BALLISTIC WEAPONS RULES

Guns, guns, guns! Man's new best friend in the world of Mutant Bastards, now that a lot of dogs are packing heat as well. This section deals with the varieties of ballistic weapons we use in our campaign. Measurements are in the English system, since that's what we're used to, and despite the conventions of Gamma World I don't think even a nuclear apocalypse would get Americans to use the metric system. The Ranges are vague enough to allow a straight yards to meters conversion. These rules are based in the 1st. and 2nd. edition, but I figure they could be easily converted for other editions using the rules for slug throwers. Happy shootin'.

CALIBER:
For most basic firearms there are three caliber levels. The AC penalty applies to the target's armor class if they are wearing anything less than artifact armor for protection, from shields to steel plate mail. Riot Gear and Plastic Armor (known in our campaign as B.P.S., or Ballistic Protector Suits) were manufactured by the ancients to defend against gunfire and thus do not suffer this penalty.

AMMO TYPE	DAMAGE	RANGE	A.C. PENALTY
SMALL CALIBER:	2d4	70 yds.	+1
MEDIUM CALIBER:	2d6	60 yds.	+2
LARGE CALIBER:	2d8	50 yds.	+3

Small caliber is stuff like .22 cal and up. Medium Caliber ranges around a .38 cal load, while Heavy caliber counts as .45 caliber ammo and up. Magnum loads (extra big charges of gunpowder) make a bullet efffectivly one level higher than it's caliber, thus a .357 Magnum would hit like a Large Caliber load, even though it's bullet is only medium size.

DERRINGERS:
These are small, concealable 1-2 shot pistols, they can be any caliber, and take a round to reload.

PISTOLS:
Pistols are devided between Revolvers, which hold up to 6 shots and are more reliable, and Automatics, which hold 8 to10 shots in clips and are faster to reload. A revolver takes a combat round to reload, while an automatic takes one attack to reload. Any pistol can be fired three times per attack, thus a being with one attack can fire three shots in a round at three different targets.

RIFLES:
These are generally hunting rifles, although some antique military rifles still surface. A rifle can fire three shots per attack. They often use higher calibers of ammo, with the exception of .22 caliber bird rifles, and have a greater range and accuracy, doubling the range of a bullet of a similar caliber fired from a pistol.

SEMI-AUTOMATICS:
These are the class of light assault weapons that includes Uzis and Mac-lO's. They can be switched between firing three shots per attack, doing damage according to their caliber, or firing a burst, which depletes the magazine by 20% per attack, and does 3d8 damage to all targets within a 45 degree arc. If the user wishes they can concentrate this fire on a single target with a successful strength check, doing the full 24 points of damage to that individual. Semi automatics usualy hold 20-30 shots in a clip.

ASSAULT RIFLES:
These are a class of rifles including Ak-47's, M-16's, and the advanced M-20A (which comes with a built in grenade launcher). They have longer ranges than sub-machine guns. Like semi-automatics, they can be switched in modes between 3 shots/attack, bursts, as well as full automatic, which empties the magazine in two rounds and hits everyone in a 1800 firing arc with burst damage x2. Concentrating full automatic on a single target requires a Strength check -2 and does 50 points of damage to them. Magazines on Assault Rifles usually hold 20-40 rounds.

LIGHT MACHINE GUNS:
These are the heavier man-portable machine guns, like the 7.65 mm machine guns used by the army. They can only fire in bursts, hitting anyone in a 90% firing arc for 4d6 damage per target, which depletes the magazine by 25%. These weapons are usually equiped with a bipod or mounted for firing on vehicles, but a man sized being of average strength can carry the weapon and fire it. They must make a Strength check for every round they use it in this fashion, or else they cannot move and fire. Fire can be concentrated on single targets, but if the weapon is being carried this imposes a -3 penalty to a second Strength Check. This sort of attack does 32 points of damage to a target.

HEAVY MACHINE GUNS:
These are the big bruisers, the 50. cal chainguns that can usually only be fired from a tripod or vehicle mount. They do 6d8 with a burst to all targets in a 90% firing arc. Damage can be concentrated if the weapon is mounted, with a Strength check minus -2. This does 70 points of damage. Critters with Strengths over 16 can carry these weapons and fire them. A Strength check is necessary each round, and it's impossible to concentrate fire.

SHOTGUNS:
These are smooth bored rifles that fire clusters of pellets rather than single bullets, favoring a wide spread pattern instead of an accurate shot. They do damage to everyone within a 20 degree angle spread in front of the weapon. Shotguns come in two common guages across the New West, 12 guage, which does 3d6 per individual in the shot pattern, and 10 guage, which does 3d8. They can be fired twice a round, and have either a 6 shot pump action magazine or are two shot break loaders. Magazine fed shotguns take a round to reload, while break action shotguns only take 1 attack to reload. Sawing off a shotgun cuts the range and weight in half, reduces Reliability by -2, and adds a +3 to hit in Ranged Combat, widening the arc to 600.

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