Splat Rifles, what are they?

[MThompson016]

My buddy is preparing a listing of weapons that's easier to digest from the T5.10 core books. The question that's escaped us has been "What's a Splat Rifle?"

Considering the lack of descriptive information in that volume, where were they first introduced in the Traveller game ecosystem, so they can be easily described?

 

[willtron3030]

I can't remember the original source, but I believe a splat rifle fired a high-explosive round that flattened onto armor when it struck, *then* detonated, with the intent of using the resultant shockwave to create fast-moving spalling fragments *inside* the armor.

I likewise can't remember if it was intended to be used against battledress or vehicles.

 

[Condottiere]

HESH round?

 

[kilemall]

HESH round?

That is a reasonable RL inspiration for the above description.

Google fu however leads to a space gamer article by William Barton.

https://archive.org/stream/space-gamer_201601/Space_Gamer_56_djvu.txt

It’s primarily an Aslan weapon, fires 5 HEAP and 5 HE rounds in a tight sequence on a pattern that spreads out and obliterates light targets- sort of a super snub shotgun autolauncher on steroids.

 

[Garnfellow]

Note that Mike Mikesh converted Barton's gun in Imperial Lines 2.

 

[Rupert]

A interpretation can also be found in GURPS 4e's Ultra-Tech.

 

[Timerover51]

They do show up in some of Christopher Anvil's stories about the Centran-Earth conflict and then alliance. It sounds like they are just a variant slug-thrower.