The Grenade Thread

[Whill]

OTHER THREADS ABOUT GRENADES (newest to oldest)

KotOR Grenades and Mines [SVET]
Rules for Hand Grenades [HR]
Rules for Grenade Launchers [HR]
Sonic Grenade [SVET]
Ideas for Simplifying Grenades [1e/IAG]
1E Grenade Example
Beaning with a grenade [HR]
About grenades [HR]
House Rules: Grenades [1e]
Grenade Launcher [OR]
Damage type of grenade types [SVET]
Adhesive Grenades [SVET]
Backpack Grenade Dispensers [SVET]
Telekinesis vs Grenade [GM]
Smoke Bomb / Smoke Grenade [OR]
Firecracker grenades? [GM]
Ion Grenades vs. Equipment [GM]
Silencing thermal detonators/grenades?? [GM]
Rebounding grenade damage [HR]
Questions about grenade usage [OR]
Bowcasters, thermal detonators and frag grenades [OR]
The grenade skill [HR]
Grenades and other explosives [HR]
Grenades [OR]

OR = Official Rules
HR = House Rules
GM = Gamemasters
SVET = Ships, Vehicles, Equipment, and Tech
1e or 1e/IAG = First Edition and IAG

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This post is just the background to this thread. The next post below is the true 'OP' of this thread...

[Whill]

This recent discussion of grenades in another thread is the perfect segue into this new thread I 've been thinking about starting for a while. And I don't mind if this thread turns into one of those threads that goes into great depth on game mechanics and suggests various mods to the rules. But the idea I wanted to first bring up is...

I don't like grenades in the Star Wars RPG. I never have. I can identify a couple reasons.

I have to admit that I seem to just have a failing to use them correctly. I can't plan on them tactically when designing encounters. If PCs use them they often take out opponents too easily and/or lead to some awkward scenerios. If I have NPCs use them against PCs, then PCs end up getting much more severely wounded than really serves the story best at that point. And if the roll attack roll fails then grenades can just go anywhere! Maybe there is just too much of an randomness factor for me to deal with, but I rarely use grenades in my game.

The other main factor against grenades is, they just don't seem "Star Warsy" to me. Maybe that opinion is even subconsciously influenced by my failure to wisely manage their use in the game as described above. I'm not sure, but I know I just don't like grenades!

Lately I've been thinking, 'Do grenades even have to exist in my Star Wars Universe?' By my own criteria, if something in Star Wars EU is not from the movies, then I can choose to ignore it for my SW Universe. If "grenades" (defined here as "thrown explosive devices" to disclude TDs that are not primarily thrown and Gungan energy balls that do not explode) do not exist in the films, then I think I'll make grenades very rare in my campaign reality currently being planned. And yes I know grenades can also be shot out of a grenade launcher but that doesn't eliminate any of the problems I have had with them. They are still grenades.

I can't think of any grenade use in the films. Wookieepedia (not that it is 100% accurate) doesn't list any film sources or appearances in their page on grenades. I have already (long ago) generalized the Grenade skill (combining it with Thrown Weapons ) into a skill I call "Throwing."

Thoughts? Your opinions on grenades in Star Wars (or Thermal Detonators)? 'Gamemaster Grenade 101'? Your house rules for grenades?


2022 EDIT:

One thing I asked for in 2011 that I have still never seen is a 'Gamemaster Grenade 101.' If I am so odd in my inability to manage grenades, then there should be a lot of grenade experts here. I need something more than what RAW tells us. As stated, my issues were (1) grenades in the hands of the PCs being too deadly for the enemies thus making the challenge level too easy, and (1) grenades in the hands of the enemies being too deadly for the PCs. I need to know how to balance enemy encounters with PC grenades, and how to balance enemy grenades with PCs. I need this detailed "how-to" for GMs for me to consider having more grenades in my game, but I doubt I'm the only one. Please feel free to reply with the 101 here or start a new thread with it. Thank you.
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[jmanski]

We play a SpecOps campaign, so grenades are important (to both us and our enemies). And since the kids play Call of Duty and the like, the grenade seems to be used like it should, especially since I limit each individual to 4 grenades.

In the movies: Leia's TD, Han's strike team on Endor uses proton grenades (which are planted explosives). Off the top of my head that's all I can think of.

I do see your point, though. Hand grenades don't seem very Star Warsy. Same thing with air to air missiles, RPGs, and the like.

One limiting factor could be cost. Isn't a grenade 500 credits? So as GM you say "sure, you can throw a grenade, but realize you are throwing a 500 credit chip?"
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Blasted rules. Why can't they just be perfect?

[garhkal]

[jmanski]

[ZzaphodD]

[garhkal]

[Nico_Davout]

[Guardian_A]

I've never had a problem with grenades in any of my games. This probably stems from the fact that a large portion of the storyarcs that we play are at least partially military in nature.

Over the years, I've had a couple of players that just LOVE using grenades. I've also had a couple of players who simply refuse to use them. Most of the rest have used them when and where they are convenient.

In other words, depending on my group of players and which characters they are playing, we may or may not see a lot of grenade use in a given session.

We have never felt the need to use any house rules with explosives of any kind, the official rules "as is" have always worked fine for us.

[Azai]

Despite it being a big baddie, I've always looked at TD as the 'grenade' of the star wars universe.

So I assume lesser ones might make appearances, as grenades are critical to modern warfare, and you'd think future warfare.

It also makes one think a bit that what we may have for equipment in today's warfare, and yet what star wars would not. Communications seem relatively limited, I mean it seems an average cell phone is a lot more advanced then a com link.

You only see a bit of artillery in Empire Strikes back, and even then it really resembles trench warfare.

To me it seems a lot of star wars combat was model after World War I and II, with the added spaceships.

Anyways though back on topic, grenades to me seem to be important, though I do agree the film don't seem to be made for them beyond TDs. I mean on Endor in Jedi, you'd think the Stormtroopers would be tossing those things like mad into the forest against the ewoks, or even a few frags towards Han and Leia. Then think of the bordering of Tantive IV in a New hope. They could have just tossed in a few frags, as frags themselves wouldn't have been that damaging to the inside of the ship but would have probably ripped most people up.

[Bren]

[Nico_Davout]

[Azai]

[garhkal]

[ZzaphodD]

It never fails to amaze me how you guys try to find a 'in universe' logic and reason based on the movies and a zillion EU product, with almost as many authors. Even with just the movies its a moot point.
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My Biggest Beard Retard award goes to: The Admiral of course..