Gear: Automation Age Guns

Ammunition

Ball Bullets

This is the default bullet type, against which others are measured. Despite the name, in rifled firearms, is usually a conical lead projectile surrounded by a copper jacket; smoothbore firearmsmight shoot bulets that are actually spherical (typically in the form of shot) or odd plug shapes for shooting slugs, in either case usually made out of solid lead. Ball bullets have no changes to the listed stats. If the kind of bullet is not specified and a Pen value is present, assume the stats are for ball ammo (if no Pen is listed, the default is a shell that can't be fused to detonate after impact).

Dum-Dum Bullets

A bullet designed to expand after impact, causing a larger wound channel. Reduce Pen by 1 RS and increase Wound by +1. Cost is unchanged.

Armor Piercing Bullets (AP)

A bullet with a core of hardened steel, to allow it to punch through armor without deforming. Cost is unchanged. The speed of the bullet determines how the AP score is changed (so a rifle with Speed 200 that initially had AP -2 woul have AP -4 when using armor piercing bullets).
Speed AP
≤ 120 0
150 – 180 -1
≥ 200 -2

Armor Piercing Hard Core Bullets (APHC)

A bullet with a lightweight alloy jacket and an inner rod of very dense, hard materail – usually tungsten carbide or tungsten. This concentrates more pressure over the narrower area of the penetrating rod, while the very dense and high strength rod material allowed it to punch through with little deformation. Cost is × 10. The speed of the bullet determines how the AP score is changed.
Speed AP
≤ 75 -½
80 – 120 -1
150 -2
180 -3
≥ 200 -4
(For the purpose of classification in this game, APHC is considered to be ammunition with an internal dense armor piercing rod that has the same mass as a standard bullet. It does not include things like APCR (Armor Piercing Composite Rigid) which were lighter in mass than ball ammo, and which were largely obsolete by the Age of Automation anyway. APHC was mostly used in smallarms and autocannons, larger guns had much more effective options available to them.)

Armor Piercing Discarding Sabot (APDS)

A dense, hard penetrating rod (usually made of tungsten or tungsten carbide) is surrounded by a full bore sized sabot made of light alloy that helps to accelerate the munition, but which falls away from the penetrator rod after the round leaves the barrel, allowing the rod to fly toward the target on its own. The rod is usually designed to be lighter than a full-bore bullet, allowing it to reach higher speeds while the dense rod concentrates the force on its narrow tip, allowing a high sectional density for armor penetration despite the lower overall mass. If a gun already lists performance of APDS ammunition, use that. Otherwise, increase the listed speed by +1 RS, decrease Wound by -1 and increase Pen by +2 RS. AP uses the Armor Piercing Hard Core table for the modified Speed. APDS is only available for guns with a bore diameter of 25mm or more. Cost is × 15.

Armor Piercing Fin Stabilized Discarding Sabot (APFSDS)

A further development of APDS ammunition, longer and narrower armor penetrating rods must be stabilized in flight by aerodynamic fins rather than spin. This makes for cannons that launch arrow-like darts at each other at speeds approaching 2 km/s. APFSDS remain one of the most potent ways to punch through armor. APFSDS darts will have their stats directly listed for cannons that use them.

Shells

A shell is a projectile with a hollow cavity inside of it filled with some material meant to be delivered to the target, such as explosives or chemicals. Shells can be fused to detonate on impact before penetration, on impact after full penetration, after a certain distance, at a certain altitude, or on a proximity fuse (treat any target as having a minimum Size for the purpose of hitting it, but the detonation occurs at a distance given by the Range Score for that Size). Although the damage from a direct impact is listed for shells, on any setting except detonating after full penetration, the shell itself will not also cause direct impact damage.

Shells are generally only avaiable for calibers of 20mm or larger. When they are available for a given weapon, their effects will be listed.

High Explosive (HE): This shell is filled with polynitro explosive. When detonated, it scatters fragments of the shell casing at lethal speeds; this fragmentation is the primary producer of casualties.

High Explosive Anti Tank (HEAT): Despite their name and common misconceptions, HEAT rounds do not "burn" or "melt" through armor. Instead, an instability in propagaing blast waves when they encounter an indentation is exploited to use a high explosive to launch a narrow jet of fluidized metal at speeds of over 5 km/s. This jet punches through armor in the same way a thumbtack punches through drywall, although the jet breaks up after going more than a meter or two requiring the shell to detonate close to the target. HEAT rounds require a specific stand-off distance if their shaped-charge jet is going to work. In order to get the jet effect on target, they cannot be set to detonate on anything except for "impact" before penetration (in actuality, they detonate several cm before impact).

Incendiary Smoke (WP): A small bursting charge scatters fragments of white phosphorous (the stuff that gives it its WP abbreviation). This form of phosphorous ignites spontaneously on contact with air, producing dense clouds of smoke and burning with an extreme heat. The vision penalty for the smoke is (-Sig + Range Score from center)/4 for each meter along the line of sight; round any vision penalties away from zero (so -¼ gives a -1 vision penalty), capped at -7 for full obstruction of vision to +0 for no effect. The white phosphorous particles cause damage as fragmentation, except that they cause Burning rather than Piercing damage, with a Temperature Score of +7. The white phosphorous continues to burn for 20 combat Rounds, continually replenishing the smoke and causing additional injury. Breathing the smoke gives all of the usual issues of smoke inhalation.

