EXCESSIVE FIREPOWER IS NEVER ENOUGH!

 

Created by Mad Dog (gionpeters@home.com). This information is also available from Richard Bermudez (ghostcat@brokersys.com).

 

A few new weapons and weapons systems for Battlelords of the 23rd Century (tm).

 

I took some time and designed a few new toys that were missing from the

Battlelords inventory:

 

1.        3 "new" archaic powder weapons

2.       2 "new" grenades for grenade launchers

3.       Rifle grenades

4.       Laser sights

5.       New weapon accessories

 

ARCHAIC POWDER WEAPONS

 

The Millennium

 

This weapon supposes that Human Archaic Systems decides to put a little of its money into R&D, in order to make a weapon that could be effective against all

forms of non-heavy armor. The Millennium is a bull pup design largely utilizing composite materials. The weapon design and the sealed magazines prevent dirt

and junk from easily fouling the weapon. The ammunition used is a 7mm case less round, and comes in environmentally sealed 35 round cassettes from the factory

and cannot normally be reloaded by hand. Special ammunition types (armor piercing, hollow point, etc) must be purchased as a whole magazine. The weapon is capable of semi-auto (ROF=1), burst fire (ROF=3), and full-auto (ROF=7) fire. The Millennium utilizes the same firing mechanisms as the G14 case less rifle, allowing for a very high rate of burst fire. As with the G14, there is no penalty associated with firing the weapon in burst fire mode. The weapon comes with a built in Gyrostabilizer, which halves the penalty associated with firing the weapon in full-auto mode. The Millennium also comes with a built in bipod, and is capable of mounting scopes, grenade launchers, and rifle grenades.

 

ENCUMBRANCE: 10

AMMUNITION: 7 mm case less (cost for a loaded cassette = 1250 cr)

For other stats, see below.

 

The Slugger

 

A Ram Python sized weapon for a real Ram Python! All the damage you associate with a pulse cannot, but with the noise and smell of the archaic powder weapons you love! The Slugger is simply a large semi-automatic (ROF=1) rifle, firing the .700 Nitro round. No frills, no thrills, just a large rifle. For python sized units or larger; smaller pip-squeaks are -30 when firing the Slugger (assuming you could even pick it up!). The Sluggers capable of mounting scopes, grenade launchers, but not rifle grenades. Also comes with a free picture of the buyer engraved on the butt stock (so the Ram who bought it doesn't forget that he owns it).

 

ENCUMBRANCE: 56 (not a typo), loaded magazines weigh Enc=4!

AMMUNITION: .700 Nitro (cost/round = 40 cr)

For other stats, see below.

 

Herstal P-90

 

Look on page 117 of Lock-n-Load 2nd Ed. See the left slayborg? He is using the Herstal P-90. Manufactured by Fabrique Nationale Herstal, this innovative weapon was designed for close-in shooting. The compact unit is largely made of composite material, and utilizes a top loaded magazine made of transparent plastic. The P90 uses a 5.7mm standard round, which has excellent armor-piercing qualities (-1 from threshold). The weapon is very controllable, and can even be fired one-handed at a -15 penalty. The P90 can fire in semi-auto (ROF=1) and full-auto (ROF=13) modes.

 

ENCUMBRANCE: 5

AMMUNITION: 5.7mm (cost/round = 10 cr)

For other stats, see below.

 

All of the above archaic powder weapons were designed and converted to Battlelords using "Guns,Guns,Guns" from BTRC. If you like tinkering, I highly suggest it. While not an official Battlelords supplement, it has several pages on how to convert weapons to BL stats.

 

New Launched Grenades

 

Two new grenades (for use in grenade launchers or rifle grenades only) are presented.

 

Beehive

 

The beehive round turns a grenade launcher into a large shotgun. The grenade is filled with shot or flechettes, and functions exactly like a large shotgun (x2 threshold). When using this round, use your "Indirect Fire" skill. See below for stats.

 

H.E.A.T.

 

HEAT (High Explosive Anti Tank) rounds are widely used for anti-vehicular purposes. A HEAT grenade is a small round designed to knock out lightly armored vehicles or body armor. The to hit numbers are as per the launcher. See below for stats.

 

Rifle Grenades

 

Rifle grenades are another 20th century development. Simply put, a rifle grenade is a short (10-30 cm) rocket propelled grenade that is launched from the end of your barrel. In order for a rifle to be able to fire a rifle grenade, it must have a special barrel fitting, which most, if not all-military rifles possess (usually built into the flash suppressor). Archaic powder rifles and carousel rifles are the only rifles that can have the possibility of using rifle grenades. Furthermore, sniper rifles and shotguns are usually not capable of firing rifle grenades. Rifle grenades are available in the exact same types as other launched grenades, except Beehive (above), and cost the same. It normally takes 6 seconds to affix a rifle grenade to a rifle. Once on the rifle, a single shot from the rifle (expending the single round) launches the rifle grenade. Any round (including blanks) can be used to launch the rifle grenade. Rifle grenades have a low SS when attached to a

rifle, dropping or jarring the rifle+grenade combination can jar the rifle grenade loose. Fortunately, it is almost impossible to detonate a rifle grenade other than launching it. Firing a rifle grenade uses your "Indirect Weapon" skill.

