CrosshairCollie Posted April 28, 2004 Report Share Posted April 28, 2004 I need confirmation from this from someone who actually knows. My player won't believe me. True or False: The military will let you keep high-powered weaponry (in the assault rifle/submachine gun mold) when you leave the organization. He swears up-and-down that they do, I'm reasonably certain that they don't. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheQuestionMan Posted April 28, 2004 Report Share Posted April 28, 2004 Re: Minor player problem ... As a former member of the Canadian Armed Forces I can give you a very definite answer . NO !!! . As a GM is it a problem for your campaign ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StGrimblefig Posted April 28, 2004 Report Share Posted April 28, 2004 Re: Minor player problem ... How "realistic" is your campaign? In the "action movie" style to which HERO is supposed to apply well, it is not unusual for the hero of the movie to have some high-powered weaponry left over from his military service. Of course, as GM, your decision should be final, regardless of the realism. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CrosshairCollie Posted April 28, 2004 Author Report Share Posted April 28, 2004 Re: Minor player problem ... TheQuestionMan: Not so much a problem, but I'm planning a game where all the characters all gain their powers at the same time, and I'd rather the characters' main form of offense be their powers, not 'a smattering of powers and a big gun'. He's a Bishop (X-Men) fan, and invariably wants a gun no matter what his powers (one character in a Marvel Saga game had Heat Powers, Radiation Powers, Flight, Enhanced Senses, Regeneration ... and the first thing he spent a Response Bonus on was getting a big gun which was far inferior to his Heat/Radiation Blasts, but he used it constantly). We started calling him 'Obviously Compensating For Something Man', for obvious reasons. Basically, I guess what I'm trying to say is that it's against the game's theme. StGrimblefig: For the background of this game, all the PCs are going to start completely normal, then gain their powers in a group situation (a la the Fantastic Four, albeit via Kelvarite) by being captured by an evil scientific organization and exposed to Kelvarite Radiation. Of course, this means if he had a gun on him, he doesn't have it now. Hmm ... maybe I should use that bit from the last Digital Hero article where guns are gimped by the laws of game-physics (max dmg 2d6, stun X at fixed 2; 24 points of PD=Immune To Gunfire). If he really wants to use a gun, that's fine ... but it'll be a total waste of points. Maybe I should just tell him this instead ... but knowing him, he'll just want a laser. :/ This guy is the 'Mr. Subtle' (sarcastic) of my group. His only solution to problems is blast it, blast it harder, blast it with that other blast, or blast it many times. If he doesn't try to play a soldier or ex-soldier or cop in the game, I'll be very very surprised. Of course, I've used this to my advantage more than once ... like using the knockback from his blasts to enable Mysterious Villain Escapes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mentor Posted April 28, 2004 Report Share Posted April 28, 2004 Re: Minor player problem ... I need confirmation from this from someone who actually knows. My player won't believe me. True or False: The military will let you keep high-powered weaponry (in the assault rifle/submachine gun mold) when you leave the organization. He swears up-and-down that they do, I'm reasonably certain that they don't. Not unless the character wants to end up in a federal penitentiary. This includes any weapons or ordinance captured or picked up as a souveneir on the battlefield. Your player is dreaming. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Koshka Posted April 28, 2004 Report Share Posted April 28, 2004 Re: Minor player problem ... True or False: The military will let you keep high-powered weaponry (in the assault rifle/submachine gun mold) when you leave the organization. False. One of my friends is former USAF (medical discharge), and she didn't get to keep any firearms. I'll e-mail her if you want to get it direct, but I've helped clean her house and would have seen any guns she owned. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drrushing Posted April 28, 2004 Report Share Posted April 28, 2004 Re: Minor player problem ... I think your player has watched a few too many Action movies. Being a former Marine, you cannot, will not, under ANY circumstances, EVER remove anything ordinance wise from a military arsenal. The only access to weapons is when your part of active service. No individual owns any of the equipment, it belongs to the Government. That being said, it would be fairly easy for someone of military background to have contacts in the military world to purchase the weapons they need...............BUT that's an entirely different adventure waiting to happen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Mad GM Posted April 28, 2004 Report Share Posted April 28, 2004 Re: Minor player problem ... Not legally. It's all property of Uncle Sugar. He might have smuggled something out, or bought the commercially available equivalents (I use the term 'equivalent' loosely). I don't know about stuff picked up on a battlefield, but I assume that's not legally removeable either. It would be easier to imagine that he bought it black market and it might have come from some supply sergeant that inexplicably drives a Mercedes. He might have brought a personal weapon into the service, a holdout pistol or something like... but that would be about it. I don't know if they even allow that, but it would still have been something he had before. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vanguard00 Posted April 28, 2004 Report Share Posted April 28, 2004 Re: Minor player problem ... We had a coworker arrested two years ago because he took a rifle from the National Guard armory where he worked. He did time prior to his dishonorable discharge. I think what your player might be thinking of is the familiarity one might have with those who specialize in military-style weaponry OUTSIDE of the armed forces. For example, at some point the guy knows someone who sells M-16s, so he buys one. Gun shows, private dealers, black market, etc. It's not implausible for a military man to have such connections. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
death tribble Posted April 28, 2004 Report Share Posted April 28, 2004 Re: Minor player problem ... They let them do it in WW2 for the smaller things like Lugar pistols but nowadays the Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pegasus Posted April 28, 2004 Report Share Posted April 28, 2004 Re: Minor player problem ... If this guy's a big Bishop fan, then he's got more problems than a mere gun fetish. But I'm wondering, if the guy's a gun nut and he's not going to change, maybe he needs to play to that. His super powers could be something ala Forge where he creates these super guns, or he needs a gun like focus to actually focus his internal energies, or something like that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beauxdeigh Posted April 28, 2004 Report Share Posted April 28, 2004 Re: Minor player problem ... But I'm wondering' date=' if the guy's a gun nut and he's not going to change, maybe he needs to play to that. His super powers could be something ala Forge where he creates these super guns, or he needs a gun like focus to actually focus his internal energies, or something like that.[/quote'] I'd agree with this. I mean, if you personally don't get along with the guy then you shouldn't have to suffer him while playing or GMing. However, if you like him enough to continue to play with him, then work within his limits. Use the examples above to help create a gun toting character for him. There are published characters whose response is not just to hit, but to continue hitting harder and harder until an opponent falls, but usually they are balanced with more tactically thinking characters. Hopefully your group is rounded enough to balance off his 'blast it' mentality. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Magmarock Posted April 28, 2004 Report Share Posted April 28, 2004 Re: Minor player problem ... What about this: His powers allow him to morph his forearms into various gun-like appendages that fire energy bullets? Or he conjures up "ghost guns" out of whatever energy he wields, because he needs that visual focus (not focus as in game terms). Either way there is no gun, but he should be happy. Mags Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
etherio Posted April 28, 2004 Report Share Posted April 28, 2004 Re: Minor player problem ... ...Or he conjures up "ghost guns" out of whatever energy he wields' date=' because he needs that visual focus (not focus as in game terms)...[/quote'] Love that idea, Magmarock...That inspires me for a villain idea. Awesome visual effect, there... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StGrimblefig Posted April 28, 2004 Report Share Posted April 28, 2004 Re: Minor player problem ... TheQuestionMan: Basically, I guess what I'm trying to say is that it's against the game's theme. I don't suppose it would work to actually tell him this and expect him to understand... I like Madstone's and Magmarock's ideas, too. Either A) his attack power comes from his hand, but is "always on" and "unfocused" (kind of Cyclops-like) so that he MUST have something gun-like covering his hand to direct, concentrate and control the power (which later also serves as the focus for several other "powers," as he upgrades and experiments with it), or for whatever reason a gun-like image appears whenever he wants to use the power -- perhaps his power is EGO-based, and the character cannot wrap his head around