The redcoats were from Buckinghamshire. Some had been recruited from the farms of the Chilterns and from the villages of Aylesbury’s vale, while most had come from the noisome slums and pestilent prisons of London which sprawled on the county’s southern edge. Now their mouths were dry from the salt gunpowder of the cartridges they had bitten all morning and their battle had shrunk to a terrifying patch of foreign land that was surrounded by a victorious, rampaging, screaming enemy. For all the men of the 85th knew they might have been the last British troops alive and now they faced the Emperor’s heavy swords and behind the cuirassiers a tangled mass of lancers, dragoons and chausseurs followed to snap up the broken remnants of the color party’s rally square. A Frenchman screamed a war cry as he rammed his spurs hard back along his horse’s flanks and, just as it seemed that the redcoats had left their one volley too late, their Colonel called the word.
“Fire!”
Horses tumbled in bloody agony. A horse and cavalryman struck by a volley kept moving forward, turned in an instant from the war’s gaudiest killers into so much over-dressed meat ...
—Bernard Cornwell Sharp’s Battle
This is a supplement about firearms from the mediaeval period until modern times. In this work you will find a variety of tables, examples, and facts about how guns of the various periods covered by this work performed and behaved. Familiarity with this work, however, in no way makes one an expert on the actual handling of firearms in real life. Before you pick up a gun, take a training class in how to handle them safely. Such classes can often be found through your local gun shops, Fish and Game Department, or the NRA. Properly used firearms can provide long hours of fun and enjoyment, but improperly used firearms are a danger to the people handling them and everyone around them.
A great deal of work has gone into making this book a reasonably accurate model of the currently available ballistic data. Any errors in this molding are the fault of the designers, and should not reflect on the sources the data came from. Many assumptions were made during the design of this work. The true effects of ballistic performance, and their effect on the human body, is a highly controversial area.
This book is dedicated to Robert Mohney Sr., Ben Mohney and Carl Willman. They have served their country well in a variety of ways, both in and out of the military, and I am very proud to call them Father and Grandfathers respectively.
Dedicated to my loving wife Meredith and my daughter Ariel.
The first use of Weapon Law: Firearms is to allow you to bring firearms into your gaming campaigns. This can add a huge new dimension. Now the thrust, parry, and assassin’s dagger, can be met with hot lead as much as cold steel. This can add a level of danger and intrigue to any campaign. Consequently, many more people may have them on there persons, hidden from sight, and even the most powerful of mages may fear the assassin’s bullet coming from half a room away. On the battlefield, powerful knights will have to make way for musket formations, capable of bringing down even the most powerful Paladin with a series of well timed volleys. The mad charge into danger will yield to the well oiled machine that is an infantry company, with their rifles, and the bayonet’s gleaming. Heavy armor, no longer so effective, yields to the more maneuverable leathers or no armor at all, as dashing musketeers replace hulking warriors. With Weapon Law: Firearms, new vistas are open to explore.
Secondly, Weapon Law: Firearms marks the nucleus for a new kind of genre books. It provides information on weapons up to our times (the late twentieth century) allowing you to play a gunslinger in the Old West, an infantryman on the beaches of Normandy, or a modern spy in the back allies of Istanbul. This book will support others, source books on modern military operations, old west, and covert intelligence. Such books will use Weapon Law: Firearms quite heavily, and expand on its themes to cover items not found herein. With Weapon Law: Firearms, RMSS takes the first step towards covering any gaming theme imaginable. In the mean time, gamemasters are encouraged to experiment and enjoy the work.
A purpose of a gun is to kill things at range. Any other description, though possibly more romantic, is probably not accurate. The idea is that if you can kill it and it cannot kill you, you are much safer. Guns are hardly alone in performing this role; bows, crossbows, slings, etc., have all been the weapons of choice for various cultures throughout history. Such weapons have generally been slow to fire, had poor range, took lots of training to use, and they and their ammunition were very heavy. Guns have likewise suffered from these failings at various times.
All modern firearms share a variety of features. They hold gunpowder in a chamber behind a bullet. They have a mechanism that allows you to pull a trigger or (in rare cases) press a button and ignite the powder. As the powder burns, gasses are released and pressure builds up in the chamber. Eventually the pressure gets so high that the bullet is forced out of the chamber, down a barrel, and off towards the target. This process happens in a split second and the results if everything goes as planned are devastating. Sometimes they are also devastating if everything does not go as planned.
At the root of this process is the powder. Gunpowder itself was developed in China and used for fireworks. Though some rockets were used by the Chinese, there is no evidence that they ever contemplated using it to make firearms as we know them. Europeans acquired gunpowder in the eleventh or twelfth century, though sources conflict as to whether it came from trade with the Chinese or if it was developed independently. Either way, the first gunpowders were crude, did not burn especially well, and had tendency to separate into their component substances if stored for a long time. Eventually, the formulas were refined and processes were developed to stabilize the mixture.
The earliest form of the firearm was the hand cannon. Small oblong guns resembling cannon would be lashed to a stick (as much to hold it away from you if it blew up) and fired with a slow burning cord called a match. The match was poked through a hole in the gun, called a touch hole, to set fire to the powder in the gun. They tended to be very ineffective, but scared horses. If they did manage to hit something, they inflicted terrible wounds.
Frankly, early guns were not nearly as useful on the battlefield as crossbows and longbows were. They were expensive, they rarely hit anything, and their powder was a danger to you as much as your enemy. They had one key advantage, however, over other sorts of ranged weapons; they did not require a lot of training.
There is a saying in England, “If you want to train a longbowman, start with his grandfather.” The proper use of a longbow takes years to learn and, and most countries in Europe did not have peasantry they really wished armed with such weapons. The crossbow, long Europe’s ranged weapon of choice, was simpler to learn (only a matter of a couple of weeks to at least get competent with the basics), and had the advantage of being expensive and hard to make. They had a variety of parts that must be made by skilled craftsmen, keeping them out the price range for the average peasant. Consequently, a Duke could buy crossbows, distribute them to a levy of peasants, train them in their use, and then collect them after the campaign season ended. This way, he could have an effective force of crossbowmen when on campaign, but not have to worry about a peasantry which could arm itself if they decided they did not like him.
