The Effectiveness of Dazzler Carbines [Ultratech]

AlexanderHowl · 06-13-2019, 05:48 AM

I was just wondering if anyone had used dazzler carbines much in their games (or played in games where they were used much)? The ability to use a cone attack to temporarily blind people seems to make it a particularly useful less than lethal weapon, especially given its long range and minimum power consumption. Of course, it is of marginal use against armored targets, as they usually have Protected Vision, but it otherwise seems quite useful. What do you think?

Refplace · 06-13-2019, 06:24 AM

I played a retired scout turned spy in a GURPS Traveler game that used an under barrel laser that had the Dazzler option.

Rupert · 06-13-2019, 07:19 AM

I don't think my players have ever even considered them. They'd be quite useful vs low-tech foes, but against their contemporaries they'd be nearly worthless due to shades and visors with anti-laser coatings.

Phantasm · 06-13-2019, 02:35 PM

In my superhero game the friendly space robot carries non-lethal and less-lethal weaponry almost exclusively, including laser dazzlers. They've worked great against most folks that don't wear eyewear, less so against folks with polarized visors. But that's also using them against early-TL8 opponents.

Anthony · 06-13-2019, 02:59 PM

The real world problem is that 'bright enough to dazzle but not bright enough to cause permanent eye damage, for targets at unknown range' is hard to achieve.

Kale · 06-13-2019, 10:28 PM

The range really matters: a beam that dazzles at long range will have to be powerful enough that up close it inflicts serious eye damage. Something that *just* dazzles up close will be equivalent to a strong flashlight at a distance.
I do keep careful track of laser wavelength in games though. IR lasers are likely to be protected against as it is relatively easy to make optics that block IR but allow the visible to pass so the user can see. Green lasers, however, are harder to defend against as the optics must block green light which is a major portion of the visible spectrum. Somebody wearing green-blocking eye protection might actually have a quirk-level colorblindness effect while wearing them.

06-13-2019, 05:48 AM	#1
AlexanderHowl Join Date: Feb 2016	The Effectiveness of Dazzler Carbines [Ultratech] I was just wondering if anyone had used dazzler carbines much in their games (or played in games where they were used much)? The ability to use a cone attack to temporarily blind people seems to make it a particularly useful less than lethal weapon, especially given its long range and minimum power consumption. Of course, it is of marginal use against armored targets, as they usually have Protected Vision, but it otherwise seems quite useful. What do you think?

06-13-2019, 06:24 AM	#2
Refplace Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Yukon, OK	Re: The Effectiveness of Dazzler Carbines [Ultratech] I played a retired scout turned spy in a GURPS Traveler game that used an under barrel laser that had the Dazzler option. __________________ My GURPS publications GURPS Powers: Totem and Nature Spirits; GURPS Template Toolkit 4: Spirits; Pyramid articles. Buying them lets us know you want more! My GURPS fan contribution and blog: REFPLace GURPS Landing Page My List of GURPS You Tube videos (plus a few other useful items) My GURPS Wiki entries

06-13-2019, 07:19 AM	#3
Rupert Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Wellington, NZ	Re: The Effectiveness of Dazzler Carbines [Ultratech] I don't think my players have ever even considered them. They'd be quite useful vs low-tech foes, but against their contemporaries they'd be nearly worthless due to shades and visors with anti-laser coatings. __________________ Rupert Boleyn "A pessimist is an optimist with a sense of history."

06-13-2019, 02:35 PM	#4
Phantasm Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: On the road again...	Re: The Effectiveness of Dazzler Carbines [Ultratech] In my superhero game the friendly space robot carries non-lethal and less-lethal weaponry almost exclusively, including laser dazzlers. They've worked great against most folks that don't wear eyewear, less so against folks with polarized visors. But that's also using them against early-TL8 opponents. __________________ "Life ... is an Oreo cookie." - J'onn J'onzz, 1991 "But mom, I don't wanna go back in the dungeon!" The GURPS Marvel Universe Reboot Project A-G, H-R, and S-Z, and its not-a-wiki-really web adaptation. Ranoc, a Muskets-and-Magery Renaissance Fantasy Setting

06-13-2019, 02:59 PM	#5
Anthony Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Berkeley, CA	Re: The Effectiveness of Dazzler Carbines [Ultratech] The real world problem is that 'bright enough to dazzle but not bright enough to cause permanent eye damage, for targets at unknown range' is hard to achieve. __________________ My GURPS site and Blog.

06-13-2019, 10:28 PM	#6
Kale Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Cowtown, Canada	Re: The Effectiveness of Dazzler Carbines [Ultratech] The range really matters: a beam that dazzles at long range will have to be powerful enough that up close it inflicts serious eye damage. Something that just dazzles up close will be equivalent to a strong flashlight at a distance. I do keep careful track of laser wavelength in games though. IR lasers are likely to be protected against as it is relatively easy to make optics that block IR but allow the visible to pass so the user can see. Green lasers, however, are harder to defend against as the optics must block green light which is a major portion of the visible spectrum. Somebody wearing green-blocking eye protection might actually have a quirk-level colorblindness effect while wearing them. __________________ FYI: Laser burns HURT!