Question on head shots

You are on your own. The Army is MIA and our government is gone! There are no communications of any kind. Cities and towns have gone dark, and zombies fill the streets. The dead have risen and it would seem to be the end of the world. Help me, Mommy!

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azazel1024
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Re: Question on head shots

Unread post by azazel1024 »

I discard most zombie bullet rules.

12 or higher with bonuses to strike the head with a ranged shot, no armor rating for the head. Works out pretty well that way.

Otherwise various rules make it such that in hand-to-hand combat, even using a melee weapon like an axe or crowbar at most you might be able to take on 1 or 2 zombies unless you get darned lucky before you are sunk.

Ranged combat, again unless lucky as sin, it is probably going to take you a full clip to just take out a couple of zombies.
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Re: Question on head shots

Unread post by Lord_Dalgard »

First, from where do you get a nat 17 for a head shot? Zombie AR 14, called shot penalty -3 or -4. I'll be nice and give you a -3. That's a 17 to hit. However...

Our Marine sniper (we'll says he's a lvl 3 Soldier, Commando MOS, with a PP of 17). He has W.P. Rifle and the Sniper skill. No boxing skill :) so he has 4 attacks, 5 against zombies. If he makes a called AND aimed shot, he gets a +2. Another +2 for Sniper. +2 for the WP. Unfortunately, he doesn't get his PP of +1 bonus per DR, p. 180. However, that brings it down to an 11, BUT it takes 3 attacks. If he just makes a called shot, he loses the +2 for aiming, but it only takes 2 attacks. So he can get 2 shots a round at 13.

(This pretty close to azazel1024's 12 to hit. :) )

Granny, on the other hand, is untrained, so only 2 attacks a round. She cannot make an aimed shot, because she only has two attacks. She doesn't have a WP either, so no help there. She needs a 17 to hit. And, if she's untrained, unless that's a semiauto rifle, she can't reload.

See the difference?

EDIT: Oops. No HtH gives only 1 attack. Granny can't even make a called shot.
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Re: Question on head shots

Unread post by Oberoth »

Lord_Dalgard wrote:First, from where do you get a nat 17 for a head shot?


That is the rule in the DR main book. A natural 17 hits. No bonus or penalty (but a critical strike is added if rolled). Someone said that it was an effort by Kev and crew to make the game more suspenseful. Though I would say that is up to the GM, not the game mechanics. It's ludicrous and makes no sense when you really think it through (sorry Kev). They took a Zombies Achilles heal and made it nearly impossible to achieve a 'Movie' style melee. Your left with figuring other means of taking them out.

The rule of 17=fail.

Here is a similar thread for more head shot stuff viewtopic.php?f=77&t=123067

Oberoth wrote:Yes. IMO this is a BS rule. Really, what makes the head (And neck) any more or less difficult to hit than say an arm, wrist or knee cap?


Oberoth wrote:From what i can tell it's an arbitrary rule that was tossed in without playtesting nore common sense applied. It doesn't make the game more suspenseful it makes the game less playable and enjoyable.


Oberoth wrote:I agree. The thing is that Kev and crew have always stated that the player characters are not merely just average people. Even the Ordinary Person OCC is an above average "Super hero". I want my character to be able to do THIS in a pinch. :D
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Re: Question on head shots

Unread post by Lord_Dalgard »

You must have a different DR book than mine, then. DR, p.181, under "Game Rules for Zombie Combat": "Unless a specific body part is targeted (hand, arm, leg, neck, head) as a 'Called Shot,' all attacks hit the zombie's Main Body." And again on p. 183: "A 'Called Shot' is always necessary to hit a specific limb, the neck or head." BOLD in text.
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Re: Question on head shots

Unread post by Oberoth »

Lord_Dalgard wrote:You must have a different DR book than mine, then. DR, p.181, under "Game Rules for Zombie Combat": "Unless a specific body part is targeted (hand, arm, leg, neck, head) as a 'Called Shot,' all attacks hit the zombie's Main Body." And again on p. 183: "A 'Called Shot' is always necessary to hit a specific limb, the neck or head." BOLD in text.


Page 37 under "Inflicting damage to the neck or head". #3-Strike penalty. IN BOLD.
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Re: Question on head shots

Unread post by Grell »

I use the headshot rules in the compendium of contemporary weapons, flat penalty of -5 to strike the head/neck.
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Re: Question on head shots

Unread post by Lord_Dalgard »

Oberoth wrote:
Lord_Dalgard wrote:You must have a different DR book than mine, then. DR, p.181, under "Game Rules for Zombie Combat": "Unless a specific body part is targeted (hand, arm, leg, neck, head) as a 'Called Shot,' all attacks hit the zombie's Main Body." And again on p. 183: "A 'Called Shot' is always necessary to hit a specific limb, the neck or head." BOLD in text.


Page 37 under "Inflicting damage to the neck or head". #3-Strike penalty. IN BOLD.


So, we have two rules that contradict each other. I'll go with te one that more's in line with other Palladium games. :)
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Re: Question on head shots

Unread post by Grell »

Fair enough, good sir.
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