While firearms started out as terror weapons, European lords slowly came to realize that they potentially possessed all of the advantages of crossbows. They required skilled manufacturing that was beyond the means of the peasantry. Peasants could be trained in there use in a short period of time. Finally, whatever guns had not exploded, could be collected and stored for the next season well away from the hands of grumbling subjects.
To become competitive with crossbows, however, the physical form of the gun had to change, and European gun manufacturers were up to the task. Improved metal working techniques (the same ones that lead to better steals required by the arbequesses and other heavy crossbows) lead to safer more powerful guns. The barrel began to get longer and longer, until the short cannon shape was replaced with a tube. The stick that had supported the cannot, was lengthened to support the barrel and shaped to be more comfortable to use. By the 1500’s, the form of the firearm we still see in our modern guns was more or less fixed.
More importantly in many ways, by the 1500’s the lock had been developed. A lock is a spring loaded device for setting off the powder in the firearm once you pull a trigger. Before the advent of the lock, if you wanted to set off a firearm you had to carry a slow burning length of match (a gunpowder impregnated rope) with you. The match was held in your hand, making it hard to hold the gun, and then manually placed at the touch hole. The chances of accidentally setting off the powder you might be carrying on your person, burning yourself, or setting your cloths on fire were fairly high. The first locks (called, naturally enough, matchlocks) simply held the match for you cocked away from the powder on an arm. When you pulled the trigger the arm falls forward dropping the match into the pan (a small projection holding a small amount of powder). The powder in the pan would set off the powder in the chamber. This had the advantage of not exposing your hand to the flare from the main charge, and made guns far easier to aim and carry.
Early matchlocks still had several disadvantages. First, the match itself was still burning and could cause a fire or be put out by rain. Second, if the arm gripped the match at the wrong point it might not actually fall into the pan. This could be somewhat embarrassing to say the least.
Despite these problems, the new shape and the development of the lock was the death for the crossbow as Europe’s weapon of choice. Troops could quickly be trained to use these new weapons. Once they were trained they could fire matchlocks faster than crossbowman with similar amounts of damage for each shot. Though still expensive and not as accurate as the crossbow, a wealthy lord you could field large forces of matchlock armed troops.
Not to be overlooked is the fact that because of the shape of the matchlock (and its successors the wheelock and flintlock), you could cram more troops into an area than you could if they were armed with crossbows. This meant two things. First, you can mass a large amount of firepower into a small area. This helped overcome the inaccuracy problems and helped to protect soldiers from cavalry (who are very unlikely to charge a massed formation that can kill them before they can get into striking distance).
Secondly, it makes it easier to control the men. Because men were not as spread out, orders are easier to get to soldiers. Each group can be trained in specific tactics with their weapons. Generals began experimenting with volley fire (having only part of your formation fire, while the rest hold back to fire while the first group reloads) and line formation where fire power replaced depth of numbers as a defense. The development of the bayonet (a knife that could be mounted on the end of the gun) made troops armed with swords or axes (often included in early firearm formations as protection in close quarters) unnecessary. Each man carrying a gun could act as both a ranged combatant and a hand-to-hand combatant.
By the mid 1500s, it was becoming necessary to make sure that all of your men had firearms, which greatly increased the cost of warfare. Since princes and generals were spending so much more to wage war, more reliable weapons than the matchlock were needed. The first attempt was the wheelock. This weapon had a spring-loaded wheel mounted to the gun. When the trigger was pulled, the wheel would begin spinning rapidly against a piece of steel. Pyrites in the wheel’s edge would throw sparks into the pan (which was now mounted internal to the gun) and set off the weapon. Wheelocks were reliable, could be safely carried while loaded, and, because the pan was internal, much less effected by weather. However, they were also frighteningly expensive, slow to reload (often requiring a special tool), and difficult to make. Consequently, they did not become very popular, except with cavalry troops who would often carry two wheelock carbines and a wheelock pistol.
By the late 1500’s, however, another form of lock came on the scene that would dominate the firearm using world for the next two hundred years: the flintlock. A flintlock looked much like a matchlock, except that the arm held a piece of flint rather than a slow-match. When the arm fell forward the flint would strike a piece of steel and send sparks into the pan. This arrangement was reliable (though flints could wear down or crack) and did not have the fire danger the matchlock presented. It was also more resistant to weather condition than the matchlock, though not as much as a wheelock.
The next innovation in the firearm’s development was developed in the eighteenth century, but would languish mostly unused until the middle of the nineteenth. It was the process of rifling. Rifling is the engraving of spiraling grooves down the inside length of a barrel (called the bore). These grooves would impart spin to the bullet making it more stable during flight. Though rifles tended to be more accurate than smooth bore weapons, making them ideal sniper weapons, smooth-bore weapons were faster to load (which meant most common soldier carried them instead). It was not until the early to mid nineteenth century that rifling became the standard practice on firearms.
The late 1700s saw the next great development in firearms. Early firearms, generally referred to as muskets, were loaded by priming the pan, replacing its cover, then upending the gun to jam powder and cloth down the barrel followed with a bullet. Powder was originally carried in a horn and measured out by the guns owner each time he needed to shoot. The need to measure the powder slowed the process down tremendously and in the eighteenth century paper cartridges had been adopted to speed the process along. A paper cartridge contained a measured amount of powder and the bullet. All the firer had to do to load the weapon was to tear the end open, prime the pan, grab the bullet (with his teeth) pour the powder into the barrel followed by the paper and the bullet. Though it does not sound like much of a time savings, not having the measuring step allowed the British infantry of the Napoleonic Wars to fire four to five volleys a minute with experienced troops (by far, the best rate of their day).
Still, paper cartridges had their limitations. They could get wet. They did not store well. They caught fire easily. Careless handling could spill powder out onto the ground. These problems were solved by the mid 1800s with the advent of the percussion cap and the metallic cartridge.
