Re: [BNW] Gunner Question

[Coucouvinis <deimos@tig.com.au>]

Doug Stalker wrote:

> Risik@aol.com wrote:
> >    The problem I see with this is that it means it is possible to say that
> > one power is superior to another.  By this I mean that a Gunner can with one
> > part of his power negate the main power of a Tough which to me makes no sense.
> >    After all if they could ignore natural armor then why do they need AP ammo?
>
> So?  Someone has to able to hurt the tough.   In return for this, the gunner has
> *no* defensive ability.  He doesn't get the blasters 5/- armor, he isn't immune to
> his own type of attacks like the hot-shot, he is required to hav a gun with him to
> use his powers... letting him bypass armor doesn't unbalance him.  Especially when
> you consider anyone can pick up AP ammo and do the same thing.  (I know the rules
> don't list AP 20 ammo, but I'm sure DP has some for those special occasions)

I have to disagree here - saying "someone needs to be able to hurt the tough" is like
saying "someone needs to be stronger than the goliath" - allowing one power package
trick to totally negate the main power of another package is more than a little
unbalancing. Also, given the way the gunner trick is worded, it does seem to be
suggesting worn armour only - I'd also say that the gunner trick wouldn't work against
the Defender's force field for the same reason.

Instead of focusing on shooting the walking tank, the gunner should use his
*incredible* shooting ability to make use of the environment to hurt or slow down the
tough. You're fighting in a construction yard? The gunner can shoot a handy cement
truck so that the tough is mired down. Do you have the knock-back or knockdown tricks?
Use those to put the tough into a situation even he can't survive (like I did when I
blasted one, not doing any damage, but knocked him off a train carriage and underneath
the disconnected carriages following behind).

> Otherwise the gnner will ignore the trick and just make called shots to the eyes
> all the time to bypass natural armor (or at least blind the target)

I'd say it probably wouldn't hurt him, but it would certainly blind him for a while -
reflex covering of the eyes if nothing else.

The strengths of the gunner are the ability to make called shots with ease, plus
expanded use of combat tricks (because he can get more successes, on average, that
most other people if he wants to), and the extra success on initiative, which allows
more actions. If you allow him to penetrate natural and forcefield armour, then
suddenly the Goliath, Tough, and Defender all become second-rate packages.

YMMV, of course.

Nick