A variation on the laser rifle

[Todg]

The discussion in "The future of small arms" and the gun/man interface got me thinking. Traditionally, the shape of the rifle has been, to a large measure, dictated by the requirements of the mechanism. This may not be true with future weapons, particularly beam or energy weapons.

Here are some thoughts on a variation of the laser rifle That I refer to variously as (officially) the 'Death Angel' and unofficially as the 'Laser Parrot'.

This laser is fitted into a thin backpack covering the entire back. A regular pack can be attach on top of the laser/power unit.. Rather than feed power from the backpack assembly to an expernal rifle via a powercord, the 'parrot' has the 'rifle' fitted vertically on the right side of the pack, with a periscope-like beam aimer and shaper protruding over the wearer's right shoulder (hence the 'parrot' appellation).

Aiming is via a sensor attached to the wearer's helmet that tracks the movement and position of the right eye (or left, if required). The laser aimer is servo driven to track whatever the user is looking at. The eye tracking mechanism also projects an 'eye safe' image of an aiming reticle onto the optic nerve of the user - that is, the user sees a crosshair with his right eye.

The weapon is fired by a small firing stud that can be gripped in either hand (or possibly worn like a ring

Designers notes: I got this idea while watching a program about technology that allowa a quadripelegic to type by using a device that tracs eye movements. Obviously, I'm just scratching the surface and ideas, comments or additions are welcome.

Looks can kill.

obvious questions: How well will this work if the shooter is prone? What about something that will allow the aimer to shoot around corners or over obscacles without exposing the user?

Reference: http://www.eyegaze.com/

 

[mike wightman]

Doesn't the firer's head get in the way if shooting at targets on the left?

There is a version of this in T4. In the Emperor's Arsenal there is a back pack VRF PD laser for TL13 BattleDress.

 

[The Hinterworlds Rambler]

Why not have a small turret-like emitter, similar to a type in use on various modern aircombat gun pods? A Billiard ball sized one with a 30 degree firing cone?

 

[Todg]

Originally posted by Sigg Oddra:
Doesn't the firer's head get in the way if shooting at targets on the left?

Yes. I can think of a good place to put it for perfewct 360 degree coverage other than on top of the head. I was trying to avoid cables.

Of course, you could put an emitter on each shoulder.

There is a version of this in T4. In the Emperor's Arsenal there is a back pack VRF PD laser for TL13 BattleDress.

I'll take a look. I'm not a T4 player, though I have the books.

 

[Todg]

Originally posted by Baron Saarthuran von Gushiddan:
Why not have a small turret-like emitter, similar to a type in use on various modern aircombat gun pods? A Billiard ball sized one with a 30 degree firing cone?

That's basically the idea. I probably didn't describe it very well. I used the periscope analogy because the 'rifle' is basically on the right side of the pack, pointing upwards. There a mirror assembly at the 'muzzle' that allows for elevation and deflection. Think of it as a very tiny turret.

The shape isn't particularly important.

 

[The Hinterworlds Rambler]

if you had two per backpack, the device also would be a very effective mining implement... hands free drilling of small dig sites... probably would be pretty spot on used in combat with a close combat weapon (non-reflective sword?)

Wild stuff, milord!

 

[Aramond]

So, Milord Baron will we be seeing something like that in COTEM? Perhaps the inevitable Bounty hunter sent after one of us.... Or maybe as a special deal we can pick up from the Lud Jeeda?

 

[Burocrate]

My first thought was of the "shoulder-mounted plasma gun" the Yautja (a.k.a. Predators) wear on the hunt. High TL needed, but what else would you expect from a race that has personal cloaking shield technology?

 

[kaladorn]

Mount it on the helmet (if you're using combat armour), then it tracks with the head (detailed minute tracking might follow the eye...). Power comes up through an umbilical up the spine and into the back of the helmet.

This design avoids the nasty "Oops, that last nearby explosion jolted the head sharply to the left... and you just lost half your chin...".

Also (you'll recognize this theme, Corejob) you could mount it on a small telesoping antennae mast coming out of the pack. Since it is a small emmiter line (or simply a fiber cable), then it can be a small mast. This can mean you set it to fire just over your head, or two feet higher so you can fire from 'turret down' (head down) in a fighting position, or around a corner without exposing your head.