The percussion cap was a small cylinder of metal with an explosive element in it. The cylinder fit over a nipple on the end of the firearm and when struck by the locks arm sent sparks into the chamber. Percussion caps were more reliable than powder held loose in the pan, and could be placed on the gun well ahead of time (though this was often a dangerous practice). Percussion caps also eliminate the need for flints, which could be broken or wear down. With percussion caps, the reliability of firearms use went up.
They also made other developments possible. The first was the revolver. A revolver is a firearm that uses a cylinder with a number of holes bored through it to hold ammunition. As you pull the trigger, the cylinder is rotated so that another hole is brought in line with the hammer (the head of the gun’s lock’s arm) and the barrel. The first revolvers were made possible by percussion caps, because the cap could be placed on a nipple at the one end of each hole. Powder and a bullet would then be pressed into the each hole from the other end. When the hammer fell, it would strike the cap, igniting the powder and sending the bullet down the barrel. This development made percussion cap revolvers the dominate handgun of the mid 1800s.
Once the cap was developed, inventors began looking for a way to get rid of the need for paper cartridges altogether. By the mid 1800s they had developed the metallic cartridge. Metallic cartridges were cylinders (usually of brass) with a percussion cap set into one end. The body of the cylinder was filled with powder, while the bullet sealed the other end. Metallic cartridges were much less vulnerable to the effects of weather and fire (though they could still be set off if the heat got high enough) and could be stored for a long period of time. This also meant that breech-loaded firearms were now practical weapons.
Breech-loaded weapons were weapons that were loaded near the lock rather than at the muzzle. Though some breech-loaders had been developed for paper cartridges, muzzle-loaders were far more common. Early breech-loaded weapons had a tendency to spill powder down the barrel which could lead to a soldier’s shots being less than effective. Once metallic cartridges were developed, however, their internal reservoir of powder prevented this problem. Breech-loading required far less time than muzzle loading, and is suitable for mechanization.
Also, breech-loading allowed more common use of rifling. Muzzle-loading rifles tended to be slower as it takes more effort to ram a round down a rifled barrel than it does a smooth bored one. Breech-loading eliminated this problem.
The effects of the metallic cartridge combined with breech-loading were tremendous. Percussion cap revolvers rapidly fell away as revolvers with metallic cartridges replaced them. These weapons could be reloaded faster and you did not have to keep supplies of loose powder and percussion caps on your person. Rifles such as the Sharps Repeater began to appear that used a lever action to eject a spent round, load another one from an internal magazine, and cock the lock all in one motion. By the end of the 1800s a variety of systems for rifles and pistols which used the weapons own recoil (the backwards force imparted to the gun by the firing round) to automatically eject and reload the firearm after each shot had been developed. Such weapons are known as semi-automatics.
These systems lead to the development of the machine-gun in the early in the twentieth century. A machine-gun uses the same principle as the semi-automatics, but fired multiple rounds with each pull of the trigger. Machine-guns are hard to control and in many ways far more inefficient than semi-automatic fire, but it does allow a soldier to cover areas with suppression fire (i.e., sending lots of bullets into an area to force the enemy to keep his head down). They are devastating against close packed formations, and were one of the main factors that lead to the abandonment of these type of tactics in the early part of this century.
Since the development of the machine gun, firearms development has turned towards increasing the efficiency of bullets. Hollowpoints (rounds that have a hollow tip allowing expansion when they impact a body) have been refined since the early part of this century to become lethal man-stoppers. Armor piercing bullets (bullets made very hard so as to go through armor) have become common in most militaries, though because they go through their opponents they tend to do less damage. Bullets with such exotic elements as Mercury or Phosphorus have tried, and generally failed, to be effective man stopping agents. Bullet accuracy has been improved, and reliability make an increasing priority.
What is next for firearms? That question is hard to answer. Certainly, the last decades have shown us that peripheral devices such as laser sights and extended magazines can increase the deadliness of most firearms. Caseless ammunition (rounds that imbed the bullet in solid propellant which burns up during firing, thus eliminating the need to eject cartridges) have been tried with some success, though they are still not common. Rocket powered ammunition has also been tried recently, though it is very inaccurate. Sabot ammunition (small fin stabilized rounds that have a jacket which grips the barrel, but falls off after the projectile is fired) could become more common (especially as shotgun slugs). If these rounds prove more popular we may see the abandonment of rifling in favor of smooth-bore guns, because the round is self-stabilized and a smooth-bore would allow greater velocities. If the last century of innovation is anything to judge by, the firearm still has a long way to go.
Assault Rifle — A light caliber rifle cable of automatic firing.
Automatic — A firearm that automatically ejects a spent round and loads another in its place each time the gun is fired. Additionally, the gun will fire the new round automatically if the trigger is held down. Most automatic weapons can be fired in semi-automatic mode.
Barrel — A tubular metal channel down which the bullet passes.
Bore — The channel inside the barrel through which the bullet passes.
Bullet — Before the advent of metallic cartridges; a projectile shot from a gun. After development of metallic cartridges; the same, but can also refer to the entire round including its cartridge, powder charge, and primer.
Caliber — A system of measuring bullets based on the diameter of the round expressed as a percentage of one inch, e.g., .50 Caliber is one half inch, .25 Caliber is one quarter inch, etc. Though not technically correct, the term is also applied to any system of measuring bullet diameter.
Carbine — A gun who’s length is between that of a pistol and a rifle.
Cartridge — A device for holding a bullet, powder, and priming for a gun. Can be either paper or metal depending on the time period.
Chamber — The part of the gun where the bullet and powder sit waiting to be fired.
Charge — An amount of powder placed in a gun in order to shoot off a bullet.
Double Action — A type of lock where the hammer may be pulled back by the trigger as part of the firing sequence. Double action guns with exposed hammers may be fired as a single action if the wielder so desires.
Double Action Only — A type of lock where the hammer may only be pulled back by the trigger as part of the firing sequence.
Flashpan (Pan) — A depression that protrudes from a gun’s side holding gunpowder powder. The powder in the flashpan is used to ignite the main charge inside the gun.
Flintlock — A lock that has a piece of flint in the arm’s grip. The flint falls forward striking a piece of steel and sending sparks into the flashpan.
Hammer (Arm) — A part of a lock that falls forward (usually with the help of a spring) when the trigger of a gun is fired.
