Clever Future Weapons

[MisterVimes]

Originally posted by Arkham

My favorite 'future' weapon is from Transmetropolitan...

 

The 'Bowel Disruptor'. It does just what it sounds

like it does.... Eww....

 

That's not science fiction:

Radio Wave Weapons

[McCoy]

Anyone besides me watching the "weapons demonstration" commercials for Ratchet & Clank: Going Comando?

 

I found them intrigueing, and borrowed my boy's tip book.

 

Fair Warning, I've never played the game, so this is probably a lot different than they would be in the game.

 

Power level is what was suggested to me by the commercials, especally the one with the tractor beam. Feel free to reduce the dice of damage if you plan to use any of these monstrocities.

 

Cost	Power	END
100	Blitz Gun: EB 20d6, 40 Charges (+1/2), Area Of Effect Nonselective (31" Cone; +3/4) (225 Active Points); OAF (-1), Reduced By Range (-1/4)
100	Blitz Cannon: EB 24d6+1, 40 Charges (+1/2), Area Of Effect Nonselective (38" Cone; +3/4) (274 Active Points); OAF (-1), Required Hands Two-Handed (-1/2), Reduced By Range (-1/4)
100	Bomb Glove: EB 16d6, Area Of Effect Nonselective (One Hex; +1/4), Reduced Endurance (0 END; +1/2), Double Knockback (Knockdown only; +3/4) (200 Active Points); OAF (-1)
100	Gravity Bomb: RKA 8d6+1, Explosion (+1/2), Nonselective Target (-1/4), Double Knockback (Knockdown only; +3/4) (250 Active Points); OAF (-1), 8 Charges (-1/2)
100	Mininuke: EB 25d6, Explosion (+1/2), Nonselective Target (-1/4), Double Knockback (Knockdown only; +3/4) (250 Active Points); OAF (-1), 8 Charges (-1/2)
97	Bouncer: EB 26d6, Indirect ( Same origin, always fired away from attacker; +1/4), 25 Charges (+1/4) (195 Active Points); OAF (-1)
99	Heavy Bouncer: EB 33d6, Indirect ( Same origin, always fired away from attacker; +1/4), 25 Charges (+1/4) (247 Active Points); OAF (-1), Required Hands Two-Handed (-1/2)
100	Chopper: EB 16d6, Autofire (3 shots; +1/4), Indirect ( Bounces; +1/4), Penetrating (+1/2), 35 Charges (+1/2) (200 Active Points); OAF (-1)
99	Multistar: EB 18d6, Indirect ( Bounces; +1/4), Penetrating (+1/2), Autofire (5 shots; +1/2), 35 Charges (+1/2) (247 Active Points); OAF (-1), Required Hands Two-Handed (-1/2)
99	Hypnomatic: Mind Control 24 1/2d6 ( Machine and Additional Class of Minds, Human classes of minds), Reduced Endurance (0 END; +1/2) (199 Active Points); OAF (-1)
95	Lancer: RKA 5 1/2d6, Autofire (3 shots; +1/4), 200 Charges (+1) (191 Active Points); OAF (-1)
100	Heavy Lancer: EB 20d6, Autofire (5 shots; +1/2), 200 Charges (+1) (250 Active Points); OAF (-1), Required Hands Two-Handed (-1/2)
98	Lava Gun: RKA 8d6, Area Of Effect Nonselective (One Hex; +1/4), 200 Charges (+1) (270 Active Points); OAF (-1), No Range (-1/2), No Knockback (-1/4)
98	Meteor Gun: RKA 9d6, 200 Charges (+1) (270 Active Points); OAF (-1), Required Hands Two-Handed (-1/2), No Knockback (-1/4)
100	Minirocket Tube: EB 23d6, 25 Charges (+1/4), No Range Modifier (+1/2) (201 Active Points); OAF (-1)
99	Megarocket Cannon: EB 22d6, 25 Charges (+1/4), No Range Modifier (+1/2), Autofire (5 shots; +1/2) (247 Active Points); OAF (-1), Required Hands Two-Handed (-1/2)
96	Miniturrent Glove: RKA 4d6-1, Area Of Effect Nonselective (31" Cone; +3/4), 20 Continuing Charges lasting 1 Turn each (+3/4), Continuous (+1) (192 Active Points); OAF (-1)
