New guns for modern campaign settings.
Myk Dormer takes a look at modern firearms. Use the missile weapon rules found
in combat part 2.
RATES OF FIRE:
This is defined by a RF class for the weapon:
- Class x.
- Simple weapons thrown or drawn if avilable to hand. May be
used each round. (Bows, most thrown missiles.)
- Class a.
- Automatic weapons, clip or replaceable magazine loaded. These
weapons may fire repeatedly until ammunition is expended and may
use the automatic fire rules. Reloading is time taken to replenish
entire capacity.(Assault rifles, machine guns, SMG)
- Class b.
- Multiple shot self loading weapons, clip or replaceable
magazine loaded. As class a but incapable of automatic fire. (Self
loading rifles, automatic pistols)
- Class c.
- Multiple shot hand loaded weapons, clip loaded. As class b,
but typically bolt or lever operated.(conventional rifles)
- Class k.
- Multiple shot weapons, individually loaded. As class c, but
reloading is time taken to load one round into the weapon. (Early
tube magazine rifles, cartridge revolvers, most shotguns)
- Class d.
- Single shot weapons, breech loaded. As class c, but only
capable of one shot before reloading. (Early cartridge firearms
and crossbows)
- Class e.
- Muzzle loaded firearms. Single shot primitive firearms.
(virtually all pre-1800 pistols and muskets)
- Class f.
- Multiple barreled muzzle loaded firearms. As class e, but
more than one shot can be fired. Reloading is time taken to reload
one of the barrels or chambers. (Early revolvers, pocket pistols
and shotguns)
For multiple shot weapons the ROF class is followed by the weapon's
ammunition capacity. In these cases the second (load) SPD is the time to
change or refill the magazine, or to reload a barrel or chamber.
AUTOMATIC FIRE:
Some firearms are capable of very high rates of fire.
When such a weapon is used the firer has three options:
Single shot:
weapon fires once, statistics as shown in table.
Timings are resolved by adding the speed of the weapon to combat speed in the usual manner
Repeat Single Shot
This is the effect of unloading an auto repeating weapon by aiming then repeat pulling the trigger.
As above but timings are resolved by simply adding only the fire timing of the gun, this
action may be repeated until the weaapon runs out of rounds but each subsequent shot is subject
to a cumulative penalty -10%.
Burst:
A short burst of fire (nominaly 4 shots) is directed at a single
target. (Modern weapons offering burst fire as a selective fire option expend
only 3 shots in this mode)
Timings as single shot but add one timing for each bullet fired before a next action may be taken.
Only the first shot in a burst is rolled as normal, this roll is used
to resolve the effects of the other bullets fired. The number of bullets that hit
is based on the calibre of the weapon in the exact same manner as automatic fire.
The target of subsequent shots must be the original target, but missed shots may
strike targets adjacent to it (GM's discretion).
Full automatic:
A long burst of automatic fire directed against one or more
targets (holding the trigger down and hosing it about).
Timings are resolved as per burst except ceasing fire is also subject to a lag, of 5 shots/tenths.
Full automatic is resolved as for a burst. The penalty for each subsequent shot is shown below.
-5 % + an extra 10% for each range band above interemdiate per bullet cumulitive penalty.
- Fire may be redirected against a new target provided it is adjacent to the
original, subject to a lag between decision and effect of 3 shots/tenths (in
other words, no target can be subject to less than three attacks)
- Ceasing fire is also subject to a lag, of 5 shots/tenths.
Against close ordered group targets full automatic fire must be declared as
random, with recipients of hits being randomly distributed by the GM. It is
not possible to discriminate between targets in such a group when using a
machine gun.
1890.
Late Victorian. The nineteenth century is a period of great changes in
firearm design. Percussion locks increase reliability, but are first applied
to civilian arms. Minie type conical bullets speed loading of muzzle loading
rifles, which replace smoothbores in time to be rendered obsolete by breech
loaders and the metallic cartridge. The single shot pistol is supplanted by
the revolver, at first percussion (Colt), later adapted to the metallic
cartridge. By the 1900s infantry are employing bolt action magazine rifles
using smokeless powder, supported in the field by Maxim guns and breech
loading artillery.
WEAPON range M S I L E D dam shk pen spd rf brk pst mdx
Enfield .577 -20 +20 +20 +10 -5 -25 2d8 +4 G+15 20/100 e 9 8 8
Dreyse 1848 -15 +20 0 -5 s 2d6 +1 G-5 15/50 d 8 7 7
Martini Henry -15 +20 +25 +20 0 -15 d6d8 +3 G+10 18/50 d 8 8 7
Lebel m1886 -15 +25 +25 +10 0 -20 d6d8 +2 G+10 12+15/10 k8 8 7 7
Sharps carbine -5 +20 +20 -5 -15 s 2d6 +2 G+5 10/40 d 9 7 7
Winchester " -5 +20 +10 0 -20 s 2d6 +2 G-10 10+9/10 k8 8 6 7
Lanchester.455 0 +10 -20 d6d8 +1 G-5 8/15 k4 6 8s 6
Colt .36 navy 0 +10 -25 2d6 +1 G-10 7+4/90 f5 5 6s 6
S&W.44 Russian 0 +10 -15 d6d8 +1 G-5 7/15 k5 6 7s 6
Target pistol 0 +20 -5 -20 d4d6 -1 G-10 8/35 d 4 4s 8
Typ. Derringer +20 0 s 2d6 -2 G-20 5/50 c2 5 3s 7
Hollands .600 -20 +20 +20 +10 -5 -20 2d10 +5 G+25 30/60 c2 10 11 8
1920.
