[JAW] Bead And Dart Guns

[zakueins]

One of the biggest problems with weapon deployment for infantry in the 24th Century was logistics-deploying massive amount of infantry weapons for the United Army. There was no practial way-with the early hyperdrives and engines-that an army could be properly supported with ammo, food, and stockpiles across interstellar distances. LogCom (Logistics Command) searched, and found an easy solution to one of the biggest problems.

 

Chemical-propellant firearms had topped off in the mid-22nd Century with electro-thermal propellants, with the newest innovations merely introducing a level of compactness and reliability to the design. When the first hyperdrives were deployed, the discovery that the atmosphere of some planets would either neturalize or spontaniously set off the chemical

propellants of most guns was a disaster. Hermetically-sealing a firearm seemed to be a practical solution, but sheer reliability and the cost of shipping ammo presented an insoluable dilemma. Laser weapons were impractical as well-the focusing mechanisms and power storage ability for a practical, man-portable laser weapon was beyond the reach of what existed at the time. However, a technology did exist that gave the UA soldier a good weapon.

 

Electro-magnetic linear accelerators (railguns) were very practical weapons-the technologies needed to contain star-hot plasma in a fusion reactor easily gave the conductors needed for a man-portable weapon. From a logistics standpoint, it was perfect-ammo was simple (solid beads or darts, with a small supply of specalized ammo), power for the weapons could be provided at the company level, reducing logistics, and the ammo didn't chemically respond to anything. Grenades could be built that would be fired by railguns, allowing the round itself to be chemically sealed. And, the costs of arming the troops was fairly cheap-superconductive magnetics were a cheap and reliable technology, as well as the capacitors needed.

 

However, during the early days of the Xenovore War, railguns tended to do one of two things-either "underkill" a target (requiring more shots), or generated such an overkill that there wasn't time to get the gun onto target and shoot another Xenovore. By 2320, most Marine units had swapped

out "on the left" (black market) their bead weapons for powerguns, and the United Army officially approved powerguns for combat troops by 2330. The poor performance of railguns and the myths it spawned (most of them false) continued through to the Imperial era when the early generation of grav guns were deployed.

 

A note-weapons under 15mm were called "bead guns" (due to the "bead" nature of the ammo) and anything larger were called "dart guns" (the round resembled a long spike or dart). Note that all weapons are bought with their "standard" load-out of magazines (i.e charges).

 

3mm Bead Pistol

The smallest weapon (except for special operations weapons), the 3mm Bead Pistol shared ammo and magazines with the 3mm PDW and the 3mm SMG. The weapon was commonly issued to MPs, officers, and Intelligence officers that needed a small firearm. The weapon was commonly called "the EFRed gun" due to the small, blocky nature of it (it resembed an Emergency Field Ration).

 

Game Stats:2D6 PD RKA, 2 clips of 12 charges (-0), OAF (-1), Real Weapon (-1/4), Limited Range (-1/4). Active Points: 30, Real Cost: 12

 

3mm PDW

The Personal Defense Weapon, or PDW, was built to give tank and fighter crews, "second line" units (like artillery and medical units), and such a small, compact, but fast-firing weapon that could keep them alive. It shares magazines with the 3mm Bead Pistol, however it takes two Bead Pistol magazines to fill up a PDW's magazine (an internal loader is initially loaded by inserting the magazines. PDWs were popular with troops in Oberon powered armor, as it was

a compact weapon that could be easily strapped anywhere.

 

Game Stats:2D6+1 PD RKA, 4 clips of 16 charges (+1/4), Autofire (3 bursts) +1/4, OAF (-1), Real Weapon (-1/4), Limited Range (-1/4). Active Points: 52, Real Cost: 21

 

3mm SMG

The SMG was built for Special Operations units, sharing the same magazine as the 3mm Bead Pistol. Besides a burst-fire capability, it could be set so that the rounds were sub-sonic, doing less damage but preventing any form of detection. Like the 3mm PDW, it has an internal magazine to feed the ammo

into it.

