Secret Agent Man

[Maladominus]

I'm trying to put a little bit of "James Bond Meets the KGB" in my Solomani Rim campaign.

If you haven't guessed it by now... this means I will be using mean-spirited SolSec villains. Possibly nasty bad evil ones.

Now my first question is... what should be the standard sidearm for a SolSec Captain? A Snub Pistol? Gauss Pistol? A Body Pistol?

I do understand that SolSec is *not* a branch of the Confederation Military. However, SolSec is probably considered a para-military service, which commands a LOT of authority since it is the de facto "secret police force"... much like the Gestapo in the Third Reich, or the KGB in USSR.

Hence, I wanted to know how to equip my SolSec NPCs (e.g. SolSec captains, SolSec majors, and their henchmen) who may be stalking the players in my Rim campaign in the near future....

 

[Maladominus]

P.S. --- I will also be using Imperial Ministry of Justice goons in my campaign, since they look to be the perfect "counter-balance" to the SolSec agents. What would be the standard sidearm of an Imperial MoJ agent in the field?


And no... I will NOT be using IRIS agents in IMTU, blech!

 

[archhealer]

I'd select something smaller, sleek, and black. Maybe not a snub pistol, but a 9mm autopistol, maybe? For the SolSec, that is. As for the IMJ, I'd say they'd probably have something similiar to standard military sidearms. Although, for cool effect, you could always give them big shiny revolvers.

 

[Golan2072]

Armament would probably depend on assignment, but the sidearm should be a Gauss (or maybe Laser?) pistol or SMG for a uniformed/semi-uniformed agent, and a body pistol (and probably a knife too) for an undercover one. Agents could probably get ACRs or Gauss Rifles or even FGMPs if the mission warrants them and they are certified for them, though...

A tranq-capable dart-pistol would also be very good. Keeps the dissident alive for interrogation...

For uniformed grunts and goons that the villian could bring along to arrest/beat up/kill dissidents, SMGs, especially MP-38 lookalikes, would fit well the image of the obligatory "jackboot fascist thugs" of the setting.

A few more interesting and fitting RL guns for inspiration (all TLs 6-7):
- AKS-74U, used by USSR law enforcement troops.
- APS Underwater Assault Rifle, for the underwater combat/chase scenes.
- AS 'Val' silenced assault rifle, RL Russian MVD and FSB issue.
- Luger Parabellum, the obligatory Nazi autopistol.
- Walter PPK, the famous German body-pistol, used during the Nazi period as well.
- Makarov PM, standard cold-war Soviet pistol.
- APB Silenced Pistol, standard KGB issue.
- PSS Silent Pistol, 1980's-era KGB body-pistol.
- PPSch-41, Standard (WWII-era) Soviet SMG.

EDIT: On a later though, here is the standard armament I think SolSec should have:

1) Uniformed Troops (think SS or troops loaned to the Gestapo): 9mm SMG or Gauss SMG, gives good close-ranged firepower without being over-cumbersome (and most SolSec operations would be Urban or similar, so range isn't THAT of an issue). Think MP38 or PPSch-41. Assault Rifles/ACRs/Gauss Rifles (think AKS-74U) if extra firepower and/or range is needed.

2) Officers and Agents on official (non-undercover) duty: 9mm Autopistol or Gauss Pistol, possibly silenced, think Luger or Makarov.

3) Undercover Agents: Body Pistol (think Walter PPK, or the Soviet APB/PSS. Dagger or Blade if needed.

 

[jappel]

I was told about this long ago when serving in a reserve SF unit. I chalked it up as apocraphyl until someone knowledgeable confirmed (to my satisfaction, anyway) that these actually have been fielded.

Apparently, some covert ops types use a very small automatic for the obvious concealment benefits (a body pistol in Traveller terms). But since the small caliber rounds don't have much lethality, the bullets are quasi-hollowpoints and the cavity is filled with curare, then sealed with wax. Get a hit anywhere in the body with decent blood flow and the curare will take them out of the fight in very short order. Sort of a super tranq round, but still lethal if you hit them in the right place.

You might also want to take a look in the Ship's Locker forum, lots of guntech discussions there.

-John

 

[Andrew Boulton]

I'd probably go with gauss pistols/SMGs/carbines/rifles for uniformed SolSec goons (similar to Confederation Marines standard issue - one quirk IMTU is that Solomani weapons use the same ammo as Imperial ones, but slightly different magazines, so they can use captured Imperial ammo but not vice versa).