Post WW1. The bolt action rifle remains the backbone of infantry
armament, but trench warfare has re-introduced the grenade and mortar to use.
Light machineguns increase squad firepower while the sub machine gun first
appears. Revolvers continue in use, but are supplemented by the first
automatic pistols, offering larger magazine capacities.
WEAPON range M S I L E D dam shk pen spd rf brk pst mdx
Lee Enfield m4 -15 +25 +25 +25 +10 -5 d6d8 +2 G+15 10+10/40 c10 10 7 7
Mauser Kar 98 -5 +25 +25 +20 0 -20 d6d8 +2 G+15 10+14/35 c5 8 7 7
Mannlicher m91 -5 +25 +20 +10 -15 -25 2d6 +1 G+5 9+16/40 c6 7 6 7
P13 rifle .276 -5 +25 +35 +25 +10 0 d6d8 +1 G+5 10+16/40 c5 7 7 8
Luger 9mm +10 +20 -5 -25 2d6 0 G-5 7/25 b8 5 6s 8
Mauser C96 0 +20 -5 -20 2d6 0 G+0 8/30 b10 6 7s 7
" " w/stock -5 +20 +10 -5 s 9/30 +1 6 6
Webley .455 m6 0 +20 -15 d6d8 +4 G-5 8/15 k6 8 8s 6
Webley .38 m4 0 +20 -5 s 2d6 +0 G-10 7/15 k6 7 6s 7
Colt 1911A1 0 +20 -15 s d6d8 +3 G-5 8/30 b7 7 7s 7
Thomson m1921 -5 +25 +20 0 -20 d6d8 +4 G+0 11/60 a50 8 8 7
Bergmann MP18 -5 +25 +20 -5 -25 2d6 +1 G-5 10/40 a30 7 6 7
12bore shotgun -15 +20 +35 -15 2d10 +5 G-10 12/30 b2 7 5 5
Military " -5 +25 +20 -20 2d10 +5 G-10 10+10/10 k8 8 7 5
Sawnoff 12bore 0 +40 -20 2d10 +4 G-15 9/25 b2 8 7(s)3
.410 shotgun -5 +25 +15 -20 2d6 +1 G-25 10/30 d 6 4 5
.22 rifle -5 +25 +20 -15 1 2d4 -3 G-25 9/25 d 5 4 6
.32 revolver +10 +20 -25 d4d6 -5 G-30 7/15 k5 5 4s 4
.32 auto 0 +20 -20 s d4d6 -3 G-25 8/30 b8 4 4s 4
Signal pistol 0 +10 -25 2d10 flame 10/25 d 6 6s 4
MauserTg m1918 -25 +10 +25 +20 +10 -5 2d10 +5 G+40 40/40 c 14 15 9
Lewis gun -25 +10 +25 +10 0 -20 d6d8 +2 G+10 20/80 a47 7 10 8
Vickers-Maxim no -15 +10 +20 0 -5 d6d8 +2 G+15 45/100 a250 9 8 7
Masden m1902 -15 +20 +25 +20 0 -15 d6d8 +2 G+10 20/40 a30 7 10 9
Browning .50 M2 no no +10 +20 +10 -5 2d10 +5 G+25 60/100 a250 9 9 8
18 pdr fieldgun no no -15 -5 -5 -5 shell Y4+F4 100/40 d 25 - -
Mills bomb w -5 -20 Y1+F3 8+15 - 5 5 5
Stick grenade w 0 -20 Y2 8+18 - 4 5 7
1960.
Experience in WW2 showing the current rifles unnecessarily long
ranged for the modern battlefield produces a generation of lighter
automatic 'assault' rifles effective to about 400m, which also replace the
SMG some roles. Older rifle designs persist as sniping weapons. Automatic
pistols predominate, but revolvers remain in use for the powerful 'magnum'
cartridges introduced. Advanced materials (esp. kevlar fibre) permit
effective body armours once more, used initially by police, public figures
fearing assassination and elite military groups.