98	Megaturrent Glove: RKA 5d6-1, Area Of Effect Nonselective (39" Cone; +3/4), 20 Continuing Charges lasting 1 Turn each (+3/4), Continuous (+1) (245 Active Points); OAF (-1), Restrainable (-1/2)
95	Plasma Coils: (Total: 95 Active Cost, 95 Real Cost) Entangle 3d6, 3 DEF, 15 Charges (+0), Takes No Damage From Attacks All Attacks (+1/2) (45 Active Points) (Real Cost: 45) plus EB 4d6, 15 Charges (+0), Penetrating (+1/2), Continuous (+1) (50 Active Points) (Real Cost: 50)
99	Plasma Storm: (Total: 148 Active Cost, 99 Real Cost) Entangle 3d6, 3 DEF, 15 Charges (+0), Takes No Damage From Attacks All Attacks (+1/2), Area Of Effect Nonselective (5" Radius; +3/4) (67 Active Points); Required Hands Two-Handed (-1/2) (Real Cost: 45) plus EB 5d6, 15 Charges (+0), Penetrating (+1/2), Area Of Effect Nonselective (6" Radius; +3/4), Continuous (+1) (81 Active Points); Required Hands Two-Handed (-1/2) (Real Cost: 54)
100	Pulse Rifle: (Total: 235 Active Cost, 100 Real Cost) RKA 15d6 (225 Active Points); OAF (-1), 8 Charges (-1/2) (Real Cost: 90) plus +5 with Pulse Rifle (Real Cost: 10)
100	Vaporizer: (Total: 235 Active Cost, 100 Real Cost) RKA 12d6, Explosion (+1/2), Nonselective Target (-1/4) (225 Active Points); OAF (-1), 8 Charges (-1/2) (Real Cost: 90) plus +5 with Pulse Rifle (Real Cost: 10)
100	R.Y.N.O. (Rip You a New One) II: RKA 6d6, Autofire (20 shots; +1 1/2) (225 Active Points); OAF (-1), 12 Charges (-1/4)
78	Seeker Gun: Summon 350-point creatures, 25 Charges (+1/4), Slavishly Devoted (+1) (157 Active Points); OAF (-1)
90	HK22 Gun: Summon 4 350-point creatures, 25 Charges (+1/4), Slavishly Devoted (+1) (180 Active Points); OAF (-1)
97	Sheepinator: Major Transform 9d6-1 (opponent into sheep, time), Reduced Endurance (0 END; +1/2) (195 Active Points); OAF (-1)
56	Spiderbot Glove: Summon 4 300-point creatures, Slavishly Devoted (+1) (140 Active Points); OAF (-1), 8 Charges (-1/2)
64	Tankbot Glove: Summon 4 350-point creatures, Slavishly Devoted (+1) (160 Active Points); OAF (-1), 8 Charges (-1/2)
71	Synethenoid: Summon 4 350-point creatures, Slavishly Devoted (+1) (160 Active Points); OAF (-1), 12 Charges (-1/4)
80	Kilonoid: Summon 4 400-point creatures, Slavishly Devoted (+1) (180 Active Points); OAF (-1), 12 Charges (-1/4)
100	Tesla Claw: HKA 8d6+1, Reduced Endurance (0 END; +1/2), Area Of Effect (One Hex; +1/2) (250 Active Points); OAF (-1), No STR Bonus (-1/2)
84	Thermanator: Multipower, 210-point reserve, (210 Active Points); all slots OAF (-1), No Range (-1/2)
8u	1) Heat Beam: RKA 9d6+1, Reduced Endurance (0 END; +1/2) (210 Active Points); OAF (-1), No Range (-1/2)
8u	2) Encase in Ice: Entangle 14d6, 14 DEF, Reduced Endurance (0 END; +1/2) (210 Active Points); OAF (-1), No Range (-1/2)
100	Tractor Beam: Telekinesis (89 STR), Reduced Endurance (0 END; +1/2) (200 Active Points); OAF (-1)
100	Visibomb: (Total: 226 Active Cost, 100 Real Cost) RKA 7d6, Reduced Endurance (0 END; +1/2), No Range Modifier (+1/2) (210 Active Points); OAF (-1), Concentration (0 DCV; -1/2) (Real Cost: 84) plus +8 with Visibomb (Real Cost: 16)
99	Walloper: HA +33d6, Reduced Endurance (0 END; +1/2) (247 Active Points); OAF (-1), Hand-To-Hand Attack (-1/2)
99	Zodiac: RKA 7d6+1, Reduced Endurance (0 END; +1/2), Area Of Effect Nonselective (66" Line; +3/4) (247 Active Points); OAF (-1), No Range (-1/2)