Bursting Gas: Some form of gas or aerosol is spread as a cloud within one combat round or less, after which the munition is spent. Common gases used in the Age of Automation are smoke and tear gas. Smoke used by the military is usually opaque to thermographic sensors, though not marker smoke or most smoke used by civilians.

Marker Smoke: The shell pours out smoke – often colored smoke – for several combat rounds. This is usually used for signalling or marking a location.

Illumination: A burning flare ignites at altitude and slowly drifts to the ground on a parachute, illuminating the area around it.

Incendiary

An incendiary round will cause Pen 2d6 RS-5 Burn damage with the same Wound Score of the round in addition to its normal ballistic damage. The Temperature Score of the incendiary effect is +7, and continues for 10 combat rounds. If the projectile initially pierces armor, the incendiary effect occurs inside the target and armor does not protect. Incendiary effects can be combined with armor piercing (API) and high explosive (HEI) options for ammunition.

Tracer

Tracer rounds allow you to see where you are shooting, so that on any action where you shoot more than one shot, or when you follow up from a previous action where you shot the same weapon with tracers, you get a +1 on your Shoot skill and can ignore Speed penalties to hit (not cumulative with other methods that let you see where your shots will hit, like laser sights or smartlinks) – but it also lets the enemy see where you are as well. The tracer option can be combined with any other kind of ammunition.

Guns

During the Age of Automation, guns benefit from improved maunfacturing methods and materials. Cartridges often use polymer cased telescopic ammunition to reduce the mass and bulk of ammunition, and advanced propellants to increase the reliability, ballistic repeatability, and energy of the shots.

Semi-automatic Pistols

DescriptionPenWoundAPROFAmmoBulkAimRCLStrSpreadDASpeedPSzSigMassPrice
Light Pistol9-1+0s20+1+0+2-3-2+2280100-12+120.7|0.1535|0.45
Medium Pistol11-¾+0s20+1+0+2-2-1+2280100-11½+120.8|0.240|0.6
Heavy Pistol12-½+0s18+1+0+2-1-1+22100100-11+131|0.345|0.8
Compact Pistol11-¾+0s12+1-1+1-2-3+2080100-11½+120.6|0.1240|0.35
Monster Pistol14+0+0s10+1+½+2+1+1+20100120-10½+142|0.25100|0.7

  • Light Pistol: A gun firing a smaller 8 mm bullet for people with smaller frames or more controllability on rapid fire.
  • Medium Pistol: A commonly carried sidearm for law enforcement or civilian self defense, with a 9 mm caliber.
  • Heavy Pistol: A pistol packing a larger and heavier 10 mm bullet.
  • Compact Pistol: A pistol designed for concealed carry. It shoots the same 9 mm cartridge as the medium pistol.
  • Monster Pistol: One of the most powerful handguns available, shooting a massive 12.5 mm bullet.

Rifles

DescriptionPenWoundAPROFAmmoBulkAimRCLStrSpreadDASpeedPSzSigMassPrice
Personal Defense Weapon8-¼-21250+1+2+4-5-3+24150200-12½+132.5|0.35100|1
Assault carbine12+0-2s, 1040+1+3+5-3-2+26200250-12+143|0.570|1.2
Assault Rifle12+0-2s, 1040+1+4+6-3-1+26200250-12+144|0.570|1.2
Battle Rifle16+1-2s25+1+4+6-1+0+26250250-11+165|0.7100|2
Sniper Rifle20+1-2s20+1+5+7+1+1+27300250-11+167|0.8100|2.5
Anti-Material Rifle25+2-2s12+1+5+7+3+3+26350250-10+1815|1.2500|3

  • Personal Defense Weapon: A weapon for those in the armed forces not expected to engage in direct combat. It fires a lightweight 5.4 mm bullet at high speed.
  • Assault carbine: A compact rifle that is handy to use indoors, in urban areas, in dense brush, or from inside vehicles. It fires the same 6 mm cartridge as the assault rifle.
  • Assault Rifle: A fully-automatic rifle firing a light, high-speed 6 mm cartridge.
  • Battle Rifle: A combat rifle shooting a large, heavy 8 mm cartridge for penetrating body armor.
  • Sniper Rifle: Rifles for military snipers are made to high specifications for long range accuracy (high Spread score), and typically come equipped with an optical scope with an adjustable magnification from +5 to +7, a sound suppressor, a bipod, and a muzzle brake (reduce RCL by 1).
  • Anti-Material Rifle: A large and heavy rifle shooting a large and heavy 12.5 mm bullet, designed to destroy equipment.

