Future Imperfect chapter 7

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Equipment Reliability

All equipment will be rated for reliability, on a scale from Very Reliable, Reliable, Fragile and Experimental (V, R, F, E), in that order from left to right. If a possible breakdown is noted on the card, check the appropriate mishaps for the equipment type or use Master discretion to determine the result.

To determine if a mishap is possible, check the broken wrench portion of the action card, below armor penetration and above the clock face. If no letter appears, there is no effect. If a letter appears, check if it is either the same or to the left of the given reliability rating. If so, a breakdown is indicated. The exception is the V* card. If that card is drawn, and the equipment being used is very reliable, shuffle that card back into the deck (including all discarded cards, but nothing from the hands of the Master or Crew in play) and draw again. If that card is drawn again, there is a breakdown.

Catastrophic Breakdown

Most breakdowns are of the mundane type, such as a weapon jam or a loose wire. If, however, the V* is drawn and the equipment being used is not very reliable, reshuffle and draw again as indicated above. If the card drawn in this extra draw would indicate a breakdown for the equipment being used, then a catastrophic breakdown has occurred. Consult the appropriate table or use Master discretion to determine the effect.

Armor

TECH/9 BSU BELT SCREEN UNIT: The BSU/9 is a small forcescreen generator about the size of several packages of cigarettes and is worn on the belt, It generates a standard screen capable of defending against projectiles and energy weapons. Mass = 1 kg. Powercell = 6 hr. continuous operation.

ARCHAIC ARMOR: All early forms of armor protection (pre- Tech/5) are included in this grouping. Hide, leather, and cloth armor also includes everyday garments made of such material which are reasonably thick. Heavy fur coats, for instance, are equivalent to Coat/1 hide armor. Similarly, heavy winter cloth coats could be classed as roughly equivalent to quilted cloth armor. Such protection can be obtained in early cultures or may be manufactured to order in advanced societies.

LBA LIGHT BODY ARMOR: LBA is personal armor designed to protect the torso and abdomen from small arms fire and sometimes from edged weapons in early Tech/5-6 versions. Later models also provide protection against energy fire. Early types are comparable to the rather bulky and heavy ‘bullet proof vests’ and flak jackets of the 20th century on Terra. With Tech/7 technology, a widespread use of lightweight synthetic fibers like Kevlar made fairly compact and effective body armor a possibility.

LBA/1 is equivalent to the bullet-proof vest, made of nylon reinforced with titanium steel plates.
LBA/2 is equivalent to the standard flak vest of the 1940s-1950s, made of ballistic nylon.

LBA/3 is an early Kevlar model, reinforced with ceramic or light metal plates.

LBA/4 is an improved Kevlar model, reinforced with plates of high tensile strength alloy.

LBA/5 is a Nemourelon ballistic cloth model, reinforced with light, strong plates of Titanallay and rather resistant to energy fire.

LBA/6 is an improved Nemourelon model coated with Insular to yield improved anti-energy protection.

LBA/7 is a model of woven Durallay coated with Insular to yield good anti-energy protection.

CBA COMBAT BODY ARMOR: All CBA is personal combat armor designed to protect the entire body under battlefield conditions. Some forms utilize a cuirass similar to the LBA types, with a lighter armor protecting the arms and legs. Helmets are also included, but these can be purchased separately at about CR 25 plus 10% of the cost of the whole unit. All CBA units have the possibility for optional features to be built in at added cost:

Sealed Armor: For CR 1000, the armor is sealed against the outside environment, effectively converting it into an armored pressure suit proof against toxic gases and liquids, law pressure conditions, etc. Like support and breathing apparatus must be purchased separately.

Rad Shielding: For CR 750 per rad factor, CBA can be shielded to the levels indicated in the tables below. The mass of the unit is Increased by +2 kg per rad factor of protection.

Other equipment-com gear, vision aids, jump packs, etc, can be added at additional expense, It should be noted that the overall mass of the armor will quickly increase as optional features are installed and battle efficiency will eventually be impaired by overloading.

PAPA POWER ASSISTED PERSONAL ARMOR: Some of the earliest forms of Power Armor to appear in science fiction are the battle armor types in ‘Doc’ Smith’s Lensman series. Robert A Heinlein’s Starship Troopers and Joe Haldeman’s Forever War provide more recent and detailed examples. Power Armor is a heavily armored exoskeleton employing servomechanisms to magnify the wearer’s strength. The result is that the CAP (Combat Armor, Powered) Trooper becomes, in essence, a one-man tank. Since the PAPA unit itself provides the power for normal actions, with the wearer providing control rather than ‘muscle,’ heavy activity can be performed for a considerable period of time before the wearer becomes fatigued. When the powercell is exhausted, the wearer will be unable to move the suit by himself.

