Freelance Traveller

Net Guns For Mongoose Traveller

by Robert DeVoe (introduction by Jeff Zeitlin)

This article originally appeared in the November/December 2016 issue.

The desire to capture an attacking person or animal is understandable; sometimes killing the attacker is excessive, and allowing the attacker to come too close risks the defender’s safety, or results in unnecessary or undesirable injury to either the attacker or the defender. Though common, tranquilising gas, emitted by short-range grenades, may not be an option due to atmospheric conditions or risk to the user, or safe types or dosages of the tranquilising agent may not be known. Similar arguments against electrical stimulation of the target’s nervous system (’tasers’) can also be made. One common solution is the net gun. Two for Traveller are presented here.

Komachi-11 net gun (Slug Thrower/pistol skill)
Produced by Perkin Industries

Used by animal control agencies, security forces, and bounty hunters. Provides safety for the user while minimizing chancs of hand-to-hand combat.

The uniqueness of Komachi-11 is contained in the pre-loaded shell. The net is synthetic spider silk. (It is a Difficult Task using strength to break free of the net and takes a standard action) .The net is propelled using a standard nitrate charge funneled into six cylinders which contain guiding leads. The leads are aerodynamically designed to ensure the distribution of the net over a one meter area. This will effectively tangle one normal human sized creature.

Three seconds after the second stage launches the net, the active ingredients coating the net will activate making the net adhesive for 15 minutes. A contact muscle inhibitor (Endurance check at -4 DM neurotoxin that causes 2d6 temporary strength damage, wearing off after 15 minutes) is standard with all Perkin Industries net guns. The Komachi-11 is considered ineffective beyond Short range.

It should be noted any clothing will prevent the contact neurotoxin from being effective. However, security specialist have found most people don't wear gloves in casual environments.

The Komachi-11 holds two standard cartridges allowing it to be used in situations where more than one person needs to be restrained. Bar-fights can now be quickly ended. Should the owner wish to chamber one cartridge then the Komachi-11 can hold three rounds before needing to be reloaded. It is a standard action to reload.

Serengeti-7 net gun (slug thrower/shotgun skill)
Produced by Perkin Industries

Used by wildlife conservationists and zoologists to capture animals without subjecting their systems to stunning trauma. The patented two-stage cartridge gives the user greater range than a normal net gun and the fragmenting cone insures the even distribution of the capture net. As many of these professionals handle larger and more dangerous animals, the larger shell allows the synthetic spider silk net to encompass a two-meter diameter. (It is a Difficult Task using strength to break free of the net and takes a standard action). The composition and activation of the net in the Serengeti-7 matches that of the smaller cartridges of the Komachi-11. The Serengeti-7 uses a drum magazine containing 5 rounds, and its effectiveness is limited to Medium range.