Flechette Guns

Flechette guns were designed to defeat body armor by firing fin-stabilized, discarding sabot long-rod penetrators at hypersonic speeds. They cannot use any of the ammunition types available to normal bullets.

DescriptionPenWoundAPROFAmmoBulkAimRCLStrSpreadDASpeedPSzSigMassPrice
Flechette Carbine17-1-7s, 1080+1+3+5-4-2+26800400-12½+153|0.870|2.5
Flechette Rifle17-1-7s, 1080+1+4+6-4-1+26800400-12½+154|0.870|2.5
Anti-Material Flechette Gun38+1½-7s25+1+5½+7+2+3+261.8k400-10½+1815|2500|6

  • Flechette Carbine: This carbine is for use with troops needing to clear out buildings or tunnels, or otherwise for use in confined quarters.
  • Flechette Rifle: A longer flechette gun with higher accuracy for open battles. Pedants will tell you that because it is a smoothbore, it's not actually a rifle. Ignore them, everyone else does.
  • Anti-Material Flechette Gun: A man-portable heavy flechette launcher for penetrating heavy armor.

Railguns

Railguns come into use to improve on the armor piercing capabilities of flechette guns. The basic design consists of a pair of rails acting as electrodes that are shorted by a mobile armature. The armature consists of a discarding conductive sabot and a dense armor piercing fin-stabilized dart. The very high current flowing down the rails generates a strong magnetic field between the rails that pushes on the current across the armature, propelling the armature down the rails. The action of the magnetic field on the current generating it flowing through the rails also applies a strong force pushing the rails apart – railgun designs don't feature exposed rails or separated sections each with their own rail; the entire assembly must be supported by a strong housing to prevent the explosive disassembly of the gun when fired.

Railguns must be connected to an electrical energy source in order to work. The energy to launch one shot and the power required for using the railgun at full rate of fire are listed in the descriptions. If the energy source does not have enough power, it can still fire but at a reduced rate of fire.

Early Railguns

The first railguns were not much more than the basic design given above. They suffered from low efficiency and rapid rail wear; a combination of the sliding contact with the armature producing mechanical abrasion and the electrical arcing between the rail and the armature arc-welding the rails. In these early weapons, the rails are rated to last for the discharge of one full magazine, after which is is recommended for the inner rail sheath to be discarded and replaced. Usually, rail sheaths and ammunition magazines are packaged together and swapped out as a single unit. This makes reloading a railgun more expensive and cumbersome; spare ammunition is much more bulky because the rails are nearly as long as the railgun itself. In addition to the difficulties in carrying the ammo, reloading takes longer – inserting the sheath and magazine combo into a railgun takes five actions. This made them unsuited to rapid-fire or high volume of fire applications.

DescriptionPenWoundAPROFAmmoBulkAimRCLStrSpreadDASpeedPSzSigMassPrice
Experimental Railgun25-2-7s24+4+6-6-2+25100500-13½+175|0.745|2.5
Early Sniper Railgun38+0-7s,b324+4+6-2+2+26150400-12+1810|1.5150|8
Early Anti-Materiel Railgun50+1-7s,b324+5+7+1+5+26250400-11+2025|4350|20

  • Experimental Railgun: This might be encountered as a prototype or as a novelty among collectors or gun enthusiasts.

    Flechette: 2.5 × 30 mm, 1.5 g
    Projectile speed: 2 km/s
    Projectile kinetic energy: 3 kJ
    Energy per shot: 20 kJ
    Power draw: 60 kW

  • Early Sniper Railgun: A large longarm with enough accuracy and hitting power that it is often used in sniper roles.

    Flechette: 4 × 50 mm, 6.5 g
    Projectile speed: 1.8 km/s
    Projectile kinetic energy: 8 kJ
    Energy per shot: 60 kJ
    Power draw: 180 kW

  • Early Anti-Materiel Railgun: A heavy railgun designed to take out equipment and vehicles. It is large enough that it is typically fired while prone, using a bipod.

    Flechette: 5 × 80 mm, 18 g
    Projectile speed: 1.8 km/s
    Projectile kinetic energy: 25 kJ
    Energy per shot: 180 kJ
    Power draw: 500 kW

Advanced Railguns

Various methods are available for increasing the efficiency of a railgun and reducing its rail wear. Augmenting the field by initially looping the rails up to the front and then back to the breach before forming the acceleration region in contact with the armature; segmented rails to reduce the energy stored (and wasted) in the magnetic field; and helically augmented railguns with sliding contacts energizing consecutive sections of a spiral outside augmentation rail; all of these are methods tried and used to increase railgun performance and extend their lifetime.

DescriptionPenWoundAPROFAmmoBulkAimRCLStrSpreadDASpeedPSzSigMassPrice
Railgun Carbine25-2-7s,b360+3+5-6-2+26100500-13½+153|0.580|4.5
Infantry Railgun30-1-7s,b350+4+6-5+0+26100500-13+164.5|0.8120|6
Sniper Railgun38+0-7s,b324+4+6-2+2+26150400-12+1710|1.5250|12
Anti-Materiel Railgun50+1-7s,b324+5+7+1+5+26250400-11+1925|4600|35

  • Railgun Carbine: A cut-down railgun for easier use in tight quarters.

