Filter Mask vs. Hazmat Suit

[CmdrKiley]

Working on the Load Out Cards right now.

Ran into a question and couldn't find it in any FAQ or Errata.  If Filter Masks provide only +1 to Survival Training and Hazmat Suits provide +2 to Survival Training, why are they the same point value?

Similarly for Elite Units, the Rebreather Mask, which provides same advantage as a Hazmat suit costs 2 pts but the Environment Suit which provides a +3 is the same price as a Rebreather.

Seems like a Hazmat suit should cost more, or have some negative effect, like -1 MV, cannot Wait, or reduced visiblity or something.

[dmcgee1]

The points are correct.  If you want fluff, go with the rebreather.  If you want efficiency, go with Hazmat Suit.  If you want to look like an extra from Outbreak, go with the ensemble.

Ditto with Elite loadouts.

Basically, there is no good reason not go with the Hazmat suit/Enviro suit.  Rebreathers only add to it.

[Archer]

Believe me, I never understood the point similarity either.  *shrug*

 I personally go with fluff over substance... and make it work.  But I am weird that way.

[Seamus]

I asked this same question once with Grumpel who did the points rubric.  He told me that it was a matter of rounding.  The rebreather worked out to less than a full point and was rounded up and the Suit came out to less than 1.5 so it was set at 1 point also.

[Archer]

I asked this same question once with Grumpel who did the points rubric.  He told me that it was a matter of rounding.  The rebreather worked out to less than a full point and was rounded up and the Suit came out to less than 1.5 so it was set at 1 point also.

Ye know... that makes sense from that pov but from the PoV of Balance (of which he has no clue or so it seems), it was a stupid call.  In game design, you have to look at the effect ofthe gear versus cost/utility.

  Back in 1st Ed, Ratboy and I sat down to come up with ('scuse the pun) solid rules and costs for Slug rounds for Shotguns.  We debated and looked over quite a bit of established stuff and settled on a cost of 5 points (1st Ed, 5 points for PC gear was el-cheapo) for a x2 base damage to one target  (such a rule for 3rd would be based on the cluster rating of the weapon (with x2 being three points and x3 being five.  Higher cluster woudl only get x3) and a to hit roll. (max range would be short)

  Given what he told you, I would have made the breather 1 point and the suit 2 points- possibly 3 as it does alot more statisticly than the mask.

  But thats me... and I have been doing this for a while.  Y'alls milage may vary.