All PAPA units should be considered as armored vacuum suits or armored space suits with mech strength. It is fully self-contained, with electrically powered life support systems capable of operation for up to 5 times the period indicated if the suit powercell is replaced or recharged. Life support systems include a heating/cooling unit to maintain livable conditions inside the suit in all environments, waste reclamation of recycle water and dehydrate solid wastes, air purifiers and a 4-hr. emergency oxygen tank, self-sealing system to close hole and leaks (some units have ‘nipper’ joints which can completely close points on the limbs when sections are totally blown away, while cauterizing the end of an amputated arm or leg), and food and water for designed suit duration (5x powercell duration). Food is in the form of concentrated ration pellets, while water is recycled except for a 2 liter emergency tank. Power Armor divides into 3 basic classifications: Scout, Marauder, and Assault BattleArmour. Scout PAPA units are typically used as ‘light’ reconnaissance armor by the military. Civilians may be able to obtain Scout armor as well. A degree of protection is sacrificed in the general interest of speed and endurance. Marauder armor is standard BattleArmor typically issued to Mobile Infantry. Assault BattleArmor is extra-heavy Power Armor developed for very specialized use by the Terran SpaceForces and the IPA. Armor protection in such Units may attain heavy tank levels. However, Assault PAPA units are exceedingly costly and therefore will never be encountered as general issue items.

Model: The type of armor.
TL: Tech Level
Material: The type of material the armor is crafted from.
Impact: Armor value versus impact weapons.
Pierce/Slash: Armor value versus piercing and slashing weapons.
Energy: Armor value versus energy weapons.
Type: The armor classification (Flexible, Rigid, Energy)

Ranged Weapons

Tech Level 5

Tech/5 firearms represent a further increase in general performance of small arms. Ranges of most rifles have increased, while many accept clip ammunition. A good range of handguns will be available, all of them double-action weapons with an excellent rate of fire. Military arms evidence a significant number of fully automatic weapons. While the civilian rifles and pistols largely speak for themselves, the military weapons deserve some comment. The standard infantry arm is the semi-automatic M-1 rifle, while the M-4 carbine is a light, fully automatic weapon designed for use by officers, etc. Both will accept a bayonet. The machine pistol is a mini-submachine gun derived from the 9mm pistol. The SMGs are modelled after the Schmeisser and the Thompson. The Thompson .45 can also accept a 50c. The LMG or light machine gun is comparable to the U.S. BAR or the British Bren. When fired with bipod support, it has LMG range. Fired from the hip or shoulder, it has only an effective R.2 rifle range. The MMG medium machine gun and HMG heavy machine gun must be mounted on tripods or TE/Mech mounts. Tripods include vehicle pedestal/post mounts as well as actual tripods used for field mounts. The TE/Mech mount is a traversing and elevation mount or else a coaxial mounting in a weapon turret. Such mounts confer certain benefits with respect to accuracy over long range.

Tech Level 6

Tech/6 civilian weapons differ little from those of Tech/5. However, Military small arms have improved considerably.

The SAR or semi-automatic rifle is the standard infantry arm in Tech/6 cultures. It is fitted with a shoulder sling, accepts a bayonet, and can be fitted with Scope sights, infra-red visors, night visors, and other specialized sighting equipment. It has a 30-round clip (30c) which can be inserted beneath the weapon to the front of the pistol grip/trigger guard. Reloading can be accomplished in 1 combat turn, and a rifleman with expertise/8-10 can even fire 1-2 shots as well in the same turn. Automatic rifles (ACR) are merely the fully automatic version of the SAR and can fire in bursts of up to 10 rounds in a combat turn. Assault rifles are shortened versions of the ACR, combining the lightness of the SMG with some of the accuracy of the carbine. The weapons these types are modelled after are the FN FAL. 7.62 and M-14 semi-automatic rifles, The FN Fal 7.62 and M-14 automatic combat rifles, the AK-47 and M-16 assault rifles, while the SMG is the Israeli ‘Uzi.’ The LMG is a modified automatic rifle, bipod stabilized and having a receiver for belt ammunition. The MMG it a NATO 7.62mm automatic support weapon, while the HMG is an improved .50 cal. with ranging machinegun long-range fire capabilities. The Magnum handguns represent the latest in heavy revolver and automatic side arms. The AutoMag ranges are increased somewhat over actual performance to. reflect an improved weapon which does reach current target pistol accuracy. These become standard military and police issue in the later part of a Tech/7 development period.