    Flechette: 2.5 × 30 mm, 1.5 g
    Projectile speed: 2 km/s
    Projectile kinetic energy: 3 kJ
    Energy per shot: 10 kJ
    Power draw: 30 kW

  • Infantry Railgun: Troops of the late Automation Age might be seen carrying this gun.

    Flechette: 3 × 35 mm, 2.5 g
    Projectile speed: 2 km/s
    Projectile kinetic energy: 4.5 kJ
    Energy per shot: 15 kJ
    Power draw: 45 kW

  • Sniper Railgun: A large longarm with enough accuracy and hitting power that it is often used in sniper roles.

    Flechette: 4 × 50 mm, 6.5 g
    Projectile speed: 1.8 km/s
    Projectile kinetic energy: 8 kJ
    Energy per shot: 30 kJ
    Power draw: 80 kW

  • Anti-Materiel Railgun: A heavy railgun designed to take out equipment and vehicles. It is large enough that it is typically fired while prone, using a bipod.

    Flechette: 5 × 80 mm, 18 g
    Projectile speed: 1.8 km/s
    Projectile kinetic energy: 25 kJ
    Energy per shot: 80 kJ
    Power draw: 250 kW

Machine Guns

DescriptionPenWoundAPROFAmmoBulkAimRCLStrSpreadDASpeedPSzSigMassPrice
Machine Gun16+1-210250+4½+6+1-2+26250250-11+1612|6350|20
Gatling machine Gun16+1-230-100500+4½+6-8-3+26250250-11+1640|121.2k|40
Heavy machine Gun25+2-2s,8250+5½+7-4-4+26350250-10+1830|20800|70

  • Machine Gun: A common, belt-fed machine gun. It can fill the roles of a light machine gun (with a bipod, for performing infantry assaults), a medium machine gun (with a tripod, for sustained fire), an air defense machine gun, or a vehicular machine gun. The listed stats assume a bipod; for a tripod reduce RCL and Str by another -5.
  • Gatling machine Gun: A six-barreled, electrically driven machine gun for extreme rates of fire. It is fired from a tripod or fixed emplacement.
  • Heavy machine Gun: A machine gun firing a big, heavy 12.5 mm cartridge for increased range, improved penetration, and increased destructive power against vehicles, structures, and cover. With a tripod, it has a total mass of 60 kg.

Autocannons

Autocannons are high caliber, crew-served firearms that automatically load their ammunition, often allowing near machine gun rates of fire. Although the basic stats are listed for ball ammunition, autocannons will almost always shoot either armor piercing (AP), armor piercing hard core (APHC), or high explsoive (HE) shells. Any of these can be either indendiary, tracers, or both. Autocannons are commonly used on light armored vehicles and infantry fighting vehicles. Aircraft often use Gatling-style autocannons with clusters of electric driven rotary barrels, allowing very high rates of fire.

DescriptionPenWoundAPROFAmmoAimStrSpreadDASpeedPSzSigMassPrice
Light Autocannon, 20 mm30+3½-212300+8-2+26400250-8½+2045+801.5k|250
Gatling Light Autocannon30+3½-2100300+8+0+26400250-8½+20100+803k|250
Medium Autocannon, 25 mm32+4-28300+9+0+26400250-7½+20120+1503.5k|400
      APFSDS110+2-76k350-9½+20 
Gatling Medium Autocannon32+4-270300+8 +26400250-7½+20120+1503.5k|400
      APFSDS110+2-76k350-9½+20 
Heavy Autocannon, 30 mm42+4½-23300+9 +26600250-7+21150+3005k|800
      APFSDS200+2½-710k350-9+21 
Gatling Heavy Autocannon42+4½-260300+9 +26600250-7+21300+3008k|800
      APFSDS200+2½-710k350-9+21 

    Autocannon Shells

    DescriptionPenWoundDoseAPShotBBRSBRPBSpreadDASpeedSig
        — 20mm Shells —
    HE: Microfrag6+0+0+018+20
              Blast-3 RS(7)-1+0[-6]
              Contact7+7(7)
        — 25mm Shells —
    HE: Microfrag6+1+0+018+21
              Blast-1½ RS(7)-1+1[-7½]
              Contact8+7½(7)
        — 30mm Shells —
    HE: Microfrag6+2+0+018+22
              Blast-½ RS(7)-½+2[-8]
              Contact12+8¼(7)

    Grenade Launchers

    The grenade launchers of the Age of Automation all fire smart grenades. These grenades can be set to airburst at a given distance, designated by the weapon's computerized sight. This can be used to disable enemies behind cover or in trenches, by having the grenade explode above or to the side of the cover. Alternately, they can be set to explode only after impact.

