Cool Mysterious Weapon variations hidden throughout books

[Tor]

WB3 England page 109: Sir Dred has a "Triax particle beam rifle" which inflicts 1d6x10 with a range of 1400ft. (ammo capacity was not listed) This was a big improvement on the NG-P7 in RMBp225 which only did 1d4x10 over 1200ft.

When WB5 Triax came out, page 146 did introduce the TX-45 Particle Beam Rifle. But it was not this impressive. It had the same range and payload (from short clip) as the NG-P7 and actually had a maximum damage of 4 points lower, an average damage of 1.5 points lower. The only benefit was the minimum damage was 1 point higher, it weighed less than half as much, and it could accept a FSE clip for higher payloads.

Could the weapon Sir Dred had been an experimental weapon not incorporated into the NGR military? Perhaps a "TX-55 Heavy Particle Beam Rifle" or something?

Expanding on the idea of a higher payload for particle beam rifles (the primary disadvantage of the NG-P7 to the TX-45) there is an interesting bit within Coalition Wars (Siege on Tolkeen) book 2: Coalition Overkill. On page 56 is mentions that the NG-P7 owned by Ike Flint can accept "long" e-clips, which provide 14 shots compared to the 8 from short/standard. This is a pretty significant upgrade.

I am not sure if that means we should retroactively consider this to apply to all NG-P7s or if we should consider this an unusual modification to the weapon Flint owns. Perhaps it could be open to PCs but they would need to pay a certain number of credits for the better weapon to Northern Gun (or distributor) or else hire an Operator to refit it so that it can accept long clips?

The NG-P7 is not the only Main Book weapon modified in this way in Coalition Overkill. On page 24 it is mentioned that Ian Shrike entered the army when he was 16. He is 44 now so that was 28 years ago. His list of weapons on page 24 mentions a weapon he's owned since enlisting in the army...

It is called "an old C-18 Laser Pulse Pistol". It has the same 800ft range / 2d4 single shot / 10 shots per standard we are used to in the C-18, which has never changed as far as I know.

But what's interesting is: it says it gets 20 shots from a long e-clip. That's new! I don't think I have otherwise seen any indication that the C-18 could utilize a long E-clip. I thought that was only a feature of the new generation of laser pistols in CWC.

What's interesting though is that it's been around so long. Were C-18s able to support long e-clips 28 years ago? Has this always been the case and not mentioned, or was this feature removed in newer versions of the C-18 to save on costs?

Or could this have originally been a basic C-18 that can't use long clips and (like I theorized with Ike Flint's NG-P7) perhaps he has had a custom upgrade?

Of course this wasn't that huge: the TX-20 from the NGR was still better: it did more damage, had same range, and got the same number of (higher damage) shots from a short clip that Shrike's C-18 needs a Long Clip to provide.

Knowing the cost of making short/standard-only weapons (through merit of no other payloads being listed) capable of utilizing long clips and having bigger payloads would be a cool feature for later books.

Another thing to point out: this is called a laser PULSE pistol. Not only that, but a specific damage is listed for a 3-pulse burst from this weapon: 4D6 MD. Have C-18s always been able to do this? Or did they originally do this and then the CS phased it out because it was too dangerous? Or has this never been standard and (like being able to use a long clip) this might be a custom job on a weapon for an officer?

It doesn't really seem that wasteful. The min/avg/max of 2d4 is 2/5/8 and for 4d6 it is 4/14/24 so triple the single stats is 6/15/24. So it falls a bit behind on min/avg but has an equal max.

Considering that some think in RMB it took a 5-shot burst from a C-12 to inflict 4d6 MD, the fact that a 3-shot burst from a C-18 could inflict that much seems pretty interesting, particularly in a weapon so old.

The indication of a burst ability for a C-18 isn't new, of course. The CB1 example had one inflict 2d4x3 MD with a 5-shot "long" burst. As pointed out 2 paragraphs ago this is slightly better than 4d6, but not by enough to warrant wasting 2 extra shots on it, so I have to tip my hat to Ian Shrike's C-18 Laser Pulse Pistol. Whatever its origins, its pulse feature was more efficient than standard burst rules were by the time of CB1. Good reason to keep long burst at x5 IMO, makes it a more competetive option vs this pulse.

I feel like this is only scratching the surface here. I don't always take a super-scrutinous look at NPCs. I was actually trying to find an NPC with a C-12 but haven't yet. But in the course of doing so, found these oddities. Makes me wonder if there are more, and what kind of ideas they would generate.