 

Game Stats: 45 pt. Multipower, 4 clips of 16 charges (+1/4), OAF (-1), Real Weapons (-1/4), Slots are:

1-2D6+1 RKA, Autofire (3 shots), Limited Range

2-2D6 RKA, Autofire (3 shots), Limited Range, Invisible To Sound Group

Active Points: 56, Real Cost: 22

 

5mm Assault Carbine

 

The standard infantry rifle, the 5mm Assault Carbine was built as a handy, easy-to-use weapon that was light, accurate, and fast-hitting. Besides a dual magazine system (allowing for the use of either solid beads or specalist rounds, treat as a multipower), it was reliable, easy to clean and maintain.

The only real problem was that the 5mm beads used were not really effective against Xenovores unless AP ammo was loaded-and 5mm AP ammo was only issued to some units that were expecting "armored" units. For the United Army, the

5mm Assault Carbine was the choice weapon.

 

Game Stats:3D6 PD RKA, 4 clips of 16 charges (+1/4), OAF (-1), Autofire (3 shots) +1/4, Real Weapon (-1/4). Active Points: 67, Real Cost: 33

 

Loaded with AP rounds, the weapon changes-

 

Game Stats:2D6 AP PD RKA, 4 clips of 16 charges (+1/4), OAF (-1), Autofire (3 shots) +1/4, Real Weapon (-1/4). Active Points: 70, Real Cost: 35

 

5mm Assault Rifle

 

A heavy rifle, the 5mm Assault Rifle was built to use 5mm beads, but the longer accelerator made it much more formidable. Like the 5mm Assault Carbine, it has a dual magazine system and commonly feeds AP ammo. Skinsuited

Marines prefered this weapon over the 5mm Assault Carbine.

 

Game Stats:3D6+1 PD RKA, 4 clips of 16 charges (+1/4), Autofire (3 shots) +1/4, OAF (-1), Real Weapon (-1/4). Active Points: 75, Real Cost: 37

 

10mm Bead Cannon

 

Firing the 10mm bead round, the Bead Cannon was designed to fill the role of a heavy machine gun, man-jacked perimiter defense system, and anti-missile system while in manjack mode. The weight of this weapon restricted it to a squad automatic weapon for the United Army. Troopers in

Oberon Powered Armor tended to carry it as their main weapon-both feed the ammo from a back-mounted drum.

 

Game Stats: 100 pt Mutipower, all slots are 250 charges, Conditional (Min 18 STR to use in anything but manjack mode), OAF, Real Weapon, Slots are:

1-3D6+1 PD AP RKA, 5 shot Autofire,

2-3D6+1 PD AP RKA, 5 shot Autofire, Independent (Manjack Mode)

3-Missile Deflection (Bullets and Shrapnel), +25 to roll against deflection, Independent (Manjack Anti-Missile Mode)

Real Cost: 81 pts

 

10mm Bead Sniper Rifle

 

Used by field snipers, the weapon is slightly lighter than the bead cannon, but makes up for it in pure armor punching power. Integral to the weapon is a combination telescopic/thermal vision/night vision scanner for engagement of targets at extremely long ranges. The weapon uses a "floating" barrel for long-ranged shots and it's slow rate of fire is deliberate, to encourage accurate shots.

 

Game Stats: 3D6+1 AP RKA, No Range Penalty, 4 clips of 8 Charges, OAF, Real Weapon, Active Points: 100 pts, Real Cost: 44

Targeting Sight: 20 pt Multipower, OAF, Real "Weapon", slots are-

1-+13 PER to offset range modifier for sight group (targeting scope)

2-Infrared Perception, +15 PER to offset range modifier

3-Nightvision, +15 to offset range modifier

 

20mm Grenade Launcher

 

A belt-fed weapon, the 20mm Grenade Launcher can fire off a "belt" of rounds at a target-even over intervening obstacles. While the concept was well-regarded, it wasn't practical vs. most Xenovores due to their protection.

