Hey, first post here!

I'm wondering how my starting Renegade can boost his Ballistics Skill. Right now, I have it at 45 for base, but I'm assuming I can aim and use a short-burst in the same round, as well as bringing it into Short range. which brings the total to 65.
That still seems kinda low.
Are there other ways to pump it up?
Thanks!

Easy good sir,

Qualities of weapons such as accurate quality (on some sniper rifles) have further bonuses to ones ballistic skill when you aim. Gyro Stabilised weapons reduce penalties for long range.

Meanwhile you may want to consider modifications to guns which may improve your chances such as Recoil Baffling to reduce penalties firing at full auto or a red dot laser sight which improves your accuracy.

Have you considered any of those?

I have indeed.
Gyro-Stabilization seems useful for only sniper rifles.
I didn't know about the Recoil Baffling to eliminate Full-Auto penalties. Red-Dot only works with single shot, is that correct?
So, quick math is.
45 base
+10 for aim
+10 for short range
-0 for Full-Auto
So...65?

Also, is the book wrong in that Best-Craftsmanship only applies a bonus to Weapon Skill?
So, a Best-Craftsmanship Lasgun wouldn't get any sort of benefit, bar being unable to jam?
That seems...odd.

Oh so you want to go firing lots of bullets! Yes the Red Dot is for single shot.

However there are things from other books you may be able to discuss with your GM about integrating such as Motion Predictor (Deathwatch P157) which grants bonuses for firing at semi/full auto only.

Meanwhile if you end up a Psyker, which can be done by any character if you end up with a Mark of Tzeentch or by GM intervention:

Warptime, P204 (BC Core)

Gives you unnatural Ballistic Skill (more DoS on hits etc)

Shattertime (P221)

Same as above but has other bonuses too.

Warpsmith invention - Daemon-eye: This piece of Maletek fuses with your weapon and your targeting systems(Auto-Senses) to provide unrivaled accuracy to your distance attacks. +10 BS for firing the upgraded weapon, intended victims also receive a -10 penalty to Dodge attacks made by this weapon.

//Basically an Astartes Targeter and Motion Predictor combined, both from Deathwatch.

Plus old fashioned putting experience points into boosting your BS ;-).

There's Bolter Drill if you're using a Bolter, there's also Lasgun Barrage (Only War). Your GM might allow you to add a different T3 talent that is effectively the same as those for other weapons.

If your GM is allowing you to have access to the Only War book Hammer of the Emperor, there is a Cybernetic called Ocular sight, which the regular version gives Unnatural Ballistic Skill (1), and the Best quality version gives Unnatural Ballistic Skill (2). Its on page 126

In black crusade, with a properly equipped sniper rifle:

45 base BS

+10 short range

+20 (full action aims are worth it for snipers)

+10 Aimed with Accurate weapon

+10 Aimed with Red Dot Laser Sight

That's rolling to hit on an effective 95. Which not only makes you more likely to hit, but is also likely to result in a damage boost.

You could also get an additional plus 5 if you chose to get the motivation perfection at character creation at the cost of minus 3 to 2 other traits. If you decide to elevate the weapon to a legacy weapon and choose the legacy of excess you can add another 5 on top of this......

65% against a moving target at 30 meters is a level of marksmanship that real human beings can only dream of.

In black crusade, with a properly equipped sniper rifle:

45 base BS

+10 short range

+20 (full action aims are worth it for snipers)

+10 Aimed with Accurate weapon

+10 Aimed with Red Dot Laser Sight

That's rolling to hit on an effective 95. Which not only makes you more likely to hit, but is also likely to result in a damage boost.

And +10 for Single Shot, bringing you over 100

I like this thread; in my head, and in keeping with the overall BC theme. I'd personally contact a Heretek and get a custom gyro-stabilized servitor (with flattened head) that way you can have a stable platform to shoot from and the servitor serves as a meat shield!

Win-win!

In black crusade, with a properly equipped sniper rifle:

45 base BS

+10 short range

+20 (full action aims are worth it for snipers)

+10 Aimed with Accurate weapon

+10 Aimed with Red Dot Laser Sight

That's rolling to hit on an effective 95. Which not only makes you more likely to hit, but is also likely to result in a damage boost.

And +10 for Single Shot, bringing you over 100

Which also brings you to the maximum +60 modifier allowed by the base system.

Either way, if I was pulling that off, I'd already be quite happy with +50, instead going for a Called Shot. Yes, this would bring it *down* to a +30, for a total of 75, but that's still a very respectable chance to hit something, and well worth it if you happen to push someone into Critical Damage.

If you manage to score an extra 1d10 or two (at 4 Degrees of Success, that's +2d10 with an Accurate weapon, in this case requiring a roll of 45 or lower (45, 55, 65, 75; so 4 DoS with a roll of 45) which is almost a 50/50, that's an incredibly much higher chance of scoring Righteous Fury/Zealous Hatred (rolling 3 d10's instead of 1). Hit the face with that and there's a good chance the enemy will just up and keel over right away.

Do it with a Needle Rifle or a Reaver Long Rifle for the extra hilarity of possibly doing Toxic Damage, just to add another 1d10 chance for Righteous Fury/Zealous Hatred, although that will only hit the Body if it does.

That's a potential 4d10 damage, three of which may result in Zealous Hatred to the face, one which may result in Zealous Hatred to the Body.

Sometimes I feel like a total powergamer when I write things like this. Then I realize that I'm really not, but that I will come down so hard on my players if they start pulling shenanigans. I think it's time for them to meet some Ratlings...