There is something wrong with the Wilks 1000 PLC

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SpiritInterface
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There is something wrong with the Wilks 1000 PLC

Unread post by SpiritInterface »

Is it me or is there a mistake with the Wilks 1000 PLC write up? My GM and I were looking at the Damage and noticed that the 3 round pulse does 25%-30% more damage than 3 single shots on average.
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Re: There is something wrong with the Wilks 1000 PLC

Unread post by Borast »

SpiritInterface wrote:Is it me or is there a mistake with the Wilks 1000 PLC write up? My GM and I were looking at the Damage and noticed that the 3 round pulse does 25%-30% more damage than 3 single shots on average.


No...the Average Damage for a single pulse is 20.5 MD.
The Average Damage for a burst (3) pulses is 75 MD...13.5 point higher.

This is based on the average roll of a D4 being 2.5.

However, if you were to go by the original burst rules, then on average a series of single shots does a CRAP load more damage, since you fire 10x the ammo to see 3x the base damage. But, that is the miracle of suppressive fire. A single shot may not put you and your buddies on the ground, but 10 or 20 in a few seconds will. ;)
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Re: There is something wrong with the Wilks 1000 PLC

Unread post by eliakon »

Where is the Wilks 1000 PLC from?
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Re: There is something wrong with the Wilks 1000 PLC

Unread post by SpiritInterface »

Borast wrote:
SpiritInterface wrote:Is it me or is there a mistake with the Wilks 1000 PLC write up? My GM and I were looking at the Damage and noticed that the 3 round pulse does 25%-30% more damage than 3 single shots on average.


No...the Average Damage for a single pulse is 20.5 MD.
The Average Damage for a burst (3) pulses is 75 MD...13.5 point higher.

This is based on the average roll of a D4 being 2.5.

However, if you were to go by the original burst rules, then on average a series of single shots does a CRAP load more damage, since you fire 10x the ammo to see 3x the base damage. But, that is the miracle of suppressive fire. A single shot may not put you and your buddies on the ground, but 10 or 20 in a few seconds will. ;)


Ok 20%ish, it still is a significant increase in damage for a three round pulse that the weapon fires.

eliakon wrote:Where is the Wilks 1000 PLC from?


Merc Ops, page 105.

My GM asked me to also post the other question about the W1000PLC, which is how big do you have to be to use it as a rifle? The write up is so vague, that someone between 6' and 19' if they are strong enough could use it as a rifle.
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Re: There is something wrong with the Wilks 1000 PLC

Unread post by Nekira Sudacne »

SpiritInterface wrote:Is it me or is there a mistake with the Wilks 1000 PLC write up? My GM and I were looking at the Damage and noticed that the 3 round pulse does 25%-30% more damage than 3 single shots on average.


Yes, why is that a problem? it just means it's better than other pulse weapons.
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Re: There is something wrong with the Wilks 1000 PLC

Unread post by glitterboy2098 »

it's probably just an artifact of the weird rounding you have to do to make the pulse mode more playable.

it's single shot mode would mean a proper triple pulse is 15D6+9.. which is a bit unweildy for people having to roll actual dice.

so they rounded it. and in the process it got a bit of a weird result. it happens with pulse weapons.

the 'proper' pulse above would be 24 to 99 damage.
the official pulse stats are between 30 and 120 damage.

there is no simpler dice stat that can replicate the 'proper' pulse's damage range, so they went with one that came close.

just be glad they decided to allow it to do a bit more damage in the pulse.. they could have rounded the other way and had it do a bit less.
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Re: There is something wrong with the Wilks 1000 PLC

Unread post by ShadowLogan »

@glitterboy2098
With it being a pulse burst though, I suppose its possible that the "pulse burst" hits in a much tighter grouping than regular bursts (which are/where typically wasting over half the rounds fired) that the individual rounds and the target behave differently to result damage. If one is looking for in world explanation not dependent on game mechanics:
-A normal burst has the impacts occurring more spread out so the target's ability to dissipate the energy is better for it in terms of damage.
-But the pulse burst occurs so rapidly and so narrowly focused to be considered one shot (IIRC the description of pulse weapons) that could mean the target doesn't have time to dissipate all the energy in the same spot before it gets hit again resulting in a more effective hit with each successive hit.

@SpiritInterface
The size of the rifle in question isn't given, it very seldom is. It could mean that there are two (or more) otherwise identical versions based on size, there are a few examples of "giant" weapons based on smaller ones for all practical purposes. However if one is looking to figure something out...

A version of the TAR-21 Assault Rifle is ~59cm long overall (per wikipedia) and is considered a rifle (not sure if there is a "rifle" smaller than this off hand, a FN P90 is shorter and sometimes regarded as an assault rifle per wikipedia), without getting into carbine), the L-39 Anti-Tank Rifle from WW2 (per wikipedia) has an overall length of 220cm. If we assume the average height of human is 180cm, and the TAR-21 version as the smallest at 59cm (call it 60cm for ease), that would give a ~3:1 (~3.7:1 more exact) ratio. That means the Wilk's weapon could be around 170cm long for a 6ft (180cm) person and still be considered a rifle for him and his 19ft (570cm) counterpart. Though the wilk's weapon likely will need some modification for use by larger people, so there could be variants and/or "options" available for user size that alter its size.
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