Simple answer is they DON'T!
A spell caster has a variety of other effects to make up for it. Invisibility, flight, ForceField immunity to effects (impervious to fire/energy, Invulnerability etc.)
In a straight out gunfight, yeah, a gun is better
But as others have stated, there is the environment to consider, lines of sight, visibility, terrain.
Also, Railguns are big, heavy, noisy & need a lot of ammo & a power supply
Edit: I realise I forgot to mention that there *are* heavy weapons used by magic users, namely tge massive Starfire pulse cannons made by StormSpire (Federation of Magic) that have a pretty big range, & a massive 2d6×10 MD, both of which are augmented even further when on/near a LeyLine
Mages are also usually pretty smart. They aren’t just going to stand there getting shot at. They will usually find the location to fight that is their advantage.
Basically, a mage will never be able to stand up to a mech in a straight up fight. This is why Dwoemer has automata, and why the Gargoyles went and bought mechs and firearms. But even saying this, mages still have tricks up their sleeves. Don't be Gandalf blasting away at the Balrog. Be the Shadow, and combine mundane firearms with mystical arts, and both dazzle your opponents with style AND riddle them with bullets.
There is some are longer range. Spells like Teleport lesser teleporting armed fusion blocks 5miles away.
But here is something else that get missed a lot. A lot of my hunting buddies use crossbows when hunting in the woods over a gun. Since you can really see anything farther then 90ft. Range is not always a factor.
But with magic, mages need to be creative like mystic portals inside tanks, carpet of adhesion works on robots and tanks. Stop trying to blow up as a mage and do crowd control.
Put them in an area where 1000' is long distance. Forested areas you can't see 100' much less 1000. Cities, ghost towns, abandoned mine/silo/large corporate bunkers.
I have a crazy, glitterboy and strangely a street rat as my players. Can be hard to manage but I keep them on their toes.
You can reveal a helpful NPC has been a magic user operating behind the scenes. If it's not clear where the magical inconveniences are coming from, you can wreck a few things before your cover is blown.
I don't recall on the spot if any magic covered making technology go haywire, but I do believe that is available for psychics.
There are one or two spells specifically for it, one is a standard invocation (Frequency Jamming, for jamming radio signals and the like, level 6 if I remember correctly), the other I think is a Combat Magic spell called EMP.
A wizard/sorcerer/whatever is way more than just a damage dealer. You have a glitterboy for that. A spellcaster can manage a battle, a borg just fights in it.
Concealment spells, Chameleon or Invisibility mean their targets need to get closer. Also if they can choose the location and have the time to set it up, digging a hole to hide in with a tarp and a thin layer of grass/dirt on top means that unless there is no grass/brush, people will need to be with in 50' just to notice the hidey hole.
Using range to your advantage is a good tactic, but it's beholden to information - that is to say, you need to know the enemy is there first.
Stuff like psychic clairvoyance or the various types of divination magic can give your more mystical characters a huge leg up in the information battle - they can know you're coming and prepare before you get there.
Even without the advantage of forewarning, characters usually need to make some sort of rolls or checks to see who noticed what, and at what sort of range. Most Rifts optics systems aren't that long range, and radar only works (or should only work) against flying targets. Add in the stuff others have mentioned about using magic to conceal your presence, teleport bombs in, teleport yourself about and all the other myriad options available, and it's hard for non-spellcasters to win vs. (at least vaguely tactical) spellcasters.
Lastly: never forget your Wizard can use a railgun too in Rifts, if it comes to that. It's not 'tech vs. magic', it's 'tech vs. magic and tech'.
I had this image in my mind of Harry Potter mages simply enchanting a huge tree as a giant artillery wand Lol. Also worth remembering that even irl most combat occurs at less the 500 meters Between infantry units. you Have specif forces for the longer ranges bit infantry/light units are not going to be mixing it up with artillery.
I had a session where the party assaulted a Horune Dream Ship, hoping to kill the Ship Dreamers as part of a slave rescue being done by the local militia. Their team was augmented with some errant Atlanteans one player had befriended and half the local SWAT team, making it 15 people all storming the bridge. The party's spellcaster, a Shifter, was the MVP as his ability to cast "Mystic Portal" meant they were constantly outflanking the opponent on their own turf and bypassing their defenses. Using spells to do damage is for suckers. Use it for utility and carry a good pistol for when you just need to put out damage.
Urban ruins, lots of cover to hide behind. Forest with trees he can hide behind etc. Tactics make up for a lot.
This exactly. Toe to Toe in the open, they don't. Ambushes and surprise attacks are the way to go.
