Small Arms Accessories

Ever since the first clubbing, sentients have taken great pride and joy in decorating and improving their weapons. At first, the weapons were painted, had designs carved into them, or were decorated with what can only be called "stuff", usually a part of your old opponent. As time went along, accessories became not so much as decoration, but improvements.

New sights, over sized ammunition feeds, new stocks, they all can help to make your weapon more effective. Some accessories are weapons unto themselves, such as grenade launchers and bayonets, but they will not be covered here. Here, we will be discussing what you can use to make your weapon itself more effective. Due to size constraints, we will have to cover only the more common or useful add-ons on the market.

Self Luminescent Sights

Basic sights, also called "iron sights", are usually black. This produces a poor sight picture, especially at night. Nowadays, most weapons are produced with either white dots and/or a high visibility front sight for an improved ability to actually see the sights. But it still doesn't mean much in the dark. If you can't see the sights, you can't hit much past, say, two or three arm lengths away. For this reason, many people have small, glowing beads inserted into their iron sights. Sometimes they are LEDs, or small chips of mildly radioactive material, or even self-contained microbiomes with luminescent bacteria or plants in them. Regardless of what they are, "night sights" allow you to get a sight picture in even the darkest gloom. Unlike light enhancement or thermal imaging, they can't die at an inconvenient moment, and unlike glowrods and laser pointers, they don't give away your position. Most professionals have had these installed on their weapons, including the Stormtrooper legions. Most major manufacturers, including BlasTech, Merr-Sonn and SoroSuub, can add night sights to your blaster for a small fee (usually about 75-100cr) before it leaves the factory. Of course, you can always have them added later, but not only do you have to buy the sights, you need to have them installed by someone of usually questionable ability, or worse, yourself. And just because you have scope or something similar, these are still a nice idea, as they almost never break, unlike some things.

type: night sights
cost: 100 (tritium inserts) to 200 (self sustaining microbiomes)
availability: 1,F to 3,F
installation difficulty: Easy to Moderate TECH roll (or appropriate skill), depending on weapon
game effects: +1D to hit in low light conditions (based of the theory that the first 1D of darkness penalties is based of the fact that black-on-black sights loose thier contrast readily in twilight.)

Laser Sights

A very low powered laser, these project a point of light onto your target. Were the little dot is where your shot goes. Simple. They can also be seen on your target, can get "lost" on full light and illuminate anything in the air between you and the target, including windows, force fields, smoke and rain. This last is one of the biggest complaints about laser sights, as the beam points back at your location, which is often a bad thing. They do lessen he effects of off-hand shooting and unsighted shooting on the other hand, making them valuable tools in com booth-tight quarters. Available in many sizes, right down to the nearly microscopic, and in many point colors, they leech a minute amount of power from your powercell, and are usually fitted with a squeeze switch, activating them when they are lifted. They are very popular with the less experienced shooters, especially popular on hold-out class weapons, and with hotshots who follow the "two-gun" method. Problem is, the beam gets harder to spot over distance, meaning that brighter sights must be used for further distances.
type: projected aiming point
cost: 200 to 800 (for the really tiny or bright)
availability: 2 F,R
installation difficulty: Easy to Difficult
game effects: Only a +1 difficulty modifier for unlighted and off side shooting.
Requires a Moderate PERC roll for shooter to find at Long range (Medium in full light), Difficult PERC roll for target to spot. Will illuminate any solid or liquid matter in it's line of travel (including windows, fog, etc.)

Weapon Light

This is one of the most basic weapon accessories, and it consists of a small glow rod that clamps onto the weapon, and activated by a squeeze switch. The problem with them is that your sight picture goes to hell unless you are using a red dot sight, laser sight or night sights. They can also be seen from much further away than t hey project a useful illuminating beam, usually out to about 25m. These are commonly found with Stormtroopers assigned to urban or subterranean areas. Due to their size, they can only be mounted on pistol sized and larger weapons.

type: Weapons mounted glow rod
cost: 50 (includes mount)
availability: 1 none, F
installation difficulty: Very Easy
game effects: Provides light out to 25m.
There is still a 1D penalty
to hit, unless some form of illuminated sights are used.

Optical Scope

The most primitive and common form of enhancing scope is a simple, optical magnifying scopes. Using a simple tube with lenses at either end, it requires no power, as few, if any, moving parts, and is inexpensive. Having existed in most cultures since before space flight, they are still popular. To indicate were the shot will fall, scopes have some kind of aiming point inside the scope, usually crossed hairs, a small dot, or a ring. Most of the ones manufactured today have a luminescent aiming point, meaning that they can be used more efficiently at night, much like comparing night sights to plain iron sights. For example, the E11s that are issued to Imperial forces are fitted with a small, low-powered scope with a ring reticle that measures 1.8m at 200m and equipped with fine, electronic tubes that glow when activated. To further the utility, the tubes feed off the powercell, providing the trooper with a silent way of telling when his powerfcell is expended, even if he can't feel the pulser in the grip. Less complex models of optical scope are popular with hunters, gun fighters and target shooters. They can be mounted on nearly any weapon larger than a hold-out, and provide a good addition to almost any weapon.

type: optical scope
cost: 50 to 150 (depending on complexity and strength)
+50 to 100 for luminescent reticles
extra for more powerful magnification
availability: 1 to 3, F (depending on complexity)
difficulty to mount: Easy to Moderate
game effects: +1D to hit if used for one round of aiming (typical)
lighted reticle: functions the same as night iron sights if used for one round of aiming.

