4 Equipment

4.1 General notes

4.2 Electronic Equipment

4.3 Entertainment, Communication and Computer Systems

4.4 Optical Gear

4.5 Miscellaneous Stuff

4.6 Drugs

4.7 Personal Armor

4.8 Firearms

4.8.1 General Gun Types

There are thousands and thousands of different guns in the world, so it is more practical just to categorize them, and give typical statistics for each type. The players and GM are then free to build new guns using the given guidelines.

Pistols are easiest to gain, and typical weapons for indoor fighting. A pistol uses ammunition from 6 mm (light) to 12 mm (heavy), is semi-automatic and fires 2-3 shots per second. Clip holds 10-20 shells depending on caliber. Normal recoil is similar to a braced rifle. Pistols are not very accurate, and are accurate at ranges from 25 to 75 m, 40 being the average. The size is compared to normal 9mm pistol.

SMGs (Sub-Machine Guns) are effective weapons for indoor fighting because of their size. Most have a very high rate of fire (ROF) but are hard to control when using it. Some models have the option of burst and semi-automatic fire.

A SMG uses pistol-caliber ammunition, and has a maximum ROF of 10-15. Clips hold 20-50 shells, and recoil is a bit lower than with pistols, if semiautomatic fire is used. Automatic fire typically makes SMGs very inaccurate. Range varies greatly, but is typically from 25 to 100m, 50 being the average. Most SMGs have folding or built-in stock for bracing to reduce recoil. The size is compared to Uzi SMG, and the stock is assumed to be folded.

Shotguns are very effective short range riot weapons. When buckshots are used, the target is easier to hit and the damage is spread all over his body. When a buckshot is used, the damage is 2/0 but multiple hits are possible. The target is also easier to hit with at least one shot.

Most shotguns use 12 gauge ammunition, are about one meter long and have a very high recoil. Normal shotguns spread buckshot to 1.5-2 m area over 50 meter range, while more accurate ones keep them grouped longer. Shotguns are usually pump loaded, but semiautomatic and full automatic models exist.

Sniper Rifles are very accurate guns but need room to be used. A typical sniper rifle has accuracy range of 700-1000m, varying from 400 to one and half a kilometer. Size, when disassembled, is a typical suitcase, and assembled are size of normal hunting rifles. Caliber varies but is usually high, recoil being about the same as with any rifle.

Assault Rifles are general combat guns when there is enough room to use one. Ranges vary from 100 to 500 meters, with an average of 200-300 m. Most assault rifles are bulbup models, but basic gun is size of AK-47. Recoil is low, much less than SMG in automatic fire. Bullets are in clips of 20-50, and some models have two serial clips which can be used with simple switch. Other Guns are not described here. Their values are typically compared to some other more popular gun type.

4.8.2 Sample Guns

Some very popular guns and examples of each type (and some exotic, too) are given. Players may select their weaponry from this list or generate new ones using the guidelines above.

Name: Name of the gun. Serial type numbers and letters vary, and are not written here in most cases.

Type: Firing modes of the gun. SA=semi-automatic, B=burst (typically 3 shots), FA=full automatic, SS=single shot (must be reloaded after each firing), PA=pump action.

Accuracy: Accuracy of the weapon, in relative terms to the basic weapon of that type (light pistol, sniper rifle etc.) In ideal conditions, a human sized stationary target is hit in that range for 95% of the time, if the aim is perfect. If the gun type has a range of 100-400, and average gun 200-300, then poor accuracy is about 150-200 meters, inferior 100 or less, good 300-350 and excellent 400 or more.

If combat situations, effective accurate range falls to 10-20 meter, depending on the weapon type.

ROF: Rate-Of-Fire refers to how quickly the weapon fires shells. Equal to shells in a second in the most rapid firing rate.

Caliber: Size of the ammo used in the gun. Note that caliber mainly determines the damage done by the weapon, and that there are countless variations from each caliber. So, it is not very likely that a Chinese heavy assault rifle uses the same ammunition as the American one.

Damage: Basic power of the weapon. The first number is trauma, the second penetration.

Ammo: How big is the standard clip (or similar storage). Double clips are changed with a switch, and magazines must be filled one-by-one. If the weapon uses cased ammunition, reduce storage capacity by third.

Recoil: How hard the gun kicks when fired, relative to basic weapon of that type.

Size: The general size of the weapon when concealing is needed. If two values are given, the second one is the disassembled state. Given as relative size to basic weapon of that type.

Name: The name of the weapon, ignoring (in most cases) the type number etc. If there are letters after name, the manufacturer sells also models with internal laser (L), smartgun (Sm), scope (Sc) or light intesifier scope (LI-Sc) sights. Unbracketed add-ons always come with the gun. F stands for folding stock, and while using it, recoil is reduced and size increased.

Cost: Basic price for a gun. Older models without caseless ammunition and composite structure cost a half. Note that this is the price of the manufacturer. Black market guns cost much more. 

