Traveller Small Arms - Part 1, Handguns

Traveller has a gone for "generic" weapons - an autopistol, rather than a "10mm Muller-Riviera Mk 19" - which is fine, but the weapons in the basic book - and especially the handguns - seem a rather sparse assortment.

It would be nice to have a little more choice, and for a TL9 pistol not to be identical its TL5 equivalent. On the other hand, I like the simplicity of the existing rules, and didn't want to come up with a huge book of new weapons.

The best option was therefore to add a couple of simple options which modified the existing weapons, and add some colour to show how a weapon changes through tech levels, while still using the same combat table.

The first thing is to add a "light pistol", which uses the same combat tables as the body pistol, but made of conventional materials rather than the high tech detection-proof materials as the body pistol and weighing 350g. Cost, availability and legality are as per the autopistol ie TL5, Cr 200 and it becomes illegal at Law Level 5 rather than Law Level 1 - there's less reason to restrict it as it isn't a specialist assassin's weapon.

The next thing is to add a couple of options; price remains the same unless noted

Revolvers may take the "snub barrel" option to create a concealable backup gun, reducing weight by 200g. The weapon receives an additional DM of +1 at close range, -1 at medium range and cannot be used at long range.

Revolvers and autopistols may take a "large calibre" option, increasing weight by 100g, and slightly reducing magazine capacity. Combat tables are unchanged, but the weapon does +1 damage per die. Magazines cost and weigh the same, with the heavier bullets offset by there being less of them.

Autopistol development

TL5 autopistols are single action designs, so there are risks carrying them in a holster with the chamber loaded; working the slide to chamber the first round takes one round, with the firer treated as evading. They have single column magazines, holding 8 rounds for a standard pistol or 7 for a large calibre pistol.

TL6 autopistols are double action designs that can be carried safely with the chamber loaded and fired by an initial hard trigger pull. They have double column magazines holding 15 rounds, or 10 for a large calibre pistol.

TL7 autopistols have polymer frames for lightness reducing weight by 150g, plus accessory rails to allow easy fitting for laser sights or other add-ons.

TL8 autopistols are polymer frame designs, but with disposable caseless magazines holding 20 rounds, or 12 for a large calibre pistol. Most have few external apertures, and if fitted with a disposable plastic muzzle cover they can be left for long periods in a state of "benign neglect" and will still operate reliably when used.

TL9 designs have the option of recoil compensation and a 4rd burst fire capability; if selected, this adds 250g and allows two attack rolls, like an SMG.

TL10 autopistols are effectively still TL9 designs, but prefragmented crystal bullets (at double price) that penetrate armour then disintegrate within the target for maximum energy dump and no risk of over-penetration (important inside buildings or spacecraft) add +1 damage per die

TL11 designs replace physical sights with holographic projections which automatically compensate for bullet drop, adding +1 at medium and long range.

Revolvers follow a similar path

TL4 revolvers are cap-and-ball designs, which take six rounds to reload and become unreliable if left loaded for more than a day or two, as the loose gunpowder is hygroscopic and absorbs moisture from the atmosphere. They malfunction on a "to hit" role of 13+, DM +1 each day left loaded after the first, with an additional +1 DM per day in a damp or wet atmosphere.

TL5 - 6 revolvers are metallic cartridge designs, with break-open or swing out cylinders; they can be reloaded in two combat rounds, or one if using a speedloader (cr10)

TL7 revolvers gain polymer frames (-150g weight) and accessory rails as above

TL8-9 designs use caseless ammunition; in most cases they are break-open designs and the entire 7-shot disposable plastic cylinder is replaced. The burst fire capability is not available for revolvers

TL10 revolvers can use prefragmented crystal ammunition as above

TL11 revolvers gain holographic sights, as above

Light pistols

TL4 Light Pistols are small cap-and-ball revolvers weighing 400g, with the issues described above; automatics are not available due to issues with powder fouling

TL5 Light Pistols are small single action automatics, with the same issues of safe carriage as autopistols

TL6 Light pistols are double action automatics, but retain single column magazines to keep the grip slim.

TL7 versions gain polymer frames, reducing weight to weigh 250g.

TL8-9 designs use caseless ammunition, increasing capacity to 8 rds. They can be completely made from scanner proof composites at this point, to create the canon body pistol, at 2.5x the price.

TL10 Light pistols can use prefragmented crystalline ammunition as above, but the smaller calibre means they gain only +1 damage, not +1 per die

As an aside, I've assumed that percussion caps mark the arrival of TL4 and smokeless powder (invented in 1888 in our world) heralds the start of TL5. This runs roughly with the canon TL dating, and explains why revolvers appear at TL4 and automatics at TL5; black powder produces too much fouling for automatics to be viable.

