Using "Ultra-Modern Firearms" for T20

[Ben Harrison]

Simply because I like variety I bought the above-mentioned book, planing to use it in my upcoming (hopefully soon) campaign. However as I looked at it closely I noticed some problems.

Converting the range increments to "standard" squares a T20 auto pistol outranges the longest range "Ultra-modern"(UMF) Assault Rifle that I looked up. Any suggestions on converting the range increments? I've already worked out a way to convert UMF damage to T20.

 

[tjoneslo]

I don't have Ultramodern firearms for D20, but I'm assuming this is what you are concerned about:

T20
Auto Pistol Range: 45 meters

D20 Modern SRD
Colt M1911, Range: 30 feet.

I would have the following suggestions:
1) throw out all the T20 weapons and use only the UMF ones.

2) Convert T20 weapon ranges by changing "meters" to "feet" and then seeing how close they get.

3) Tell your players the T20 weapons include the ultra-tech targeting systems that the UMF models don't. The targeting system improves the effective range (but not the actual ranges) of the weapons dramatically. And you can upgrade those archaic, and otherwise useless, weapons (from UMF) for say, Cr500 each.

 

[Spyder_GS]

I guess you have the original UMF and not the D20 version? In that case...
Convert the range measurement to your preferred measurement whether feet or meters and go with that. Keep in mind that the generally published range on a firearm is really a statement of accuracy. A pistol bullet can go as far as the listed range on a rifle and rifle rounds can go well over a mile. That's where the range increment comes into play.

Typically I think that most games have hosed the ranges. So I do think that 45 meters for a pistol is rather extreme (unless the bullets are self-guiding), while realistically 30 feet for an M1911 is probably about right for Joe Average in a combat situation. Now if it were a SpecOps guy firing the 1911, I would probably double that range (if not more, they train a hell of a lot with their weapons).

Some of the other things are simply points of custom in your universe.

IMTU all weapons are sold bare bone with only the basic adjustable front and rear sights. Any high tech or advanced gear like targeting or recoil compensation is sold seperately and may require and weaponsmith to make adjustments for installation (I have the UMF D20 book, but haven't looked at it in a while so I can't recall if these components are listed seperately, I know we have a list somewhere though...).

Damage-wise, mine is the D20 sourcebook, so I just run with that info, if yours is the old one, I can't comment on the damage conversions except to say that they are all pretty standard.

Ultimately, it all boils down to how you want to play it.

Hope this helps some!

 

[Pagan priest]

I think that part of the problem comes from the different methods of determining the range increment. I have seen numerous dicussions from Rich Redman on message boards where he has explained (time and time again) that 10 range increments are about 1/2 the effective range of a weapon. That was done so that feats like Far Shot and equipment like scopes can be used without driving the maximum range of a weapon beyond what is physically possible. How well this goal was acheived is still subject to debate.

I am only guessing, but were the values for T20 derived from conversion from CT or MT? If so, this would easily explain the differences.

 

[Ben Harrison]

Originally posted by Spyder:
I guess you have the original UMF and not the D20 version? In that case...

I have the D20 version. What triggered the question was when I realized that if one is using "standard" 5feet/1.5 meter squares according to UMF the M1911a1 had a range incriment of 6 squares the T20 version of the Generic Autopistol has an incriment of 30 squares. Assault rifles in UMF have around 16 squares of incriment.

Typically I think that most games have hosed the ranges. So I do think that 45 meters for a pistol is rather extreme (unless the bullets are self-guiding), while realistically 30 feet for an M1911 is probably about right for Joe Average in a combat situation. Now if it were a SpecOps guy firing the 1911, I would probably double that range (if not more, they train a hell of a lot with their weapons).

Actually I did come up with a formula for each class of weapon in T20. It involves seeing the standard square range of the UMF multipling it by an amount based on the type of weapon, to get the new incriment. Multiplying by 1.5 gives you the "meter" incriment.

BTW does anyone know if the wieghts given in UMF-T20 is the unloaded wieght, or the wieght with a standard clip in it.