What is the best way to build this?

[Gideon]

I have a character who is an old west style gun slinger.

 

Right now he uses a normal six-shooter as his weapon.

 

I want to give him multiple kinds of bullets: normal, sliver, armor piercing, explosive, etc...

 

I was planning on simply giving him a multipower where each slot is a different kind of bullet:

 

Colt Peacemaker: Multipower, OAF (-1), Real Weapon (-1/4), 60 point reserve (30 real points)

1u 1) Normal Bullets: RKA 2d6-1, 4 6-charge clips (-1/4) (25 active points)

1u 2) Silver Bullets: RKA 2d6-1, 4 6-charge clips (-1/4) (25 active points)

2u 3) Armor Piercing Bullet: RKA 2d6, Armor Piercing (+1/2) 2 6-charge clips (-1/2) (45 active points)

 

And so on...

 

The problems I have run into are thus:

 

1) I want to be able to change 1 bullet at a time without the active cost of the powers going over 60 points.

 

2) I want to be able to use the blaze away or rapid fire combat actions. If I buy the gun as a multipower thought, I can only use 1 kind of bullet in a single phase. What I want though is to be able to blaze away or rapid fire with multiple types of bullets (even if the type of bullet is meaningless to the encounter).

EX: I am running low on ammo. I have 2 normal bullets left and 2 silver bullets. I want to use rapid fire to hit 3 agents.

 

3) Even if I buy the gun with 1,000 charges that are not divided into clips, I want to only be able to fire 6 shots in a single phase, or 6 shots before needing to reload the gun.

 

Thanks for the help.

 

Be seeing you.

[Dust Raven]

Re: What is the best way to build this?

 

Easy Answer: Just do it.

 

Look at it as a trade off, or even a +0 Modifier on the Multipower. As a bonus, you are no longer restricted to using just one slot at a time. As a penalty, you have to load and treat the six-shooter as a real weapon. If you load 2 of each type of round into the gun, then you only have two of each bullet, and they have to be fired in order, or you have to take a half phase or a full phase (GM choice) to realign the cylinder to fire the round you want next each time you get picky.

 

 

Annoying Answer: Apply Delayed Effect as a Naked Advantage to the Multipower reserve and have a default limit of no more than 6 rounds prepared at any time. Include a -1/4 or whatever Limitation to signify you have to prepare the rounds in whatever order you want to fire ahead of time. Also change the Charges on each slot to be X clips of 1 charge each, as you now prep each round individually, and it will take the time it takes to change clips to prep one round (a full phase). You can also use a 1/2 or full phase to realign the cylinder if you get picky as above.

[Thia Halmades]

Re: What is the best way to build this?

 

I agree with DR in that this sounds like a pretty simple idea being over-complicated. You have a gun. Okay. It happens to be a Revolver, so you can load individual ammo types in each chamber. You have X number of bullets. Just get the GM to agree to the "load out" and you're good; keep track of your ammo and treat the weapon as "Variable Charge Loadout, +0" and go forward.

 

Also, you can "forward the barrel" as a half-phase action, and again, this is more an application of common sense than it is rules & mechanics.

[Vondy]

Re: What is the best way to build this?

 

If its a heroic level game you needn't even build it. You just apply the appropriate modifiers to the base attack based on the ammunition being used. In a superheroic game just build a multipower and be done with it. One question though: is he in the old west, or is he just "old west style." The reason I ask is history - aside from making bullets from different materials (silver, for instance) there wasn't much in the way of specialized ammunition until the 20th century.

[Gideon]

Re: What is the best way to build this?

 

Dust Raven: I agree with you. The problem is that my GM is strict with the rules and enforcing the Multiple Power Attack rules. I double checked in the 5ER and it says that you can't activate more than one attack power in the same framework in the same phase, and well those are the rules my GM is enforcing.

 

Von D-Man: He's old west style. Similar to DC's Vigilante.

[Hyper-Man]

Re: What is the best way to build this?

 

Dust Raven: I agree with you. The problem is that my GM is strict with the rules and enforcing the Multiple Power Attack rules. I double checked in the 5ER and it says that you can't activate more than one attack power in the same framework in the same phase, and well those are the rules my GM is enforcing.

 

Von D-Man: He's old west style. Similar to DC's Vigilante.

 

What about if you pay an extra 5 points to have 2 guns? You can then fire at least 2 different kinds of bullets in a phase.

