Weapons: 6.6mm Rifle and 5mm BCR.

Version 2.1

CaseInc, the developers of the 6.6mm Caseless round made their technical data widely available for a nominal fee. Most arms manufactures saw the wisdom in building weapons using this information rather than wasting time and resources developing their own caseless rounds. The result was that nearly every arms company offers weapons in 6.6mmC and it nearly became the standard calibre for every military force on Earth. CaseInc had manufactured a large stockpile of 6.6mmC ammunition before releasing the technical data and therefore made a considerable profit by cornering the market for ammunition supply in the early months of adoption. (see “CaseInc: Munitions and Marketing” by LEN113)

Guns (Rifle) or Guns (LMG) (DX-4, or most other Guns at -2)

Weapon	Damage	Acc	Range	Weight	RoF	Shots	ST	Bulk	Rcl	LC
6.6mm Assault Rifle	6d pi	5	600/3,300	8.5	6/10	80(5)	10†	-4*	2	1
6.6mm H-Bar	6d pi	5	850/3,600	9.8	6/10		9B†	-4*	1	1
6.6mm PDC/Recon	6d-1 pi	3	550/3,000	6	9		11†	-4*	3	1
6.6mm Marksman	6d pi	6	600/3,300	8.5	3/6/10		10†	-4*	2	1
6.6mm Pistol	4d pi	3	280/1,800	4.5	6/10		11	-3	3	1

6.6mm Military rifles are often available in several configurations:

Standard model. RoF is 6 using 2-round burst mode, 3 in semi-automatic and 10 in full-auto.

H-bar model. Generally the same length as the standard model but with a heavier barrel and a heatsink/radiator in the foregrip. A light support variant more suited to sustained fire and long range engagements. Includes a 0.5 pound bipod. Treat as a standard-barrelled LMG for the Sustained fire and overheating rules in HT(4e): p.85-86. A combat squad will generally have a couple of these unless heaver MGs are carried. Often used for sniping as well as MG roles. Some models are offered with a longer barrel that has +1 Damage and +1 to bulk.

Personal Defence Carbine. A lightened and often simpler version of the standard weapon intended as a self-protection weapon for non-combat units. Usually lacks the 2-round burst mode. Treat as light-barrelled for determining overheating [HT p.85-86]

Recon Rifle. The PDC fitted with a better sighting system and often used with a sound suppressor. Often the choice of reconnaissance troops, hence the name. May include a 2-round burst mode.

Marksman model. An accurized model of the standard rifle with either a standard length or long barrel (+1 Damage and +1 to bulk). Some models are semi-automatic only with a target trigger. Other models are selective fire and can be used as an LMG. More commonly used by police departments since most military units have H-Bars. If used for automatic fire treat as a MG with a light barrel. May or may not be fitted with a bipod.

Heavy Pistol. A rifle-based weapon with a 6½" to 10" barrel and no buttstock, around 17” long. 4.5lb. Muzzle blast is very noticeable. Sometimes used to arm the smaller varieties of cybershell such as the SCAT-kumo. Can be concealed under a heavy coat. Can be fired single-handed. May be fitted with a pistol stock. Treat as light-barrelled for determining overheating [HT p.85-86]

5mm Basic Combat Rifles (BCR)

The basic combat rifles are designed for cheap and easy mass-production or minifacture. They are commonly encountered being used by the militaries of less wealthy nations, private security firms, criminals and insurgents. Their use by dacoits and child soldiers has had them sometimes referred to as “bandit combat rifles” or “bambino combat rifles”. Many variants are found world-wide but the differences are mainly cosmetic. The BCR may be fitted with a HUD link and Laser sight. HUD gives +1 Acc for targets within 300 yds. Laser spot gives +1 to skill out to 500 yards if spot is visible to the shooter. $150.

TS Changing Times gives slugthrowers a low Acc. Acc of the BCR has been increased so it is consistent with similar TL7-8 weapons in 4e High Tech.

Guns (Rifle) (DX-4, or most other Guns at -2)

Weapon	Damage	Acc	Range	Weight	RoF	Shots	ST	Bulk	Rcl	LC
5mm BCR	5d pi	4	500/3,200	7/1	12	30+1(5)	10†	-4	2	1

The BCR appears in THS:Broken Dreams 3e p.137-8. Many GURPS writers are not as familiar with firearms as they should be, and the description of the BCR raises some questions. The weight of 11 lbs seems high for the weapon described so I have changed this to 7 lbs and magazine weight to 1 lb. Why does the weapon use a 5mm round and not the 5.6mm used by many other TS weapons? Since the calibre is only stated once in the book, it is quite possible that 5mm was a typo of 5.6mm. If not, it seems likely that some users would modify the BCR production template to use 5.6mm. Ballistically the 5mm is probably the equivalent of the British 4.85mm Experimental or the .19 Badger and the 5.6mm equivalent to a 5.56x45mm, so for game purposes the performance of 5mm and 5.6mm BCR variants would be the same. A bigger problem may be adapting the BCR to us the 40 and 100 round magazines of some 5.6mm weapons. A reduction in reliability for 5.6mm BCRs may be warranted. The 5.6mm Xuan Feng (Broken Dreams) uses a 30 round magazine, like the 5mm BCR,

The standard design uses electric ignition and is completely sealed. A good condition 5mm BCR is Very Reliable and HT 13. Well worn examples may be Malf.17 and HT 10-12. A BCR may overheat if it fires more than 150 rounds in less than a minute. [HT4e p.85]

While Broken Dreams tells us that the 5.6mm Xuan Feng cannot use smart ammunition no information is given about the BCR in this regard. 4mm smart ammunition is available in TS so there is no technical reason there cannot be 5mm smart ammunition. It may, however, be hard to come by in some areas that the BCR is used in. Supplying smart 5mm to African bandits may serve as a plot point. Dumb 5mm rounds are APHC [p.B279] or FMJ. WPS 0.015, CPS $0.04-0.08. Magazines are robust and designed for years of use. A nominal 30 round magazine is usual and has an empty weight of 0.55 lbs and costs around $5. The less common 40 round model costs $10 and weighs 0.6 lbs empty and 1.2 lb loaded. A 60 round four-column magazine is $20, 1.0/1.9 lbs. 5.6mm and 5mm magazines are not compatible.

TS 3e p.156-7 tells us that all personal ranged weapons have HUD and laser sights but does this statement include the BCR? The original 3e profile gives Acc as “10+2” and I am guessing the +2 represents a 3e laser sight. A weapon without a HUD cost $250 less but a BCR only costs $150 to start with! For this reason I have assumed the BCR does not have this features as standard but add-ons are available. My inclination is to rule that a standard, no-frills BCR is fitted with a reflex sight (3e did not have reflex sights). This gives +1 Guns skill at ranges up to 300 yards and makes it easier to aim in low-light conditions, negating up to -3 in darkness penalties on all shots. [HT4e p.156]