[IW] High-Tech/Ultra-Tech firearms for a Yrth's warrior

[Carlos]

Greetings, buddies.

I'm currently playing a Infinity Worlds game with 250 character points (plus -125 from disadvantages). The guy is a TL 1-5 Super-Soldier (from Infinity Worlds 185-186), previously from Megalos that later was recruited by ISWAT. The point is that this guy is not anymore a "mere" TL 3 warrior, but a updated TL 8-9 warrior that uses Sword & Gun during fighting. Its a ST 21 warrior (ST 18 +3 from Super-soldier) with Striking ST 2 and Arm ST 2, for a total of ST 25 while attacking with his Zweihander, which he uses one-handed for 5d+13 cutting damage. Also, he has Broadsword and Counterattack 20 and Feint 24.

Anway, that's just a background. The point is that this guy has huge strenght and, therefore, calls for a very potent firearm. Since pistols are too light, here is what he's using now as a "pistol" (one-handed):

Shotgun => Daewoo USAS-12, 12 G 2.75'': Dmg 1d+1 pi; Acc 3; Range 40/800; Weight: 7,1 kgs; RoF: 6x9; Shots: 10+1(3); ST: 11†; Bulk: -5; Rcl: 1/3 (High-Tech, 104)

...and using this ammo => APDS Ammo: Dmg 6d(2) pi+; Acc 4; Range 150/1600 (HT, 103).

Ok. Up to 6 bullets per turn for 6d of damage with armor divisor (2). I was wondering if that is the best option that a ST 21 + Arm ST 2 guy can use. And by "best", I mean the most powerful and concealable gun (because I'd love to use a gatling gun, but to run out there with that is not that easy) a not-quite-human guy can use. So please, I'd like to see some idea.


Obs.: ISWAT TL is transitory between 8 and 9, so High-Tech is allowed and maybe some Ultra-Tech.

[Kale]

A G3A3 battle rifle chambered for 7.62 NATO with 50 round drum is appealing. (HT p117) Decent ammo capacity, and 6d+2 per bullet with full auto (RoF10) capability! Add APHC ammo to get 6d+2(2). Not as concealable as a shotgun but it can shred an unarmored vehicle in short order. (bulk 5 or 6) With APHC it can probably shred a lightly armored vehicle as well. The 50 round drum also makes it serviceable for suppressing fire, at least for a few rounds. Finally, for maximum rock-and-roll mix some tracer rounds into the ammo load for incendiary effects.

[lexington]

Originally Posted by Kale

A G3A3 battle rifle chambered for 7.62 NATO with 50 round drum is appealing. (HT p117) Decent ammo capacity, and 6d+2 per bullet with full auto (RoF10) capability! Add APHC ammo to get 6d+2(2). Not as concealable as a shotgun but it can shred an unarmored vehicle in short order. (bulk 5 or 6) With APHC it can probably shred a lightly armored vehicle as well. The 50 round drum also makes it serviceable for suppressing fire, at least for a few rounds. Finally, for maximum rock-and-roll mix some tracer rounds into the ammo load for incendiary effects.

If your funds are unlimited you can buy APDS in 7.62 for even sillier damage and range. 8d+2(2) and 1275.

[Kale]

Originally Posted by lexington

If your funds are unlimited you can buy APDS in 7.62 for even sillier damage and range. 8d+2(2) and 1275.

Hey, is the character strong enough to duel wield G3A3s? That would be even more awesome.

[Carlos]

Originally Posted by lexington

If your funds are unlimited you can buy APDS in 7.62 for even sillier damage and range. 8d+2(2) and 1275.

The gun he's using at this moment does more than that: 6dx2 (2) pi+ damage, with RoF 10 and Recoil 4.

Originally Posted by Kale

Hey, is the character strong enough to duel wield G3A3s? That would be even more awesome.

ST 19+ Arm ST 2 (and raising up!). Is that enough?

By the way, the character has two styles: An armed style, Sword-and-Shield Fighting (GURPS Martial Arts, p. 199-200), learned on Yrth as a soldier and; a firearm style, Double Trouble (GURPS Gun-Fu, p. 31-32)

The case is that he doesn't use a shield, neither two guns. Instead, he uses a sword in one hand and a gun in the other hand. With this two different styles, he kind of made his own style.

Besides Suppresion Fire (dual-wielding guns gives you double RoF for this), is there any reason to use two guns once you have Gunslinger Advantage?

