Tried to figure that out on the other topic, but to no avail.

In the rulebook it says, that I get a -20 penalty to hit. However, firing on Full Auto means I get a +20.

Do these two modifiers neutralize themselves and I shoot under my natural BS?

I would be mostly interested in how you construe the official rules/errata , not your own house rules.

egalor said:

Right... the only place I can find the -20 penalty for overwatch fire is in the summary table. This isn't just in the published (BI edition) version of the rulebook, but two of the three playtest drafts that came before that (the earliest, March 07 draft doesn't include a distinct Overwatch action - the effect was grouped together with suppressive fire at that time). Given that the Overwatch action, unlike the Suppressive Fire action (which has its own distinct roll to hit), specifically notes that you perform a Full Auto Burst action when the overwatch is triggered, I would say that all the normal rules for a Full Auto Burst apply (+20 to hit, +1 hit per DoS). Further, because only the summary table lists a -20, and that penalty is mentioned nowhere in the actual description of the Overwatch action (the only -20 penalty listed there is the one applied to Pinning tests), I would suggest that you ignore the -20 penalty completely and just make a Full Auto Burst with the usual modifiers.

N0-1_H3r3 said:

This is my interpretation as well. Until a new errata comes out, there is no way to be sure what was intended. Since Overwatch effectively makes you lose one round, I don't mind getting the +20 bonus AND the bonus pinning.

My interpretation is that you get the -20 for overwatch as per the table, and +20 on top of that as per a full-auto burst (since that's what the rules say you're doing), for a total modifier of zero. It's possible the table is an erratum, but IMO an interrupt action unmodified full-auto burst that also causes pinning, is a bit too good.

Hrm....overwatch states "any time before your next Turn, you may take the full auto basic action to fire at any targets within your kill zone" it then gives the whole blarb about pinning and what not, but thats not whats being argued. Well it does say you can take the full auto basic action and when compairing it to the wording of Suppressing Fire which never states anything like that... I would guess you get the +20bs from doing a full auto action with the weapon by strict rules reading.

Since you asked for only strict rules and not house versions Ill leave it like that, by the way it is worded you get the +20bs if you ignore the chart. Suppressing Fire also has the listed -20bs on the chart and includes a line about firing at -20bs, maybe they ment you to do overwatch at a +0? The -20bs for it being a reaction canceling out the +20bs for the bullet spray? I don't know, the rules don't give us much to go either way, your choice from there.

Overwatch , pgs. 190-191;

" Pick an area to watch. The size of this area, known as your kill zone, extends 45 degrees out from the direction you are facing up to half the Range of the weapon. "

Aside from the required full auto burst (+20BS), you are also firing at a target that is within short range (half the weapons Range;+10BS). The overwatch action incurs a -20 penalty to the attack. As it has been stated in the RAW you apply all modifiers to get the final value, you are actually coming out still with a +10BS mod on an Overwatch action.

-=Brother Praetus=-

Brother Praetus said:

Ah so what you should have said is that you believe the -20bs in the summary table is correct then. That's what the discussion has been about Praet.

karn987 said:

Its hard to tell what they originally meant, but looking at the two actions Overwatch vs Suppressive Fire, they are similar in that they involve automatic fire, but in my opinion that is where the similarity ends.

Overwatch involves someone setting up a position to shoot at anyone entering their range. This is not necesarily going to be controlled fire, but it won't be a wild burst either.

Suppressive Fire is just that, it is firing in the general direction of the enemy to keep their heads down while you advance. Standard military tactics incorporate this and there is always the hope that enough volume of fire will hit someone, but by no means are you aiming.

To me it looks like you could interpet that -20 penalty either way. It may or may not apply to Overwatch, so in the end overwatch will end up with either a +10 or a +30.