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Missing Links: Filling In The Gaps In Slug-Thrower Evolution

Author's Note: The rules presented here are also compatible with MegaTraveller and Striker, and may be compatible with Marc Miller's Traveller (T4).

Author's Note: An edited-down version of this article originally appeared in Challenge 64 and 66. This version was originally posted in 2004, and reprinted in the March/April 2019 issue.

The firearms lists in MegaTraveller and Striker show a distinct evolution of the basic service rifle by Tech Level, from the TL5 bolt-action rifle through the TL6 semi-auto rifle to the TL7 assault rifle to the TL10 ACR and TL12 gauss rifle. Pistols also show a clear evolutionary path from the TL4 revolver through the TL6 autopistol and the TL10 snub pistols to the TL13 gauss pistol; so do grenade launchers, from the original TL7 “blooper” through the various tech levels of RAM grenades.

However, the evolution of other types of small-arms is spotty at best. For example, autofire support weapons are represented by the TL6 automatic rifle and various machineguns and the TL10 VRF Gauss gun (which is more akin to a high-rate-of-fire autocannon than a machinegun). Other types of weapons are known only from single examples, with no data about any precursors or descendants, such as the TL6 submachinegun, shotgun, and heavy machinegun and the TL8 Light Assault Gun.

Also, the introduction of Battle Dress at TL13 allows individuals to carry heavier loads, including weapons able to penetrate other suits of Battle Dress. Under the existing firearms lists, only expensive High Energy Weapons (PGMP- and FGMP-series) are available for issue to such troops.

Another under-represented type is that of civilian firearms with no exact military or paramilitary equivalent. Inexpensive light firearms (equivalent to the .22) are widely used for general recreational shooting (“plinking”) or small-game “pot hunting”; light “camp carbines” using common pistol ammunition serve as general-purpose firearms for backpackers, “ranch rifles” for rural homesteads, or for small-game hunting. These civilian-only weapons are often found on higher law-level worlds which creatively interpret Law Level 3 (banning “weapons of a strictly military nature”) to include civilian firearms which are based on, converted from, or resemble military designs.

The following weapons provide the “missing links” in the evolution of slugthrowers up through TL13, allowing a natural upgrade of military small arms from TLs 6 through 13 and an additional selection of civilian firearms to “beat the Law Level”. Each firearm is described and quantified for Classic Traveller, MegaTraveller, D20 Traveller, and Striker.

Note: These weapons were originally designed and ‘statted up’ under Striker; the conversions to MegaTraveller are very solid, to D20 Traveller pretty solid, and to Classic Traveller somewhat iffy.

Individual Weapons

5mm Light Autopistol

A very light civilian autopistol chambered for a minimal-power practice round; primarily for recreational shooting (“plinking”) and hunting very small game. Based on a typical .22 autopistol, such as the Browning Buckmark.

9mm Magnum Autopistol

A heavy autopistol chambered for the more powerful 9mm round used in the Magnum Revolver. Also known as an “AutoMag”, it is primarily a police sidearm intended to penetrate ballistic cloth armor. Based on the IMI “Desert Eagle” pistol.

10mm Snubmachinegun

A submachinegun companion to the combat snub pistol, combining automatic fire with the versatility and non-lethal (tranq) capability of the snub pistol. Replaces the SMG at TL10; often used as a “heavy weapon” by ship’s security and a “bailout” personal defense weapon by vehicle crews.

A pistol-styled SMG, the SnMG may mount a silencer and can “tank up” from twenty-round snub pistol magazines as well as its own forty-round magazines; both the ammunition and magazines are interchangeable with those of the combat snub pistol. In all other ways, the SnMG is functionally identical with the TL6 SMG.

5mm “Plinker” Light Rifle

Very light civilian rifle for recreational shooting and very small game. The basic version is TL6, and is based on a typical .22 rifle such as the Ruger 10-22.

5mm Light Automatic Rifle

A higher-tech (TL8) version of the “Plinker”, incorporating a special high-capacity, helical-feed magazine fitted into the top of the weapon. This rifle is based on the Calico M-100 .22 carbine.

Where law level allows light assault weapons, a selective-fire model can be obtained which fires a ten-round burst for each pull of the trigger; these are often used by TL8 and 9 urban police and shipboard security forces in place of the later Snubmachinegun.

9mm Camp Carbine

Light civilian carbine chambered for the 9mm autopistol round; intended as a backpacker’s camp gun. Uses standard autopistol magazines. Based on the Marlin Camp Carbine.

9mm Magnum Carbine

Slightly heavier version of the Camp Carbine using Magnum ammunition in Magnum autopistol magazines.

10mm Snub Carbine

Higher-tech version of the Camp Carbine; uses the auto snub pistol (or Snubmachinegun) magazines. A common civilian rifle at TL10 and above.

13mm Antitank Rifle

The TL6 predecessor of the TL8 Light Assault Gun, the antitank rifle fires the same ammunition as the TL6 heavy machinegun. Its primary use was as a support weapon (fired from its integral bipod) against lightly-armored vehicles or as a heavy sniper rifle; in civilian hands, made a good (if heavy) big-game rifle.

Light Assault Gun-10

Progressive improvement of the TL8 Light Assault Gun, incorporating the electronic sights and stabilization systems of the ACR and gauss rifle. Replaces the LAG at TLs 10; also a good big-game rifle in civilian hands.

Gauss Light Assault Gun-13

An enlarged Gauss rifle intended to be carried by troops in Battle Dress, with twice the muzzle velocity and four times the weight. Primarily used at TL13-14 as an inexpensive rifle for Battle Dress; also used by non-powered troops as a replacement for the LAG-10.

Crew-served Weapons

15mm Heavy Machinegun/Advanced Heavy Machinegun (AHMG)

A TL9, 15mm improvement of the TL6, 13mm heavy machinegun. The AHMG is a lower-priced, shorter-range alternative to light autocannon for ground and pintle mounts. The weapon fires in ten-shot bursts, like other machineguns. A dual-feed system allows the weapon to switch between belts of slug and discarding-sabot ammunition; the switchover takes one MegaTraveller combat round.

The AHMG replaces the TL6 HMG at TL9-10 and is often used as an individual weapon (assault rifle-style) by mercenaries who have acquired Battle Dress but not the accompanying (and expensive) high-energy weapons.

7mm or 9mm Light Machinegun-10/Advanced Light Machinegun (ALMG)

An improved, TL10 light machinegun intended as a squad-level support weapon for ACR-armed troops; it is chambered for ACR ammunition, and incorporates the ACR’s sighting and stabilization systems. Though primarily used from its bipod, the ALMG may also be tripod or pintle-mounted. Replaces previous light machineguns at TL10.

The ALMG may “tank up” from the equivalent-caliber ACR magazine; in this case it fires as the equivalent ACR.

7mm or 9mm Gatling-10/Advanced Gatling (AGAT)

TL10, six-barreled heavy machineguns with the same improvements over the original TL6/TL7 Gatlings as the ALMG and AMMG; again, primarily a vehicle-mounted weapon. Replaces earlier Gatlings at TL10; sometimes used by Battle Dress-wearing mercenaries in much the same way as the 15mm AHMG.

4mm Gauss Light Machinegun

A squad-level support weapon replacing earlier light machineguns for gauss rifle-equipped troops; also used as a vehicle-mounted gauss gun where the VRF Gauss gun proves too heavy. Based on a “heavied-up” gauss rifle, the Gauss LMG incorporates a bipod and pintle socket, and mounts a 200-round drum magazine with high-powered integral batteries for slightly-increased range and penetration. Like other machineguns, the weapon fires in ten-shot bursts.

Similar to the ALMG, the Gauss LMG may “tank up” from a gauss rifle magazine; in this case, it fires as a gauss rifle.

Light Rapid Fire (LRF) Gauss Gun

A much lighter TL13 version of the VRF Gauss gun, the LRF Gauss gun replaces earlier heavy machineguns, complementing the heavier VRF Gauss gun. The LRF Gauss gun fires the same ammunition with the same range and penetration as the VRF, but has a much lower rate of fire (equivalent to a Gauss LMG) and feeds from 200-round drum magazines instead of from a hopper. The weapon is intended to be used in a tripod, pintle, or light remote mount instead of the turret required for a VRF Gauss gun. Up to five magazines can be stacked together end-to-end, feeding from one to the next as if they were a single oversized magazine. The weapon fires in ten-shot bursts, like a Gauss LMG.

Grav-assist Harness (as used with LRF Gauss Gun)

At TL14, an LRF Gauss gun can be fitted with a grav-assist harness similar to those used by the PGMP-14 and FGMP-15 and carried by Battle Dress as a “light” support weapon. The grav-assist harness incorporates a minimum-sized Low power L-Grav module (100kg maximum thrust) and enough batteries for 24 hours duration. When activated, the grav module cuts the apparent weight of the weapon and its magazine by 90%, to approximately 8 kilograms.

Tables

Following are tables for using these weapons with Classic Traveller, MegaTraveller, D20 Traveller, and Striker. Where similar weapons are combined, e.g. “Light Autopistol (L. Revolver)”, values given in parentheses or brackets indicate where the parenthesized/bracketed weapon differs from the unmarked weapon; if no parenthesized/bracketed value is given, the values for all weapons are the same.

Classic Traveller Armor Matrix
Weapon Nothing Jack Mesh Cloth Reflec Ablat Combat/Battle
Lt Revolver/Autopistol 0 0 -2 -4 0 -2 -8
Magnum Revolver/Autopistol +1 +1 +1 -3 +1 +1 -4
Snubmachinegun/HE +6 +6 0 -3 +6 +3 -7
Snubmachinegun/HEAP +6 +6 +2 -1 +6 +5 -2
Snubmachinegun/Tranq +5 +5 -3 -6 +3 -1 no
Light Rifle 0 0 -2 -4 0 -2 -8
Light Auto Rifle +3 +3 0 -2 +3 0 -6
Camp Carbine as carbine
Magnum Carbine +2 +2 0 -3 +2 0 -4
Snub Carbine/HE +2 +2 0 -3 +2 0 -8
Snub Carbine/HEAP +2 +2 +2 -1 +2 +1 -3
Snub Carbine/Tranq +1 +1 -3 -6 +1 -4 no
Antitank Rifle as LAG/DS
LAG-10/DS +3 +3 +3 +2 +3 +3 +1
LAG-10/HE +3 +3 +1 -1 +3 +1 -4
LAG-10/Flechette as LAG/flechette
Gauss LAG +4/+7 +4/+7 +3/+6 +2/+4 +4/+7 +3/+7 +1/+3
Heavy Machinegun +5 +5 +5 +3 +5 +4 +1
AHMG/Slug as heavy machinegun
AHMG/DS +5 +5 +5 +4 +5 +5 +3
ALMG/DS +7 +7 +3 0 +7 +6 0
ALMG/HE +6 +6 +2 -1 +6 +5 -2
AGAT/DS +7 +7 +5 +2 +7 +7 +1
AGAT/HE +7 +7 +4 +1 +7 +6 -1
Gauss LMG +7 +7 +6 +4 +7 +7 +1
LRF Gauss Gun +7 +7 +7 +6 +7 +7 +4
Classic Traveller Range Matrix
Weapon Close Short Medium Long Very Long Wound Inflicted
Light Autopistol (Light Revolver) +2 +2 (+1) -5 (-6) no no 2D
(Magnum Revolver) as revolver 3D
Magnum Autopistol as auto pistol
Snubmachinegun/HE (/HEAP [/Tranq]) No (-4) +3 -1 -7 no 5D ([variable])
Light Rifle (Light Autorifle) -3 +2 (+1) -1 (+1) -4 (-2) no 2D
Camp Carbine as carbine
Magnum Carbine -4 +1 -2 -3 -4 3D
Snub Carbine/HE (/HEAP [/Tranq]) No (-4) +1 -4 -6 no 4D ([variable])
Antitank Rifle as LAG/DS 4D
LAG-10/DS (/HE [/Flechette]) -8 (-4) 0 (+1) +2 (+1 [+3]) +2 (0 [+3]) -1 ([0]) 5D (4D [2D])
Gauss LAG -8/-8 0/0 +1/+3 +2/+4 0/+1 6D
Heavy Machinegun no no +3 +3 +1 4D
AHMG/Slug (/DS) no no +4 +3 (+4) +1 (+2) 5D (6D)
ALMG/DS (/HE) no -6 +4 (+3) +3 (+2) +2 (+1) 3D (4D)
AGAT/DS (/HE) no no +8 (+7) +5 (+4) +2 (+1) 3D (4D)
Gauss LMG no -5 +4 +3 +2 4D
LRF Gauss Gun no no +4 +4 +2 8D
MegaTraveller Table I: Personal Slug Throwers
Weapon Ammo Notes Rds Pen/Atten Dmg Max Range Autofire Targets Signature Recoil
Light Autopistol - 12 0/- 3 Medium - Low Low
Magnum Autopistol - 8 3/2 3 Long - Med Med/R
Snubmachinegun (10mm) HE 40 1/- 4 Long 2 Hi Med/R
HEAP   6/- 4
tranq   1/- 1
gas   - 1
Light “Plinker” Rifle - 10 1/2 3 Long - Low Low/R
Light Automatic Rifle - 100 1/2 3 Long 3 Med Low/R
Camp Carbine - 15 2/2 3 VLong - Med Low/R
Magnum Camp Carbine - 8 3/2 3 VLong - Med Med/R
Snub Carbine (10mm) HE 20 1/- 4 Long - Med Low/R
HEAP   6/- 4
tranq   1/- 1
gas   - 1
Antitank Rifle - 5 6/3 3 VLong - Hi Hi
Light Assault Gun-10 HE 10 4/- 4 VLong - Med Hi
KEAP   10/3 4 VLong
flech   3/3 2 Long
Gauss Light Assault Gun-13 - 40 14/4 6 Dist 3 Low Med

