Ranged combat fighting styles

[Bertjammin]

Do you rule that the Ranged Combat styles of Phoenix Rifle Corp Training and Pistola can *only* be used with rifles and pistols (respectively?

Certain of the manoeuvres associated with them seem to expressly mention weapon types but some (i.e. Instinct Shot, Roll & Shoot and Run and Gun) dictate only a skill and not a specific kind of weapon.

While I could see that the fighter may be trained with a certain weapon type as befits his school, but some of the techniques would seem to be applicable to other ranged weapons.

Likewise, if the manoeuvre doesn't expressly state a sort of weapon do you allow Fencing school techniques to be used with spears, axes, maces, mist swords, wire blades etc?

[Angelman]

My rule of thumb is that if the player can justify why s/he should be able to use the trait in an unusal way, then I allow it. 99% of the time, "yes" is a more fun option than "no"

[Bertjammin]

[Leviathan of Maddoc]

I'm going to dissent.
For the purpose of theme these are discipline drills taught using a specific type of weapon, in most cases a specific model. It doesn't matter if you're a Vorox and you can pistol-fire a shotgun the way a human fires a pistol, the weapons that you were instructed on were pistol-sized, the movements you were taught were practiced with a pistol. Using a weapon with different dimensions or weight distribution is effectively your character re-inventing the wheel.

However I also have no problem with determined players inventing their own wheels.

[Danos]

I'm all about finding new and interesting ways for players to spend their experience and firebirds.

[Bogie]

I am on the fence. I usually like to say "yes" to crazy player ideas but I kind of agree with Leviathan on this one. However, I wouldn't be opposed to working with a player on coming up with a new style that fits their vision based on fusions of the older styles.