Guns & Reloading

#1

So I know this has been discussed a couple times in different posts but I wanted to get the thoughts in one place and see if anyone has come up with additional ideas since then.

Question: Best ways you’ve found to handle ammo consumption in ICRPG? No reloads, reload on low attempt, reload on low effort, reload on high effort, etc. High effort seems the most real because it represents firing more ammo and running out, but gameplay wise I’m not sure it’s my favorite. Any feedback would be great as I’m looking at a few different gun games and can’t decide which way to go. A couple driving ideas are realism vs fun factor.

#2

A realistic approach could be the fun a group could want. I know I wouldn’t want to reload several rounds in a row from the roll of the dice, but I also get how people wouldn’t want to count ammo.
Personally, I like a semi-realistic take on it: count ammo in the gun and abstract ammo in reserve. Making that process as simple to handle as possible will make it painless, so I just draw up cards, put them in plastic sleeves, then use dry erase markers on the sleeve. :slight_smile:

#3

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Here’s a quick card I just whipped up to show my personal implementation. Revolver has 6 shots, put the card in a sleeve and count them off as you lick shots down the dusty thoroughfare. :smiley:

#4

When deciding how to handle ammo counting and reloads, first consider the genre of the setting. If its a post-apocalyptic survival, modern zombie horror, or tactical military squad combat, then that implies that every shot is a scarce resource and you should track ammo. From the number of rounds in a clip to the magazines taking up limited inventory slots. Reloading should take a full turn (unless otherwise stated by LOOT or TAGS) to force a tough decision about whether to run for cover or charge into melee. Use physical props like glass beads or Nerf darts to keep their number of shots firmly in sight.
For high adventure, pulp action, or cinema inspired gun-fu then don’t count ammo and consider the characters always have weapons and ammo nearby and ready. The Altered State rule of making the gun useless on a roll Attempt of 1 works well to push the players to switch up their weapons and combat style.
My default for a mix between realism and fun is not to keep count of ammunition for small arms. For heavy weapons, I think you should limit ammunition. Man-portable rail guns, shoulder-worn rockets launchers, and tripod-mounted machine guns are heavy weapons that should do multiple dice of Magical/Ultimate Effort. You can justify counting their shots because of their higher lethality and sheer bulk.

#5

@Chaologic thanks man! And that card is sweet!

@Ravaan that’s a good way to look at it. The main settings I want to run are modern times or very near post apoc, so I think tracking ammo or at least heavy ammo may be the way I go for those settings. Thanks!

#6

Still open for more ideas. Anyone have a rolling method that they really prefer?

#7

Glad I found this post. I wanted to add on to this to see if the community can give me their advice.

I’ve always had players who would search the battlefield for their thrown weapons or arrows.

How would you control that sort of play? Because I don’t want to stop my players from being resourceful, however It can be really OP if PCs can always just get their arrows or ammunition back?

Also I like the rule of keeping limited ammos to majorly powerful weapons. The way I see, Legolas from LoTR rarely had to worry about his arrows. It’s all about the action. However I remember reading a bit on the Quickstart in ICRPG that on a NAT 1 your quiver would be empty.

I guess this is a way to limit the characters with ammunition.

#8

5e actually handles this a pretty good way if I recall, from the PHB " At the end of the battle, you can recover half your expended ammunition by taking a minute to search the battlefield."

I think that is a very reasonable ICRPG style rule. I would also rule that things like daggers and axes can be recovered, but javelins were often designed to break on impact. Bullets obviously cannot be recovered.

If you want to challenge players who like to recover ammo:

  • After battle, are they totally safe? Go right ahead and recover as usual.
  • Could more monsters be just around the corner? You can try to get your ammo back but they could show up while you are in the middle of it! Make a HARD check to quickly recover a few pieces of precious ammo.
#9

For me, the controlling factor would be time. In the middle of the fight, they only have a certain amount of time to get things done and if they want to spend a round or two searching or retrieving their weapons, that’s on them, but what about the timer that’s counting down the growing fire or the fast-approaching army?

If the scene ended and you’re about to move on, just make it a part of the scene transition and have everyone back up to full ammo unless that had rolled that natural 1.

I’m not really in favor of tracking individual arrows or bullets, but dealing in broader strokes so we can focus on the action.

#10

Hi a question that iI have since reading ICRPGME is that some guns indicate that they took two or one turn reloading but others don’t. So in case of the Rifle they only indicate the capacity. So when they finish the capacity they, have to reload, but they don’t expend any turn and expend its movement or action? Or they have to roll the D4 and see how much is gonna take? And in case of a turn they can’t move? I’m not to sure how to handle that. So it would be great if you can guide me.

#11

I myself haven’t played Master Edition using guns yet. But no matter which rules you use to determine when a gun needs reloaded, I typically go under the assumption that a TURN used to reload is using your ACTION and not your movement. But that’s just me, not sure what’s intended.