Traveller Weapons

Small Arms (Gun Combat Skill)

Autopistol

The basic semiautomatic handgun, which fires bullets at velocities of 400 to 500 meters per second. A magazine containing 15 cartridges fits into the handle of the pistol. Automatic pistol ammunition is interchangeable with submachinegun ammunition (although magazines are not). An automatic pistol can be fitted with a silencer or a detachable shoulder stock.

SMG

A small automatic weapon designed to fire pistol ammunition. Magazines holding 30 cartridges are inserted into the weapon in a location forward of the trigger guard or in the
pistol grip, depending on the design. The gun fires four rounds per pull of the trigger. Submachinegun ammunition (but not a submachinegun magazine) is interchangeable with automatic pistol ammunition.

Body Pistol

A small, nonmetallic semiautomatic pistol designed to evade detection by most weapon detectors, including metal detectors and densitometers. It fires 9 projectiles at a velocity of 500 to 600 meters per second. A magazine containing six cartridges is located in the pistol handle. Body pistol ammunition is not interchangeable with the ammunition for any other types of guns. A body pistol can be fitted with a silencer.

Snub Pistol

The snub pistol is a low-velocity revolver designed for use on shipboard and in a zero-G environment. It fires lOmm, 7-gram bullets at velocities of 100 to 150 meters per second. No magazine is used: six individual cartridges are inserted into the revolver separately. Reloading takes one combat round, or two combat rounds if the firer is evading. Standard rounds include a tranquilizer round, gas round, high explosive round, and a high explosive shaped charge round to defeat personal armour. The snub pistol is a standard shipboard
security weapon generally loaded with five tranquilizers and one gas round. More expensive pure combat versions of the snub pistol are available, generally in the automatic pistol configuration with extended magazines holding up to 20 rounds.

Light Assault Gun (LAG)

Essentially a heavy rifle, the LAG fires a 20mm, 30-gram bullet at velocities of 400 to 500 meters per second. A magazine containing five rounds is inserted into the underside of the weapon ahead of the trigger guard. Reloading takes one combat round, during which the firer is treated as evading. One round is fired per pull of the trigger. Ammunition includes HE, flechette, and 20/9mm discarding sabot rounds. The LAG is provided with a sling to assist carrying.

Accelerator Rifle

Designed specifically for zero-G combat, the accelerator rifle fires a small bullet at an initial muzzle velocity of 100 to 150 meters per second, and upon leaving the barrel is accelerated by a secondary propelling charge to velocities of 700 to 800 meters per second. Normally the rifle fires bursts of three rounds per pull of the trigger, but it may be adjusted to fire single rounds at the end of any firing round. A 15-round magazine is inserted in the bottom of the weapon in front of the trigger guard, and reloading takes one combat round.

Advanced Combat Rifle (ACR)

A progressive development of the old assault rifle, the advanced combat rifle (ACR) fires either a high explosive (HE) bullet at 900 meters per second or a discarding sabot (DS) at 1,200 meters per second. A magazine containing 20 rounds is inserted into the underside of the weapon behind the pistol grip. Reloading takes one combat round. The weapon may be fired either automatically or semiautomatically (as with the assault rifle). Standard equipment includes an electronic battlefield sight, which incorporates both light amplification and passive IR, visual magnification, and a laser rangefinder which may also be used as a target painting device. The weapon is also gyroscopically stabilized during firing. A sling is provided along with the weapon, and the muzzle of the rifle includes an integral flash suppressor and an adaptor for launching a RAM shoot-through grenade. 

Gauss Rifle

The ultimate development of the slug thrower, the gauss rifle generates an electromagnetic field along the length of the barrel, which accelerates a 4mm, 4-gram needle bullet to velocities of 1500 meters per second. The round itself consists of a dense armor-piercing core surrounded by a softer metal covering that ends in a hollow point; this combination gives the round both high stopping power and a good armorpiercing capability. Flight along the barrel is nearly frictionless, for spin stabilization is imparted in this weapon through magnetic bias.

A 40-round magazine is attached behind the pistol grip, and each pull of the trigger fires one, four, or 10 rounds. The firing setting may be changed at the end of each combat round. Standard equipment on the gauss rifle includes a battlefield sight similar to that used on the ACR, a RAM grenade adapter, gyrostabilization, and a sling. Reloading by replacement of an  empty magazine or RAM grenade takes one combat round, during which the player is considered to be evading. Power is provided by a disposable power pack included in each magazine.

Gauss Pistol

The gauss pistol is a popular weapon because of its silence and its deadliness. The gauss pistol is based on the same principle as the gauss rifle and the VRF gauss gun: an electromagnetic field accelerates the needlelike bullet down the barrel while a bias in the field imparts spin. The gauss pistol may fire either single-round shots or four shot bursts. The pistol uses the same 4mm ammunition as the gauss rifle; however, the magazines are not interchangeable.

Laser Weapons

Laser weapons fire concentrated beams of energy at their targets and cause damage by their intense light and heat. All laser weapons require a power source either built into the weapon directly or carried in a separate pack. (At Tech Level 17, laser weapons are powered from internal matter-antimatter pods.) Laser weapons below Tech Level 13 use visible light so they can be seen by observers, while higher tech versions use invisible X-ray beams.

Laser Pistol: A pistol which functions much the same as a laser carbine or laser rifle but which has lighter weight and a much handier length. It still requires its own model of power pack (a laser carbine or laser rifle power pack cannot be used).

Laser Carbine: A lightweight version of the laser rifle, which fires high energy bolts using current from a backpack battery/power pack. The laser carbine fires a 2mm beam of energy aimed by integrated optic sights. The laser carbine is connected to the power pack by a heavy duty cable.

