The Stellar Armory ยท Chapter 5
Beam Weapons
Lasers and their relatives. Their damage type is Beam.
A beam has no recoil, no travel time, and no ammunition to carry. The family is Accurate more often than any other, and several entries Pierce.
| Stopped by | Reflec Coats and Deflection Screens |
| Goes through | Security Vests and most Ballistic plate |
| Weakness | Overheat, smoke, and water |
Overheat. Every beam weapon has it. If the attack generates 2 or more Bane or a Calamity, the weapon cannot be fired until an action is spent venting it. Beam weapons do not otherwise run dry.
Smoke and water. A beam weapon cannot attack through smoke. Heavy rain, dust, or steam adds 2 Bane Dice. Beam weapons do not work underwater.
The two-setting beamers are the Setting Pistol and the Setting Rifle. They stun or they kill. Nothing in this book disintegrates a target, and no weapon in it kills outright.
Skill: Light Ranged for pistols, Heavy Ranged for long guns, Gunnery for the Beam Cannon.
Holdout Laser
Finger laser, palm beamer, ring laser
4 4 Short 0
Light Ranged 350 Common Beam Accurate 1, Concealable 3, Limited Ammo 3
A single-cell laser the size of a pen. Concealable 3 and Accurate 1, with three shots in the cell. Damage 4.
Laser Pistol
Beamer, las pistol, service laser
5 3 Medium 1
Light Ranged 360 Common Beam Pierce 2, Overheat
The common laser sidearm. Damage 5, Medium range, Pierce 2. Like every beam weapon it has Overheat: 2 Bane or a Calamity on the attack and it must be vented with an action.
Target Laser
Duelling laser, precision beamer
6 3 Short 2
Light Ranged 650 Restricted Beam Accurate 1, Burn 1, Overheat
A heavier pistol with a long focusing chamber. Damage 6 at Short range, Accurate 1, and Burn 1 for 2 Boons.
Setting Pistol
Variable beam pistol, service beamer, peace officer's sidearm
6 3 Medium 1
Light Ranged 800 Military Beam Stun Setting, Overheat
A beam sidearm with two settings, issued to officers who are expected to bring people back.
Stun Setting: switching is free once per turn. On stun it deals Stun Damage, its range is Short, and it cannot inflict a Critical Injury. On kill it is a damage 6, Medium range pistol. There is no third setting.
Laser Carbine
Las carbine, shipboard laser
6 3 Medium 3
Heavy Ranged 700 Common Beam Accurate 1, Overheat
A short laser long gun. Damage 6 with Accurate 1 at Medium range. It has no recoil and will not ricochet, which is why crews carry it aboard.
Laser Rifle
Las rifle, line laser, beam rifle
7 3 Long 4
Heavy Ranged 900 Restricted Beam Accurate 1, Pierce 2, Overheat
The standard laser long arm. Damage 7 at Long range with Accurate 1 and Pierce 2.
Setting Rifle
Variable beam rifle, patrol beamer
8 3 Long 4
Heavy Ranged 1400 Military Beam Stun Setting, Overheat
The long-arm version of the Setting Pistol. Damage 8 at Long range on kill; Stun Damage at Short range on stun.
Pulse Laser
Repeater, pulse rifle, rapid laser
6 3 Medium 4
Heavy Ranged 1100 Military Beam Auto-Fire, Overheat
A laser that fires a rapid train of pulses. Damage 6 with Auto-Fire. Auto-Fire's Trial Die makes Overheat more likely, and that is the price of the weapon.
Lance Rifle
Long lance, marksman laser, sniper beamer
8 2 Extreme 5
Heavy Ranged 1800 Military Beam Accurate 2, Pierce 2, Cumbersome 2, Prepare 1, Slow-Firing 1
A long-chambered precision laser. Damage 8, Crit 2, Extreme range, Accurate 2, Pierce 2. It needs Might 2, a maneuver to set up, and a round to cool between shots.
Beam Cannon
Heavy laser, support beamer, lascannon
9 3 Long 7
Gunnery 3000 Military Beam Pierce 4, Breach 2, Cumbersome 3, Overheat
A crew-portable laser with a backpack power cell. Damage 9 and Pierce 4 at Long range. It needs Might 3 and Encumbrance 7 covers the cell.