a problem; characters seem to run out a lot more often than you'd expect.

I've tweaked it a bit. Now each clip is either "mostly full", "about half" or empty. A failed roll on the ammo dice now reduces the clip from "mostly full" to "about half". A subsequent failure means the clip is out. It also gives a bit of tactical depth to the system. Ammo is still tracked but only the general level of a clip is important.

We'll be trying it out this week.

If you're worried about tracking ammo, you're probably dead soon anyway.

 

[Linwood]

I generally only worry about tracking ammo expenditures when it's dramatically appropriate.

 

[Ursus Maior]

Make the Travellers go only out of ammo, if they snake eye a gun combat check and make a compromise on logisticy that buying ammo (for slug weapons) is only necessary after every other firefight and costs 10 percent of the base price of the most expensive ammo dependent weapon they own. It is very quick, very dirty and bothers hopefully no-one.

Or just drop that stuff entirely and make them pay a couple of thousand credits once in a while for restocking.

 

[Condottiere]