Condottiere
SOC-14 5K
Line of sight seems a better utilization, rather than over the horizon.
Weapons I've proposed
- Thread starter Blue Ghost
- Start date
According to the articles I read, new "ramjet" munitions can go farther and faster than the projectiles they were using. And seeing the type of projectile they had in mind .... to me it says that they were looking for an anti-shipping weapon first, and something that had theatre wide strategic defense applications second. That make sure that you can fight other ships the old fashioned way, and then bring back the idea of a BB off shore support role for assets further inland.
I shrug my shoulders at it. They really want an extremely long reach, and to my mind Mach 5 and whatever range they achieve (100 miles? I can't really remember) is a lot better than the 25 miles that the old 12 inch, 14 inch and 16 inch guns could provide. I think the lessons from recent military actions have shown the limitations of air power, and the navy wants to get back to being the job of "the navy" as opposed to being a micro military power that has its own air force and army (with its own army having its own air force).
Anyway, that's my reading of it. The shape of the projectile they used looked like a "bodkin" arrowhead almost from the middle ages, and that is they designed it to punch through armor. I guess something more "needle like" may have proven to be less effective against reinforced concrete and steel.
A quick sidebar, there may have also been an SDI function as well. I think in the early 2000s an unnamed naval officer from the SFB forum told me that there was a destroyer designed with upturned guns meant for missile defense, and said weapons were Gauss guns. Initially he stated that they were for long range inland bombardment where the projectile would be hurled into a suborbital trajectory and strike some remote target very far inland (1000+ miles), but, to my way of thinking, this was also probably for theatre missile defense, and mostly likely for strategic missile defense; SDI, or, in other words, "Star Wars".
Again the problem being the speed limit and therefore not really being good at hitting a rocket nor an incoming warhead with any great precision. I think that's probably more or less the reason the project was cancelled, and why that destroyer design never saw the light of day.
I still think the technology itself is extremely feasible, but you do need a power source that can make your weapon spark and go bang.
In terms of Traveller the Gauss Rifle is extremely expensive, and so once again it was my thought to introduce a less refined almost "AK47" like design of a Gauss principled weapon, but without all of the extra refinements that make the Gauss Rifle what it is.
Did anyone ever create a Gauss Carbine?
Again the problem being the speed limit and therefore not really being good at hitting a rocket nor an incoming warhead with any great precision. I think that's probably more or less the reason the project was cancelled, and why that destroyer design never saw the light of day.
I still think the technology itself is extremely feasible, but you do need a power source that can make your weapon spark and go bang.
In terms of Traveller the Gauss Rifle is extremely expensive, and so once again it was my thought to introduce a less refined almost "AK47" like design of a Gauss principled weapon, but without all of the extra refinements that make the Gauss Rifle what it is.
Did anyone ever create a Gauss Carbine?
Spinward Flow
SOC-14 1K
Not really.
Striker book 3 has TL=13 Gauss Pistols though.
Condottiere
SOC-14 5K
There's probably a couple of variants in Mongoose First Central Supply Catalogue, but can't be bothered to verify that at the moment.
The real reason Traveller Gauss rounds don't spark is because Clark Griswolds descendants perfected their forefathers anti friction coating. Through licensing have have become some of the wealthiest sophonts in the Imperium.
The stuff gets put on or in basically everything. Ammo, lubrication, reentry kits, window screens even bread (leavening agent). It's uses are endless!
The stuff gets put on or in basically everything. Ammo, lubrication, reentry kits, window screens even bread (leavening agent). It's uses are endless!
I'm all for it as long as it comes with a Christie Brinkly with every purchase.
p.s. to be honest I'm not into statting stuff for Traveller. I've lost my notes on the stuff I created back in my college days years ago ... or it's locked up in storage, and I'm not about to make a special trip to go dig it up so I can post it here on this forum. BUT, they were concepts that I thought people might be interested and curious about, so I posted them here.
The service contract on that upgrade is insane.
Enoki
SOC-14 1K
One that I've come up with is a TL 8+ shotgun round that uses an expanding rod warhead. At TL 8 it only works in a break block type shot gun. At 9+ it can be used in any standard shotgun.