[Kale]

Originally Posted by Carlos

ST 19+ Arm ST 2 (and raising up!). Is that enough?

Yes; basically you need weapon ST +5 to one hand it.

Originally Posted by Carlos

Besides Suppresion Fire (dual-wielding guns gives you double RoF for this), is there any reason to use two guns once you have Gunslinger Advantage?

Twice the guns is twice the shots per turn and twice the ammo before you have to worry about reloading. A player in one of my games is a gunslinger with dual pistols and he rarely has to reload before the fight is over. (effective RoF 6, 36 shots total - good for six rounds of combat and he never misses). With 50 rounds in each G3 (using drum mag) you'd have 100 rounds at RoF 20, so good for five rounds of continual fire. Also if a gun is shot out of your hand or jams or is otherwise put out of action you still have the other one. You can also suppress with one gun using up all its ammo over a few turns while still having the second gun fully loaded and ready to go when the bad guys think you've run dry...

[Miles]

Since it's an Infinite Worlds campaign, take a look at the Barrett M97 Dragonfang from the Designer Notes for High Tech.

It's just one of the reasons why the Technomancer setting is awesome.

[Carlos]

Originally Posted by Kale

A G3A3 battle rifle chambered for 7.62 NATO with 50 round drum is appealing. (HT p117) Decent ammo capacity, and 6d+2 per bullet with full auto (RoF10) capability! Add APHC ammo to get 6d+2(2). Not as concealable as a shotgun but it can shred an unarmored vehicle in short order. (bulk 5 or 6) With APHC it can probably shred a lightly armored vehicle as well. The 50 round drum also makes it serviceable for suppressing fire, at least for a few rounds. Finally, for maximum rock-and-roll mix some tracer rounds into the ammo load for incendiary effects.

Yes... It looks like a nice weapon. 6d+2 damage, with armor divisor (2) and RoF 10. And its bulk is -5, exactly the same book as the USAS-12. Very good. Lets just see if someone has a better option.

Originally Posted by Miles

Since it's an Infinite Worlds campaign, take a look at the Barrett M97 Dragonfang from the Designer Notes for High Tech.

I really like it! But its said...

"The M97 Dragonfang is a short-barreled, stockless personal defense weapon (PDW) designed for dragons and combat golems -- it would also be suited as a sidearm for large supers or mecha."

My character, despite the fact that he has ST 21 (and can raise up to ST 23), is not a very large guy. He's SM+0. So can he really use that?

And I'm amazed with the fact that it has only bulk -4, less bulky than the USAS-12.

Anyway, can I somehow turn this Dragonfang even more powerful? (with some kind of special ammo or something else....)

It also says "It lacks a stock and is intended to be fired one-handed.". So a character with ST 20 can really use it one handed, like a pistol??

[Miles]

Yes on all counts. It's real. Of course it may or may not be balanced, so talk to your GM. As for making it more powerful, take a second look at the ammunition listed in the weapon's description. Other than that, You could look into bigger magazines, if you're willing to risk increased Malf.

Incidentally, you say that your character is SM+0, but why is that? He'd get a nice price discount on ST from being SM+1, it would help with grappling and reach, and it fits with my picture of a hypothetical Megalan super-soldier. If the empire likes their statues big, stupid, and comically muscled, I'm sure they have the same taste in soldiers.

Remember though, you're going to want versatility. So what I would do is grab an Ultra-Tech 25mm or 40mm underbarrel grenade launcher for whatever gun you take. That lets you play with stuff like tangler, EMP, jammer, strobe, flare, warbler, riot and sleep gas, and smoke warheads. In theory it doesn't even add bulk, although I'd probably house rule that it did if I was GMing.

Also, see if you can get Infinity to recast your character's Zweihander with Ultra-Fine materials. That'll boost damage and get you a lovely armor divisor.

[Kale]

Originally Posted by Miles

Remember though, you're going to want versatility. So what I would do is grab an Ultra-Tech 25mm or 40mm underbarrel grenade launcher for whatever gun you take.

Ya know, the G3A3 can mount that... @:-)
As an added bonus 7.62 NATO ammo is probably fairly common on many worlds. You would probably be able to find ammo for it easily. If you were in a Reich world you could have a different barrel and bolt to swap into the gun to chamber 7.92 instead, or finally maybe the same treatment to chamber 30-06 like that used in the M1 Garand.