Lock — A mechanical device that allows a gun to be fired by pulling a trigger.
Machine-gun — A rifle capable of automatic firing.
Machine pistol — A pistol capable of automatic firing.
Magazine (Clip) — A device for holding multiple bullets in preparation for insertion into the chamber. Magazines may be internal or external. Internal magazines may not be removed, while external magazines may be removed from the firearm.
Match-lock — A lock that has a burning match (gunpowder impregnated cord) in its arm’s grip. The match falls forward into the flashpan to set off the powder in the gun.
Muzzle — The end of the barrel from which the bullet exits.
Percussion Cap — A metallic cup that holds and explosive used to set off the main charge of a gun. Can either be applied to a nipple on the outside of a gun, or included as part of a bullet.
Pistol — A gun capable of being held and fired in one hand used for close quarter work.
Primer — An explosive contained in a percussion cap that is used to set off the main charge of a bullet.
Priming — Placing powder in the flashpan.
Revolver — A type of gun which hold bullets in a rotating cylinder. Each pull of the trigger brings a new round in alignment with the hammer and the barrel.
Rifle — A gun with a long barrel generally used for hunting.
Round — A bullet with its charge and primer, generally including a metallic cartridge.
Semi-Automatic — A firearm that automatically ejects a spent round and loads another in its place each time the gun is fired.
Shot — Small pellets of lead designed to be fired in mass from a shotgun.
Shotgun — A smooth bore gun designed to fire either slugs or shot.
Single Action — A type of lock where the hammer must be pulled back manually. Triggers on single action arms only allow the hammer to fall forward.
Slugs — A large bullet designed to be fired from a shotgun rather than a rifle.
Stock — A wooden, metal, or plastic device that holds the guns mechanisms allowing more accurate, safer, and comfortable firing.
Sub-machine-gun — A carbine sized weapon capable of automatic firing.
Three Round Burst — An automatic weapon that is specially made so it will not fire more than three shots in automatic mode with each pull of the trigger.
Wheelock — A lock that included a spring loaded wheel. When the trigger is pulled the wheel spins rapidly against a piece of steel. Pyrites in the wheels surface cause sparks to fall into the flashpan setting off the powder in the gun.
This section provides all of the rules needed for using firearms in any role playing setting. Note that these rules reference that RMSS for normal procedures (only the variances from the normal system are noted).
Incorporating the new skills needed for using the information in this book is quite simple. Follow the guidelines below.
Gamemasters merely need to add at least two new categories to the Weapon group: Weapon • 1-handed Firearms and Weapon • 2-handed Firearms. These two skills both use the stat bonuses of Ag/Ag/St and use standard progressions. Note that one skill would be required for each different type of weapon within the category. For example, semiautomatic pistols, revolvers, and blackpowder pistols would all be Weapon • 1-handed Firearms skills. Machineguns, rifles, and muskets would all be Weapon • 2-handed Firearms skills.
Some weapons might be applicable in either category and should be developed separately. For example, firing a semiautomatic shotgun with one hand would require a separate skill from firing it with two hands.
The armor types presented in the RMSS are still valid. However, they represent either medieval or natural armor types. Modern body armors are handled separately and are rated by class.
Class I body armor is made of ballistic cloth and covers only the torso. Class II body armor is similar to Class I in composition, but covers the torso and shoulders (and is generally thicker than Class I armor). Class III body armor covers the torso, shoulders, and thighs and also includes metal inserts (in addition to the ballistic cloth). Class IV body armor covers the entire body and includes many metal inserts.
Skill with modern body armors are developed in the Armor • Light category (for body armor types I and II) or Armor • Medium category (for body armor types III and IV).
Note: Specific genre books and supplements will introduce other types of armor appropriate to other genres and/or settings.
With the addition of firearms into the game, there are several support skills that can be added to the system. These support skills will be detailed in the sections appro- priate to the use of the skills. The are listed here for convenience.
Situational Awareness (Ammunition) {In}
Suppression Fire {Ag}, Rapid Fire {SD}
Body armor functions like any other armor in the RMSS, i.e., it has its own Minimum Maneuver Penalties, Maximum Maneuver Penalties, entry on the combat tables, etc.
If wearing body armor types I or II, resolve all criticals on the Ballistic Puncture Critical Strike Table. However, if an area of the body is indicated that would normally be covered by body armor, look up the same result on the Ballistic Impact Critical Strike Table (i.e., do not roll again, keep the same roll).
If wearing body armor types III or IV, resolve all criticals on the Ballistic Impact Critical Strike Table. However, if an area of the body is indicated that would normally not be covered by body armor, look up the same result on the Ballistic Puncture Critical Strike Table (i.e., do not roll again, keep the same roll).
Optional Rule: If a portion of the body is hit that is not covered by armor, reapply the same attack roll on the AT 1 column instead.
Before discussing firearm actions, there are two things to keep in mind. First, all attack actions presume an “aimed” attack. This means that you are trying to hit a specific target with the shot (not an area). Secondly, a character only has three actions to perform each round (one in each phase). This provides a limit on how many “aimed” shots can be taken each round. A character who just wants to fire in a direction is probably simply providing suppression fire in an area and the action should be resolved as a static maneuver (see Section 3.4 below).
When using firearms, there are a few new kinds of attack actions (and their associated percentage activities) that need to be addressed. Typically, with firearms, you can use a single shot action, a double shot action, and fire with bursts (either spread or aimed). In addition, certain special maneuvers can be taken (see Section 3.4).
Note(*): If less than the maximum listed % activity indicated on the Firearms Actions Percentage Activity chart is used, the attack has a -1 modification for every 1% under the maximum (see RMSS, Section 23.3.7).
A single shot action represents aiming at a single target and pulling the trigger once. Any firearm can be fired in this mode and will do normal damage when used in this fashion. This action takes 30-60% activity*.
Note: Characters using an automatic weapon capable of a 3-round burst (i.e., Auto3) may use 3 rounds of ammunition to get a bonus of +10 bonus to a single shot action.
A double shot action represents two pulls of a firearm’s trigger in rapid succession. Any weapon with a listed action type of semiautomatic, single-action, or double action can be used in this fashion.
