Weapon Traits

Core Traits

Accurate

Some weapons are designed with precision in mind and respond superbly in skilled hands. They grant an additional bonus of +10 to the firer’s Ballistic Skill when used with an Aim Action, this is in addition to the bonus granted from Aiming. When firing a single shot from a single Basic Weapon with the Accurate quality benefiting from the Aim action, the attack gains an extra d10 of damage for every two degrees of success to a maximum of two extra d10.

Balanced

Some weapons, such as swords and knives, are designed so that the weight of the hilt balances the weight of the blade, making the weapon easier to wield. Balanced weapons grant a +10 bonus to Weapon Skill Tests made to Parry.

Blast (X)

Many missiles, grenades and some guns create an explosion when they hit their target. When working out a hit from a Blast weapon anyone within the weapon’s blast radius in metres, indicated by the number in parenthesis, is also hit. Roll Hit Location and Damage individually for each person affected by a blast.

Defensive

A Defensive weapon, such as a shield, is intended to be used to block attacks and is awkward when used for making attacks. Defensive weapons grant a +15 bonus to tests made when used to Parry, but take a –10 penalty when used to make attacks.

Flame

Flame weapons project a cone of flame out to the range of the weapon. Unlike other weapons, flamers have just one range, and when fired, cast fiery death out to this distance. The wielder does not need to Test Ballistic Skill; he simply fires the weapon. All creatures in the flame’s path, a cone-shaped area extending in a 30 degree arc from the firer out to the weapon’s range, must make an Agility Test or be struck by the flames and take damage normally. If they take damage, they must succeed on a second Agility Test or be set on fire. Cover does not protect characters from attacks made by Flame weapons.
Because Flame weapons make no roll to hit, they are always considered to hit targets in the body, and will Jam if the firer rolls a 9 on his Damage dice (before adding any bonuses).
Normally when a weapon is fired without the appropriate talent or a heavy weapon is fired without bracing, the wielder suffers a –20 or –30 BS penalty respectively. As Flame weapons do not use BS, instead of a –20/–30 to the attack roll, anyone in the area of effect of the flames gains a +20/+30 bonus to their Agility Test to avoid damage.

Flexible

Some weapons are made up from lots of loosely connected segments, such as chains or supple woven hides, such as whips. These kinds of weapons lash about when used to attack and cannot be Parried.

Inaccurate

Weapons with this quality are either badly designed or simply woefully made, and regardless of the care taken when used, offer little better than a lucky chance to hit. No bonus is gained from the use of the Aim Action with such weapons.

Overheats

Certain weapons are prone to overheating, either because of poor design or they fire unstable superheated ammunition. An unmodified to hit roll of 91 or higher causes the weapon to Overheat. Roll 1d10 and consult the Weapon Overhating Table to see what happens.

Weapon Overheating
Roll	Effect
1–5	The firer must make a Toughness Test or drop the weapon. The weapon cannot be fired for 1d10 Rounds.
6–8	The firer takes 1d10+2 Energy Damage and must drop the weapon. In addition the weapon is too hot to pick up (anyone trying takes 1d10+1 Energy Damage) for 1d10 Rounds.
9–10	The weapon explodes and is destroyed. The firer and anyone within four metres takes Damage as if they had taken a single hit from the weapon.

Power Field

A field of power wreathes weapons with this quality, increasing its Damage and Penetration. Such modifiers are already included in the weapon’s profile. When you successfully use this weapon to Parry an attack made with a weapon that lacks this quality, you have a 75% chance of destroying your attacker’s weapon.

Primitive

Crude and basic in design, these kinds of weapons, while still deadly, are less effective against modern armour. All Armour Points are doubled against hits from Primitive weapons, unless the armour also has the Primitive quality. Non-primitive armour gets its APs doubled before being reduced for penetration. For example, Guard Flak Armour (AP 4) hit with a Great Weapon (Primitive quality and Pen 2) would provide 6 points of armour: (4x2)-2.

Recharge

Because of the volatile nature of the weapon’s ammunition or due to the way it fires, the weapon needs time between shots to Recharge. The weapon must spend the Round after firing building up a charge and cannot be fired—in effect you can only fire the weapon every other Round.

Reliable

Based on tried and true technology, Reliable weapons seldom fail. If a Reliable weapon Jams, roll 1d10 and only on a roll of 10 has it in fact Jammed, otherwise it just misses as normal.

Scatter

The standard ammunition of these weapons spreads out when fired, hitting more of the target. If fired at a foe within Point Blank range, each two degrees of success the firer scores indicates another hit (use Multiple Hits Table Below). However, at longer ranges this spread of small projectiles reduces its effectiveness. All Armour Points are doubled against hits from scatter weapons at Long or Extreme Range.

Multiple Hits
Location	Second	Third	Fourth	Fifth	Each Additional Hit
Head	Head	Arm	Body	Arm	Body
Arm	Arm	Body	Head	Body	Arm
Body	Body	Arm	Head	Arm	Body
Leg	Leg	Body	Arm	Head	Body

Shocking

Shocking weapons can Stun their opponents with a powerful surge of energy. A target that takes at least 1 point of Damage from a Shocking weapon, after Armour and Toughness Bonus, must make a Toughness Test, though they receive a +10 bonus for every Armour point they have on the location hit. If they fail, they are Stunned for a number of Rounds equal to half the Damage they suffered.

Smoke

Rather than inflicting Damage, these weapons throw up dense clouds of smoke to create cover. When a hit is scored from a weapon with the Smoke quality, it creates a smokescreen 3d10 metres in diameter from the point of impact. This screen lasts for 2d10 Rounds, or less in adverse weather conditions. Smoke causes suffocation.

Snare

Weapons with this quality are designed to entangle enemies. On a successful hit, the target must make an Agility Test or be immobilised. An immobilised target can attempt no other actions except to try to escape the bonds. He can attempt to burst the bonds (a Strength Test) or wriggle free (an Agility Test) in his Turn. The target is considered helpless until he escapes.

Tearing

Tearing weapons are vicious devices, often using multitudes of fast-moving jagged teeth or fragmented or explosive ammunition to rip into flesh and bone. These weapons roll one extra die for damage, and the lowest result is discarded.

Toxic

Some weapons rely on toxins and poisons to do their damage. Anyone that takes Damage from a Toxic weapon, after reduction for Armour and Toughness Bonus must make a Toughness Test with a –5 penalty for every point of Damage taken. Success indicates there is no further effect from the weapon. Failure however deals an immediate 1d10 points of Impact Damage to the target with no reduction from Armour or Toughness Bonus.

Unbalanced

Heavy and difficult to ready after an attack, these kinds of weapons impose a –10 penalty when used to Parry.

Unreliable

Certain weapons misfire more often than normal because they are badly maintained or constructed. An Unreliable weapon suffers a Jam on a roll of 91 or higher, even if fired on Semi- or Full Auto.

Unstable

Weapons with this quality use ammunition that is both volatile and unstable and can react unpredictably when detonated. When an Unstable weapon scores a hit, roll 1d10. On a score of 1 it inflicts only half Damage, on a score of 2–9 it deals normal Damage, and on a score of 10 it inflicts twice the normal Damage.

Unwieldy

Huge and often top-heavy, Unwieldy weapons are too awkward to be used defensively. Unwieldy weapons cannot be used to Parry.

IH Traits

Fast

The size and speed of this weapon makes it hard to Parry. Opponents that would Parry an attack against a weapon with the Fast quality take a –20 penalty on their Weapon Skill Tests.