Grenade Launcher, Part 2 (Followup)

This is part 2 of the Grenade Launcher discussion, with the answers provided by the jolly-good-dudes from the Steve Jackson Games forum.

Here are the questions in bold with the answers (provided by SJGames member "Norcross"). Note, I realized after I asked the questions, that I didn't fully understand the Grenade Scatter Rules. Woops.

1. What is the range of a hand-held GL? Is it 5"? (which I've been told is the range of a hand-thrown grenade)

A hand-thrown grenade has a range of 5". Any other hand-held projectile weapon (including a grenade launcher) has a range of 20" unless otherwise specified.

2. If a (car) GL has impact-fused ammo, then does the fuse go off when the shot hits the designated target or do the grenade scatter rules apply first?

Both :-) The grenade doesn't hit until after you roll for scatter (to find out where it will hit).

3. If there are scatter rules, then what happens if the 'to hit' roll is under 7 - does that mean the shot went off into the stratosphere? And if so, this suggests firing the GL engenders two risks - whether you hit on the 7 and even then, you don't really 'hit' (Ed. this is where my ignorance shows)

That's what the scatter rules cover. The distance it scatters depends on how badly you miss your to-hit roll.

4. Does the 'to hit' of the GL, especially with impact fuses, allow using the GL like an Oil Gun? That is, by using the +4 to hit a patch of ground, the impact grenade with a Flaming Oil load is a smaller Oilgun and with a smoke-grenade load it's a 'smoke gun' (for point-shot smoke screens).

I hadn't thought of that before, but I guess you could. It wouldn't be as good as an Oil Gun, but it would be smaller. Also, the +4 only applies at point-blank range - if your target is even 1" away, you don't get the bonus.

(From Josephey) As far as the +4 for aiming at the ground, I'm not sure if it would apply with the GL because you have to pick a specific point on the ground to target (and to base scatter from). A specific point isn't as big as 'the ground,' and in my opinion wouldn't warrant a +4. Also, if you're trying to put a grenade on the ground in front of a moving vehicle you'll have to add speed mods.

5. According to this AADA News (Pyramid #30) article, NOVA has banned impact fuses because they can be used as a tire-eater. Is that a house-rule specific for NOVA or is that part of the AADA banned list?

It's a house rule. From reading the article, it sounds like they over-reacted to a unique circumstance. If the cars had been moving at real duel speeds, or had the kind of tire protection duellists normally use, the effect would have been greatly reduced.