			      Type  Accur ROF Caliber Dmg Ammo Recl Size  Cost

Pistols (range 25-75m)
Beretta M115 Rocket            SA    poor  3   6 mm   2/1  20  low  tiny  $400
H & K Wolfen  (L)              SA    good  3   9 mm   3/1  18  avg. small $700
SecTek Officer  (L, Sm)        SA    avg   4   9 mm   3/1  15  low  avg   $500
Colt Piecemaker  (L)           SA    good  2   12 mm  4/1  12  high big   $600

SMGs (range 25-100m)
Ares Storm  (L,Sm)            B/FA   poor  18  6 mm   2/1  30  low  tiny  $800
Ingram MAC-17                  FA    poor  16  9 mm   3/1  40  high small $700
SecTek Piranha-1  F,(L,Sm)   SA/B/FA excel 15  9 mm   3/1 2x40 avg  avg   $1200
SecTek Piranha Covert (L,Sm) SA/B/FA good  15  9 mm   3/1 2x20 high tiny  $1300
Yanaka Samurai  (L, Sm)	      SA/B   good  14  12 mm  4/1  30  avg  avg	  $1000
Thompson T19 Cobra  L         B/FA   excel 12  12 mm  4/1  25  low  big   $1000

Shotguns (range 20-70m)
Colt Viper  (L)                PA    good  1   12 ga  5/1  15  avg  avg   $700
Beretta H4 Hurricane           FA    poor  6   12 ga  5/1  20  avg  avg   $1000
SecTek Street King 3 (L,Sm)  SA/B/FA avg   5   12 ga  5/1 2x18 avg  avg	  $1600

Sniper Rifles (range 400-1500m)
Beretta Hawkeye  (LI-Sc)       SA    avg   3   5 mm   3/2  20  low  avg   $2200   
H & K Shark  LI-Sc             SA    good  3  7.5 mm  5/2 2x20 avg  big   $2600

Assault Rifles (range 100-500m)
SecTek Storm-3 Sc,GrL¹       SA/B/FA avg   12  5 mm   3/2 2x30 low  small $3000
H & K G13  Sc                SA/B/FA good  10  5 mm   3/2  50  avg  small $1800
Yanaka Ninja  Sc              SA/B   avg   12 7.5 mm  5/2 2x30 avg  small $1600
Kalashnikov AK-11  F          SA/FA  poor  10 7.5 mm  5/2  30  high avg   $800

Machine Guns (compared to assault rifles)
Beretta F150 LMG               FA    avg   18 7.5 mm  5/2 belt avg  big   $1500
SekTek Lawnmower  (Sm)        B/FA   good  20 7.5 mm  5/2 belt low  big	  $2400
Ingram T-200 Firepower         FA    good  20  13 mm  7/3 belt n/a  -     $6000

Miniguns (compared to assault rifles)
Ingram Gc2022  (Sm)            FA    poor  30  5 mm   3/2 belt low  huge  $4000
SecTek FireCracker             FA   inferi 30  5 mm   3/2 belt low  small $5000  
H & K Death Storm              FA    good  35  13 mm  7/3 belt n/a  -     $8000

Grenade Launchers (compared to shotguns)
¹SecTek Grenade Launcher       PA    poor  1   30 mm   x  mag5  -   (internal)
Ares T5 Grenade Launcher       SS    avg   1   40 mm   x  mag1 low  small $500
Thompson 3V Catapult           SA    poor  1   40 mm   x  mag8 low  small $1800

Special Weapons (most classified, compared to assault rifles)
Ares L5 Inferno               cont.  (30)  -    -    burn  10s low (pack) $4000
Ares Xt-5 Nemesis  LI-Sc       SA    good  2   20 mm  8/2  15  high huge  $10000
SecTek TNB-200	Sm             FA    good  20  disc   2/3  200 none avg	  n/a 
Yanaka X245 Laser  Sm          SA    excel 4    -    burn (10) none (pack) n/a
Notes: ¹ refers to a link between Storm-3 assault rifle and its built-in grenade launcher

4.8.3 Fire-arm Accessories

4.8.4 Firearm Ammunition

A box of 100 shells costs about $10 - $100 depending on caliber, when freely available. Special ammunition is usually more expensive, especially when very illegal. Note that while explosive ammunition does not inflict very serious damage, it is very effective in shredding the armor into pieces and thus the following hits cause more severe wounds.

4.9 Grenades

Grenades are available in many shapes and sizes, and most are equipped with both timer and movement detonator, which detonates the grenade when the movement ends.

Most of the grenades are also available as 40mm grenades for grenade launchers. Such grenades are normally not throwable and cost three times more. 30mm grenades are also available; they have less impact but cost as much.

4.10 Melee Weapons

Althought the ranged weapons rule the world, sometimes the opponent is close enough for a strike. And nothing, except nerve gas, beats an electric baton in riot control.

4.11 Special Weapons

Special weapons are usually very hard to get and classified for military use. They are used mainly against armored targets or during war.

4.12 Vehicles

Most vehicles in the 204th decade have electric motors using hi-power batteries, which are recharged in service stations, from service cards or apartment sockets. Gasoline motors are still used in luxury cars, or when the heavy power is required, because electric batteries are not strong enough to allow heavy duty for a long period.

Autopilots: Most vehicles have some kind of autopilot, which can be used to drive it in most cases. Human interaction is only required in emergency cases, or when you do not want to drive by the limits.

4.12.1 Vehicle List

Here is a short collection of some typical vehicles. The list has the following elements: 
Name               Type       Max  Seats  Fuel  Price  Notes

Yamaha Spiker   medium bike   160   1+1    e    $4000    -
Honda Monster    heavy bike   170   1+1    g4   $6000    -  

Toyota Dreamer     sedan      110    4     e    $8000    -

Yamaha Supace    medium van   100   3++    e    $9000    -
Ford Carrion     heavy van    120   3++   g12   $12000   -
Ford Mammoth       truck      140    3    g18   $25000 +trailers

SecTek Raven    combat'copter 700    2     -     -     e-drive  
Yanaka Dragonfly trans'copter 500   2+8    -     -       -





Syndicate - The Dark Era (c) Kalle Marjola 1996. All rights reserved.