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Old 07-18-2016, 03:37 PM   #21
Icelander
 
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Default Re: Transhuman Space Firearms more in line with High-Tech

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Originally Posted by Flyndaran View Post
So an assassin that kills with subpar weapons. Even better. ;)
It's not like many assassins kill the fully armored.
True, but normal clothing where our campaign is set, at least for the kind of corrupt corporate executives the character might want to shoot, probably includes advanced arachnoweave* or better. And anything less than a destroyed brain stem will be fixed at the Fourth Wave (or better) medical facilities their transnationals can afford.

Like Transhuman Space books note, bombs have overtaken guns as the assassination weapons of choice, due to the difficulty of actually killing most worthwhile targets with firearms.

Though I suspect a double-tap to the brain stem is still pretty effective, even with very light corundum bullets. Too bad our cyberpunkish characters start with skill 10-14 in most action-y skills, not skill 16+ and appropriate techniques for highly skilled covert operators.

*Thinking about it, maybe sharp corundum bullets ought to get an AD(2) against flexible armours? Mind you, that still only penetrates the very thinnest of arachnoweave t-shirts.
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Old 07-18-2016, 03:49 PM   #22
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Default Re: Transhuman Space Firearms more in line with High-Tech

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In the world of Transhuman Space, what are the densest nonmetallic substances that can be fairly easily minifac-made?
Depends on what you think a minifac can do, and what raw materials you have on hand. You can have lead glass up to a bit under 6g/cc, though I question how valuable it will be as a bullet, and while it wouldn't set off a metal detector, it will still show up fine in an X-ray. Then again, most unusually dense materials will.

What do you need it for, though?
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Old 07-18-2016, 04:04 PM   #23
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Default Re: Transhuman Space Firearms more in line with High-Tech

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Depends on what you think a minifac can do, and what raw materials you have on hand. You can have lead glass up to a bit under 6g/cc, though I question how valuable it will be as a bullet, and while it wouldn't set off a metal detector, it will still show up fine in an X-ray. Then again, most unusually dense materials will.

What do you need it for, though?
For one thing, minifacs that only make a limited range of materials are much cheaper than universal ones. That is an excellent reason for there to exist a wide range of schematics for inexpensive weapons that can be made entirely from one material or at worst, a class of related materials (advanced plastics, TL9+ alloys, etc.).

Also, with wide-spread 3D printing and various libertarian memeplexes going on, someone would inevitably try to make a firearm that was as low-profile as possible and avoided as many scans as is practical. Avoiding tripping random chemsniffer alarms is probably done through a sealed scent-masked magazine, but metal detectors, X-rays and millimeter radars are also concerns. I accept that no effective weapon will be able to pass all TL9+ scanners, but I was hoping for one that reduced the odds of a random security check being triggered by a NAI running wide-range scans considerably.

Our cyberpunk-ish campaign set in Dar es Salaam has a lot of security sensors and scanners around corporate and government buildings, in the most sensitive areas with thugs in the employ of the worst corporations more than happy to harass people over false positives, let alone actual possession of unlicensed arms. I also imagine that we might sometimes have to walk around in areas where scanner drones randomly 'search' people at a distance, with their TL10 sensors.

And since I was already statting a low-profile polymer and plastics gun, I thought about what kind of bullets one could use that would still retain some lethality, but be harder to spot as bullets on an automated scan when people cross a security gate or get close to a sec-drone.
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Old 07-18-2016, 04:12 PM   #24
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Default Re: Transhuman Space Firearms more in line with High-Tech

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And since I was already statting a low-profile polymer and plastics gun, I thought about what kind of bullets one could use that would still retain some lethality, but be harder to spot as bullets on an automated scan when people cross a security gate or get close to a sec-drone.
Why use bullets at all? Various chemical loads would be far subtler. In general, though, this would be a moving target and the required level of subtlety in any actually secure area will be very high (remember the Shoe Bomber? 2100 era security would consider that painfully obvious).
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Old 07-18-2016, 04:23 PM   #25
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Default Re: Transhuman Space Firearms more in line with High-Tech

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Why use bullets at all? Various chemical loads would be far subtler.
That's a good point, but I expect that a 9mm gun designed for saboted loads could also chamber hollow dart rounds that are basically chemical delivery systems.

In any case, chemical rounds are nice assassination tools, but probably not effective on the time scale that GURPS characters need in combat. A guard about to shoot you won't necessarily stop because you poisoned him with something that will kill him in a few seconds, but he might if you shoot him twice in the brain stem with a synthetic corundum (or other dense synthetic material) bullet.

