REVISED MODERN WEAPON PROFICIENCIES
Again, while these weapons aren't necessarily 'modern,' they cover weapons which are used in 'modern times.' Modern weapons are divided into four sub-categories; Black Powder, Energy, General, and Military. The biggest change to the way modern weapons work is the separation between hand to hand attacks and the number of shots which can be fired by someone possessing a weapon proficiency. Since many ancient projectile weapons have used a separated rate of fire to determine the number of shots rather than hand to hand attacks, there is no reason why modern weapons should be any different, especially in cases where the weapon is physically incapable of being fired equivalent to the character's number of hand to hand attacks. Rather than use a wildly diverging system for determining the number of attacks, these weapons typically use the equivalent of Hand to Hand Expert to determine how many aimed shots the character can fire with the appropriate W.P. For characters with no W.P., use the standard equivalent of No Hand to Hand Combat to determine number of times the weapon can be fired (i.e. at first level the character would have one aimed shot, two non-attack actions (useful with those doubled reload times) and an additional aimed shot at levels three and nine, with two additional non-attack actions at levels six and nine-the additional non-attack actions will be especially useful for determining the equivalent actions available in hand to hand combat). To determine total number of actions in combat when a character is using a variety of methods of combat (i.e. magic, hand to hand, projectile weapon, modern weapon), divide the number of actions for the two (or more) types of combat used.
Example: A first level character with Hand to Hand Basic (and boxing), W.P. Bow, W.P. Automatic Pistol, and spell casting abilities wants to engage in combat. His number of attacks are five hand to hand attacks, two bow attacks, four automatic pistol attacks or two magic attacks. The character could fire two pistol shots for every bow attack or cast two spells for every bow attack. Firing a bow or casting a spell would use three hand to hand attacks for the first arrow or spell and two for the second. Firing a pistol would use two hand to hand attacks for the first pistol shot and one hand to hand attack for each remaining pistol shot. When trying to determine an action that doesn't fall under any of these categories, use hand to hand attacks as the default to determine total number of actions. Of course this method does slow down combat somewhat, especially when the character has wildly varying attacks depending on the method used, but I find it to be more accurate than just basing a character's actions off their number of hand to hand attacks.
Black Powder Weapons
Arquebus & Matchlock: These include all hand-held black powder weapons that need a source of intense heat to be "fired." Including Arquebuses, Matchlocks and Serpentine
Locks.
Aimed: + 1 to Strike. +1 to strike at levels 4, 7, 10, and 13.
Rate Of Fire:
Arquebus: It always, regardless of skill level, takes at least a full melee round to reload an Arquebus. That means if you fire one at the beginning of Melee Round #1, you'll spend
the rest of Round #1 and Round #2 reloading, and the weapon won't be ready to fire again until the start of Melee Round #3.
Matchlock: At first level a character can fire at the beginning of a melee round, and reload fast enough to be ready to fire at the beginning of the following melee round. At fourth
level the character can fire, reload, fire, and reload again in a single melee round. At tenth level it's possible to shoot, reload, shoot, reload, shoot, and reload in a single melee
round, for a total of three shots per melee round.
Black Powder Grenades: Use of Black powder grenades and landmines as well as primitive smoke/chemical grenades.
Unlike most weapons, the Strike roll for a grenade must be a 6 or better to Strike. Successfully Dodging a grenade does not escape it altogether, just enough to take half
damage. Everyone else in range of an exploding grenade also takes half damage. NOTE: Anyone can Roll with Punch/Fall/Impact to further reduce the damage from a grenade
attack (half damage to direct target, quarter damage to everyone in blast radius).
Grenade Throwing: The maximum range for throwing most grenades is 10 feet (3m) for every point of P.S., so a character with a P.S. of 15 can throw a grenade 150 feet. Black
Powder grenades were often much heavier than their modern counterparts and so could only be thrown about half the usual distance. NOTE: Maximum throwing range for
Extraordinary P.S. is 20 feet (6m) for every point of P.S., Superhuman P.S. is 30 feet (9m), and Supernatural P.S. is 40 feet (12m).
Grenade Mishaps: Early, pre-Twentieth Century, grenades had the same problems with misfires as the early guns. Use the Misfire Table for results.
Misfire Rate: 15% for Grenades with Burning Fuses, 10% for Grenades with Percussion Caps.
Black Powder Heavy: Use of black powder howitzers, mortars, and cannons. (In progress)
Cap & Ball Pistol: Although these guns look like contemporary revolvers, they aren't as easy to load. Each chamber of the revolving cylinder must be loaded with a separate
charge of gunpowder, a ball/bullet and a percussion cap.
