Enhancing CT Firearms

[tbeard1999]

CT's list of weapons is pretty bland (Rifle...Rifle...Rifle), compared with Striker or MT or TNE. And the matrix based combat system makes adding weapons unweildy. But there are ways to get some variation in CT weapons without adding rows to the weapons charts. The following rules are for TL7- firearms. Unless otherwise stated, options can be combined; simply add the costs.

Weight Reduction
At TL8+, most weapons are available in lighter configurations -- they use plastics and composites instead of wood and metal. Cost remains the same (wood and metal retain value because they are associated with quality). At TL8, such weapons weigh 5% less. At TL9, such weapons weigh 10% less. At TL10, such weapons weigh 15% less. At TL12, such weapons weigh 20% less. At TL14+ such weapons weigh 25% less.

Caseless Ammo
At TL9+, firearms can be caseless. Such weapons cost 50% more at TL9; they cost the same at TL10+. Caseless ammo weighs 2/3 what normal ammo weighs. A weapon can reduce its total weight accordingly or increase the number of rounds carried by 50%. Caseless ammo cannot be used in non-caseless weapons.

High Power
At higher tech levels, propellant technology and bullet tech allows smaller rounds to produce the same energy as larger TL7- rounds. At TL9, firearms can increase their magazine capacity by 10% (round down). At TL10, firearms can increase their magazine capacity by 15% (round down). At TL11, firearms can increase their magazine capacity by 20% (round down). At TL12+, firearms can increase their magazine capacity by 25% (round down). Hi powered rounds cannot be used in weapons of lower TL. EDIT: No additional cost at TL of introduction. Can be combined with caseless ammo. All percentages are based on original weapon capacity. So a Carbine (10 shot magazine) that is TL12 high powered caseless would have 12 rounds and weigh 40 grams less -or- have 17 rounds (2 for high power. 5 for caseless).

Bullpup Stock
At TL8+, Rifles, Autorifles, Assault Rifles and Carbines can have bullpup stocks. These reduce the length of the weapon by 300mm. Cost is Cr50 higher.

Standardized Mounting Rails
At TL8+, firearms can have standardized mounting rails for an additional cost of Cr50. This allows a variety of accessories to be quickly and easily mounted -- scopes, grenade launchers, laser sights/designators, flechette launchers, tactical lights, etc.

 

[far-trader]

The above is great. Just curious how you'd add armor piercing round factors to CT basic weapons tbeard. Or is it too small an effect on the scale used?

 

[Supplement Four]

Good post, Ty. Really good stuff.

But, I'd have to disagree with you on one point:

CT's list of weapons is pretty bland (Rifle...Rifle...Rifle), compared with Striker or MT or TNE. And the matrix based combat system makes adding weapons unweildy. But there are ways to get some variation in CT weapons without adding rows to the weapons charts.

I view the weapon matrix as one of CT's strengths.

Here's why. Therea are so many areas where you can tweak a weapon, customizing it for whatever reason.

Example: One particular company in your game is noted for producing good sniper rifles. Well, change the Long and Very Long Range DMs on that weapon by a positive +1 DM.

These tables (and other weapons aspects) allow you to tweak a weapon without fear of unbalancing the game.

Maybe a high tech world has a gyro-stable stock. What's a gyro-stable stock, you say? It's got a tiny gyro inside the butt that keeps the weapon ultra steady.

In game terms, it lowers the DEX requirement by a point and lowers the advantageous DEX bonus by a point.

There's all sorts of things you can do to make the "generic" weapons provided in the game a bit more sexy.

You can change weight, ammo clip size, bullet type--all of which can change stats about the weapon.

Weight and ammo clip size are obvious.

Bullet type might mandate a change to the Armor matrix (more or less penetration). Or, it might mean a change to damage (3D becomes 3D+1).

The Range Matrix, the Armor Matrix, the required DEX and the Advantageous DEX, plus all the elements about the equipment itself (weight, ammo size, etc) can be changed or tweaked in the game to create "specific" weapons from those "generic" ones.

In this way, one can take the AutoRifle and make an M-16 be a different weapon than the AK-47, and both will still be very close to the generic AutoRifle.

There is precendent for this, too. LKW's notes on interpolation given in JTAS#2 where it is show how to make a Laser Pistol from the Laser Carbine.

Also, thoughout the GDW adventures, you'll find little tweaks here and there. Like the revolver that fires shot-gun type shot rounds.

For this reason, I keep the weapon tables in my CT game. Their inclusion adds so much to the game that I don't want to be without it.

 

[sabredog]

The above is great. Just curious how you'd add armor piercing round factors to CT basic weapons tbeard. Or is it too small an effect on the scale used?

What about just bumping up the DM against armor and reducing the damage by a few points?

Or look at how the gauss rifle round does it with a penetrator core and soft surround for a good energy dump.

 

[tbeard1999]

The above is great. Just curious how you'd add armor piercing round factors to CT basic weapons tbeard. Or is it too small an effect on the scale used?

I dunno. The easiest would be to allow a +1 against armored targets.

If the weapon fires a serious armor piercing round, a more detailed treatment would be to treat everything except cloth and battle dress as none. Cloth is mesh. Battle dress is cloth.

Given that modern experience with body armor strongly suggests that penetration is "all or nothing", you could provide that light armor piercing rounds treat everything except cloth as none. Heavy armor piercing rounds (say 12mm+) could treat everything as none. (You could add "rigid cloth", which is cloth with inserts. This would weigh and cost about double. This would be cloth against normal weapons and cloth against light armor piercing weapons.)

EDIT: I don't really think that armor piercing rounds should do less damage. If they do, then the damage modifier will be tricky given CT's damage system. Probably the easiest way to handle it is to give the weapon a -1 or -2 damage modifier and provide that the modifier is applied to the highest damage die.

 

[tbeard1999]

Good post, Ty. Really good stuff.

...Here's why. Therea are so many areas where you can tweak a weapon, customizing it for whatever reason.

Oh I agree that you can tweak weapons considerably. My post is just a way of showing tech effects on guns without adding new weapons to the combat charts. Nothing precludes further tweaking as you suggest.