Re: [SGII] Supression

John Crimmins wrote:

> No, no, no!  You are making the classic mistake of ascribing human
> characteristics to alien thought patterns.  Among human beings, it is
a

Nope--I am assuming that bullets travel in the same patterns regardless
of whether you are human or not.  The first rounds will likely miss, but
further ones will hit the guy as the SAW gunner walks his bursts across
the target and onto the heads of anyone stupid enough to have it
sticking up.  Ditto all those prox-fuzed grenades, gauss rounds, etc.

> Take a look at Xaarg, cheerfully trotting his way across the
battlefield.

Right.

> Bullets are continually whipping their way past him, making (he thinks
to
> himself) a rather pleasing sound as they do.	Does he let the bullets
slow
> him down though?  No!  After all, if he gets shot he'll probably
die...and

Here's the problem:  Private Snuffy watching Xaarg.  Now, Snuffy doesn't
want to die either, and he's watching this big scary Thing With Spikey
Bits (herein: TWSB) coming towards him.  Xaarg isn't hiding behind rocks
or becoming one with Mother Rdsorspha or otherwise taking cover because
the gamer has declared "TWSBs are immune to supression"--Xaarg isn't
taking the time (burning an action) to do so.  So Snuffy is going to put
a 4mm gauss round between Xaarg's sensory organs (although this may be a
bad idea--TWSB are probably sexually aroused by this or something).

> if he doesn't get shot, he'll *certainly* die, eventually.  Why worry
about
> it?  Of course, being  a sensible fellow, Xaarg is being cautious--he
keeps
> low, and uses the available cover as he moves--because, when you think
> about it, he'll have an eternity to enjoy death, while life is a
strictly

Then why isn't he taking cover when the bullets come downrange?  That's
supression!

> Why not?  Where is it written that all Aliens must be equivalent to
human

Law of Nature.	No such thing as free lunch.  Physics is damned
equitable.

> I've found that the best way to represent the alien psyche is not
through
> mechanics, but through simple roleplaying.  When I am running an
Imperial

Roleplaying requires rules.  If you 'roleplay' your TWSB are going to
ignore the bullets whipping around, then you should also 'roleplay' your
TWSB get shot more often.

John M. Atkinson