The round has a range from 2 to 30 meters and is preset to go off at a set distance. It has a danger space after going off of 5 meters ahead of the round. The round on detonating, ejects a pattern of either razor-sharp metal bands or uses ultra stiff wire or advanced material to form a 2 meter diameter 'wagon wheel' centered on the round.
It has no real penetration so the first thing(s) the warhead contacts are what takes the hit. This means it can't be used against someone or thing behind cover, even as little as brush or other light objects.
On the other hand, when it hits someone it produces 1D6 hits, to the body, each in a different location. If there are two or more hits one is to the torso. On a 6 the hits are head, torso, both arms, both legs. Each location hit takes 1D6 damage. The round also causes the target to become entangled in it for 1D6 combat rounds while the target tries to disentangle themselves from it (assuming they are not incapacitated).
At TL 9+ an IR and proximity round are available that will automatically go off at the right distance from the target.
While of little use in a field with brush or cover, it is highly useful for clearing a room or bar of unwanted guests in a very big hurry.
The round has a range from 2 to 30 meters and is preset to go off at a set distance. It has a danger space after going off of 5 meters ahead of the round. The round on detonating, ejects a pattern of either razor-sharp metal bands or uses ultra stiff wire or advanced material to form a 2 meter diameter 'wagon wheel' centered on the round.
It has no real penetration so the first thing(s) the warhead contacts are what takes the hit. This means it can't be used against someone or thing behind cover, even as little as brush or other light objects.
On the other hand, when it hits someone it produces 1D6 hits, to the body, each in a different location. If there are two or more hits one is to the torso. On a 6 the hits are head, torso, both arms, both legs. Each location hit takes 1D6 damage. The round also causes the target to become entangled in it for 1D6 combat rounds while the target tries to disentangle themselves from it (assuming they are not incapacitated).
At TL 9+ an IR and proximity round are available that will automatically go off at the right distance from the target.
While of little use in a field with brush or cover, it is highly useful for clearing a room or bar of unwanted guests in a very big hurry.
These exist, but not in a shotgun.
They exist in 25mm form, for use in a gun like on the Bradley.
Specifically the way they work is that the round is programmed with a range to detonate at. Then, there's electronics within the fuse of the round that can count the spin of the projectile. Since it "knows" it's relationship between it's spin rate, a clock, and it's velocity out of the bore (the faster it's spinning, the faster it's going), it can compute its actual velocity. Then, after either a specified spin count or a clock tick, it just goes "boom".
The scenario is pretty much as you explained.
Consider a room in an apartment building filled with antagonists. The gunner uses a laser rangefinder to get the distance which feeds in to the gun.
Now add, say, 5 feet to that number to get in to the interior of room.
The cannon shell (being, you know, a cannon) punches holes through the walls and then detonates within it.
The basic goal is to reduce over penetration in dense areas.
I think I saw a video demonstration of the cannon shredding the interior of bus, with nothing of consequence coming out the other side.
It was very impressive. I don't know if we deploy this in the field.
I think there was also a infantry weapon that did this with a grenade launcher, but it's goal was to go after troops behind cover. Shoot the grenade above their heads and it goes off above them.
Condottiere
SOC-14 5K
Shotgun shell is eighteen millimetres, so sensor and detonator may be a matter of shrinkage.
Sure, no doubt. The base point being that your shotgun idea is quite feasible.
Similarly, there should be similar capabilities for things like RAM grenades.
Condottiere
SOC-14 5K
The basic concept of, what, technological level four, shotgun platform with really advanced munitions with a greater damage potential.
More of a Gauss SMG/PDW sorta critter, plus a number of pistols and such in the 10 to 12 tech level range. It’s amusing what FF&S can do.
Here's my final offering for the game. Honestly I should have been writing for Car Wars and a number of other titles, but things got a little complicated, so I got fixated on mister Marc Miller's creation. Thanks to all for valuable feedback over the years;
LASER derivatives;
LASER Submachinegun 4200 grams 3000 / 5000 500 cm 3000
Description; aesthetically a cross between a Thompson submachinegun and a laser rifle, this weapon differs from the both LASER carbine and LASER rifle in that it fires several micropulses as one pulse with a spacing to allow micro-cooling of the hardware and barrel. Innovative weapons’ technicians have modified some to a “High Energy LASER” or HEL gun version, adding an extra 1d6 in addition to its inherent 4d6 damage. May be used with either Carbine or Rifle LASER packs, and also may be modified to accept 35 shot power pack magazines; 6 shots per trigger pull, or may be emptied in full auto.
