Considering the discussions re. laser vs. musket penetration I have
played with some of the numbers and come up with the following chart
which shows the d6 damage at short range after penetration of personal
armor:
short
TL range no armor BC body suit flak jacket
- -- ----- -------- ------------ -----------
6 Rifle-Musket 60 3* (1) 2* (0.7) 2* (0.7)
12 Gauss Rifle 100 4 (12) 3 (9) 3 (9)
10 ACR - HEAP 80 5 (25) 3 (15) 3 (15)
8 DEI Carbine 200 5 (5) 5 (5) 0 (0)
13 CLC Carbine 300 7 (21) 7 (21) 0 (0)
* Fires only every third action
(#) Indicates total damage at the weapons full ROF
This table shows that compared to the laser carbines muskets inflict
little damage unless the target is wwearing a flak jacket (or better)
armor - assuming an area covered by the flak jacket is hit. The cloth
armors offer no protection against a laser which also has some
additional benefits.
The short range is five times that of the rifle-musket, there is no
recoil so it is an excellent choice of weapon for zero-g combat, and
when used in a vacuum the CLC laser inflicts the listed damage to a
range of 2400 meters.
Obviously when facing armored foes these lasers are as useful as
flashlights but then high-tech armor has to have some benefits.
PBJuzyk "You can't choose your death, Death chooses you"