    DescriptionPenWoundAPROFAmmoBulkAimRCLStrSpreadDAMaxSpeedPSzSigMassPrice
    Underbarrel GL, 40mm2+3¾+011+0+198050018-7+121.5|0.25200|3
    Grenade Rifle, 30mm5+2½+0s10+3½+5+0+0+261201k30-8+135|1.5150|20
    Pump GL, 40mm2+3¾+016+3½+5+0+0+198050018-7+125|1.5150|18
    Auto GL, 40mm9+3¾+0648+4+6-4-4+221001k60-7+1630|18800|150

    • Underbarrel GL, 40mm: A grenade launcher that mounts underneath the barrel of a service rifle. It uses the Bulk, Str, and Aim of the rifle it is attached to.
    • Grenade Rifle, 30mm: A semi-automatic rifle fed by a detachable magazine.
    • Pump GL, 40mm: A pump-action grenade launcher firing from a 6-round magazine, used something like a shotgun.
    • Auto GL, 40mm: A tripod-mounted automatic grenade lancher. It is usually served by a crew of two.

    Launcher Grenades

    DescriptionPenWoundDoseAPShotBBRSBRPBSpreadDASpeedSig
        — 30mm —
    HE: Microfrag6+¼+0+018+20
              Blast-3 RS(7)-1+1[-9]
              Contact7+7(7)
        — 40mm —
    HE: Microfrag6+¾+0+018+21
              Blast-1½ RS(7)-1+1[-7½]
              Contact8+7½(7)
    HEDP: Microfrag7+0+0+018+21
               Jet220+3¾-10+21
              Blast-1½ RS(7)-1+1[-7½]
              Contact8+7½(7)
    Bursting Gas3 m radius cloud+5

    Shoulder-Fired Launchers

    These launchers propell an explosive warhead using rockets or recoilless guns or rifles. They take the form of a tube that is rested on the gunner's shoulder for firing. Many are single use - a pre-packaged tube with a single munition, designed to be fired and then discarded. Others can be reloaded and re-used over and over.

    A launcher projectile can be set to detonate at a given flight distance, on contact, after impact, or in proximity (detonating as soon as it comes within a certain distance of any solid or liquid - or chaff that confuses its radar to appear as a solid). Only shots fused to detonate after impact have any effect from the kinetic penetration or damage of the round – the others only have their payload's effect. HEAT charges always have standoff detonation and are treated as detonating on contact.

    Launchers usually produce dangerous backblast. Figure the fireball of propellant exhaust behind the launcher causes combined Burn and Smash damage with Pen 2d6 (-15 + 1⁄3 × Sig) RS and Wound of 1⁄3 × Sig + 8. The blast extends back a distance of value of [Wound - 12]. If the gunner does not have sufficient clearance behind him to dissipate the blast, the blast "bounces back" to affect the gunner. This hazard can be negated with reduced backblast ammunition, which increases the mass of the ammunition by 1/3 of the listed ammunition weight (disposable launchers have ammunition that weighs as much as the corresponding reusable launcher).

    DescriptionPenWoundAPROFBulkAimStrSpreadDAMaxSpeedPSzSigMassPrice
    Light Disposable Launcher12+8-21+4+6-4+204003.5k70-4+204100
    Light Reusable Launcher12+8-21/3+4½+6-2+234003.5k70-4+207|31.2k|30
    Heavy Disposable Launcher32+8-41+3½+5-2+181k7k70-4+2171k
    Heavy Reusable Launcher32+8-41/7+5+7+0+181k7k70-4+2115|6700|800

      Launcher Shells

      DescriptionPenWoundDoseAPShotBBRSBRPBSpreadDASpeedSig
          — Light Launcher —
      HEAT: Jet400+6-10+24
                Blast+1½ RS(7)+½+3[-6½]
                Contact20+10(7)
      HEDP: Microfrag7+3½+0+018+24
                 Jet320+6-10+24
                Blast+1½ RS(7)+½+3[-6½]
                Contact20+10(7)
      HE-Frag: Microfrag6+4¼+0+018+24
                Blast+1½ RS(7)+½+3[-6½]
                Contact20+10(7)
      HE: Blast+1½ RS(7)+1+4[-7½]+26
                Contact25+10¾(7)
      Incendiary Smoke-5 RS+0+0+5+0+11
          — Heavy Launcher —
      HEAT: Jet600+6-10+24
                Blast+1 RS(7)+½+3[-6½]
                Contact20+10(7)
      HEDP: Microfrag7+5+0+018+25
                 Jet250+6-10+25
                Blast+1½ RS(7)+1+4[-8]
                Contact25+10¾(7)
      HE-Frag: Microfrag6+5¾+0+018+25
                Blast+1½ RS(7)+1+4[-8]
                Contact25+10¾(7)
      HE: Blast+1½ RS(7)+2+5[-8]+27
                Contact30+11½(7)
      Incendiary Smoke-5 RS+0+0+6¼+0+12

      Man-Portable Guided Missiles

      The man-portable guided missiles of the Age of Automation use a cold-launch with compressed gas to pop the missile out of its tube, throwing the missile several meters forward before its main rocket motor ignites. This reduces backblast, eliminates the possibility of backblast reflecting off nearby obstacles and affecting the gunner, and reduces the signature of the laucnh itself, making it harder to pinpoint the troops doing the launching.

