This thread http://www.travellerrpg.com/cgi-bin/Trav/CotI/Discuss/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=28;t=000241 made me think that deployment of energy weapons in Traveller based on TNE rules will be far different from CT/MT editions.
In those editions a laser could hurt someone on a battledress. In TNE man portable lasers are ineffective against a wide range of armors and has no effect on combat armor and battledresses.
However as the above thread do show is that there is possible (with some creativity) to make a high energy weapon as a small arms weapon in the same vein as laser pistols and laser rifles and small arms slug throwers.
I think we will find laser as ship board weapons as they defeat most vacc suits and body armors and do little damage to interior fixtures. However a fire may start if furniture or something similar is hit. Lasers will also be fine for police weapons. Maybe a in a dual design as combined gauss and laser.
All published plasma and fusion weapons are so heavy that it is advicable with battle dresses to wield one effectively. However light versions may take a support role alongside gauss rifle equiped troops in combat armor.
At least IMTU battle dresses are used to spearhead important attacks where defence is strong. Combat armor are more commonly used by the Imperial Army, which makes out the bulk of the imperial armed forces.
The main problems with small arms heavy energy weapons is that they have short effective range and the ammunition is very heavy. However the damage and penetration are far better than a slug weapon of same weight class.
Sample TL 15 Fusion Rifle
Pulse Effect: 0.1
Mass (empty/loaded): 1Kg / 4Kg
Price: 1280
Compensator mass: 0.25Kg
Cartridge
Diameter: 20mm
Length: 60mm
Price: 0.8cr
Mass: 80grams
Ammo Box:
Mass (empty/loaded): 1.52Kg / 2.75Kg
Price (empty/loaded): 11.52cr / 25cr
Capacity: 20
ROF: SA10 (or one burst of 10)
Damage: 9
Recoil: 5/6
Range: 47m
The weapon got 2 combustion chambers to increase the rate of fire. The massive weight of the magazine makes it quite cumbersome to change. A two round period is required to change the magazine.
Edit: Corrected ammunition mass (se Sigg's post below) and added compensator mass to the weapon. It is no longer a seperate unit from the weapon.
In those editions a laser could hurt someone on a battledress. In TNE man portable lasers are ineffective against a wide range of armors and has no effect on combat armor and battledresses.
However as the above thread do show is that there is possible (with some creativity) to make a high energy weapon as a small arms weapon in the same vein as laser pistols and laser rifles and small arms slug throwers.
I think we will find laser as ship board weapons as they defeat most vacc suits and body armors and do little damage to interior fixtures. However a fire may start if furniture or something similar is hit. Lasers will also be fine for police weapons. Maybe a in a dual design as combined gauss and laser.
All published plasma and fusion weapons are so heavy that it is advicable with battle dresses to wield one effectively. However light versions may take a support role alongside gauss rifle equiped troops in combat armor.
At least IMTU battle dresses are used to spearhead important attacks where defence is strong. Combat armor are more commonly used by the Imperial Army, which makes out the bulk of the imperial armed forces.
The main problems with small arms heavy energy weapons is that they have short effective range and the ammunition is very heavy. However the damage and penetration are far better than a slug weapon of same weight class.
Sample TL 15 Fusion Rifle
Pulse Effect: 0.1
Mass (empty/loaded): 1Kg / 4Kg
Price: 1280
Compensator mass: 0.25Kg
Cartridge
Diameter: 20mm
Length: 60mm
Price: 0.8cr
Mass: 80grams
Ammo Box:
Mass (empty/loaded): 1.52Kg / 2.75Kg
Price (empty/loaded): 11.52cr / 25cr
Capacity: 20
ROF: SA10 (or one burst of 10)
Damage: 9
Recoil: 5/6
Range: 47m
The weapon got 2 combustion chambers to increase the rate of fire. The massive weight of the magazine makes it quite cumbersome to change. A two round period is required to change the magazine.
Edit: Corrected ammunition mass (se Sigg's post below) and added compensator mass to the weapon. It is no longer a seperate unit from the weapon.
