Boom! your dead..

[headquarters]

"kill PCs"

as a GM ,rack up a body count to have the players respecting your efforts and put the fear of God into them.

One pr 2-3 sessions is good if you have say 5 players.

I am still working onmy "handicap" but getting there...

[Caradhras]

I found it pretty well balanced albeit obviously being pretty deadly as the scenario should be. If you are hit by an AK at short range you are in serious trouble - if the rules made this not the case then I wouldnt be wanting to play it. My PCs were warned before we started how fatal it can be and leanred fast to do as other posters state and avoid actions unless they had the advantage. Usually those who fire first from cover tend to come away relatvely unscathed.

I ran a campaign once a week for over a year and had no fatalities without fudging...which is pretty amazing really. I was generous with them having a top medic with plenty gear and they did have players out of action for long periods at time - the body armour saving the fatality too on more than one occassion.

[pmulcahy11b]

One problem that can develop in a campaign (I've especially seen it in D&D campaigns where the characters were high-level) is that if combat does not carry a significant risk of danger, the players can get cocky, arrogant, and reckless. To an extent, the characters (as played by their players) have a right to be -- they've survived World War 3. But campaign-wise, I think it's better if they think that almost any moment could be their character's last.