Firm Points

[ss2020]

Hi all,
  I was putting together a mission that has a Scout Car with a Firm Point. I can't see any benefit other then making it easier to be killed. Does mounting a weapon in a firm point give you a Free "Brace"?  I would say it would do more then a brace, like remove Recoil altogether. Any thoughts?

S

[OverNinja]

I was putting together a mission that has a Scout Car with a Firm Point. I can't see any benefit other then making it easier to be killed.

Quite right. It's one of the most dangerous jobs. Not only you are a target for the enemy, if the vehicle should flip you are very likely killed in that event.

Does mounting a weapon in a firm point give you a Free "Brace"?

No.

I would say it would do more then a brace, like remove Recoil altogether.

No. Stabilization would remove recoil or using recoilless weapons such as Mk. 19 or missile launchers.

[Gentry]

I'm thinking the firmpoint really just allows you to be able to "drop" your machinegun in favor of some other thing without actually *losing* the weapon somehow.  Like a really big wrist-lanyard. 

[Antilles]

Wouldn't dropping a weapon on a firmpoint sort of be the same as dropping it on a bi/tri-pod?

[Gentry]

Insofar as it's a matter of "letting go of the weapon" as opposed to "dropping it on the ground", I reckon so.  With it mounted on a firmpoint, you can let go of it (to, say, take better cover from incoming fire) without having to worry that you dropped it out of the back of the truck.  Or something. 

Overall, I think it's more a flavor thing than anything mechanically beneficial.  As has been said, it's a really bad idea to stand up in the back of a moving vehicle to do anything, especially fire a machinegun.  The option, however, exists in the real world, and it follows that the game would try to model it somehow.

[Krensky]

Well, he original point of them was to give an armored vehicle some anti-air weaponry.

However, as the firm point seems to largely be emulating the vehicular pintle mount, I would rule that it counts as a tripod as long as the vehicle is stable. Stable is a GC call.

[MilitiaJim]

Well, he original point of them was to give an armored vehicle some anti-air weaponry.

However, as the firm point seems to largely be emulating the vehicular pintle mount, I would rule that it counts as a tripod as long as the vehicle is stable. Stable is a GC call.

I concur, and would like to note for anyone who cares that paved and gravel roads, absent drastic turns, will be stable.  At least my up-armor HMMWV was.  Cruising down the blacktop yes; when my driver almost (deliberately) ran the BMW off the road or (accidentally, dumbass) drove into a Jersey barrier, not so much.  Most cross country movement, not stable at all, the gun and gunner just bounce along with the vehicle.

[Krensky]

I had considered also allowing the firm point to reduce the discretionary modifier to an attack using the mounted weapon while the vehicle's moving but I think a purely hand held firearm might work better in a bouncing vehicle as the shooter's body would act as an additional shock absorber and stabilization system.