Perfect PC Sidearm

[Father Fletch]

So let us know what kind of Iron YOUR character is sportin' at the bottom of the loading ramp. Mind you this is casual to semi-formal wear. We all know that if you know what is coming you will bring the biggest toys and your best go to meetin' Combat Armor. I'm talking what you consider just part of your characters every day wear. And for those of you who chose other...WHAT other?

 

[Capt. Blacklight]

Since most of the characters I seem to end up playing are pistoleers I have a tendency to push the gauss pistol as the side arm of choice. It all depends on the Gm's whim. If he likes the laser pistol with out the power pack I have been known to use that instead.
One of these days I will play a knuckle dragger and use the Big Guns instead of the Pistols.

 

[Uncle Bob]

Dick Cochrane usually carried a TL13 laser pistol.

However, he did have a .358 Express custom hunting rifle. If you pulled out the internal magazine it took standard 9mm ACR magazines.

 

[themink]

I rarely play, on the few occassions I do, it is unusual for my characters to go armed. (So I voted other)

If social mores force guns, I carry a snub pistol for it's all arround utility (and so you don;t blow your wiring to shreds on a ship.

Longarm - Shotgun for exactly the same reason (Also barn doors become worried if I can put a decent choke on the thing)

 

[Father Fletch]

I personally like the Snub Pistol and Snub SMG for the close in power aboard ship, the low relative recoil for those EVA moments and the fact that my character gets to let loose a stream of HEAP lovin'! That and they are light weight enough to be carried all day. Oh yeah and ammo compatibility. BTW has anyone done up sub-caliber sabot ammo for the Snub that could be used in atmosphere dirtside? any suggestions?

 

[Simon Jester]

Most of my characters are usually not really into weapons (except, perhaps, ship-mounted ones), so they tend to go fairly light. Most of the time, they find themselves in places where, in Yul Brenners words (from The Magnificent Seven), "Of course they carry a gun. Around here it's just like wearing pants."

The primary weapon of choice is a revolver, mainly to reduce having misfires suddenly turning the weapon in my character's hand into several kilos of junk. My current NPC associated with the PC party carries a updated version of the LeMat Cavalry Pistol (nine .357 rounds around a 20 gauge shot shell). This provides a good amount of firepower before having to reload, without getting outrageous.

If more firepower is needed (without pulling out the military grade stuff), they usually use pump-action shotguns, primarily for the intimidation factor. Having variable loads available for the weapons doesn't hurt their viability either. They seem to always wind up as sawed-off stockless "Ithaca-style" (i.e., Ithaca Police Stakeout-style) worn in sheaths across the back. (Not under a coat or jacket, tho. They won't fit under a flight jacket and anyone trying to wear a long coat, walking off a starship or around a space station, just about automatically draws Official Notice as An Unusual Person. Body armor, of any weight, tends to do this, too. )

Simon Jester

 

[Spacehand Arioch]

The Gravitic pistol as a sidearm. Produced on Vincennes, the Gravitic is similar to a gauss but uses gravitic technology to accelerate the round which results in higher bullet velocity.

The Light Assault Gauss rifle was my favorite longrifle. Actually that's a military rifle.

A double barrel pump action shotgun works fine

 

[Liam Devlin]

Originally posted by Simon Jester:
Most of my characters are usually not really into weapons (except, perhaps, ship-mounted ones), so they tend to go fairly light. Most of the time, they find themselves in places where, in Yul Brenners words (from The Magnificent Seven), "Of course they carry a gun. Around here it's just like wearing pants."

The primary weapon of choice is a revolver, mainly to reduce having misfires suddenly turning the weapon in my character's hand into several kilos of junk. My current NPC associated with the PC party carries a updated version of the LeMat Cavalry Pistol (nine .357 rounds around a 20 gauge shot shell). This provides a good amount of firepower before having to reload, without getting outrageous.

If more firepower is needed (without pulling out the military grade stuff), they usually use pump-action shotguns, primarily for the intimidation factor. Having variable loads available for the weapons doesn't hurt their viability either. They seem to always wind up as sawed-off stockless "Ithaca-style" (i.e., Ithaca Police Stakeout-style) worn in sheaths across the back. (Not under a coat or jacket, tho. They won't fit under a flight jacket and anyone trying to wear a long coat, walking off a starship or around a space station, just about automatically draws Official Notice as An Unusual Person. Body armor, of any weight, tends to do this, too. )

Simon Jester

________________________________________________
Dittoes fer me on Shotguns (sawed off/ pump or double barrelled with different loads (depends on environment-shipboard is one thing, boarding is another/ planetside another (and atmosphere dependent too). The Pistoleers prefer Gauss when they can get em. PDF TL-13+ Chem laser SMGs if they have $$$ fer the "magazine reloads".

