Central Supply Catalogue Update – Comments requested!
- Thread starter Geir
- Start date
Condottiere
Emperor Mongoose
Probably needs to be clarified, since fifteen dice of damage shouldn't be rounded down, and probably not rounded up, unless there's some extra effect having double dees has in terms of damage.
Arkathan said:
That would nicely handle it (barring the blast radius). Maybe the rule could be clarified to apply to nuclear weapons (ie they do 1DD if not destructive to begin with, or 6DD if they are)? As it stands, the Zircon gun drone in the vehicle handbook does 6DD with its medium auto cannon.
That said, even 1DD seems pretty huge for a machine gun.
CrusaderWarden
Mongoose
adzling said:
All of this, please.
GamingGlen said:
Why do important people have the biggest desk and the cleanest? Because the desk *isn't* about having room to do work, its about showing who is the big kahuna. As for actual dictation, that's what a bot or a human assistant handles. Nothing as pedestrian as a pen! And if you are important enough, someone is likely bringing your slippers and lighting your cigar. This too is not because the tech doesn't exist to build these features, but that having servants to tend to you so you don't even have to ask for things before they show up... that's what power and money means.
Now, a tool box for your tech that weighted half as much or a third as much would be very useful.
Arkathan said:
Once you can go sub-dermal, you can probably also wire the input directly to a neural cluster at the base of the brain and you can just *think* what you want dictated and you can just *see* images without any external display.
I love tactile keyboards vs. typing on screens because I never know if I'm in the right place and I'm never sure if the character I typed was triggered right if I'm typing fast because I'm not reading what I wrote but instead zipping along. Tactile lets me feel and hear the triggering of keys and to know when I'm on the home row without looking.
Arkathan
Emperor Mongoose
kaladorn said:
Some cultures balk at cybernetics.
My guys wanted to do a Sword Worlds campaign. They're like what do you mean prosthetics are cheating?
Yep, that's what your family, friends and coworkers have all told you from birth.
Guy who picked Science-Cybernetics as a major: D'oh!
Another drawback: You can take a TL 12 portable computer to a TL 8 world. If you get injured, they can heal you just fine, but with an implant... that same TL means your surgeon is rolling it straight or with a negative.
Let me second less-lethal weapons. I don't have my CSC handy, but I've created a variety of less lethal methods for other game systems.
Less Lethal Weapons
Conductive Energy Weapons (Tasers and Stun Guns)
Shock administering gloves (Shock Gloves) - stun damage
Dazzlers (lasers that pulse in such a way to trigger massive dizziness/vertigo and maybe vomitting... had a friend in SF testing these.... you have to be short ranged and ideally the bad guy doesn't know you have one so he isn't expecting it.... harder in those cases)
High power lasers - they work on unprotected eyes and that includes face masks with no polarization, vehicle windshields, or even airplane or helo windscreens and they can blind temporarily or permanently.... imagine trying to land without sight... (this might actually NOT be less lethal so maybe it ought to be considered a straight up weapon)
Microwave area denial emitters (which can be mounted on vehicles for mobile 'kettling' manouvers)
Stun staves/battons (longer reach than a pocket 9V stun gun)
Net launchers
Predator-style Net launchers (where the net tends to pin you to whatever was behind you and then the anchors activate and start cutting into you)
Solifoam - Dispensible from something looking like an Aliens Flamer Rifle or a vehicle mount with a tank - produces a lot of foam that expands ludicrously fast and hardens as fast (but does not prevent breathing) (saw this in some DARPA demo) - aka 'Web Spell'
Baton launchers - from 10-ga or 8-ga shotgun or from a rotary mag baton launcher (stun can ensue and it sure causes blunt trauma)
Wax or Rubber Bullets (noting the Rubber bullets can still kill in extreme cases) - for lower tech
Stun grenades - some as small as a plum with very limited ranges for very close counter-terrorism / hostage rescue purposes, some much larger
Paintball guns dispensing Oleoresin Capsicum as an airborne suspension (affects breathing and sight if not protected)
Vomit agents (in grenades or other dispensers) - the nastier cousin of CS (tear gas)
Sticky foam - sprays from vehicle mount or backpack mount sprayers or could be fired from an auto GL to explode at a set distance (like cannister detonating) and covers groups with strands of very adhesive threads that are very hard to cut or remove without the special dissolver chemical - you may get a step or two in or reach for a radio... and your feet and hands stick to you, to your gear, to the ground, then you fall down, then you are really stuck and if any or your near buddies bump you, you form a big snafu together
Binary chemical agents that when combined trigger a toxin response (from paralyzation to you croak...) (could be less lethal at the low end, definitely lethal further up the nasty scale)
EMP effects to stop vehicles or robots. We are getting good with building small EMP generators and that's at TL 8-9 at most. They can be mounted on vehicles or setup as mines. They may also burn out exoskeletons, augments and computers. And if you are unprotected by shielded armour or in the open... and close... the EMP can knock you out (maybe at worst case kill but that's be rare)
Flashbangs - blind, deafen, stun
Stingball grenades (throw out large rubber marbles at high speed to cause a lot of bruising/blunt trauma) on the unprotected
High volume sound projectors - bust ear drums, put people down from the pain
Also, the 'Havana' machine - doing invisible harm at a distance (presumably ultrasonic, but I don't think anyone is sure - headaches, dizziness, etc.