Tech/6 civilian weapons differ little from those of Tech/5.

Tech Level 7

Tech/7 firearms represent the farthest advance in the development of the traditional small arm. Virtually all the rifle and carbine types are on the fully automatic rifle model and bear a close resemblance to the Tech/6 military weapons. The pistols are capable of delivering a considerable amount of hitting power and have excellent range and penetration power:

The ‘Recoilless’ rocket-firing weapons are Tech/7 descendants of such experimental guns as the Gyrojet rifles and pistols developed on Terra during the middle of the 20th century. The ammo consists of small, spin-stabilized rocket rounds which gather speed as they accelerate away from the muzzle of the weapon. Recoilless weapons have the advantages of ‘no kick’ or recoil, while the slugs themselves will attain very high .velocities and deliver excellent hitting power against the target once the shells have reached full velocity. A Recoilless weapon can be fired under water (50% range divisions). Recoilless small arms have enjoyed popularity as rocket shells are unaffected by smoke and aerosols, which attenuate Laserfire. They do not drop off in velocity, unlike slugs fired by cartridge weapons, because the rockets fire throughout their flight. They continue in use in some regular forces, numerous militias, and training units. Civilian use is widespread in some areas. Long guns are sometimes referred to as ‘Cone Rifles’ because of the generally conical shape of the rocket rounds.

All recoilless weapons will have a reduced penetration capability at point-blank and short range because the rocket rounds have not attained maximum velocity and are still accelerating. The 20mm lnfR and 40mm InfR rocket shells contain explosive charges, as these weapons are actually automatic cannons which were expressly designed for anti-tank and anti-aircraft fire. Infinite Repeaters actually put out a high volume of fire and only ‘area’ autofire is possible against infantry, while autofire is used to score hits on any vehicle Because of their good underwater performance, they are often mounted in submarines and submersibles as close range offensive armament.

One of the lines of weapon development led to the application of the linear magnetic accelerator to accelerate non-metallic slugs encased in discarding steel sabots to hypervelocity's, often in excess of 5000m per second. The main thrust was toward the development of heavy anti-tank cannon, but the bipod heavy gauss anti-tank rifle was developed for use by infantry. The gauss ‘rifle’ is clip-loaded with 20 hypervelocity rounds. Each round contains a mini-cell which powers the accelerator field, so it is unnecessary to provide a powercell with the weapon itself. Gauss weapons are exceedingly expensive and have a somewhat slow rate of fire. However, they are devastating against even well-armored infantry, and even a light tank is not immune to its fire. The 20mm rounds can be obtained in ‘solid-shot’ and ‘APDSV explosive’ form. (APDSV = armorpiercing- discarding-sabot, hypervelocity round): A Tech/10 pistol version has been developed for the Terran Space-Forces, but it is not available to civilians.

The Laser enjoyed a short period of dominance as the chief battlefield weapon of late Tech/6 and early Tech/7 cultures before it was replaced with the Blaster. However, it can still be found in the armaments of many planetary defense force militia units, especially on colony planets, and it remains a very common civilian small arm. Lasers suffered from a number of disadvantages. Smoke and light-dispersing gases can attenuate laserfire. The amount a laser beam is weakened depends on the type of smokes gas, fog, or anti-laser aerosol the beam travels through to reach the target. The advantages of laser weapons almost outweigh the disadvantages. Lasers are silent. The beams cannot be readily detected unless it is dim or dark, or if there is dust or smoke in the air to reflect a portion of the beam and so render them visible to observers. Certain laser wavelengths are effective under water (all range increments at 50%), which makes them an effective submarine weapon. Their lack of recoil also makes them a preferred weapon for combat in low pressure atmospheres and airless conditions in low/null gravity fields. Because it is inadvisable to fill spacecraft with smoke from anti-laser aerosol grenades, lasers remain a standard boarding weapon.

‘Needlers’ were developed as lightweight, ‘tamper-proof’ Tech/7 military weapons. Operated by a mechanical spring device wound by hand or with a small but powerful torque wrench supplied with the gun, the weapons are totally silent at distances over 10m. Thus the position of the firer cannot usually be determined by sound. All needle guns fire 3m flechettes at high velocity which do surprising damage. The flechettes are sharp-edged and spin furiously upon penetrating the target, slashing through muscle, sinew, and even bone with awesome violence. It is a popular hunting weapon in the colonies, however, because it has fully automatic capabilities and is relatively inexpensive to operate. Thus colonial militias will evidence a good number of such weapons. It is also an excellent personal defense weapon. Drugged and poisoned needles are available, but these will not penetrate armor over class 4 (chain-mail equivalent). Thus their use is restricted to ‘soft’ targets in limited or no armor. See Chapter XX Poisons & Drugs for details.

