Fire and Ice: Wrap Up

From SSDC, Inc.

1 AFTERMATH
2 NEW EQUIPMENT
- 2.1 SHATTER GUNS
- 2.2 METHALATOR HELMET

AFTERMATH

Unless the party was clever enough to find all of the sources of data (including the microdot in the picture of Dr. Schott's wife), Able will still be capable of producing the Frostfire. If the Eridi-Corp team also succeeded in their mission, their company will produce a tank-fed Shattergun called "Cold Iron". However, the crowning achievement in this field will be Balshrom's BC-Shatter, a Shattergun that can also be used as a Juicer or a Frost Gun. Though prohibitively expensive, the team will be given the option to purchase one at the Balshrom discount when it becomes available a year later. In the meantime, the team will find it runs out of ammo for its new toy very fast (they will only have 10-15 rounds to begin with!). This is not necessarily a bad thing. However, Balshrom will learn how to produce the cartridges within a month, and the party may requisition ammo for field tests at the cost of 20,000 cr. per box of 10 cartridges if the BM so decides.

In addition to the bonuses and the regular paycheck, all PCs who earned no more than one black mark will be promoted one rank.

At any rate, whichever faction(s) they turned down will become powerful enemies who want to see them dead. Put a bounty on their heads. Send nasty Cuontol or Phentari bounty hunters (depending on the affiliation) after them.

If the PCs are brave enough to refuse, resourceful enough to survive, and intelligent enough to report this all, Balshrom will offer to buy out their contracts. The party will be employees of Balshrom now, and Balshrom is the best at protecting its workers! Balshrom will offer to train them to secondary occupational level in any weapon type for free (the character must still pay proficiency points as normal). Reward them for their integrity, just as you would punish them for cowardice.

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NEW EQUIPMENT

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SHATTER GUNS

Shatterguns are a new technology that combines two time-honored weapons principles. They are so named for their devastating effect on armor. An Able Corporation scientist with too much time and too few morals developed the first Shattergun in 2279.

The designer, Dr. Wolfgang Schott, reasoned that if Juicers and Frost Guns were each so incredibly effective against armor (not to mention bodily tissue), a weapon that utilized both principles would be positively deadly. After months of testing, he happened upon the key.

While it might have been simple to construct a dual-barreled weapon with independent feed lines for "Juice" and Kayson, there were two drawbacks. Either the fuel tanks would have been either extremely bulky (in order to shield the volatile Kayson from the heat of the Juicer's induction cooker), or it could carry only a few shots and still remain man- (or even Ram-) portable. Therefore, another method had to be utilized in order to make the Shattergun feasible for battlefield use.

Able Corporation was the forerunner of cartridge technology for use in both Juicers and Frost Guns, and herein lay the key. Dr. Schott employed this technology in a shotgun-like weapon similar to the Able Blistex juicer, and thus was born the Able Frostfire.

The Frostfire uses an over-under shotgun-style configuration with breech-loading disposable cartridges. When the single trigger is pulled, the Kayson cartridge is fired, spraying the target with super chilled liquid. This is followed a split-second later by the "Juice". Anyone who has ever poured boiling water into a cold glass can imagine the results. Armor tends to Shatter; Flex points tend to be ruined permanently, and any living being injured by this weapon tends to suffer a severe shock to the system.

Because both shells strike the target during the same discharge segment, and the synergy is what makes the weapon so effective, both rounds are resolved as a single shot. It is not possible to fire either barrel of the Frostfire separately, but weapons designers have been working on models that are capable of also functioning as either a Juicer or a Frost Gun.

Damage is translational, ignoring threshold, and it requires 2 points of absorption polymer to stop each point of damage. Armor Integrity in the area hit is reduced by the damage yield. If the damage yield is greater than or equals twice the Threshold, then permanently reduce the armor Threshold in that area by 2. Furthermore, the armor must make an SMR vs. Fire AND an SMR vs. Cold, each at a penalty equal to the damage yield. If either is failed, reduce the wearer's Agility by 2-12 points when wearing the armor. If both are failed, reduce Agility by 4-24 points instead.

Tissue damage is three times normal (remember that this ignores any personal threshold), and any individual who receives damage is required to make a System Shock roll at a penalty equal to the damage received. Failure renders the individual unconscious for a number of minutes equal to the damage received. If a critical hit was caused, only one System Shock roll is made, but all SS penalties are applied.

Shatterguns are fired using the Chemical Weapons skill. Plasma Weapons skill may also be used, but any bonuses are halved (round down). NOTE: The Mist Armor System and the Anti-Plasma generator are 50% less effective against Shatterguns than against normal plasma weapons.

