| Gear: Electrostunners | |||
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ElectrostunnersElectrostun guns emit a pair of parallel laser-ionized beam channels, which carry an electric current to shock what they touch. This will make the victim's muscles cramp up, preventing voluntary motion, causing the victim to fall to the ground, and leaving the victim exhausted. The beams are several centimeters wide, flicker a glowing blue-violet, make a buzzing sound, and produce the fresh-pungent smell of ozone. Consequently, it is easy to locate the source of stun gun fire. There are often bright sparks where the beams hit. Electrostunners are frequently called e-stunners. E-stun beams are stopped by any solid, liquid, or opaque material, although the discharge carried by the beams can arc across a centimeter or so of air gap or insulating material to reach a more conductive layer underneath. E-stun discharges are blocked completely by conductive armor or suits that make their activation roll (even a layer of aluminum foil will provide complete protection). Otherwise, use the Arc Armor Score of the armor. A stun shot is either completely blocked by armor or unaffected by the armor - if any Penetration gets through it estabishes a conductive electrical arc across the armor material that allows current to flow to the target. (Notes: Any armor made of metal - such as steel, iron, or bronze - is conductive and provides complete protection from electrostunners. Even a simple layer of metal foil will short the beams and completely protect the wearer. Low-tech armor made of linen, leather, or other biological materials is not conductive. Technological armors of the Verge are generally non-conductive, but they can include a conductive layer at no additional cost.)
A hit by a stun beam causes neural stun with the listed Dose. The Penetration is merely a carrier for the main charge, and has no effect on the result as long as even a fraction of the Pen can arc through to the target. If you hit someone with a stun beam, it is a good idea to keep zapping him for several turns. This keeps him from getting back up, gives you time to restrain him, and will eventually make him too tired to do much. Electrostunner shots use very little energy. A reasonable sized battery can last for thousands of shots. Consequently, it is not usually necessary to track electrostunner ammunition. Electrostunners will not work underwater, in vacuum, or in trace atmospheres. In other kinds of atmosphere, low pressure will actually increase the stun beam's range and high pressure will decrease it. Divide the listed DA range by the atmospheric pressure. In wet or humid weather, the DA range will be decreased, from half to 1⁄5th of the listed range. DA damage reduction affects both the Pen (with the usual -1 RS per DA increment) and the Dose (with -1 to Dose per DA increment). Standard practice is to mark E-stunners with bold, constrasting black, yellow, and green. This aids in avoiding lethal mistakes where you intend to stun someone but draw a deadly weapon instead. This sort of marking does not eliminate the problem, but does go some way toward mitigating it.
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