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In general, though, this would be a moving target and the required level of subtlety in any actually secure area will be very high (remember the Shoe Bomber? 2100 era security would consider that painfully obvious).
Given that power cells might be fairly dense, at least simply possessing something that is denser than fabric or ordinary plastics is not automatically grounds for a more focused check.

I've postulated that the Low-Profile modifier costs +1 CF (twice that of the simpler Non-Metallic) and gives +2 Holdout against typical scanners. For typical Holdout levels against the kind of equipment and highly-skilled NAIs at really secure locations, it's not going to be enough. But it helps against random scan-checks.
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Old 07-19-2016, 06:53 AM   #26
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Default Chinese Battle Rifles

In the world of Transhuman Space, the People's Republic of China adopted the QBZ-95 bullpup assault rifle in 5.8x42mm conventional cased ammunition (HT p. 122) before the end of the 20th century. With upgraded optics and accessories, the bullpup rifle served them well for the first two decades of the 21st century.

After extensive negotiations with Taiwan prior to unification, the PLA agreed not to issue the weapon to ROC units incorporated into PRC forces, but to adopt an entirely new weapon system. The PRC would take over Taiwan's caseless rifle design project (the T110) and the promising 5.6x45mmCL ammunition, incorporating a rifle firing the caseless ammunition as the kinetic component of its own proposed future weapon project, a dual-purpose automatic carbine and a mini-missile launcher reverse-engineered from early American designs. The resulting weapon was designated the QBZ-23, although the first battle rifles weren't issued to conventional units until 2025.

QBZ-23 / Xuan Feng
Battle Rifle, 30x30mm mini-missile and 5.6x45mmCL
Dmg: By warhead or 5d pi;
Acc: 4+1;
Range: 500/500* or 650/3,200;
Weight: 12/1.5 + 1.6;
RoF: 16 or 2;
Shots: 40+1(3) + 2(3i);
ST: 9†;
Bulk: -4;
Rcl: 2 or 1;
LC: 1;
Cost: $500/$6 + warheads;


Like the QBZ-95, the QBZ-23 is a small caliber bullpup assault rifle made with polymer furniture. Unlike its predecessor, however, the standard barrel length of the kinetic component is ony 10", in order to keep the weapon maneuverable despite the bulk of the early mini-missile launcher. This short barrel means that the 5.6x45mmCL round only retains pi damage out to 400 yards, but as that distance is comfortably outside typical smallarms engagements, this was not considered a design flaw. The weapon is fully as reliable as other TL9+ firearms (Pyramid #55 'Tactical Shooting: Tomorrow' p. 5), but due to the caseless ammunition, counts as only TL8 for the purposes of Sustained Fire (HT p. 83) and so suffers -1 to Malf. after firing 150 shots in less than a minute.

The QBZ-23 comes with an integral full-length mini-missile launcher barrel that is arguably the main weapon of the battle rifle equipped soldier. Unlike many other battle rifles, the QBZ-23 mini-missile launcher is located above the kinetic barrel. This early mini-missile launcher adds considerably more weight and especially bulk to the finished weapon system than later, more modern mini-missile launchers that fit under the rifle barrel. It was also limited to contact-fused HE missiles, without advanced guidance options or a semi-ballistic setting. This made it necessary to issue another rifle with a longer-ranged grenade launcher at squad-level alongside the QBZ-23 battle rifle.

The first version of the QBZ-23 battle rifle had inbuilt optics that doubled as a carrying handle, a robust 0.5-lb scope with 1-3x magnification and a tritium reflex sight. It also allowed the fitting of auxiliary night vision optics behind the sight, e.g. a Night Vision 7 optic ($500; 0.5 lbs.). With rapid advancements in electronics and optics, later generations of the rifle dispensed with the fixed optic, instead coming with a simple accessory rail allowing for modular, easily upgraded optics (QBZ-23-1 through QBZ-23-4**; Acc 4; Cost $400; Weight 11.5/1.3).

With new models came new options for mini-missiles. A TL9 adjustable multispectral laser sight (UT p. 149, Pyramid #55 'Tactical Shooting: Tomorrow' p. 9) became standard for models QBZ-23-5 (Cost $500; Weight 11/0.5) onward. This allows airburst detonations and laser-guided missiles, as well as enabling a low-power cruising setting for mini-missiles (Range 300/900; a later improved version has Range 300/1,500). The last service model, the QBZ-23X, also came with new materials that lightened the weapon body considerably and full modern smartgun elecronics, including diagnostic computer and HUD link (Cost $750; Weight 10/1.1). This is the first model of the QBZ-23 that can use the full guidance options for mini-missiles given in THS, including a semi-ballistic setting with Range 300/3,000.

