Re: [DL] Combat question

["Matthew Hanson" <deviantsevant@msn.com>]

>The old saying is never bring a knife to a gun fight,
>and Deadlands reflects that by having shooting guns in
>combat easier than brawling, but what do you do if
>someone is trying to wrestle with a gun weildier?
>Does it make the shooting harder?  Logic would dictact
>yes, but the game mechanics don't really reflect that.
>
>Example from a session I ran:  One player fired a
>bunch of shots with a rifle into a charging vamp.
>Eventually the vamp was in his face clawing and
>biting.  The player continued to shoot, and even
>attempted a called shot to the head.  He then tried to
>argue the vamp couldn't bite him anymore because he
>had a rifle in his face.  I bit him anyway.  In this
>case I could see the vamp getting his brawling skill
>as a defensive bonus (but I didn't think of it at the
>time).  Has anyone else had a similar situation?
>
>-Munch Wolf

This is pretty much a melee vs. ranged question and while I don't speak for 
all I do have a few suggestions on how to deal with it.

The problem you're facing seems to be rooted in your player's 
misinterpretation of the combat system. He seems to be looking at it in a 
more abstract manner ( i.e. like D&D, even though he makes 1 attack in a 
round, he's doing all sorts of parrying and posturing and sticking things in 
other's faces that aren't on his action) then the system really means. Each 
action card represents fractions of a second so even if he is sticking his 
rifle in some vampires face, if they are quick enough they're going to just 
move around it and bite.

Unless the melee attacker is actively attempting to disarm the gunman (and 
suceeding) the gunman is really at no penalty to hit him. Think about it, 
someone comes at you with a knife to your face, how hard is it to give him a 
good gut-shot unless he's got his hand on your gun? Also what sort of DB is 
a knife (club, sword, wagon wheel) going to afford against high velocity 
lead? Unless you're playing Star Wars (or Enlightened) not much chance of 
your weapon helping stop the bullet, or even make it harder for them to hit 
you.

If the melee attacker attempts to disarm the ranged weapon from the gunman 
he rolls a standard Fightin':Whatever as a called shot to the hand. If he 
hits he may not only cause wounds but the gunman must make a Strength Check 
with a TN equal to the damage roll or drop the gun. If the melee master 
wishes to grab the gun he must still make a Fightin: Brawlin' roll (with mod 
for called shot to hand) and then win an opposed Strength check:

Gunman wins by a raise he keeps the gun.
Melee wins by a raise he gets the gun.
No raises they grapple the gun until someone has another action and can 
initiate the Strength check again.
On a botch, whomever botched gets shot as the gun goes off in thier hand(s).

Should the person holding the trigger end of the gun choose to fire at the 
poor sod at the business end, make an opposed Strength check. If the firer 
wins he fires normally, if he loses he can fire with a penalty equal to the 
difference in Strength checks.

If someone is melee attacking a person with a rifle, the rifle affords a +2 
DB (It's a big club), but that's about it unless they used an action to 
overawe with it or something.

Ah well Hope that helps
xxoo
Matt





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