[Gideon]

Re: What is the best way to build this?

 

What about if you pay an extra 5 points to have 2 guns? You can then fire at least 2 different kinds of bullets in a phase.

 

I thought about it, I really did. The thing is, it still doesn't answer the problem.

 

Maybe I'm just trying to put to much realism into the game.

 

Going RAW, regardless of how many guns my character has, I still can't use Blaze Away or Rapid Fire with different bullets. At least not if I have my powers in a framework.

 

So the question stands: what is the best way for me to have a character with 1 gun, and multiple kinds of bullets, and still be allowed to use Blaze Away and Rapid Fire without fudging the rules?

[Hyper-Man]

Re: What is the best way to build this?

 

Or better yet, don't build the weapon using any type of framework at all.

 

The following is just a 'list':

 

Colt Peacemaker, all slots OAF (-1) - END=

8 1) Normal Bullets: RKA 2d6-1 (25 Active Points); Real Weapon (-1/4), Beam (-1/4), Cannot Be Used With Multiple-Power Attacks (-1/4), 4 clips of 6 Charges (-1/4) - END=[6]

8 2) Silver Bullets: RKA 2d6-1 (25 Active Points); Real Weapon (-1/4), Beam (-1/4), Cannot Be Used With Multiple-Power Attacks (-1/4), 4 clips of 6 Charges (-1/4) - END=[6]

14 3) Armor Piercing Bullets: RKA 2d6, Armor Piercing (+1/2) (45 Active Points); 2 clips of 6 Charges (-1/2), Real Weapon (-1/4), Beam (-1/4), Cannot Be Used With Multiple-Power Attacks (-1/4) - END=[6]

 

Total Cost: 30 real points (4 cheaper than your multipower example)

 

edit:

By not taking the Lockout Limitation the character can use any of the attacks in the same phase with the caveat that they must be seperate shots.

[Gideon]

Re: What is the best way to build this?

 

Or better yet, don't build the weapon using any type of framework at all.

 

Total Cost: 30 real points (4 cheaper than your multipower example)

 

I feel silly now, and somehow the fact that it is cheaper to buy the powers seperately seems sad.

 

By not taking the Lockout Limitation the character can use any of the attacks in the same phase with the caveat that they must be seperate shots.

 

Couple of questions though:

 

1) Does a clip have to be changed all at once? The rules don't say anything about this that I can find.

 

2) If a clip does need to be changed all at once, then do you think it viable to take a limitation that says: can only take 6 shots before reloading? How much do you think such a limitation would be worth?

 

3) Do you think the caveat that the powers must be seperate shots (or possible even can only be used in the same phase if using Blaze Away or Rapid Fire) is worth points as a limitation?

 

Thanks for the help.

[Dust Raven]

Re: What is the best way to build this?

 

and well those are the rules my GM is enforcing.

 

I still can't use Blaze Away or Rapid Fire with different bullets. At least not if I have my powers in a framework.

 

So the question stands: what is the best way for me to have a character with 1 gun, and multiple kinds of bullets, and still be allowed to use Blaze Away and Rapid Fire without fudging the rules?

 

Well, that's a difficult one. You can either fudge the rules, or you'll be fudging the GM. Personally, I think the second is an unforgivable evil. It could be your GM simply doesn't want anyone to do what you envision your character doing. Frankly, that sucks, but without knowing your GM, I have to assume he has a good reason.

 

An "outside the box" idea he might allow: Create an extra slot that is Autofire, and/or one that is AoE, each with the SFX of "hail of hot lead death" or something like that.

[Silbeg]

Re: What is the best way to build this?

 

Another, perhaps ugly, idea would be to have a gun, and then a set of "naked advantages" for the ammo.

 

So, for example, you would have Variable SFX (silver, lead, etc), AP, Explosion. These would all be extra Powers outside of the multipower. With the proper lims (0END, for sure), and a +0 to (whatever) advantage/limitation be able to fire in the order that they were loaded.

 

However, in many ways, while what you are asking makes perfect sense... it is kind of hard to do with the rules as they stand.

Now, if you were playing in a Heroic level game, we wouldn't even be having this discussion, since ammo is equipment,

[Hyper-Man]

Re: What is the best way to build this?

 

Well, that's a difficult one. You can either fudge the rules, or you'll be fudging the GM. Personally, I think the second is an unforgivable evil. It could be your GM simply doesn't want anyone to do what you envision your character doing. Frankly, that sucks, but without knowing your GM, I have to assume he has a good reason.

