The Black Campbell

No time tonight for the descriptive niceties…and you’ve got internet access, don’t you? (chuckle…)  So without further ado:  the Audi R8 V10:

PM: +2   RED: 2   CRUS: 80   MAX: 197   RNG: 200   FCE: 2   STR: 7   COST: $200,000

’cause sometime you just need something scorchingly fast…

2010 SUZUKI HYABUSA

This motorcycle was designed to be the fastest production bike of its time.  While it is computer governed to 186mph as a top speed, a bit of tinkering allows the machine to top the 200mph mark.  Powered by a 1300cc inline four cylinder motor that produces 197hp and 102 ft-lbs of torque that shoots the 550lb vehicle from stop to 60 in under 3 seconds.  Teh bike is comfortable for long hauls, as well as hooning about.

PM: +2   RED: 3   CRUS: 80   MAX: 186 (220)   RNG:  180   FCE: 0   STR: 1   COST: $12,000

GM Information:  +2EF Pursue/Flee, -1EF to double back maneuvers.

I was reading through an article on Jerry Miculek today — he’s a shooter for Smith & Wesson in the USPDA competition.  The guy is a freak of nature, capable of accurately putting 5 rounds downrange in .45 of a second!  That got me thinking about my own effective rate of fire with a handgun, rifle, etc…even with my 10mm, I can drop with some accuracy rounds at a rate of 1.5/second.  Twice that with a 9mm or the 5.7mm.

The rate of fire in the James Bond: 007 RPG has always seemed a bit slow to me.  Granted, that’s because the firefights in the old movies usually consisted of the actor taking aim and firing a round, maybe two, in a cautious and considered manner.  But since the likes of Martin Riggs and John McClane came on the scene, the protagonists are a bit more quick n the trigger — in line with what real firefights are like.  (Most police in shootings are surprised by how fast things happen.)

The Action Round for the game is described as 3-5 seconds.  That two second wiggle room was designed to give the GM some leeway in what to allow the characters to do, but it is a bit long for a fist- or firefight.  So I propose a harder target for the time period: 5 second, or 12 action rounds a minute.  What can you do in five seconds?

Figure most people can achieve 2-3 short actions, like shoot something, change a magazine, and maybe do some kind of shuffling movement.  The characters in the game are supposed to be trained, if not exceptional, in moments of action.  So I propose they can do up to an action an action a second.  (Just timing myself now, I was able to dry fire three times on three different targets around the room with a handgun…in three seconds.)

Suggestion 1:  the actions a person can take in the action round are equal to their SPEED, as in the rules.  What an action entails:  movement (from shuffling (to give the opponent attempting to hit a -1EF) to running, popping up from cover and getting back down [each an action!]), changing a magazine for a weapon (with the reload time now being the number of actions the move takes; so a  tube-fed shotgun’s RL: 5 would take a character with a Speed of 2 just over 10 seconds…about right under ideal conditions), dropping an object or picking one up, taking a bead (to get the +3EF), engaging a target (so with a Speed of 2, you could engage two targets …but could not move or change mags), or do that many HTH actions (either attack or defense.)

Suggestion 2:  The number of targets a character can engage with a firearm is equal to their Speed, and they may fire a number of rounds at each target equal to their Speed or the S/R of the weapon (whichever is lower.)  If they shoot at a single target, the rounds that can use are equal to the Speedx2.  If the character can fire 5 or more rounds at a target, resolve it like burst/autofire with one roll and add +2DC to the weapon (So a Beretta 92 in the hands of a character with a speed of 3 could go Martin Riggs for 6 rounds, with the gun DC rising from F to H.)

