What's the Call hijack

[wyliefoxEsquire]

I did not wish to hijack the current WTC.

Bonus targets worth negative time has been discussed many times.  Just do a search.

IMHO,

They should never be included in any major match.  Once anyone gets it, then everyone MUST get it.  No longer a bonus but a requirement.

Instead make the bonus some sort-of prize.  Ex. name in hat for a free shoot.

[Rip Snorter]

There is Fast and there is Accurate (possible, but rarely both). Bonus, if challenging, favors those who shoot well. Local shooting ecosystem is the determining factor.

[Creeker, SASS #43022]

For the most part - I agree.

If the match desires a higher challenge target; simply place it into the target array.

 

There is no reason to create a different scoring system to accommodate.

 

Now at a local match; bonuses can be fun.

But If you want to do bonuses - do so at a rate that has some sense of parity - bonuses can be for any amount of time; they have no need to be 5 seconds.

Don't make the match outcome hinge on a singular bonus. 

 

I have inserted bonuses;

one example might be a bank of heavy knockdown targets - a hits a hit and a miss is a miss, but each target that falls earns a 1/2 second bonus.

 

Now folks have the choice of shooting knockdown rounds with more recoil/ slower transition vs. lighter loads to game the stage.

 

I have inserted "bravery" bonuses:

Pistol/ rifle knockdown stages (with no required sg targets), knockdowns can be made up with shotgun at the end of the stage; but shooter gets a 3 second bonus if they decide to leave their shotgun behind in the cart.

 

I have had "Reload" bonuses.

"Most" people can do a rifle reload in 1.5 - 4 seconds.

Load 10 in the rifle at the loading table for no bonus - or load 9 at loading table and 1 on the clock for a 2.5 second bonus.

 

Shooter can choose whatever path benefits them.

 

These type of bonuses maintain some actual choice for the shooter and do not automatically require everyone to go for it just because the first shooter did.

Edited February 2 by Creeker, SASS #43022

[Rye Miles #13621]

I don’t mind a bonus target as long as it’s not counted as a miss which they almost never are. It doesn’t matter to me if it’s a local monthly or 3 day. 

[High Spade Mikey Wilson]

I have no problem with one or two bonus targets at monthly matches. It makes it interesting as long as a bonus miss isn't counted, which they generaly never are.

[Diamond Jake]

At our Halloween shoot we had a couple stages where we shot cards (face-on with revolver and split the edge with rifle) Before The Beep as the way to signify ready.  Since it was off the clock it didn't affect score, but after the match the hit cards with highest value earned a gift card for a Nanner Split.  (I think it was TW's idea.)

[Rye Miles #13621]

3 hours ago, Diamond Jake said:

At our Halloween shoot we had a couple stages where we shot cards (face-on with revolver and split the edge with rifle) Before The Beep as the way to signify ready.  Since it was off the clock it didn't affect score, but after the match the hit cards with highest value earned a gift card for a Nanner Split.  (I think it was TW's idea.)

Great idea! I may try something like that at our first shoot! 

Edited February 3 by Rye Miles #13621

[Nostrum Damus SASS #110702]

I have to admit that I did not think that my original post would result in dozens of replies and give birth to a separate topic thread.  I've got nothing against bonuses that reward marksmanship.  However, these discussions prove two things, as I see it: Point 1 -- simpler stage instructions and set-ups involving no ambiguities generate much less controversy, and Point 2 -- see Point 1.  In my experience, the folks that only or primarily want to shoot as fast as humanly possible don't like bonuses, plate racks, swingers, pop-ups or anything else that interferes with their ability to shoot a stage in less than 15 seconds.  Taking that to its logical extreme are the quick-draw competitors -- what could be simpler than "draw and shoot once"?  Not much controversy about what that means.  But for me, I'm a middle to top third sort of shooter, and shooting Nevada Sweeps all day long can sometimes be a bit boring.  (I'm using hyperbole; you know what I mean.)  I don't mind different, interesting, challenging or even weird stages and unusual stage instructions that challenge your brains as much as your muscles at any match.  It is all just for fun for me anyway because I'm not winning any buckles unless no one else shows up in my SASS-protected category that day.  But I also get it that not everyone agrees with that point of view, and that there are enough opportunities at local monthly matches for that stuff so that the "big" match stages can essentially be Nevada Sweeps all day long.   

[wyliefoxEsquire]

I am all in regarding plate racks, swingers, pop ups and all those types of targets.  Just make them part of the stage that everyone shoots.  There is no need to include "bonus" time.  Just Do It!!!!

[Gateway Kid SASS# 70038 Life]

Interesting that you think big matches are nothing but Nevada sweeps. I have shot a few bigger matches over the last 17 years and uniformly the stage writers go out of their way to mix in as many different sweeps as possible, commensurate with available targets, knock downs and stage space. I am finishing up the stages for my home state championship, 12 cowboy stages no repeated sweeps, 10 Wild bunch stages no repeated sweeps. Why don’t you come up to phoenix and shoot EOT with us maybe you might see a totally new perspective?

Regards

    

Gateway Kid

[Nostrum Damus SASS #110702]

1 hour ago, Gateway Kid SASS# 70038 Life said:

Interesting that you think big matches are nothing but Nevada sweeps. I have shot a few bigger matches over the last 17 years and uniformly the stage writers go out of their way to mix in as many different sweeps as possible, commensurate with available targets, knock downs and stage space. I am finishing up the stages for my home state championship, 12 cowboy stages no repeated sweeps, 10 Wild bunch stages no repeated sweeps. Why don’t you come up to phoenix and shoot EOT with us maybe you might see a totally new perspective?

Regards

    

Gateway Kid

I said I was being hyperbolic, not literal.  That said, are there any moving targets -- swingers, pop-ups, plate racks, others (apart from shotgun KDs) -- at EOT?  There were none at Land Run 2025.  (But the stages at Land Run were still interesting enough that I earned myself a P, of course).

Edited February 5 by Nostrum Damus SASS #110702