There's been considerable discussion in the TML recently regarding
weapon skill categories. Allow me to put in my two cents worth.
Consistency! When I look at a game system I look for consistency.
Essentially, I'm after an equivalent level of abstraction in all aspects
of the game. Individuals who argue for weapon skills in individual
weapons clearly do not. For example, if you believe that there should be
different skills for handling an automatic snub pistol and a gauss
pistol, would you also expect to see separate skills for repairing a
ship's maneuver drive and am automobile? Except for weapon skills,
most people are prepared to accept a high level of abstraction,
because otherwise the number of skills, by necessity, explodes.
Why does this differ for weapons? Beats the hell out of me.
As a real world example, I served for three years in the Australian
Army Reserve. At that time the standard issue infantry weapon was a
7.62mm SLR. We also learnt to handle the M-16. While the stripping and
cleaning of both these weapons differed quite markedly, they were not
that different when they were fired (the SLR had a bigger recoil).
Therefore, I argue that the justification for introducing individual
weapon skills because they are made differently is totally inconsistent
with the rest of the MegaTraveller game system.
My basic message is that many people are looking to complicate a
simple activity. Fire one rifle, you've fired them all. Fire one handgun,
you've fired them all. Just as with the mechanical skill - fixed one
engine, you've fixed them all. Consistency!
Iain.