Re: [HOE] re:...Crazy Junker

["Steve Crow" <crow_steve@hotmail.com>]

>From: "Ronnie Gustaveson" <gus_bus@hotmail.com>
>
><<I think Steve hit on the major point: if you're unfamiliar with the
>junker rules, don't let people play junkers, pure and simple.  There are a 
>lot of things that the Marshal is supposed to handle with junker
>devices (stability checks, taint) that you won't know how to do unless
>you read that book.  And that's assuming the purest inentions on the part 
>of the junker player.  If he wanted to pull the wool over your eyes, it'd 
>be really easy.>>
>
>I just wanted to voice my agreement here.  Rule #1 in the Good Marshal's 
>Handbook states: "If your player think they can get away with it, they will 
>most certainly try."
>Like Steve and Rich said, anything that powerful should call for the 
>Marshal to sit down with the player (before or after the gaming,) and go 
>through exactly how the gun was built.
>If it were up to me I'd either: make it the size 'big and heavy' like Rich 
>pointed out. Or I'd make the Ammo costly or difficult to come by, (better 
>still speciality ammo that requires the Ammo power and a long time to whip 
>up a batch.) Or I'd give it a really inconsistent Stability.  If it 
>vanishes in the middle of a gun fight, your headaches are over and his 
>problems have just begun.  Hell, if all else fails just have some Wormlings 
>or Muties wander off with it (and a few other random supplies,) during a 
>surprise night attack.  Oh yeah, one other thing, like the others said, any 
>weapon that uses that many Gun Spirits should call for a serious spirit 
>check (at least an TN: 11) to avoid getting the Taint.
>I guess my point is you really need to use the ‘Junkman Cometh,' and you 
>really need to sit down with your Junker to detail the devices she's 
>building.  Remember, YOU are the Marshal, and for the good of the Posse, 
>you have the final say on what's kosher and what isn't.

Just as a note, and to agree with what I myself previously said...check the 
Junker book.  ;)  The theory is that the various Junker rules should suffice 
to "balance" the ability to create and use such god-awful weaponry.  
Stability, backlash (if applicable and this isn't a "starting Junker device" 
item), gun taint, having to find speciality  5d8 ammo (did anyone ever 
determine if that's actually a caliber?).

I'd be a little leery of the lose/destroy equipment option, for the same 
reason myself and a few others on here have commented on the "Did they get a 
vehicle in their starting equipment? Hey, blow it up in the Doomsayer 
back-of-book adventure!" principle stated in the aforementioned Doomsayer 
book.  They built it, they want it, and they'll probably build another one 
if you take away the first one.  You're just delaying the inevitable, and 
probably pissing off the player in the process.

Besides, if you take it away from them, you can't have them make more 
instability checks...  :)

IMO, check the rules, make sure he is building the ammo correctly, and check 
for taint, backlash, and instability.  Those are all in the rules, so he 
should know what he's getting into. If he's buying it...well, don't let him 
do it very easily.  ;)

---

Steve Crow

"Logic merely enables one to be wrong with authority."

Check out my website at:  http://www.geocities.com/Area51/Stargate/4991/

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