Out of Ammo in FMA

Following a discussion:

Date: Mon, 12 Jul 1999 23:56:51 -0400
From: Jon Davis <davis@albany.net>
Subject: Re: FMA skirmish questions

Sean Bayan Schoonmaker wrote:
>
> >At 06:32 PM 7/12/99 +0100, GZG wrote:
> >
> >>This echoes my thoughts on the subject; most of the time reloading
(at
> >>least changing mags in rifles etc.) should automatic, the kind of
thing
> >>trained troops can do on the fly, probably while doing other
things like
> >>moving. If a figure rolls badly (maybe a double 1 when firing),
then he's
> >>run out of ammo without realising it - wasn't checking his digital
ammo
> >>readout while shooting - and suddenly the gun goes "click" instead
of
> >>"bang" - now he has to take an action fumbling around for the new
mag that
> >>he SHOULD have had ready....
> >>
> >>Jon (GZG)
>
> Sorry to add a "me too," but I agree that simple is better. The best
thing
> about the system is that it's simple without being simplistic.
>
> Schoon

I can agree with this and it will only add one chit to the mix.  On a
'botch' attack roll, (either a double 1 or a 1 on the quality die),
the
character has emptied a magazine and must use an action to reload the
weapon.  An 'Empty' or 'Reloading' chit can be placed next to the
character to indicate that he or she must use a Reload action before
resuming fire.

Therefore, a veteran trooper will be automatically reloading while in
combat as a second nature.  The green trooper may use too much
firepower
and will have to pause to reload.

** Well, here's my point. I've seen this mechanic used in other games.
I've seen good troops run out of ammo due to some poor luck whereas
the incompetent quality troops with good luck blaze away endlessly
from the NeverEmpty(tm) ammo hoppers. I know there is variability in
firefights (you do run dry - happens in paintball) but there are
things to prevent it too. In RL you can check your mag before
enterring the fight, or reload every time you get low in a mag and
there is a brief lull. That is to say, their are PREEMPTIVE actions
you can take to prevent running out of ammo. In this case, if you use
the Necromunda style mechanic, very little can be done ahead of time
to prevent it. One example I can imagine is an elite trooper who is
engaged in a firefight and runs out of ammo in his first fire action!
Meanwhile his happless green opponenet blazes away through many turns
of fire. It can and does happen with the random system. No
'forethought' or 'care' on behalf of the player can prevent this, even
if the mini in question has been hunkered down in cover doing nothing
for a while.... presumably giving him plenty of time to check his mag.

If you want to keep it to a die roll, there are maybe ways to do that.
Alternately, you should make some alternate rules available for ammo
tracking. It won't hurt anyone to have them (those that don't want to
use them, and there are a fair few) won't. Those that like them, will.

How about:
Firefights being the unpredictable things they are, sometimes you
consume more ammo than expected. Each time you fire, you are rolling
your quality and FP die, and if you roll double ones, you need to
change mags after that shot. However, some troops will have time to
check their ammo status ahead of time. If you've spent an action
checking your ammo loadout, then that unit will automatically avoid
the next such 'out of ammo' condition. This can be tracked on paper,
with a bead, with a chit, or just in your head. This means you could
constantly be "in ammo" if every time you rolled a botch, you (before
rolling another) checked your ammo.

Just a thought.

Thomas Barclay
Software UberMensch
xwave solutions
(613) 831-2018 x 3008