When using a double shot action, you must spend 50-90% activity*. However, you may make two attack rolls against the same target. The first one is resolved normally, but the second one suffers a special penalty of -30.
A spread burst action represents the action of firing a bunch of bullets into an area to increase the likelihood of hitting a single target. Generally, the spread is in a pattern of some type, but this is not required. It is assumed that 5 bullets are fired when this type of action is taken (see Section 3.3.5 for a more realistic way to expend ammunition in a burst). Any weapon with a listed action type of automatic can be used in this fashion.
When using a spread burst action, you must spend the normal 30-60% activity*. You will get a special bonus of +30 to the attack roll. However, you can only use half you normal OB with the weapon and any critical is reduced by one in severity (with an A critical resolved as an ‘A’ critical with a special modification of -25).
Note: Characters using an automatic weapon capable of a 3-round burst (i.e., Auto3) may not perform a spread burst action.
An aimed burst action represents the action of firing a bunch of bullets in a very focused area in an attempt to do lots of damage to the target. Any weapon with a listed action type of automatic can be used in this fashion. An aimed burst uses 5 rounds of ammunition.
When using an aimed burst action, you must spend 50-90% activity*. You will suffer a special penalty of -20 to the attack roll, but any critical delivered is resolved on the Shrapnel Critical Strike Table.
Note: Characters using an automatic weapon capable of a 3-round burst (i.e., Auto3) may use only 3 rounds of ammunition and still get the aimed burst bonuses. This only applies at point blank, short, and medium ranges.
For gamemasters who want a more realistic approach to ammunition expenditure, the following optional rule can be implemented.
Note: When using this rule, a spread burst action does not recieve a fixed bonus of +25 to the attack roll. Instead, the bonus is +5 per bullet in the burst.
Note: Any weapon capable of a 3-round burst attack (Auto3) automatically expends 3 rounds with every shot (no die roll is made for variable ammunition expenditure).
Before resolving the attack with an spread burst action or an aimed burst action, roll d5+2. This is the number of rounds used up by the burst. If the result is less than or equal to the number of bullets left in the gun, resolve the attack as a normal spread burst or aimed burst action (outlined above).
If the result is greater than the number of bullets left in the gun, the burst uses the remaining bullets, but is resolved as a single shot action (see Section 3.3.1). If the action was a spread burst action, the attack is resolved with a special bonus of +5 per bullet in the burst (this replaces the bonus for performing a spread burst action). If the action was an aimed burst action, the critical delivered is a Ballistic Puncture Critical.
Option: If the character makes a successful Situational Awareness (Ammunition), he may take the full +25 bonus forNote: The attack action cannot be cancelled after this roll for ammunition expenditure is made (i.e., the trigger has already been pulled; this roll just tells you how many bullets were used and exactly how to resolve the effects of the shot).
If a character has the Situational Awareness (Ammunition) skill, he may choose to make a static maneuver along with his firing action (no declaration needed; no additional percentage activity). If the static maneuver is successful, he may roll the ammunition expenditure roll (d10+4) twice and take the result he wants.
This section presents special kinds of actions that can be performed with firearms. These special actions include rapid fire maneuvers, aimed rapid fire maneuverers, and suppression fire maneuvers.
Sometimes, characters just want to fire their gun as fast as they can. In almost all cases, it is possible to empty all ammunition out of a gun inside of 10 seconds (one round). When a character wants to just fire his gun as fast as possible, resolve this action as a static maneuver (not an attack). If the maneuver is successful, the gun has been emptied (be sure to check for breakage numbers on the maneuver).
The normal attack action presumes that you are aiming between each shot. When the firing character is stationary and can prepare himself properly, it is possible to aim once and then empty the gun.
To resolve an aimed rapid fire action, the character must be able to spend a round in preparation doing nothing but aiming (100% activity spent in one round). In the following round, he may empty his gun at the target. Make a static maneuver roll (adding the character’s Rapid Fire skill if he has it). If the maneuver is successful, resolve the attack as an aimed burst action. If the maneuver is not successful, resolve the attack as a single shot action.
If a character has the Rapid Fire skill, he may add his bonus to any static maneuver to determine the success of his aimed rapid fire actions.
Suppression fire means that you are firing your gun into an area; not in an attempt to hit anything specific, but just to put a lot of bullets in the area (generally to keep people from moving around in that area). To perform a suppression fire action, you must have at least 5 rounds of ammunition in your gun (the optional rules for variable ammunition expenditure can apply here; see Section 3.3.5). A suppression fire maneuver requires 30% activity.
When a character declares a suppression fire maneuver, he must designate at what range he is attempting to use suppression fire: point blank, short, or medium (suppression fire is not allowed at long and extreme range). Depending on the range chosen, a different arc is covered by the fire. At point blank range, a 45 arc is sprayed with bullets. At short range, a 30 arc is covered. At medium range a 15 arc is covered. Only targets at the chosen range are affected.
Option: A character can cover a wider arc, but suffers a -10 to the static maneuver for each extra 5 added to the arc.
Suppression fire is resolved as a static maneuver. Make the static maneuver and look at the chart below. The OB Mod will be a modifier to the attack roll that each target in the area must face.
Option: A character can use more than 5 rounds of ammunition in a suppression fire maneuver. Each round above 5, gives a +1 to the static maneuver roll.
Each target within the area has two choices, take cover or take the chance of being hit. After each target has determined whether they are taking cover or not, the character laying down the suppression fire, makes an +0 OB attack on everyone in the area (with the OB modifier generated by the static maneuver; see chart above).
Option: Allow all targets between the firer and the chosen range to be affected. Targets at point blank range have a special modifier of -10 to the attack roll against them. Targets at short range will have a special modifier of -30 to the attack roll against them.
Characters who chose to take cover get double the benefit from any cover (i.e., double all DB mods for cover). However, they lose all remaining activity for this round and will be limited to 50% activity on the following round.
Characters who did not choose to dive for cover must take the attack. If the character takes any benefit from cover (e.g., he was already standing behind the wall), he will be limited to 75% activity next round. However, he can take actions this round normally.