Weapon. range M S I L E D dam shk pen spd rf brk pst mdx
AK 47 (USSR ) -5 +25 +25 +20 -15 s 2d6 +1 G 10/30 a30 8 7 6
SLR (UK L1A1) -15 +25 +25 +20 +10 -5 d6d8 +3 G+10 11/30 b20 8 8 7
Mauser SP66 -15 +20 +30 +25 +15 0 d6d8 +4 G+10 13/35 b10 6 7 8
HK Gewehr 3 -15 +25 +20 +15 +10 -10 d6d8 +3 G+10 11/30 a20 7 7 7
IMI Galil -5 +25 +20 +10 -15 s 2d6 +4 G+5 10/30 a35 7 7 6
M16 -10 +25 +20 +5 -10 s 2d6 +5 G+5 10/30 a30 6 6 6
Carbine M1 -5 +25 +20 0 -20 2d6 -1 G-10 9/30 b15 6 5 5
PPSh41 (USSR) -10 +25 +20 -5 -25 2d6 0 G-5 10/30 a71 7 8 6
Sterling SMG -5 +25 +20 -5 s 2d6 +2 G-5 9/25 a32 7 6 6
Uzi 0 +20 +15 -10 s 2d6 +1 G-5 9/25 a32 7 6 7
Ingram 10 0 +20 -5 -20 s 2d6 +1 G-10 8/25 a20 6 6(s)7
VZ61 (Czech) +5 +15 -10 -25 s d4d6 0 G-15 8/20 a20 6 5(s)8
Walther PPK +20 +20 -20 s d4d6 -1 G-20 6/30 b8 5 5s 6
FN GP35 9mm +10 +20 -5 -25 2d6 +1 G-5 7/30 b15 7 7s 7
.38 special +5 +20 -10 -20 2d6 +2 G 7/15 k6 8 7s 7
.44 magnum 0 +20 -15 1 2d8 +5 G+10 9/15 k5 9 12s 8
Riot gun 37mm -5 +20 0 -20 1d10 +4 E-10 25/25 d 7 9 5
M60 LMG -10 +15 +20 +20 +5 -10 d6d8 +3 G+10 20/40 a100 8 9 7
Auto. 12 bore -5 +25 +20 -20 2d10 +5 G-10 15/30 a20 7 10 5
Bren (L4A1) -10 +20 +25 +20 +10 +5 d6d8 +3 G+10 20/35 a28 8 10 7
RPD (USSR) -10 +20 +20 +20 -10 -25 2d6 +1 G+0 20/50 a50 7 8 7
Grenade L2A1 - 0 -20 Y1+F4 8/8 5 4 5
" VK40 - +5 -15 Y2+F1 8/8 3 3 5
" stun - 0 -25 Y1(non lethal) 8/15 3 3 5
NOTES:
- Range
- These columns shows the modification to the basic chance to hit
percentage with the weapon at the designated range. Where a 1 is shown
then the gun has a 1% chance of hitting at this range no matter how skilled
the user.
- Pene
- The type of attack delivered by the weapon (A,B,C,D,E,F or G) and
its modifier to penetrate armour.
- Dam
- Shows the damage dice of the weapon.
- Shk
- Modification to shock damage caused. This cannot exceed three times the
damage rolled.
- Spd
- Is the speed of the weapon in combat segments and should be added to
combat (CSP) and attack (see combat options) speeds to find a characters total
speed. The three SPD factors are given.
- RF
- Rate of fire class
- Brk
- The weapons break damage is shown in this column. (see breaking
weapons).
- Req Pst/Mde
- These columns indicate the minimum Physical strength (PSTR) and
Manual dexterity (MDEX) required to effectively use the weapon. For each point
a character is deficient reduce his base percentages with the weapon by 5%. An
's' in this column indicates a single handed pistol-type weapon, while '(s)'
indicates a heavy machine pistol balance.
TO TO
WEAPON HIT PAR PAR PENE DAM SHK SPD BAND BRK PST MDE LEN HND
Bayonet/rifle +10 +15 -2 A+5 1d8 +1 9 3-5 w 7 7 w 2
" /assault +5 +5 0 A+0 1d6 +1 6 3-5 w 7 7 w 2
" /long SMG +5 -5 +2 A-10 1d6 -1 6 3-5 w 6 6 w 2
" /in hand +10 -5 -1 B-20 1D4 -2 1 1-3 10 2 8 12" 1
A-20
Butt/rifle +10 -10 -1 E+15 1d8 +3 12 4-5 w 8 3 w 2
Butt/SMG +5 -10 0 E-5 1d6 0 9 3-4 w 6 3 w 2
Butt/pistol +10 -20 -2 E+10 1d4 +3 6 1-2 w 5 6 w 1
Exlosive bullets.
Hand weapon calibre explosive rounds have been possible
since about 1860 (and been outlawed many times). The small payload of these
devices results in no area effect.
Of similar effect, Dum dum (or expanding) bullets enhance injury by
transfering energy more effectively and widening exit wounds.
Expanding rounds are only effective in higher velocity (post 1850) firearms
(the soft lead projectiles of earlier weapons have some of the characteristics
of an expanding round anyway).
Improvised expanding rounds (a notch or cross cut in the nose of the bullet)
will usually have a 25% chance of jaming any self loading weapon and will not
fly true at E or D ranges.
Adjust as : Explosive - damage +1d6 pen -15% shk +4
Expanding - " +2 " -10% " +4
Improvised - " +1 " -15% " +2
Shells: See Explosives
Heavy calibre explosive rounds, described in Y/F number terms.
Anyone unlucky enough to be directly hit by a shell will, additional to area
zero explosive damage, suffer Y x 1d10 damage to the body location struck. (A
20mm shell does 2d12 G+40 +5 and Y2+F0 exp.)