Aimed: + 3 to Strike. +1 to strike at levels 4, 7, 10, and 13.
Rate Of Fire: Each chamber of a percussion cap revolver takes a full melee round for reloading. Note that many revolvers come with spare cylinders, so a character can just
remove the empty cylinder and replace it with a full one in a single melee round.
Flintlock Rifle or Pistol: Includes any weapons that rely on striking flint to steel for their firing mechanism. This skill includes the use of Flintlock Rifles, Flintlock Pistols,
Doglock Pistols, Miquelet Locks, Pyrites Locks and Snaphance/Snapping-Matchlocks.
Aimed: + 2 to Strike. +1 to strike at levels 4, 7, 10, and 13.
Rate Of Fire: At first level a character can fire at the beginning of a melee round, and reload in time to be ready to fire at the beginning of the following melee round. At third level
the character can fire, reload, fire, and reload again in a single melee round. At seventh level it's possible to shoot, reload, shoot, reload, shoot, and reload in a single melee
round, for a total of three shots per melee round. Twelfth level expertise allows for shooting and reloading four times in a single melee round, still leaving the weapon loaded for
the beginning of the next melee.
Percussion Cap Rifle: These rifles require loading of three separate elements, the gunpowder, the bullet or ball, and the percussion cap.
Aimed: + 3 to Strike. +1 to strike at levels 4, 7, 10, and 13.
Rate Of Fire: At first level a character can fire at the beginning of a melee round, and reload fast enough to be ready to fixe at the beginning of the following melee round. At fourth
the character can fife, reload, fire, and reload again in a single melee round. At tenth level it's possible to shoot, reload, shoot, reload, shoot, and reload in a single melee round,
for a total of three shots per melee round.
Wheellock Rifle or Pistol: Includes any weapons that have a complicated spring mechanism that fires by generating sparks.
Aimed: + 2 to Strike. +1 to strike at levels 4, 7, 10, and 13.
Rate Of Fire: At first level a character can fire at the beginning of a melee round, and reload fast enough to be ready to fire at the beginning of the following melee round. At fourth
level the character can fire, reload, fire, and reload again in a single melee round. At tenth level it's possible to shoot, reload, shoot, reload, shoot, and reload in a single melee
round, for a total of three shots per melee round.
Energy Weapons
Energy Pistol: Includes lasers and all types of energy firing small arms.
Aimed: +3 to strike
Burst: +1 to strike
+1 to strike at levels 4, 7, 10, and 14.
Rate Of Fire: Four Aimed shots at level one, with one additional attack gained at levels 4, 9, and 14.
Time to Reload: One magazine/clip takes one melee action to reload.
Energy Rifle: Includes all long range energy firing rifles.
Aimed: +3 to strike
Burst: +1 to strike
+1 to strike at levels 4, 7, 10, and 14.
Rate Of Fire: Four Aimed shots at level one, with one additional attack gained at levels 4, 9, and 14.
Time to Reload: One magazine/clip takes one melee action to reload.
Heavy Energy Weapons: Includes plasma ejector, rail guns, and similar high-tech weapons.
Aimed: +3 to strike
Burst: +1 to strike
+1 to strike at levels 4, 7, 10, and 14.
Rate Of Fire: Four Aimed shots at level one, with one additional attack gained at levels 4, 9, and 14.
Time to Reload: One magazine/clip takes one melee action to reload. Belts (when loading rail guns so equipped) require two melee attacks to reload, however this can be divided
among two people to effectively load the weapon in half the time.
General Modern Weapons
Automatic Pistol: Use of automatic pistols.
Aimed: +3 to strike
Burst: +1 to strike
+1 to strike at levels 4, 7, 10, and 14.
Rate Of Fire: Four Aimed shots at level one, with one additional attack gained at levels 4, 9, and 14.
Time to Reload: One magazine/clip takes one melee action to reload.
Bolt Action Rifle: Use of bolt action rifles. Includes most hunting rifles; not an automatic firing weapon.
Aimed: +3 to strike
Burst: +1 to strike
+1 to strike at levels 4, 7, 10, and 14.
Rate Of Fire: Four Aimed shots at level one, with one additional attack gained at levels 4, 9, and 14.
Time to Reload: Takes one melee round (15 seconds) to reload.
Dartgun: Use of tranquilizing dart guns and some flechette weapons.
Aimed: +3 to strike
Burst: +1 to strike
+1 to strike at levels 4, 7, 10, and 14.
Rate Of Fire: Four Aimed shots at level one, with one additional attack gained at levels 4, 9, and 14.