[RiftJunkie]

In the games I've played (PC & GM), we've gone with the idea that long and short E-clips both fit. Kinda like the M-16 and variants can use 20 & 30rd mags or even 100rd drums.
*edit* Also for consideration is the M-249 SAW. It uses both magazines (not the greatest) and belt feed.

[Alrik Vas]

yeah, I allow long e-clips in just about everything, the only question becomes how many can you carry and how does it affect drawing, holding and firing the weapon, if at all?

[Tor]

The other issue is what payload they give, since the short/long ratio never seems to be consistent. You know it's more, but unless otherwise indicated, might just make it 1 extra shot from a long clip.

I also found some other stuff although they are more 'obvious a typo' territory as opposed to the stuff in the OP which were clear structural changes in the weapons.

Mercs page 86 lists Antonio Giordano as having a C-14 laser pistol. Some mysterious mix of the C-18 pistol and the C-14 Fire Breather Laser Assault rifle? A hand-held grenade launcher maybe? If we've learned anything from SAMAS or C-18s it's that havint the same letter/number designation doesn't mean you have to be identical.

Vampire Kingdoms page 144 mentions that Sylvia has a NG-97 PartiCAL Beam Rifle. What cool features could it have that differ from the NG-P7 PartiCLE Beam Rifle? It is over 13x stronger?

[Alrik Vas]

pretty sure 97 was a mistake, its reasonable that its supposed to be a P7.

[Tor]

Thus the "obvious a typo" category, but still fun to point out. Looking for stuff more like the OP though.

[Blue_Lion]

The other issue is what payload they give, since the short/long ratio never seems to be consistent. You know it's more, but unless otherwise indicated, might just make it 1 extra shot from a long clip.

I also found some other stuff although they are more 'obvious a typo' territory as opposed to the stuff in the OP which were clear structural changes in the weapons.

Mercs page 86 lists Antonio Giordano as having a C-14 laser pistol. Some mysterious mix of the C-18 pistol and the C-14 Fire Breather Laser Assault rifle? A hand-held grenade launcher maybe? If we've learned anything from SAMAS or C-18s it's that havint the same letter/number designation doesn't mean you have to be identical.

Vampire Kingdoms page 144 mentions that Sylvia has a NG-97 PartiCAL Beam Rifle. What cool features could it have that differ from the NG-P7 PartiCLE Beam Rifle? It is over 13x stronger?

Yes e-clip shots seam more random numbers than any form of track able ratio.
You just got to live with it or house rule it to make sense to you.

Many of the mysterious weapons could be from editing errors or something that got cut.

[flatline]

The GMG explains that a long clip has 1.5 the capacity of a regular clip.

I've corrected all weapon descriptions to use this ratio.

--flatline

[Tor]

Many of the mysterious weapons could be from editing errors or something that got cut.

The second pair yes, I explained as much.

The first pair in the OP, I do not think so. Automatic fire for the C-18 was clearly something added in. It's not just a naming error since damage was given for the burst.

The long e-clip thing isn't a mistake either, since we're given an ammo capacity and it specifically mentions the guy stockpiles long e-clips fro this weapon which has never had long e-clip capacity listed before.

[Blue_Lion]

the added power of auto fire can be editing error. Something that got missed. I said two categories editing errors and stuff that got left off.

[Tor]

You don't accidentally call the C-18 an automatic weapon and have identical stats and then accidentally give it a 3-pulse burst that does 4d6. =/

[Alrik Vas]

I think it was intentional to make it weak sauce. I just change the values and remain internally consistent.

[tsh77769]

In merc ops there is a Wilks laser pistol in the blue green spectrum for maritime enviornments that is a variant of the 320 series (with the double pulse shot feature) that does slightly higher damage. IIRC correctly the regular/original version (first appearing in New West IIRC) did 2D6 and the maritime version does 2D8.

tsh77769

[Tor]

Merc Ops page 103, the Wilk's 325 "Mariner". It is described as "nearly identicle" to the Wilk's 227 pistol except for being able to fire underwater.

You're correct about the damage and double-pulse of the Mariner.

The 227 is on Lone Star page 204 and you are correct, it did D6s not D8s.

So either the description or the damage of the 325 or the damage of the 227 is wrong. Either they both do D6s, they both do D8s, or the 325 should have listed higher damage as another difference besides underwater firing capacity.

The Mariner costs 2000 more credits and weighs 1/2 pound more. Same ammo/range/accuracy. Sounds worth the investment for the higher damage.

If I remember Underseas right it was something like normal lasers have 1/2 range underwater while blue-green maintain full range?

Fun math for GMs if firing from out of water to underwater targets or vice versa.

What I would do is just use full range but for non blue-green lasers, count every foot of distance underwater as 2ft.