I've assumed that "standard" autopistol / revolver calibres is somewhere around 9x19mm, .40 S&W or .38 special. The large calibre options include more powerful loadings or heavier bullets - .45 ACP to the low end of .44 magnum. Light pistol rounds are .32 ACP or similar.

Traveller Small Arms - Part 2, Rifles & Carbines

As with the previous instalment, these weapons all use the "standard" combat tables, but the descriptions below help distinguish examples of the weapons from different tech levels and add some "feel" to a character's weapons.

Rifles

TL4 rifles are single shot breach loaders. They fire every other turn; the firer counts as evading while reloading (Example – Martini-Henry)

TL5 rifles are bolt or lever actions with 10rd detachable box magazines. (Examples - upgraded Lee-Enfield or Mauser Kar98k)

TL6 rifles are semi-automatics with 20rd detachable box magazines (Examples - M14). From this TL, military rifles gain heavy barrel selective fire variants (ie auto rifles, +1KG weight and +Cr800 cost), using the auto rifle table when firing on auto

TL7 rifles are semi-auto bullpups with 20rd magazines plus accessory rails for easy mounting of scopes, tactical lights etc (Example - EM2)

TL8 rifle are still semi-auto bullpups, but use disposable 30rd magazines of caseless ammunition. Aside from the increased ammunition capacity, the lack of an ejection port means they are ambidextrous, and have few openings for dirt to enter; with a disposable shoot-through muzzle cap in place, they can be left in a state of "benign neglect" and will still work reliably. They also gain telescopic sights as standard, for no extra weight and cost.

TL9 rifles are identical to TL8 designs, but can upgrade the sights to electronic sights with low-light and IR capability for Cr500 and no increase in weight. In addition, advanced ammunition becomes available, at double price - either APDS (+1 AP) or pre-scored crystalline rounds that fragment inside the target (+1d damage per die).

After TL9, of course, the rifle has merged with the ACR. While adding telescopic sights for free at TL8 and electronic sights for a reduced price at TL9 is a notable change from the original, it makes sense given that the ACR includes electronic sights for free at TL10 anyway

"Light rifles" can use the assault rifle table, and go through the same progression as above, though they gain automatic fire capability at TL6 at no extra weight or cost - the Book 4 assault rifle being a TL7 development results from over-focus on US examples, and doesn't stack well with multiple real TL6 examples.

The Book 4 rule against assault rifles mounting telescopic or electronic sights is also a bit of an oddity that can probably be dropped - the original authors over-focused on an oddity of the particular design they used as an example.

Light rifles have one option "Short Barrel", which reduces the length of the weapon by 250mm. The weapon acquires an additional DM of +1 at short range, -1 at long range and -2 at very long range. Such weapons are normally fitted with folding stocks, but need not be.

Carbines

TL4 carbines are lever actions with 6 round integral tube magazines; it's easier to produce a lever action mechanism to handle their shorter lower-powered rounds than those of the rifle. Reloading the fixed magazine takes two rounds, during which the firer counts as evading while reloading (Example – Winchester 1873)

TL5 Carbines are semi-automatics with 10rd detachable box magazines. (Examples - M1 carbine)

TL6 Carbines are semi-automatics with 20rd detachable box magazines. From this TL, military examples (commonly known as "assault carbines") are selective fire, at an extra cost of +Cr 100.

TL7 carbines are semi-auto bullpups with 30rd magazines plus accessory rails for easy mounting of scopes, tactical lights etc

TL8 carbines are still semi-auto bullpup, but use disposable 50rd magazines of caseless ammunition. Aside from the increased ammunition capacity, the lack of an ejection port means they are ambidextrous, and have few openings for dirt to enter; with a disposable shoot-through muzzle cap in place, they can be left in a state of "benign neglect" and will still work reliably.

TL9 carbines are identical to TL8 designs, but gain telescopic sights as standard, for no extra weight and cost, which can be upgraded to electronic sights with low-light and IR capability for Cr500 and no increase in weight. In addition, advanced pre-scored crystalline rounds that fragment inside the target (+1d damage per die) become available, at double price.

Traveller Small Arms - Part 3, SMGs, Shotguns & Grenade Launchers

As with the previous instalment, these weapons all use the "standard" combat tables, but the descriptions below help distinguish examples of the weapons from different tech levels and add some "feel" to a character's weapons.