Laser Rifle: The standard high energy weapon, which fires high energy bolts in the same manner as the laser carbine. Heavier than the laser carbine, the laser rifle is also capable of longer sustained action and is constructed somewhat more sturdily. The power pack can provide 100 shots before recharging. As in the laser carbine, the laser rifle is connected to the power pack by a heavy duty cable. Power packs are not interchangeable between the two weapons.

High-Energy Weapons

High-energy weapons fire beams of super-heated plasma at their targets and cause damage by their intense heat and kinetic energy. All high-energy weapons require a power source.

PGMP (Plasma Gun-Man Portable): The PGMP consists of a power pack carried on the firer’s back, the weapon itself, and a flexible power link. The power pack powers a laser ignition system in the weapon itself which heats hydrogen fuel to a plasma state. The plasma is contained in the ignition chamber briefly and is then released through a magnetically focused field along the weapon’s barrel. The high initial velocity plasma jet is 2 centimeters in diameter, but it begins to dissipate immediately. Each power pack has sufficient energy to discharge 40 plasma bolts before recharging is necessary. Each pull of the trigger discharges one plasma bolt.

PGMP-13 is a high-gain, light plasma gun designed exclusively for use with battle dress. Of similar general configuration to the PGMP-12, the PGMP-13 may only be fired by an individual wearing battle dress and only when the firer is stationary and firmly braced in one of several standard firing positions. This condition allows the suit’s normal strength enhancement units to function as a recoil carriage. Instead of a conventional stock, the PGMP-13 has a recoil cylinder terminating in a computer link to the battle dress. The computer link engages when placed in the PGMP socket integral to the battle dress (placed over the upper right or upper left chest/shoulder). The weapon may not be fired unless the socket is engaged. Engagement projects crosshairs on the faceplate for targeting. The weapon may be fired every com[1]bat round. The power pack is a small fusion reactor with effectively unlimited fuel for combat purposes (but it requires periodic refuelling and routine maintenance every 24-36 hours, depending on amount of use).

PGMP-14 is the final development of the light plasma gun. The PGMP-14 incorporates a gravity field generator which enables personnel not in powered armor to both carry the weapon and to fire it. The weapon’s computer system automatically biases the field to provide near total recoil compensation. It is otherwise similar to the PGMP-13 in performance.

FGMP (Fusion Gun-Man Portable): The FGMP-14 is similar in design and function to the PGMP-13. The FGMP-14 differs only in that it contains the plasma slightly longer until a fusion reaction begins to take place. The weapon is somewhat more powerful than a plasma gun, and it may only be used by individuals wearing battle dress.

The FGMP-15 incorporates a gravity field generator similar to that used on the PGMP-14 and a weapon system similar to that of the FGMP-14.

The PGMP-14 and FGMP-14 are a high recoil weapons that may only be used with Battle Dress.

* Weight is with grav field generator on, otherwise multiply be 10.

Support Weapons (Heavy Weapons Skill)

Auto-Weapons

4mm Gauss Light Machinegun

A squad-level support weapon replacing earlier light machineguns for gauss rifle-equipped troops; also used as a vehicle-mounted gauss gun where the VRF Gauss gun proves too heavy. Based on a “heavied-up” gauss rifle, the Gauss LMG incorporates a bipod and pintle socket, and mounts a 200-round drum magazine with high-powered integral batteries for slightly-increased range and penetration. Like other machineguns, the weapon fires in ten-shot bursts. the Gauss LMG may “tank up” from a gauss rifle magazine; in this case, it fires as a gauss rifle.

Very Rapid Fire (VRF) Gauss Gun

 A cryogenically cooled rapid fire support weapon, the VRF gauss gun fires a 4mm, 4.0 gram needle bullet to velocities of 4,500 meters per second with an effective rate of fire of 4,000 rounds per minute. Firing operation is similar to that of the gauss rifle. The weapon fires 100-round bursts, up to ten of which may be fired in a matter of seconds. Each burst may directed at a separate target within the firing arc of the weapon. Ammunition is provided in 1,000-round hoppers, which are loaded directly into the weapon's ammunition bay. The ammunition bay of a VRF gauss gun vehicle will generally hold up to 30,000-rounds although this will vary somewhat with vehicle size. Reloading is not necessary until all rounds in an ammunition bay have been expended.

Light Rapid Fire (LRF) Gauss Gun

A much lighter TL13 version of the VRF Gauss gun, the LRF Gauss gun replaces earlier heavy machineguns, complementing the heavier VRF Gauss gun. The LRF Gauss gun fires the same ammunition with the same range and penetration as the VRF, but has a much lower rate of fire (equivalent to a Gauss LMG) and feeds from 200-round drum magazines instead of from a hopper. The weapon is intended to be used in a tripod, pintle, or light remote mount instead of the turret required for a VRF Gauss gun. Up to five magazines can be stacked together end-to-end, feeding from one to the next as if they were a single oversized magazine. The weapon fires in ten-shot bursts, like a Gauss LMG.

Grenadier

Hand Grenades

Early Grenade Launchers

Aut-Grenade Launchers

Rocket Assisted Multi-purpose (RAM) Grenade Launcher

RAM Grenade Auto-launcher

HE Grenades have a burst radius of 1 and a penetration of 2 at TL8 and a burst radius of 2 and a penetration of 2 at TL11.

Flecheete grenades are +4 to hit at effective range

Artillery

Mortars

Howitzers

Mass Drivers

High Energy

Meson Accelerators

Multi-Rocket Launchers

Archaic Weapons

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