However, the 20mm vehcile-mounted version was a bit better regarded, because of it's rate of fire.

 

Game Stats: 2D6+1 AP RKA, +1 STUN Multiplier, Indirect (same origin, away), 4 clips of 8 charges, OAF, Real Weapon, Active Points: 87 pts, Real Cost: 43 pts.

 

10mm Bead Cannon (Vehicle)

 

Mounted on just about every vehicle, the 10mm Bead Cannon functioned as a heavy machine gun and anti-missile defense system in zonal area defense. The ammo drum mounted in the vehicle could be broken down into four 250 "shot" charges for carriage by infantry.

 

Game Stats: 100 pt Multipower, all slots are 1000 charges, OAF Bulky, Real Weapon, Slots are:

1-3D6+1 AP RKA, 5 Shot Autofire

2-Missile Deflection (Bullets and Shrapnel), +40 to roll against deflection)

Real Cost: 80 pts

 

20mm Dart Cannon (Vehicle)

 

An autocannon used by light armored vehicles, the 20mm Dart Cannon traded a lowered rate of fire for more damage and gyroscopic stabilization. The standard ammo load was either armor-piercing rounds, high-explosive rounds for anti-infantry duty, or specalist anti-missile "fletchettes" for taking out incoming fire. Many planetary defenses mounted the 20mm cannon in a remote turret.

 

Game Stats: 150 pt Multipower, all slots are 500 charges, OAF Bulky,Real Weapon, Slots are:

1-4D6 AP RKA, 3 Shot Autofire, No Range Modifier

2-3D6 AP RKA, 3 Shot Autofire, Explosive

3-Missile Deflection (Bullets and Shrapnel), +50 to roll against deflection)

Real Cost: 123 pts

 

20mm Grenade Launcher (Vehicle)

 

Firing the same 20mm grenades as the man-portable grenade launcher, the 20mm automatic grenade launcher was mounted on vehicles. The "Thump Gun", as it was called, could put out a spectacular amount of 20mm grenades on target, which was useful versus targets like Xenovore attack beasts, but not very useful against Xenovores themselves. The "Thump Gun" was mounted on a pintel mount on many vehicles, and it's mounting made it very popular.

 

Game Stats: 2D6+1 AP RKA, +1 STUN Multiplier, Autofire (3 shots), Indirect (same origin, away), 250 charges, OAF Bukly, Real Weapon, Active Points: 166 pts, Real Cost: 66 pts.

 

30mm Dart Cannon (Vehicle)

 

The heavy autocannon was built for defensive bunkers, heavy vehicle systems, and similar. The 30mm darts are heavy and built to take out targets, incluidng light armor.

 

Game Stats: 200 pt Multipower, all slots are 500 charges, OAF Bulky, Real Weapon, Slots are:

1-5D6+1 AP RKA, 3 Shot Autofire

2-4D6 AP RKA, 3 Shot Autofire, Explosive

3-Missile Deflection (Bullets and Shrapnel), +50 to roll against deflection)

Real Cost: 123 pts

 

50mm Dart Cannon (Vehicle)

 

The "big gun" of light UA tanks, the 50mm Dart Cannon fires a clip of 3 50mm rounds at distant targets. It was sometimes used as a defensive turret on starships-very commonly on "armed merchant" conversions.

 

Game Stats: 8D6 AP RKA, 250 Charges, OAF Bulky, No Range Penalty, Active Points: 360, Real Cost: 144 pts

 

90mm Dart Cannon (Vehicle)

 

The largest cannon used by the UA, the 90mm "Big Boomer" could punch holes in targets kilometers away, and was sometimes even able to do damage to Xenovore ships. Like the 50mm Dart Cannon, it was used in "armed merchant" conversions as a primary weapon, backing up missiles.

 

Game Stats: 10D6+1 AP RKA, 250 Charges, OAF Bulky, 2xKnockback, No Range Penalty, Active Points: 581, Real Cost: 232 pts

[zakueins]

So...comments, complaints, threats upon my life?

