Build:Ballistic Weapons
9.2 Ballistic Weapons
To construct a ballistic weapon, a ship must have three things: the type of weapon itself (and the quantity installed), which determines its projectile and launching mechanism; the ship's targeting system; and its arc of fire. Ammunition storage must be purchased separately.
Each ballistic weapon type has its own range, specified in its weapon entry. Ballistic projectiles follow a direct unguided trajectory after firing unless the weapon’s description states otherwise. For every 100 kilometers beyond the weapon’s Long range, increase the Difficulty to hit the target by +10%. A ship may purchase improved ballistic fire control to negate this penalty at a cost of 3 SUs per +10% penalty negated, to a maximum of +30% negated for 9 SUs. This improvement extends effective targeting range; it does not increase the projectile’s maximum physical range.
9.2.1 Railguns
Cost: Varies (see table)
Power Requirement: Varies (see table)
Buy each barrel as a separate emplacement. Its listed SU includes the accelerator, feed mechanism, and local fire-control hardware; it does not include ammunition or a shipwide targeting system.
Power is only used when firing, not for every round in which the weapon sits ready. A light gun firing twice pays 4 Power and expends two rounds. A heavy gun cannot fire in consecutive rounds, even if extra Power is available.
- Magazine: 1 SU holds 20 light rounds, 10 medium rounds, or 5 heavy rounds. Specify the ammunition type when purchasing the magazine; mixed magazines split capacity proportionally.
- Reloading: A magazine feeds only its designated emplacement unless you buy a shared feed system for +2 SU per additional gun served.
- Mounting: A wider-arc turret costs +50% launcher SU, rounded up, and doubles the listed arc to a maximum of 120°. This does not improve range or accuracy.
- Targeting: Use the ship’s TA/T/T bonus.
| Mount | Launcher SU | Power per shot | Damage per hit | Shots per round | Nominal firing arc |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Light rail gun | 4 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 60° |
| Medium rail gun | 8 | 4 | 8 | 1 | 45° |
| Heavy rail gun | 14 | 8 | 12 | 1 every 2 rounds | 30° |
9.2.1.1 Firing and impact
Apply the following Crew Skill Test difficulty for each attack by a railgun. Each railgun shot is a separate attack, including each shot from a light gun when fired twice per round. The more massive shells have lower muzzle velocities; a longer flight time makes an unguided shot more vulnerable to unexpected target motion.
| Mount | Short | Medium | Long | Beyond Long |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Light | Simple | Routine | Challenging | Difficult |
| Medium | Routine | Routine | Difficult | Extreme |
| Heavy | Routine | Challenging | Difficult | Extreme |
On a hit, apply the listed damage using Spacedock’s normal damage procedure, with these ballistic-specific modifiers:
- Unshielded target: Full damage. If the hit penetrates the hull under your normal damage rules, apply the usual internal-damage/critical procedure; do not award a free critical merely because the weapon is ballistic.
- Shielded target: Quarter damage, rounded up, against the shield. No damage passes through an intact shield unless another rule explicitly allows it.
- Armor: Apply armor normally after determining whether the shot reaches the hull. Do not grant rail guns inherent armor penetration.