DoorLock shotgun shells (or GL shells if it came to it) - used to blow off door hinges prior to entry (used for fast dynamic breach-in-stride moves) - usually a special shotgun with maybe 4 rounds but could be up to 8 or 10 depending how short you want your shotgun, GL rounds would just be larger versions (Commercially Shock-Lock or Shok-Lock or some such)
Hooligan Tool - specialized entry tool that 1 or 2 assaulters can use to pry open even fire doors... wedge on a long bar
Door Knocker - Large, heavy steel ram that can be sized for one or two strong people to knock in doors (but doesn't work great on steel doors with the right door frames - for those you need a Hooligan tool or demo or maybe thermite if you have time to setup) - at higher tech, it could be *very heavy* in the last part of the sing with grav support or it could be light during the run up and the grav turned off once the swinging starts to increase mobility
Rampart style riot shields - the big ones a cop can hide behind and fire through either a peep hole or to rest a sidearm or carbine and fire around the edges, not just what your riot cops carry these are heavy shields used by SWAT expecting heavy opposition from the outset - these too could be grav at higher levels
The foam, chemical, stun, and nets can be setup in sentry turrets as well for automated non-lethal responses. They could be triggered by trigger plates in buildings in order to accomplish area denial. Bots equipped with projectors of various sorts and launchers or GLs with less lethal rounds and some armour and sensors/tracking ... that can beat up PCs without killing them outright... most of the time...
Psi weapons
Consider that a psi-helmet can block a psionic effect which means that there is a clear interaction between electronics and psi AND we understand it (or we couldn't build those helmets) so...
Tools for psi-able individuals (probably worn) to amplify psi (or reduce the burn rate of psi power use)
Weapons that are harmless to the rest of us, but can cause harm (define if you want less-lethal or more lethal) psionics that are hit by them (I can totally see this being done in the Suppresions)
Area field that can mess with psionic powers
Area field that can interfere with the defensive capability of psi-helmets to partly or completely neutralize them or burn them out
Other
Utility laser: Pointed like a flashlight, a continuous laser with a variable lens setup that allows it to be from wide angle normal flashlight to limited long range bright spotlight to invisibly small aperture and in that mode, it can be focused on one spot to burn through (like lock) or used like an arc welder or plasma welder to cut through material and in close combat (under 20') it can be swung as a slashing weapon that can hit multiple targets and hit multiple areas on a target in a slash. The latter mode eats battery fast, but you can probably get through one encounter with it. Using it as a flashlight could give you 48 hours or more at higher techs. (No, I'm NOT calling it a Niven Laser Pointer.
Assault slings: SF and SWAT use these to make really fast transitions to secondary (sidearm) when the mag empties on their primary. As a friend of mine who as an assaulter says: "If my primary goes dry, I need to transition because reloading in a room clearance is not fast enough. Even for sidearms, you often don't even use front sights, just the natural pointing dynamics of the sidearm because you are moving fast, ranges are often short, and reaction time must be as fast as humanly possibly while not missing the shot. If every target in the room isn't dead by the time my primary and secondary are empty, we've really f***ed up...." The Assault Sling lets you drop your AR and or SMG or whatever and it'll hang in an accessible but not in the way attitude while you draw and engage with your sidearm.
Bots
SWAT would use a lot of bots and drones for recon, EOD, and leading entries (to take the fire and to carry heavy shields or rams) [ PS Trivia fact: What's the most at risk assaulter in a room clearing? Number 3. 1 and 2 usually manage entry before the bad guys realize the jig is up and get lined up on the door. Even waiting for cops, the first guy can often get in and most of the time the second before the enemy react and fire. The third and fourth guys may well come into a hail of fire.
Search and Rescue and Fire Response Units would use bots of different specialized types.
SF would use bots like big Dog or Mule but more refined and with a lot more speed, safety, etc.
Trauma Tubes: Stuff a dying guy into one of these, flick on the power, he gets instant cryofreezing and the grav module attached can either be easily moved by troops or attached to a vehicle with a teacher. They can also be autonomous and return to a medical aid station and give the staff early diagnostic info and if it links to a medical comp at the clearing station, by the time the tube is parked in a slot in the med bay, they'll know what they are dealing with (and any bay would immediately offer ongoing power so you can keep the injured person from having to wake up prematurely).
