Matt Good was writing to Loren Wiseman and...
> >Matt Good
> Loren Wiseman
> I received my reply from Loren...
> Rules Questions:
> > 3) Scott 2G Kellogg used FF&S to design Meson Handguns. Is
> > there a lower end on the size of PA's and Meson Guns?
>
> Strictly speaking no, but we did not intend for them to be made
> into small arms. The chapter on laser weapons deals in a fair
> amount of detail with making laser small arms. The chapters on
> PAWs and Meson guns do not, which indicates our intentions.
>
> > Do ALL PA's and Meson Guns (even ground combat designs)
> > require Beam Pointers?
>
> Yes.
NOT TRUE! Read your own rules! See FF&S p89 quotation below!
> LKW
Well folx,
I hadn't had a good enough idea to try my hand at them yet, so
here's my first attempt at using FF&S for designing weapons.
AND NOW FOR SOMETHING COMPLETELY DIFFERENT:
A meson gun...
With a folding stock.
Check it out folx, there's no minimum size listed! The limiting
factor on portability is the mass of the homopolar genarator. To
keep mass down, I did away with the power source by throwing in an
explosive power generator (essentually a cartrige powered HPG). I
took the rules for ruggedization and backpack power units from the
hand lasers section.
Loren says they didn't imply that meson guns could be small, but...
The rules section states: (FF&S p 89) "All heavy (non-small arms)
lasers, particle accelerators and meson guns require beam
pointers..." To my mind that there are indeed NON small arms,
lasers, particle accelerators meson guns. Ah well, go figure.
In any case, I proceed: Since this is obviously not a *heavy*
weapon, no beam pointer is required. However, as we need to know
the exact range to the target (so we know where the mesons need to
decay) a rather precise range finder is needed. This turned out to
be the largest expence of building the gun (91% of total cost). It
requires an electronic site and a laser site to determine the range
accurately for the meson stream. The laser to illuminate the
target and the electronic site to get the range using the laser
spot for a reference.
Once range is accurately determined, the meson stream is targetted
10cm behind the range as set by the laser site in order to
penetrate armor accurately. (This range spread can easily be
adjusted by the firer)
Disappointments:
Unfortunately, these turned out to be far heavier than I hoped them
to be. However they could still be carried by a man in battle
dress, and the higher tech versions could just barely be carried
without an exoskeleton. I also wanted to make the firing cycle
time faster, but that would have taken weight even higher, so we
are stuck with 1 shot per five second combat round. However, as
this is a squad support weapon I found it to be acceptable.
Each of the weapons listed below has a DV of 20 (considered a DV of
1 when fired against ships). Further, we are hitting the target
with 40,000 joules of radiation. Now that is about 100 times the
dose of LD50. This is far greater than Even Traveller medicine can
deal with. The victim hit with the beam will die between 24 hrs
after exposure from neurologic and cardiovascular breakdown,
(Cerebrovascular Syndrome).
Range, is fine, the listed maximum range is the distance at which
the gun still has a DV of 20. Note that according to FF&S this is
still 'short range' for a meson gun. I'm not sure how this would
fit into the FF&S computations of what constitutes effective range.
Nevertheless this is basically a proof of concept. I have a FAR
more dangerous idea than a Meson handgun. A meson gun for dealing
with boarding parties and hijackers. A small turret with a
homopolar generator located up on the bridge. Hook it into the
security cameras for targetting information. Now you don't NEED to
send Captain 'Vouf off with his gauss pistols to deal with the
robot running amok. Just blast the little beastie from the bridge.
Fire right through the bulkheads, walls etc. You might want to set
up additional guns to allow you to fire in such a way so you don't
have to fire through radiation sensitive equipment. Two or three
guns ought to allow you to hit any spot on the ship.
My initial estimate on this set up is that you could put one
together at TL 11 with a DV of 5 for 3500 cr or so, less at higher
TL. Hooked into ship's power supply would allow you 1 shot per
combat round at 1MW draw. Increased power input allows more shots
per round. However, you might need an indirect fire site which
would cost 200,000 more.
Of further note: All the hand units listed below are Bulk-0 for
purposes of fast draws.