If a character has the Suppression Fire skill, he may add his bonus to any static maneuver to determine the success of his suppression fire actions.
Note: Suppression Fire should be classified as an Everyman skill for all characters.
To reload a gun takes a variable amount of activity based upon the type of gun and round loaded. See the Firearms Actions: Percentage Activity Chart to determine how much activity is needed to reload. Note that reloading should be considered a variable percentage activity requirement (i.e., the percentage activity requirement can be spread out over many rounds as desired).
Option 1: Any weapon shown with fixed reload % activity can actually be loaded faster than shown (what is shown % activity for no penalty to fumble ranges). To determine the variable range, halve the number shown for the minimum % activity that can be used (however, be sure to note the effects of using less than the maximum; see the note at the bottom of the table).
Option 2: A character who has “quick-loaded” his weapon (i.e., spent less than the maximum % activity to reload) can choose to reduce the fumble modification by -1 for -5 from his next attack (back down to the original fumble number). For example, if the fumble range was increased by 4 points, a character can take a -20 to his next attack to remove the 4 point increase.
All weapons have been assigned a Hunting Classification of either — (no classification), I, II, or III. Weapons with a classification of I, II, or III are considered to be high-powered, high velocity types of guns. The are usually designed for hunting large animals (e.g., elephants, rhinos, etc.).
Weapons with a hunting classification of I gain a special +10 modification to any attack made on a large or huge target. Weapons with a hunting classification of II gain a special bonus of +25. Weapons with a hunting classification of III gain a special bonus of +50.
Tripods are a mounting device used to steady firearms. Certain firearms either require a tripod to function properly (see the Master Weapon Listing).
Weapons that require a tripod to fire may be fired without one at a -50. Additionally, if a person fires a gun that requires a tripod without one properly mounted, he is subject to a +0 large attack on the Fall/Crush Attack Table. Instead of his normal DB, the firer may only add triple his Strength stat bonus (no other DB modifiers apply).. Modify the attack roll by an additional +5 times the ME number of the attack table normally used.
This attack roll on the firing character must be resolved before any attack roll on a potential target is rolled. After the attack roll on the firing character is resolved, his attack roll will be modified by -1 per concussion hit he took and -10 per level of critical taken (e.g., a ‘C’ critical would give an additional modifier of -30). For example, if a character wanted to pick up aa Browning M2HB (with an ME29) and fire it without its normal tripod, he would take a +145 attack on the Fall/Crush Attack Table.
Tripods add 25 to all range modifications for the weapon. However, this reduction cannot take a modification above zero (and thus have no effect at point blank or short range).
The shotgun is designed to hit its target with some of its damage potential while sacrificing the ability to hit it with all of its damage potential. The shotgun fires a number of pellets the are called “shot”. The size of these pellets is used to classify the cartridge. The normal shot is sized from #1 to #9 (1 being the largest). Buckshot is a class of shot larger than normal and is numbered from “BB” (yes, as in BB gun) up to “No000.” (i.e. Triple-aught). The final end of the “shot game” is the slug, a single large bullet.
If you are using shot sizes from No1 to No000, and are firing at a normal-sized target, use the shotgun table indicated in the Master Weapon Listing. Otherwise, use the chart below to determine a modification to the SG number shown in the Master Weapon Listing.
All shotguns gain a special modification of +25 at point blank and short range (in addition to any other range modifiers) and all criticals are resolved on the Shrapnel Critical Strike Table.
Note: Shotguns use the normal firearm attack tables when firing a slug. In addition, they lose the +25 modification for point blank and short range when firing a slug; and they must use the Ballistic Puncture Critical Strike Table.
Example: Jack has a Remington 870 (12 gauge magnum). If he wants to fire at Clem and is using No1 shot, he will use Shotgun Attack Table SG 15. However, if he wants to fire it at a charging elephant (a huge target), he will have to resolve the attack on Shotgun Attack Table SG 10. Alternatively, if he were using #9 shot against Clem, he would use Shotgun Attack table SG 8. If he were firing a slug at the charging elephant, he would resolve the attack on Firearms Attack Table ME 16.
Option #1: Because the shotgun fires a pattern of pellets more than one target can be hit. A typical spread is about 3' at a distance of 120'. Any creature (not counting the original target) within this cone will face an attack based upon the original roll, but not modified by the attacker’s skill (i.e., just the roll and the target’s normal DB are applied).
Option #2: Because the Shotgun Table Modification Chart is based upon the shot spread, treat all shot sizes as slugs at point blank range (because the spread is so small at that range). Resolve the attack as if a slug were fired (except that Shrapnel criticals are used).
Option #3: “Sawed-off’ shotguns remove the “choke” that enhances the spread pattern. Treat all shots at point blank or short range as slugs (see Option #2). Additionally, decrease the table number by 1 to 4 (depending on the amount of barrel removed).
If cover is available, a character may attempt to hide behind it. Gamemasters should increase the difficulty of moving maneuvers by two levels for characters who are attempting to move to cover if they are under normal fire. Gamemasters should increase the difficulty of moving maneuvers by four levels for characters who are attempting to move to cover if they are under suppression fire or normal fire from many different sources.
If the character makes his maneuver roll (i.e., does not gain a result indicating a failure), he gains the protection provided by the cover multiplied by the result of the moving maneuver as a percentage (e.g., a result of 80 on the Moving Maneuver Table would give 80% of the cover’s normal protection).
All other rules for cover (given in Section 23.2.5 of RMSR) should be used.
Note: Use these same modification for both normal firearms and shotguns. However, shotguns will simply use the first categories (as there are no shotguns attack tables above SG 20).
Example: Dan the spy is standing in a field and attempts to move to the cover of a nearby log as his opponent fires on him. Because Dan is going to roll under the log, the gamemaster rules that Dan should make a Tumbling maneuver. Dan’s gamemaster would normally rule the difficulty of this maneuver is “Light”, but because Dan is under fire this increases two levels to a “Hard” maneuver. Dan rolls a 76 and adds his skill of 52, giving him a total roll of 128. This succeeds and Dan will get behind the log and get 100% of its cover this round. However, if Dan had only rolled a 52, his total would have been a 104, meaning he would only have gotten 70% of the cover’s protection this round.