Time to Reload: One magazine/clip takes one melee action to reload. Versions without magazines require one melee round (15 seconds) to reload.
Fully Automatic & Semi-Automatic Rifle: Use of auto and semiauto rifles. Automatic means the weapon keeps firing while the trigger is depressed and until the trigger is
released or the rounds are all expended. Semi Automatic means each time the trigger is pulled, one bullet is fired.
Aimed: +3 to strike
Burst: +1 to strike
+1 to strike at levels 4, 7, 10, and 14.
Rate Of Fire: Four Aimed shots at level one, with one additional attack gained at levels 4, 9, and 14.
Time to Reload: One magazine/clip takes one melee action to reload.
Harpoon/Speargun: Use of undersea spear launching guns. Proficiency with the harpoon gun. The weapon can be used either with a plain pointed end (2D6 S. D.C.) or with an
explosive head (4D6 M.D.).
Aimed: +3 to strike
Burst: +1 to strike
+1 to strike at levels2, 4, 7, 10, and 15.
Rate Of Fire: Four Aimed shots at level one, with one additional attack gained at levels 4, 9, and 14.
Time to Reload: One spear can be loaded per melee action.
Paired Weapons: Revolver & Pistol: This is a special skill that costs two skill selections and cannot be chosen as a secondary skill. With this skill the character can draw
and shoot two handguns simultaneously at the same target, inflicting full damage from both weapons, but counts as one melee attack!
In alternative, the two-gun attack can be divided between two different targets visible to the shooter and within his range of peripheral vision. The divided attack counts as one
simultaneous melee action against two different foes. The shooter must roll two separate times to hit each target (roll to strike for each) and the bonuses to strike are reduced by
half. Note: Parrying is not possible when two handguns are being used as paired weapons, but the character can dodge (which typically uses up one of his attacks) and counter
by shooting.
Paired Weapons: Swashbuckler: This is a special skill that costs two skill selections and cannot be chose as a secondary skill. With this skill the character can wield a
one-handed melee weapon in one hand while firing a one-handed ranged weapon with the other. The character can:
Fire the ranged weapon and parry with the melee weapon simultaneously.
Do simultaneous attacks against one target. Both weapons hit as one attack and the defender can only parry the melee weapon (however, the defender can still dodge).
Divide attacks between two different targets visible to the character and within the range of peripheral vision. The divided attack counts as one simultaneous melee action against
two different foes. The character must roll two seperate times to hit each target (roll to strike for each) and the bonuses to strike are reduced by half. The ranged attack is
considered an aimed shot, but at half normal bonuses.
Quick-Draw: Handguns & Rifles: This is a special initiative bonus. The full bonus applies only to the use of handguns (i.e. Derringers, revolvers and pistols), reduce by half
when using rifles (any kind) and shotguns. Not applicable to the use of rail guns, artillery, explosives, hand grenades, power armor, or weapons built into vehicles (no bonus).
Option 1: Only applies at the beginning of a melee. If the character does not win initiative, they can not draw and fire their weapon one attack..
Option 2: Unless they win initiative at the beginning of a melee, any quick draw attack is done without any bonuses.
Revolver: Use of revolvers.
Aimed: +4 to strike
Burst: +1 to strike
+1 to strike at levels 4, 7, 10, and 14.
Rate Of Fire: Four Aimed shots at level one, with one additional attack gained at levels 4, 9, and 14.
Time to Reload: A speed-loader takes one melee action to reload. Hand loading takes one melee round (15 seconds) to reload.
Sharpshooting: Modern: Any Man of Arms O.C.C. can select the W.P. Sharpshooting skill. However, they have to sacrifice two "other" skill selections for each W.P.
Sharpshooting skill. Sharpshooting is not available as a secondary skill. The character must have first spent one skill selection on a desired W.P. skill before the Sharpshooting
skill can be selected. Once the W.P. weapon type has been selected, the sharpshooting skill can be added to it at cost of two "other" skill selections. The Sharpshooting skill
bonuses are then added to those of the normal weapon proficiency for that specific type of weapon. Remember, each individual W.P. skill requires the selection of separate
sharpshooting skill if the character wants to be a specialist in that weapon. Just because a character is a sharp shooter with an energy rifle doesn't mean he is a sharpshooter
with an automatic rifle, revolver, energy pistols, or any other weapon. The sharpshooting skill can be combined with all the modern weapon proficiencies, except Black Powder
Grenades, Black Powder Heavy, Artillery, Flamethrower, Grenade, Grenade Launcher, Infantry Missiles, Machine Gun, Mortar, Torpedo, Vehicle Mounted Weapons, and Heavy
Energy Weapons.