The Light Autopistol, Magnum Autopistol, and Snubmachinegun all use Handgun skill and difficulty. The Light Rifles, Camp Carbines, Snub Carbine, and Antitank Rifle use Rifle skill and difficulty; the Light Assault Guns use Rifle skill and difficulty and are gyrostabilized.

MegaTraveller Table II: Crew-served Slug Throwers
Weapon Ammo Notes Rds Pen/Atten Dmg Max Range Autofire Targets Signature Recoil
Heavy Machinegun-9 (15mm) - 100 9/3 4 VLong 2 Hi Hi
DS 12/3 4
Light Machinegun-10 (7mm) - 100 3/3 3 VLong 2 Hi Med
DS 4/3 3
tranq 2/- 1
Light Machinegun-10 (9mm) - 100 4/3 3 VLong 2 Hi Med
DS 6/3 3
HE 3/3 4
tranq 2/- 1
7mm Gatling Gun-10 - 5000 3/3 3 VLong 3 Med/R* Hi
DS 4/3 3
tranq 2/- 1
9mm Gatling Gun-10 - 5000 4/3 3 VLong 2 Med/R* Hi
DS 6/3 3
HE 3/3 4
tranq 2/- 1
Gauss LMG (4mm) - 200 8/4 3 Distant 3 Low/R* Low
tranq 2/- 1
LRF Gauss Gun (4mm) - 200 21/4 10 VDist 2 Low Med

All these crew-served weapons have difficulty as Rifle; all except the Heavy Machinegun-9 are gyro-stabilized.

Striker Table III: Individual Weapons - Slug Throwers
TL Weapon Magazine Effective Long Extreme Targets Mass (Weapon/ Ammo) Price (Weapon/ Ammo)
6 5mm Light Autopistol 12 C(0) 1(0) 5(0) 1 500/100 150/5
6 5mm Light Rifle 10 5(0) 10(0) 15(0) 1 2500/100 150/5
6 9mm Camp Carbine 15 5(1) 10(0) 20(0) 1 3000/250 350/10
6 13mm Antitank Rifle 5 35(6) 70(5) 100(3) 1 7500/500 1000/15
7 9mm Magnum Autopistol 8 1(3) 4(1) 9(0) 1 1000/400 400/15
7 9mm Magnum Carbine 8 10(3) 20(1) 30(0) 1 3500/400 500/15
8 5mm Light Auto Rifle 100 5(0)+3 10(0)+2 15(0)+1 2 2500/500 300/50
10 10mm Snubmachinegun 40 HE 2(1)+4 4(1)+3 8(1)+1 2 2000/250 350/60
40 HEAP 2(6)+4 4(6)+3 8(6)+1 2 2000/250 350/60
10 10mm Snub Carbine 20 HE 10(1) 20(1) 30(1) 1 3000/100 400/30
20 HEAP 10(6) 20(6) 30(6) 1 3000/100 400/30
10 20mm LAG-10 10 HE 20(4) 40(4) 60(4) 1 4500/1000 1200/40
10 KEAP 25(10) 50(8) 75(6) 1 4500/1000 1200/40
10 flech 10(3)+2 20(2)+1 - 1 4500/1000 1200/80
13 4mm Gauss LAG 40 60(14)+3 120(14)+2 180(7)+1 1/2 14000/1500 6000/150

The Antitank Rifle and LAG-10 are high-recoil weapons; the LAG’s HE round has a burst size of zero and a fragmentation penetration of 1. The Gauss LAG is not a high-recoil weapon.

Striker Table IV: Crew-served Weapons - Slug Throwers
TL Weapon Shots Effective Long Extreme Targets Setup Signature Mass (Weapon/ Ammo) Price (Weapon/ Ammo)
9 15mm AHMG 100 slugs 50(9)+3 100(6)+2 150(3)+1 4 4 +2 25/15 4000/300

