First, I recommend you check out this handy list of useful Combat Software.

Dodge This!

The Dodge This Pyramid article provides several suggestions for making dodging bullets and lasers feel more realistic and less ridiculous. These are the rules I will be using in this campaign:

Situational Awareness and Sense Rolls

Tactical Shooting recommends that for added realism, a character may choose and make Dodges against ranged attacks from just one foe. This is unduly harsh. The Dodge This article expands on this concept.

In order to use the Dodge active defense, you must be able to see your foe. This is why you cannot use any active defense against attacks from the rear. In Dodge This!, in order to use Dodge, you must be aware of the attack and make a Sense roll BEFORE you may use an Active Defense.

Vision checks are made at the following penalties, depending on where you are looking. Choose a single 60 ^o arc (one hex side). Your vision checks are unpenalized against attacks originating from this arc. The following table summarizes these rules.

Condition	Penalty	Skill
Chosen Primary arc of Vision	No Penalty	Perception (Vision)
Other Front Hexes	-4	Perception (Vision)
Side hex arcs	-8	Perception (Vision)
Rear Hex arcs	No Roll	Perception (Vision)
Made or defended against a melee Attack or Aiming	-4	Perception (Vision)

“Bob and Weave”

Dodge This! provides another option—a new maneuver: Move and Attack (Evasive).

You may choose a penalty for ranged attacks against you up to your encumbered Move score. You suffer double this penalty on all DX-based skill uses of your own and half this penalty to your Block and Parry skills. You may not Dodge (your erratic movement replaces your Dodge). Ranged weapon usage STILL suffers from -2 or Bulk, in addition to whatever penalty you have imposed on yourself. Finally, you may cover distance up to half your current Move score.

Dodge This! and Advanced TacNets

I like the suggestions on pg. 31 of Pyramid #3/55. TacNets will give their usual +1 or +2 to Tactics if everyone has it installed on a computer hooked up to appropriate sensors, and will additionally serve as a complementary skill for Area Knowledge, Expert Skill (Military Science), Intelligence Analysis, and Strategy. Its effective skill is 13 (Cplx 5) or 15 (Cplx 6). TacNets also have the following to effects:

• Equipment bonus to situational awarenes checks equal to twice the software’s Quality bonus (+2 for Cplx 5 or +4 for Cplx 6).
• Gives +1 to battle strategy roll in Mass Combat if at least half friendly forces have a TacNet connection; +2 if they all do.

Alternate Aim Rules by Doug Cole

Taken offline for now.

Tactical Shooting: Tomorrow

The Tactical Shooting: Tomorrow article provides guidance on using HUDs and other advanced gear with the normal Tactical Shooting rules on Unsighted Shooting, Sighted Shooting, and Aiming. This section describes those rules and how they interact with the Alternate Aim rules described above.

HUDs

HUDs provide +1 to Guns (and thus to Aiming rolls) within 5000 yards. HUDs also negate up to -3 in darkness penalties. Additionally, when used with a laser sight (which is NOT required, as the laser may give away your position), the HUD adjusts for range, reducing range penalties by -3 if the total range penalty is larger than -10, but only Aimed attacks. Finally, HUDs allow the use of Targeting software, as described in the Combat Software section.

Also significantly, all shooting is Sighted. This doesn’t amount to a significant difference in the way weapons are used with the above Alternate Aim rules, but it is a nice bonus over those without HUDs (who would need to use Sighted Shooting (AOA (Determined) or Committed Attack (Ranged) to get bonuses for reflex sights or the like).

HUDs also display the number of shots remaining in the weapon, the temperature of the barrel (if applicable), and can display information from a TacNet (with the above stated bonuses).

HUDs can also be used to make corner shots. This is done at -2 to Guns and treated like shooting without a stock (-1 Acc, STx1.2 and +1 Rcl).

Finally, HUDs can accept the feed from any Compact Targeting Scope or Enhanced Targeting Scope attached to the weapon. Those scopes can be used conventionally, without the HUD, if necessary. As usual, any use of the telescopic zoom function inflicts Tunnel Vision.

The cost and capabilities of HUD links and Targeting Scopes are summarized below for ease of reference (but come simply from the Weapon Spreadsheet of Doom).

Item	Base Cost	Effect	Weight
HUD Link	$250	+1 to Guns, -3 to darkness penalties, Corner Shot, and Targeting software	neg.
Compact Targeting Scope	$400	Up to 4x magnification (+1 to +2 Acc)	0.5 lbs
Enhanced Targeting Scope	$1000	Up to 32x magnification (+1 to +5 Acc)	1 lb

Options for Targeting Scopes (CF modifies Scope cost)

Option	Cost	Effect
Night Sight	+1 CF	Night Vision 9
Thermal Imaging Sight	+1 CF	Infravision
Night/TI Sight	+2 CF	Night Vision 9 and Infravision
Hyperspectral Imaging Sight	+4 CF	Hyperspectral Vision

Shooting Skill Summary — This link contains a suggested method of recording a PC’s shooting options with any given weapon or skill.

Game Mechanics
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