Copies of any generation of the QBZ-23 battle rifle may be sold abroad under the trade name Xuan Feng ('Tornado'). By no means all such weapons are licenced and minor variations are common. Several nations within the Chinese bloc of influence still issue frontline troops battle rifles that were developed from the QBZ-23, though generally with improved electronics and guidance systems.

Probably the most common worldwide is an export version of the QBZ-23-3 that was licenced in the 2040s as the Xuan Feng (Cost $600, Weight 12 lbs.) to several Chinese manufacturers on Mars and Earth. After 2050 or so, many of these Xuan Feng rifles were modified designs, and actually chambered for the newer 5.6x32mmCL round. This round has the same ballistics, but is shorter and lighter. The redesigned Xuan Feng rifles have the same stats as the model they are built on, but change full magazine weight from 1.1-1.5 lbs. to 0.75 lbs.

The original licensed Xuan Feng had a heavy-barrel that counted as a TL8 light machine gun barrel (see Sustained Fire HT p. 83), as well as including an inbuilt laser sight equivalent to the TL8 Insight AN/PEQ-2A combination IR tactical light/targeting laser (650-yard IR beam or 5,500-yard IR laser, powered by the weapon B cell; see Laser/Light Module TS p. 74) and the potential to link the weapon to a HUD, but not a diagnostic computer. It allows laser designation of targets and thus airburst as well as impact-fused HE mini-missiles, but is not compatible with active guidance systems or full semi-ballistic setting mini-missiles. Generally uses mini-missiles with an optional low-power cruise mode (Range 300/1,500) in addition to the standard full supersonic power.

QBZ-49
Battle Rifle, 5.6x32mmCL and 30x30mm mini-missile
Dmg: 6d pi or by warhead;
Acc: 5 or 4;
Range: 850/3,800 or 500/500*;
Weight: 12/1.1 + 2.4;
RoF: 6#/6 to 16 or 3;
Shots: 60+1(3) + 3(3i);
ST: 9†;
Bulk: -4;
Rcl: 2 or 1;
LC: 1;
Cost: $1,600/$10 + warheads;


Despite the model name, this battle rifle did not get to regular divisions until the mid-50s. Like the QBZ-23, it is a bullpup weapon, but unlike that weapon system, the barrel of the kinetic component is a full 18" long, relatively heavy (counts as a Light Machinegun, see Sustained Fire HT p. 83) and has an advanced cooling system to compensate for the caseless ammunition (counts as TL9).

The QBZ-49 is chambered for a newer 5.6x32mmCL round that matches the ballistics of the original 5.6x45mmCL in a smaller and lighter package. This round became so common in the world of THS that it is generally referred to as simply 5.6mmCL. The high velocity allowed by the long barrel lets typical FMJ 5.6x32mmCL rounds retain pi wounding out to 700 yards. The QBZ-49 includes all typical features of TL9+ firearms and comes with a gas regulator that allows the RoF to be set at any rate from 6 to 16, in addition to a two-round high-cyclic controlled burst mode.

The intergrated underbarrel 30x30mm mini-missile launcher is a lot lighter and less bulky than the first examples of such weapons. The QBZ-49 allows a full range of warheads and guidance systems for 30mm mini-missiles from the THS books. It can also be set for a sub-sonic semi-ballistic mode with Range 300/3,000.

The QBZ-49-4 (cosmetic differences and software upgrades only) still arms most PLA infantry and all Chinese reserve units. After the Pacific War, some of the more affluent TSA nations have also adopted reverse-engineered versions of some QBZ-49 model, either as a specialist weapon or with a goal of making it their general military issue.

*Missile, first Range number is Move, not 1/2D. Most models also have lower power cruise or semi-ballistic setting, usually with Speed 300 and Maximum Range 3,000.
**Differences are below GURPS resolution.
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Old 07-19-2016, 08:48 AM   #27
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Default Re: Transhuman Space Firearms more in line with High-Tech

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I'm not talking legitimate suspicious activity. I mean all those activities that only become suspicious when performed by minorities or by those cops don't like.
Oh, definitely. But carrying a handgun whose sole distinguishing virtue is low detectability surely belongs in the former category.

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Though I suspect a double-tap to the brain stem is still pretty effective, even with very light corundum bullets. Too bad our cyberpunkish characters start with skill 10-14 in most action-y skills, not skill 16+ and appropriate techniques for highly skilled covert operators.
A noted assassin with a fancy nickname and unique MO is surely going to be more of a highly skilled covert operator, isn't he?