 

An "outside the box" idea he might allow: Create an extra slot that is Autofire, and/or one that is AoE, each with the SFX of "hail of hot lead death" or something like that.

 

Dust Raven,

I think you might be missing the real issue he's up against. The player wants to be able to use a mixture of bullet types (AP, Variable SFX, etc..) with the blaze away or rapid fire combat manuevers. Using a gun built via any single framework makes this impossible by a strict* interpretation of the rules as his GM is doing. I believe my framework-less approach gets around this hurdle.

[Dust Raven]

Re: What is the best way to build this?

 

Dust Raven,

I think you might be missing the real issue he's up against. The player wants to be able to use a mixture of bullet types (AP, Variable SFX, etc..) with the blaze away or rapid fire combat manuevers. Using a gun built via any single framework makes this impossible by a strict* interpretation of the rules as his GM is doing. I believe my framework-less approach gets around this hurdle.

It doesn't get around the Rapid Fire issue, but it does seem to get around the Multiple Power Attack issue. The character still could not, for example, use the Rapid Fire maneuver to shoot target A with a normal bullet while using a silver bullet to shoot target B. The suggestion of using Autofire also doesn't get around this, but the AoE idea could be used to simulate a "who cares what kind of bullets they are" kind of attack, allowing for the SFX to include any of his available rounds, if not their mechanical effects in game.

 

I am wondering though, exactly what kind of superhuman gunman is this guy who can spin the cylinder that rapidly and accurately while firing off shots at multiple targets in a way he can choose with 100% certainty which round hits which target. Even the gun would have to be special. The fastest you can fire a revolver is 2 rounds in the space of a second and a half. Any faster and it locks up/jams/breaks or just can't spin that fast. Granted, this is a game that simulates cinematic action...

 

I'm also wondering why the need for this kind of functionality? Instead of the speed of shooting, or the volume of shots fired (mixed or not), why not pure accuracy? Who cares how many shots you can get of or of what type of ammo if you can't hit anything when you do? It might look impressive, but for that you can buy +10 PRE OAF (gun) Requires/Uses 6 Charges.

[KarinsDad]

Re: What is the best way to build this?

 

Blazing Away and Rapid Fire are maneuvers.

 

And they both apply to a single ranged attack. They do not apply to multiple different ranged attacks. So, it really doesn't matter if different attacks are in a framework or not. By RAW, the maneuvers are for the same type of ranged attack, multiple times. Hyper-Man's solution does not get around the fact that the maneuvers apply to a ranged attack, not multiple types of ranged attacks.

 

As such, your GM is totally within his rights to not allow a new game mechanic into the system.

 

 

Btw, changing a clip takes a full phase unless the PC succeeds with a Fast Draw roll, then it becomes a half phase.

 

So, regardless of whether your GM allows a house rule on this, it would still take you a full or half phase to change clips if you purchase these bullets in clips. Hence, the concept of changing clips in less than a half phase as part of an attack is also something that the rules do not support. Changing clips "mid-blazing away attack" is grossly breaking the time required intent of the clip rules.

 

 

You could try to invent a way to create a clip of multiple different types of bullets, but I do not know of a way to do that within the rules either.

[Zeropoint]

Re: What is the best way to build this?

 

The fastest you can fire a revolver is 2 rounds in the space of a second and a half.

 

Say WHAT?

 

A double-action revolver can be fired just as fast as a semi-auto . . . or even faster, if you can move your finger that fast, because it doesn't have to wait for a slide to cycle under momentum and spring tension.

 

A single-action revolver can, with the proper hammer fanning technique, fire three shots so fast that they look and sound like a single shot. Look up Bob Munden and be amazed . . .

[Roy_The_Ruthles]

Re: What is the best way to build this?

 

I think you're over thinking this, if you are a superheroic game, don't put so much thought into it, if you are in a heroic game, make the GM handle it

[Gideon]

Re: What is the best way to build this?

 

I'm also wondering why the need for this kind of functionality? Instead of the speed of shooting' date=' or the volume of shots fired (mixed or not), why not pure accuracy? Who cares how many shots you can get of or of what type of ammo if you can't hit anything when you do? It might look impressive, but for that you can buy +10 PRE OAF (gun) Requires/Uses 6 Charges.[/quote']

 

The character is accurate enough. He has a 10 OCV and +2 penalty skill levels for range when using his gun (which is increadible for the game I'm playing in). Accuracy isn't the issue, and neither is looking impressive.