Shock Darts: Shock Darts are 5mm projectiles designed to impart an electric and hydrostatic shock to the system of a victim. The Shock Dart projector is itself a ‘hold-out’ weapon, usually disguised as some innocent and functional personal item, such as a pen. Modified Shock Darts are also available for Dart Guns. 100 darts mass 500gm and cost CR 7.5 each. Shock Darts are available in late Tech/7 and early Tech/8 cultures. The range of a Shock Dart is only 5m (point-blank range), but it can be affixed to a Dart Rifle round to a crossbow quarrel (giving it the range of the appropriate weapon delivering it).

Tanglers: The Tanglegun is a Tech/7 police weapon about the size and general configuration of a SMG. It fires a burst of synthesilk fiber which wraps around a target and effectively ties him up. Synthesilk fiber cannot be snapped except by power armor (one turn doing so) because of its strength, but will readily ‘relax’ when a droplet of KMC is touched to a strand. A Tanglegun ammo capsule can be fitted in one combat turn. Tanglestrands will continue to constrict a victim as long as he struggles, hugging tighter and tighter until no movement other than breathing is possible. Normally, such restraint is non-lethal, but a tangleround fired into a person’s mouth (a nasty trick practiced by some planetary police forces in autocratic cultures) will effectively strangle a victim because the tanglestrand will react to the swallowing and gagging reaction, forming a ball in the process which blocks the breathing passage. Tanglerounds must be aimed at the upper or lower body, so a victim will either have his hands or his feet (or equivalent) restrained. Large creatures and silicate beings will probably require several rounds to restrain them. Amoeboid life forms can ‘flow’ through the strands and are thus unaffected by them. Synthesilk is heat-sensitive, and thus a low-setting on a laser, Blaster, fusion gun, flamer, etc will readily melt the tanglestrands and release a victim. However, the technique should be restricted to personnel in armor protection classes C or higher.

APROBDIF projectors are Anti-Robot Positronic Brain Disrupter Field weapons used to disable the Positronic systems of robotic and other forms of computer equipment. Thus the weapons can be used to reduce the capacities of combat computers by knocking out special HUD targeting bonuses and reducing the computers to more-or-less standard functions. Combat use of mini-computers and multi-computers is thus necessarily limited in that personnel do not place full reliance on them and will resort to the least vulnerable of all fire-control and general decision making systems, namely the well-trained combatant.

APRO weapons come in pistols, rifle, support weapon (MG), heavy vehicle projector, and area defense generator versions. All portable weapons and the heavy projector fire a beam of positrons which disrupt the higher level ‘discretionary’ functions of a Positronic brain,’ reducing it to a standard computer which must be directed to perform actions which it previously could decide for itself. In other words, a Robot affected by an APRO hit will still function if direct control is taken by its controller (‘Move 50m forward. Fire weapon at Target ‘X’. Assume prone position. Five rounds grenade fire at bunker ‘V’. Assume standing position. Withdraw at ‘A’ speed.’) In effect, a controller will be able to operate only 1 unit per level of expertise he possesses in Military Programming. etc. (See 5.12 Robots), and all bonuses for targeting, as well as all combat ‘expertise’ possessed by the robotic equipment will be lost. If an APRO penetration occurs, the functions of the Positronic brain will be affected in one of the following ways.

Disruptors are weapons which interfere with the normal molecular resonation of matter; Sonic Protein Disruptors are lethal versions of the sonic Stunner and require identical conditions to be effective. The weapons are effective against all hydrocarbon animal life forms but have no effect against silicate, cold planet, or other ‘exotic’ life forms. Nor will an SPD have any effect on a metal or plastic target. They work only in atmospheres over 250mm pressure. Sonic Metal Disrupters are specifically designed to disrupt the circuits and servos of Robots, Power Armor, and electrical systems of lightly armored or un-armored vehicles. Upon a SMD penetration occurring, there is a 25% chance that the systems will ‘go down’ temporarily for 3d6 combat turns (18- 108 sec.) until internal automatic resetting interlocks can restore the affected systems to normal function. Metal Disrupters will also affect silicate life in the same way that SPDs affect hydrocarbon life forms. They have sonic weapon limitations. Energy Disrupters are beam projectors which combine all the functions of SPDs and SMDs, with the added advantage that they also affect cold planet and other ‘exotic’ life forms. When autofired, they have the added advantage of producing the equivalent of explosive effects if aimed at a single target (1 shot only in this instance) will cause the target to ‘disintegrate’ if its defensive capacity is exceeded. The ED weapons ‘phased’ to the molecular resonation of the target, and thus the weapons are called ‘phasers’ in some starcultures. For an additional +25% of cost, a Stunner setting can also be obtained. They are usable in vacuum.

