From: cjudd@esk (Craig Thomas Judd)
Subject: Weapon for RIFTS or similar Palladium game...
Organization: University of Tasmania at Launceston
Date: Wed, 8 Apr 92 11:44:42 GMT

Allow me to ramble for just one moment.

My favourite and most well-developed character to date has never been played.
The GM, in a fit of creativity after purchasing the game, made characters for
everyone and never got around to the actual game.

She is an Operator <mechanic>, and is also Telemechanic. Having a real love
for the power and efficiency of weapons, she *ahem* moified a 90mm recoilless
somewhat.

1) Take a 90mm Recoilless Rifle
2) Add an ammo case to replace the breech loading system, thus allowing for
   rapid fire. (6 shots per case or so)
3) The reason rapid fire is not sustainable is because of heat. Add an extra
   Heat Sink to the side of the gun to absorb excess heat from rapid firing.
4) Wire a 40mm Grenade Launcher to the bottom of the 90mm Recoilless. Loadable
   with 3 grenades.

You now have a constant-firing 90mm Recoilless Rifle and a 40mm Grenade 
Launcher in one. Let's do some calculations.

Assuming you have enough attacks, you may:

Fire the Recoilless Rifle TWICE per round;
Fire the Grenade Launcher ONCE per round.

Assuming all these hit, the damage done (to a single target) is:

2 d10 + 1 d4 MD

Giving a maximum of 24 MD in one round.

That's 1 1/2 x as much damage as a VF-1S Veritech can do with all four Head
Lasers. Not bad, considering it's a hand-held weapon! Stuffs personnel REEAL
GOOOD!!!

She was considering adding a Flamethrower to the side...

If any RIFTS players can persuade their GM to get away with this monstrosity,
I'd be interested in hearing how it goes. However, ammo is a real problem in
the RIFTS world, so she also had a Wilts 320 Laser Pistol. And Martial Arts,
of course, which with a PP of 25 and various other skills gave her +5 to strike
and +10 to r/f with damage/impact.

If anyone's interested, her name is Ritachi. Both her parents died in a raid
(Confederation, or whatever they're called; the ones with Deadboys) on their
town. Ritachi was only three years old at the time. An Operator, Bill Work,
found her after the attack cowering under a piece of large machinery. On the
machine was, apparrently, painted the word, RITACHI, in flaked and peeling
paint. Since she had mentally blocked from her mind all events before the
attack ended (sort of selective amnesia, but very broad), she couldn't remember
her name. Bill named her Ritachi, after the machine he found her under.
Even now, she still suffers from nightmares of the attack; while she has 
blocked it from her consciousness, her subconscious will not forget.
  Bill brought her up as his own. When she was five, she started taking an
interest in Bill's machines, and would play with spare parts. When she
reaches eight years old or so, Bill starts to teach her a bit about basic
mechanics. Ever since he found her, they have been travelling from settlement
to settlement around North America.
  When she is 11, she begins to make and repair small machines, and helps Bill
with minor work. He begins to notice a special bond between her and the  
machines. At age 13, Bill realises her Telemechanic ability, and redoubles
his teaching efforts, and she takes a larger role in helping him with his
work. She learns rapidly.
  When she is 14, she gets hold of a laser pistol, and accidentally blasts
a large hole in a piece of machinery. Impressed by its power, she from now
on takes a special interest in weaponry.
  In a desolate town, Bill is killed by Confederation (?) soldiers as the
two search separately for food. Ritachi finds him, along with a small 
section of black plated armour from one of the guards. Angered, she puts the
finishing touches on her new gun and sets out into the world, intent on finding
Bill's killers and making them pay...

Personality/opinions: Generally gets along well with others, but is sometimes
impatient with them. Is NEVER impatient or angered by machines. She considers
cyborgs to be freaks - just humans pretending to be machines.

Well, hope someone found that interesting. It certainly helped me to revive
the character - I wonder if anyone's running RIFTS in Tasmania... If anyone
is, please email me!

Yours nostalgically;

 

-- 
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====\/\       "You REFUSE to drink my wine...?"  Kahm, Outlanders       /\/====
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      \/\   cjudd@esk.compserv.utas.edu.au    a.k.a. Kuro to Shiroi   /\/