1) When one uses supressive fire, must one blanket a full 45 degree arc, or can the arc be limited to something smaller (perhaps much smaller, like a 5 degree arc)? I read over the rules for suppressive fire but it looks like it can be read either way (either a fixed 45 degrees, or anything less than 45).

2) If someone has total cover (no body parts in the line of fire), are they still subject to pinning from supressive fire?

3) I see that the initial Willpower roll for being pinned by supressive fire is at -20 and I see that later ones are at +30, but what is the Willpower roll at the end of the character's turn after being pinned. The book just says "a willpower roll", so should I just assume it is at +0?

Ki_Ryn said:

1) As far as the RAW is concerned no, it must be 45. The reasoning is that it needs to be different than just a normal shot, it makes the enemies feel there is no place to hide and they need to take cover fast as a hail of bullets blankets the area. However as always a GM could change this if they see it appropriate.

2) Of course, just like if you run into cover and the suppressive fire is maintained you still have to make checks to work up the courage to jump out and fire or otherwise blind fire over/around the cover.

3) The +30 is at the end of the characters turn of being pinned. Ie you make the -20 at the beggining of your turn when being fired at for the first round (and actually you continue to make a -20 if the fire continues). Basically if you fail this check you must continue attempting to run for cover until you find cover.

If they continue to fire at you (ie take their round next turn to continue doing surpressive fire) then you continue to take a -20 at the end of your turn and if you fail then on your next turn you must continue to run for cover that round or stay in cover / blind fire from the cover. If, on one of your turns you have failed this check on the former round but are no longer the target of surpressive fire you must still continue to stay in cover / blind fire from the cover or continue running for cover regardless of the lack of bullets (because you're character is afraid the shots will resume the second you show your head.) However at the end of a turn where no more surpressive fire is made you make a +30 to judge whether you may come back out and continue normally (shoiuld you succeed) or continue to cower behind cover / or run for cover if you haven't found it yet (should you fail) on your following turn.

So let me throw up a small example in case that was a bit complicated to understand:

Volk is in the midst of a firefight with a small band of Orks when suddenly a large Ork gunner comes over the field. The Ork chooses to use surpressive fire and angles his 45 degree arc to cover Volk and his crew. Volk has 40 WP and makes a -20 WP check and fails with a 52. On his next turn he must immediately run for cover and at the end of his turn (since the Ork hasn't stopped firing yet) make another -20 WP check to see if he'll be able to overcome the pinning. He runs and doesn't quite make it behind cover as the bullets spray and zip past him. He rolls his WP check and scores a 48 still to high meaning next round he will have to continue seeking the closest cover. The Ork's gun runs dry and he struggels to reload it with a large belt clip. Volks turn comes up again and do to his former check he moves behind cover but may only fire blindly around it's corner and misses. Since the Ork has stopped firing he makes a +30 WP check and rolls 72, nearly successful but just not enough to overcome the fear of the hail of bullets that may start up again at any moment and thus must remain behind the cover on his following turn or flee further away (provided he remains behind cover from the Ork that suppressed him during the entire movement).

The Ork has not finished reloading and Volks turn comes up again. This round he is still forced to blind fire from behind the cover and at the end of his turn once more makes a +30 WP check, this time he rolls a 52 meaning he will be able to act normally on the next round provided the Ork doesn't finish reloading and attempt to pin him again.

Hope that helps.

Thank you for taking the time to write all that up. I'll take the lack of opposing comments to indicate that there is general agreement with your view on the matter and will play that way in my games.

Ki_Ryn said: