BlackHammer Project: F.I.D. Handgun Creation System

The BlackHammer CyberPunk Project

Flipper Is Dead, The UK CyberPunk ThinkTank

Pistol Creation System
Revised Edition - November 1998

HTML conversion by hound@ambient.on.ca
Javascript calculator by Night Flyer

Flipper Is Dead, The UK CyberPunk ThinkTank

Pistol Creation System Revised Edition - November 1998
HTML conversion by hound@ambient.on.ca Javascript calculator by Night Flyer

A JavaScripted version of this calculator (created by Night Flyer) is available at Rust Never Sleeps

This allows the creation of a variety of new and unusual firearms, by a simple option system to use, follow the steps one by one, choosing one of the choices and noting down the stats given.

Step 1 THE SIZE OF THE GUN ITSELF

		Ammo
Frame size	WA	Light	Med.	Heavy	V.hvy	Concealability	Bulk
Pocket	-2	10	7	4	2	P / P / J	2 / 3 / 3
Small	-1	15	8	5	3	P / J / J	3 / 4 / 4
Medium	0	20	15	8	5	J / J / J	4 / 5 / 5
Large	+1	25	20	10	7	J / J / L	5 / 6 / 7
ammo can vary +/-		5	5	2	1

The various frames available are designed to simulate weapon size. A holdout derringer is normally a pocket frame, either break open or gas auto, and packing a large calibre round. Other pocket frames are the 'ladies guns' in small calibres for self-defence. Small pistols are normally light calibres and issued for defence to military personnel in vehicles. Medium frames are most military automatic pistols, and heavy frames are the BIG magnums, 'hunting pistols' and long barrel target pistols.

Concealabilities are for Snub Nosed / Normal / Long barrelled weapons.

Optional Rule: Weapon Bulk.

This is the Minimum BOD score needed to hold the Pistol Level and controlled in one hand. A Two handed Grip adds one to your BOD for this purpose. Each point your BOD is below the Bulk reduces your chances to hit by one point (-1 to hit)

Step 2 THE MECHANISM

Mechanism	ROF	Ammo	Notes
Break open	=B	*	Can fire all barrels at once. normally 1 or 2 barrel
Revolver	+0	6	Some revolvers hold 5 -9 rounds
Bolt action	=1	-	Usually target pistols
Gas Automatic	+0	-
MP	+0	-	Machine pistols
Electric	+0	-	Electric Motor driven. cannot Jam.
MP	+5	-	Machine pistols

Machine Pistols can Fire at Normal ROF with single shots, or fire 3rd Bursts or on Full auto at MP ROF

The Mechanism of the gun controls how it works.

A Break open pistol has one round loaded per barrel, and normally fires then one at a time. (With a little alteration they can be made to fire them all at once, at the same target with a to hit roll per bullet) Normally they are only single barrelled, but some can have 2 or more barrels. Use the ammo variance as the modifier to the basic 1 barrel, allowing light calibre 6 barrels, medium 6, heavy 3, and very heavy 2.

Revolvers have a cylinder holding the rounds which can rotate, bringing each in line with the barrel before it is fired by the fixed firing pin. Reloading can be slow by hand, so speed loaders are used, plastic devices that hold 6 rounds ready to be loaded. Another alternative is to eject the cylinder and load a new one (both allow a one action reload, like a clip). Classic revolvers have only 6 shots, but some, especially the small calibre ones, have up to 9. (use 4 + the ammo variation for ammo ) To silence a revolver, the silencer also has to cover the cylinder to muffle the sound, so double the cost of a silencer for a revolver and increase the rarity one level

Bolt action Pistols are usually only used for target shooting as they are very slow to fire. The bolt must be opened manually and then closed again, locking the new round drawn from the magazine into place. The advantage is that the Bolt action weapon is usually very accurate.