LASER Light Machinegun 5500 3000 / 5000 1100 cm 10000
A “man portable” support version of the LASER weapon that does 6d6 per shot, but requires a considerable power pack. An additional power pack may be daisy chained to another soldier wearing one. This weapon expands on the LASER SMG by firing several standard LASER carbine powered pulses as one pulse, with cooling taking place between each pulse fired. Power packs can provide 200, 300 and 400 shots, but increase in weight (referee’s discretion). Said weapon may be hooked up to a vehicle’s power plant for effectively unlimited shots.
Electromagnetic Guns
Unlike their more refined cousins that silently fire needles at high velocities, these weapons use a series of “rail” mounted magnets along the barrel to use the same principle to pull and thereby propel a projectile at high velocities. Said weapon makes an electrical snap and spews sparks out at the end of the barrel. It was envisioned as a cheap counter the forces that could equip their troops with Gauss weaponry.
The EMG series can fire a variety of projectiles, and all munitions made for rocket and SNUB weapons have some counterpart for the EMG series. In fact the EMGs can fire unique penetrators, shape charges, flechette rounds, and even anti-armor or anti-material rounds (effectiveness varies depending on tech level). They do require a battery pack in addition to ammunition, and are therefore heavier than expected, though they can be quite versatile.
Each weapon can be outfitted with a variety of magazines that carries any number of shots, but depends on type of munitions being used. Standard rounds come in 40 round magazines.
EMG Light 4000 grams varies varies 900
The Light EMG is a comparatively light weight weapon with a high rate of fire, and is usable against lightly armored targets.
EMG Medium 4300 grams varies varies 1000
Medium EMGs are the standard poor-man’s “high tech” infantry weapons on worlds with poor finances, or larger mercenary groups looking to arm their members with something effective at a budget rate. It can fire at a higher power level for higher penetration, but will use up power at a 2:3 ratio; three shots worth of power for every two fired. As with all EMGs the weapon needs either a power pack or battery.
EMG Heavy 4500 grams varies varies 1100
The “luxury” version of the EMG series, this weapon has the highest rate of fire and penetration of the series. Firing at maximum power uses up battery energy twice as fast; i.e. 2 shots worth of power used for every 1 fired. Ideally this is suited for troops going up against lower tech level forces with moderate armor, and is effective against moderately armored troops at higher tech levels. The weapon was in fact designed to equip poorer and lower tech forces to be able to at least make a show of a fight against Imperial Battleldressed marine. How effective it has proven has yet to be determined.
Sidearms;
Machine Pistol; 1170 grams 200 grams per magazine 200
A full auto sidearm that fires five round bursts. DMs are as per an auto pistol.
Needle Gun 800 grams 50 grams 500
A “sabot like” weapon that fires chemical needles that debilitate a human target upon penetrating the skin. Otherwise it fires as a normal auto pistol. The weapon is limited to medium range.
Particle Projection weapons;
Particle Projection Hand Gun 750 grams 20 shot mag = 100 1500
An energy weapon with high penetration or damage against energy specific armor and hardened personal armor, but at the cost of less damage delivered to a target; typically 2d6 damage, though this is at the referee’s discretion.
PPC Rifle 4000 50 shot mag = 500 grams
A rifle version of the pistol version, this weapon has good penetration against all forms of personal armor, but heavy compared to both the EMG series and standard ACRs. Requires either a battery “magazine” or a power pack.
High Energy LASER weapons;
High Energy LASER carbine 4300 grams 25 shot mag = 200 grams 4000
Another “low cost” innovation in an attempt to equate local forces to Imperial firepower, but doing so at a comparatively low budget—where the HEL series is more expensive than the standard LASER weapon, they are not as expensive as high-energy weapons. The carbine version does 6d6 per shot fired, but has all the DMs of a LASER carbine.
