Gauss Bullet Options?

[Tallor]

Ultra-Tech seems to imply that all gauss guns use APEP ammo, with the exceptions of shotguns, grenade launchers, and mortars. APEX ammunition is possible with the portable railgun, as it's large enough for such, and will downgrade to a (2) armor divisor.

My question is--can other gauss weapons switch ammo? Can the needles carry a poison, like the dart guns? What about hollow-point bullets, or burrow-darts?

[The_Ryujin]

Originally Posted by Tallor

Ultra-Tech seems to imply that all gauss guns use APEP ammo, with the exceptions of shotguns, grenade launchers, and mortars. APEX ammunition is possible with the portable railgun, as it's large enough for such, and will downgrade to a (2) armor divisor.

My question is--can other gauss weapons switch ammo? Can the needles carry a poison, like the dart guns? What about hollow-point bullets, or burrow-darts?

As far as RAW, yes. Any warhead option that is available in the same caliber that your gauss weapon is fair game. Though keep in mind that the gauss weapons in Ultra-Tech are mostly meant to be one-trick armor penetration ponies so a lot of the upgrade options give sup-par results when added to a gauss weapon.

[Tallor]

Originally Posted by The_Ryujin

As far as RAW, yes. Any warhead option that is available in the same caliber that your gauss weapon is fair game. Though keep in mind that the gauss weapons in Ultra-Tech are mostly meant to be one-trick armor penetration ponies so a lot of the upgrade options give sup-par results when added to a gauss weapon.

What about poisons and/or "burrow darts"? I don't think the latter are given a minimum size...

[Flyndaran]

I think Gauss ammo has to be armor piercing, because their thin sliver dimensions wouldn't allow floppy lead.

[wellspring]

Originally Posted by Tallor

Ultra-Tech seems to imply that all gauss guns use APEP ammo, with the exceptions of shotguns, grenade launchers, and mortars. APEX ammunition is possible with the portable railgun, as it's large enough for such, and will downgrade to a (2) armor divisor.

My question is--can other gauss weapons switch ammo? Can the needles carry a poison, like the dart guns? What about hollow-point bullets, or burrow-darts?

I think part of your question is "can gauss ammunition be hollow?"

If that's what you're asking, the answer is yes. Not an engineer myself, but my understanding is that so long as the outer surface is magnetic, the projectile does not need to be solid.

[Gigermann]

One question I keep finding myself asking of late is, "why can't it [gauss rifle] be bigger?" Why can't we have a "storm rifle" up-caliber gauss weapon?

[Anthony]

Originally Posted by Gigermann

One question I keep finding myself asking of late is, "why can't it [gauss rifle] be bigger?"

Because it would be heavier and require a larger power supply. Upgrading a 4mm to 10mm would probably result in a weapon that's 5-10x heavier.

[Gigermann]

Originally Posted by Anthony

Because it would be heavier and require a larger power supply. Upgrading a 4mm to 10mm would probably result in a weapon that's 5-10x heavier.

Sure, but how about for 7mm? Yeah, there will be a trade-off, but some folks would suffer the cons for the pros, I'm sure. Logically, the statistics should fall between the rifle and the HMG.

[smurf]

Rof and accuracy. Many Gauss weapons are acc 7 and rcl-1 plus avery high rof.

I like Gauss because their weapon cost os high but ammo cost is low.

With a base armour divisor of 3 and 5 at tl11 it is pretty awesome. As for tl9 the prg it is a good weapon.

Sure the other etc, gas powered and etk weapons have more flexibility but the trade is cost.

[Fred Brackin]

Originally Posted by smurf

Rof and accuracy. Many Gauss weapons are acc 7 and rcl-1 plus avery high rof.

Sorry. All the Gauss weapons in UT are Rcl 2.

Also, until you get to the 10mm all of them are P- with their default (3) ammo. So things like the Gauss Pistol won't even do Major Wounds on unarmored humans. You need the Gauss PDW to do a Major Wound through concealable Nanoweave and the full-powered Gauss Rifle to do one through a Tacsuit. Even that won't do one through a Hardsuit.

You could give Gauss weapons a # ROF as from HT and that would drop their Rcl to 1 but it'd take away the options to do Suppression Fire and similar things.

I think that Gurps tech assumptions got too realistic for "classic" Gauss weapons in 4e. We no longer believe in the wounding power of extra-fast but extra-small rounds and 4e Rcl can be too narrow to handle a wide spectrum of possible weapon types.