Gyroc Bullets -- Why?

[Tallor]

Gyroc bullets are very polarized, it seems. The 15mm micromissiles have homing abilities, making them excellent long-range weapons versus anything their infrared systems can target. Non-homing slugs, however, are terribly inaccurate and can't be used to full effect in closer firefights due to their acceleration.

Perhaps I misread something, are the unguided $5 gyroc bullets really so impractical?

[Z09SS]

The real world Gyrojet kinda hit this same problem.

So, yes unguided rounds are really that impractical.

[Humabout]

Originally Posted by Z09SS

The real world Gyrojet kinda hit this same problem.

So, yes unguided rounds are really that impractical.

That said, you are free to change stats however you see fit for your setting. They may not bare any relation to reality, but if that were a requirement for every story, Q wouldn't ever have anything for Bond, interatellar space travel would take decades at best, and a great many PCs would get sidelined by lasting injuries after a single adventure.

In short, UT offers semi-realistic stats based on current human experience. If you want something different for your story, make it so. As much as I wish Kromm would break down my door and tell me I'm playing GURPS all wrong, I don't think I'll get the privelage of having him near my gaming table.

[Ulzgoroth]

About the only point I can think of that's actually a legit strength of unguided rocket guns is that they're close to recoil-less. That isn't usually important, but it might be desirable for zero-G use.

[Tallor]

Originally Posted by Ulzgoroth

About the only point I can think of that's actually a legit strength of unguided rocket guns is that they're close to recoil-less. That isn't usually important, but it might be desirable for zero-G use.

I imagine you could bombard an area with indirect fire, but you'd need some ability to control the missiles' trajectory.

[RyanW]

Originally Posted by Ulzgoroth

About the only point I can think of that's actually a legit strength of unguided rocket guns is that they're close to recoil-less. That isn't usually important, but it might be desirable for zero-G use.

That lack of recoil allows you to build a very light weapon. The Gyrojet pistol (a TL7 gyroc, for all intents and purposes), weighed 1.4 pounds and had hitting power greater than a .45 caliber pistol. It did have problems, though.

For the most part, it was a perfect solution to a problem that didn't exist. Still more sensible than the Dardick trounds, though.

[Tallor]

Originally Posted by RyanW

That lack of recoil allows you to build a very light weapon. The Gyrojet pistol (a TL7 gyroc, for all intents and purposes), weighed 1.4 pounds and had hitting power greater than a .45 caliber pistol. It did have problems, though.

For the most part, it was a perfect solution to a problem that didn't exist. Still more sensible than the Dardick trounds, though.

Wait a minute, I just realized... some warheads replace piercing damage, or add special abilities...

A 15mm HE warhead with Proximity Burst would give +4 to hit, spraying the battlefield with 2d [1d-1] explosions!

Likewise, the same gun could be filled with 15mm HEMP bullets--their 5dx2(5) damage (with linked 1d cr ex [1d-1]) could easily work as an anti-armor weapon!

[Tallor]

Originally Posted by Tallor

Wait a minute, I just realized... some warheads replace piercing damage, or add special abilities...

A 15mm HE warhead with Proximity Burst would give +4 to hit, spraying the battlefield with 2d [1d-1] explosions!

Likewise, the same gun could be filled with 15mm HEMP bullets--their 5dx2(5) damage (with linked 1d cr ex [1d-1]) could easily work as an anti-armor weapon!

But then again, HEMP bullets in a 10mm submachine gun may work as well... but would also have Recoil 3 instead of that spectacular Recoil 1 that only gyrocs enjoy, as far as kinetic weapons go.

[weby]

The gyroc should mostly be seen as automatic/semiautomatic 15mm grenade launcher when firing unguided ammo.

Basically the reasonably high rof lets you project a lot of small grenades. The pi damage is mostly for show... though the LSW gets +2 for rof and thus it is not totally impossible to hit something at moderate range and the low recoil makes several hit fairly likely if you hit.

[Humabout]

FWIW, I'm looking at having gyrocs fill the roll of precision payload delivery on a personal scale. For general bombardment, grenades may remain an option, but they are generally inferior to using a missile. That sort of thing tends to be setting-specific. That's why my recommendation was to give them the stats you want them to have in your world.