Tech Level 8

The moment Blasters appeared, they began to replace the Laser. Blasters fire a series of pulses of Nova-related energy (see Nova Guns in the Space Combat section). Blasters are unaffected by smoke, haze, fog, aerosols, etc., except insofar as such conditions affect the firer’s ability to see his target. Blasters also create ‘fog’ when their beams hit significant amounts of standing water (but not when firing through mere fog or rain). When fired at flammable targets, Blasters have a 5 to 20 chance of igniting flammable materials and will create plenty of smoke.

Blasters have a limited range under water (10% range increments) and comparable liquids. They have a slight but significant recoil, so only EVA/5-10 personnel may employ them in freefall without the possibility of ‘tumbling’ and other unwanted effects. The beams are plainly visible in all conditions as bolts of brilliant bluish-white or violet light. The position of a firer can be determined quite readily, making mobility a necessity. The Blaster emits a sound reminiscent of sharply torn cloth blended with the whining scream of a ricocheting bullet. Heavy weapons have the undulating howl of a banshee as the pulse-bursts of. energy tear across the intervening distance to the target.

Blasters are universally regarded as military weapons, but in a universe in which most spacefarers will serve as some form of naval auxiliary or reserve force, the Blaster is fairly easy to acquire. At the same time, many starcultures frown upon possession of such destructive weaponry by persons clearly not in the military or else ‘approved’ as responsible citizens. In autocratic nations like the Azuriach lmperium or the Galactic Peoples Republic, possession of Blast weapons is a serious offence unless licensed by the governing authority (a rarity). Blast weapons come in pistol, carbine, rifle, and machine gun versions.

Fusion guns are advanced energy weapons related to the Flamer and to the Blaster. They project an actively fusing plasma which will splatter when the bolt hits, producing secondary incendiary effects in the general vicinity when autofired. @The Fusion MG is a tripod-mounted support weapon, while the Hv. Fusion Gun is a regular light, turret-mounted, vehicle cannon. Fusion weapons tend to be employed only by the Terran Union or the Azuriach lmperium. Some AFV with 20mm Hv. Blasters may substitute the 25mm Hv. Fusion Gun. It should also be noted that the Fusion weapons produce hard radiation (Rad Level) at the surface of the target hit by the main bolt, but not the splatter. If a penetration occurs, this radiation will affect the personnel inside the target, whether in personal armor or in a vehicle. Armored personnel in a vehicle may apply the armor protection against radiation to defend against this hard radiation. All Fusion weapons employ a powercell to energize their firing systems. The capacity of the powercell is given in the ammo column. All other specifications are as given for Laser powercells in 6.15 Lasers.

Stunners are Tech/7-8 weapons designed to incapacitate rather than to injure or kill, Stun weapons come in a sonic and an energy version. Sonic stunners will function only in an atmosphere between 260mm and 300mm pressure. The sonic vibration will also travel through water to other similar liquids for up to 100m. Energy Stunners fire a beam and are capable of functioning in low pressure and vacuum, but are ineffective under water.

A weapon will have 5 settings built in (custom order). The weapon is placed at the desired stun setting and, upon penetration, has the same effect as the corresponding effect, only the effect will take place instantly. The standard antidote to a Stun beam is a charge with the reverse setting.

The Stat rifle is a logical development of the Recoilless rocket guns. The Stat ‘Penetrator’ is designed for maximum projectile penetration of armor using a low velocity rocket shell with a shaped Viradex V explosive charge. The +2500°C gasses produced by the Viradex V detonation can effect a ‘burn through’ of the armor. The Stat Rifle is, in effect, a re-chambered heavy Cone Rifle using 15mm rocket rounds. Ammo masses 3500gm per 100 rounds and costs CR 450.

Note: Stat weapons are strictly military arms and rarely find their way into civilian hands. They are available in Tech/8 cultures.

Tech Level 9

ROF: Rate of fire. If selective fire, all modes are listed.
Ammo: The type of ammunition the weapon uses.
TL: Tech Level
PB: Point blank range, in meters.
Short: Short range, in meters.
Med: Medium range, in meters.
Long: Long range, in meters.
Ex: Extreme range, in meters.
Pen: Penetration value of the weapon.