are there high tech melee weapons in any book?

[Thunderbolt]

What about coming up with a MGT version of the Valerian Space Axe as depicted in E.E. 'Doc' Smith's, Galactic Patrol series.

Ideal for powered armour troops, provided you can perform the requisite hand waving for the Dureum metal they are made of.

Of course, these come from a universe where you can have personal forcefields to stop energy weapons, so hand to hand is the next best thing.

 

[JimG]

How about this TL7-8 melee weapon:
Wasp Knife

 

[zozotroll]

Looks OK, but two questions.

1. How deep does it need to go to set it off? Or is it command detonated? Looks like it has to be deep to have any great effect.

2. How many shots does it have? It looked like the guy reloaded between melons. Kind of blow if it triggered early and its only one shot.

3. Ok a third, how fragile is it? Is it rugged enough for military ops or is it a Mafia weapon?

 

[JimG]

Looks OK, but two questions.

1. How deep does it need to go to set it off? Or is it command detonated? Looks like it has to be deep to have any great effect.

2. How many shots does it have? It looked like the guy reloaded between melons. Kind of blow if it triggered early and its only one shot.

3. Ok a third, how fragile is it? Is it rugged enough for military ops or is it a Mafia weapon?

Hmm... actually this doesn't look like an effective military weapon to me... one shot with poor penetration (he struggled to get it to penetrate a melon, I doubt it would have much luck with kevlar)

Reminds me of a bang stick:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bangstick

It can do some serious damage... but I'm not sure why you'd choose it over a firearm (if you weren't underwater)

 

[serene_muse]

What about coming up with a MGT version of the Valerian Space Axe as depicted in E.E. 'Doc' Smith's, Galactic Patrol series.

That's more or less in QLI's Personal Weapons of Charted Space book, which has stats for many other melee and non-lethal weapons for both T20 and CT, including higher-tech batons. I'd not recommend purchasing directly from QLI directly, but the print or PDF version should be available elsewhere.

Marc Miller's Traveller (T4) had a book called Emperor's Arsenal which also should be directly convertible and has a good variety of weapons of all sorts (including IIRC a plasma pistol of sorts?) with lots of illustrations. Available on PDF.

If you need more than that, try TNE's Fire, Fusion & Steel or Greg Porter's Guns, Guns, Guns! and try designing your own.

 

[zozotroll]

JimG, I cant imagine any blade being an effective military weapopn. Just watched a program last night on Iwo Jima. After the famous flag raiseing photo a numberr of Japanese infantry started comeing out of a cave near by. One of the first or second out was an officer with a sword, who charged out to whack peple. Of course he got shot right down. But had he had a gun, he might have gotten enough shots off to let more of his troops out.

Instead, the Marines grenaded the cave and blocked the other 150 troops in the cave. Maybe one time in 10000 a blade is going to be a better choice. But maybe not that high.

 

[Zowy]

Plasma blade is a TL 16 Darrian weapon.

 

[JimG]

JimG, I cant imagine any blade being an effective military weapopn.

I totally agree with you for real world militaries, but in Traveller apparently this isn't true...

Of course, when I mentioned this on CoTI some months ago the response was... less than constructive.

 

[Rikki Tikki Traveller]

As the ONLY weapon, a melee weapon is, shall we say inadequate. BUT, there are always times when you are too close to the enemy to use a gun, or you want silence.

Knives/Bayonets are still part of modern militaries and I don't see that changing. Should it be as common as it appears in Traveller? That is the debate.

 

[zozotroll]

I went clear through Desert Storm with my bayonet tied to my belt so I didnt lose the silly thing. I dont know of a single troop in the full regiment, and attached units that used one on anybody.

As for to close, one of my buddys shot a guy in the chest with an M203 grenade launcher that was to close for the grenade to arm. While it didnt go off, haveing a 40mm projo lodged in his chest took the steam right out of him.

 

[Warlock32]

Perhaps an Energy Blade could be used in a similar manner as a Marine Corps Saber with Dress uniform. The Projection Hilt would be worn as part of Formal Dress, and while lethal within arm's reach, is more a ceremonial function.

Then again, one of the main reasons swords EXIST in the Traveller universe is for close range shipboard actions.

 

[JimG]

Perhaps an Energy Blade could be used in a similar manner as a Marine Corps Saber with Dress uniform. The Projection Hilt would be worn as part of Formal Dress, and while lethal within arm's reach, is more a ceremonial function.

Then again, one of the main reasons swords EXIST in the Traveller universe is for close range shipboard actions.

Swords (energy or otherwise) seem totally legit to me for ceremonial purposes.

Similarly, I can't argue with the utility of knives and other small melee weapons in a variety of situations.

But the "close range shipboard action" argument doesn't completely convince me... Modern military and police forces have to deal with close combat situations - including ones where collateral damage is a serious issue - but as far as I'm know there aren't any that equip their troops with swords.

All that being said, pirates and marines with cutlasses and nobles with rapiers are such an integral part of Traveller (IMHO) that I just go with it despite the fact that none of justifications ever really sell me on the logic of it.

 

[GamerDude]

In my early days of playing Traveller (like 1981-85) a GM pointed out to me that, when you are going to a low-tech and/or out of the way planet, the higher tech the weapon the easier it is to damage and the harder to get whatever spare parts you might need. If you didn't bring it with you then you've got a problem.

Why did they make this point? So we wouldn't forget to consider a sword and maybe a lower tech 'slug thrower' (rifle or pistol). In a low tech environment these weapons can be more effective.

Worked for us, and we always had a mix of low and high tech weapons at our disposal.


Of course, in a Zero-G environment, ya don't want anything with a recoil.

 

[-Daniel-]

All that being said, pirates and marines with cutlasses and nobles with rapiers are such an integral part of Traveller (IMHO) that I just go with it despite the fact that none of justifications ever really sell me on the logic of it.

For me, this has always been the bottom line. It is a part of the setting that adds flavor and oddity and so I accept it. Logic aside, it is just part of the background. The same way I accept Lightsabres in Star Wars. I do so for the fun factor alone.

Daniel

 

[JimG]

Of course, in a Zero-G environment, ya don't want anything with a recoil.

Nor do you want any weapon that you have to swing violently as this would put your body in a spin that will be difficult to control.

Also, in a zero-g environment I'm not convinced you'd have the leverage to swing with any power anyway.

 

[zozotroll]

Just about have to be in contact with something. And any contact will move you away. Be damned hard to get a solid shot in.

 

[GeneralM@yhem]

There was an article in an old White Dwarf(when it was good). It had rules for laser swords and laser foils for nobles.Anyone remember it?

 

[-Daniel-]

Also, in a zero-g environment I'm not convinced you'd have the leverage to swing with any power anyway.

Now maybe that is a good reason for some kind of power sword, it is not my "swing" that gets you, it is the power of the blade that makes life hard for you. :wink:

Daniel

 

[zozotroll]

Or a nice flechette gun. You dont need to kill him, just hole the suit.

 

[cbrunish]

One think to think about is that kinetic energy weapons realistically will top out. The gauss rifle is the ultimate in slugthrowers (to use a Gamma World term). Also in regards to shipboard. A rifle might become a nuisence to a person, while a cutlass or pistol will be easier to use in close quarters.

An if I was trained to use a sword, would probably want to carry it around. But in polite society, the open carrying of weapons is frowned on. That is why you have a concealed handgun permit (sorry those from Great Britain and Australia). And the same goes with a knife. This is why people don't go walking around town with a rifle (and I'm not talking about gun racks in trucks).