CT Only: Laser Pistol

[Shadow Shack]

What is the general consensus of a Laser Pistol in CT? It was casually mentioned in the LB, I specced it in which the pattern that the Carbine was based off the Rifle...which is essentially the Carbine being a "-1 Rifle" so my Pistol is a "-1 Carbine" accordingly.

 

[GypsyComet]

JTAS, Issue2, page 3, hiding in Loren's "From the Management" column.

The Space Gamer, Issue 18, page 18, for a different take.

I think there was at least one more in early magazines.

 

[kilemall]

Well the CT lasers usually got powered from a backpack, so don't know how much you want to back off that.


I'd say more range negatives too.

 

[SpaceBadger]

I believe that at least one of those early Laser Pistol write-ups cited by GypsyComet brought up the idea of a belt power pack as less burdensome than the backpacks (and also not interfering w PLSS). I'd want at least one TL higher before allowing internal power cell to replace the bulky external, to keep a CT feel to it.

 

[Blue Ghost]

JTAS, Issue2, page 3, hiding in Loren's "From the Management" column.

The Space Gamer, Issue 18, page 18, for a different take.

I think there was at least one more in early magazines.

"Mission on Mithril"

 

[Shadow Shack]

I'll have to look up some of those sources.

Well the CT lasers usually got powered from a backpack, so don't know how much you want to back off that.


I'd say more range negatives too.

It has a "belt pack" (not pictured), smaller with fewer charges compared to the carbine & rifle backpacks.

As far as range modifiers go, I was scaling off the given rifle (-4 +2 +2 +2 +1) and carbine (-2 +1 +1 +1 0) modifiers, but it appears the medium +1 on the pistol is a typo I missed as that should also be a zero if you follow the pattern.

 

[kilemall]

I'll have to look up some of those sources.



It has a "belt pack" (not pictured), smaller with fewer charges compared to the carbine & rifle backpacks.

As far as range modifiers go, I was scaling off the given rifle (-4 +2 +2 +2 +1) and carbine (-2 +1 +1 +1 0) modifiers, but it appears the medium +1 on the pistol is a typo I missed as that should also be a zero if you follow the pattern.

Reasonable, although I use Striker and the Laser Pistol 'drop' in range is more precipitous. TL9 9/18/90 as opposed to laser carbine 15/30/150.



Different range paradigm, but I'd still probably give it more of a negative long range and further.


The listed Striker power pack for the laser pistol is 1kg, costs Cr400 and yields 50 shots. So a belt pack would be a good interpretation.

 

[McPerth]

TL7?

If so we should already have them, as Earth is currently TL7-8 (depending on the Traveller system, among other things), acording most sources...

I guess it should be higher. In fact, g uess it should be higher than the laser carabine, as it requires more miniaturization. In MT PH, page 77) is TL 9 (and improved at TL 13).

 

[Shadow Shack]

TL7?

If so we should already have them, as Earth is currently TL7-8 (depending on the Traveller system, among other things), acording most sources...

I guess it should be higher. In fact, g uess it should be higher than the laser carbine, as it requires more miniaturization. In MT PH, page 77) is TL 9 (and improved at TL 13).

Yeah I'm unsure of TL-7 as well...I just followed the carbine = rifle minus-1 pattern so I made the pistol as a carbine minus-1. I.e. the rifle is TL-9, the carbine is TL-8, so I followed the pattern and made the pistol TL-7. Personally I feel all of them should be at least TL-9 but I'm just trying to mesh it with the three LBBs.

 

[SpaceBadger]

Yeah I'm unsure of TL-7 as well...I just followed the carbine = rifle minus-1 pattern so I made the pistol as a carbine minus-1. I.e. the rifle is TL-9, the carbine is TL-8, so I followed the pattern and made the pistol TL-7. Personally I feel all of them should be at least TL-9 but I'm just trying to mesh it with the three LBBs.

I think on TL you followed your pattern a step too far. Most interpretations seem to think that making something into a pistol is more complicated than making it as a rifle, not less. This also follows RL history of firearms. The Laser Pistol should be at least TL-9, if not 10.