[McCoy]

Some of those weaposn work a Summoning, but AFAIK I can only attach one file per post. So now let me introduce some of the "ammunition."

 

Let's start with the Seeker Missile, fired by the Seeker Gun and the HK22.

 

Seeker Missile

 

Player:

 

Val	Char	Cost
0	STR	-10
38	DEX	84
0	CON	-20
0	BODY	-20
18	INT	8
0	EGO	0
0	PRE	-10
0	COM	-5
0	PD	0
0	ED	0
12	SPD	72
0	REC	0
0	END	0

0" RUN-120" SWIM-20" LEAP0Characteristics Cost: 85

 

Cost	Power	END
50	Target Lock: Detect Target 23- (Unusual Group), Discriminatory, Analyze, Increased Arc of Perception, Range, Sense, Targeting Sense, Tracking
53	Warhead: RKA 13d6, Explosion (+1/2), Nonselective Target (-1/4), Trigger (Detonates when reaches target; +1/4) (292 Active Points); No Conscious Control (-2), 1 Charge (-2), No Range (-1/2)
45	Automaton (Takes No STUN (loses abilities when takes BODY))
112	Flight 40", No Turn Mode (+1/4), Reduced Endurance (0 END; +1/2) (140 Active Points); no Noncombat movement (-1/4)

Powers Cost: 260

 

 

Cost	Skill
4	Navigation (Air) 14-

Skills Cost: 4

 

 

 

 

Total Character Cost: 349

 

Val	Disadvantages
25	Physical Limitation: Quadroplegic (All the Time, Fully Impairing)
25	Psychological Limitation: Seeks unity with Target (Very Common, Total)
25	Distinctive Features: Missile (Not Concealable; Extreme Reaction; Detectable By Commonly-Used Senses)

Disadvantage Points: 75

 

Base Points: 200

Experience Required: 74

Total Experience Available: 0

Experience Unspent: 0

[McCoy]

Synethenoids, your basic robotic body guard and cannon fodder. Can be upgraded into Kilonoids.

 

Synethenoid

 

Player:

 

Val	Char	Cost
10	STR	0
23	DEX	39
0	CON	-20
0	BODY	-20
13	INT	3
0	EGO	0
0	PRE	-10
0	COM	-5
13	PD	27
13	ED	30
6	SPD	27
0	REC	-4
0	END	0

9" RUN60" SWIM-20" LEAP-2Characteristics Cost: 69

 

Cost	Power	END
90	Armor (10 PD/10 ED)
45	Automaton (Takes No STUN (loses abilities when takes BODY))
35	Detect Enemies: Detect A Large Class Of Things 12- (no Sense Group), Discriminatory, Analyze, Increased Arc Of Perception (360 Degrees), Targeting
112	Pulse Laser: RKA 5d6, Reduced Endurance (0 END; +1/2) (112 Active Points)

Powers Cost: 282

 

 

 

 

 

 

Total Character Cost: 351

 

 

Base Points: 200

Experience Required: 151

Total Experience Available: 0

Experience Unspent: 0

[McCoy]

Self propelled remote control mobile cameras, send them into tight places to find things out, or under something that needs blowing up.

