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Knock-Off Monday 4 August 2014

ALTERNATE ARMOR PIERCING CAPABILITIES FOR PLASMA WEAPONS
The following information is a redux of a pair of articles previously published on Deniable Resources.

PLASMA WEAPON CANON RULES
Currently as stated in the Core Rules page 33 - Plasma firearms ignore all Armour Value.

While not a problem in general combat between battling Agents, it became apparent (in my games anyway) that it defies suspension of
disbelief when one of my players was able to heavily damage an enemy APC (100 HP, AV 20) from cover with a nothing more than a
AMS Plasma Pistol [ D10 Damage 5,000 Medium Range Rate 2 EMPS 5 ]

Example: She was able to get 2 shots off the first round doing 14 points of damage with no damage reduction from the APCs AV 20
leaving the APC with 86 HP as it turned around to engage.

The second round she got 2 more shots off doing 11 more points of damage again with no damage reduction from the APCs AV 20
leaving the APC with 75 HP. This time the APC randomly fired off its 8 sub-machine lasers in the building she was hiding in in an effort
to flush her out. Unfortunately for the bad guys not one of lasers managed to hit.

The third round she again fired off 2 shots and hit once doing 8 points of damage with no damage reduction from the APCs AV 20
leaving the APC with 67 HP. This time the APC managed to locate her position and destroyed the brick wall she was hiding behind and
wounding her for 17 points of damage after damage reduction (her heavy armor and Toughskin) of -5.

The fourth round she withdrew, firing off one shot and hitting for 7 points of damage reducing the APCs HP to 60 points.
The point here is that with only a light weapon, she was able to reduce the HP of the APC by 40% in 4 rounds.

While the strength of a plasma weapon is counterbalanced by its poor condition rating, I couldnt help but think at the time Cmon, a
light weapon almost taking out an APC!!!???

After this incident I started thinking, What about light and tactical weapons against a heavy tank, a cyberframe, or a CYBERLIN!

Currently the rules would allow my player to use her AMS Plasma Pistol to bypass ALL of the AV of a Battle Class Cyberlin and even a
Battleship for that matter with the heavy armor of these vehicles having absolutely NO EFFECT! So I started to tinker around (again)
with the Plasma Armor Piercing capabilities coming up with the following Optional Rules.

RANGED PLASMA WEAPONS
Plasma weapons ignore Armor Value equal to its maximum damage potential. `

Example 1: The AMS Handheld Plasma Discharger does D10 damage and ignores up to 10 AV.
Example 2: The AMS PR88 Plasma Carbine does 2D8+1 damage and ignores up to 17 AV.
Example 3: The AMS PX5 Induced Heavy Plasma Inducer does 5D10+5 damage and ignores up to 55 AV.

PLASMA MACHINE WEAPONS
Plasma machine weapons ignore Armor Value equal to the maximum damage assigned to each target.

Example 1: The AMS Bloodstorm Submachine Plasma weapon does 6D6 damage.
Example 2: Firing the Bloodstorm at 6 targets, you assign D6 Damage to each one, ignoring 6 points of AV on each target.
Example 3: Firing the Bloodstorm at 2 mooks, you assign 4D6 Damage to target A and 2D6 Damage to Target B. On target A, you
ignore 24 points of AV and you ignore 12 points on Target B.
Example 4: Firing the Bloodstorm at an Agent in a cyberframe, you unload the entire burst at her doing 6D6 Damage. You ignore 36
points of AV on the target.

= Hat Tip to Deniable Resources member - Chrysalid.



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CLOSE COMBAT PLASMA WEAPONS
Close Combat Plasma Weapons ignore one half of their maximum damage potential rather than a universal +4 as written in the Core
Rules page 34.

Example 1: The Richenbacker Arclite Raptor Plasma Sword does D8 damage and ignores 4 AV.
Example 2: The Richenbacker Arclite Executioner Two Handed Sword does D12 damage and ignores 6 AV.

ION WEAPONS
Currently Ion Weapons ignore 10 AV as written in the Core Rules page 33.

To maintain the superiority of Ion Weapons vs. the revised Plasma Weapon rules one can increase an Ion Weapons armor penetration
to 10 +their maximum damage potential.

Example: An Ion Katana does 2D4 points of damage and ignores up to 18 points of AV (10+8).

As an alternate for those GMs who want to tone down an Ion Weapons armor ignoring capabilities, use the following formula Ignores
10 + maximum damage potential.

Example: An Ion Katana does 2D4 points of damage and ignores up to 14 points of AV (10+4).

FINAL THOUGHTS
I have adopted these rules and my players while annoyed at my constant tinkering, like the changes.









































Copyright Iam Nobody, Brutal Games (Knock-off) 2014