Rescue Tube: Trauma Tube, but add some armour and opticam and a couple of single shot flare and electronic decoys in case the bad guys shoot medical gear. These tubes can come out, hover over a patient, open the bottom bay doors, land over the patient, prepare them for transit, close the doors, lift off, and get back to the troops and the medics quick (and they move fast and evasive to a point and have enough armour to stop most small arms and most light support weapons). They are expensive.
High tech climbing gear - say 'pseudo-spider silk' with a wand style launcher which will pull you up quick once the head secures itself to a wall or other surface it was shot at.
Less Lethal Weapons
Conductive Energy Weapons (Tasers and Stun Guns)
Shock administering gloves (Shock Gloves) - stun damage
Dazzlers (lasers that pulse in such a way to trigger massive dizziness/vertigo and maybe vomitting... had a friend in SF testing these.... you have to be short ranged and ideally the bad guy doesn't know you have one so he isn't expecting it.... harder in those cases)
High power lasers - they work on unprotected eyes and that includes face masks with no polarization, vehicle windshields, or even airplane or helo windscreens and they can blind temporarily or permanently.... imagine trying to land without sight... (this might actually NOT be less lethal so maybe it ought to be considered a straight up weapon)
Microwave area denial emitters (which can be mounted on vehicles for mobile 'kettling' manouvers)
Stun staves/battons (longer reach than a pocket 9V stun gun)
Net launchers
Predator-style Net launchers (where the net tends to pin you to whatever was behind you and then the anchors activate and start cutting into you)
Solifoam - Dispensible from something looking like an Aliens Flamer Rifle or a vehicle mount with a tank - produces a lot of foam that expands ludicrously fast and hardens as fast (but does not prevent breathing) (saw this in some DARPA demo) - aka 'Web Spell'
Baton launchers - from 10-ga or 8-ga shotgun or from a rotary mag baton launcher (stun can ensue and it sure causes blunt trauma)
Wax or Rubber Bullets (noting the Rubber bullets can still kill in extreme cases) - for lower tech
Stun grenades - some as small as a plum with very limited ranges for very close counter-terrorism / hostage rescue purposes, some much larger
Paintball guns dispensing Oleoresin Capsicum as an airborne suspension (affects breathing and sight if not protected)
Vomit agents (in grenades or other dispensers) - the nastier cousin of CS (tear gas)
Sticky foam - sprays from vehicle mount or backpack mount sprayers or could be fired from an auto GL to explode at a set distance (like cannister detonating) and covers groups with strands of very adhesive threads that are very hard to cut or remove without the special dissolver chemical - you may get a step or two in or reach for a radio... and your feet and hands stick to you, to your gear, to the ground, then you fall down, then you are really stuck and if any or your near buddies bump you, you form a big snafu together
Binary chemical agents that when combined trigger a toxin response (from paralyzation to you croak...) (could be less lethal at the low end, definitely lethal further up the nasty scale)
EMP effects to stop vehicles or robots. We are getting good with building small EMP generators and that's at TL 8-9 at most. They can be mounted on vehicles or setup as mines. They may also burn out exoskeletons, augments and computers. And if you are unprotected by shielded armour or in the open... and close... the EMP can knock you out (maybe at worst case kill but that's be rare)
Flashbangs - blind, deafen, stun
Stingball grenades (throw out large rubber marbles at high speed to cause a lot of bruising/blunt trauma) on the unprotected
High volume sound projectors - bust ear drums, put people down from the pain
Also, the 'Havana' machine - doing invisible harm at a distance (presumably ultrasonic, but I don't think anyone is sure - headaches, dizziness, etc.
DoorLock shotgun shells (or GL shells if it came to it) - used to blow off door hinges prior to entry (used for fast dynamic breach-in-stride moves) - usually a special shotgun with maybe 4 rounds but could be up to 8 or 10 depending how short you want your shotgun, GL rounds would just be larger versions (Commercially Shock-Lock or Shok-Lock or some such)
Hooligan Tool - specialized entry tool that 1 or 2 assaulters can use to pry open even fire doors... wedge on a long bar
Door Knocker - Large, heavy steel ram that can be sized for one or two strong people to knock in doors (but doesn't work great on steel doors with the right door frames - for those you need a Hooligan tool or demo or maybe thermite if you have time to setup) - at higher tech, it could be *very heavy* in the last part of the sing with grav support or it could be light during the run up and the grav turned off once the swinging starts to increase mobility
Rampart style riot shields - the big ones a cop can hide behind and fire through either a peep hole or to rest a sidearm or carbine and fire around the edges, not just what your riot cops carry these are heavy shields used by SWAT expecting heavy opposition from the outset - these too could be grav at higher levels
The foam, chemical, stun, and nets can be setup in sentry turrets as well for automated non-lethal responses. They could be triggered by trigger plates in buildings in order to accomplish area denial. Bots equipped with projectors of various sorts and launchers or GLs with less lethal rounds and some armour and sensors/tracking ... that can beat up PCs without killing them outright... most of the time...
