Conventional and ETC Guns (Ultra-Tech)

Conventional and ETC Guns (Ultra-Tech)

These weapons use the expanding gases from a burning chemical propellant to push a projectile down a barrel. In many ultra-tech settings, ordinary TL7-8 slug throwers continue to be used even at high TLs; see GURPS High-Tech Firearms for a full range of suitable hardware.

All the conventional firearms are available in Electrothermal-Chemical (ETC) boosted versions; they have 1.5 times the piercing damage, double cost, and require an A cell which is enough for firing up to 10 magazines of ammunition.

Conventional Small Arms (TL9)

These firearms are conservative, evolutionary developments of mid-TL8 weapons. They use light polymer-cased or caseless telescoped ammunition, in which a projectile is embedded into a block of solid propellant. This reduces the ammunition's weight and bulk so that more shots can be carried. The propellant is ignited with an electrical system; this is integrated into the weapon’s smartgun electronics and uses the same power cell.

Preloaded Barrels: Some conventional guns replace their ammunition feed and ejection systems with alternating propellant charges and projectiles stacked inside the gun barrel. These are fired electronically, singly or in very rapid sequence. The theoretical rate of fire can exceed a million rounds per minute, but the shots that fit into a barrel limit the effective rate of fire! In practice, the rounds can be fired fast enough that any recoil impulse is minimized. The whole barrel must be changed to reload; most guns of this sort have more than one barrel.

Pistols

These ultra-tech versions of 20th-century handguns feature advanced composite construction and caseless ammunition.

Heavy Pistol, 10mmCLP (TL9): This powerful pistol uses the same round as the machine pistol (below).

Holdout Pistol, 7.5mmCLP (TL9): This is a small, easily concealed semi-automatic pistol. It files rounds at a higher velocity than many TL7-8 pistols of the same caliber.

Magnum Pistol, 15mmCLP (TL9): This semi-automatic pistol fires a powerful magnum round. Its size makes it hard to conceal, and only a strong person can shoot accurately with it.

Medium Pistol, 7.5mmCLP (TL9):: The standard TL9 semi-automatic pistol, with a sturdy plastic and alloy frame and a high-capacity magazine.

Submachine Guns

These are compact fully-automatic assault weapons with pistol grips, folding front foregrips, and retractable telescoping stocks. They are favored by special forces, police SWAT teams, and criminals.

Machine Pistol, 10mmCLP (TL9):: This weapon fires the same medium-velocity pistol-caliber round as the 10mm pistol. Police SWAT teams like them – the gun has good stopping power, but errant rounds are unlikely to tear through walls (or targets) and hit bystanders.

Personal Defense Weapon (PDW), 5.7mmCL (TL9):: A PDW fires a small, high-velocity bullet that resembles a miniature rifle round, with better accuracy and range than the pistol ammo used in a submachine gun. This weapon has a big magazine that runs horizontally alongside the weapon. An ergonomic handgrip completely encloses the firing hand.

Urban Assault Weapon, 10mmCLP (UAW): A double-barrel weapon with a 10mm machine pistol and 18.5mm shotgun (use the underbarrel shotgun statistics). It's intended for use by SWAT teams and special operations soldiers, especially in buildings.

Rifles

These weapons incorporate shoulder stocks, and are designed to be used two-handed. Too large to holster, they come with carrying slings.

Anti-Materiel Rifle, 15mmCL (TL9):: The 15mm AMR is a large-caliber sniper weapon powerful enough to cripple light vehicles more than a mile away. Special forces and recon units use them to pin down or neutralize high-value targets such as command posts, guided-missile teams and combat robots. This gun becomes especially fearsome when upgraded with electrothermal or liquid propellant! The rifle's Acc assumes an integral 8× telescopic sight (+3 bonus).

Assault Carbine, 7mmCL (TL9): This bullpup-configuration assault rifle is a basic but effective infantry weapon.

Gatling Carbine, 5.7mmCL (TL9): This triple-barreled, electric-motor-driven chaingun boasts a carbine format no arger than an ordinary assault rifle. It fires the same 5.7mm round as the PDW. Its long magazine slides and locks into the back of the weapon. A separately loaded B cell provides power for 19,500 shots.

Hunting Rifle, 7mmCL (TL9): This plastic-and-alloy semi-automatic rifle fires the same high-velocity ammunition as the assault carbine.

