Re: Headed East?
Sigh... so which IS it?
Rifts: Gamemaster's Guide, p.40 {copywright 2001} ~
Understanding High-Tech Weapons
Pulse Weapons: Many high-technology weapons, automatic weapons
and the energy weapons of the future can fire multiple simultaneous
rounds or bursts. Some Rifts® high-tech weapons, like the pulse
rifle, are designed to automatically release three rapid-fire energy
pulses, instead of one shot, every time the trigger is pulled. The three
energy pulses are so quick that they appear as one blast and only one
roll to strike is required.
Pulse weapons are burst -weapons and the burst rule applies even to
"aimed pulse" blasts (really three simultaneous energy blasts; i.e.,
burst: +1 to strike).
Note: One might notice that over the years, many of the new weapons
introduced to Rifts are, in one way or another, pulse weapons. This
has largely rendered any confusion over how to handle automatic fire
moot, since so few weapons can do it (comparatively) and the chances
of a character having such a weapon are also getting smaller. But what
about the old -weapons that have damage for single blasts but not a
burst, but list Attacks per Melee: Standard, or Aimed, Burst, or Wild
shot. It is fair to assume that the weapon can fire a short, two pulse
burst that does double the damage of a single shot. Each double pulse
counts as one attack, but uses up two shots from the payload.
Weapons capable of aimed shots are often considered to be "assassin"
weapons. Some have a switch that allows it to fire either a single
shot or a burst/pulse. The aimed shot is always a careful and
deliberate act of targeting and the shooting of one round/bullet or a single
energy blast. The act of carefully aiming takes a bit of extra time
but provides far greater accuracy and still counts as one melee attack
per each aimed shot.
AND...
Rifts: Main Ultimate Edition, p.361 {copywright 2016}
Weapon Modifiers
Bonuses & Penalties Depending on Circumstance
To shoot something the attacker must roll 1 020 and needs an 8 or
higher to strike. HOWEVER, the shooter may also have bonuses to hit
from Weapon Proficiency skills and penalties from conditions and circumstances.
Bonuses : The only bonuses that apply to using guns and other
ranged weapons are the specific Weapon Proficiency, Sniping skill bonus
if the character has that skill, any applicable bonus from the
weapon itself, and the ones that follow . . .
Aimed Shot Bonus : Only a single shot can be accurately "Aimed"
(no bursts or shooting wild). The skilled shooter is +2 to strike, but the
attack counts as two melee attacks. This applies to a single shot fired
from a revolver, pistol, bolt-action rifle, semi-automatic rifle, shotgun
or grenade launcher.
Note : An "Aimed shot" can only be tried with a
single "sniper-style" shot, not a burst or when shooting wild.
A "Called S hot" target specification. This is a shot that homes in
on a specific part of a larger target, such as a bull' s-eye, an opponent ' s
head, hand, gun, radio, radio antenna, sensor cluster, spotlight, tires,
etc., but counts as two melee attacks.
To make a "Called Shot," the player must "call" or "announce" his
character' s intention; i.e. "I'm going to shoot the gun from his hand,"
aim and shoot. A carefully Aimed and Called Shot also gets the benefit
of the +2 bonus to Aim but counts as three melee attacks/actions. On
the other hand, a quickly aimed Called Shot only counts as two melee
attacks, but does not count as a true Aimed shot and does NOT get the
+2 bonus to strike.
SO. Which is it... is an Aimed shot 1 attack action or 2 attack actions? If we use the latest copywright should we ignore the earlier edition where the rule contradict?