High Energy LASER rifle 4700 grams 1700 grams for 25 shots 4500
Essentially a heavier and longer version of the HEL Carbine, is uses the same DMs as the LASER rifle, but does 7d6 per shot.
LASER derivatives;
LASER Submachinegun 4200 grams 3000 / 5000 500 cm 3000
Description; aesthetically a cross between a Thompson submachinegun and a laser rifle, this weapon differs from the both LASER carbine and LASER rifle in that it fires several micropulses as one pulse with a spacing to allow micro-cooling of the hardware and barrel. Innovative weapons’ technicians have modified some to a “High Energy LASER” or HEL gun version, adding an extra 1d6 in addition to its inherent 4d6 damage. May be used with either Carbine or Rifle LASER packs, and also may be modified to accept 35 shot power pack magazines; 6 shots per trigger pull, or may be emptied in full auto.
LASER Light Machinegun 5500 3000 / 5000 1100 cm 10000
A “man portable” support version of the LASER weapon that does 6d6 per shot, but requires a considerable power pack. An additional power pack may be daisy chained to another soldier wearing one. This weapon expands on the LASER SMG by firing several standard LASER carbine powered pulses as one pulse, with cooling taking place between each pulse fired. Power packs can provide 200, 300 and 400 shots, but increase in weight (referee’s discretion). Said weapon may be hooked up to a vehicle’s power plant for effectively unlimited shots.
Electromagnetic Guns
Unlike their more refined cousins that silently fire needles at high velocities, these weapons use a series of “rail” mounted magnets along the barrel to use the same principle to pull and thereby propel a projectile at high velocities. Said weapon makes an electrical snap and spews sparks out at the end of the barrel. It was envisioned as a cheap counter the forces that could equip their troops with Gauss weaponry.
The EMG series can fire a variety of projectiles, and all munitions made for rocket and SNUB weapons have some counterpart for the EMG series. In fact the EMGs can fire unique penetrators, shape charges, flechette rounds, and even anti-armor or anti-material rounds (effectiveness varies depending on tech level). They do require a battery pack in addition to ammunition, and are therefore heavier than expected, though they can be quite versatile.
Each weapon can be outfitted with a variety of magazines that carries any number of shots, but depends on type of munitions being used. Standard rounds come in 40 round magazines.
EMG Light 4000 grams varies varies 900
The Light EMG is a comparatively light weight weapon with a high rate of fire, and is usable against lightly armored targets.
EMG Medium 4300 grams varies varies 1000
Medium EMGs are the standard poor-man’s “high tech” infantry weapons on worlds with poor finances, or larger mercenary groups looking to arm their members with something effective at a budget rate. It can fire at a higher power level for higher penetration, but will use up power at a 2:3 ratio; three shots worth of power for every two fired. As with all EMGs the weapon needs either a power pack or battery.
EMG Heavy 4500 grams varies varies 1100
The “luxury” version of the EMG series, this weapon has the highest rate of fire and penetration of the series. Firing at maximum power uses up battery energy twice as fast; i.e. 2 shots worth of power used for every 1 fired. Ideally this is suited for troops going up against lower tech level forces with moderate armor, and is effective against moderately armored troops at higher tech levels. The weapon was in fact designed to equip poorer and lower tech forces to be able to at least make a show of a fight against Imperial Battleldressed marine. How effective it has proven has yet to be determined.
Sidearms;
Machine Pistol; 1170 grams 200 grams per magazine 200
A full auto sidearm that fires five round bursts. DMs are as per an auto pistol.
Needle Gun 800 grams 50 grams 500
A “sabot like” weapon that fires chemical needles that debilitate a human target upon penetrating the skin. Otherwise it fires as a normal auto pistol. The weapon is limited to medium range.
Particle Projection weapons;
Particle Projection Hand Gun 750 grams 20 shot mag = 100 1500
An energy weapon with high penetration or damage against energy specific armor and hardened personal armor, but at the cost of less damage delivered to a target; typically 2d6 damage, though this is at the referee’s discretion.