And is there much reason to go for a very specialised super-concealable gun if you aren't a professional assassin, with the skills to back it up? Low-rent street punks who want an actual career, rather than just living fast and dying young, would surely just want a weapon that looks adequately weapon-y when they pull it out and wave it around as a last-ditch response to a situation that's gone bad on them.
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Old 07-19-2016, 08:56 AM   #28
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Default Re: Transhuman Space Firearms more in line with High-Tech

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Oh, definitely. But carrying a handgun whose sole distinguishing virtue is low detectability surely belongs in the former category.
I've occasionally been thinking of a fad/flashmob sort of meme of deliberarely doing legal but suspicious stuff as a form of protest against such big-brotherly attitudes. When 10% of the population carries a cheap, highly suspicious but not technically illegal weapon on themselves as a matter of principle, it gets harder to harrass people for stuff like that. Especially in Fifth Wave states, where chances are higher of proving that such harrassment/increased surveillance are caused by either discrimination or an arbitrary and subjective decision (since cops won't have the resources to treat a whole 10% of the population as suspects equally).
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Old 07-19-2016, 09:57 AM   #29
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Default Re: Transhuman Space Firearms more in line with High-Tech

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A noted assassin with a fancy nickname and unique MO is surely going to be more of a highly skilled covert operator, isn't he?.
Flyndaran is the one who came up with the fancy assassin nickname. The actual PC in our campaign, Johann Copley, has fired the weapon exactly once, at a melon a couple of hour's drive outside Dar es Salaam. That was to check it worked, after he bought it from a friend of a friend, who is a black-market minifabber.

The gun is conceived more as a TL10 analogue to London zip guns than a hyper-cool undetectable assassination weapon. It's just that minifac/minifab technology allows for 'home-made' black-market guns that are pretty well made, especially if the scematics for a well-designed piece are available.

Copley might technically have been a highly skilled covert operator at some point, as he has Amnesia (Partial) and doesn't remember his life before he woke up in a bus heading to Dar es Salaam five years ago. At that time, he suffered from dizzy spells, migraines and blackouts, but these have improved with time. He also seems to have scarring that indicates either battlefield brain surgery, imperfectly-healed bad head wounds or both. He probably had a VII before, but arrived without one (or a wearable or even a handheld).

Copley has a South African citizenship and no criminal record. Judging from what records my character, Mansur Batenga, can dig up on him, he's a 42-year-old orphan with an average public education, no military service and no record of steady employment. After age 18, Batenga can't find any real public records that place him in South Africa and if he registered for any government program or assistance, he did so without appearing anywhere except in privacy-sealed official databases. Batenga is pretty sure the Copley identity is either fake or at least not a name he has used in years.

Judging from his modest mechanic, driving and orienteering skills, as well as what seems to be a fairly well-rounded basic grounding in Third Wave military skills, he may have served as a soldier or mercenary in an unaffiliated African country, probably in a logistics or transport unit. If he ever was a highly skilled anything, it's most probable that brain damage put paid to that.

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Originally Posted by Phil Masters View Post
And is there much reason to go for a very specialised super-concealable gun if you aren't a professional assassin, with the skills to back it up? Low-rent street punks who want an actual career, rather than just living fast and dying young, would surely just want a weapon that looks adequately weapon-y when they pull it out and wave it around as a last-ditch response to a situation that's gone bad on them.
Copley wants the gun for self-defence, as you say, but in his day-to-day job as an unlicensed dala dala (privately-owned minibus) driver, not to say bioroid snakehead, he passes a lot of random security scans, from drones and stationary gates. And he must occasionally pass the border into Tanganyika.

We have friendly border guards that we bribe, but we might not be able to square things with the guard's bosses that might get notified if an automated scan turns up 'GUN!' And our cyberpunk Dar es Salaam has really strict weapons laws and no freedom from random 'threat' scans by corpsec bodyguard drones for those who aren't corporate security. So we want to avoid triggering automated alarms if possible.

Maybe we wouldn't need a gun if the Red Snakes, a gang of unscrupulous snakeheads who run bioroids into slavery, sweat shops or any other horror for fun and profit, weren't so annoyed at our unbusiness-like attitude. Ah, well, no good deed goes unpunished.
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Old 07-19-2016, 10:56 AM   #30
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Default Re: Transhuman Space Firearms more in line with High-Tech

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I've occasionally been thinking of a fad/flashmob sort of meme of deliberarely doing legal but suspicious stuff as a form of protest against such big-brotherly attitudes.
Join our flashmob group! Get yourself on police watch lists, in order to make life easier for poor persecuted professional hitmen!

Hmm. Not sure how easy that would be to sell.
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