 

[trader jim]

i am partial to my 45 cal. long slide with laser sights...yes i know its truly "antique"....but my rocket fired, Mirved, armor piercing, DumDum, Spent Uranium rounds take care of...Well...Most....problems....it the Really BIG sons o' guns i worry about!!!.....I of course have other "rounds" for it, like "smart" rounds and "Willie Peat" rounds...even have "soft" rounds!!!.....ect, ect, ect,.....

 

[trader jim]

i am partial to my 45 cal. long slide with laser sights...yes i know its truly "antique"....but my rocket fired, Mirved, armor piercing, DumDum, Spent Uranium rounds take care of...Well...Most....problems....it the Really BIG sons o' guns i worry about!!!.....I of course have other "rounds" for it, like "smart" rounds and "Willie Peat" rounds...even have "soft" rounds!!!.....ect, ect, ect,.....

 

[Elliot]

A question that has always bothered me = do Gauss Pistols/Rifles make any noise when fired - I understand that the needle slug breaks the sound barrier inside the barrel - so is there any sound?

 

[themink]

If the projectile is travelling faster than the speed of sound then it will have the same sort of crack that a rifle bullet has (ie louder the faster it is)

Since the actual acceleration is smoot rather than explosive, I always ruled that it was as quiet as the best rifle silencers (ie still fairly loud)

Having said that, I also used to allow people to fire Gauss weapons in "disrete" mode where the round is subsonic - vastly reduced range and damage, but almost totally silent. Useful when sneaking through buildings.

 

[BluWolf]

As far as the gun itself goes I always sort of pictured it like the handguns in 5th Element. When you turn it on (prior to being fired) it makes that high pitched whine as the magnetic accelerators power up.

When I fired I would assume they would all make some sort of "crack' or sharp "pop". Sort of like a bull whip without the whooshing buildup.

 

[Capt. Blacklight]

Originally posted by BluWolf:
As far as the gun itself goes I always sort of pictured it like the handguns in 5th Element. When you turn it on (prior to being fired) it makes that high pitched whine as the magnetic accelerators power up.

When I fired I would assume they would all make some sort of "crack' or sharp "pop". Sort of like a bull whip without the whooshing buildup.

I guess I really have to object to a weapon the is supposed to be a 'ready use' weapon having to charge up before you can pull the trigger. On the Other hand it would explain why Chemical weapons are so pervasive thruogh out the Imperium.
Still, like like my high tech weapons to be better than what I carry now adays so, unless we are talking about heavy weapons (VRF guass guns PGMP's and FGMP's) most of the smaller weapons capacitors do not require "whining" time.

 

[themink]

If it takes as long to "charge" as it does to take off a safety, then I can;t see it matters.

Of course if you keep the gun "live" it will slowly eat through the charge. In the same vein, if you keep your gun off "safety" then you will probably eat through body parts before the charge would have been reduced to any real degree.

So the only time this would matter would be if :-
a) you leave the weapon as a booby trap - but you can overcom ethis by just hooking it up to a decent sized battery
b) You want to turn it on and the bad guy can hear you but not see you (have you ever heard the "snick" of a safety coming from the darkness - same effect)

The Whine wasn't something my Gauss guns did previously, but I think they will in future. Having said that, it would be rare for any of my players carry something as legally challenged as a Gauss gun.

 

[BluWolf]

I didn't intend the whine to be anything more than window dressing. Similar to the saftey example as given.

However, I would give someone a listen check against an appropriate DC for someone who was attempting to fire his guass weapon from close range while hidden.

A flavor point, nothing game shattering.

 

[phydaux]

Almost all my characters carry Autopistols, unless they're nobles. Then they carry Revolvers.

Most of my characters also carry Sabers, unless they're the "sneeky type." Then they carry Blades.

 

[Father Fletch]

The poll is showing a definite Gaussian bent!

 

[Uncle Bob]

Originally posted by Simon Jester:
The primary weapon of choice is a revolver, mainly to reduce having misfires suddenly turning the weapon in my character's hand into several kilos of junk. My current NPC associated with the PC party carries a updated version of the LeMat Cavalry Pistol (nine .357 rounds around a 20 gauge shot shell). This provides a good amount of firepower before having to reload, without getting outrageous.

Tries to remember the last time he saw an autopistol jam using new, storebought ammo... gives up

Have you ever handled a LeMat? A brick handles better. Give yourself a -2 at close, -1 at short range. And the other guy always draws first.

 

[Capt. Blacklight]

Originally posted by Father Fletch:
The poll is showing a definite Gaussian bent!

Well, if it was more "Star Warsish' I would be more partial to an energy weapon of some sort, but we not. And Something about the gauss pistol screams to me, soooo...
Besides, it is the highest tech handgun commonly around.