 

What I want is the ability (regardless of what ammo is loaded in the gun) to fan. It is a traditional gunslinger trick, and the closest thing the character can get to sprading or sweeping. Or in other words: I want him to have the ability to hit multiple targets in a single phase using non-AOE attacks.

 

Blazing Away and Rapid Fire are maneuvers.

 

And they both apply to a single ranged attack. They do not apply to multiple different ranged attacks. So, it really doesn't matter if different attacks are in a framework or not. By RAW, the maneuvers are for the same type of ranged attack, multiple times. Hyper-Man's solution does not get around the fact that the maneuvers apply to a ranged attack, not multiple types of ranged attacks.

Thank you. I sort of missed that when I was looking at stuff in the book. However, Hyper-Man's solution does get around the problem (sort of). I think, (please correct me if I am wrong), that if I have the powers bought with no framework, I can simulate the Blaze Away and Rapid Fire mauevers simply by activating more than one of the powers.

 

As such, your GM is totally within his rights to not allow a new game mechanic into the system.

You are absolutely right, and I wasn't looking for that.

 

 

Btw, changing a clip takes a full phase unless the PC succeeds with a Fast Draw roll, then it becomes a half phase.

 

So, regardless of whether your GM allows a house rule on this, it would still take you a full or half phase to change clips if you purchase these bullets in clips. Hence, the concept of changing clips in less than a half phase as part of an attack is also something that the rules do not support. Changing clips "mid-blazing away attack" is grossly breaking the time required intent of the clip rules.

I think you missed something I put in my initial post:

1) I want to be able to change 1 bullet at a time without the active cost of the powers going over 60 points.

 

And

Couple of questions though:

 

1) Does a clip have to be changed all at once? The rules don't say anything about this that I can find.

 

2) If a clip does need to be changed all at once, then do you think it viable to take a limitation that says: can only take 6 shots before reloading? How much do you think such a limitation would be worth?

 

3) Do you think the caveat that the powers must be seperate shots (or possible even can only be used in the same phase if using Blaze Away or Rapid Fire) is worth points as a limitation?

 

If all the charges in a clip need to be changed at the same time then I don't actually want clips. I do want the limitations of only being able to fire 6 times before reloading (as per the clip rules).

 

I also wanted the limitation that if I have fired any number of shots and want to add bullets to the gun (regardless of the type) that I need to take at least a half phase (possibly zero phase with a Fast Draw roll) to do so.

 

EX: Combat is going long, it is phase 10 and I only have 2 bullets left in the chamber. All I have in my pack are 2 silver bullets, and the ones in the chamber are normal lead. I want to "Rapid Fire" and shoot 3 agents. I need to take at least a half phase action to load the 2 silver bullets, and still keep the 2 lead bullets in the chamber.

[Hyper-Man]

Re: What is the best way to build this?

 

It doesn't get around the Rapid Fire issue, but it does seem to get around the Multiple Power Attack issue. The character still could not, for example, use the Rapid Fire maneuver to shoot target A with a normal bullet while using a silver bullet to shoot target B. The suggestion of using Autofire also doesn't get around this, but the AoE idea could be used to simulate a "who cares what kind of bullets they are" kind of attack, allowing for the SFX to include any of his available rounds, if not their mechanical effects in game.

 

I am wondering though, exactly what kind of superhuman gunman is this guy who can spin the cylinder that rapidly and accurately while firing off shots at multiple targets in a way he can choose with 100% certainty which round hits which target. Even the gun would have to be special. The fastest you can fire a revolver is 2 rounds in the space of a second and a half. Any faster and it locks up/jams/breaks or just can't spin that fast. Granted, this is a game that simulates cinematic action...

 

I'm also wondering why the need for this kind of functionality? Instead of the speed of shooting, or the volume of shots fired (mixed or not), why not pure accuracy? Who cares how many shots you can get of or of what type of ammo if you can't hit anything when you do? It might look impressive, but for that you can buy +10 PRE OAF (gun) Requires/Uses 6 Charges.

 

Well, the player could take an additional (-0) Limitation stating that he has to define what bullets are distributed in what clip and perhaps have a random bullet fired if he misses a skill roll to choose the right one.