Payload Rifle, 25mmCL (TL9): A bulky semi-automatic rifle, similar to an anti-materiel rifle, that fires a medium-velocity 25mm cannon shell. This provides a long-ranged alternative to a grenade launcher. It has a very effective uzzle brake.

Storm Carbine, 10mmCL (TL9): Sometimes you need more punch than an assault carbine can provide. This weapon fires a more powerful 10mm caseless round, making it popular with troops who expect to face armored opponents. Its drawbacks include heavier ammunition and noticeably higher recoil.

Storm Rifle, 10mmCLR (TL9): A heavier semi-automatic version of the storm carbine, this fires a higher-velocity, full-sized ("10mm Caseless Long Rifle") bullet. It's used as a sniper or hunting weapon.

Machine Guns

These automatic weapons are designed to be fired in long bursts from a bipod or tripod mount. They use an ammunition belt, which is sometimes contained within a cassette. When firing on the move, machine guns can be carried in an articulated weapon harness or a gyrostabilized weapon harness.

Assault Cannon, 25mmCL (TL9): This is a tripod- or vehicle-mounted automatic cannon firing medium-velocity shells, similar to those of the payload rifle (above).

Light Support Weapon (LSW), 7mmCL (TL9): This light machine gun comes with a folding bipod for accurate prone firing. The LSW normally employs a belt feed, but it fires the same bullet as the assault carbine (above), and can use its magazines if necessary.

Minigun, 7mmCL (TL9): This portable, tripod-mounted Gatling gun boasts six rotating barrels and an electric action, firing up to 100 rounds per second. A separately loaded C cell powers it for up to 15 minutes.

Storm Chaingun, 10mmCLR (TL9): This is an electric-motor-driven, machine-gun version of the storm rifle (above). It uses a 100-shot belt contained within an ammo cassette. It can also use the same 30-shot 10mmCLR magazines as the storm rifle, but it cannot fire storm-carbine ammunition. The storm chaingun incorporates a folding bipod for accurate prone firing. A separately loaded B cell provides 15 minutes of power.

Heavy Chaingun, 15mmCL (TL9): This electric-motor-driven, single-barrel machine gun fires the same round as the anti-materiel rifle. It is used for perimeter defense or as a vehicular weapon. Normal humans can't handle its weight without a tripod, but powered troopers can use it as a handheld weapon. A separately loaded C cell provides 15 minutes of power.

Shotguns

Shotguns are a special category of slugthrower: low-powered, short-barrel smoothbores firing large rounds, often with multiple projectiles. Most ultra-tech conventional shotguns fire 18.5mm (12 gauge) plastic-cased ammo.

Civ Shotgun, 18.5mmPC (TL9): semi-automatic shotgun used as a hunting and police weapon, although it also finds its way into the hands of criminals who can't get anything better. It is fitted with a plastic shoulder stock.

Close Assault Weapon (CAW), 18.5mmPC (TL9): A fully- automatic assault shotgun favored for house-to-house fighting.

Underbarrel Shotgun, 18.5mmPC (TL9): A modular pump-action shotgun that can be clamped under any weapon with Bulk -3 or more. Use the Bulk, ST, and sighting bonuses of the weapon it is installed in.

Shotgun Pistol, 18.5mmPC (TL9): A wide-bore pistol that fires shotgun ammunition. It is ideal for house-to-house work or for firing from a vehicle. It's also a favorite police undercover weapon, despite its substantial recoil.

Mortars and Grenade Launchers

Underbarrel Grenade Launcher (UGL), 25mmPC (TL9): This is a tube-fed pump-action grenade launcher firing medium-velocity plastic-cased shells. It may be clamped under the barrel of any weapon with Bulk -3 or more. Use the Bulk, ST, and sighting bonuses of the weapon it is installed in.

Underbarrel Grenade Launcher (UGL), 40mmPLB (TL9): This grenade launcher fires low-velocity shells. Like its 25mm counterpart, it's designed to be clamped under another weapon with Bulk -3 or more. Each "magazine" is actually a preloaded barrel stacked with five 40mm shells and propellant charges. It can fire up to three grenades before any recoil impulse is felt. Use the Bulk, ST, and sighting bonuses of the weapon it is installed in.

Mortar Box, 40mmPLB (TL9): A four-tube version of the 40mm UGL. Designed for remote control firing, it has a cable jack and its own short-range radio.