Submachineguns

Three options are available for SMGs

The "large calibre" option increases weapon weight by 500g and doubles magazine weight, though weapon and magazine costs remain unchanged. Combat tables are unchanged, but the weapon does +1 damage per die.

The "Extended Magazine" option means the weapon is designed to use 50rd drums or helical magazines rather than the standard 30rd boxes. Note that an SMG must use one or the other, and may not use both. Drums weigh and cost twice as much as standard magazines.

The "Mini-SMG" option gives the weapon a very short barrel (think Ingram MAC-10), improving concrealabilityand reducing weight to 2kg. It includes a lightweight folding stock at no extra cost or weight. The weapon gains an additional DM of +1 at close range, -1 at medium range (in addition to the -1 DM from the folding stock) and may not fire at long or very long range. Mini-SMGs may take the "Large Calibre" option, but not the "Extended Magazine" option.

TL5 SMGs are heavy (weight 4kg) and largely use machined components. The magazine is inserted ahead of the pistol grip, protruding either from the side or bottom.

TL6 SMGs make increased use of metal stampings and plastics and weigh the standard amount. Otherwise, they resemble TL5 SMGs.

TL7 SMGs use a telescoped bolt that wraps round the chamber, allowing the weapon to be shorter and more compact. The 30rd magazine goes into the pistol grip, allowing the weapon to be fired one-handed for a DM of -2. TL7 SMGs with extended magazines retain the conventional layout, and cannot be fired one-handed.

TL8-9 SMGs resemble TL7 SMGs but use disposable magazines holding 40 (box) or 70 (drum) rounds of caseless ammunition. As with rifles, caseless SMGs gain significant protection against dirt entering the action.

TL10 SMGs resemble TL8-9 designs but can use prefragmented crystal bullets (at double price) that penetrate armour then disintegrate within the target for maximum energy dump and no risk of over-penetration (important inside buildings or spacecraft) adding +1 damage per die.

Shotguns

Shotguns have one option available "Very short barrel", representing either a sawn-off double barrel or a very short pump action, which can hold only three rounds. Shortened autoloaders still use standard ten-round box magazines, however. Very short barrel shotguns are not fitted with stocks, receive an additional DM of -1 at medium range and cannot fire at long range. Weight is reduced by 1kg for double barrels, 750g for pumps and 500g for semi-autos.

TL4 shotguns are double barrel (under and over or side-by-side) designs using fibreboard black powder cartridges that don't cope well with damp. Reloading takes one round, with the firer treated as evading.

TL5 shotguns are pump action designs, with 5 or 8 round integral tube magazines; the latter cost cr50 more. Reloading takes two or three rounds, respectively, during which the firer is treated as evading.

TL6 shotguns are autoloaders with 10rd box magazines

TL7 shotguns are bullpup autoloaders, significantly shortening the overall length of the weapon. Full automatic shotguns become available, and may use bulky 20rd drums; these cost and weigh 2.5x the price of standard magazines. Auto shotguns are treated as assault weapons (ie become illegal at law level 3) rather than as shotguns.

TL8 shotguns resemble TL7 weapons, but a variety of specialist rounds become available, including non-lethal plastic baton rounds for crowd control (see below) and frangible rounds (will not over-penetrate and breach a spacecraft hull, but cannot fire at long range), both at double price.

Shotgun development effectively peaks at TL8. Caseless ammunition is not available for shotguns; as the load takes up a much higher proportion of the cartridge than the propellant, it offers little advantage.

Shotgun baton rounds are treated as if they did full damage for initial knockdown and unconsciousness, but only one point per die is "real" damage; the remaining points are recovered at 1 pt per combat round. Note that characters who are spectacularly unlucky enough to die from the initial damage of a baton round are still dead; though the rounds are considered non-lethal, accidents do happen. TL9+ baton rounds are safer; only 1 pt of damage total (rather than 1 pt per die) is real, and characters who take enough damage to die from the initial hit will survive (with 1 HP) if they roll under END on 2d6.

Grenade Launchers

A version of the TL7 Early Grenade Launcher is available which fits under the barrel of any rifle (including auto, assault and light rifles) at a weight of only 2kg. However, it cannot be fired off the rifle without a conversion kit which essentially transforms it back into a standard grenade launcher

A separate semi-automatic grenade launcher with a six round cylinder (effectively an upscaled revolver) mechanism is also available, as a halfway house between the conventional grenade launcher and the auto-GL. It can use any grenade type, unlike the auto-GL. Reloading takes 2 rounds, during which the firer counts as evading. Weight 5kg, Cr800