Normally, when a bullet strikes a target, any criticals are rolled on the Ballistic Puncture Critical Strike Table. However, in the modern era, several new types of rounds are available. Weapon Law: Firearms presents two types of improved munitions. Gamemasters are encouraged to experiment with other forms of ammunition to give flavor to their campaigns.
Weapon Law: Firearms treats any round that is designed to have increased penetration as an armor piercing round. The theory behind an armor piercing round is very simple; make a round hard and durable so it will not deform or loose too much energy as it passes through a target. This allows the round to pass through armor, wood, or large amounts of fatty tissue and still be able to damage the underlying organs. Armor piercing rounds use the Armor Piercing Critical Strike Table, even if they hit an area covered by modern body armor.
Option: Because armor piercing rounds tend to pass through unarmored flesh without doing major tissue trauma, they do half concussion damage to unarmored targets.
Expanding or fragmentary rounds, referred to as hollowpoints, expand as they penetrate to leave a large wound channel in the victim. They do not penetrate well against armored targets, but are very effective against unarmored ones. Unarmored targets struck by a hollow point take criticals on the Hollowpoint Critical Strike Table.
Option: Because hollowpoints have reduced penetration, cover modifications are doubled against hollowpoints.
Gamemasters should be very conscious of the weight of both weapons and ammunition, as this was a major concern of all generals throughout time (how much a soldier can carry over an extended period lead to the development of all kinds of improved weaponry).
The weight of each gun is listed in the Master Weapon Listing. The table above is meant as a guideline for determining approximately how much ammunition weighs.
Gamemasters and players may want to add weapons to the lists found here in Weapon Law: Firearms. Most of the statistics (name, caliber, action, etc.,) can be found in a variety of books. From there, the following procedure allows you to complete the game specific stats.
ME is figured directly from the muzzle energy of the round fired from the gun. Find the most common round fired from the gun and look it up on the Muzzle Energy Chart below. Weapons with muzzle energy greater than 13,000 foot/pounds are considered to be indirect fire weapons and are not covered by the rules in this book.
Weapon Law: Firearms uses a standard set of Range Mods based on the type of Weapon and the hunting classification of the round, as shown on the Standard Range Mod Table below. Note that carbines are defined as short barreled rifles.
This step, unlike the first two, is requires some judgment calls on the part of the gamemaster. For the best results, go to the Master Weapon Listing and find a weapon similar to the one being created (i.e., same caliber, type of weapon, etc.) in the same historical time period and see what numbers were assigned to it. Then, if research indicates the weapon should be more or less reliable than the one in the Master Weapon Listing, make any modifications to the numbers that seem appropriate.
This section contains this introduction, a key to all of the tables in this section, and 29 weapon attack tables. Each page actually has two attack tables on it. The one of the front is for use with natural armor types; while the one of the back is for use with modern body armors. Each page has the Ballistic Puncture Critical Strike Table on the back (this is the most commonly used critical table for these guns). Also on the back of each page is a small table showing other weapons that use this same attack table (and some of the pertinent statistics for those weapons).
To resolve an attack, the attacker must roll a high open-ended attack roll. If this attack roll (before modifications) is within the fumble range of the weapon, the attack is a fumble and the attacker must roll again on the appropriate fumble table. Otherwise, apply all modifications to the attack roll and cross-index the result with the defender’s armor type.
There are three possible results on the tables: a miss (i.e., “–”), a normal hit (e.g., “3”), or a critical strike (e.g., “5B”). If the result is a miss, the attack fails. If the result is a normal hit, apply the number in the table as damage to the defender (i.e., subtract the number from the defender’s hits). If the result is a critical strike, apply the number portion of the result against the defender’s hits and roll a second roll on the appropriate critical table (usually the Balistic Puncture Critical Strike Table). The letter indicates the severity of the critical hit (i.e., the column to roll on). If a severity of creater than an ‘E’ is generated, this indicates a secondary critical (and maybe a tertiary critical) will also be delivered. Use the chart below to determine what secondary and/or tertiary criticals are delivered. Note that when resolving secondary and tertiary criticals, you simply look up the same roll on a different table (i.e., there is not a second or third critical roll made).
Example: Mike is playing Kilroy the mercenary. Kilroy has his M16 in hand and is ready to blast his nemesis, Uthur.
Mike rolls percentile dice and the result is a 12. He knows that the fumble range for the M16 is 01-06 (according to the Master Weapon Listing), so he didn't fumble his attack. After all modifications, the attack roll results in a 86. Cross-indexing with Uthur’s Armor Type (1, he is wearing no armor) reveals that the attack did 2 concussion points of damage. Too bad!
The GM now rolls for Uthur, resulting in a 79. The captain is using a Glock 22 (which is resolved on Table ME5 according to the Master Weapon Listing). The GM checks the fumble range (01-03) on a Glock 22 and realizes the captain does not fumble his attack. After all modifications, the attack roll is a 141! The GM cross-indexes this result with Kendric's Armor Type (modern body armor Class I) and discovers that poor Kilroy takes 21 concussion points of damage and an 'E' Ballistic Puncture Critical Strike!
At the top of each table, there is a box that contains some information for a typical weapon that uses this attack table. Check the Master Weapon Listing for information specific to specific weapons. Each piece of information is listed below, along with a description of its purpose.
This section contains this introduction, a key to all of the tables in this section, and 20 weapon attack tables. Each page actually has two attack tables on it. The one of the front is for use with natural armor types; while the one of the back is for use with modern body armors. Each page has the Ballistic Shrapnel Critical Strike Table on the back (this is the most commonly used critical table for these guns). Also on the back of each page is a small chart showing the typical shotgun table shifts that are used based upon what type of shot is used.
To resolve an attack, the attacker must roll a high open-ended attack roll. If this attack roll (before modifications) is within the fumble range of the weapon, the attack is a fumble and the attacker must roll again on the appropriate fumble table. Otherwise, apply all modifications to the attack roll and cross-index the result with the defender’s armor type.