For burst or autofire weapons, the number of rounds is the maximum number of targets that could be hit by the burst or strafing attack, minus the QR of the test (so an MP5 with a S/R of 6 could hit up to six people, but with a QR of 4, at best the character hit two targets.)  Instead of gaining negative modifiers to their Ease Factor for the number of people they are engaging  (Spray Fire rules, p.50, main book), the character gains a -1EF for each 10′ wide area.  Each extra 10′ arc also halves the maximum number of people you can hit.   So if you have to spray an area 20′ across with an M4 carbine (S/R: 2 or 10), you would gain a -2EF and could only hit up to 5 people.  Now you could mitigate this a bit by taking a number of your actions — say you have a Speed of 2 — two bursts of fire (really one long extended one) across the 20′ would be two 10′ arc attacks.

Suggestion 3: Using spray fire to do suppressive fire (keep an enemy’s head down):  You’re not really trying to hit anything, and your Ease Factor to do this is EF5.  You automatically use the maximum number of rounds you could use on a single target (for a handgun with S/R:2 and a Speed of 3, that would be 4 rounds, or the an autofire weapon’s second rating [S/R: 2/6 for example].)  For each action used, you gain a +1EF for the test.  Aditionally, the bad guys will keep their heads down for an extra round/extra success.

Example:  If you have a Speed of 3 and a handgun with an S/R: 2, you fire 6 rounds for suppressive fire.  The gun has a magazine with 15 rounds, so you decided to use all of your actions on suppressive fire, hoping to allow your teammate to move unseen to an advantageous position.  The total rounds fired would be 15, with a +2EF to the test.  The character gets a QR3 — the bad guys stay down not just this round, but the next.

Suggestion 4:  Hand-to-hand combat is a bit more time consuming than pumping a trigger.  You are, by necessity, moving — shuffling feet, swinging arms or kicking, grappling or otherwise engaged in multiple complex actions.  The number of actions is equal to the character Speed.  The character can use the actions for attack or defense (not in the original rules.)  Attacks are handled as they are in the original rules, but if a character chooses to, they may instead defend from an attack, using their HTH Combat skill.

Example:  Bill is in a fight with a couple of goons.  He has initiative and chooses to punch Goon 1 in the face, trying for a knockout blow, but wants to use his second action as a defense, blocking an attack from Goon 2.  He tests against Goon 1 (with a -2EF for the knockout blow) and succeeds.  Goon1 is down and Goon 2 swings a lamp at Bill.  Goon one hits him with a QR3 (Good) — Bill tests his HTH against the QR3 (that’s his Ease Factor) and succeeds.  The attack fails.

Suggestion 5:  New Speed Ratings.  No one is so slow they’ll act once every 10 seconds (Speed 0 in the original game rules.)  So here’s a more realistic Speed rating.

Speed is figured by adding DEXterity and PERception:  2-6=Speed 1, 7-14=Speed 2, 15-22=Speed 3, 23-28=Speed 4, 29-30=Speed 5.

With this last suggestion, there’s the possibility of a character, really going super-badass.  If a GM wanted to avoid this, they might be worth it to use Draw on a firearm or melee weapon to slow the number of attacks (so a submachinegun with a DR: -2 would mean no more than 3 targets with a Speed of 5.)

Comments and suggestions are welcome.

I love the Bren Ten…it’s been one of those guns I’ve wanted to buy for years, but could never get a good deal on.  I fired one way back in the ’90s and loved it — super accurate, powerful, and incredibly comfortable ergonomics.  I have settled for the nearest thing I could get, the Tanfoglio Witness in .45 or 10mm (although these are damned good values!)  VLtor, however, has remade the Bren 10mm handgun and they should be on the market in a matter of months (I’ve already got my local dealer hooking me up with one…)

In it’s day, the Bren was a fairly advanced piece of hardware.  Based on the CZ-75 and beefed up for a new combat round envisioned by Col. Jeff Cooper — famed gunhand — for combat and police work, the 10mm cartridge was an attempt to mate .357 magnum firepower with a semi-automatic pistol.  The Bren died a quick death due to financial woes of the manufacturer, but the 10mm round was — for a time — FBI standard and a popular hunting and self-defense cartridge.  However, the recoil was too stout for the poor Feeb agents and a whimped out version, .40 S&W, became the more popular round in the 1990s for police.  In the age of polymer-frame handguns, it’s a bit dated, but the accuracy and firepower are hard to beat.