SolSec agents use gauss pistols for flexibility - easily silenced and can fire tranq rounds.

My MOJ agents don't generally carry weapons; when they do, give them a nice, obviously non-military autopistol.

It sounds like you're going down the same road my (currently resting) campaign did. If you want to swap ideas or borrow any of my NPCs, let me know.

 

[sinistral]

I'd say Body Pistol. They probably wouldn't want much range or penetration because much of their work would be urban cqb against soft targets. They wouldn't want stray rounds whacking citizens.

Maybe something like the HK pistol (P9?) for aircraft security, with a cocking lever in the grip...

 

[sinistral]

Unless they're the rooftop, stealthed-up ninjas of Sol, in which case anything goes....

 

[LordVince]

Y'mean Ninjas AREN'T already part of SolSec?

 

[Shadowdancer]

Man, this sounds like the last Traveller campaign I ran. So many people tapping into the Cold War vibe of the Solomani Rim.

Anyway, IMTC, the PCs were all Imp Intel agents. They all used body pistols, snub pistols with tranq rounds and heavy body pistol two-shot derringers as holdout weapons. Plus all the lethal and non-lethal "stealth" weapons (batons, daggers, etc).

The SolSec agents they were usually pitted against also used body pistols and stealth weapons, but they were all of a uniform design -- different from the uniform design of the Imperium -- so that was a big tip-off if discovered. Maybe not very logical, but it was a good story device ("Look, she's got a derringer strapped to her thigh." "That's standard SolSec issue -- she's a double agent.")

For "open" combat, it was gauss pistols and laser pistols.

 

[archhealer]

Originally posted by Paraquat Johnson:
Man, this sounds like the last Traveller campaign I ran. So many people tapping into the Cold War vibe of the Solomani Rim.

Anyway, IMTC, the PCs were all Imp Intel agents. They all used body pistols, snub pistols with tranq rounds and heavy body pistol two-shot derringers as holdout weapons. Plus all the lethal and non-lethal "stealth" weapons (batons, daggers, etc).

The SolSec agents they were usually pitted against also used body pistols and stealth weapons, but they were all of a uniform design -- different from the uniform design of the Imperium -- so that was a big tip-off if discovered. Maybe not very logical, but it was a good story device ("Look, she's got a derringer strapped to her thigh." "That's standard SolSec issue -- she's a double agent.")

For "open" combat, it was gauss pistols and laser pistols.

Oh man. As a ref, I would have abused that reflex to the MAX. They get caught behind enemylines, lose their gear... only weapons around are SolSec... then they get home, b ut get caught carrying lots of SolSec standard issue gear... muahaha

 

[Jeff M. Hopper]

A lot of people are suggesting Body Pistols for the agent weapon. If you have access to it, the T4-Emperor's Arsenal book has some very cool designs for concealable/undetectable weapons.

Also don't neglect mining T20-Weapons of Charted Space for ideas as well.

 

[tucker2]

The one really cool thing about spies is the other toys they get to use. At TL14 they've gotta have some pretty nifty stuff, and Solomani don't have some of the pesky mores about robots or genetic tampering.

The Solsec guys could kill folks with tailored viruses or remote controlled doodads that look like bumblebees. The surveilance capabilities have got to ramp up too...

 

[sinistral]

IMTU, I favour the "Harry Palmer" school of intelligence rather than "james Bond", with armouries full of dusty weapons from the last war but one, along dismal uncarpeted civil service corridors. Everything to be signed for in triplicate. Ammunition issued singly on receipt of properly signed requisition docket.

The corporates are the guys with the toys.

 

[archhealer]

I designed a body suit with a hat that looked like a rice-hat, and held a computer that controlled the chameleon armor and the like. The computer had a full verbal interface, with the speaker a tiny bit in the wearer's ear. It also had Neural activity and neutrino sensors, auditory and olfactory sensors, and full IR/LI hollovid sensors, some of which was in a small-ish backpack thing, and the computer had good hide, listen, spot, and search skill programs installed. It made for some stealthy spies.

 

[Merxiless]

I'd go with a body pistol and really good comm / Surveillance gear...

The flavor is of this oppresive force that sees all, watches all.

Lots of events, killings, etc that seem to be political, but are never solved.

News stories that appear, and are pulled.

MiB Stuff.

That is my spin on SolSec generally, IMTU.