 

Final note regarding rifle grenades and other launched grenades:

 

Normally, in real life, rifle grenades and launched grenades (along with other heavier ordinances) have a minimum arming distance. That is, if you used a M-203 grenade launcher and launched a HE grenade at your dog, standing 5 m away, the grenade would not explode or go off. This is to prevent small accidents from killing the operator of the grenade launcher. I suggest you implement a rule that prevents these items from detonating at a range of less than 10 meters. An obvious exception to this would be the Beehive round.

 

Laser Sights

 

Who wouldn’t want one? They look cool, and they place a neat red dot on your target, which can be used for intimidation purposes. Laser sights, by the 23rd century will most likely be small, compact solid-state devices with a very long battery life. When a laser sight is in use, it adds a flat bonus to hit. At range brackets 1-3 a +10 bonus is added. At further range brackets, the +10 bonus is only given if you have fully sighted your target using a scope. Mazians can’t use these devices (no eyes), and Rams (poor eyesight) have to be sighted in at range brackets greater than 2 in order to get the bonus. Enhanced eyesight should be handled logically. A laser sight has a low SS, knocking it about can knock the aiming out of whack. Laser sights suffer the same restrictions as lasers, i.e., weather and smoke prevent their use.

 

·         bonuses are only granted when the user has the target completely sighted in using a scope.

 

Weapon Enhancements

 

Several new weapon enhancements are presented.

 

Weapon customization.

 

A weapon can be customized for a particular person. This involves slight alterations in a weapon to maximize the users ability to comfortably use it. Shaped grips, modifying the stock, changing the trigger pull, etc, are all examples of this. All types of ranged weapons can be customized.

 

COST = 50% cost of weapon or 5000 cr, whichever is more

TIME = 2-8 days (plus time to find the gunsmith)

EFFECT = adds +3% to hit, all range brackets

 

Heavy Barrel

 

A heavy barrel is simply a longer barrel fitted to the weapon. This modification can only be done to archaic powder weapons. Longer barrels mean higher munitions velocity and better accuracy, but greater weight.

 

COST = +1000 cr.

TIME = nil. (but it with the weapon, or fit it on later)

EFFECT = +1 damage, +1% accuracy, +1 ENC.

 

Gyrostabilizer

 

If you look under High Tech armor modifications in Lock-n-Load, you will see this item. It halves the firing penalties for burst and automatic fire. I asked the SSDC guys about fitting one of these onto a weapon, and the reply, "OK" (Not sure if that makes it official...) A gyrostabilizer can be fitted onto any ranged weapon of ENC 6 or greater. The gyrostabilizer comes with a long life power supply that only needs infrequent changing.

 

COST = 8000 cr.

TIME = 1 day

EFFECT = halves penalties for burst and full auto fire, +2 ENC to weapon.

 

Improved Armor Piercing Rounds

 

Slugs used for archaic powder weapons are Teflon coated to be armor piercing. Improved versions of these can be purchased (tungsten penetrates, super-dense alloy, etc....)(again, I asked one of the SSDC guys about this, this was their answer). These are available for archaic powder weapons only.

 

COST = x5 normal cost

TIME= nil.

EFFECT = -2 to threshold

 

Depleted Uranium Rounds

 

Officially available for carousel weapons, logically they should be available for archaic powder weapons, too. After all, a slug, is a slug, is a slug, right? These types of rounds are probably restricted due to the very low level of alpha radiation given from them.

 

COST = x30 normal cost

TIME = nil. (although very rare to find)

EFFECT = +2 damage if penetrates armor, -3 to integrity, -4 to threshold

 

Final note about special ammunition types:

 

You cannot combine different types of special ammunition. You cannot have, for instance an "armor piercing, depleted uranium, hollow point" round.

 

Archaic Power

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

MN

SS

ROF

Q

Dmg

Cost

Millennium

98

91

79

69

42

23

00

-25

98

99

1/3/7

35

3-13

25,000

Slugger

79

70

59

47

25

06

-

-

98

99

1

12

6-36

42,000

Herstal P90

82

70

53

36

01

-20

-

-

99

100

1/13

50

2-7

12,500

 

Laser Sights

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

SS

Cost

Bonus to hit

+10

+10

+10

+10*

+10*

+10*

+10*

+10*

85

500

 

Launched Grenades

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

Dam

Cost

Beehive

105

85

62

30

-30

-

-

-

5-20

300

H.E.A.T.

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

1-40

700

 

Rifle Grenades

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

MN

SS

ROF

Q

Dmg

Cost

All types

70

60

50

30

00

-30

-

-

99

90

1/6

1

var

var