Plasma and Fusion Guns
While the core Tomorrow’s War rules cover energy weapons, Traveller has slightly more detailed rules regarding these powerful weapons.
PGMP-12: The original plasma gun. PGMP-12 is a high recoil weapon and has a -1 to all reaction tests. The PGMP-12 does have some capability against armor. AP 2 / AT 1 (Light Support Weapon).
PGMP-13: An advance over the PGMP-12, the PGMP-13 is a high recoil weapon that requires battledress to be effective. PGMP-13 has a -1 to all reaction tests. AP 3 / AT 2 (Medium Infantry Support Weapon).
PMGP-14: PGMP-14 has a gravitic generator to reduce weight and recoil of the weapon. It does not require battledress to use. It does not suffer a penalty to reaction tests. It does not suffer the movement penalty of a medium support weapon. Treat the PGMP-14 as a small arm that throws 3 AP / 2 AT. (Medium Support Weapon)
FGMP-14: An advance over the PGMP-13, the FGMP-14 contains the hydrogen plasma long enough for fusion to take place improving penetration and damage. This is a high recoil weapon that requires battledress to be effective. FGMP-14 has a -1 to all reaction tests. This is a medium support weapon that throws 3 AP / 2 AT. (Medium Infantry Support Weapon for AT purposes). Personnel casualties are resolved as if the target was hit by a flamethrower.
FGMP-15: Like the PGMP-14, the FGMP-15 has a gravitic generator to reduce weight and recoil of the weapon. It does not require battledress to use. Treat the FGMP-15 as a small arm that throws 3 AP / 2 AT dice. It does not require battledress to use. It does not suffer a penalty to reaction tests. It does not suffer the movement penalty of a medium support weapon. (Medium Infantry Support Weapon for anti-tank fire purposes.) Personnel casualties are resolved as if the target was hit by a flamethrower.
Awesome. Some interesting thoughts and possibilities.
ReplyDeleteI've been a bit closer to the RAW in my treatment of PGMPs/FGMPs.
I wonder about the lack of difference between PGMPs and FGMPs in terms of firepower. I'd be inclined to give PGMPs two dice and FGMPs three dice AP. In regular Traveller FGMPs seem a step up - certainly are in Striker.
I agree that two dice AT is plenty, and I agree the PGMP-12 should only get one. I'm a bit confused by your notation of weapons as "Medium Infantry Support Weapon for AT purposes". Given that you've rated them with an AT factor, wouldn't that mean they roll as AT weapons and do not suffer the -2 penalty when rolling for damage (see TW page 114 bottom left)? If you want them to be infantry support weapons then shouldn't you delete the AT factors you've given them (which are meaningless as if you are using the non-AT rules you use the AP factor).
Good points Dylan!
ReplyDeleteAs we keep playing we keep fiddling. From you feedback, the current rules need a re-write for clarity.
I agree that the FGMP are deadly. You look at Striker and it was pretty much a hit was a kill - even with battledress.
The big difference between the PGMP and the FGMP is that FGMP hits are dealt with as if they were a flamethrower. For personnel, that means a kill on 1-5 and no effect on 6. We could reduce survivability even more by making 6 a "roll on the basic first aid table' instead.
Using this rule, the FGMP were shredding their opponents.
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