* W.P. Sharpshooting Bonuses: +2 to strike with Aimed Shot and +1 with Bursts. All bonuses are in addition to the conventional W.P. bonuses.
* The Bonus Attack: +1 additional shooting melee attack when using that specific weapon for the entire melee round. Add one attack with that weapon at levels 4, 8, and 12.
Trick Shooting: Any Man of Arms O.C.C. can pick one trick when the W.P. Trick Shooting skill is selected. Selecting Trick Shooting more than once can be used to gain
additional tricks.
1) Can fire a traditional two-handed weapon, like a rifle, one handed.
2) Can shoot over his shoulder by holding up a mirror and aiming at his reflection.
3) Accurately shoot while riding a horse or moving vehicle (normally a wild shot), but strike bonuses are halved and a called shot is impossible.
4) Shoot accurately while standing on head or hanging upside down; all bonuses applicable.
5) Roll or somersault and come up shooting (normally a wild shot), no bonuses or penalties; straight roll of the dice.
6) Ricochet shot, can bounce bullets, arrows, sling bullets, and other fired projectiles (depending on the specific W.P.) off of one surface and angle the shot in such a way that
the projectile ricochets/bounces off and hits a different/second target (inflicts only one point of damage to the first surface and full damage to the second). This can also be done
with laser weapons but the ricocheting surface must be mirrored or highly polished. Glitter Boys are excellent reflective surfaces for performing a ricochet laser shot.
Shotgun: All types of pump, breech-loading, semi-automatic, and fully automatic shotguns.
Aimed: +3 to strike
Burst: -1 to strike for a three round short burst (semi-auto). For characters with P.S. <20, fully auto bursts are -2 to strike for each shot after the first in a cumulative manner, so
shot number two is -2, shot number three -4, shot number four -6, and so on. Characters with P.S. >20 are -2 to strike on long bursts and -4 to strike on full melee bursts.
Characters with P.S.>28 , Extraordinary, Superhuman or Supernatural P.S.>20 can fire with only a -1 to strike on bursts.
+1 to strike at levels 4, 7, 10, and 14.
Rate Of Fire: Four Aimed shots at level one, with one additional attack gained at levels 4, 9, and 14.
Pump: Can fire 2-6 rounds before needing to be reloaded. Each shot counts as one melee attack. It takes two melee actions to reload.
Breech-Load: Single Barrel shotguns can fire one round . Double barrel shotguns can fire one or both rounds simultaneously (the latter doing double damage). A single or double
blast counts as one melee attack. It takes two melee actions to reload
Semi-Auto: Can fire single shots or short bursts (only). Clip magazine has 6-8 shots, a drum magazine has 12-20 rounds. Magazines take one melee action to reload.
Fully Auto: Very rare and can only be used by a gunman with a P.S. of 20 or greater, otherwise the recoil is overwhelming, plus the character is likely to be staggered, with a
01-40% chance of being knocked off his feet. Clip magazine has 8 shots, a drum magazine has 20 rounds.
Submachine Gun: Use of machine guns that fire pistol ammunition, machine pistols, and personal defense weapons.
Aimed: +3 to strike
Burst: +1 to strike
+1 to strike at levels 4, 7, 10, and 14.
Rate Of Fire: Four Aimed shots at level one, with one additional attack gained at levels 4, 9, and 14.
Time to Reload: One magazine/clip takes one melee action to reload.
Military Weapons
Artillery: Covers all vehicle sized cannons and howitzers, as well as vehicle mounted missile weapons.
Assault Rifle: Automatic rifles.
Aimed: +3 to strike
Burst: +1 to strike
+1 to strike at levels 4, 7, 10, and 14.
Rate Of Fire: Four Aimed shots at level one, with one additional attack gained at levels 4, 9, and 14.
Time to Reload: One magazine/clip takes one melee action to reload.
Flamethrower: A modem weapon proficiency (obviously), the flamethrower is designed to project flame over an area. They can mow down the opposition, and be used to deny
an area with flames. Flamethrowers are sometimes found turret-mounted on vehicles. A flamethrower is a good fear weapon. Nobody wants to get burnt. As such, a flamethrower
in the hands of a character with this skill has an effective Horror Factor of 10. Bonuses to strike are as per modem weapon proficiencies, but aimed shots are impossible.
Special Rule: Flamethrowers inflict damage regardless of body armor, unless the armor is fully environmental and sealed. Otherwise the flames lick exposed flesh and body
armor alike, inflicting half damage to the wearer and half to the armor.
