Weapons: M249 Booster.

            I encountered the idea of cut-down M249s on a cyberpunk website. It is a fun idea for TS if you want to give criminals or the low-strata of society an unanticipated offensive capability!

M249 Booster

Booster is one of the street names for a weapon that has become increasingly available in certain urban areas. Initially seen in the United States these weapons have also been encountered to a lesser degree in other continents. It seems likely that the first weapons were from a large number of old M249 Squad Automatics pre-dating the US military's switch to caseless ammo. An alternate theory is that the weapons originated from copies of the Minimi produced by an Asian nation. The booster variant has had its stock removed and barrel cut down to the minimum possible length, allowing it to be hidden under a coat. These modifications do have an effect on the accuracy and reliability of the weapons. The user may carry a bag with 300 to 600 rounds of belted ammo and/or have an accomplice carrying additional belts. “New” examples created by minifacturing have been encountered for several years now and it is probable that the compatible ammunition in use is produced in the same way.

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

Weapon	Damage	Acc	Range	Weight	RoF	Shots	ST	Bulk	Rcl	Malf	Notes
Minimi Booster 5.56x45mm	4d pi	3	420/2,600	17/3.4	12!	100(5)	11B†	-4	1	16	[1,2,3]
				20/6.4		200(5)

[1] Can use either a 200-round disintegrating belt (6.4 lbs.) held in a 0.6-lb. plastic can (which rattles: -1 to Stealth) or a 100-round belt (3.2 lbs.) in a 0.2-lb. soft pouch. Requires metal-cased ammunition. Cannot use 5.6mm caseless rounds.

[2] Can use M16 rifle magazines increasing RoF to 15! and reducing Malf. to 15. Such magazines are no longer common and if desired would need to be especially minifactured or 3D printed.

[3] The short barrel results in excessive muzzle blast (+2 to Hearing and Vision rolls to locate the weapon firing in the dark).

Structure Hits

Structure Hit is a term used in Bruce Sterling’s book “Heavy Weather”. It is a concept and terminology that could readily lend itself to TS.

“Structure Hit” was originally a military term for the policy of targeting an enemy’s constructions rather than their population. By the mid-21^st century the term had entered civilian parlance and was used for various destructive acts against property. Explosives are commonly used but some hits involve cyberswarms, supercaustics, corrosives or embrittlement chemicals.

     While the majority of structure hits were simple vandalism some were politically motivated. Some radical factions considered a well-publicised structure hit to be more effective than more traditional terrorist actions that resulted in casualties.

Some variations include:

Hard Cyber/ Hardware Hit: Physical action against computers or databanks.

Soft Cyber/ Software Hit: Malicious hacking or computer virus attack.

Comms/ Signal Hit: Disruption of communications.

Broadcast/ Media Hit: Interruption or insertions in TV broadcasts, webpages etc.

Wet Hit: Assassination, bombing or berserking.

Tag/ Graffiti Hit: Use of paint against personnel or property.

Meme Hit: Attack on reputation or use of propaganda.

Weapons: Tecs and Black-market Shotguns.

Tecs

            Tecs (aka Tex, Teks etc) are simple sub-machineguns designed for very easy production. Not surprisingly, perhaps, they resemble sten-guns with a vertical magazine. Tecs use the 9mm MAX cartridge, widely available on the black-market. Tecs vary considerably with respect to details such as stocks, barrel shrouds, sights and other fittings. The chief division is by barrel length. Long-barrelled tecs will often have some form of stock fitted, which may be folding. Shorter-barrelled “machine pistol” tecs are often stockless, although this is not a defining feature. Tecs fire from an open bolt but the low power of the 9mm MAX cartridge allows for a relatively light bolt so bolt movement does not disrupt aim as much as one would find in 20^th century SMGs. Tec users are usually more concerned with volume of fire and intimidation effect rather than pinpoint accuracy.

Weapon		Damage	Acc	Range	Weight	RoF	Shots	ST	Bulk	Rcl	Notes
Tec machine pistol 9mm MAX		2d pi	2	120/1,300	3.25/1.4	12	30(3)	10	-3	2	[1,2]
Tec SMG 9mm MAX		2d pi	3	120/1,300	6.5/1.4	9	30(3)	8†	-4*	2	[1]

[1] Also used with more compact 14 round magazine, Wt 0.65.

[2] Profile given for a stockless model.

 

Black-market Shotguns.

            Shotgun ammunition is particularly easy to minifacture or even to hand-make. As well as being used in legal and illegal firearms they are also used in devices such as Boomsticks. Illegally produced shotguns will probably resemble legal models other than their lack of serial numbers. More concealable “sawn-offs” are popular with some criminals for robbery or executions. p.HT(4e)106 for sawn-off rules.

            Below is a selection of weapons suitable for illegally produced shotguns. For the double-barrelled guns entries are given for full length, sawn-off and sawn-off stockless models. The Whippet 20 gauge is a very compact weapon. The tube-magazine shotguns represent repurposed hunting designs that have changed little since the 20^th century. While slow to reload their shape makes them easier to conceal. Entries for both pump-action and autoloader versions are given. The “Auto-stakeout” is a compact autoloader that is also available in a model about the size of a large pistol. The Police riot guns represent illegal, untraceable copies of modern box-magazine loading weapons. Illegal copies may lack features such as HUD and laser sights.

Guns (Shotgun) (DX-4 or most other Guns at -2)

Weapon	Damage	Acc	Range	Weight	RoF	Shots	ST	Bulk	Rcl	Notes
Double Barrel 12 gauge.	1d+1 pi	3	40/800	6.7/0.3	2 x 9	2(4i)	10†	-6	1/5
Dbl-Brl Sawn-Off 12 gauge.	1d+1 pi	3	40/800	4.7/0.3	2 x 9	2(4i)	10†	-4	1/5	[1]
Stockless Sawn-off 12 gauge	1d+1 pi	2	40/800	3.7/0.4	2 x 9	2(4i)	12†	-3	1/6	[1]
Whippet 20 gauge	1d pi	2	40/800	3.8/0.2	2 x 7	2(3i)	9†	-3	1/5	[1, 2]
Sawn-off Pump gun 12 gauge	1d+1 pi	3	40/800	6.25/0.8	2 x 9	7+1 (2i)	10†	-5	1/5	[3]
Stockless Sawn-off Pump gun 12 gauge	1d+1 pi	2	40/800	5.25/0.8	2 x 9	7+1 (2i)	12†	-3	1/6	[3]
Sawn-off Auto 12 gauge	1d+1 pi	3	40/800	6.25/0.8	3 x 9	7+1(2i)	10†	-5	1/5	[3]
Stockless Sawn-off Auto 12 gauge	1d+1 pi	2	40/800	5.25/0.8	3 x 9	7+1 (2i)	12†	-3	1/6	[3]
“Auto-stakeout” 20 gauge	1d pi	2	40/800	4/0.35	3 x 7	4+1(2i)	11†	-3	1/6	[1, 2, 3]
“Supershort Auto-stakeout” 20 gauge	1d pi	2	40/800	3/0.2	3 x 7	2+1(2i)	12†	-2	1/6	[1, 2 ,3]
Police Riot gun 12 gauge	1d+1 pi	3	40/800	6/0.8	3 x 9	10(3)	10†	-5*	1/5
Compact Riot gun 12 gauge	1d+1 pi	2	40/800	5.25/0.8	3 x9	10(3)	12†	-4*	1/6	[1]

[1] Increased muzzle blast. +1 to Hearing and Vision to locate firer in the dark.

[2] ST+2 if fired one handed.

[3] Tube magazine.

[4] Rof =2 when operated as a pump action.