PPC Rifle 4000 50 shot mag = 500 grams
A rifle version of the pistol version, this weapon has good penetration against all forms of personal armor, but heavy compared to both the EMG series and standard ACRs. Requires either a battery “magazine” or a power pack.
High Energy LASER weapons;
High Energy LASER carbine 4300 grams 25 shot mag = 200 grams 4000
Another “low cost” innovation in an attempt to equate local forces to Imperial firepower, but doing so at a comparatively low budget—where the HEL series is more expensive than the standard LASER weapon, they are not as expensive as high-energy weapons. The carbine version does 6d6 per shot fired, but has all the DMs of a LASER carbine.
High Energy LASER rifle 4700 grams 1700 grams for 25 shots 4500
Essentially a heavier and longer version of the HEL Carbine, is uses the same DMs as the LASER rifle, but does 7d6 per shot.
Special Note; the HEL gun concept is supposed to be a "poor man's" high energy weapon without the weight, cost, and obviously power. I shamelessly absconded the name from Marvel's Alien Legion, and was tempted to call it a High Intensity LASER, but "Hil" gun doesn't have quite the same impact.
I also didn't writeup stats for "mercenary" grade batteries for LASER weapons ... those were vetted the first few years I was on this forum, so they're around somewhere in the archives. The idea being that you would use them like a regular magazine for any other weapon, but that they lacked the power of a full military grade power pack or magazine, and therefore didn't deliver as many shots or didn't do as much damage ... or something that made them inferior to say a Zhodani assault LASER weapon.
I also didn't write up the portable minigun. It requires both ammo and a battery pack, meaning one man probably can't really operate it without a sizeable power supply. I suppose at higher tech levels that could be provided as per a high energy weapon, but you probably don't need the weapon at those higher tech levels, for although the weapon has a kind of effectiveness against lower TL troops, it probably won't help you against fully armored Zhodani or Vargr troops ... it would depend.
That's about it. Mister Star Wars, I really don't have a "bliss" nor passion for writing up Traveller gear. I liked the game for what it was and is, but after this I am mostly done with it.
I also didn't writeup stats for "mercenary" grade batteries for LASER weapons ... those were vetted the first few years I was on this forum, so they're around somewhere in the archives. The idea being that you would use them like a regular magazine for any other weapon, but that they lacked the power of a full military grade power pack or magazine, and therefore didn't deliver as many shots or didn't do as much damage ... or something that made them inferior to say a Zhodani assault LASER weapon.
I also didn't write up the portable minigun. It requires both ammo and a battery pack, meaning one man probably can't really operate it without a sizeable power supply. I suppose at higher tech levels that could be provided as per a high energy weapon, but you probably don't need the weapon at those higher tech levels, for although the weapon has a kind of effectiveness against lower TL troops, it probably won't help you against fully armored Zhodani or Vargr troops ... it would depend.
That's about it. Mister Star Wars, I really don't have a "bliss" nor passion for writing up Traveller gear. I liked the game for what it was and is, but after this I am mostly done with it.
Re-examining, I'm thinking I should make some of these things a touch lighter. The idea behind the high energy LASER and EMGs were to give low income or moderate income worlds a weapon to sorta-kinda counter Imperial troops with Gauss and HEW troopers in CA and BD ... so, I'll give it some thought. I left off the DMs because they're essentially the same for other LASER weapons, though the EMGs or somewhat modeled after the Starcraft "Gauss" weapons for the Marines, so maybe they have a kick as well as a report, just not as much. But, that's kind of my final offering for the game. 
Spinward Flow
SOC-14 1K
It's fun to realize that when CT was being written a lot of the technologies we have today didn't exist yet.
- High temperature superconductors (1987)
- Nanotechnology
- Graphene
- Computers that fit in your pocket (or on your wrist!)
- Global data communications networks
Well, I was thinking of them from a game mechanic standpoint. I didn't want to give something that was cheap and effective against all armor without some kind of cost; i.e. weight in this example. At the same time the EMG is supposed to be quite a bit heavier than your standard Gauss rifle, and the HEL gun is supposed to be a "military grade" version or "suped up" version of your standard LASER weapons.
So, I like I said, I'll give it some thought.
