(no subject)

I've been working on my combat system, and I need to make a decision about
automatic weapons.  There are several ways to handle auto fire weapons.

1) Increase the chance to hit.
     This is how Azhanti High Lightning and Striker handled them. Since
     these form the basis of ranged combat in my system, I'd been planning
     to use this.

2) Increase the damage.
     To simulate the effect of multiple hits.  A popular way of handling
     automatic weapons in other games systems.  Tends to make them very
     deadly.

3) Allow multiple hits on the target, rolling seperately for each one.
     This is perhaps the most accurate way, but you pay a cost in playing
     time.  It can also unbalance the game -- if you allow a player to roll
     10 seperate attacks for a burst from a gauss rifle, the target is
     almost always going to be chopped into hamburger.

4) Determine to hit normally, and then determine a percentage of shots that
     hit the target.  This could be done with a seperate roll, or as part of
     the to-hit roll.  Mark Cook and Iain Fogg use this in their Firefight
     rules.

None of the above inherently disallow some mechanism for hitting multiple
targets, either deliberately or accidentally.  Shotguns and flechettes might
or might not be handled the same way as automatic weapons.

Play testing has resulted in some mild dissatifaction in the current system.
Does anyone have any suggestions or strong feelings on this?

Mark