      These missiles are all fire-and-forget, which will autonomously track and attack a target designated before launch without subsequent user input. The missile's guidance sensors are synched up to the soldier's tactical sensor array for locking on to the target. To use a fire-and-forget missile, the gunner must first lock it on to a target. These missiles can only lock on to targets within line of sight. This is treated as an attack roll, except use the gunner's Smarts + Use Gear (weapons systems) in place of Coordination + Shoot, and use the Signature of the target in place of its Size. If the target is evading, it can get a defense roll against this lock-on attempt as usual. However, because a missile will not launch until it is locked on, the gunner can keep trying to get the lock on each of his actions until she succeeds.

      Once locked on, the missile can be launched. At this point, the missile will autonomously fly toward the target. The missile will maneuver as an independent entity starting with its full reserve of Action Points starting from the moment it is launched. On each of its turns, it will move toward the target so as to intercept it. If the missile looses line of sight to its target, it will automatically miss. if the missile reaches its target, make a melee attack roll with the Homing score substituting for the usual Coordination + Fight score.

      If the target employs counter-measures such as jamming or decoys, the missile uses its ECCM score in place of Awareness to see if it is fooled by the counter-measures.

      Launchers

      DescriptionROFBulkAimStrPSzSigMassPrice
      Grenade Missile+1½+10-5+9 |0.8 |800
      Light Anti-Tank Missile+3+10-2-2½+1184k
      Portable Anti-Tank Missile+4½+10+0-1½+131512k
      Emplaced Anti-Tank Missile1/20+4½+10-2-1½+1360|3018k|10k
      MANPADS+5½+10+0-2½+15158k

      • Grenade Missile: A small missile designed to be launched from a 40mm grenade launcher. It is too long to fit into standard magazines, but most Age of Automation grenade launchers have methods to load missiles individually. The stats are for the rocket alone, as it is usually fired from a standard grenade launcher.

      • Light Anti-Tank Missile: These are relatively short-ranged lightweight anti-tank missile systems. These missiles are not designed to be reloaded in the field. Each tube comes pre-packaged with a missile, and the tube is not re-used.

      • Portable Anti-Tank Missile: A larger and more potent anti-tank missile. Each tube comes pre-packaged with a missile, and the tube is not re-used.

        Most Missiles used basic tandem-charge HEAT warheads. Some are produced with other warheads, including HEDP, HE, or thermobaric.

      • Emplaced Anti-Tank Missile: This large missile can be carried in sections by an infantry squad and assembled in the field, but can also be fitted to a vehicle. The field-usable variety is fired from a tripod. The missile tube is re-loadable.

      • MANPADS: A man-portable air-defense system (or MANPADS) is a shoulder-fired weapon that launches an anti-aircraft missile. In addition to being launched from shoulder-fired tubes, many MANPADS missiles can also be used in multi-tube launchers affixed to vehicles or aircraft. MANPADS missiles do not have to be launched at aircraft – they can home in on any infrared signature and third or later generation missiles can easily pick up the heat signature of ground vehicles or people. However, they are optimized for hitting and destroying aircraft – they would not be able to do much to an armored vehicle and using one to take out an individual soldier would be a tremendous waste of resources.

        MANPADS missiles are not designed to be reloaded in the field. Each tube comes pre-packaged with a missile, and the tube is not re-used.

      Missiles

      Type
      		HomingECCMAction PointsMove per turnTurning ManeuverThrust DurationThrust SigSize
      Grenade Missile+1+255005002 turns+16-5
      Light Anti-Tank Missile+2+45100010001 turn+20-2½
      Portable Anti-Tank Missile+3+55100010004 turns+20-1½
      Emplaced Anti-Tank Missile+4+65100010001 turn+22-1½
      MANPADS, 4th Gen.+3+510100010006 turns+22-2½

      Missile Warheads

      DescriptionPenWoundDoseAPShotBBRSBRPBSpreadDASpeedSig
          — Grenade Missile —
      HEAT: Jet300+3¾-10+21
                Blast-1½ RS(7)-½+1[-6]
                Contact8+7¾(7)
      HEDP: Microfrag7+½+0+018+22
                 Jet110+3¾-10+22
                Blast-1 RS(7)-½+2[-8½]
                Contact10+8(7)
      HE-Frag: Microfrag6+1¼+0+018+22
                Blast-1 RS(7)-½+2[-8½]
                Contact10+8(7)
      HE: Blast+½ RS(7)+0+3[-9]+23
                Contact15+9¼(7)
          — Light Anti-Tank Missile —
      HEAT: Jet700+6½-10+24
                Blast+1 RS(7)+½+3[-7]
                Contact18+9¾(7)
      HEDP: Microfrag7+3½+0+018+24
                 Jet300+6½-10+24
                Blast+1½ RS(7)+½+3[-6½]
                Contact20+10(7)
      HE-Frag: Microfrag6+4¼+0+018+24
                Blast+1½ RS(7)+½+3[-6½]
                Contact20+10(7)
      HE: Blast+1½ RS(7)+1½+4[-6]+26
                Contact30+11¼(7)
          — Portable Anti-Tank Missile —
      HEAT: Jet800+7¼-10+26
                Blast+1½ RS(7)+1+4[-7½]
                Contact25+10¾(7)
      HEDP: Microfrag7+5+0+018+26
                 Jet400+7¼-10+26
                Blast+2 RS(7)+1+4[-7]
                Contact30+11(7)
      HE-Frag: Microfrag6+5¾+0+018+26
                Blast+2 RS(7)+1+4[-7]
                Contact30+11(7)
      HE: Blast+3 RS(7)+2+5[-6½]+28
                Contact40+12(7)
          — Emplaced Anti-Tank Missile —
      HEAT: Jet1000+7¾-10+26
                Blast+1½ RS(7)+1½+4[-6½]
                Contact30+11¼(7)
      HEDP: Microfrag7+5½+0+018+27
                 Jet450+7¾-10+27
                Blast+2 RS(7)+1½+5[-9]
                Contact30+11¼(7)
      HE-Frag: Microfrag6+6¼+0+018+27
                Blast+2 RS(7)+1½+5[-9]
                Contact30+11¼(7)
      HE: Blast+2 RS(7)+2½+6[-9]+28
                Contact40+12½(7)
          — MANPADS —
      Impact48+7½-2800180
      HE-Frag: Microfrag7+4¾+0+018+26
                Blast+1½ RS(7)+1+4[-7½]
                Contact25+10¾(7)

      Tank Cannons

      HEAT shells, when used, can be assumed to be tandem charge warheads to defeat reactive armor.

      DescriptionPenWoundAPShotROFAmmoBulkAimRCLStrSpreadDASpeedPSzSigMassPrice
      Tank Cannon, APFSDS750+4½-711+9½+11+18 +253.5k400-5½+272k|1860k|60
            Shell80+8¾-21.2k300-3+27
            Canister18-½-3½+24+1170250-11½+16
            Beehive6-1½-6¾+27+11350300-13+12

      • APFSDS: This is typical of the performance of APFSDS darts found in most country's arsenals, made of a tungsten alloy and an aspect ratio around 25:1 to 30:1.

      Tank Shells

      DescriptionPenWoundDoseAPShotBBRSBRPBSpreadDASpeedSig
      HEAT: Jet800+7-10+27
                Blast+2 RS(7)+1½+5[-9]
                Contact30+11¼(7)
      HE: Microfrag7+6½+0+018+29
                Blast+2½ RS(7)+2½+6[-8]
                Contact50+12¾(7)
      Incendiary Smoke-5 RS+0+0+6+0+12

      Mortars

      DescriptionPenWoundAPROFBulkAimRCLSpreadDAMaxSpeedPSzSigMassPrice
      Infantry Mortar, 80mm32+8-21+4½+6+12+191k6k60-4+2145|51.5k|15
      Heavy Infantry Mortar, 120mm45+8¾-21+5+7+16+191.5k7k70-3+22150|154.5k|50

      • Infantry Mortar, 80mm: Breaks down into a tube, mount, and base plate of 15 kg each.
      • Heavy Infantry Mortar, 120mm: Breaks down into a tube, mount, and base plate of 50 kg each.

      Mortar Shells

      DescriptionPenWoundDoseAPShotBBRSBRPBSpreadDASpeedSig
          — 80mm Shells —
      HE: Microfrag6+5¾+0+018+26
                Blast+1½ RS(7)+1+4[-8]
                Contact25+10¾(7)
      Incendiary Smoke-5 RS+0+0+5+0+11
      Bursting Gas8 m radius cloud+9
      Marker Smoke2 m radius cloud for 60 rounds+12
      IlluminationBase radius 200 m for 40 s+33
          — 120mm Shells —
      HE: Microfrag6+7¼+0+018+27
                Blast+2 RS(7)+2+5[-7½]
                Contact35+11¾(7)
      Incendiary Smoke-5 RS+0+0+6½+0+12
      Bursting Gas12 m radius cloud+9
      Marker Smoke2 m radius cloud for 180 rounds+12
      IlluminationBase radius 350 m for 40 s+35

      Howitzers

      DescriptionPenWoundAPROFBulkAimRCLSpreadDAMaxSpeedPSzSigMassPrice
      Field Howitzer, 105mm75+8½-41/2+9½+11+18+261.8k15k120-3½+251.5k|1840k|60
      Medium Howitzer, 155mm140+9¾-4½1/5+11½+13+22+262.5k25k180-2+277k|70200k|200

        Howitzer Shells

        DescriptionPenWoundDoseAPShotBBRSBRPBSpreadDASpeedSig
            — Field Howitzer Shells —
        HE: Fragmentation6-2+0+9½+018+28
                  Blast+2 RS(7)+2+5[-7]
                  Contact35+12(7)
        Incendiary Smoke-5 RS+0+0+6¾+0+12
        Bursting Gas12 m radius cloud+9
        Marker Smoke2 m radius cloud for 180 rounds+12
        IlluminationBase radius 350 m for 40 s+35
            — Medium Howitzer Shells —
        HE: Fragmentation6-2+0+11¼+018+29
                  Blast+3½ RS(7)+2½+6[-7]
                  Contact50+13(7)
        Incendiary Smoke-5 RS+0+0+8¼+0+13
        Bursting Gas18 m radius cloud+11
        Marker Smoke2 m radius cloud for 600 rounds+14
        IlluminationBase radius 600 m for 40 s+36

        Railcannons

        Railcannons are large railguns. They require an external source of energy, such as a generator, battery, or supercapacitor. This is used to spin up a compulsator (a flywheel connected to a battery, capable of very fast discharge) with enough energy for one shot that then provides all that energy in a nearly instant burst for driving the armature. The armature is the term used for the combined projectile (usually a finned dart) and the conductive sabot (typically made of carbon fiber) that holds the projectile in place and provides electrical contact to the rails and a conductive path for the electricity to flow. After leaving the rails, the projectile carries on while the sabot falls off but continues forward at high speed such that both are expended with each shot. The power for full rate of fire and the energy used per shot are listed in the description of each railcannon. If the energy source does not have enough power, it can still fire but at a reduced rate of fire.

        DescriptionPenWoundAPROFAmmoBulkAimRCLSpreadDAMaxSpeedPSzSigMassPrice
        Light Rail Autocannon90+2½-71236+7½+9+5+254507k400-9+21150|64k|12
             Blast-3½ RS(7)-2
        Heavy Rail autocannon120+3-7824+8½+10+7+255008k400-8½+22300|88k|18
             Blast-3 RS(7)-1½
        Field Railcannon220+4½-7124+9½+11+11+2580012k400-7+251.2k|3530k|70
             Blast-1½ RS(7)-½
        Heavy Railcannon700+5½-71/312+11½+13+17+253.5k40k400-5+288k|100200k|250
             Blast+1 RS(7)+½
        Naval Railcannon700+7¼-31/61+13½+15+21+2530k200k700-4½+3050k|181.2M|45
             Blast+1½ RS(7)+2

        • Light Rail Autocannon: A small railcannon often mounted on vehicles. If combines rapid rate of fire with good armor penetration.

          Flechette: 10 × 150 mm, 0.11 kg
          Projectile speed: 1.8 km/s
          Projectile kinetic energy: 150 kJ
          Energy per shot: 500 kJ
          Power draw: 6 MW

        • Heavy Rail autocannon: A large rapid-fire railgun for aircraft and mid-sized armored vehciles.

          Flechette: 12 × 180 mm, 0.22 kg
          Projectile speed: 1.8 km/s
          Projectile kinetic energy: 300 kJ
          Energy per shot: 1 MJ
          Power draw: 8 MW

        • Field Railcannon: A light cannon that can be towed on a carriage or turret-mounted on an armored vehicle. It's ammo is large enough to use basic guidance for improved hit probability.

          Flechette: 18 × 300 mm, 0.9 kg
          Projectile speed: 1.8 km/s
          Projectile kinetic energy: 1.2 MJ
          Energy per shot: 4 MJ
          Power draw: 12 MW

        • Heavy Railcannon: A large railcannon that is often used for air defense as well as occasional bombardment. Its ammo is large enough to use advanced guidance.

          Flechette: 25 × 1000 mm, 6.5 kg
          Projectile speed: 1.5 km/s
          Projectile kinetic energy: 8 MJ
          Energy per shot: 30 MJ
          Power draw: 30 MW

        • Naval Railcannon: A large cannon used from ships for shore bombardment and for missile defense. The ammunition mass and cost is for a single shot; ships will usually have large on-board magazines to supply their railcannons.

          Flechette: 40 × 600 mm, 14 kg
          Projectile speed: 3 km/s
          Projectile kinetic energy: 50 MJ
          Energy per shot: 180 MJ
          Power draw: 80 MW

        Guidance: Artillery in the Age of Automation – howitzers, mortars, and larger railcannons – usually use ammunition with combined programmable guidance. A guidance package is attached to a shell or rail dart to allow it to sense and maneuver. It can use laser guidance to home in on designated targets; GPS guidance and inertial guidance to attack set positions; and optical and passive IR sensors to select targets of opportunity or home in on moving targets.
        Name Description Homing ECCM Action
        Points         		Move per
        Turn         		Turning
        Maneuver         		Minimum
        Mass
        Per Shot         		Price
        Basic guidance Low-cost guidance packages used against fixed ground targets. +1 +0 3 Speed × 6 500 0.5 $600
        Improved guidance Guidance package intended for striking fixed and moving ground targets, although still capable of targeting airborne targets. +2 +4 5 Speed × 4 1000 3 $2000
        Advanced guidance Advanced package for heavily defended targets and air defense. +3 +5 10 Speed × 2 1000 10 $6000

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