Psi weapons
Consider that a psi-helmet can block a psionic effect which means that there is a clear interaction between electronics and psi AND we understand it (or we couldn't build those helmets) so...
Tools for psi-able individuals (probably worn) to amplify psi (or reduce the burn rate of psi power use)
Weapons that are harmless to the rest of us, but can cause harm (define if you want less-lethal or more lethal) psionics that are hit by them (I can totally see this being done in the Suppresions)
Area field that can mess with psionic powers
Area field that can interfere with the defensive capability of psi-helmets to partly or completely neutralize them or burn them out
Other
Utility laser: Pointed like a flashlight, a continuous laser with a variable lens setup that allows it to be from wide angle normal flashlight to limited long range bright spotlight to invisibly small aperture and in that mode, it can be focused on one spot to burn through (like lock) or used like an arc welder or plasma welder to cut through material and in close combat (under 20') it can be swung as a slashing weapon that can hit multiple targets and hit multiple areas on a target in a slash. The latter mode eats battery fast, but you can probably get through one encounter with it. Using it as a flashlight could give you 48 hours or more at higher techs. (No, I'm NOT calling it a Niven Laser Pointer.
Assault slings: SF and SWAT use these to make really fast transitions to secondary (sidearm) when the mag empties on their primary. As a friend of mine who as an assaulter says: "If my primary goes dry, I need to transition because reloading in a room clearance is not fast enough. Even for sidearms, you often don't even use front sights, just the natural pointing dynamics of the sidearm because you are moving fast, ranges are often short, and reaction time must be as fast as humanly possibly while not missing the shot. If every target in the room isn't dead by the time my primary and secondary are empty, we've really f***ed up...." The Assault Sling lets you drop your AR and or SMG or whatever and it'll hang in an accessible but not in the way attitude while you draw and engage with your sidearm.
Bots
SWAT would use a lot of bots and drones for recon, EOD, and leading entries (to take the fire and to carry heavy shields or rams) [ PS Trivia fact: What's the most at risk assaulter in a room clearing? Number 3. 1 and 2 usually manage entry before the bad guys realize the jig is up and get lined up on the door. Even waiting for cops, the first guy can often get in and most of the time the second before the enemy react and fire. The third and fourth guys may well come into a hail of fire.
Search and Rescue and Fire Response Units would use bots of different specialized types.
SF would use bots like big Dog or Mule but more refined and with a lot more speed, safety, etc.
Trauma Tubes: Stuff a dying guy into one of these, flick on the power, he gets instant cryofreezing and the grav module attached can either be easily moved by troops or attached to a vehicle with a teacher. They can also be autonomous and return to a medical aid station and give the staff early diagnostic info and if it links to a medical comp at the clearing station, by the time the tube is parked in a slot in the med bay, they'll know what they are dealing with (and any bay would immediately offer ongoing power so you can keep the injured person from having to wake up prematurely).
Rescue Tube: Trauma Tube, but add some armour and opticam and a couple of single shot flare and electronic decoys in case the bad guys shoot medical gear. These tubes can come out, hover over a patient, open the bottom bay doors, land over the patient, prepare them for transit, close the doors, lift off, and get back to the troops and the medics quick (and they move fast and evasive to a point and have enough armour to stop most small arms and most light support weapons). They are expensive.
High tech climbing gear - say 'pseudo-spider silk' with a wand style launcher which will pull you up quick once the head secures itself to a wall or other surface it was shot at.
Arkathan
Emperor Mongoose
The robots book will hopefully take care of the bots. Really looking forward to that one.
Pepperball guns have a couple of other loads. The Glass breaker round moves up into potentially lethal territory, but allows the follow-up chemical rounds to get into houses/unarmored vehicles after shattering the windshields.
Magazine fed rounds offer "fin" stability over the hopper fed balls, reducing the magnus effect, at the cost of greatly reduced capacity, although switching feed methods is possible and does not take long.
One thing that isn't well translatable into Traveller is the pain compliance aspect of pepperballs. They feel like frozen paintballs, but they explode into a cloud of irritating dust that gets everywhere, makes breathing difficult and lights up anywhere that you've been sweating... for hours. Decontamination is an issue too. That stuff gets everywhere and cleaning it exposes the cleaner. If it is on your head, be careful about jumping in a shower. Gravity pulls things down, and there are places you don't want pepper water dripping... unless you don't mind standing in front of a waist level fan for an hour or so. This is true even several hours after exposure. Word to the wise.
Foams. If using the pepper foam, care should be taken. 10% of the population is not highly susceptible to natural/synthetic pepper and you get cross contamination when the affected person tracks you by sound and throws the foam back at you. (Our local agency stopped using it because of this.)
Pepperball guns have a couple of other loads. The Glass breaker round moves up into potentially lethal territory, but allows the follow-up chemical rounds to get into houses/unarmored vehicles after shattering the windshields.