Mortar Box, 64mmPLB (TL9): A larger version of the 40mm mortar box, consisting of a pod holding six mortar barrels, each containing five stacked 64mm shells. This potent "area denial weapon" can deliver as many as 30 shots in a single salvo!

Cannon

Tank Cannon, 100mm (TL9): A medium tank gun with an automatic loader. It is often upgraded with liquid propellant or electrothermal options, or loaded with APEP ammunition.

Light Anti-Armor Weapons

Splat Gun, 15mmPLB (TL9): Designed to destroy light armored vehicles and battlesuit troopers, this is a favorite weapon of mercenaries fighting on low-tech worlds. It is a bulky, multi-barrel weapon resembling a short, thick bazooka, with a pistol grip, a padded shoulder stock, and a bipod. Nicknamed the "splat gun," it has six preloaded barrels stacked with 15mm shells and propellant. Its electronic ignition can fire up to 30 shells before any recoil impulse is felt. The shooter can also fire a smaller number of shells by adjusting a selector switch (this is a Ready action).

Electrothermal-Chemical (ETC) (TL9-10)

These weapons augment chemical energy with electrical power. A controlled plasma burn provides a smoother and more complete utilization of propellant, increasing the projectile velocity without a significant increase in recoil.

They are introduced in armored vehicle cannon in late TL8. By TL9 they are commonly available, and by mid-to-late TL9 appear in small arms. Conservative forces and civilians continue to use them through TL10.

ETC weapons are not shown on the weapon table. Instead, all conventional slugthrowers are also available in ETC-boosted versions.

ETC guns have 1.5 times the piercing damage and range of a conventional caseless-propellant gun. They are also twice as expensive.

They require electrical power as well as ammunition, although this power requirement is much less than an electromagnetic gun or a beam weapon. The grip or stock of an ETC slugthrower incorporates a removable A cell (for pistols), B cell (for SMGs, PDWs, shotguns, rifles), or C cell (for heavy weapons) to provide electrial power. Each power cell can fire 10 magazines of ammunition.

Liquid-Propellant Slugthrowers (TL9)

Liquid propellants are an advanced option for chemical propellant. Propellant and oxidizer are kept in a separate bottle, then squirted into the firing chamber and ignited electrically when the trigger is pulled. Binary propellants are often used; the chemicals are inert until combined in the firing chamber.

Liquid propellant is a bit more powerful and easier to store, but its chief advantage is precise control of propellant velocities. In additional to standard velocity, they have two other options:

Boosted velocity dumps extra propellant into the firing chamber: increase the piercing damage by +1 per die and multiply range by 1.3. Each counts as 1.5 shots for purposes of draining the propellant bottle.

Low velocity dumps much less propellant into the firing chamber, making the weapon subsonic. Reduce the piercing damage and range by half! Rolls to hear the weapon fire are made at -3. Each counts as 1/4 shot for draining the propellant bottle.

Liquid propellant weapons use the same statistics as conventional caseless weapons, but they get 1.5 times as many shots per magazine and are 1.5 times as expensive. (The mechanical design is more complex, so this technology is often limited to specialized sniper and artillery weaponry.) A propellant bottle can fire three magazines of shots and takes five seconds to reload. Additional propellant bottles weigh as much as a normal loaded magazine.

Conventional Gun Tables

Conventional Smallarm Table

GUNS (PISTOL) (DX-4, or most other Guns at -2

TL	Weapon	Damage	Acc	Range	Weight	RoF	Shots	ST	Bulk	Rcl	Cost	LC
9	Heavy Pistol, 10mmCLP	3d pi+	2	180/2,000	2.5/0.7	3	20+1(3)	10	-2	3	$540	3
9	Holdout Pistol, 7.5mmCLP	2d pi-	1	100/1,200	1/0.2	3	18+1(3)	6	-1	2	$240	3
9	Magnum Pistol, 15mmCLP	4d+1 pi++	2	235/2,600	3/1	3	9+1(3)	11	-2	4	$870	3
9	Medium Pistol, 7.5mmCLP	2d+2 pi-	2	150/1,900	2/0.5	3	30+1(3)	9	-2	2	$450	3
9	Pocket Pistol, 5.5mmCL	1d+1 pi-	1	70/1,400	0.7/0.2	3	6+1(3)	6	-1	2	$200	3
9	Derringer Quad, 7.5mmCLP	2d pi-	1	100/1,200	1.2/0.024	1	4(3i)	7	-1	2	$350	3
9	Snub-Nosed Revolver, 7.5mmCLP	2d pi-	1	100/1,200	1.3/0.03	3	5(3i)	7	-1	2	$400	3
9	Heavy Revolver, 10mmCLP	3d pi+	2	180/2,000	2.5/0.084	3	6(3i)	10	-2	3	$600	3