There are three possible results on the tables: a miss (i.e., “–”), a normal hit (e.g., “3”), or a critical strike (e.g., “5B”). If the result is a miss, the attack fails. If the result is a normal hit, apply the number in the table as damage to the defender (i.e., subtract the number from the defender’s hits). If the result is a critical strike, apply the number portion of the result against the defender’s hits and roll a second roll on the appropriate critical table (usually the Balistic Shrapnel Critical Strike Table). The letter indicates the severity of the critical hit (i.e., the column to roll on). If a severity of creater than an E is generated, this indicates a secondary critical (and maybe a tertiary critical) will also be delivered. Use the chart below to determine what secondary and/or tertiary criticals are delivered. Note that when resolving secondary and tertiary criticals, you simply look up the same roll on a different table (i.e., there is not a second or third critical roll made).
At the top of each table, there is a box that contains some information for a typical weapon that uses this attack table. Check the Master Weapon Listing for information specific to specific weapons. Each piece of information is listed below, along with a description of its purpose.
This section contains this introduction, a key to all of the tables in this section, 7 critical tables, and 1 fumble table. In addition, at the bottom of each table there is a key for all of the special symbols used in the tables.
To resolve most critical hits, roll d100 (not open-ended) and cross-index the result on the appropriate column of the chart.
The exception to this method are the large and super-large critical tables. When attacking a target that is classified as “large” or “super-large,” you must ascertain the type of weapon used in the attack. Cross-index a high open-ended d100 roll with the type of weapon used in the attack.
To resolve a fumble, simply roll a d100 (not open-ended) and cross-index the result with the type of attack that generated the fumble.
Example: Allen is in the middle of a combat with a black bear. He is using his father's shotgun. The fumble range for this particular shotgun is 01-05.
During the first round of combat, Allen rolls a 04, a fumble! He rolls again, resulting in a 49. He looks up a 49 on the Firearm Fumble Table (Two-Handed Firearms column) and sees that the shot goes wide (luckily he was alone or the shot might have hit someone else).
All of the tables in this section have two different types of information: descriptions and mechanics.
The description information will describe the critical hit (usually including a body location). The GM should feel free to alter the description to more appropriately fit the type of attack.
The mechanics information is the game effects of the critical hit. The GM should rarely alter these results. The presentation of this information will always follow this format:
+ßH – ß∑– ß∏– ß∫ – ß(-α) – ß(+α)
where α and ß are numbers. In general:
| H | = | hits |
| ∑ | = | rounds of stun |
| ∏ | = | rounds of no parry |
| π | = | rounds of must parry |
| ∫ | = | hits per round |
| (-α) | = | penalty |
| (+α) | = | bonus |
Sometimes, the second and third items are combined (reading as ∑∏). Also, sometimes the third item is replaced with ß(π -α) (there can never be both a ∏ and a π entry). Below is a more detailed explanation of the entries.
+ßH — This indicates that the target of the attack takes an additional ß hits of damage.
ß∑ — This indicates that the target of the attack is stunned for ß rounds. While stunned, the target may only parry with half of his normal ability; the only other allowed actions are maneuvering (modified by at least -50). When ß is not specified, it is assumed to be 1.
ß∏: This indicates that the target of the attack cannot parry for ß rounds. The only allowable actions are manuevering (modified by at least -75). This result is often accompanied by a ∑result (see above). When ß is not specified, it is assumed to be 1.
ß(π -α): This indicates that the target of the attack must parry for his next ß actions with a penalty of α. When ß is not specified, it is assumed to be 1. When α is not specified, it is assumed to be zero.
ß∫: This indicates that the target of the attack will loose ß hits every round until the wound is healed. “Bleeding” represents not only actual blood loss, but also represents ongoing pain. When ß is not specified, it is assumed to be 1.
ß(-α): This indicates the target of the attack suffers a penalty of α for ß rounds. When ß is not specified, the penalty is assumed to last until the wound is healed.
ß(+α): This indicates that the attacker gains a bonus of α for ß rounds. When ß is not specified, it is assumed to be 1.
This section contains a master listing of over 600 weapons. Players and gamemasters should use this listing to find specific weapons (and the appropriate statistics for those weapons). Remember that the weapon tables in this book are intended to be used by all types of weapons.
These tables are organized by weapon type (semiautomatic pistols are together, submachineguns are together, etc.). Within each weapon type, the weapons are listed alphabetically. At the bottom of every other page is a key to the table entries.
Note: After these tables there are two indices. The first index is an index of weapons by year. The second index is simply a listing of all weapons by name. The page number in the index shows which page of the master weapon listing the weapon appears on.
Calibre: the calibre of the weapon or the ammunition it uses
ME: the firearm attack table that this weapon/calibre uses
B#: the average breakage number for this weapon
R#: the average reliability number for this weapon
F#: the fumble range for this weapon
H#: the hunting classification for this weapon
Action: the type of loading action for this weapon (SAction=single action; DAction=double action; SAuto=semiautomatic; Auto=automatic; Auto*=automatic but can be fired as a semiautomatic; Auto3=automatic with a 3-round burst); AutoT=requires a tripod or mounting; †=optional tripod; Pump=pump; Lever=lever; Bolt=bolt; Perc=percussion cap; Flint=flintlock; Wheel=wheelock; Match=matchlock; Touch=touchhole
Magazine: the method for ammo storage for this weapon (No=no magazine; Hop=an external open hopper magazine; Strip=a short rigid belt of ammo; Strip*=may use a strip or a standard rifle clip; Rev=revolver; Clip=clip; Int=internal; Breech=breech loader; Muz=muzzle loader; Belt=uses a belt of linked ammo; Belt*=may use a belt or a standard rifle clip)
Rnds: the number of rounds of ammo the weapon has; a (x2) designator indicates that two clips are mounted on the gun for easy changing.
Wt: the average weight (in pounds) of this weapon (unloaded); an ampersand (“&”) indicates that the weight includes the tripod or mounting
Year: the year production of the weapon started (in the cases of older weapons, this has been estimated)
Ranges: the number of feet to gain the appropriate range modification
PB: point blank range (+10)
Sh: short range (+0)
Md: medium range (-25)
Lg: long range (-50)
Ex: extreme range (-100).