[Victor]

Hmm. "Look, Ma, No hands"?

 

As a +0 limitation, requires one hand is usually presumed for pistols, but for rifles, they ought to take the limitation (for points) for requiring 2 hands. I usually forsake brevity and put the one-handed in anyway, just to head off any munchkinizing about gestures, multiple weapons, or manipulations while wielding them, but I admit it's a tad retentive in the fourth point of contact.

 

Other than that, it looks pretty good.

 

As long as handedness of firearms is on the table, I've always been tempted to write up carbines as hand-and-a-half guns, such that if the firer is braced, they could be operated one-handed (resting the barrel shroud, or equivilant, on a piece of cover, in the crook of the other elbow, in a firing port, etc.).

 

 

[edit] Oh, also missing Beam, although that may be intentional. [/edit]

[zakueins]

Consider them to all have the "Beam" disad now.

 

Point totals are left as an exercise for players.

 

Originally posted by Victor

Hmm. "Look, Ma, No hands"?

 

As a +0 limitation, requires one hand is usually presumed for pistols, but for rifles, they ought to take the limitation (for points) for requiring 2 hands. I usually forsake brevity and put the one-handed in anyway, just to head off any munchkinizing about gestures, multiple weapons, or manipulations while wielding them, but I admit it's a tad retentive in the fourth point of contact.

 

Other than that, it looks pretty good.

 

As long as handedness of firearms is on the table, I've always been tempted to write up carbines as hand-and-a-half guns, such that if the firer is braced, they could be operated one-handed (resting the barrel shroud, or equivilant, on a piece of cover, in the crook of the other elbow, in a firing port, etc.).

 

 

[edit] Oh, also missing Beam, although that may be intentional. [/edit]

[david3470]

Here are the above weapons translated into 6th edition and as a Prefab

Science Fiction Weapons.hdp

[Scott Ruggels]

Not familiar with 6th Edition rules, as I am a 4th Edition guy, but these seem quite reasonable.

 

 A couple of gun nut concerns.  Powder activated weapons carry their own oxidizer inside the cartridge, and work in a vacuum decently enough.  The problem would be in environments with flammable atmospheres.  Cartridges are usually air and water tight, and last about a century give or take depending on the quality of the packaging and the cartridge itself. I cannot think of a planetary atmosphere that would neutralize the self contained chemical reaction. Powder cartridges are initiated by stored mechanical energy (springs), causing the primer to detonate. Elementary, I know, but It comes out to Energy requirements. There are limited electrical detonated military ordinance but that is for specialized applications, usually Naval. There was a commercial hunting rifle offered by Remington that used electrically detonated ammunition. It was a commercial failure. Batteries and firearms are a poor match due to a lot of variables regarding declining charges, outside temperatures, corrosive chemicals inside them and fragility. This is why “smart guns” are a non-starter. Yes, sighting systems often require batteries, especially those using exotic spectra, but those are mostly for  specific mission requirements, and even then, pleas from soldiers in Afghanistan and Iraq to their families to send them batteries, was noted. 

Back to your weapons.  Good designs. But these are Rail rather than coil guns? Rail Guns “push” the projectile along rails ( which apparently wear with use) , and Coil guns “pull” the projectile through the gun like a maglev. I would think the coil principle would serve better as the size and quality of the projectile would be less critical than using the Rail principle.  There is some discussion between the accuracy of each method, with Navy experiments favoring the accuracy of the Rail principle. I would suggest that magazines contain the fuel for the piece, as well as ammunition, as they can be balanced to the ammo requirements and simplify maintenance of the weapon itself, and allow for long term storage of the weapons. Having its own internal power generation obviates the battery problem, and as long as the weapon can maintain a capacitor to initiate the reaction It can be stored but ready as soon a the user slaps a magazine in.  So, how much do the various weapons cost ( for heroic games)