[Spycraft] Modern Arms Guide
- Thread starter Yuan-Ti
- Start date
In response to a quesiton in another thread:
It looks great. I am going to try to write up a review for RPG.net by tommorrow if i have enough time to read it by then.
Well, they have stats, but also at least a paragraph on each weapon, and each weapon has characteristics mentioned. Example: in addition to all the stats, size, weight, etc., for the Walther PPK, it also has the characteristics DS and DT. DS stands for Double-Safe which is part of the new rules and essentially means an agent never has to worry about a gun going off accidentally. DT stands for Discreet and means Spot and Search checks are made more difficult when looking for this weapon when it is concealed. The Japanese Type 89 Assault Rifle (5.56mm NATO) mentions has CS and DP. CS means collapsible stock (with associated effects on use), while DP means dependable and means two action dice must be spent to activate a malfunction on this weapon. Stuff like that makes your weapons, generic in the Spycraft Handbook, suddenly much more unique.
In addition, weapons are broken down into categories and details are provided for what sorts of modifications can be added to each. In addition to guns, there are rules for additional melee weapons (especially things that are clearly weapon-like that might be lying around, like a Fire Axe, a Sledge Hammer, or an acetylene torch), all kinds of missile weapons, a number of exotic (mostly martial arts) or archaic weapons, mines, mortars, rocket launcher, weapon accessories and additional armor.
There are about 25 pages of new and advanced rules (all optional) to make handling and use of weapons more realistic.
One thing that pleases me very much is that they have included a decent number of older weapons for those of us who are designing a campaign set pre-1950.
Okay, more in my review, assuming I get to it.
Black Omega said:I'd hope so, they pretty much skipped it in the main book.
Is it just mostly stats or do they work in information on various firearms as well? It's been quite some time since anyone did a decent firearms guide for RPG's in general.
It looks great. I am going to try to write up a review for RPG.net by tommorrow if i have enough time to read it by then.
Well, they have stats, but also at least a paragraph on each weapon, and each weapon has characteristics mentioned. Example: in addition to all the stats, size, weight, etc., for the Walther PPK, it also has the characteristics DS and DT. DS stands for Double-Safe which is part of the new rules and essentially means an agent never has to worry about a gun going off accidentally. DT stands for Discreet and means Spot and Search checks are made more difficult when looking for this weapon when it is concealed. The Japanese Type 89 Assault Rifle (5.56mm NATO) mentions has CS and DP. CS means collapsible stock (with associated effects on use), while DP means dependable and means two action dice must be spent to activate a malfunction on this weapon. Stuff like that makes your weapons, generic in the Spycraft Handbook, suddenly much more unique.
In addition, weapons are broken down into categories and details are provided for what sorts of modifications can be added to each. In addition to guns, there are rules for additional melee weapons (especially things that are clearly weapon-like that might be lying around, like a Fire Axe, a Sledge Hammer, or an acetylene torch), all kinds of missile weapons, a number of exotic (mostly martial arts) or archaic weapons, mines, mortars, rocket launcher, weapon accessories and additional armor.
There are about 25 pages of new and advanced rules (all optional) to make handling and use of weapons more realistic.
One thing that pleases me very much is that they have included a decent number of older weapons for those of us who are designing a campaign set pre-1950.
Okay, more in my review, assuming I get to it.
Black Omega
First Post
Sounds promising. I won't use it for d20, but it sounds like it might be general enough I can easily adapt weapons to other systems. Does it have anything interesting on body armor types?
Psion
Adventurer
I have it. I haven't seen this detailed an equipment guide since the days of Twilight 2000.
It was interesting to see the menagarie of new equipment characteristics. Could be nice for any modern or ultra-modern game if you are the type of person who likes niggling details about your equipment.
A lot of people hate this sort of guide. I don't hate it, but I can live without it too. However, if you are in the target audience, it does seem very well considered.
It was interesting to see the menagarie of new equipment characteristics. Could be nice for any modern or ultra-modern game if you are the type of person who likes niggling details about your equipment.
A lot of people hate this sort of guide. I don't hate it, but I can live without it too. However, if you are in the target audience, it does seem very well considered.
Dieter
First Post
Let's go a step further...how detailed is it? I've heard that it has rules for converting any modern firearm into d20 stats.
Is this just something for the layperson who doesn't have a grasp on the concept of using different calibered weapons for different purposes? Or would say, a grunt in the USMC find this equally as interesting.
I mean, I can come up with my own stats for weapons and save the cost of shelling out $$$ for a book telling me Weapon X does Damage Y.
Is there stuff in there for modifying weapons (i.e. turning a SA weapon into a burst-fire capable weapon, etc.)
Is this just something for the layperson who doesn't have a grasp on the concept of using different calibered weapons for different purposes? Or would say, a grunt in the USMC find this equally as interesting.
I mean, I can come up with my own stats for weapons and save the cost of shelling out $$$ for a book telling me Weapon X does Damage Y.
Is there stuff in there for modifying weapons (i.e. turning a SA weapon into a burst-fire capable weapon, etc.)
Dieter said:
I suppose, if you wanna go to the trouble of doing it yourself, then yeah, go ahead. No need to buy the book. In fact, if you consider yourself an expert on firearms, you will probably find yourself complaining about the stats as a small number of self-proclaimed "gun nuts" are already doing over on the AEG forums. (they have claimed "numerous factual errors" but have so far listed few other than some rules grumblings--which can't be considered factual errors--some typos, and some disagreements about how much damage certain weapons do, which is also something of rules grumblings rather than factual errors. (I mean, can you say that it is factually incorrect to say weapon X does 4d4+4 damage?)
I am not a grunt in the USMC, so I don't know if one would find it interesting or not. It is, after all, a game supplement and not a real-life firearms handbook. That said, the author has made an effort to include what each weapon is capable of, its game stats, how it can be modified, and rules for its use.
The author has already admitted to some typos and he claims to be preparing the errata already.
Yes.
Also rules for different ammo types, if you are into that sort of thing.
p.s. How is Silver Spring these days? I moved away four years ago...
Last edited:
Dieter
First Post
Silver Spring is fine...the urban renewal is kicking out the riff-raff. 
As for being a gun-nut, I'd say I'm more like an overall weapons enthusiast. Do I know more than most people should about weapon calibers, probably...but I couldn't tell you how many grains of gunpowder you'd use in a 30-06 rifle round.
As for being a gun-nut, I'd say I'm more like an overall weapons enthusiast. Do I know more than most people should about weapon calibers, probably...but I couldn't tell you how many grains of gunpowder you'd use in a 30-06 rifle round.
trancejeremy
Adventurer
While at my local game store to finally buy the Dragonstar Guide to the Galaxy, I saw this, and started drooling. I didn't have enough to get both books, so I didn't get it, but it's probably on my list.
Still, I didn't get a chance to look at it deeply (there were a pack of rugrats in the store heading towards the checkout, each with something, and I wanted to leave before the store closed), and have one question. Is the damage aimed at d20 Modern games, or regular d20, or both?
d20 modern tends to be lower, since it uses the WP/VP system. Regular d20 tends to be higher.
I don't have the Spycraft books, and I probably won't buy d20 Modern, so I'm looking for something more usable in regular d20.
Still, I didn't get a chance to look at it deeply (there were a pack of rugrats in the store heading towards the checkout, each with something, and I wanted to leave before the store closed), and have one question. Is the damage aimed at d20 Modern games, or regular d20, or both?
d20 modern tends to be lower, since it uses the WP/VP system. Regular d20 tends to be higher.
I don't have the Spycraft books, and I probably won't buy d20 Modern, so I'm looking for something more usable in regular d20.
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