 

 

Spiderbots

 

Player:

 

Val	Char	Cost
10	STR	0
23	DEX	39
0	CON	-20
0	BODY	-20
13	INT	3
0	EGO	0
0	PRE	-10
0	COM	-5
13	PD	27
13	ED	30
6	SPD	27
0	REC	-4
0	END	0

15" RUN180" SWIM-20" LEAP-2Characteristics Cost: 81

 

Cost	Power	END
90	Armor (10 PD/10 ED)
45	Automaton (Takes No STUN (loses abilities when takes BODY))
10	Clinging (normal STR)
12	HRRP (Radio Group)
35	Camera: Clairsentience (Sight Group), Usable By Other (+1/4), Reduced Endurance (0 END; +1/2) (35 Active Points)
27	Self Destruct: RKA 5d6, Explosion (+1/2), Nonselective Target (-1/4) (94 Active Points); 1 Charge (-2), No Range (-1/2)

Powers Cost: 219

 

 

 

 

 

 

Total Character Cost: 300

 

 

Base Points: 200

Experience Required: 100

Total Experience Available: 100

Experience Unspent: 0

[SaintQuakko]

This is a bit of a stretch... but it might be legal...

 

 

Cost	Power	END
28	Scoville's Desolidifier: Desolidification (affected by Mental), 6 Continuing Charges lasting 1 Minute each (+0), Limited Range (+1/4), Usable As Attack (+1) (90 Active Points); OAF (-1), Does Not Protect Against Damage (-1), Real Weapon (-1/4)

[McCoy]

Finally, this upgrade of the spiderbot has slightly more offensive power, but can still crawl walls.

 

Tankbots

 

Player:

 

Val	Char	Cost
10	STR	0
23	DEX	39
0	CON	-20
0	BODY	-20
13	INT	3
0	EGO	0
0	PRE	-10
0	COM	-5
13	PD	27
13	ED	30
6	SPD	27
0	REC	-4
0	END	0

15" RUN180" SWIM-20" LEAP-2Characteristics Cost: 81

 

Cost	Power	END
90	Armor (10 PD/10 ED)
45	Automaton (Takes No STUN (loses abilities when takes BODY))
10	Clinging (normal STR)
12	HRRP (Radio Group)
35	Camera: Clairsentience (Sight Group), Usable By Other (+1/4), Reduced Endurance (0 END; +1/2) (35 Active Points)
27	Self Destruct: RKA 5d6, Explosion (+1/2), Nonselective Target (-1/4) (94 Active Points); 1 Charge (-2), No Range (-1/2)
50	Turrent: EB 6d6, Autofire (5 shots; +1/2), Reduced Endurance (0 END; +1) (75 Active Points); Restrainable (-1/2)

Powers Cost: 269

 

 

 

 

 

 

Total Character Cost: 350

 

 

Base Points: 200

Experience Required: 150

Total Experience Available: 150

Experience Unspent: 0

[BoneDaddy]

Real tech. This exists today. Low level radio wave emmitter. Causes no damage, but amounts of pain sufficient to incapacitate all test subjects.

 

So does this. Hypersonics. 13000Hz range. Remains an invisible, inaudible beam. Unless you're the target. Now it hurts, and it deafens, and it burns. At a high enough level, say 20,000Hz it softens hard things, like your skull.

 

Why wait for lasers?

[Nyrath]

Re: Clever Future Weapons

 

Sorry, I'm coming in very late to this thread.

 

There were a couple amusing weapons in the novels of Philip E. High.

 

In THESE SAVAGE FUTURIANS was a psychological warfare terror weapon called a "chase mine". It was sort of a flying robot explosive device that would jump out from ambush and wrap around your waist. At some random time in the next couple of weeks it would explode, killing you. Tampering with the mine would trigger immediate detonation. In the meantime, you were suddenly very unpopular with your fellow soldiers. And if you were killed before the mine exploded, it would detach and search for another victim. Very nasty.

 

In THE PRODIGAL SUN was the "igniter". It would propel an exotic chemical compound in powder form along a "line of force" (i.e., using a force field instead of gunpowder). If the chemicals penetrated your skin, they would react and give an instant demostration of spontaneous human combustion.

 

Other novels had more mundane items, like bullets that would fire around corners, bullets that would loiter until the target entered the area, microscopic missiles, and similar assassin’s weapons.