the concept of mental powers, so his subconcious generates an image that he can understand (high EGO, low INT). Good ideas, all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rayoman Posted April 29, 2004 Report Share Posted April 29, 2004 Re: Minor player problem ... Uhm...tell him to come over to my house and see my F-15 that I was given for my faithful and loyal service in the Airforce. HECK NO! The military won't even let you keep the enemy weaponry that you find on the battlefield. I need confirmation from this from someone who actually knows. My player won't believe me. True or False: The military will let you keep high-powered weaponry (in the assault rifle/submachine gun mold) when you leave the organization. He swears up-and-down that they do, I'm reasonably certain that they don't. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mightybec Posted April 29, 2004 Report Share Posted April 29, 2004 Re: Minor player problem ... Didn't Corporal Radar O'Rielly mail a jeep home in pieces? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rayoman Posted April 29, 2004 Report Share Posted April 29, 2004 Re: Minor player problem ... Yes. I think during WW2 and the Korean war the policies about BATTLEFIELD LOOT was different than it is now. Didn't Corporal Radar O'Rielly mail a jeep home in pieces? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DocMan Posted April 29, 2004 Report Share Posted April 29, 2004 Re: Minor player problem ... Yes. I think during WW2 and the Korean war the policies about BATTLEFIELD LOOT was different than it is now. I don't think the policies were all that different, but they may have had some problems with enforcement. Doc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Koshka Posted April 29, 2004 Report Share Posted April 29, 2004 Re: Minor player problem ... Didn't Corporal Radar O'Rielly mail a jeep home in pieces? Radar was the company clerk, so he was in position to fudge the records on those packages. He also had a really good Contact roll with the scriptwriters Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karma Posted April 30, 2004 Report Share Posted April 30, 2004 Re: Minor player problem ... I don't suppose it would work to actually tell him this and expect him to understand... I like Madstone's and Magmarock's ideas, too. Either A) his attack power comes from his hand, but is "always on" and "unfocused" (kind of Cyclops-like) so that he MUST have something gun-like covering his hand to direct, concentrate and control the power (which later also serves as the focus for several other "powers," as he upgrades and experiments with it). This was the one I was thinking of not only does he 'have a Gun' he literally can't put it down since it's the only think that keeps his power from exploding out of his hand (the original idea was gauntlets but 'Mr Compensation' was more taken with the idea of a gun) Another idea is that his powers literally need a gun to be useful. How? His 'great super power' is the ability to teleport really small objects (say bullets) from one place to another (an armory to a gun for instance). Or he might literally create bullets of various types out of thin air and need a gun to fire them. Or, as some have pointed out earlier, his gun might simply be for show (like the Tombstone kid in 4th Ed Champions) and he *could* simply blast people with 'mind bullets' (ala Tenatious D's Wonderboy ) but the 'Big Gun a) makes him look more 'normal' and so his foes underestimate his actual power (which some Supers appreciate, makes them less of a target for 'Anti-Supers hatred if they look like simple 'Gun Nuts') Acts as a security blanket making him feel more ready to 'take on the world of supervillians'. Actually that would make a good Psych limit: Feels inferior to other superbeings or 'Overcompensates for feelings of inadequecy' (then again, perhaps not, players hate it when the GM (or other players) psychoanalyse their characters.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tech Posted April 30, 2004 Report Share Posted April 30, 2004 Re: Minor player problem ... CrosshairCollie, it sounds like you've already informed the player what to expect campaign-wise. If he won't create a character according to the standard you set, well, you have to make a choice: enforce your standard or see if you can help him create a character that will fit into the campaign. I've run into this problem personally and you both need to come to a point where you're both happy with the decision for the sake of your campaign. I'll add that I like alot of the mysterious gun powers suggested. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Cometeer Posted May 1, 2004 Report Share Posted May 1, 2004 Re: Minor player problem ... Tell your player to watch "Mystery Men". "That's your power? A gun? I mean, there's no theme at all." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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