EXAMPLE: Henry the Mutzachan is struck in the stomach by a Shattergun while wearing Generation Armor. The weapon inflicts 7 points of damage. The threshold is 5, so it would require 10 points of Shattergun damage to reduce the threshold. The armor integrity in the abdomen is reduced from 24 to 17. The 12 points of absorption polymers are destroyed, stopping 6 points of damage. The remaining point is tripled, doing 3 Body Points to Henry's tender stomach. This is enough to cause a critical hit, and he must make a System Shock roll at -28 (-25 for the stomach critical and -3 for the Shattergun damage). He fails, and is unconscious for three minutes. His armor must now make an SMR vs. Fire and an SMR vs. Cold, each at -7. It makes the Fire SMR, but fails the Cold SMR. A 2d6 roll reduces Henry's Agility by 8 while wearing the armor. (Why does everyone always pick on poor Henry? Granted, his head looks like some sort of gourd, but even Melon Heads have rights...)

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ABLE FROSTFIRE

The granddaddy of all Shatterguns. Able has attempted to file injunctions against other Shattergun manufacturers, claiming that Shattergun technology is proprietary, but this has yet to be upheld (the same crooked judge that presided over the Balshrom K-Sat case was on this one). The Frostfire is effective, but unreliable. In the event of a weapon malfunction, roll percentile dice. A result of 90 or more indicates that the round has exploded in the weapon, destroying the weapon and inflicting maximum damage to the shooter's chest. Reloads for this weapon are expensive (1850 cr. per dual cartridge). The spent cartridge is ejected upon firing, and it takes two seconds to load a new one. Effective range: 30 meters. Encumbrance: 11.

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NOI'ROTH

"Cold Iron" is the translation of the Eridani name for this weapon. It is rumored that a team of freelance operatives stole the technology from the Able Corporation and sold it to Eridi-Corp. However, the Cold Iron is much safer than its predecessor, and utilizes a dual-chambered backpack. The tank has a threshold of 17, and explodes outward in the event of a puncture or explosive malfunction, protecting the operator from injury. Its range and accuracy are better than its forebear, but fuel is still limited. Recharging the fuel tanks costs 100 cr. per shot. Effective Range: 50 meters. Encumbrance: 22.

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BC-SHATTER

Balshrom Science Corporation was the first company to develop a Shattergun that can also be fired as either a Juicer or a Frost Gun. This is accomplished by means of a selector switch near the trigger assembly. The BC-Shatter uses cartridge technology, with Kayson and Juicer capsules being stored in separate magazines. Its Rate of Fire is faster than any other weapon in its class, and when firing as a Juicer or a Frost Gun, its ROF is 2 shots per second. Changing the mode takes one second. Its damage yield is considerable, but it is the heaviest Shattergun that does not use a fuel tank. It is also VERY expensive! When fired as a Juicer, it is treated as a BC-Chunky (except ROF is 2). When fired as a Frost Gun, it is treated as a BC-Frost Slayer (except ROF is 2 and Q is 10). Reloads are bought separately, and each disposable cassette holds 10 shots. Ten-round Juicer cassettes cost 3500 cr., and 10-round Frost Gun cassettes cost 7500 cr. One round from each magazine is fired when in Shattergun mode. Effective Range: 60 meters. Encumbrance: 17.

Type	TL	AV	Cost
Able Frostfire	6	VR	120,000
COld Iron	7	U	750,000
BC-Shatter	7	U	1.3M

Weapon	UAN	MN	SS	ROF	Q	Dam	P	D	Other
Able Frostfire	76/48/20/-08	90	90	1/3	1	4-16	-	-	NA
Cold Iron	90/80/60/40/20	98	95	1/2	7	5-30	-	-	NA
BC-Shatter	85/73/47/28/05	97	94	1	-	6-36	-	-	NA
BC-Shatter (juicer)	80/61/35/10	97	94	2	10	3-18	-	-	NA
BC-Shatter (frost)	90/85/60/46/10	97	94	2	10	4-24	-	-	NA

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METHALATOR HELMET

Designed by Gregorious Phentari, a bounty hunter and part-time armorer, the Methalator is widely used by Phentari. It possesses an atmospheric processor and it covers the entire head. Phentari particularly enjoy the large, dark lenses that cover the eyes, lending them a menacing appearance. Call before midnight and receive a FREE bag of Buffalo-Style Phent Morsels!

A version of this helmet has been made by and for Eridani. It resembles a visored samurai helmet that covers the entire face. Phent Morsels not included.

Price is for a size class 6 individual. For purposes of weapon law levels, the Methalator is considered a Tech Level 3 helmet.