Hi all, I'm currently starting my 5th DW adventure as GM. One of my players wants to be able to copy this:
https://1d4chan.org/wiki/File:Dougie_McIsaac.png
As the linked article points out, this is pretty broken. Amazingly these are the same rules from DH, and appear to have even survived into DH2 without being errata'd.
The RAW (p209, Deathwatch Core Rulebook):
Chapter V: Armoury describes several weapons designed to be thrown at targets, but a character can attempt to throw just about any object that weighs up to half the character’s normal Lifting Weight (as indicated by Table 7–7: Carrying, Lifting, and Pushing Weights). To throw an object, a character makes a Challenging (+0) Strength Test. A successful test means that the object flies a number of metres equal to his Strength Bonus. For each Degree of Success, this distance increases by a factor of one, so one degree means that the character throws the object a number of metres equal to twice his Strength Bonus, two degrees means that the object is thrown a number of metres equal to three times his Strength Bonus, and so forth. On a failed test, the object flies a number of metres equal to half his Strength Bonus (round down; a result of 0 means it fell at his feet). If the object hits a hard surface such as a wall, it takes 1d10+SB Damage plus one for every Degree of Success on the test. These rules do not apply to aerodynamic throwing weapons and grenades. Such weapons have a range given on the weapons tables and have range brackets like other weapons. If the object is being thrown at a specific target, it is treated as an improvised weapon and the throwing character makes a Ballistic Skill Test instead of a Strength Test. A character can attempt to throw an object that weighs more than half his Lifting Weight, but such tests are Hard (–20).
I accept that Space Marines in full power armour are incredibly strong - in fact I've kept the multiplier (x2) rules for Unnatural Characteristics for DW whereas in other settings I've had them swapped by other GMs a +2 rule. So, the tables for Carry/Lift/Push weights, while epic, seem fair enough to me. What I don't accept is that
the weight and shape of an object has no affect on the distance it can be thrown
. I'm a big 6ft lad, I can probably comfortably carry about 20kg before it starts to slow me down. But there is no way I can throw a 20kg sack of spuds the same distance that I can throw, for example, a 500g bag of sugar, or even a pair of rolled socks.
So, does anybody have any suggestions for how to scale this?