Magazine fed rounds offer "fin" stability over the hopper fed balls, reducing the magnus effect, at the cost of greatly reduced capacity, although switching feed methods is possible and does not take long.
One thing that isn't well translatable into Traveller is the pain compliance aspect of pepperballs. They feel like frozen paintballs, but they explode into a cloud of irritating dust that gets everywhere, makes breathing difficult and lights up anywhere that you've been sweating... for hours. Decontamination is an issue too. That stuff gets everywhere and cleaning it exposes the cleaner. If it is on your head, be careful about jumping in a shower. Gravity pulls things down, and there are places you don't want pepper water dripping... unless you don't mind standing in front of a waist level fan for an hour or so. This is true even several hours after exposure. Word to the wise.
Foams. If using the pepper foam, care should be taken. 10% of the population is not highly susceptible to natural/synthetic pepper and you get cross contamination when the affected person tracks you by sound and throws the foam back at you. (Our local agency stopped using it because of this.)
Arkathan said:
Thanks for that great information!
I don't know exactly how different it is in effect vs. CS (which I have dealt with). I did gas hut training and we were supposed to use something like 2 pellets and I think the *gentlemen* in charge put all they had left in (6-8). I was feeling smart and thought "If I take a breathe just before I enter, I'll have maximum time in the gas before I run out of air" failing to realize *the wind was blowing from the direction of the hut*. My 'clean' breathe wasn't and I got a throatfull. I proceeded to do PT for 60 seconds inside (after having done a lot outside) and then we were allowed to execute the gas drill. My eyes were watering, my nose and throat were burning, and you also had to remember to *blow* hard once you get the mask on to clear out anything *in* the mask before starting to breathe in.
Many of my trainee group reported lots of stinging in anyplace that had sweat glands - groin, armpits, tear ducts, nose/throat (wet by nature), and other spots.
One guy decided he'd wash his mask with the filter on (which fubars the filter) to the NCO made him go back in with a clogged mask. It made the point and I doubt he ever made that mistake again.
We had some jerks we were playing that apparently dipped their paintballs in nail varnish so they didn't break as easily so they stung and left nastier bruises.
When you talked about the magnus effect, the other thing that applies in most paintballs when I played, the paint can settle. Sometimes you'd fire a round that had set and it would corkscrew. Now, that was the late 1980s. The solution was: Get a drum and a DC motor with a big step down on the rotation via a gear or belt system. Then put all your 3500 balls from a box into the drum and slowly turn the ammo for 30 minutes before the day starts. That prevented most of the issues introduced by long storage times.
I expect, without knowing for sure, you might be able to dispense phosophorus or even something like Novichuck nerve agent via paintball too.
And as another bit of equipment:
TL-7 NBC suits.... hot, hot, hot, heavy, hard to draw good breathe in.... really impedes awareness and ability to move fast.
I assume some TL-9 ones are a bit better.
At some point when your armour goes fully sealed hardshell, I'll bet a lot of these threats just cease to affect combatants.
Arkathan
Emperor Mongoose
The paintballs are squishy. The pepperball is harder but breakable (frangible is the word they use) and the synthetic pepper is a powder. It is full, so it doesn't settle or lose suspension in the carrier medium. The marker balls (glowing/uv paint) may have that problem, I haven't played with those.
Like paint, the balls break in the barrel or hopper sometimes. You don't want to deploy anything you are afraid to clean.
Yep. Other than being a nuisance during external decon, sealed armor pretty much defeat these.
Like paint, the balls break in the barrel or hopper sometimes. You don't want to deploy anything you are afraid to clean.
Yep. Other than being a nuisance during external decon, sealed armor pretty much defeat these.
Garnfellow
Cosmic Mongoose
MonkeyX said:
This. It could be simple as an icon, or a table, but just something that flags OTU and non-OTU items.
john_q_traveller
Mongoose
Increased diversity of weapons:
- Cooler Melee weapons. The majority are primitive weapons, and running around shirtless challenging everybody to a duel is only funny once.
- Cooler shields (to go with the cooler melee weapons). Particularly small, relatively concealable devices that can be deployed if needed. The grav shield is cool, but is like TL 17, so pretty much useless because it's too difficult to obtain.
- In general, more options for low-profile armor / protection. There are some cool items in JTAS (and probably some other supplements as well), but overall not that many options for discrete protection.
- "Power Fists" and "Power Claws":
- Power fists as a "melee" weapon for battle dress, walkers, robots
- Power fists as a human scale melee weapon (think smaller gravity hammer built into something wearable). Alternatively, something like a wearable version of a Static Maul (ie, similar to the stunfist, but static).
- Power claw as a rescue tool / ship breaking tool (see picture) for exoskeletons, battle dress, walkers, robots, etc.
- Another version could be a jaws of life that could be worn (commonly used by rescue teams and damage control crews).