 

[McPerth]

Yeah I'm unsure of TL-7 as well...I just followed the carbine = rifle minus-1 pattern so I made the pistol as a carbine minus-1. I.e. the rifle is TL-9, the carbine is TL-8, so I followed the pattern and made the pistol TL-7. Personally I feel all of them should be at least TL-9 but I'm just trying to mesh it with the three LBBs.

Carabine is a less powerful (and lighter) rifle, or a primitive one, so to say. So it has logics it is lower TL. Laser pistol is another thing. It's a miniaturized weapon, so it should be higher TL.

In MT, the laser carabine is TL8. The laser rifle and pistol are TL9, improved at TL13. I guess the miniturization for the pistol is taken from the carabine, not the rifle, and the improvement at TL13 is for x-ray lasers being available.

 

[whartung]

What is the general consensus of a Laser Pistol in CT? It was casually mentioned in the LB, I specced it in which the pattern that the Carbine was based off the Rifle...which is essentially the Carbine being a "-1 Rifle" so my Pistol is a "-1 Carbine" accordingly.

Is this your artwork? It's very nice.

 

[mike wightman]

There is the blurb in LBB4 that has always informed me as to what the laser carbine is:

The tech level 8 laser carbine (page 43) is used as a range finder and target designator, as well as a personal weapon in an emergency.

So it is primarily a range finder and target painting device that can be used as a personal weapon.
The laser rifle is a much more powerful and dedicated military weapon, and I would also peg the laser pistol as TL8 or 9.

This is what it says in Mission on Mithril:

Laser Pistol - an experimental model pistol which functions much the same as a laser carbine or laser rifle, but has lighter weight and a much handier length. It still requires a power pack (laser carbine or laser rifle power pack may be used). Pistol length: 350mm. Pistol weight: 750 grams. Base Price: Cr2000.
This laser pistol fires as if it were a slightly inferior laser carbine. There is a DM of - 1 at medium range, and - 2 at greater ranges. These DMs reflect the greater difficulty of achieving accuracy without a shoulder stock at long ranges.
The skill laser pistol is not covered in Traveller specifically; it can be acquired through the training rules in Book 2. Dexterity DMs for laser pistol are the same as those for laser carbine.

No stated TL unfortunately.

 

[Shadow Shack]

I'm convinced TL-7 is too low. OP has been re-specced.

Is this your artwork? It's very nice.

Honestly I'm not sure who rendered that pistol, what I do know is it was a digitally remastered work from the original interior artwork from Star Frontiers that was probably utilized in one of the digitally remastered SF projects floating around the web.

Here's the original work:

Laser Pistol - an experimental model pistol which functions much the same as a laser carbine or laser rifle, but has lighter weight and a much handier length. It still requires a power pack (laser carbine or laser rifle power pack may be used). Pistol length: 350mm. Pistol weight: 750 grams. Base Price: Cr2000.

This laser pistol fires as if it were a slightly inferior laser carbine. There is a DM of - 1 at medium range, and - 2 at greater ranges. These DMs reflect the greater difficulty of achieving accuracy without a shoulder stock at long ranges.

The skill laser pistol is not covered in Traveller specifically; it can be acquired through the training rules in Book 2. Dexterity DMs for laser pistol are the same as those for laser carbine.

Well that's probably as close to Books 1-3 "canon" as it can get, thanks. I re-specced the pistol and uploaded a new graphic in my original post reflecting this intel.

Reposting here so folks don't have to scroll back.

 

[Maksim-Smelchak]

Well that's probably as close to Books 1-3 "canon" as it can get, thanks. I re-specced the pistol and uploaded a new graphic in my original post reflecting this intel.

I have notes somewhere on it. Checking.

http://wiki.travellerrpg.com/Laser_Pistol

Shalom,
M.

 

[kilemall]

I think on TL you followed your pattern a step too far. Most interpretations seem to think that making something into a pistol is more complicated than making it as a rifle, not less. This also follows RL history of firearms. The Laser Pistol should be at least TL-9, if not 10.

It is in Striker. Carbine TL8, Rifle and Pistol TL9.