Gas Automatic The force of the bullet being fired is used to eject the casing and to chamber the next round. The first round has to be chambered manually by cocking the weapon, and the gun fires at one rate of fire only. A Dud round will stop the weapon firing and will have to be cleared manually by working the breach open and closed

Electric Motor The motor action uses an electrical motor to work the guns action, loading, firing and ejecting the rounds at a set rate that can be varied simply by altering the motor speed. Dud rounds are ejected by the action without an interuption in firing

Step 3 THE ROUNDS IT TAKES

Propellant	Ammo	Ammo	Gun Cost
Cased rounds	as above	Metal or plastic cased	-
Caseless rounds	+20%	MP's get ROF+5	x1.5
Plastique	-	Highpower Pound damage+D6	x2
Binary liquid	+50%	Need Mag + bottles to reload	-
ETC	-50%	damage +2D6, ROF=1 Max	x5
Gas Powered	+50%	Silent	-
Gauss Weapons	+100%	D6 becomes D10	x10
Gyrojet rounds	-50%	Rocket rounds	-

Cased Rounds use a tube of metal, usually brass, to hold the propellant. The bullet is seated in one end and the other end is closed except for the firing cap. This holds all of the components together, sealed against the elements, in one easy package which can be loaded mechanically by the gun. The empty case must be ejected from the weapon before the next one can be loaded. This ejection also takes a lot of the heat of firing out of the gun, as the case acts as a heat sink.

Steel cases are cheap, usually produced in wartime to save brass. They act as well as brass except for one dangerous fault; they can strike sparks.

Plastic cases are cheap but unreliable, as they don't have the strength of the metal and don't absorb as much heat. While this has little worry on single shot, on auto fire the weapon rapidly overheats and this can melt, jam or even the explode rounds when they are loaded. On auto fire lower the reliability of the weapon one class

Caseless rounds use a block of propellant with the bullet embedded in one end and the primer in the other. the whole thing is lacquered together as a single block. When fired, the primer explodes, pushing the bullet firmly into the barrel as the propellant ignites, producing the gases that accelerate it down the barrel. As the whole round burns up when fired, there is nothing to eject, allowing the next round to be loaded straight in.
Ammo costs as normal, Gun costs x1.5

Plastique rounds use a high explosive propellant rather than a simple fast burning one, producing a very high pressure gas cloud as the gun fires. This accelerates the bullet down the barrel at great speed, producing a very high muzzle energy and increasing the bullets wounding potential. Unfortunately this also is very hard on the Gun, which has to be purpose built to take the stresses of firing these high power rounds. If it's NOT, them there is a chance it'll explode when fired. (1/10, doing normal weapon damage to firing Limb and wrecking the gun)
Ammo costs x2, Gun costs x2

The binary liquid propellant weapon uses two liquids that are explosive when combined as the propellant. on there own, each liquid is flammable but safe. Only when mixed are they dangerously explosive (binary agent)The weapons magazine contains only the bullet, with no casings. these are loaded into the breach, and then fine sprays of the two liquids are injected into the chamber behind the bullet and ignited by a spark unit. The resulting explosion propels the bullet.

Nothing needs to be ejected, but reloading uses canisters for the two liquids and a clip of rounds plus a new battery, and the spark unit must be cleaned regularly to stop it fouling .

Ammunition is very compact, giving a 200% increase in magazine size (40+rds)

The reload cycle is the weapons real problem.

The two liquids need to be reloaded regularly (varies by weapon, usually every 10 clips) the battery has to be recharged regularly, and the spark unit must be cleaned. The mixing rates and spark timing can be tuned like a car engine for maximum performance. This allows the weaponsmith to alter the weapon damage +D6 (overpower) or -D6 (under power) With a difficult (20) Weaponsmith roll.

GM NOTE The Binary action also produces a BIG muzzle flash as the liquids ignite, and on auto fire this is very noticeable, especially at night.
The Gun costs x2, The Ammo costs are as normal. While the rounds are smaller, they are rarer.
The Liquid propellant (10 clips of firing worth) costs 60
New Battery costs 50, Battery charger costs 250 and will hold 3 batteries, charging in 4 hours
Sparker unit costs 75

ECT

Electro Chemical Thermal Propellants use a high voltage pulse to plasmarise the propellant when the gun fires. This produces an explosion of higher power than a conventional propellant, but also produces a lot of recoil and a BIG plume of superheated plasma from the barrel. This plume can be several metres long for large calibre weapons, and can ignite anything flammable (and does D6 burn damage)
Damage +2D6
Rate of Fire One
Gun Cost x 5
Ammo x 2

The rounds are relatively cheap, its the POWER drain of these weapons that make them expensive. Most of the Gun is taken up by capacitors and Superconductor loops to power the plasmarising pulse

Gas powered

High powered airguns are coming back into fashion after the introduction of magnetic resonance imagers that can detect explosive propellants. They use a composite plastic barrel and a high pressure air supply to accelerate the round. While they are quieter in operation than an explosive propellant, the round can be as fast as a conventional bullet. The only draw back is the size of the air tanks. A normal pistol size weapon can hold enough gas to fire 10 rounds. A back up tank that fits on top hold another 20 rounds of gas, but that alters the concealability up one class to at least L.
Changing the gas tank takes two actions.
Gun costs as normal
Ammo costs are as normal
Normal tanks cost 50eb, Back up tanks cost 100eb
Repressurising costs 1 a shot.
Compressor costs 1500 and runs off the wall current

Gauss Rifles

Railguns or Coilguns

Both are Magnetic accelerators that use a high power magnet to shoot ferromagnetic projectiles at high speeds. By altering the power to the magnets, the gun can fire subsonically, or by increasing it the gun can fire well over the speed of sound

Choose the calibre of the weapon as normal, and change the Dice used depending on the chosen power.
Subsonic D6 becomes D4, D10 becomes D6

With special subsonic ammunition, damage the same as a normal round
Conventional Firing

D6 becomes D10, D10 becomes 2D6
Overload

A dangerous operation, as the bullet is travelling fast enough to plasmarise the air inside the barrel, and the stresses of firing can buckle the magnets, causing it to misfire

D6 becomes 2D6 , D10 becomes 2D10

Railguns use a 'sliding short' system, which makes them only capable of having one bullet in the barrel at once.

Coilguns use a series of electromagnetic coils that pulse in series, each one acceleration the projectile more than the last. As the coils work in series, the weapon can have several rounds traveling down the barrel at once, making them ideal assault weapons Both systems need long barrels and even when bullpupped are much longer than a conventional pistol, with long barrels

One advantage is that the Recoil is mostly taken up by distortions in the magnetic fields and the mass ratio between the rounds and the gun itself.

Both railguns and coilguns are very advanced weapons and require frequent cleaning and maintenance. If the magnets come out of alignment they'll tear themselves apart when they fire, and if the power pack discharges into the gun, they're dangerously live.
Gun costs x 10 of basic, Ammunition costs x 2 (This may drop as gauss guns become more common in military service)

Gyrojet rounds

These are miniature rocket rounds, that ignite in the barrel and accelerate as they fly. The original models were built in the 1950's, but were inaccurate. A 14mm rocket had the recoil of a .22, the delivered energy of a .44 magnum and at a range where a .38 was getting 6" groups, was getting groupings 3 FEET across.

Modern Gyrojets are much more accurate and stable in flight, with flat ballistic trajectories that make them ideal for medium range work. The only disadvantage is the trail of smoke the round leaves as the rocket burns, pointing straight back to the firer.
PB damage is Halved (not up to speed yet), Close and Medium are Normal, Long Range damage is +D6
Extreme (as the rocket runs out of fuel and stop accelerating) is normal
The Gun costs the same as normal
The rounds are very expensive, as each is a fully functional, ballistically accurate rocket, Ammo costs x 10
Light - 10 rds for 15eb - 1.5eb each
Medium - 5 rds for 15eb - 3eb each
Heavy - 5 rds for 18eb - 3.5eb each
Very heavy - 5 rds for 20eb - 4eb each
Rifle - 10rds for 40eb - 4eb each

Step 4 THE GUNS CALIBRE
choose weapon calibre from the somewhat over-exhaustive list

