Bolt Weapons

Boltgun technology is a very old but very reliable form of weapons technology from the Pre-Scream era. Though it is more primative in its function than the sophisticated systems of laser, plasma and mag weapons it can be no less devastating and sometimes more-so. A bolt is a gyro-stabilized, self-propelled, armour-piercing, high-explosive round fired from a standard firearm via a traditional chemical propellant. Approximately 0.005 seconds after leaving the barrel the internal propellant will activate, accelerating the round towards its target. 0.05 seconds after contact or penetration the round will detonate. Due to their method of travel, rounds fired by boltguns have no drop off in their trajectory until the bolt runs out of fuel, which simultaneously detonates the bolt. Due to the nature of the bolt's opperation, a bolt can inflict greater kinetic damage at long range than at short range due to the acceleration given by its propellant. Boltguns have a distinct "double shot" firing sound from the split second delay between the initial launch and detonation of the bolts. This makes boltguns sound as if they fire faster than they actually do.

Utility

Bolt weapons are used as a bridge between infantry weaponry and heavy weapons. The highly reactive shells are extremely effective against mechanized infantry and light armoured vehicles, penetrating the armour before exploding in the cramped environments.

Manufacturing

Standard firearm manufacturing can be adapted to produce sufficient delivery mediums for bolts. The bolts themselves are a mixture of various reactive components that work in conjunction with each other.

Inventor(s)

Unknown, no records have survived to the Post-Scream era.

Access & Availability

The technology is relatively common though due to the volatility of bolt rounds, is only producable by large, organized groups.

Complexity

The technology is relatively simple, being similar to chemically reactive firearms. The complexity comes from the special ammunition fired from a boltgun, the eponymous bolt.

Discovery

Unknown, origins of this technology has been lost Post-Scream.

Related Items

• Godwyn Pattern Bolter
• Maxima Pattern Mark IVa Heavy Bolter
• Stalker Pattern Bolt Rifle