- A wearable jack hammer and / or large hammer drill could be cool. Naturally, a wearable mining laser should be a thing (for use with exoskeletons, powered plate, walkers, robots).
john_q_traveller
Mongoose
I cannot seem to post an image for some reason (probably because new user).
Anyway, continuing on:
Mines
There is a plethora of grenades available, but no mines (Traveller / vehicle scale, that I am aware of). A few ideas:
Dueling Pistols
Single shot weapons of whatever type (conventional, Gauss, Gravity, Laser, Plasma, etc.). These weapons tend to be fairly ornate, and quite powerful. They are intended for use in dueling, and are as much a symbol of status as a practical weapon (though some are quite practical). They are popular in certain societies, and are sometimes permitted to be carried on worlds with a law level that would prevent openly carrying a weapon.
Sensor Jammers / Disruptors
These are not the same as ECM, but more akin to the scan jammer. The intention would be a sensor type-specific device capable of jamming any sensor of the type jammed that tries to scan the device / what it is attached to / where it is located. Higher TL versions can even cause sensor to pick up pre-programmed false readings (ie, make an empty area appear solid, or vice versa, make something appear to be present that is not, etc.)
Additional types of (Traveller portable / vacc suit) sensors:
Additional Medical Technology
Internal imaging seems to be covered by PRIS (able to visualize x-ray) and Densitometers. FMRI and ultrasound would add to that.
Anyway, continuing on:
Mines
There is a plethora of grenades available, but no mines (Traveller / vehicle scale, that I am aware of). A few ideas:
- Normal 'splodey kind
- Anti-personnel (ie, claymore)
- Bouncing betty grenade mine - This is not a mine in and of itself, as much as a specialized single-use grenade launcher. The mine accepts any standard grenade, with the fuse replaced with a calibrated short-duration variant. When triggered, the mine will launch the grenade up to a height of 2 - 4 M, after which the short-duration fuse will detonate the grenade. Stats are per mine, short duration fuse included.
- anti-grav mine - The idea of interfering with a vehicle's grav drive to force it to ground has been around as long as grav drive. Thus far, it has not proven possible to project the effect far enough for such a weapon to be feasible. A mine, on the other hand, is something a vehicle will typically come into close proximity with. The anti-grav mine is triggered when a grav drive comes within range. It does not really explode, but does radiate a powerful gravity burst of its own, specifically modulated to disrupt whatever drive triggered it. The disruption is short lived, and does not cause direct damage to most vehicles, but it does usually force them to ground. If travelling at high speed a vehicle can be severely damaged by the impact with the ground. They can also cause an operator to lose control of the vehicle. If the vehicle is undamaged, it will return to normal operation after 1D6 rounds.
Dueling Pistols
Single shot weapons of whatever type (conventional, Gauss, Gravity, Laser, Plasma, etc.). These weapons tend to be fairly ornate, and quite powerful. They are intended for use in dueling, and are as much a symbol of status as a practical weapon (though some are quite practical). They are popular in certain societies, and are sometimes permitted to be carried on worlds with a law level that would prevent openly carrying a weapon.
Sensor Jammers / Disruptors
These are not the same as ECM, but more akin to the scan jammer. The intention would be a sensor type-specific device capable of jamming any sensor of the type jammed that tries to scan the device / what it is attached to / where it is located. Higher TL versions can even cause sensor to pick up pre-programmed false readings (ie, make an empty area appear solid, or vice versa, make something appear to be present that is not, etc.)
Additional types of (Traveller portable / vacc suit) sensors:
- Metal Detector
- Lidar / Radar / Sonar - Also, related 3D scanning tech (today's technology uses structured light or on higher-end units, what is essentially lidar, though there are other techniques that can be used as well):
- This already exists for Battle Dress (See Sensor Suite [specific to Battle Dress] in Central Supply Catalog)
- 3D scanners for environments, similar to existing technology. Alternatively, this could simply be a feature of futuristic coms devices (smart phones). If it is a dedicated unit, there should be two options: a handheld device, and a tripod-mounted device (or the option to mount the handheld device on a tripod). Range and level of detail could increase with TL (bearing in mind LoD on current technology is already considerably better than human perception). At late TL 9 / early TL 10, the tripod could be replaced with a micro-grav drive, allowing the device to float in the air and not have a scan "shadow" directly beneath it.
- Ultrasound - different from Sonar or ultrasonic range measurement. This would be a smaller portable equivalent to existing technology. Note that ultrasound is not only for medical imaging. It is used extensively for non-destructive material testing (identifying porosity and microfractures in welds being a very common application).
- FMRI - Forward Magnetic Resonance Imaging - The thing about high tech is that it doesn't have to be something completely new to have a big impact. High-temperature superconductors and higher density power supplies can make all manner of new technology, or old technology used in new ways, viable. FMRI has uses other than medical imaging as well (pretty much any time we want to look inside something without opening it up).