4000/450

100 DS 75(12)+3 150(6)+2 -
10 7mm ALMG 100 slugs 35(3)+4 70(2)+3 100(1)+2 2 0 +2 5/2 2500/100
100 DS 50(4)+4 100(3)+3 -
10 7mm AGAT 5000 slugs 40(3)+8 80(2)+6 120(1)+3 16 4 +5 80/100 30000/100
5000 DS 60(4)+8 120(3)+6 -
10 9mm ALMG 100 slugs 35(4)+4 70(3)+3 100(2)+2 2 0 +2 6/2.5 3000/75
100 DS 50(6)+4 100(3)+3 - 3000/125
100 HE 35(3)+4 70(3)+3 100(3)+2 3000/100
10 9mm AGAT 5000 slugs 40(4)+8 80(3)+6 120(2)+3 16 0 +5 120/125 35000/3750
5000 DS 60(6)+8 120(3)+6 - 35000/6250
5000 HE 40(3)+8 80(3)+6 120(3)+3 35000/5000
12 4mm Gauss LMG 200 75(8)+5 150(4)+4 - 8 0 +1 5/2 4500/200
13 LRF Gauss Gun 200 150(21)+4 300(19)+3 450(17)+1 8 4 +2 50/20 15000/2000
14 Grav Harness for LRF Gauss Gun             - 10 60000

The number of targets is for a weapon fired from a tripod, vehicle, or other fixed mount. A carried weapon can engage only two targets.

Crew: All the above weapons have a crew of 2 if carried or towed, 1 if vehicle-mounted. All may be used as individual weapons by troops in Battle Dress except the LRF Gauss Gun, which requires a grav harness and is used as a light support weapon.

Type: ALMG and Gauss LMG are infantry weapons; ALMG is a high-recoil infantry weapon; AGAT and LRF Gauss Gun are light crew-served weapons.

Grav Harness for LRF Gauss Gun: With the grav harness, a loaded LRF Gauss Gun weighs about 80 kg. When the gravitic field is on, the apparent weight is cut to 8 kg. The harness has a duration of 24 hours continuous use and a maximum load compensation of 100 kg, enough for an LRF Gauss Gun with two magazines.

T20 Available Weapons
  Cost TL Weight ROF Range DMG (crit) Size Recoil Rnds Wt Cost
Handguns
(Light Revolver) Cr100 6 300g 1 15m 1d6 (x2) Sm No 6 50g Cr3
Light Autopistol Cr150 6 500g 1 20m 1d6 (x2) Sm No 12 100g Cr5
(Magnum Revolver) Cr300 6 1200g 1 30m 1d12 (x2) Sm Yes! 6 120g Cr8
Magnum Autopistol Cr1000 7 400g 1 45m 1d12 (x2) Sm Yes! 8 400g Cr15
Rifles
Light "Plinker" Rifle Cr150 6 2500g 1 45m 1d6 (x2) Med No 12 100g Cr5
Camp Carbine Cr350 7 3000g 1 45m 1d10 (x2) Med Yes 15 250g Cr10
Magnum Camp Carbine Cr500 7 3500g 1 50m 1d12 (x2) Med Yes 8 400g Cr15
Light Auto Rifle Cr300 8 2500g 1/10 45m 1d6 (x2) Med No 100 500g Cr50
Snub Carbine* Cr400 10 3000g 1 40m 1d10 (x2) Med No 20 250g Cr30
Machine Guns
(HMG) Cr3000 6 15kg 0/10 90m 1d12+2 (x2) VLg Yes! 100 10kg Cr250
(Gatling MG) KCr15.5 7 100kg 0/100 60m 1d12 (x2) VLg Yes! 2500 62kg Cr3000
AHMG Cr4000 9 25kg 0/10 120m 2d12+2 (x2) VLg Yes! 100 15kg Cr450
SnubMG* Cr350 10 2000g 1/4 40m 1d10 (x2) Sm Yes 40 500g Cr60
ALMG Cr3000 10 6000g 0/10 75m 1d12+2 (x2) Lg Yes 100 2500g Cr125
AGAT KCr35 10 120kg 0/100 75m 1d12+2 (x2) VLg Yes! 5000 125kg Cr6250
Gauss LMG Cr4500 12 5000g 0/10 90m 2d12 (x2) Med Yes 200 2000g Cr200
LRF Gauss Gun KCr15 13 50kg 0/10 180m as VRFGG VLg Yes! 200 20kg Cr2000
Support Weapons
13mm Anti-tank Rifle Cr1000 6 7.5kg 1 75m 1d12+2 (x2) Lg Yes! 5 500g Cr15
LAG-10*** Cr1200 10 4500g 1 100m 3d10 (x2) Lg Yes 10 1000g Cr40
Gauss LAG Cr6000 13 14kg 1 120m 3d12 (x2) Lg Yes 20 2000g Cr200

All weapons in this table are of Type: Piercing
(): Not covered in article; from Striker & MegaTraveller.