 

I disagree with other's contention that the character can't mix (mechanical) attack types using Rapid Attack. That's like saying a character with a sword can't use sweep and mix the HKA and a club attack during the same swing. Mechanically it might make sense but most GM's would allow it. Regardless, defining this as 2 seperate guns would easily allow the character to mix 2 bullet types in a Rapid Attack without breaking any rules whatsoever.

[Dust Raven]

Re: What is the best way to build this?

 

Say WHAT?

 

A double-action revolver can be fired just as fast as a semi-auto . . . or even faster, if you can move your finger that fast, because it doesn't have to wait for a slide to cycle under momentum and spring tension.

 

A single-action revolver can, with the proper hammer fanning technique, fire three shots so fast that they look and sound like a single shot. Look up Bob Munden and be amazed . . .

I don't have much experience with double action revolvers, so if my information doesn't include them, I apollogize for the oversight. A single-action revolver does have the limitations I mentioned. Bob Munden is using a modified revolver I believe; at least I've only ever seen him do that trick with a single specific revolver. Everything else is too slow. Still, even he can't unload all six shots in the space of what might be a single Phase in a combat situation with such accuracy that he can hope to hit each target, though he might be able to get all six shots off...

[Vondy]

Re: What is the best way to build this?

 

Say WHAT?

 

A double-action revolver can be fired just as fast as a semi-auto . . . or even faster, if you can move your finger that fast, because it doesn't have to wait for a slide to cycle under momentum and spring tension.

 

A single-action revolver can, with the proper hammer fanning technique, fire three shots so fast that they look and sound like a single shot. Look up Bob Munden and be amazed . . .

 

I checked the FBI range statistics. The average person can pull the trigger of a semi-automatic weapon three times in .9 seconds, with rare individuals doing four pulls in 1 second. There is no significant difference when dealing with double action revolvers in terms of raw rate of fire. The real difference comes in reload times.

 

With the use of a speed-loader a trained person typically reloads a revolver in 1.2-1.3 seconds (otherwise the average is a whopping 5+ seconds). For sustained fire (including reloads) a person with a revolver and speed-loaders can maintain an average rate of fire of 1.5 aimed shots per second, or about 2.3 rapid shots per second.

 

And here's the kicker - it actually takes longer to reload a modern semi-automatic pistol that a revolver with a speed-loader, with a trained person typically taking 1.6-1.7 seconds to reload. With a 10 round magazine the rate of fire reaches parity with a revolver, but with clips running 15-20 rounds the sustained rate of fire advantage shifts the other way in terms of aimed and rapid shots. Even so, its only a minor advantage that only amounts to a 9% increase in firing rate for a 20 round magazine.

 

In other words: a modern semi-automatic pistol is only faster than a double-action revolver (including the one's of a century ago) when it has high-capacity magazines. Otherwise, its not a speed improvement, and even then, the improvement is minimal. Aim remains the killing factor.

 

And as a trivia point: a pump action shotgun can fire six shots in 3.0 seconds, while a semi-auto shotgun can do six shots in 2.5 seconds. Can you say: hail o' lead? I say go with a shotgun ramped for bear slugs.

[Hyper-Man]

Re: What is the best way to build this?

 

random thought..

 

I was just thinking that the original poster's question was not too different than setting up a belt-fed machine gun with 2 types of ammo in the belt. A common example would be HE and Tracer rounds.

 

Is there such a thing as a Tracer round for handguns (revolvers or semi-auto)?

[Dust Raven]

Re: What is the best way to build this?

 

random thought..

 

I was just thinking that the original poster's question was not too different than setting up a belt-fed machine gun with 2 types of ammo in the belt. A common example would be HE and Tracer rounds.

 

Is there such a thing as a Tracer round for handguns (revolvers or semi-auto)?

Handguns don't fire far enough, fast enough, or nearly enough ammo to even need tracer rounds. Their sole purpose is to provide extended burst accuracy. So no, they don't even make them.

[Sir Ofeelya]

Re: What is the best way to build this?

 

Here is a character from a Western Hero game I ran many years ago. Sorry about the layout but I copied him from an html page. Not sure if he is costed exactly right but...

 

Seth Williams a.k.a. "The Baby-faced kid"

 

Seth Williams is good with his two six-guns, and he knows it. He has won a number of gun-fights and is building himself a reputation. However, he is also honourable and will not fight dirty unless he really has to. He prefers to do his gunplay up close as he uses fast draw revolvers with short barrels which greatly limit his range.