Additional Medical Technology
Internal imaging seems to be covered by PRIS (able to visualize x-ray) and Densitometers. FMRI and ultrasound would add to that.
- A portable EEG (electroencephalogram, a device to monitor electrical activity in the brain) module could be interesting. In my mind this would be different from the NAS (the NAS indicating regional activity in general, the EEG outputting specific brain waves). At higher TLs the device becomes collapsible (ie, something the size of a soda can that folds out and provides data to a computer or medical scanner).
john_q_traveller
Mongoose
I intentionally broke up my suggestions to avoid the wall-o-text, and to compartmentalize any conversation around the suggestions. I save the following for last, because I can see it leading to disagreement. I am relatively new to Traveller, but have run other sytems. Even before making it all the way through the Core Rulebook, it was pretty obvious that this system has mechanical issues. That is probably a series of discussions in and of themselves, but one area that directly impacts the current conversation is damage scaling with weapons. From my own perpspective, I think my ask below would be somewhat difficult without correcting some of the other underlying problems. That said, in keeping with the theme of giving more options for weapons:
In general, a respect of the progression of firepower, within a given type, of:
Pistol -> Submachinegun (SMG, aka PDW) -> Carbine / Assault Rifle -> Main Battle Rifle (MBR) -> Medium Machinegun (MMG, aka SAW) -> Heavy Machinegun (HMG)
More SMGs: Something larger than a pistol and smaller than an assault rifle, with an intermediate power level and range, with variants for different types of weapons (ie, conventional, gauss, laser, plasma, etc.).
More options for squad / vehicle based weapons:
Corrections to existing vehicle scale weapons:
There is no way that multiple autocannons or rotary autocannons should fit into a single small turret, or on a pintle or ring mount. The stats on the weapons themselves are not bad (aside from the problematic damage scaling), but these weapons require massive support systems to power, provide ammunition, and survive the recoil. 20mm+ ammunition would typically weigh in at > 1,000 lb per 1,000 rounds. So "magazines" (many of those weapons tend to prefer linkless feed systems) for those weapons should be huge.
Launchers besides missiles:
In general, a respect of the progression of firepower, within a given type, of:
Pistol -> Submachinegun (SMG, aka PDW) -> Carbine / Assault Rifle -> Main Battle Rifle (MBR) -> Medium Machinegun (MMG, aka SAW) -> Heavy Machinegun (HMG)
More SMGs: Something larger than a pistol and smaller than an assault rifle, with an intermediate power level and range, with variants for different types of weapons (ie, conventional, gauss, laser, plasma, etc.).
More options for squad / vehicle based weapons:
- MMGs (ie, M1919, M60, M240, etc.)
- HMGs (M2, DshK, etc.)
- Automatic Grenade Launchers (AGL, something like a Mk19)
- Maybe some Gattling weapons (ie, a gattling laser that doesn't weigh 7 tons - various type equivalents of XM214 or GAU-2 / M134)
Corrections to existing vehicle scale weapons:
There is no way that multiple autocannons or rotary autocannons should fit into a single small turret, or on a pintle or ring mount. The stats on the weapons themselves are not bad (aside from the problematic damage scaling), but these weapons require massive support systems to power, provide ammunition, and survive the recoil. 20mm+ ammunition would typically weigh in at > 1,000 lb per 1,000 rounds. So "magazines" (many of those weapons tend to prefer linkless feed systems) for those weapons should be huge.
Launchers besides missiles:
- The idea that missiles are still a valid weapons system in the far future is kind of ridiculous (and one of my pet peeves in sci-fi). Even if they somehow are, they're boring. What we need is:
- Lazooka (Laser bazooka)
- Plasma Launcher (plasma bazooka)
- The disposable plasma laucher doesn't count, as it's a missile launcher with a plasma warhead
Geir
Emperor Mongoose
Still working my way through the draft, going over input from others.
One of the things suggested here was to examine the differences between the CSC and the Mercenary Field Guide’s implementation of Armour Piercing rounds. Well, they’re kind of two different things, with one based on existing weapons and ammunition and another based on designing weapons. So, I didn’t change much, except for APDS where I added (subtracted) a -1 damage per dice of damage. It makes an APDS round out of a gauss rifle a little less ridiculous (and no, I don’t actually know how that would work, but something, something, superdense core, something, could be it).
On the non-lethal front, I’ve added a few extra types of ammunition: (Tables won’t paste and checks won’t appear so an ‘X’ is a check and I don't know the deal with tabs in this thing, you'll have to use your imagination for spacing.)
Baton
A baton round is considered a non-lethal round, usually filled with rubber, plastic, or some less solid material. It is far from harmless, but will deliver less lethal results, with half (round up) of any Hits applied as Stun damage. Any AP or Blast trait associated with the weapon is negated by use of a baton round.
