Particle Weapons

CLASSIFIED DOCUMENT

MILITARY FIELD AND TECHNICAL MANUAL

PARTICLE BEAM WEAPONS (PBW)

OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE

SECTION 1: INTRODUCTION

1.1 Purpose: This manual provides guidance on the operation, maintenance, and safety procedures for Particle Beam Weapons (PBW).

SECTION 2: WEAPON OVERVIEW

2.1 Description: The PBW uses a gravity beam to launch a cloud of atomic particles shaved from an ammunition core, delivering a high-energy blast.

2.2 Capabilities: Anti-vehicle, high-yield damage.

SECTION 3: OPERATION

3.1 Safety Precautions:

Familiarize yourself with the backblast direction (over shoulder or side ejection).

Ensure squad safety.

3.2 Firing Procedure:

Charge Quantum-Matrix Battery (check charge level).

Insert fuel block (1 kg, 1000 blasts).

Aim and fire.

SECTION 4: MAINTENANCE

4.1 Cleaning:

Regularly clean the weapon to prevent particle buildup.

4.2 Quantum-Matrix Battery:

Check charge level before each mission.

Replace when necessary.

4.3 Fuel Block:

Check level of decay (replace at 50% or between missions).

Weight: 1 kg.

SECTION 5: SAFETY PROTOCOLS

5.1 Backblast Awareness:

Know your model's backblast direction.

5.2 Squad Safety:

Ensure clear surroundings.

SECTION 6: TROUBLESHOOTING

6.1 Common Issues:

Low battery charge.

Fuel block decay.

Particle buildup.

SECTION 7: REFERENCES

7.1 Vanguard Dynamics Recommendations:

Replace fuel block between missions at 50% decay.

CLASSIFICATION: RESTRICTED

Blasters

Particle beams use a gravity pressor to 'shave' off a slice of a fuel block made of graphene. Layers are caught up in the gravity beam and launched at Newtonian speeds towards a target, making up for the near total lack of mass with incredible acceleration. The resulting force not only does damage, but causes some of the carbon atoms to shatter, resulting in radiation damage and electron surges that can play havoc with a target's electronics.

Anti-Tank In Your Hands

Particle Weapons are primarily designed for use against tanks, heavy robots, Cataphract mechs, and armored vehicles. They aren't useless for, say, clearing buildings or trenches, but using them on a human body is a lot like using a pistol to kill beetles. They're also usually unwieldy and are unsafe to fire without some sort of radiation shielding, as there is some 'backsplash' with every shot. The outfit that uses them most often, the Astro Landing Force, typically issues one to a squad and that one will wear the heaviest battlesuit to avoid radiation damage.

Fuel and Ammunition

The weapon has two axes of supply: a battery and a graphene fuel block. Both are depleted by firing the weapon. Most operators prefer to swap out both between missions regardless of whether they've been largely depleted or damaged. Fortunately, the fuel block is easily constructed at any fabricator.

A Military Weapon for Military Use

Particle Weapons are a "weapon of war" according to PSC society and laws. Walking down the street with one will attract attention, for better or worse. The only two gigacorporations that have license to manufacture Particle Beam Weapons are Vanguard Dynamics and Celestial Securities, though AstraTech Industries has challenged VD for access to a contract. So far, roughly 8000 people have died in this conflict and there is yet to be a clear winner.

Particle Beam Tables

BEAM WEAPONS (PISTOL) (DX-4, other Beam Weapons-4, or Guns (Pistol)-4)

Manufacturer(s)	Name	Damage	Acc	Range	Weight	RoF	Shots	ST	Bulk	Rcl	Cost	BC	LC	Notes
CS, VD	Blaster Pistol	3d(6) corr sur rad	5	300/900	1.6/2	1	7(4)	4	-3	2	$2,200	F	1	††
VD	Heavy Blaster Pistol	4d(6) corr sur rad	5	500/1,500	3,3/2	2	8(4)	6	-7	3	$5,600	F	1	†
CS	Holdout Blaster	2d(6) corr sur rad	3	130/500	0.35/2	1	6(4)	3	-2	2	$600	C	2	††

†: This weapon has a radioactive 'backsplash' that deals 50% of its radiation damage to the wielder.

††: This weapon has all the shielding stripped away, and the shooter receives the full Rad exposure

BEAM WEAPONS (RIFLE) (DX-4, other Beam Weapons-4, or Guns(Rifle)-4)

Manufacturer(s)	Name	Damage	Acc	Range	Weight	RoF	Shots	ST	Bulk	Rcl	Cost	BC	LC	Notes
VD	Blaster Carbine	5d(6) corr sur rad	10+1	500/1,500	5.6/2	2	10(6)	5	-3	3	$9,200	F	1	†
VD, CS	Blaster Rifle	6d(6) corr sur rad	10+2	700/2,100	10/2	1	8(6)	7	-4	4	$18,000	G	1	†
VD	Heavy Blaster	8d(6) corr sur rad	10+4	1,200/3,600	20/2	1	15(6)	10	-6	5	$40,000	H	0	*

†: This weapon has a radioactive 'backsplash' that deals 50% of its radiation damage to the wielder.

