FLEET Weapons Systems
In a conflict where both sides are known for their inventive,
bizarre, or downright warped hand weapons, mass-produced high-tech
firearms have made a dramatic impression. Firmly weapons of open war
rather
than shadowy operations, they were designed first and foremost for
robustness and ease of maintenance – the ability to burn through
Hell-spawned scum in this demented theater of operations is merely a
happy bonus, as far as the original designers were concerned. The
internal workings of most FLEET weapons follow a staunch philosophy of
being hard to
damage and easy to field-strip and repair, an attitude which pays off
not just in general reliability, but also by ensuring most infernal
attempts to gum up the works fail. The most complex components are
usually the
targeting and viewfinder uplinks to a marine's helmet, and if they go
down a soldier can always just rely on the Mk1 eyeball. And, as FLEET
are keen to point out, it can take months to train a Boardie to the
point where a POST is destructive enough to take on the damned, whereas
plasma rifles can be issued after a few days on a firing range.
Despite this, weapons issued to the Board soon tend to sprout
adjustments and alterations – common ones are Holy Water magazines,
tiny contragrav devices to make the
heavier guns easier to aim in hands unsupported by power
armour, or more elaborate targeting scopes. These often sacrifice the
weapons' brutish reliability, but Boardies are more tolerant of such
things.
Small-Arms:
G-Series Flechette Submachinegun
Ammunition: 5x50 mm Aluminum Slug
Projectile Mass: 2.85 g
Muzzle Velocity: 1,218 m/s
Muzzle Energy: 2,100 J
Steel Penetration: 14 mm
The G-series submachinegun was developed to combat the major drawbacks uncovered by earlier flechette weapons. By increasing the projectile size, ballistic performance was improved with only a negligible impact on the close-range penetration characteristics. The resulting increase in ammunition size required a unique storage approach, addressed with 200-round drum coiled around the firer's arm to balance the weapon.
Despite high expectations, the weapon was initially rejected following troop trials. The reason for this can be traced back to the original electromagnetic accelerator. Although the exact specifics have been classified, what is known is that the submachinegun was issued to intelligence field operatives, and that the electromagnetic fields generated by discharging the weapon would erase all nearby hard disks. These disks were frequently a mission objective, and as a consequence there were many mission failures before the cause could be properly identified.
The weapon was hastily redesigned to utilize gravitic accelerator technology supplied by classified FLEET elements, and resubmitted. This version, known as the G1, reduced the recoil to a wobble attributable to gravity interference patterns, and was completely silent except for the hypersonic crack of the projectile. The on-board fire control was also modified to be removable, allowing the weapon to be compatible with all possible cybernetic aim assistants.
Eventually, the G1 was accepted, although not without complaint. The submachinegun was designed under the expectation that it would not be reloaded during combat, but the ammunition expenditure of operatives quickly dispelled the designer's assumption. Unfortunately, the reloading process was quite ornery, requiring that the user remove his firing hand from the weapon. The current version, the G2, adds a tongue to bottom of the pistol grip, providing a stable mounting point for the 100-round half-moon magazines that had become popular. The weapon also allows for the attachment of a stock, although it must be carried separately when not in use.
A new model, the G3, is currently undergoing troop trials. The most significant change is that the 200-round drum magazine is dropped entirely in favor of a dual-feed receiver and two 100-round magazines. A three-setting feed selector is added, allowing the user to select between the two magazines or alternating between both.
AmmoWorks "Runemaster" X-Series Plasma Carbine
Ammunition: Liquid Hydrogen
Beam Diameter: 5.2 mm
Muzzle Energy: 5,000 J
Steel Penetration: 22 mm
A variant on a standard carbine design used aboard most FLEET ships by unarmoured troops, the RuneMaster was commissioned by the M-Division during their investigation of hybridized, techno-magical weaponry. The significant design requirements described a plasma carbine with enough smooth surfaces as to make the etching of hermetic runes easier. AmmoWorks created a new weapon from scratch in order to meet these objectives.
The obvious configuration differences over a typical weapon of this type is its magazine, which is situated above the barrel, allowing it to be removed with the push of a button and a flick of the wrist. The standard clip contains enough liquid hydrogen and superconductors for 50 discharges. Magazine sizes up to 100 rounds are available, but their length makes on-person storage prohibitive. The retractable stock keeps the length within the required limits, and to keep the weapon lines smooth, it seals flush with the receiver. The housing allows for the addition of modular rails almost the entire length of the weapon. Fire selection is performed via the standard for AmmoWorks, a dual-stage trigger.
Because of its sleek appearance and modularity, the RuneMaster quickly secured a place in the personal armories of many operatives outside of M-Division. Excellent when combined with a dress ensemble, for the many people who cannot afford to go anywhere in life unless they are armed to the teeth. The carbine has also become a standard for Funky Horror security personnel.
Ironically, there are only a small number of RuneMasters in M-Division. Very few were actually ever runed, with the most common enchantment being a basic one that alters the color of the plasma projectiles to suit the user's tastes. The more complex runes are never encountered outside of M-Division, except for one; the infinite ammunition enchantment, affectionately referred to as the "RamboMaster". A common rune amongst magic users reduces the apparent mass of the weapon to negligible proportions, allowing them to be trained and used one-handed quite easily, also known as the "WooMaster". Another enchantment gives plasma bolts homing qualities - although this modification is not socially attractive, acquiring nicknames like "PansyMaster".
Standard-Issue Heavy PA Anti-Personnel Weapon
Mass: 11.3 kg
Magazine: 500-round backpack (6.2 kg)
Cyclic Rate: 5,000 r/m
Ammunition: Liquid Hydrogen
Beam Diameter: 5.0 mm
Muzzle Energy: 4,000 J
Steel Penetration: 19 mm
Of course, the gun most often associated with FLEET is this monster. An unsubtle weapon for unsubtle people, the standard marine anti-infantry weapon is a six-barrelled 10mm-bore gauss weapon shooting either kinetic penetrator rounds or "bolts" of ionised gas formed by laser-heating precise measures of hydrogen. While deuterium pellets are preferred for efficency, Board upgrades to the magazines enable these versatile weapons to turn any small rock or pebble into usable ammo given a little time.
Few forms of armour can withstand a hit from a ball of star-hot plasma moving at several dozen times the speed of sound, and, if needed, all six barrels can fire a double-shotted bolt simultaneously – a "triple ripple" capable of gutting anything up to a light tank (or, in an engagement that gave many conventional occultists a rude shock, going through the lower forms of protective ward or incantation like a railgun slug through wet paper). While this packs an excellent close-quarters punch, it instantly gives away the firer's position with huge gouts of "steam" as the weapon's cooling systems immediately vent liquid nitrogen down the barrels to prevent them from melting.
Designed specifically for use by infantry wearing powered armour suits, the weapon is almost impossible to carry by muscle power alone, although some Boardies have added gravpacks. Aiming the weapon without a PA suit's autotracking systems and fine-adjustment servos is virtually impossible...but then, the kind of Boardie who requests one of these huge guns is probably not exactly going to be using it for sniping.