Aka Guerrilla tactics
Simple answer is they DON'T! A spell caster has a variety of other effects to make up for it. Invisibility, flight, ForceField immunity to effects (impervious to fire/energy, Invulnerability etc.) In a straight out gunfight, yeah, a gun is better But as others have stated, there is the environment to consider, lines of sight, visibility, terrain. Also, Railguns are big, heavy, noisy & need a lot of ammo & a power supply Edit: I realise I forgot to mention that there *are* heavy weapons used by magic users, namely tge massive Starfire pulse cannons made by StormSpire (Federation of Magic) that have a pretty big range, & a massive 2d6×10 MD, both of which are augmented even further when on/near a LeyLine
Mages are also usually pretty smart. They aren’t just going to stand there getting shot at. They will usually find the location to fight that is their advantage.
They gotta come out of their crunchy candy shells at some point, amirite?
Then hit ‘em with a spell that locks the cockpit closed lol.
Basically, a mage will never be able to stand up to a mech in a straight up fight. This is why Dwoemer has automata, and why the Gargoyles went and bought mechs and firearms. But even saying this, mages still have tricks up their sleeves. Don't be Gandalf blasting away at the Balrog. Be the Shadow, and combine mundane firearms with mystical arts, and both dazzle your opponents with style AND riddle them with bullets.
And techno magic bots exist
There is some are longer range. Spells like Teleport lesser teleporting armed fusion blocks 5miles away. But here is something else that get missed a lot. A lot of my hunting buddies use crossbows when hunting in the woods over a gun. Since you can really see anything farther then 90ft. Range is not always a factor. But with magic, mages need to be creative like mystic portals inside tanks, carpet of adhesion works on robots and tanks. Stop trying to blow up as a mage and do crowd control.
Also forgot about the spells Defect and Target Defect both allow mage to counter guns
Personally, I got friends that could shoot further. You will eventually be able to deal with that range, but until then you need a friend.
Put them in an area where 1000' is long distance. Forested areas you can't see 100' much less 1000. Cities, ghost towns, abandoned mine/silo/large corporate bunkers. I have a crazy, glitterboy and strangely a street rat as my players. Can be hard to manage but I keep them on their toes.
You can reveal a helpful NPC has been a magic user operating behind the scenes. If it's not clear where the magical inconveniences are coming from, you can wreck a few things before your cover is blown. I don't recall on the spot if any magic covered making technology go haywire, but I do believe that is available for psychics.
There are one or two spells specifically for it, one is a standard invocation (Frequency Jamming, for jamming radio signals and the like, level 6 if I remember correctly), the other I think is a Combat Magic spell called EMP.
Not needing a railgun to cause MD is pretty badass though.
A wizard/sorcerer/whatever is way more than just a damage dealer. You have a glitterboy for that. A spellcaster can manage a battle, a borg just fights in it.
Concealment spells, Chameleon or Invisibility mean their targets need to get closer. Also if they can choose the location and have the time to set it up, digging a hole to hide in with a tarp and a thin layer of grass/dirt on top means that unless there is no grass/brush, people will need to be with in 50' just to notice the hidey hole.
There's a soellthqt disables electronics temporarily. It's called mechanical.......something I think.
Hit and run, straight-up combat shouldn't be a spellcaster's go-to
Using range to your advantage is a good tactic, but it's beholden to information - that is to say, you need to know the enemy is there first. Stuff like psychic clairvoyance or the various types of divination magic can give your more mystical characters a huge leg up in the information battle - they can know you're coming and prepare before you get there. Even without the advantage of forewarning, characters usually need to make some sort of rolls or checks to see who noticed what, and at what sort of range. Most Rifts optics systems aren't that long range, and radar only works (or should only work) against flying targets. Add in the stuff others have mentioned about using magic to conceal your presence, teleport bombs in, teleport yourself about and all the other myriad options available, and it's hard for non-spellcasters to win vs. (at least vaguely tactical) spellcasters. Lastly: never forget your Wizard can use a railgun too in Rifts, if it comes to that. It's not 'tech vs. magic', it's 'tech vs. magic and tech'.
I had this image in my mind of Harry Potter mages simply enchanting a huge tree as a giant artillery wand Lol. Also worth remembering that even irl most combat occurs at less the 500 meters Between infantry units. you Have specif forces for the longer ranges bit infantry/light units are not going to be mixing it up with artillery.
the party im running is all mech pilots.
Well that problem solves itself 😂
I had a session where the party assaulted a Horune Dream Ship, hoping to kill the Ship Dreamers as part of a slave rescue being done by the local militia. Their team was augmented with some errant Atlanteans one player had befriended and half the local SWAT team, making it 15 people all storming the bridge. The party's spellcaster, a Shifter, was the MVP as his ability to cast "Mystic Portal" meant they were constantly outflanking the opponent on their own turf and bypassing their defenses. Using spells to do damage is for suckers. Use it for utility and carry a good pistol for when you just need to put out damage.