GUNS (SMG) (DX-4, or most other Guns at -2)

TL	Weapon	Damage	Acc	Range	Weight	RoF	Shots	ST	Bulk	Rcl	Cost	LC
9	Machine Pistol, 10mmCLP	3d pi+	2	180/2,000	3/1	10	30+1(3)	10	-2	3	$750	2
9	Personal Defense Weapon, 5.7mmCL	4d pi-	4	350/3,000	4.5/1	10	100+1(5)	9†	-3	2	$1,000	2
9	Urban Assault Weapon,
	SMG barrel, 10mmCLP	3d pi+	4	200/2,100	8/1	10	40+1(3)	9†	-3	3	$2,100	2
	Shotgun barrel, 18.5mmPC	4d+4 pi++	2	100/500	–/0.75	2	5+1(3i)	10†	–	1	$2,100	2
9	Machine Pistol, 7.5mmCLP	2d+2 pi-	2	150/1,900	3/1	10	60+1 (3)	9	-3	3	$750	2

GUNS (RIFLE) (DX-4, or most other Guns at -2)

TL	Weapon	Damage	Acc	Range	Weight	RoF	Shots	ST	Bulk	Rcl	Cost	LC
9	Anti-Materiel Rifle, 15mmCL	15d pi+	6+3	2,000/9,000	30/2	3	10(3)	12B†	-6	4	$8,000	3
9	Assault Carbine, 7mmCL	6d pi	4	700/4,000	7/1.5	15	50+1(3)	9†	-4	2	$1,600	2
9	Gatling Carbine, 5.7mmCL	4d pi-	4	350/3,000	10/2	40	200(5)	9†	-4	2	$2,400	1
9	Hunting Rifle, 7mmCL	6d+1 pi	4	750/4,200	7/0.3	3	10+1(3)	9†	-5	2	$800	3
9	Payload Rifle, 25mmCL	10d pi++	4	700/8,500	38/10	3	8+1(3)	12B†	-6	4	$8,000	2
9	Storm Carbine, 10mmCL	7d pi+	4	700/2,100	8/2	10	50+1(3)	10†	-4	3	$1,800	2
9	Storm Rifle, 10mmCLR	9d pi++	5	1,300/5,800	10/1.2	3	12+1(3)	10†	-4	3	$2,700	3
9	Light Hunting Rifle, 5.5mmCL	1d+2 pi-	4	80/1,400	5/0.3	3	10(3)	7†	-4	2	$500	3
9	Combat Rifle, 5.7mmCL	4d+1 pi-	5	400/3,000	6.5/1	15	100+1(3)	9†	-4	2	$1,200	2

GUNS (SHOTGUN) (DX-4, or most other Guns at -2)

TL	Weapon	Damage	Acc	Range	Weight	RoF	Shots	ST	Bulk	Rcl	Cost	LC	Notes
9	Civilian Shotgun, 18.5mmPC	4d+4 pi++	3	100/500	6/0.75	3	5+1(3)	10†	-5	4	$450	3	—
9	Close Assault Weapon, 18.5mmPC	4d+4 pi++	3	100/500	10/1.5	10	10+1(3)	11†	-5	4	$800	2	—
9	Shotgun Pistol, 18.5mmPC	4d pi++	1	100/500	4/0.7	3	5+1(3)	10	-3	5	$330	3	—
9	Underbarrel Shotgun, 18.5mmPC	4d+ pi++	2	100/500	1.5/0.75	2	5+1(3i)	10†	–	4	+$300	3	—

Infantry Support Weapons Table

GUNS (GRENADE LAUNCHER) (DX-4, or most other Guns at -4)

TL	Weapon	Damage	Acc	Range	Weight	RoF	Shots	ST	Bulk	Rcl	Cost	LC	Notes
9	Underbarrel Grenade Launcher, 25mmPC	4d pi++	3	360/2,200	1.5/0.8	1	3(3)	10	–	3	+$300	1	—
9	Underbarrel Grenade Launcher, 40mmPLB	1d pi++	2	75/450	3/2	3	5(5)	10	–	1	+$200	1	—

