Alien Weapon "Needler"

The Needler is shaped something like a police baton. On the shorter end of the stick are 30 honeycombed holes. There is a trigger mechanism on the handle, and when pressed and released, 30 sharp ferromagnetic flechettes will shoot out like a shotgun. If the trigger is held, it will only shoot out one dart at a time, but will do so in a steady stream at a rate of approximately 10 darts a second. The weapon is almost completely silent in either firing mode, though the rapid-fire darts have greater penetration; the drain of launching 30 darts at once likely reduces overall power.

Each ammunition cartridge has its own on-board power cell which is consumed during firing and somehow ejected with the darts. The ammo cartridges are about the size of a C-cell battery and each contains 30 darts. The long end of the "baton" can hold up to 3 cartridges for a total of three shotgun-like bursts, or three combat rounds of continuous auto fire.

Using auto fire, the needler does 1d6 AP damage. Armor SP is halved, as is any penetrating damage. Using shotgun fire, the needler does 4d6 at close range, 3d6 at medium range and 2d6 at long range. It gains a weapon accuracy bonus of +2/4/6 (close/medium/long range). This damage is also AP as above.

No particular research is required to use the weapon, though until research is completed, ammunition will be limited to captured alien stocks.

Because of its size, shape and method of operation, the Needler uses the SMG skill, but has the effective range of a pistol/shotgun.