Starship Troopers: Skinny Weapons

# **Skinny Weapons**

## **Boneshard Pistol**

The origin of the tiny poisoned needles fired by these weapons is unknown, but a detailed analysis of a captured weapon found them to be made of a substance very similar to Skinny bones. It is believed that this ammunition is organically created and impregnated with the toxin they deliver during this process.

These weapons are extremely effective at both penetrating armor of any thickness short of vehicle plating and delivering their toxic payload into their victims. Boneshards, which dissolve on contact, force a target to make a Strength check (Difficulty 16). Failure causes spasms in the ocular organs of the body. This induces temporary blindness for 1D+2 rounds, after which time the muscular disruptions stop and the victim can see again.

**Game Notes**:

* Any armor (natural or manufactured) that provides a physical resistance bonus of +2D+1 or greater is immune to the Boenshard Pistol and its effects.

## **Boneshard Rifle**

Generating considerably more force and thus bearing an improved ability to penetrate armor and flesh, these weapons are otherwise identical in concept and function to their pistol counterparts. A longer barrel and two additional conductor nodes provide the motive energy needed to fire boneshards over a greater distance with surprising accuracy and effectiveness. The munitions are the same size and thus their toxin is no more effective, but they can deal passable damage on their own. While these weapons could possibly be used to kill, Skinnies seem fully aware of this fact and never use more then two or three shards on any given target.

Boneshards, which dissolve on contact, force a target to make a Strength check (Difficulty 16). Failure causes spasms in the ocular organs of the body. This induces temporary blindness for 1D+2 rounds, after which time the muscular disruptions stop and the victim can see again

**Game Notes**:

* Any armor (natural or manufactured) that provides a physical resistance bonus of +2D+1 or greater is immune to the Boenshard Pistol and its effects.

## **Constrictor Pistol**

The most common weapon used by the Skinnies, these are also the most unique and effective for live capture as they both incapacitate and prepare a target for capture all in the same strike. Constrictors work by hurling a mass of cyanoacrylate-like chemical at a target. The subject of the attack must be 3 meters tall or smaller; anything larger cannot be affected successfully and the mass simply dries to them ineffectually. If the target is valid, it gets an initial Dodge check (Difficulty 19) to avoid the majority of the chemical stream and only suffers the normal 1D points of nonlethal impact damage.

A failed Dodge check causes the mass to envelope the target and constrict. This pressure is painful but causes 1D nonlethal points of damage plus one point of nonlethal damage each round thereafter. It also renders the target helpless until he either breaks free or the constrictor mass is cut away from him by dealing 15 points of damage to the mass or by tearing through sheer strength; the latter deals damage equal to a character’s Strength.

Breaking free requires a Strength check (Difficulty 20). The check is allowed once each round starting with the round after immobilization. If this checks fails, the victim takes one point of additional lethal damage. This damage is from internal straining or bone breakage.

Once a victim is reduced to zero hit points, a constrictor mass causes one hit point of lethal damage each subsequent round and prevents the subject from stabilizing. Even medical attention will not stabilize a target while a constrictor is still affecting him. The fluid expelled by a constrictor is not flammable or vulnerable to acid; only physical force or a special chemical solvent can affect it.

## **Constrictor Rifle**

The most common weapon used by the Skinnies, these are also the most unique and effective for live capture as they both incapacitate and prepare a target for capture all in the same strike. Constrictors work by hurling a mass of cyanoacrylate-like chemical at a target. The subject of the attack must be 3 meters tall or smaller; anything larger cannot be affected successfully and the mass simply dries to them ineffectually. If the target is valid, it gets an initial Dodge check (Difficulty 19) to avoid the majority of the chemical stream and only suffers the normal 1D points of nonlethal impact damage.

A failed Dodge check causes the mass to envelope the target and constrict. This pressure is painful but causes 1D nonlethal points of damage plus one point of nonlethal damage each round thereafter. It also renders the target helpless until he either breaks free or the constrictor mass is cut away from him by dealing 15 points of damage to the mass or by tearing through sheer strength; the latter deals damage equal to a character’s Strength.

Breaking free requires a Strength check (Difficulty 20). The check is allowed once each round starting with the round after immobilization. If this checks fails, the victim takes one point of additional lethal damage. This damage is from internal straining or bone breakage.

Once a victim is reduced to zero hit points, a constrictor mass causes one hit point of lethal damage each subsequent round and prevents the subject from stabilizing. Even medical attention will not stabilize a target while a constrictor is still affecting him. The fluid expelled by a constrictor is not flammable or vulnerable to acid; only physical force or a special chemical solvent can affect it.

## **Grab Net**

A weapon carried by Skinny leaders to occupy and hold attackers while others neutralize their potential danger with repeated neural blasts and boneshards. By themselves, grab nets are not terribly fearsome or effective. They have to be thrown, can only affect a single target of Human size or smaller, and allow a Dodge (Difficulty 15) to avoid entirely. If this save is failed, the internal charge of the grab net clings to its target and renders them immobile and helpless for five rounds minus one round per 1D of Strength or Dexterity the target possesses. Only the higher of the two apply.

## **Grenades**

These small ovoid metal weapons are thrown weapons, though they do no damage on their own (other than as a tiny improvised weapon). Their purpose is to deliver a payload into a given area and detonate as an explosive/splash weapon. The common types of grenade used by the Skinnies are given here. It is assumed the Skinnies have other lethal forms of grenade, but these have yet to be seen on the battlefield.