Weapon TL Range Damage Cost Traits Pistol Rifle Shotgun Heavy
Baton 5 - Stun/Regular x2 Stun (50%) X X X X
Foam
A foam round, fired from shotguns or heavier weapons large calibre (greater than 10mm) weapons disperses a sticky foam which temporarily incapacities a target. If the amount of damage inflicted by the foam round exceeds a person’s STR or a vehicle’s Hits, ignoring all armour, the target is stuck to the ground or a nearby wall. Escape requires a Very Difficult (12+) STR check, which may be attempted once per round. A vehicle may unstick itself with a Difficult (10+) Vehicle skill check, with a negative DM equal to the foam ‘damage’ divided by the vehicle’s Hits, rounding up in the foam’s favour.
Weapon TL Range Damage Cost Traits Pistol Rifle Shotgun Heavy
Foam 9 - Special x5 - - - X X
Chemical
This round creates a cloud of gas which, depending on composition, will either be incapacitating or deadly. Any living target within the cloud that does not have a respirator or sealed suit will be attacked as if by a poison with a Very Difficult (12+) END check, Damage 1D, and Interval of 1D seconds. A non-lethal round will do stun damage, while a lethal round cause injury and often death from lung and skin contact. Gas clouds dissipate after 1D x 3 rounds, though heavy winds and rain can drastically reduce this time.
Weapon TL Range Damage Cost Traits Pistol Rifle Shotgun Heavy
Chemical 5 - Special x5 Blast 12 - - - X
Let me know what you think.
One of the things suggested here was to examine the differences between the CSC and the Mercenary Field Guide’s implementation of Armour Piercing rounds. Well, they’re kind of two different things, with one based on existing weapons and ammunition and another based on designing weapons. So, I didn’t change much, except for APDS where I added (subtracted) a -1 damage per dice of damage. It makes an APDS round out of a gauss rifle a little less ridiculous (and no, I don’t actually know how that would work, but something, something, superdense core, something, could be it).
On the non-lethal front, I’ve added a few extra types of ammunition: (Tables won’t paste and checks won’t appear so an ‘X’ is a check and I don't know the deal with tabs in this thing, you'll have to use your imagination for spacing.)
Baton
A baton round is considered a non-lethal round, usually filled with rubber, plastic, or some less solid material. It is far from harmless, but will deliver less lethal results, with half (round up) of any Hits applied as Stun damage. Any AP or Blast trait associated with the weapon is negated by use of a baton round.
Weapon TL Range Damage Cost Traits Pistol Rifle Shotgun Heavy
Baton 5 - Stun/Regular x2 Stun (50%) X X X X
Foam
A foam round, fired from shotguns or heavier weapons large calibre (greater than 10mm) weapons disperses a sticky foam which temporarily incapacities a target. If the amount of damage inflicted by the foam round exceeds a person’s STR or a vehicle’s Hits, ignoring all armour, the target is stuck to the ground or a nearby wall. Escape requires a Very Difficult (12+) STR check, which may be attempted once per round. A vehicle may unstick itself with a Difficult (10+) Vehicle skill check, with a negative DM equal to the foam ‘damage’ divided by the vehicle’s Hits, rounding up in the foam’s favour.
Weapon TL Range Damage Cost Traits Pistol Rifle Shotgun Heavy
Foam 9 - Special x5 - - - X X
Chemical
This round creates a cloud of gas which, depending on composition, will either be incapacitating or deadly. Any living target within the cloud that does not have a respirator or sealed suit will be attacked as if by a poison with a Very Difficult (12+) END check, Damage 1D, and Interval of 1D seconds. A non-lethal round will do stun damage, while a lethal round cause injury and often death from lung and skin contact. Gas clouds dissipate after 1D x 3 rounds, though heavy winds and rain can drastically reduce this time.
Weapon TL Range Damage Cost Traits Pistol Rifle Shotgun Heavy
Chemical 5 - Special x5 Blast 12 - - - X
Let me know what you think.
Arkathan
Emperor Mongoose
Most of the LTL rounds that do not disperse need to have a reduced range when compared to normal ammunition.
Baton rounds are very heavy when compared with a bullet. They also tend to tumble, making them inaccurate quickly.
Taser rounds from a shotgun, could use near normal range.
At the lower tech range, the baton and foam rounds will need a 35mm grenade launcher to deliver the desired mass.
Pepperball sized chemical rounds will travel well for a long distance, if you can make them survive acceleration from a regular firearm. Impact and dispersal.
Baton rounds are very heavy when compared with a bullet. They also tend to tumble, making them inaccurate quickly.
Taser rounds from a shotgun, could use near normal range.
At the lower tech range, the baton and foam rounds will need a 35mm grenade launcher to deliver the desired mass.
Pepperball sized chemical rounds will travel well for a long distance, if you can make them survive acceleration from a regular firearm. Impact and dispersal.
