[Ultra-Tech] Guns and ammo questions

[MatthewVilter]

I’ll just get right into it.

a) Why does the TL 9 Assault Carbine have lower Acc then the TL 7 Assault Rifle? (Alternatively, why does the TL 9 Assault Carbine have more bulk than the TL 8 one?)

b) Are Shaped Charge and HEMP warheads really only double normal cost? Like, a 40mm Shaped Charge grenade costs $20? I ask because they seem really good, in particular outshining APHC when available.

c) What is so “Multi-Purpose” about HEMP warheads?

d) Are Shaped Charge and HEMP warheads the same except that HEMP can be used in smaller rounds and Shaped Charges get bonus damage at TL 10 instead of TL 11?

e) Is High Explosive damage intended to be follow-up while High Explosive Concussion damage is linked?

f) I remember some rule about follow-up explosive attacks hitting the vitals if their host attack penetrated the torso. But now I can’t seem to find it…

g) Is the Electrothermal-Chemical option (with its +50% damage) intended to be used at TL 10 to help small arms keep up with the ~50% increase in TL 10 armor’s DR over TL 9 armor?

Thank you for your time.

[sir_pudding]

Originally Posted by MatthewVilter

a) Why does the TL 9 Assault Carbine have lower Acc then the TL 7 Assault Rifle? (Alternatively, why does the TL 9 Assault Carbine have more bulk than the TL 8 one?)

Which TL7 or 8 assault carbines?

c) What is so “Multi-Purpose” about HEMP warheads?

You can kill personnel and vehicles with it.

[Nereidalbel]

As for the follow-up explosive, it's in Basic. You roll damage normally, and treat it as a vitals hit with 3x wounding.

[lexington]

Originally Posted by MatthewVilter

a) Why does the TL 9 Assault Carbine have lower Acc then the TL 7 Assault Rifle? (Alternatively, why does the TL 9 Assault Carbine have more bulk than the TL 8 one?)

Because it is a carbine, not a rifle. The real problem is that the listed rifles have Acc that is oddly low.

Originally Posted by MatthewVilter

b) Are Shaped Charge and HEMP warheads really only double normal cost? Like, a 40mm Shaped Charge grenade costs $20? I ask because they seem really good, in particular outshining APHC when available.

Why are you putting APHC rounds in your grenades?

Seriously, though, HEAT is only triple cost in High-Tech so I'd say this is probably a matter of life not being competitively balanced.

Originally Posted by MatthewVilter

c) What is so “Multi-Purpose” about HEMP warheads?

Compared to a shaped charge round? Nothing.
In general, as sir_pudding says, they have a good effect on personnel as well as vehicles.

Originally Posted by MatthewVilter

d) Are Shaped Charge and HEMP warheads the same except that HEMP can be used in smaller rounds and Shaped Charges get bonus damage at TL 10 instead of TL 11?

Yes, their descriptions even say as much.

Originally Posted by MatthewVilter

e) Is High Explosive damage intended to be follow-up while High Explosive Concussion damage is linked?

Good question, I can't think of a reason for them not both to be Linked damage.

Originally Posted by MatthewVilter

g) Is the Electrothermal-Chemical option (with its +50% damage) intended to be used at TL 10 to help small arms keep up with the ~50% increase in TL 10 armor’s DR over TL 9 armor?

Author's intent is hard to divine, ETC is arguably realistic in terms of the increase in damage.

[Nereidalbel]

Originally Posted by lexington

Good question, I can't think of a reason for them not both to be Linked damage.

Follow-up explosives are for a round that penetrates a target before exploding, while linked explosives are impact detonation.

[lexington]

Originally Posted by Nereidalbel

Follow-up explosives are for a round that penetrates a target before exploding, while linked explosives are impact detonation.

I know they represent different things I just can't think of a reason to make them different in that way. Other than one being built for limited fragmentation there's no apparent difference between the rounds. If the HE round can dig into the target so can the HEC round.

[MatthewVilter]

Originally Posted by sir_pudding

Which TL7 or 8 assault carbines?

The ones in the Basic Set.

Originally Posted by Nereidalbel

As for the follow-up explosive, it's in Basic. You roll damage normally, and treat it as a vitals hit with 3x wounding.

Okay yeah, I found it ~hidden in a sidebar on B415.