[Agemegos]

Re: Clever Future Weapons

 

RPG weapons. These fire miniature spin-stabilised rocket-propelled grenades, like a refined Gyrojet. The grenades won't cause a lot of blast damage unless you havea fantastical explosive, but you could use HEAT warheads (shaped charges) or thermite warheads, to deal with high-tech body armour. Low recoil: useful in free-fall.

 

Soliton guns these fire a non-dispersing wave of sound, which ought to deliver all its energy fairly suddenly where it encounters a change of medium. I figure that this ought to have the effect of a rubber bullet/baton gun, without requiring bulky ammunition. I have heard that there is a version of this that is generated by a special cartridge that can be fired from a full-cylinder shotgun barrel, and that an electrical version built into a pair of binoculars was used to nobble a racehorse during a race in Hong Kong in the early 90s.

 

Buzzknucks 'brass' knuckles that deliver an incapacitating electric shock to anyone they hit.

 

Cruncheon A truncheon/billyclub/nightstick that delivers an incapacitating electric shock to anyone hit with it.

 

Zaplathi A high-tech riot weapon: a long light staff that delivers an incapacitating electric shock to anyone hit with it.

[Dr. Anomaly]

Re: Clever Future Weapons

 

There were a couple amusing weapons in the novels of Philip E. High.

I like Philip E. High's stuff, though probably my favorite is Invader On My Back. Anyway, about the "chase mine", I can think of a (relatively) simple way to deal with it (though it does requie a medical team):

 

1) Pass strong cords/cables between the body of the victim and the "belt" and attatch them securely to sturdy mountings of some kind. (These will be used to restrain the movement of the "chase mine" once it leaves its current victim.) If the grip of the mine is so incredibly close that the cables cannot be forced between the victim's body and the mine (unlikely, since in all likelyhood the victim's clothing is still between the body and the mine), use surgical techniques to thread them through the victim's flesh, say 1/4" below the skin.

 

2) Induce cardiac arrest in the victim.

 

3) The "chase mine" leaves the (now dead) victim and tries to find another. The cables restrain its movement, allowing a sturdy (and hopefully blast-proof) container to be closed around it.

 

4) The victim is revived like any heart-attack sufferer.

 

Whadaya think?

[Agemegos]

Re: Clever Future Weapons

 

DigitalGolem DONT RIP OFF GURPS.

 

The ice bullet trick is originally from a Dick Tracy comic strip.

[Nyrath]

Re: Clever Future Weapons

 

I like Philip E. High's stuff' date=' though probably my favorite is [i']Invader On My Back[/i]. Anyway, about the "chase mine", I can think of a (relatively) simple way to deal with it (though it does require a medical team):

... snip ...

Whadaya think?

I think we've got a winner!

 

I agree that Invader On My Back is the best. I was just looking over High's books for interesting weapons.

 

Recky, Gun, and Shield, now those are interesting weapons. Sidekicks. Whatever.

 

(for those who haven't read the novel, those are three defensive robots the protagonist created. IIRC Recky was disgused as a Kestrel and used sensors for reconnaissance, Gun was disgused as a Golden Eagle and had an arsenal of micro-weapons, Shield was also a Golden Eagle and could project a force wall. All three had AI and were smart-alecs)

[tesuji]

Re: Clever Future Weapons

 

The Ice gun;

How to accelerate an ice needle to a lethal velocity, I have no idea. Perhaps a high-tech heating element in lieu of a firing pin, creating a small but powerful steam explosion? Any other suggestions?

 

thanx heaps,

 

DGv3.0

 

Gauss.

 

make the liquid a suspension of a low feezing liquid and some ferrous "dust". Your gauss fields accelerate the ferrous bits, pulling the ice along. Your big damger is griction, from the air and not the barrel since your slug is balanced and never touching the sides. But for scifi friction can be more less less waived now and again.

[dbsousa]

Re: Clever Future Weapons

 

Has anybody read about this weapon?

[Nyrath]

Re: Clever Future Weapons

 

Has anybody read about this weapon?

Yes, there are similar ones here

[Wombat]

Re: Clever Future Weapons

 

RE The Willey Gun from Sten - from memory, the rounds were described as having the explosive force of a Grenade. SO imagine having a nice big Autofire attack of Grenades going off in your face.

 

My personal favorite is the Sentry Guns from Aliens. Set them up, sit back and watch the show.