*: This weapon has a radioactive 'backsplash' that deals 1 radiation damage to the wielder per shot.

Gunner (Beams) (DX-4 or other Gunner-4)

Manufacturer(s)	Name	Damage	Acc	Range	Weight	RoF	Shots	ST	Bulk	Rcl	Cost	BC	LC	Notes
VD	Blaster Cannon	5dx10(6) corr sur rad	15	30,000/90,000	4,000/10Fp	1	60	160M	-10	10	$2,000,000	K	0+M	*
VD	Heavy Blaster Cannon	5dx20(6) corr sur rad	15	120,000/360,000	4,000/10Fp	1	20	160M	-10	10	$2,500,000	K	0+M	*
VD, CS	Semi-Portable Blaster	6dx2(6) corr sur rad	15	2,800/8,400	70/Ep	3	80	18M	-8	10	$140,000	I	0+M	*

*: This weapon has a radioactive 'backsplash' that deals 1 radiation damage to the wielder per shot.

Mods

Barrel / Accelerator Mods

Determines beam cohesion, acceleration, and length of the firing tube.

Extended Coil Rail – +20% range, but increases weight and makes concealment basically impossible. Cost: $2,500.

Rapid-Cycle Accelerator – +1 to RoF, but doubles battery drain. Cost: $3,300.

Reinforced Graphene Sheath – Reduces chance of radiation backsplash harming the user by 2, but adds +50% bulk. Cost: $4,500.

Quantum Tune Chamber – Allows for beam frequency manipulation to bypass certain shields (ignore 2 DR on energy shields). Cost: $5,000.

Pressor Lens Mods

Affects the precision and control of the gravity beam.

Tuned Vortex Array – +1 to hit stationary or slow targets; -1 to hit fast/agile targets. Cost: $3,000.

Heavy Lens Focusing Ring – Increases armor penetration by 2 (to 8), but reduces max range to 50%. Cost: $9,400.

Dual-Pulse Splitter – Fires two thin beams simultaneously (can target two closely grouped enemies halves damage per beam. Cost: $2,200.

Capacitor Mods

Manages energy flow; affects charge rate, shot pacing, and discharge behavior.

Pulse Discharge Pack – Boosts single-shot damage by +2, but weapon must cool for 1 turn afterward. Cost: $8,000.

Auto-Regulator Cap – Reduces risk of capacitor blowout on critical failures (+2 to health rolls). Cost: $6,000.

Superconductor Braid – Faster recharge rate between shots. +1 to FP per round. Cost: $7,600.

Ripple Stack Modulator – Adds 1d Radiation damage on critical hits to robots or vehicles only. Cost: $2,300.

Trigger Mods

Determines safety, burst timing, and firing options.

Hairline Electroseer – Shoots as soon as you're even thinking about pulling the trigger (+1 Fast Draw rolls), but increases chance of accidental discharge. Cost: $3,300.

Smartburst Logic Trigger – Can switch between burst, semi-auto, or full-auto, adds +1 to the difficulty to repair the weapon as a whole. Cost: $5,000.

Failsafe Deadman Grip – Weapon shuts down when not being gripped by registered user. Cost: $250.

Fuel Block Slot Mods

Affects graphene feed quality, versatility, and field-swapping.

Multi-Feed Adapter – Accepts alternate fuel types including unstable isotopes for exotic damage types (see alternate fuel blocks, below). Cost: $10,000.

Quick-Swap Rack – Halves time to reload fuel blocks. Cost: $600.

Vibration-Stabilized Tray – Prevents fuel misfeeds on crit fail or rough handling. Cost: $2,000.

Recycling Scaffold – Has a 1-in-6 chance to not consume significant fuel on each shot. Cost: $2,500.

Sight Mods

Targeting, visibility, and battlefield awareness.

Radiation Compensation Optics – Adjusts for electronic interference and visual noise caused by particle splash. Cost: $2,000.

Multi-Spectrum Scope – Sees in thermal, night vision, and anti-stealth spectrum. Cost: $800.

"Blue Fire" Reticle – Offers real-time predictive targeting versus moving armor (+1 to hit mechs or vehicles). Cost: $1,200.

Gadget Mods

Additional perks, utilities, and weird stuff bolted on.

Radiation Sink Harness – Vents backsplash through ground or armor, reducing rad damage from firing by 50%. Cost: $8,000.

IFF Coder Chip – Allows you to designate members of your squad, disabling your trigger when risking collateral damage to them. Cost: $2,300.

Corpse Scanner – Autotags corpses struck with the weapon for easy follow-up salvage or forensic tracking. Cost: $6,000.