Light dmg Notes

2.7mm Kolibri D2 old 1914

3mm Kolibri D3

4.25mm Erika D4

.17 bumblebee D4

.22 short D4

.22 long D6

.22 long rifle D6 5.7 X17mmR

.22 magnum D6+2

.22 Jet Reminton Jet

.221 Fireball Reminton Fireball

5mm D6

5.5mm Velo D6 Velo Dog Revolver

5.45 D6 5.45 x18mm Soviet. bullet is a Tumbler

6mm D6+1

.25 ACP D6 6.35mm Browning

.256 Winchester

.32 ACP D6+2 7.65 x 17 SR 7.65 Browning

7mm BR 7mm BR Remington

7mm Nambu D6+2 7mmNambu

7mm D6+2

Medium

7.62 T 2D6 7.62x25 Tula Tokarev

.30 Mauser 2D6 7.63x25 Mauser

.32 H&R mag 2D6+1 H&R magnum

.380 ACP 2D6-1 .380 Auto

9mm short 2D6-1 9mm x17

.38 2D6 9 x 19mm

.38 special 2D6 9 x 29mm Bullet counts as a 'Tumbler'

.38 +P 2D6+1 9 x 29mm

8mm Nambu 2D6 8mm New Nambu

8mm Lebel

8mm RS 8mm Roth-Steyr

9mm M 2D6 9 x 18mm Marakov

9mm Glisenti 2D6 9 x

9mm M + 2D6+1 9x18mm Marakov Power round

9mm Para 2D6+1 9 x 19 Parabellum

9mm Browning 2D6+1 9 x 20mm

9mm AE 2D6+2 9 x 21mm IMI

9mm Gyunra 2D6+2 9 x21 mm Tungsten Carbide Penetrator (VIPER)

9mm Steyr 2D6+2 9 x 23mm, 9mm Largo, 9mm Bergmann Bayard

9mm Long 2D6+3 9 x 25mm

10mm Auto 2D6+3 10 x 24mm

.40 S&W 2D6+3 10 x 25mm?

.454 Webley 2D6+1 Old 11.5 x

.357 SIG 2D6+3 9 x 24 ?

