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Gauss Pistol TL-14

SpaceBadger

SOC-14 1K
Knight
These are some weapons for a MgT game, that I either made up myself or ported from other versions of Traveller. Damage, cost, etc are all in reference to MgT and may need adjustment for other versions of Traveller. In particular, TL should be adjusted to one higher than the introduction of standard Gauss Pistols IYTU.

Gauss Pistol TL-14 Ranged (pistol) 3d6 auto(4) recoil(-1) mass(0.5) magazine(2×40) cost(750) ammo cost(20)*

The TL-14 Gauss Pistol improves on the TL-13 version primarily in its use of 3mm needles that are capable of the same damage and penetration as the earlier 4mm needles, due to use of improved aerodynamics and denser metal. This, combined with advanced magazine design, allows the TL-14 version to hold two standard magazines side by side, providing twice as much ammunition and allowing the user to choose from two different ammunition types if desired.

Ammunition Types (and price per magazine):

Standard: Typical gauss needle with high-density core and expanding exterior to provide maximum penetration and damage for a slugthrower projectile. Cr20/magazine.

Fragmentation: The needle is of lower density, lower ferrous content to reduce muzzle velocity, and is scored to fragment into slivers on impact, thus greatly reducing penetration while adding +1d6 against soft targets. Used primarily on shipboard or in situations where damage to equipment or overpenetration of walls may be a problem. Cr20/magazine.

Tranquilizer: The projectile has a very thin hard shell, an interior of gel that is a topical anesthetic, and a tiny crystal sliver of very strong tranquilizer which is self-dosing so as to avoid overdose in smaller targets such as children. The gel is lightly doped with ferrous compounds to give this round the lowest muzzle velocity and penetration of any gauss round; it will penetrate normal clothing but probably not a heavy coat, and does negligible physical damage. Max range is Short. Treat as standard Tranq round in effect. Cr30/magazine.

Shock: Optimized for use against robots or other electronics, this round has less mass and therefore does only 2d6 regular damage, but emits an electromagnetic pulse that does an additional 2d6 to robots or electronics within 1m of impact. Cr50/magazine.
 
My unofficial port of the TL14 gauss pistol from Traveller5 looks like this:

Code : ModGP-14
Name : Mod Gauss Pistol-14
MgT R : Medium
MgT D : 3D + 1
Mass : 0.59 kg
Burden: 0
Cost : Cr 720
 
One of my players, pining for the Gauss Pistol a character of his had used when we played Space Opera a few decades ago, asked if it was possible to have one in our T5 game. This is what I came up with using the Weapon Maker:

Enhanced Very Heavy Gauss Pistol 15
R.5 Cr.3150 3.2kg E-1 B.3 Bullet.5

It's more a sidearm for battle dress troopers, but I added a telescoping stock to stablise it.

It does more damage and has a better range and is cheaper than the TL14 equivalent from The Emperor's Arsenal, but weighs twice as much.
 
Here's a thread from... 10 years ago! about Gauss Ammo. Thought it might be relevant.

http://www.travellerrpg.com/CotI/Discuss/showthread.php?t=9941

I like this. I'll have to make some notes.

One of my players, pining for the Gauss Pistol a character of his had used when we played Space Opera a few decades ago, asked if it was possible to have one in our T5 game. This is what I came up with using the Weapon Maker:

Enhanced Very Heavy Gauss Pistol 15
R.5 Cr.3150 3.2kg E-1 B.3 Bullet.5

It's more a sidearm for battle dress troopers, but I added a telescoping stock to stablise it.

It does more damage and has a better range and is cheaper than the TL14 equivalent from The Emperor's Arsenal, but weighs twice as much.

Dirty Harry would be proud.

...Fragmentation: The needle is of lower density, lower ferrous content to reduce muzzle velocity, and is scored to fragment into slivers on impact, thus greatly reducing penetration while adding +1d6 against soft targets. Used primarily on shipboard or in situations where damage to equipment or overpenetration of walls may be a problem. Cr20/magazine. ...

If I recall, one of the tricks they tried with flechettes was to hollow-point them or make them so they bent on entry, so they'd form hooks and do more damage after penetration. Another trick they were playing with was to add a lethal nerve agent in the tip or in a groove on the side so that the flechettes were more uniformly lethal regardless of where or how they struck.
 
Fragmentation: The needle is of lower density, lower ferrous content to reduce muzzle velocity, and is scored to fragment into slivers on impact, thus greatly reducing penetration while adding +1d6 against soft targets. Used primarily on shipboard or in situations where damage to equipment or overpenetration of walls may be a problem. Cr20/magazine

I recall reading about someone trying that sort of thing out in the 80's with rounds made out of graphite or similar to maximise frangibility. Very nasty if they hit someone, but not much use against any sort of ballistic protection. It didn't last though, and no-one uses it today for anything bar training in a few places AFAIK.
 
Here's a thread from... 10 years ago! about Gauss Ammo. Thought it might be relevant.

http://www.travellerrpg.com/CotI/Discuss/showthread.php?t=9941

Thanks for the link! I especially like your idea for a Tracker needle; maybe make it something like the Tranq round so that it does no damage, has low penetration, and the anesthetic gel might make the target unaware of being tagged, simply passing off the brief sting as an insect bite and then forgetting about it.

I agree with other posters in that thread that a gauss needle probably wouldn't be able to generate much smoke or gas; not sure about thermal/incendiary.
 
Thanks for the link! I especially like your idea for a Tracker needle; maybe make it something like the Tranq round so that it does no damage, has low penetration, and the anesthetic gel might make the target unaware of being tagged, simply passing off the brief sting as an insect bite and then forgetting about it.

I agree with other posters in that thread that a gauss needle probably wouldn't be able to generate much smoke or gas; not sure about thermal/incendiary.

It looks like Willy Pete (White Phosphorus) burns around 5000°C. A core that ruptures on impact to reveal the WP could be 2-3 grams, and it runs about 26 J/g... it could light paper.
 
Thanks for the link! I especially like your idea for a Tracker needle; maybe make it something like the Tranq round so that it does no damage, has low penetration, and the anesthetic gel might make the target unaware of being tagged, simply passing off the brief sting as an insect bite and then forgetting about it.

I agree with other posters in that thread that a gauss needle probably wouldn't be able to generate much smoke or gas; not sure about thermal/incendiary.

Actually, in high stress situations where there's enough other things happening (firefights seem to fit this) people who are caught up in a hyper-vigilant state are likely to not notice things outside the sense limitations suffered at those times. I like this option :]
 
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