Alternate Fuel Blocks

Block	Beam	Effect	LC	Cost (per block)	Notes
Black Phosphorus	Pale blue-green	+2 damage from electrical attacks for 1d6 rounds	2	$30	Conductive residue sticks to target; excellent for disabling electronics
Hexagonal Boron Nitride	Cool violet-white	Flashburn effect; nearby targets must roll HT or be blinded (1d3 turns)	3	$10	“White graphene” variant; intense flash makes it popular in breach operations
Molybdenum Disulfide	Yellow-gold flicker	Creates slick residue; DX check or fall prone on affected surfaces	3	$13	Leaves behind a nano-lubricant field; terrain hazard in tight quarters
Tungsten Dichalcogenide	Deep crimson, black sparks	Targets suffer +1 kinetic damage due to armor destabilization	1	$25	Popular with ambushers; molecular slicing weakens structures post-hit
MXene Composite	Silver-white with static arcs	Ignores 3 DR from energy-based armor	0	$40	Highly illegal; shreds EM shielding and overloads capacitive defenses
Silicene	Soft amber, green fringing	-1 DR to synthetics/robots for rest of the encounter	2	$30	Messes with synthetic outer layers; good for anti-mech or drone work
Germanene	Neon blue, chaotic flickers	Targets make Will roll or suffer -2 DX and IQ for 1d6 turns	1	$32	Disrupts neuroelectric activity; painful to organics, disorienting to cybernetics
Arsenene	Sickly green and black	Leaves irradiated zone for 1d6 hours	0	$44	Banned on all major worlds; lingering radiation hazard and ecological risk
Stanene	Ice white, violet streaks	Target suffers molecular cold effect; -2 HT vs cryo/freeze follow-up	2	$10	Induces cold shock at the atomic level; situational but terrifying with combo weapons
Tellurene	Dull purple with orange sputter	AI/smart systems roll HT or suffer -2 to all skill rolls for 1 hour	1	$38	Software disruptor beam; feared by synths and hated by anyone using combat assist AI
Redsoaked Carbon	Deep Carmine with a vantablack core	If the target survives, RAIs are attracted to them for 1d days. If not, then corpse possession is possible.	nil	$120	Another favorite of the Hellfire Cabal. The so-called "Red Broker" is often credited with their creation and dissemination.

Children Technologies

• Particle Ripper Technology

Related Items

• Gravitationally Excited Barium Accelerator

Critical Tables

Critical Hit Table

Roll	Effect
4	Molecular Cascade: The impact initiates a spontaneous breakdown of nearby matter. The target and all gear in the impact zone take +2d burning damage as atoms destabilize. Organic material may be flash-carbonized.
5, 6	Feedback Arc: The beam ignites latent electromagnetic energy in the area. All powered gear (weapons, HUDs, implants) must roll HT or malfunction (roll on Malfunction Table). Synthetic beings take +1d radiation damage.
7, 8	Core Meltdown: If the target has any kind of battery, reactor, or power cell, it must roll a HT or it explodes violently. Deal 2d(5) burn + surge to the target and any adjacent units.
9, 10	Bone to Ash: The beam overpenetrates with such intensity that part of the target’s skeleton or structure sublimates instantly. Limb hit? It’s gone. Torso? The target must roll HT or be paralyzed or collapse in shock.
11, 12, 13	Normal Hit
14, 15	Afterglow: The hit leaves a radioactive burn zone. Anyone (including the shooter) staying within 2 yards of the impact site takes 1 HP of radiation damage per minute for the next hour unless shielded.
16, 17	Chain Detonation: The beam triggers a chain reaction with something inside the target — ammo, compressed gas, implants. Deal +2d explosion damage to the target and 1 yard radius.
18	Neural Shear: Organic targets roll HT-4 or suffer brain disruption: unconscious for 1d minutes, stunned for 1d minutes after waking, and -2 IQ for the rest of the scene. Cybernetics go haywire, possibly seizing up.

Critical Miss Table

Roll	Effect
4	Partial Discharge: The pressor lens stutters, releasing a weak pulse that arcs backward. The user takes 1d(2) burn + surge damage and is momentarily blinded (HT roll to resist).
5,6	Radiation Splash: A containment hiccup causes localized radiation leakage. The user and anyone within 1 yard must roll HT or take 1 HP of radiation damage per second for the next 1d6 seconds.
7,8	Fuel Block Fragmentation: The graphene block fractures unevenly during shaving, jamming the feed mechanism. The weapon is unusable until repaired (Armory roll, 1d6 minutes) and produces a cloud of conductive flakes that scramble electronics in a 2-yard radius (roll HT or suffer glitches).
9, 10	Overdraw: The capacitor pulls too much power, burning out internal circuits. The weapon is completely offline for 10 minutes or until a successful Electronics Operation (Weapons) roll is made.
11, 12, 13	Normal Miss
14, 15	Backblast Surge: A misaligned shot releases a dangerous feedback pulse behind the shooter. The user and anyone directly behind them take 1d(5) burn + surge, and any electronic devices on their person must roll for malfunction.
16, 17	Magnetic Slingshot Misfire: The beam arcs wildly off-course, hitting a random object within 10 yards — possibly an ally, a fuel tank, or a friendly drone. GM chooses something inconvenient.
18	Flash Vent: Emergency venting ports open to release heat — but you're standing in the wrong spot. The user is blasted with superheated gas and carbon vapor, taking 2d burning damage and becoming disoriented (Vision -4) for 1d turns.