GUNS (LIGHT MACHINE GUN) (DX-4, or most other Guns at -2)

TL	Weapon	Damage	Acc	Range	Weight	RoF	Shots	ST	Bulk	Rcl	Cost	LC	Notes
9	Light Support Weapon, 7mmCL	6d pi	4	700/4,000	15/5	15	200(5)	9B†	-5	2	$3,000	1	—
9	Storm Chaingun, 10mmCLR	9d pi+	5	1,300/5,800	20/6	10	60(5)	11B†	-6	3	$11,000	1	—

GUNS (LAW) (DX-4, or most other Guns at -4)

TL	Weapon	Damage	Acc	Range	Weight	RoF	Shots	ST	Bulk	Rcl	Cost	LC	Notes
9	Splat Gun, 15mmPLB	3d+2 pi++	4	220/2,000	20/10	30	30(30)	10†	-6	1	$3,000	1	—

Mounted Weapons Table

ARTILLERY (CANNON) (IQ-5)

TL	Weapon	Damage	Acc	Range	Weight	RoF	Shots	ST	Bulk	Rcl	Cost	LC	Notes
9	Mortar Box, 40mmPLB	1d pi++	2	75/450	12/8	4×4	16(20)	12M	-6	1	$1,000	1	—
9	Mortar Box, 64mmPLB	6d×2 pi++	3	360/3,000	160/80	6×5	30(30)	25M	-10	1	$6,000	1	—

GUNNER (CANNON) (DX-4, or other Gunner-4)

TL	Weapon	Damage	Acc	Range	Weight	RoF	Shots	ST	Bulk	Rcl	Cost	LC	Notes
9	Tank Cannon, 100mmCL	6d×25 pi++	6	3,000/10,000	2,500/40	1	1(4)	150M	-10	4	$100,000	1	—

GUNNER (MACHINE GUN) (DX-4, or other Gunner-4)

TL	Weapon	Damage	Acc	Range	Weight	RoF	Shots	ST	Bulk	Rcl	Cost	LC
9	Assault Cannon, 25mmCL	10d pi++	4	700/8,500	75/12	8	34(5)	20M	-8	2	$17,000	1
9	Heavy Chaingun, 15mmCL	15d pi+	6	2,000/9,000	75/12	12	50(5)	20M	-8	2	$34,000	1
9	Minigun, 7mmCL	6d pi	4	700/4,000	33/10	100	400(5)	15M	-7	2	$14,000	1
9	Light Gatling Gun, 15mmCL	15d pi+	6	2,000/9,000	150/120	100	500(5)	25M	-10	2	$50,000	1
9	Light Autocannon, 25mmCLR	6d×4 pi++	6	2,000/9,000	250/120	10	100(5)	32M	-11	2	$45,000	1
9	Heavy Gatling Gun, 25mmCLR	6d×4 pi++	6	2,000/9,000	500/350	100	300(5)	45M	-12	2	$75,000	1
9	Heavy Autocannon, 40mmCL	6d×6 pi++	6	2,000/9,000	500/350	5	125(5)	45M	-12	2	$60,000	1

Conventional Ammunition Table

Pistol Ammo

TL	Ammo	WPS	CPS	LC
9	7.5mmCLP	0.006	$0.12	3
9	10mmCLP	0.014	$0.28	3
9	15mmCLP	0.060	$1.2	3

Rifle and PDW Ammo

TL	Ammo	WPS	CPS	LC
9	5.7mmCL	0.009	$0.18	3
9	7mmCL	0.027	$0.54	3
9	10mmCL	0.04	$0.8	3
9	10mmCLR	0.06	$1.2	3
9	15mmCL	0.2	$4	3

Shotgun Ammo

TL	Ammo	WPS	CPS	LC
9	18.5mmPC	0.092	$1.8	3

Payload Rifle and Cannon Ammo

TL	Ammo	WPS	CPS	LC
9	25mmCL	1	$20	2
9	100mmCL	40	$400	1

Splat Gun Ammo

TL	Ammo	WPS	CPS	LC
9	15mmPLB	0.27	$7	2

Grenade Launcher and Mortar Ammo

TL	Ammo	WPS	CPS	LC
9	25mmPC	0.22	$4.4	3
9	40mmPLB	0.4	$10	3
9	64mmPLB	2	$40	2

See Also

• Warheads and Ammunition (Ultra-Tech)