VLtor’s version includes dedicated 15 round magazines, and it can use Tanfoglio magazines interchangeably.

PM: +1   S/R: 2   AMMO: 15   DC: H   CLOS: 0-4   LONG: 12-19   CON: +1   JAM: 98+   DR: 0   RL: 1   COST: $1300

GM Information:  The DC is for the original 200 gr, 1250 fps 10mm round (only really available from specialty manufacturers.)  Most 10mm ammo would provide a DC: G.

The gun was featured, most notably, on Miami Vice in the first two seasons.  VLtor is doing a “Vice Model” wth a hard chomed slide.  (The slide was chromed so that it was more visible in night shoots.)

Next up for James Bond: 007 RPG, the Springfield XD series of handguns.

Like the Glocks, Springfield Armory utilizes a polymer frame with lightweight alloy parts for the mechanics for the X-Treme Duty (XD.)  The XD also uses striker fire, like the Glocks, but the grip angle is more ergonomically correct for the shooter, allowing better accuracy.  Take down is also easy, accomplished with a rotating switch near the front of the receiver (similar to the SIG Sauer.)

Early versions, like the Glock, require the trigger to be pulled to allow the slide and barrel assembly to be slid free of the lower; newer versions do not, increasing safety.  Also, the XD used a similar trigger safety feature as the Glock, but improves on this with a grip safety similar to the 1911A1 series handgun.  As a result, the XD is as reliable, often better made, more accurate and safe, and easier to maintain.

The XD can be had in 3″, 4″, and 5″ barrels, and in calibers from 9mm and .40 S&W, to .45ACP and .45 GAP, as well as .357 SIG.  All versions include a Piccitinny-style equipment rail on the weapon for light or laser.  Additionally, SAs always ship with a right-handed holster and dual mag holder.

There is also the XDM — a larger framed version of the service pistol with interchangeable backstraps on the grip to different sized hands, a match grade barrel, and larger capacity.  While very accurate and reliable, the XDM is more difficult to conceal than most service pistols.  The XDM is available only in 9mm and .40S&W

Springfield Armory XD 9mm & .40S&W

PM: +1   S/R: 3   AMMO: 16   DC: F   CLOS: 0-3   LONG: 10-18   CON: +1   JAM: 99   DR: 0   RL: 1   COST: $550

GM Information:  This is for the 5″ XD in 9mm, the .40 version has a S/R: 2, AMMO: 12, and CLOS: 0-4.  For the 4″ version, LONG is reduced to 9-17, 8-16 for the 3″ barrel.  The 3″ Subcompact XD can have a CON: -1, but AMMO is 10 for 9mm, 9 for .40.

Springfield Armory XD .45ACP

PM:  +1   S/R: 2   AMMO: 13   DC: F   CLOS: 0-3   LONG: 10-17   CON: +1  JAM: 99   DR: 0   RL: 1   COST: $600

GM Information:  The .45 caliber gives a -2EF penalty for victims testing against stun.  The compact .45 has a PM: 0, AMMO: 9, and LONG: 8-16, CON: -1.

Springfield Armory XD .357SIG

This version uses the new police-oriented .357SIG round — essentially a necked-down .40S&W case firing a .357 bullet at magnum speeds.  The .357 SIG XD only comes in the full service pistol.

PM: +1   S/R: 2   AMMO: 12   DC: H   CLOS: 0-4   LONG 10-19   CON: +1   JAM: 99   DR: 0   RL: 1   COST: $700

GM Information:  The .357 SIG round is very hard to come by outside of the US, and is mostly seen in the hands of police departments.

Springfield Armory XDM

PM: +2   S/R: 3   AMMO: 19 (16 .40)   DC: G   CLOS: 0-4   LONG: 12-20   CON: +2   JAM: 99   DR: 0   RL: 1   COST: $700