Crystal Shard Weapons, Return of the Splinter Weapon (Sort of)

Lyrell'e

Banded Mongoose
Here’s a retake of mine of the Splinter weapons from the 1E CSC. They were described as firing crystals that the weapon irradiated. Rather then having the deteioration of the rounds create a small amount of kinetic dmage, it seemed that it was more logical to have them produce a small flash of radiation.

WEAPON: TL: RANGE: DAMAGE: TRAITS: A/PWR: KG:

Crystal Shard Pistol 15? 50m 2d6 [Rad] Auto 4 24 1
Crystal Shard Carbine 15? 200m 2d6 [Rad] Auto 6 54 2.5
Crystal Shard Rifle 15? 500m 3d6 [Rad] ------ 10 4

[Rad]: In addition to the normal damage listed for the round, the deterioration of the irradiated crystal round upon impact releases a flash of 1d6x10 rads to
everything within 1m of the impact point. If the round does not penetrate the target’s armor, then any rad protection of the armor applies. If the round
penetrates the armor and destabilizes inside the target, any rad protection of the armor does not apply.

Pistol Carbine Rifle
COST: 1,000 Cr 2,000 Cr 2,400 Cr
MAGAZINE COST: 75 Cr 150 Cr 120 Cr

I have provisionally listed these as TL15, but frankly they could range between TL14-TL17. The amount of radiation damage could be adjusted up or down-as could the costs of the weapons and ammunition. Looking for people’s opinions on the various factors and the weapons as a whole. These are for MTU, but people can feel free to adapt them if they like them.

I don’t see the TL being lower then 14 due to the irradiation effect and the likelihood they are gravitic accelerators.

What do people think?
 
I think your Crystal Shard weapons sound futuristic, and I like the overall idea.
My basic problem would be how do the crystals determine whether to kinetically move at high speeds, or dissolve into "radiation" damage? Is there a chance that radiation is not produced?
Secondly, should the radiation damage last multiple combat rounds? Or is it over in a flash? Is it possible to get different shaped crystal shards, like grappling hook shaped? Can other shard ammos exist that do other types of damage? Like gas vapour or freezing cryogenic or EMP?
 
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WEAPON: TL: RANGE: DAMAGE: TRAITS: A/PWR: KG:

Crystal Shard Pistol 15? 50m 2d6 [Rad] Auto 4 24 1
Crystal Shard Carbine 15? 200m 2d6 [Rad] Auto 6 54 2.5
Crystal Shard Rifle 15? 500m 3d6 [Rad] ------ 10 4
WEAPONTLRANGEDAMAGETRAITSA/PWRKG
Crystal Shard Pistol15?50m2dRadAuto/4 241
Crystal Shard Carbine15?200m2dRadAuto/6 542.5
Crystal Shard Rifle15?500m3dRad--/104

Pistol Carbine Rifle
COST: 1,000 Cr 2,000 Cr 2,400 Cr
MAGAZINE COST: 75 Cr 150 Cr 120 Cr
WEAPONPistolCarbineRifle
COST1,000Cr2,000 Cr2,400 Cr
MAGAZINE COST75 Cr150 Cr120 Cr
 
I think your Crystal Shard weapons sound futuristic, and I like the overall idea.
My basic problem would be how do the crystals determine whether to kinetically move at high speeds, or dissolve into "radiation" damage? Is there a chance that radiation is not produced?
Secondly, should the radiation damage last multiple combat rounds? Or is it over in a flash? Is it possible to get different shaped crystal shards, like grappling hook shaped? Can other shard ammos exist that do other types of damage? Like gas vapour or freezing cryogenic or EMP?
I was having it be that the destabilization is triggered by the force of impact. I don't see them being guided or having any sort of computer intelligence built in to them, so no there would be always be a radiation flash. And yes, it's just a flash. Once the irradiated structure destabilizes and discharges the energy, what remains is more or less inert. Now of course if any of it survived it might need to be removed from the target in the same sense as a bullet or shrapnel would have to be removed.

As far as other types of shards I suppose it could be possible. The weapon itself is just a gravitic accelerator with the radiation shards being the "standard" round. I suppose it should be possible. Not sure how cryo could work mechanically but EMP sounds interesting. Perhaps also a thermal round that produces a heat flare upon impact?

TL15 sound good for the Tech Level?
 
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Sticking with the whole concept of the crystal material of the round destabilizing to produce the secondary effects (Beyond kinetic energy), and after looking through the 2E CSC, Directed Plasma, Incendiary, and Plasma seem to be apt for the C-Shard weapons. As far as EMP I like the idea but in CSC EMP rounds are limited to heavy weapons. Perhaps the rifle can fire an EMP round with say Blast 5 instead of the Blast 20 listed? I could also see the EMP round being say +1 TL over the base rounds, maybe even +2,
 
Once the irradiated structure destabilizes and discharges the energy, what remains is more or less inert.
What keeps the crystals stable? Are they stable at normal room temperature? Or do they require special coolant circulating in the weapon chamber?
The weapon itself is just a gravitic accelerator with the radiation shards being the "standard" round.
TL15 sound good for the Tech Level?
Not sure how cryo could work mechanically but EMP sounds interesting.
That sounds an interesting ballistic mechanism. I am unable to find a 2e equivalent. The Field Catalogue (FC) book discusses many different weapon anatomies and ballistic effects, but omits the one you are considering. FC considers Projector Energy weapons with Gas Propellant and Directed Energy Weapons with Power Packs - so it would depend on how you envisage modelling a build, if you were to use FC rules.
There is no Radiation Trait in CRB or FC but there is one Radiant (Energy-based Agent) in the Traveller Companion (TC) book.
FC also mentions TL9 for EMP, TL10 for Cryo and TL12 for Plasma and Gauss - these appear the nearest equivalent propellant mechanisms mentioned in that book. Cryogenic weapons just make things brittle when frozen. Perhaps that is the direct opposite of what you are aiming to achieve.

I don't know if any of that is helpful, or not.
 
I think they are irradiated at the time of firing. An emitter built into the firing chamber-at least that's what I figured based on the original splinter weapon description. Thus the crystals are stable normally until "armed" by the irradiation process.

As far as the gravitic accelerator idea, it was mentioned in one issue of JTAS. A Gravitic pistol in that issue was TL15, which is what I based the provisional TL for these on. Not honestly sure how the irradiation system would affect TL, but considering making it TL16. Yeah, Cryo does not seem to fit really.
 
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