 

[Todg]

I figured on a telecoping mount, because in this case there is no recoi. As I noted, I passed on the helmet mount because I was trying to avoid a cable, and wanted something that was easy to take off and put on.

That, and I liked the parrot image. It makes it easy to imaging how such a unit might be painted by the people using it.

Sometimes I like to design less than optimal weapons, just to have something different and with it's own quirks to add a bit of color to the game. On Terra, the rifle with bent stock has become the dominant form. Other cultures or races may come up with very different ideas.

 

[Andrew Boulton]

So, Milord Baron will we be seeing something like that in COTEM? Perhaps the inevitable Bounty hunter sent after one of us....

<slap>

Don't give the ref ideas!

 

[Aramond]

Oh, come on Andrew I'm sure Chuck had that idea the moment he saw this thread.

 

[The Hinterworlds Rambler]

I'd be more concerned about Bullets, meself, fellas... I was merely chiming in on an interesting topic... plus, most of the worlds on the Flight Plan are around TL9, with the higher tech stuff coming from nonhuman hands...

Rascals! Freebooters!

 

[Aramond]

The more I think about this system the more I like it, especially the whole parrot on the shoulder thing Reminds me of that Dr. Who Episode about the 'Pirate planet', the leader had a Robot that was a cross between a Hawk and Parrot in appearance that sat on his shoulder and fired a laser beam from its single cyclops like eye.

This seems like a good weapon for pirate boarding parties it can double as a laser cutting torch to open hatches and such and has that whole treasure island feel.... Arrrr!!

I think my COTEM incarnation will begin working on one of these, it would come in useful in the next op... perhaps he can get the part's soon....

 

[The Hinterworlds Rambler]

Not to invite too much undue speculation from you rouges, but would this be a logical development of this concept, at a higher tech level?:

A small (bowling ball sized?) Grav-Driven, simple sort of robot that is linked to a belt-carried tranciever, that would float at a steady distance from the wearer... it would be aimed as outlined above... I for one can see a Hiver using something like this...

 

[The Hinterworlds Rambler]

And as a side note, good Aramond, many weapons in the COTEM sector take a very ungunlike form, as there are many other sorts of beings... so the plan is definitely doable!

 

[Todg]

Originally posted by Baron Saarthuran von Gushiddan:
A small (bowling ball sized?) Grav-Driven, simple sort of robot that is linked to a belt-carried tranciever, that would float at a steady distance from the wearer... it would be aimed as outlined above... I for one can see a Hiver using something like this...

Strangely, I had something almost exactly like this in a high tech game.

It was a small robot with a laser weapon and a grav unit along with various sensors. It rode in a socket on the shoulder of battledress that also functioned as a recharger. It could fire from the socket, or ity could be 'released' to fly around, do reconnaisance or act as a mobile weapon.

I tried to built one using Book 8 and Andy Akins' robot spreadsheet but something seem to be broken.

Curious that Book 8 doesn't allow robots smaller than 5 liters.

 

[The Hinterworlds Rambler]

I had come across this idea in an old issue of Judge Dredd/2000AD, actually, one where a Sov Cities spy, (Judge Orlok) had a device called a "satellat". It was more independent than what is proposed here, and also had a handle on the bottom that he could use to lift himself out of trouble! It may not be feasible in the rules, but it was a very cool sequence...

 

[Zutroi]

I've considered the 'over the shoulder' laser to be standard on Imperial battledress IMTU for over a decade. The idea was just too elegant for the Imperium to ignore IMHO.

 

[Tucker]

Not that battledress needs more deadly little features, it's just a nice little touch, the mini-gundog and dock. It seems to me it'd be a useful weapon system on about any vehicle-- maybe even a couple mounted on a smart gundog.

The device, whether mounted or a backpack or as a laser- ball thingee, might have some cool defensive uses. Knocking down lower-tech arty/missiles for one. I suppose maybe the system could shoot back at snipers or some such? I remember a battle dress defense system detailed for CT Zho armor, a near miss indicator , that would show the vector of near misses( within a meter ot two) on the suit HUD. With all the other sensors it't be likely the minidog could shoot back automatically. Friendly fire being a problem of course.