Mahatatain
Topic Author
Posts: 111
Joined: Mon 22 Feb 2021, 17:26

RPKs and the Ranged Combat skill

Thu 30 Jun 2022, 11:43

According to the rules, the RPK and the RPK-74 are LMGs and therefore require the Heavy Weapons skill to use whereas AKMs and AK-74s are Assault Rifles and therefore use the Ranged Combat skill. This seems a little arbitrary to me as a GM, though I have never fired either of them in real life.

Therefore have any other GMs permitted PCs to use their Ranged Combat skill to fire an RPK or RPK-74?

To me they are slightly larger versions of AKs and therefore it seems a little harsh to deny a PC who has Ranged Combat skill but not Heavy Weapons from using their skill in an attack roll. What do other people think?

Thanks for any input.
 
Vcutter
Posts: 133
Joined: Sat 23 May 2020, 09:55

Re: RPKs and the Ranged Combat skill

Thu 30 Jun 2022, 14:15

Having fired RPK and various assault rifles (AK 74 and 47 included) here is my take on the matter.
The RPK weighs quite a bit, close to 5kg vs the around 3kg assault rifle (unloaded weights). When firing a weapon from the shoulder the extra mass affects things and RPK is also longer making the mass distribution more forward from the shooter. This means that it is not as agile or nimble to handle as a rifle or carbine. The gun is designed to be mainly fired with a bipod or from support of some kind.
Then again a rifle is a rifle. I do not know what skill I used to fire the RPK but I can tell it was not as easy to handle than the average assault rifle but yes, there are similarities of course.
So a guy who has A in ranged combat and nothing is heavy weapons would probably (in real life) get something out of the thing instead of looking at it and wondering what it does.

Real life aside: it is a game.
To make heavy weapons specialists matter while at the same time give Ranged Combat some edge with so similar weapon, I would probably allow Ranged Combat to be used with some modifiers: -1 to begin with and not able to use more than 1 or 2 ammo dice or something like that.
 
welsh
Posts: 200
Joined: Sun 29 Nov 2020, 15:53

Re: RPKs and the Ranged Combat skill

Thu 30 Jun 2022, 15:01

I'd allow Ranged Combat for LMGs. The relevant distinction in terms of skills isn't in the weight of the weapon or anything like that, it's in the way the weapon is employed. A GPMG is an area weapon where you are getting into concepts like the beaten zone, etc., (especially when fired from a tripod or vehicle mount). It's an entirely different animal from a rifle. But an LMG, not so much -- the concepts apply but they're not as important.

YMMV of course

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