Martian Weapons

So, to continue with my example setting planning, let's look at some Martian weapons.  (Again, this may not become a full setting, but it helps me thing about and explain issues of list design and balance.)

The Death Ray

Like most Martian technology, the Death Ray was originally an Ancient Device, but is now known among all Martian civilizations.

The Death Ray is a directed energy weapon which targets a living being's nervous system and internal organs, bypassing skin, muscle, and bone. When fired, the barrel discharges a flash of light and a crackle of electricity.  A similar, larger, nimbus often manifests at the point of impact, haloing the target creature.  Because it does not deliver a projectile or kinetic energy, the Death Ray often leaves no entry or exit wound.  However, the transfer of energy to internal tissue sometimes results in thermal overflow.  A creature hit by a Death Ray may thus appear cooked, steamed or split from within, particularly if struck by one of the larger versions of the weapon.

Name	Range	RoF	Type	Mas	AP	HE	AT
Death Ray Carbine	24”	2	Man	0	0	0	0
Death Projector	24”	10	Light	01	1	0	0
Death Ray Cannon	36”	2	Heavy	2	2	0	0

The Heat Beam

Burrrrrn!

The Heat Beam is the signature Ancients' weapon, typically mounted on their vehicles. A directed energy weapon, the Beam produces either a wide area effect "arc" or a tightly concentrated "lance."  The area setting rapidly increases the temperature of any target in the zone.  The first sign of its effect is a shimmer int eh ear, followed by flash ignition of cloth, hair, and vegetation.  After several seconds, flesh wood and plastic will burn or melt.  Particularly intense sweeps may result in firestorms or concussive effects as the air heats too rapidly  The "lance" setting burns through armor.  The power requirements of the Heat Beam largely confine its use to Ancient vehicles, but in some cases a light Heat Beam may be mounted on a carriage for use by infantry.

Name	Range	RoF	Type	Mas	AP	HE	AT
Heat Beam Projector (Arc)	24”	10	Light	0	0	1	0
Light Heat Beam (Arc/Lance)	36”	10/2	Light	0	0	2/1	0/4
Medium Heat Beam (Arc/Lance)	48”	10/2	Heavy (Vehicle Only)	0	0	3/1	0/5
Heavy Heat Beam (Arc/Lance)	60”	10/2	Heavy (Vehicle Only)	0	0	4/1	0/6

Magneto-javelins

Employed primarily by the Free Humans, this weapon uses magnetic rails or rings to fire a elongated metal bolt.  It offers clear advantages over chemical firearms, in terms of penetrating power, velocity and payload.  The elongated cylindrical or ovoid shape of the projectile appears necessary to properly interface with weapon's firing field -- in some cases, the rear of the projectile is discarded after launch.  Largely a specialty weapon, it excels at delivering kinetic kills to large creatures, or shaped charges to vehicular targets.  The Free Humans clearly regard it as inferior to energy weapons, and only use it when necessary to actual projectiles against reinforced targets.

Name	Range	RoF	Type	Mas	AP	HE	AT
Javelin Projector	24”	2	Man	1	1	0	0
Rapid Javelin Projector	24”	10	Light	2	2	0	0
Javelin Cannon	36”	2	Heavy	3	3	0	0
Javelin Tank Hunter	24"	2	Man	1	1	1	3

Conventional Guns

Firearms using chemical propellants remain the mainstay of Colonial technology.  Small arms remain largely bolt-action pieces, with clips of varying sizes.  A few automatic prototypes have been produced, as well as a larger number of sub-machine-guns firing pistol ammunition.  Colonial troops regularly employ machine-guns of varying calibers and portability, and rapid firing artillery and howitzers.  Mortars remain a new addition to their arsenal, as do lighter, man or vehicle portable anti-tank guns.  The Colonials mount increasingly larger guns on their vehicles, as they search for some counter to the Ancients' powerful walkers.

The Matilda II.  (Wikipedia.)

The Brutes also make use of conventional firearms.  Such pieces are almost always custom-built or built in small batches for each tribe, and rarely with a standardization of parts or ammunition.  Some are equal to Colonial technology -- others are more primitive smooth-bore or rifled musket-loading weapons.  The Brutes only occasionally manufacture larger canon or machine-guns, and then only at the specialized forges maintained by the largest tribes.  Brute weapons often have a larger calibre than Colonial ones, if only because Brutes are bigger and can hold a more massive weapon.

Colonial Firearms
 

Name	Range	RoF	Type	Mas	AP	HE	AT
Rifle	24”	2	Man	0	0	0	0
SMG	12”	6	Man	0	0	0	0
LMG	24”	10	Light	1	0	0	0
HMG	36"	10	Heavy	2	1	0	1
Mortar	48”	10	Heavy	0	0	1	0
Light Artillery (HE/AT)	72” /36”	15/2	Heavy	1/3	0/1	2/0	0/3
Light Gun (HE/AT)	36”	10/2	Heavy	0/3	0/1	2/0	0/3
Medium Gun (HE/AT)	48”	10/2	Heavy	0/4	0/2	2/0	0/4
Heavy Gun	60”	10/2	Heavy	0/5	0/3	3/0	1/5

The three gun entries (Light, Medium and Heavy) represent different carriage or turret-mounted guns.  Light covers things such as early WWII 37mm or short 75mm guns, Medium guns represents later 75mms such as those on the Sherman or Panzer III, Heavy Guns represent advanced tank hunting pieces such as the 17pdr or the German 88mm.

Brute Firearms

Name	Range	RoF	Type	Mas	AP	HE	AT
Brute Musket	24”	1	Man	1	0	0	0
Brute Rifle	24”	2	Man	1	0	0	0
Brute LMG	24”	10	Light	2	0	0	0
Light Brute Cannon (HE/AT)	36”	10/2	Heavy	0/4	0/1	2/0	0/3
Medium Brute Cannon (HE/AT)	48”	10/2	Heavy	0/5	0/2	2/0	0/4

Geek Notes 

You may notice that some of my conceptions have changed slightly since my initial Martian post.  I think the balance of weapon types and availability is quite important in defining the setting and in balancing play.  I don't want any one faction to overwhelmingly dominate another, or for one race's strength to be totally negated by an overabundance of countering weaponry.

The Death Ray in particular gave me problems.  As the staple weapon of the Free Humans and human servants of the Ancients, it will be represented in multiple factions.  At first I was going to make it Massive, but this seemed a bit unfair to the Brutes.  The Brute's guns really ought to be Massive, and so should a lot of colonial pieces.  That would give just about everybody Toughness-negating weaponry!  What's a Brute to do? So then I thought about giving Death Rays AP, but that didn't seem to fit thematically.  Eventually, I settled on just making them normal weapons, but giving the larger versions AP and Massive qualities. That puts the "basic" back into basic guns -- which are, after all, assumed to be man-lethal.

I have also endeavored to facilitate distinctive modeling of each gun type. Modelers can make a Death Ray by adding a bead or crystal to the stock of any existing gun.  Magneto-javelins can be modeled with crossbow bits, maybe with some rings added, if the modeler is feeling creative.  And there should be no lack of parts for Colonial and Brute weaponry.

Looks like Mars, don't it?  (Wikipedia)