Heavy

9mm WM 3D6 9mm x 29 Winchester Magnum

.41 AE 3D6 10.4 x 22mm

.41 Magnum 3D6+2

.41 Long Colt 3D6-1

.408 S&W Tac 3D6+2

.45 ACP 3D6 11.43 x 23 mm Subsonic

.45 +P 3D6 Olin Power round

.45 Express 3D6

.45 Long Colt 3D6 Old

.357 Magnum 3D6+1 9 x 33mm

.357 Maximum

11mm 3D6

.44 / 40 3D6+2 Old

.477 Webley 3D6 Old

.44 Special 3D6+1

5.7mm 3D6+3 5.7x 28mm FN

V.Heavy

12mm 4D6

.50 Reminton 4D6 Remington

.44 Magnum 4D6+1 11.2 x 32.8mm

.44 Automag 4D6+1

.45 Magnum 4D6+2 11.43x Winchester magnum

.454 Casull 4D6+3

.465 Wildey Wildey Wolf

.475 Linebaugh

.50 AE 4D6+2

.50 Magnum 5D6

.577 Express 5D6+1

14mm 6D6 14mm Malorian Silverhand

Light	dmg	Notes
2.7mm Kolibri	D2	old 1914
3mm Kolibri	D3
4.25mm Erika	D4
.17 bumblebee	D4
.22 short	D4
.22 long	D6
.22 long rifle	D6	5.7 X17mmR
.22 magnum	D6+2
.22 Jet		Reminton Jet
.221 Fireball		Reminton Fireball
5mm	D6
5.5mm Velo	D6	Velo Dog Revolver
5.45	D6	5.45 x18mm Soviet. bullet is a Tumbler
6mm	D6+1
.25 ACP	D6	6.35mm Browning
.256 Winchester
.32 ACP	D6+2	7.65 x 17 SR 7.65 Browning
7mm BR		7mm BR Remington
7mm Nambu	D6+2	7mmNambu
7mm	D6+2
Medium
7.62 T	2D6	7.62x25 Tula Tokarev
.30 Mauser	2D6	7.63x25 Mauser
.32 H&R mag	2D6+1	H&R magnum
.380 ACP	2D6-1	.380 Auto
9mm short	2D6-1	9mm x17
.38	2D6	9 x 19mm
.38 special	2D6	9 x 29mm Bullet counts as a 'Tumbler'
.38 +P	2D6+1	9 x 29mm
8mm Nambu	2D6	8mm New Nambu
8mm Lebel
8mm RS		8mm Roth-Steyr
9mm M	2D6	9 x 18mm Marakov
9mm Glisenti	2D6	9 x
9mm M +	2D6+1	9x18mm Marakov Power round
9mm Para	2D6+1	9 x 19 Parabellum
9mm Browning	2D6+1	9 x 20mm
9mm AE	2D6+2	9 x 21mm IMI
9mm Gyunra	2D6+2	9 x21 mm Tungsten Carbide Penetrator (VIPER)
9mm Steyr	2D6+2	9 x 23mm, 9mm Largo, 9mm Bergmann Bayard
9mm Long	2D6+3	9 x 25mm
10mm Auto	2D6+3	10 x 24mm
.40 S&W	2D6+3	10 x 25mm?
.454 Webley	2D6+1	Old 11.5 x
.357 SIG	2D6+3	9 x 24 ?
Heavy
9mm WM	3D6	9mm x 29 Winchester Magnum
.41 AE	3D6	10.4 x 22mm
.41 Magnum	3D6+2
.41 Long Colt	3D6-1
.408 S&W Tac	3D6+2
.45 ACP	3D6	11.43 x 23 mm Subsonic
.45 +P	3D6	Olin Power round
.45 Express	3D6
.45 Long Colt	3D6	Old
.357 Magnum	3D6+1	9 x 33mm
.357 Maximum
11mm	3D6
.44 / 40	3D6+2	Old
.477 Webley	3D6	Old
.44 Special	3D6+1
5.7mm	3D6+3	5.7x 28mm FN
V.Heavy
12mm	4D6
.50 Reminton	4D6	Remington
.44 Magnum	4D6+1	11.2 x 32.8mm
.44 Automag	4D6+1
.45 Magnum	4D6+2	11.43x Winchester magnum
.454 Casull	4D6+3
.465 Wildey		Wildey Wolf
.475 Linebaugh
.50 AE	4D6+2
.50 Magnum	5D6
.577 Express	5D6+1
14mm	6D6	14mm Malorian Silverhand

Each bullet has its own Inherent accuracy listed (although not in the version of the document provided to the BlackHammer Project), which is cumulative with the gun its fired from. A light and accurate round fired from a heavy long barrelled pistol makes a very precise weapon, while a big, heavy, inaccurate round from a snub nosed pocket pistol is only really accurate if you jam it to some ones temple (but if you pull that trigger they'll REALLY be sorry)

For those who want extreme firepower, it is possible to design pistols that take rifle rounds. The Frame MUST be heavy, and the Revolver action works best. (see the article on rifle creation for more information).
Damage is reduced by D6 due to the short barrel.

Step 5 RATE OF FIRE

Calibre	ROF	Notes	Machine Pistols
Light	3		30
Medium	2	(3 with heavy frame)	20
Heavy	1	(2 with heavy frame)	15
V. Heavy	1	10

This Rate of Fire system parallels the CP2020 standard system, with only a few minor modifications.

Recoil System

A more advanced system uses the Guns recoil and the users BOD stat.

Each shot from the gun adds to the total recoil felt that round. Once this total recoil is over your BOD, each point of recoil over is a -1 to hit.

A weapon can fire a Maximum number of times a round based on its mechanism and ammo type

Gas auto	5
Revolver	3
Break open	=B	No ammo Modifiers
Electric	6
Caseless	+1	(no case to eject)
Gyrojet rounds	-1	(slow to leave the barrel)
Binary Liquid	6	(recoil modified by Under power and Over power shots)
ETC	1

Recoil is based on the round.

Light 2

Medium 3

Heavy 4

Very Heavy 5

Add one to this for every size the frame is lower than the Ammo size. Subtract one if the ammo is smaller than the frame normally loads. Add 1 for plastique rounds and 3 for ETC rounds Gryojet rounds subtract 2, as they do most of there accelerating in flight. Gauss weapons subtract one as the field distortion absorbs a lot of the recoil.