Aimed: +3 to strike
Burst: +1 to strike
+1 to strike at levels 2, 6, and 14.
Rate Of Fire: All fire-based weapons can fire but once per melee round. Because of the stream of fire, the attack is always Shooting Wild, Short Burst/One Target or Shooting
Wild, Long Burst Spray.
Time to Reload: Small flamethrowers (and held or small, improvised versions) take one melee to reload if grabbing another canister of fuel. Large, portable flamethrowers take
1D4 minutes to reload by replacing fuel cannisters. Both versions take several minutes (2D6 for a small tank, 1D4x10 for a large tank) to refill. Vehicle mounted flamethrowers
take 2D6 minutes to swap fuel cells and 1D6x10 minutes to refill.
Grenade: Think just anyone can chuck a grenade? If your answer is yes, then you might want to think again. Sure, tossing a grenade takes all the intelligence of your average
chimpanzee. Figuring out when to throw the grenade is another matter. First off not all grenades are fitted with the same delay rate. Some have a five second delay, some three
seconds, some can be adjusted to a variable rate. There's even some Soviet grenades that have a zero delay, they go off as soon as you pull the pin!
Unlike most weapons, the Strike roll for a grenade must be a six or better to Strike. Successfully Dodging a grenade does not escape it altogether, just enough to take half
damage. Everyone else in range of an exploding grenade also takes half damage. NOTE: Anyone can Roll with Punch/Fall/Impact to further reduce the damage from a grenade
attack (half damage to direct target, quarter damage to everyone in blast radius).
Grenade Throwing: The maximum range for throwing most grenades is 10 feet (3m) for every point of P.S., so a character with a P.S. of 15 can throw a grenade 150 feet. NOTE:
Maximum throwing range for Extraordinary P.S. is 20 feet (6m) for every point of P.S., Superhuman P.S. is 30 feet (9m), and Supernatural P.S. is 40 feet (12m).
Grenade Launcher: Any device, including certain rifle models, that fire grenades.
Aimed: +3 to strike
Burst: +1 to strike
+1 to strike at levels 3, 7, and 11.
Rate Of Fire: Four Aimed shots at level one, with one additional attack gained at levels 4, 9, and 14.
Time to Reload: One grenade can be loaded per melee attack/action.
Infantry Missiles: Includes most small hand held missiles and missile type anti-tank and surface-to-air missile weapons.
Aimed: +3 to strike
Burst: +1 to strike
+1 to strike at levels 4, 7, 10, and 14.
Rate Of Fire: Varies from missile launcher to missile launcher, typically one missile per melee. With multi-tube missile launchers (i.e. the M202 used by the US Army, a four
shot, 66mm HEAT weapon) or futuristic missile launchers with magazines or cylinders (i.e. the Coalition CTT-M20 Missile Rifle), use the individual weapon description to
determine rate of fire.
Time to Reload: Takes one melee round (15 seconds) to reload.
Machine Gun: Any device which shoots large amounts of bullets.
Aimed: +3 to strike
Burst: +1 to strike
+1 to strike at levels 4, 7, 10, and 14.
Rate Of Fire: Four Aimed shots at level one, with one additional attack gained at levels 4, 9, and 14.
Time to Reload: One magazine/clip takes one melee action to reload (when applicable). Belts require two melee attacks to reload, however this can be divided among two people
to effectively load the machine-gun in half the time.
Mortar: These are man portable artillery weapons that consist of a tube and small self-propelled bombs that shoot out of the tube.
Aimed: +3 to strike
Burst: +1 to strike
+1 to strike at levels 4, 7, 10, and 14.
Rate Of Fire: Four Aimed shots at level one, with one additional attack gained at levels 4, 9, and 14.
Time to Reload: One mortar shell can be loaded in one melee attack/action.
Torpedo: Use of submarine torpedo. Maintenance and a keen understanding of a torpedo's speed, range, trajectory, and most effective use.
Aimed: +3 to strike
Burst: +1 to strike
+1 to strike at levels 2, 6, and 12. +1 to strike with depth charge at level four.
Vehicle Mounted Weapons: Includes grenade launchers, light, medium, and heavy machine guns. This also includes such weapons as tank guns, self-propelled artillery,
missile launchers, and shipboard guns.
Aimed: +3 to strike
Burst: +1 to strike
+1 to strike at levels 4, 7, 10, and 14.
Rate Of Fire: Four Aimed shots at level one, with one additional attack gained at levels 4, 9, and 14.
Time to Reload: As per weapon type, see individual weapon proficiencies.