Hi all,

I've just had my first AoR RPG game last week (I've played many other RPG games) and there is one thing bugging me. Unlimited ammo

I know there are a few weapons with the Limited Ammo characteristic, but most weapons can just be fired endlessly. And that feels wrong. Specially when one would use a slugthrower for example.

Now I can come up with ammo counting rules, but I'm really interested how you guys have resolved this?

Arno

EDIT: I worked out a way to include the VANGUARD SCATTER GUN using these stats. And as you can guess, that requires a fixed set of ammunition 😅

I resolve this by acknowledging that this isn't a descriptive game but a narrative one, and that ammo runs out just like it did in the westerns George Lucas watched as a kid in the 50s: when it's dramatic instead of after 6 shots (rolled a Despair/bunch of Threats).

The narrative aspect considers you may be reloading spare magazines, tibanna gas cylinders, etc as a norm. A round can be a minute of time. You can reload in a couple seconds. So, instead of keeping track of each round and magazine (tedious), we have the following..

Look at Extra Reload in Gear. Weapons can have an out of ammo result with a Despair in RAW. Extra Reloads cost 25 credits and 1 Enc to carry around.

Also look at the Heavy Blaster Pistol. It adds 3 Disadvantage to give an out of ammo result due to its high power consumption.

I've added a quality called, "Ammo Hog", that simulates what the Heavy Blaster Pistol does. I've given it to the Heavy Blaster Pistol. I think it should have been a quality in my opinion instead of text in the description. Simpler. I then gave the same Ammo Hog quality to any other weapons I think may run out of ammo more commonly such as a slugthrower submachinegun, weapons with high rates of fire, or weapons with very low ammo capacity. I suppose you could amp it up a bit by giving an Ammo Hog 2 to some weapons - out of ammo result with only 2 Disadvantages.

Thx for your quick responses. I forgot about the narritive part. This differs a lot than running AD&D games 😇

But your option, Sturn, is looking good. Perhaps I will give that a try.

2 minutes ago, Noosart said:

But your option, Sturn, is looking good. Perhaps I will give that a try.

I do a few other things to add some details.

An Extra Reload takes a Maneuver. These aren't the spares on your belt that get a benefit of a "quick draw" as an incidental, but your extras shoved in a bag, backpack, etc.

I typically don't impose the out of ammo results at the start of a fresh battle after the players stocked up. But, if they've been fighting for a bit, I use the despairs and disadvantages then.

I make players spend a regular upkeep in credits for food, refueling vehicles, etc. I don't get into specifics, its just resupplying unless they are buying ammo for Limited Ammo weapons or buying new Extra Reloads (25 credits each). I consider this upkeep as replenishing their regular ammo supplies of slugs or tibanna gas. They can easily recharge weapons that need electricity by hooking up to a vehicle, generator, starship, droid between action.

BUT, if the players are away from civilization and can't simply spend a few credits to resupply, THEN I start keeping track more stringently. I don't allow an automatic resupply of food, ammo, etc where they couldn't possibly do that. When they are out of Extra Reloads, they are out until they get back to civilization.

If a player grabs a weapon they don't normally carry, I don't let them use an Extra Reload on it. For example, a character carries around a Blaster Pistol and Blaster Rifle. He has 2 Extra Reloads. One of them runs out, no problem he can use a reload. But, he grabs a Tusken's slugthrower while in the desert. If he get an out of ammo result with that, I'm not letting him argue he was carrying extra ammo for it. Of course if he rummages around a few Tuskens bodies, then he may be able to find the equivalent of an Extra Reload and then I would allow it.

Well that seems all quite logical.

I'm working on the naritive play and force myself to do so by not writing down too much details. That will also keep me from railroading the game.

For example: The team was on Kafrene doing some intel on a Stormtrooper checkpoint and its patrols. The checkpoint was describe only to be a building slightly higher then its neighbours and in a narror street. When two of the team decided to get to a rooftop and see if they could find a way in, they stumbled upon some cables. A very lucky dice roll made these cables to turn out to be the data and surveilance cables that could be sliced. And with that intel at their finger tips they made a diversion to draw away the attention of the stormtrooper allowing them access to the building.

It takes a little getting used to, but in the end I love the game mechanics.