Step 6 WEAPON QUALITY
Choose the level of craftsmanship that went into building this hurler of death.

Quality	reliability	WA Mod	MP ROF
Low	UR	-1 or 0	-5
Normal	ST	0	0
High	VR	0 or +1	+5

Low Quality weapons are third world cheap copies, out of licence designs and use a lot of pressings, stampings and round castings. Also covers back alley made zip guns, Home lathed designs and polymer one shots. They have an alarming habit of falling apart or jamming at the worst moments.

Normal Quality weapons are Military or retail standard. They'll stand up to regular use, are well made and shouldn't let you down.

High quality weapons are the best that money can buy. Custom machined each part checked to within a ten thousandth of an inch, each spring precision wound. Some are made by master weaponsmiths, some by expert systems, but they are all extremely reliable even under the greatest stress.

All weapons are considered to start with an accuracy modifier of 0 from their quality.

If you want to, you can take the -1 for unreliable or the +1 for high quality, but these will be reflected in the price.

Step 7 THE COST
Calculating the cost of the gun is based on the Frame size

frame is	Base Cost
Pocket	150
Small	250
Medium	350
Large	450

These prices vary plus or minus about 50 dollars, but are good ballpark figures

Cost Modifiers.

Ammunition

If the weapon loads ammo of the same size band, (Pocket frame = light ammo, Small frame = medium ammo, Medium frame = Heavy ammo, Large Frame = Very Heavy ammo), there is no change to the weapons base cost. If it uses different ammunition, the cost is +50. Unusual or outlandish ammo adds 100 to the cost.

Mechanism
The various mechanisms carry different costs

Break open, Bolt action, Revolver or Gas Auto	no modifier
Gas Auto - 3 rd burst Capable	+50
Gas Auto - Full auto Capable	+75
Gas Auto - 3rd and Full auto	+100
Electrical mechanism	+75
Electrical - 3 rd burst Capable	+75
Electrical - Full auto Capable	+100
Electrical - 3rd and Full auto	+125
Caseless	x1.5
Plastique	x2
Binary	x2
Gas	x1
Gauss	x10
ETC	x5
UR Reliability	-50 (maybe more if the weapon has a bad reputation)
VR Reliability	+100
WA modifier -1 on UR Weapon	-50
WA modifier +1 on VR Weapon	+100 (only +75 if 'Bolt action')

Unreliable Guns can be 'Dangerous'

Final cost is halved

Each time fired, 1/10 chance of a mishap

D10	every time a mishap happens .
1-2	Jam. Takes a easy Tech roll to clear
3-4	Barrel blocked. Few rounds to clear. Try to fire it and it'll explode (as 10)
5-6	Important bit breaks. May as well trash it, it's beyond repair.
7	Barrel bursts. Loud, noisy, everyone in 1m takes D4-1 hits of D3 shrapnel
8-9	Comes apart. Something snaps and it all comes apart
10	Explodes. Does normal weapon damage to your firing hand

OPTIONS

Smart gun

Final cost x2 (with Processor, neural link and plugs, a smart gun suite gives +2 to hit)
This covers the On Gun Sensors, the gyros, the motion tracker, the gun's processor and the gun's side of the interface set up.

Non Metallic Construction

Final Cost x4
The Gun can be taken through metal detectors, as it's made of plastic, composites and ceramics. It will still show up on X-Rays.

Concealed

The Gun is made to look like a different object, so that it can be carried openly. It'll only pass a simple inspection, as anyone handling it will feel its weight and find its fold out trigger or another suspicious function. To use, the cover is opened or removed in some way, allowing access to the trigger and barrel. Example: SMG's made to look like briefcases, or Pistols that look like heavy metal picture frames, or built into the spines of books

Break Down

The weapon can be broken down into three parts for easy carrying. Usual for sniper rifles, this is useful to carry pistols through weapons detectors and X ray machines. Combined with Concealed, each part can be made to look like a normal item, making detecting the gun at a glance very difficult

Document provided by Chopper Chopper of the Flipper Is Dead UK CyberPunk ThinkTank.
HTML conversion by Hound