He has worked as a cowboy and as a gun-for-hire. He is currently not wanted by any jurisdictions that he knows of. Although he is young he has covered a fair bit of the country and knows the west quite well (in a general sense). He has had some schooling and can read and write to an average standard.

Char

Stat

Cost

Notes

 

 

STR 11

DEX 15

CON 15

BOD 15

INT 10

EGO 10

PRE 13

COM 10

PD 5

ED 3

SPD 4

REC 5

END 30

STN 29

Skills

Familiarity with Small Arms

+2

Familiarity with Knives

+1

+2 Ranged Levels with All Ranged Attacks

+6

+3 with Pistols, OCV only.

+6

Language Skill: English (native, literate)

+1

Professional Skill: Gunfighter, 11-

+2

Knowledge Skill: Gunfighters, 11-

+2

Professional Skill: Cowboy, 8-

+1

Area Knowledge: The West, 11-

+2

Transport Familiarity: Wagons, Coaches

+1

Talent: Ambidexterity

+3

Gambling, 11-

+2

Riding, 12-

+3

Survival, 11-

+2

Fast Draw (Pistols), 15-

+9

Six Gun Multipower: 34 point Reserve (OAF: Two Six -guns, -1) (All Ultra slots)

+18

"Six-guns blazing". 1d6 RKA (Autofire +½, 0 END +1, Cannot spread attack -¼)

+1

"Keeping their head's down". 1d6 RKA (AOE: Any, Selective +1¼, 0 END (+½)

+2

 

 

Disadvantages

Psychological Limitation: Code of the West

-20

Psychological Limitation: Gunslinger Mentality

-15

Reputation: Gunfighter (extreme, 8-)

-10

Distinctive Features: Has a baby face (concealable)

-5

 

 

Weapons Information

Weapon

OCV

Rmod

Damage

STUN

STR Min

Shots

Notes

Bowie Knife

-

-2

1d6 K

-

10

1

Can Throw, 2 END

.38 Single Action, Fast Draw Revolver

+1

-1

1d6+1 K

-

7

6

Range = 60"

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Equipment Carried

Two .38 Revolvers, Pistol Belt and twin holsters, 24 rounds of ammo in belt, Box of 50 rounds in saddle bags, Bowie Knife, Normal camping equipment (bedroll, greatcoat, plate, spoon and mug, etc)

[KarinsDad]

Re: What is the best way to build this?

 

Thank you. I sort of missed that when I was looking at stuff in the book. However, Hyper-Man's solution does get around the problem (sort of). I think, (please correct me if I am wrong), that if I have the powers bought with no framework, I can simulate the Blaze Away and Rapid Fire mauevers simply by activating more than one of the powers.

 

Except that activating an attack power is the end of your phase (after determining if you hit and any damage, page 370). You cannot activate more than a single attack power in a phase, nor can you use more than a single attack power in a Blazing Away or Rapid Fire maneuver.

 

Not trying to give you a hard time here, I just know of no way within the rules to accomplish what you want to do.

[PhilFleischmann]

Re: What is the best way to build this?

 

Dust Raven: I agree with you. The problem is that my GM is strict with the rules and enforcing the Multiple Power Attack rules. I double checked in the 5ER and it says that you can't activate more than one attack power in the same framework in the same phase' date=' and well those are the rules my GM is enforcing.[/quote']

What?!? Why the heck not? I only have FREd (5th UNrevised). Or am I misunderstanding the rule? If I buy two 25-point powers separately, I can use them together in an MPA, but if they're both slots in the same 50-point Multipower (big enough to hold both of them at the same time) for a *greater* point cost, then I can't MPA them? Is that what this rule says? If so, Steve needs to be taken behind the shed. I *really* want to know the "reasoning" behind that one! What if they're Multi- slots instead of Ultras? Does the same rule apply?

 

The solution I was going to suggest violates the above rule. But Dust Raven's is even better: call it a "real weapon" and do what you like.

 

BTW, I would recommend that you don't bother with Blazing Away. That's a maneuver for Stormtroopers and similar incompetent mooks. You can dance around in someone's Blazing Away and almost never get hit. You only hit on a 3 - that's one time in 216 shots. That's why R2D2 and C3P0 could slowly walk across the corridor through a hail of blaster fire without getting hit.