[Old Man]

Re: Clever Future Weapons

 

I'm surprised sonic weapons haven't been mentioned yet. The technology to focus sound has made some pretty big jumps in the past few years. And I think that human organs have a harmonic frequency of around 7 Hz.

 

Alternately it ought to be possible in the near future to focus a powerful shock wave over some distance... kind of like an air blaster on steroids.

[Dr. Anomaly]

Re: Clever Future Weapons

 

RE The Willey Gun from Sten - from memory' date=' the rounds were described as having the explosive force of a Grenade.[/quote']

Are those the ones that shot capsules with a microscopic bit of AM2 in them? (Anti-Matter II, in case you're wondering. ) It's been a while since I read the Sten books...

[Dr. Anomaly]

Re: Clever Future Weapons

 

I'm surprised sonic weapons haven't been mentioned yet.

Actually, Old Man, Agemegos mentioned them in a post earlier today: the Soliton Gun.

[mirage]

Re: Clever Future Weapons

 

My personal favorites:

 

The meson cannon from Traveller. Fires subatomic particles which pass through nearly any matter, and detonate at a predetermined location.

 

The DNA disruptor that Kim Kinnison had in the Lensman novels. 100% lethal and fits under his fingernail.

[gewing]

Re: Clever Future Weapons

 

Are those the ones that shot capsules with a microscopic bit of AM2 in them? (Anti-Matter II' date=' in case you're wondering. ) It's been a while since I read the Sten books...[/quote']

 

Yeah, that was them.

[CorpCommander]

Get an Ax!

 

Get an ax, this thread just rose from the dead!

 

Hmm, make it a cyber ax thingy... you know... to stay on topic!

[Markdoc]

Re: Clever Future Weapons

 

Army is hoping for a HMMVW mounted solid state anti-aircraft weapon within 10 years. They plot man portable within 20. Interesting as scary at the same time.

 

Well, yes, but I recall reading articles in the 70's and 80's which said exactly the same thing. Lasers today are both lighter and far more energy efficient, but they still have the same maximum range as the 747-mounted dinosaurs of yore (5-6 feet - maybe a tenth of that against hard targets).

 

I agree that (apart from space-based weapons) conventional lasers are unlikely to become real weapons simply because "ya can'na break the laws of physics!" - and to generate enough wattage on the surface of a target that you get explosive heating, you're gonna have to burn a hole through a lot of atmosphere - which is an effective convective coolant.

 

However one possiblity is a microwave laser. Technically not feasible right now, but if you could develop better focussing and a suitably powerful portable power source, you could use it to shoot through ordinary walls - the energy would be mostly retained in electron-dense targets like metals and waterfilled objects (the later includes people). Probably not standard military weapons - useless against metallic armour (and therefore vehicles), easy to screen against, and not much use in fog, areas of high humidity, against rapidly moving targets, etc - but just the thing for a sniper. You could use it for giving a rival business exec or a government official a brain aneurysm without leaving much in the way of evidence: no hole in the window or wall, no wound - just a small cooked patch.

 

cheers, Mark

[Markdoc]

Re: I should add though...

 

I was once asked how to defend a division such that it wasn't worth attacking. Part of the defence was triple standard concertina wire around the perimiter' date=' filled with an aerogel that was impregnated with VX or some other nasty concoction. It was shot down before being examined because only conventional defense were allowed in the discussion. I wonder if our enemies at the time were being so strict in their thinking.[/quote']

 

Tough for the divison in question once the enemy starts using cheap ol' mortar shells to start blowing the aerogel into the air on their upwind side...

 

There's a reason, countries gave up chemical weapons so easily - they're really hard to control, making them more trouble than they are worth.

 

However, if you want nasty, put your a half milligram of VX into a bullet with a revolving hard core (like a modern fragmentation round). That way, even a glancing or blow-through wound is likely to "tear" the bullet, resulting in body fluids exposed to a short-term concentrated release. Essentially, every wound would be fatal, but you wouldn't have enough gas to give you uncontrolled release problems. Probably not a good military weapon, where a serious wound is more resource-draining to the enemy than a kill, but a serious morale weapon.

 

cheers, Mark