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I think in 6th edition rapid fire weapons should cause pinning. This would represent troops diving for cover under a hail of suppression fire. This way shooty units who get ripped apart in cc would have a chance to stop the charge instead of shooting twice then dying cause they can't assault. What are your thoughts?

I think "rapid fire" is nothing even close to the level you could consider a "hail of supression fire".

Not even Heavy Bolters and Assault Cannons get pinning.
Pinning is ( I think) reserved for weapons that can hit without the firing unit beein seen. (Be if fluff-wise, with Sniper-Units like Halflings, or with Heavy Artillery Barrages...)

I always thought that all shooting should possibly cause pinning.
Example:
25% casualties in phase take pinning test
50+% casualties in phase take a break test

I'd have thought being caught in a crossfire should likely cause a pinning test.

I.E. First time a single unit gets shot and wounded in a single phase: nothing.
Second time the same unit gets shot and wounded (by a different squad and/or from a different direction [such as at least 90 degrees round from the first unit]) it takes a single pinning test.
Third time the same unit gets shot and wounded by yet another squad takes another pinning test and so on and so forth.

motorhead1945 wrote:I think "rapid fire" is nothing even close to the level you could consider a "hail of supression fire".

Not even Heavy Bolters and Assault Cannons get pinning.
Pinning is ( I think) reserved for weapons that can hit without the firing unit beein seen. (Be if fluff-wise, with Sniper-Units like Halflings, or with Heavy Artillery Barrages...)

I'm going to have to agree that rapid fire shouldn't cause pinning, but not because of what you wrote. I'd say that the reason why it shouldn't be is because the typical 40k squad includes 10 models. that said, oftentimes, the case is 10 models firing at 10 models. They would have equal firepower and would not necessarily gain the advantage of battlefield initiative on volume of fire alone. I could see rapid fire working if the shooting squad had twice the number of models than the target, however.

Rapid fire for some armies (marine) is common and to have the added benefit of pinning seems a bit much.

I play marine and feel it would slow down the game and take away some advantages other races and models have.

The rule of thumb seemed to be the target thinks: "they can't get me here..." then they do. Anything that would "cause fear" does pinning it seems.

Back away on this... it is madness. Cool thought though.