Originally Posted by lexington

Because it is a carbine, not a rifle. The real problem is that the listed rifles have Acc that is oddly low.

So why does it have the bulk of a rifle?

Originally Posted by lexington

Why are you putting APHC rounds in your grenades?

;P

Originally Posted by lexington

Seriously, though, HEAT is only triple cost in High-Tech so I'd say this is probably a matter of life not being competitively balanced.

LOL (Un)fair enough, I guess...

Originally Posted by lexington

Author's intent is hard to divine, ETC is arguably realistic in terms of the increase in damage.

It does serve it that role though right? I guess it doesn't matter if everyone is running around with HEMP rounds...

Originally Posted by lexington

Compared to a shaped charge round? Nothing.
In general, as sir_pudding says, they have a good effect on personnel as well as vehicles.
...
Yes, their descriptions even say as much.

I'm tempted to give HEMP more of a "smart-matter" feel by giving it programable airburst and concussion modes (and maybe top attack?) and upping the cost to x5 or x10.

[vierasmarius]

Originally Posted by MatthewVilter

I'm tempted to give HEMP more of a "smart-matter" feel by giving it programable airburst and concussion modes (and maybe top attack?) and upping the cost to x5 or x10.

The role of a programmable anti-armor round is currently held be the SEFOP. Giving the HEMP a top-attack mode without also reducing its armor divisor would completely displace the "smart" round.

[lexington]

Originally Posted by MatthewVilter

So why does it have the bulk of a rifle?

It has the same bulk as an M4 carbine. Even the AUG carbine has a Bulk of -4 in GURPS and that's about as small as a useful assault rifle can possibly be.

If you mean comparing it to the Storm Rifle, that's probably because the Storm Rifle's statline is a mess. Official errata gives the Storm Rifle an Acc of 5 and a damage type of pi+. It ought to have a Bulk of -5 and a magazine weight of 0.8 as well but that's not official.

Originally Posted by MatthewVilter

It does serve it that role though right? I guess it doesn't matter if everyone is running around with HEMP rounds...

You can't use HEMP in every situation:
Try resolving a hostage situation when your carbine is loaded with HEMP rounds.
Try using HEMP anywhere without being an official military force and check your legal situation.

Originally Posted by MatthewVilter

I'm tempted to give HEMP more of a "smart-matter" feel by giving it programable airburst and concussion modes (and maybe top attack?) and upping the cost to x5 or x10.

There's no such thing as "programmable concussion mode" either the explosive has fragmentation in it or it doesn't. If you want to make HEAT and HEMP less dominant up the cost to x3 and invent a clause in the future equivalent of Hague Convention that makes it illegal to fire them directly at soft targets.

[Ulzgoroth]

Originally Posted by MatthewVilter

b) Are Shaped Charge and HEMP warheads really only double normal cost? Like, a 40mm Shaped Charge grenade costs $20? I ask because they seem really good, in particular outshining APHC when available.

That depends heavily on the caliber of the weapon and the kinetic damage it provides. A payload rifle is bound to use HEMP for its anti-armor uses, but putting that in a portable railgun or 40mm railgun would be silly. EDIT: And a TL10 TML actually has more penetration loading APEP. (APHC, yeah, that stuff doesn't measure up unless you've got really high performance guns...ETK might make it worth thinking about.)

HEMP also suffers against composite and electromagentic armor.

Originally Posted by MatthewVilter

e) Is High Explosive damage intended to be follow-up while High Explosive Concussion damage is linked?

It seems wierd. Might relate to HEC having a case too light to actually penetrate things rather than crushing...but in that case, why does it have piercing damage at all?

Originally Posted by MatthewVilter

So why does it have the bulk of a rifle?

It doesn't. Bulk -4 is typical of carbines. (Also bullpup configuration rifles.)

I would question why the Storm Rifle has the bulk of a carbine.

Originally Posted by MatthewVilter

I'm tempted to give HEMP more of a "smart-matter" feel by giving it programable airburst and concussion modes (and maybe top attack?) and upping the cost to x5 or x10.

Programmable airburst is not unreasonable, but should be very cheap to add. Concussion mode is both not reasonable ('smart matter' doesn't plausibly let you switch between a solid fragmentation case and none) and pretty much useless. Top attack is probably not reasonable either, unless you've bought smart bullets capable of a pop-up and dive maneuver.