MAMP-11 (Meson Accelerator Man Portable) Total Cost 2527 Cr
Hand unit
Mass: 1.288 Kg
Length: 15/35 cm
DV: 1
MaxRange: 80 Km
Cost: 2359 Cr
EPG-11 Backpack power supply
Mass Loaded: 46.8 Kg
Mass Empty: 27.6 Kg
Volume: 14.4 Liters
Magazine: 20 rnds 0.2Mj Chemical Plasma Cartridge 20 Cr/rnd
Cost: 168 Cr
========================================
MAMP-12 (Meson Accelerator Man Portable) Total Cost 2495 Cr
Hand unit
Mass: 1.234 Kg
Length: 15/35 cm
DV: 1
MaxRange: 100 Km
Cost: 2355 Cr
EPG-12 Backpack power supply
Mass Loaded: 32.6 Kg
Mass Empty: 23 Kg
Volume: 11.2 Liters
Magazine: 20 rnds 0.2Mj Pulse Plasma Cartridge 5 Cr/rnd
Cost: 140 Cr
========================================
MAMP-13 (Meson Accelerator Man Portable) Total Cost 2481 Cr
Hand unit
Mass: 1.234 Kg
Length: 15/35 cm
DV: 1
MaxRange: 100 Km
Cost: 2355 Cr
EPG-13 Backpack power supply
Mass Loaded: 30.3 Kg
Mass Empty: 20.7 Kg
Volume: 10.2 Liters
Magazine: 20 rnds 0.2Mj Pulse Plasma Cartridge 5 Cr/rnd
Cost: 126 Cr
========================================
MAMP-14 (Meson Accelerator Man Portable) Total Cost 2467 Cr
Hand unit
Mass: 1.228 Kg
Length: 15/35 cm
DV: 1
MaxRange: 120 Km
Cost: 2355 Cr
EPG-14 Backpack power supply
Mass Loaded: 24.8 Kg
Mass Empty: 18.4 Kg
Volume: 8.8 Liters
Magazine: 20 rnds 0.2Mj Pulse Fusion Cartridge 2 Cr/rnd
Cost: 112 Cr
========================================
MAMP-15 (Meson Accelerator Man Portable) Total Cost 2453 Cr
Hand unit
Mass: 1.228 Kg
Length: 15/35 cm
DV: 1
MaxRange: 120 Km
Cost: 2355 Cr
EPG-15 Backpack power supply
Mass Loaded: 22.5 Kg
Mass Empty: 16.1 Kg
Volume: 7.8 Liters
Magazine: 20 rnds 0.2Mj Pulse Fusion Cartridge 2 Cr/rnd
Cost: 98 Cr
=================================================================
(Here are some more detailed plans should any of you be interested
in the actual workings of it all):
Meson Body Pistol TL 11:
Tunnel: 500 joules draw
length: 10 cm (Range 80Km at TL 11)
mass < 1 gram
Volume < 1cm^3
cost < 1 Cr
Explosive Power Generator ROF: 1 per 5 seconds
Mass: 60 gm
Volume: 30 cm^3
Cost: .33 Cr
Magazine: 20 rnds: 48 gms.
1 Rnd: 0.3 cm^3
Cost < 1 Cr
Mass: 2.4 gm
Dia: 5 mm
Length: 15 mm
Ruggedization:
Mass: 3.1 gm
Volume 3.1 cm^3
Cost < 1 Cr
Pistol grip
Mass: 100 gm.
Cost: 25 Cr.
Sites
Laser: 200 gm
Electronic: 500 gm
Cost: 2300 Cr
=====================
Total Mass: 864 gm
Total Cost: 2328 Cr
Loaded Nass: 912 gm
Max Range: 80 Km
Bulk: 0
DV of 1 (personnel damage that is) up to a range of 80 km. Not a
whole lot, but remember that these things go right through ANY
armor. Also, it may ONLY be a body pistol, but remember what one
of those did to the entire 3rd Imperium in the hands of Dulinor!
Radiation Damage: Well, even for a 100 Kg human, this dose is a
bit above LD50/60. We are in the range of Acute Radiation Syndrome
with gastrointestinal complications within 2 weeks, bleeding and
death in most exposed persons.
To be fair, tho, I have gone off the scale cost wise. But even if
we multiply the cost of a tunnel and explosive power generator by
a factor of a thousand, the tunnel would cost 20 cr, and the EPG
would be 330 Cr. This would of course be less at higher Tech
Levels.
==================================================================
Meson gun SMG TL 11:
Tunnel: 500 joules draw
length: 10 cm (Range 80Km at TL 11)
mass < 1 gram
Volume < 1cm^3
cost < 1 Cr
Explosive Power Generator ROF: 10 per second
Mass: 210 gm
Volume: 105 cm^3
Cost: 1.155 Cr
Magazine: 100 rnds: 240 gms.
1 Rnd: 0.3 cm^3
Cost < 1 Cr
Mass: 2.4 gm
Dia: 5 mm
Length: 15 mm
Ruggedization:
Mass: 10.6 gm
Volume 10.6 cm^3
Cost < 1 Cr
Pistol grip
Mass: 100 gm.
Cost: 25 Cr.
Sites
Laser: 200 gm
Electronic: 500 gm
Cost: 2300 Cr
=====================
ROF: 10 shots per second
Total Mass: 922 gm
Total Cost: 2329 Cr
Loaded Nass: 1162 gm
Max Range: 80 Km
Bulk: 0
I figure that a rate of fire of 10 per second is pretty dang close
to a continuous beam for aiming purposes. And of course no recoil
either.
DV of 1 (personelle damage that is) up to a range of 80 km.
Scott 2G Kellogg