* **Blind**: These munitions have a 5 meter blast radius, extending around a target in all directions. Blind grenades deliver a potent photon burst specifically tailored to shock the visual receptors of anyone in that area. The Dodge Difficulty is 18; success indicates they were able to shut their eyes and turn away from the blast of light. Failure leaves a victim suffering from blindness until he can seek out medical attention (First Aid check, Difficulty 20. Healing the effects of a blind grenade takes ten minutes).

* **Sleeper**: This grenade creates a dense smoke cloud that fills a 10 meter blast radius. This chemical cloud is impossible to see through with any form of vision. A sleeper grenade puts to sleep any target within that area failing a Strength check (Difficulty 15) for one hour; victims cannot be awakened by any means other than physical pain (one hit point or more of lethal damage). The formulation of this sleep agent can even affect targets in environmental body gloves or power suits; these well protected targets must make the same save if and only if they remain in the cloud for three consecutive rounds or more. Skinnies are immune to the effects of sleep grenades.

* **Vertigo**: An energy grenade built on the same principles as neural beamers, these generate a diffuse wave of psychic disruption with a burst radius of 10 meters. This blast’s incredible speed denies any Dodge check to avoid its effects. Anyone caught in the vertigo wave suffers a –1D+1 penalty to attack rolls and skill checks due to intense nausea and confusion for 1D+2 rounds. There is no save against this effect for the first round, but victims can make a Concentration check as a free action every subsequent round to ignore the grenade’s effect. The effects of vertigo grenades do not stack, but if a victim rolls a natural 1 on the wild die they become nauseated for the remainder of the vertigo grenade’s duration.

## **Light Neural Beamer**

An energy amplification and redirection weapon, the light neural beamer uses mental energy in an unknown process. The transfer coils at the end of the weapon collect these thought waves and project them into the minds of its wielder’s targets. These weapons are amazingly accurate at short ranges but in their compact form as pistols they cannot sustain a beam for long.

Anyone struck by a light neural beamer becomes Stunned for as many rounds as half the nonlethal damage dealt by the weapon (rounded up). If a target is hit by a neural beamer while dazed by a previous beamer strike, it must make a Strength check (Difficulty 10 + the damage done by the attack). Failure on this check causes unconsciousness lasting four hours; this comatose state is very deep and nothing short of physical damage (one hit point or more of lethal damage) can awaken the target. Success on this check avoids unconsciousness and reduces the damage done by this attack to only two points and an additional round of being dazed.

## **Neural Beamer**

A much heavier version of the light neural beamer, this model has a number of enhancements, including a greater wavelength resulting in a longer range, a larger neural capacitor for more field time before recharging and the ability to overcome the smaller weapon’s limitation on long range fire.

Anyone struck by a neural beamer becomes Stunned for as many rounds as half the nonlethal damage dealt by the weapon (rounded up). If a target is hit by a neural beamer while dazed by a previous beamer strike, it must make a Strength check (Difficulty 10 + the damage done by the attack). Failure on this check causes unconsciousness lasting four hours; this comatose state is very deep and nothing short of physical damage (one hit point or more of lethal damage) can awaken the target. Success on this check avoids unconsciousness and reduces the damage done by this attack to only two points and an additional round of being dazed.

Neural beamers also have a wider energy ray and can somewhat affect targets they technically miss. If a wielder misses a target by five or less, it still deals a single point of stun damage and dazes the target for one round. A near miss like this cannot force a dazed target to make a check against unconsciousness, however. Neural beamers that daze an opponent can still force their targets to make a Strength check if the target is subsequently struck by a direct hit from a neural weapon.

## **Powered Glove**

A conductive metal glove capable of channeling the same form of energy generated by a neural beamer, this gauntlet-like weapon acts exactly like a blast from a light neural beamer upon any successful melee attack. This form of melee attack is not common for a Skinny but when they do, it can be quite devastating to living creatures unable to withstand the shock of their neurally-charged touch.

Anyone struck by a Powered Glove becomes Stunned for as many rounds as half the damage dealt by the weapon (rounded up). If a target is hit by a Powered Glove while dazed by a previous strike, it must make a Strength check (Difficulty 10 + the damage done by the attack). Failure on this check causes unconsciousness lasting four hours; this comatose state is very deep and nothing short of physical damage (one hit point or more of lethal damage) can awaken the target. Success on this check avoids unconsciousness and reduces the damage done by this attack to only two points and an additional round of being dazed.

## **Shock Stick**

This electrokinetic prod is commonly found among Skinny raiding parties, ideal as it is for their capture and containment raids. Like the SICON equivalent, the Skinny shock stick is fully capable of frying targets with high amperages of electricity. Any target hit with a shock stick set to incapacitate must make a Strength check (Difficulty 10 plus the base damage done) or be struck unconscious and immobile for 5D rounds.

Because the tip of a shock stick is somewhat fragile, all of its damage is done by its electrical charge; Strength damage cannot be applied without immediately breaking the electrical discharge head of the weapon thereafter. A broken or unpowered shock stick can be used as a staff in close combat; it does STR+1D+1.

## **Source**

* Starship Troopers RPG Sourcebook (pages 225-229)
* thedemonapostle