pg. 170

"Silencers lower the noise (and flash to a degree) from a
weapon’s discharge, preventing detection of the shot.
Awareness Tests to hear shots made with a silenced weapon
suffer an additional –20 penalty and can only be attempted at
half the normal distance for detecting gunshots* ."

1. What is the "normal range for detecting gunshots"?

2. -20 awareness penalty applies to what? What would be the modifiers for a gunshot? I assume at least +30 (putting it in line with detecting the approach of a tank pg.96) minus the range of the shot. So assuming that every "X" meters you get a -10 penalty to awareness to notice something, what would be the value of "X"?

Are there rules for this in any of the other books because it certainly isn't mentionned in BC?

The only place I can find any similar rules in BC is under Stalker Bolt Rounds on pg. 173,

" Designed for sniping these rounds make a bolt weapon
almost completely silent as the round exits the weapon with
only a hushed hiss. Awareness Tests to hear shots made with
stalker rounds suffer an additional –30 penalty and can only
be attempted within 30 metres of the firer* . However, reduce
this weapon’s Damage by 2."

* Emphasis mine

Lecram said:

The -20 is to opposed perception check based on sound. And the Range is I believe every 30 Meters.

Perhaps it's worth sending a Rules Question (link at the very bottom of the page) to ask about the normal range for detection?

MILLANDSON said:

I did. Now we wait.

Answer:

That will really depend on the weapon, and the GM's call. The –20 would be to the Awareness (Perception) Test that the GM might call for in that situation (which might already be modified due to circumstances, such as already being noisy around the players or them being occupied with doing something else). There aren't any hard rules for hearing the weapon fire though, but we may address that in the update on the errata.

Lasweapons do make a loud "crack" sound when they fire, so they really aren't any more quiet than most other weapons and a silencer would indeed be useful. The heavier the weapon, the louder it fires, is a good rule of thumb though, and automatic-fire shots would be louder than a single shot.

Tim Huckelbery

Based on that answer:

Since Heavy weapons generally have the longest range, and pistols have the shortest range, it seems to make sense to make the penalties based on range, since Heavier weapons would be louder and thus be heard from farther away.

Add an additional +10 for SA and +20 for FA. Twin-linked would be considered one step higher (Single = SA, SA=FA)

How are these for modifiers to awareness:

Extreme range +0
Long +10
Regular +20
short+30
Point Blank + 40

So to hear a weapon firing in full auto at point blank would be +60.

The silencer would have a -20 to the above modifiers and would halve the range increments for the weapon.

The other thing you could do is have individual modifiers based on Weapon Class or type of damage…but that starts to get complicated…