Aiming Point Sights

Externally similar to an optical scope, except that it has no magnification. Instead, it has a small glowing bead in it, similar to a night sight. While some question the utility of such a thing, those who have worked with "red dot" sights know that they are faster to find than iron sights, and they are meant to be used with both eyes open, meaning that there is no loss of peripheral vision. It also means that the effects of shooting a long arm with your weak hand and eye (or analogous organs) is lessened. Many elite forces, including the Sector Rangers and Storm Commandos make use of these sights on their blaster carbines. This is because they bridge the accuracy of the iron and optical sight, but they are fast as, and usually faster than, irons, especially in close quarters. They can be mounted on anything from a sporting blaster on up, with models that incorporate magnification also being available.

type: red dot sight
cost: 100, more for magnification (treat game effects like optical scopes)
availability: 2 F
difficulty to install: same as optical scopes
game effects: Lessen the multiple action penalty on any shots made with a handgun equipped with a red dot sight by 2 pips, a shoulder arm by 1D. (ie: firing three shots with an E11, you multiple action penalty will only be -2D. Three shots from a DL-44 would give you a 2D+1 penalty.) Their low light bonuses are the same as for night sights. Only a +2 difficulty to hit when used with the off hand (normally +1D difficulty.) These bonuses apply only to non-magnifying optical sights.

Thermal Imaging Sight

Working by "seeing" heat radiation, these can work in total darkness, as long as there is thermal variation in the environment. It also takes a certain amount of training to interpret the images provided by these sights, as they only show heat. A blob of red in your sight's display might be a squad of troopers, a pair of banthas or a landspeeder. Fairly bulky, they are about the size of a macroscope, and can really only be mounted on rifles and large carbines at the low end of the scale. Due to the difficulty is positively identifying your target, they are not in common use anywhere.

type: thermal scope
skill: PERC: Thermal Interpretation (see below) [used only to identify the target or see through heavy cover, not to hit it. This is a free action)
cost: 600
availability: 2 R,X
notes:
Works in all vision obscuring conditions where there is thermal variance, providing no darkness or similar penalties. May look through cover (Cover's STR+1D vs. user's PERC: Thermal Interpretation).

(skill: PERCEPTION: Thermal Interpretation (no specializations). Improves normally. Used by those species that do not naturally see IR to figure out what the thermal display they are looking at means. Not very common.)

Light Enhancing Sight

Using time proven passive, ambient light enhancing technology, "night scopes" are popular with many. Not much larger than an optical scope, the techniques that go into their manufacture are almost as old as space travel itself. Providing a green or blue tinted view of the world, they can only function were there is at least a little light. These capabilities are often built into macroscopes, and are standard Imperial issue to E-Web teams.

type: night scope
cost: 300
availability: 1 F,R
installation difficulty: Easy to Moderate
notes: Counteracts up to 2D of Darkness penalties. Can not work in total darkness.

Macroscope

Using the same technology as marcobinoculars, macroscopes are an excellent addition to shoulder fired arms. They are autofocusing, and include ranging information in their reticle. Being simple and tough, they have become popular with mercenaries and the Rebellion. However, they are bulky, meaning that they can only be placed on weapons no smaller than rifles and large carbines. To increase their versatility, they are often fitted with passive light enhancement filters for night operations.

type: weapon mounted macrosight
cost: 200
availability: 2 F,R
installation difficulty: Easy to Moderate
game effects: +3D to hit past 100m if used for one round of aiming.

Miniature Macroscope

Designed for pistols and carbines, these smaller macroscopes have become popular additions to larger weapons as well. These are usually small enough to be holstered, and are common among smugglers and mercenaries. As a general rule, they are built along the same lines as red dot sights, and usually feature an "intensifier cutout" that deactivates the enhancement part of the scope, causing the scope to function as a standard red dot sight. These are especially popular with people on both sides of the law, including the (in)famous Rebel, Han Solo, and the Corellian Security Force Special Operations teams.

type: handgun mounted macrosight
cost: 225, +75 for the imaging cutout
availability: 2 R
installation difficulty: Moderate to Difficult on handguns
Easy to Moderate on larger weapons)
effects: +2D to hit past 50m if used for one round of aiming.
(Many also designed to work as a red-dot sight, but only if the image intensifier has been deactivated. May not be used as a red-dot in the smae round as it is used as a telecopic sight. The shift counts as one action)

Visor Sight

Consisting of a small imaging system, a miniaturized comlink and visor, these are a useful gizmo for urban warfare. The imager is mounted on the weapon, and shows you what the weapon "sees". This is in turn scomp linked to a very weak (typically 1m range) comlink. The visor contains a miniature receiver that converts the data from t he imager into a aiming point on the visor. If the weapon should be looking at something that is outside of your field of vision (ie: behind you, around a corner, etc), the visor open a small "window", allowing you to see what the imager does. The only problem with this is that it is quite disconcerting to look at and process the data from two different sources. Those who are not used to the visor have been know to reach for something that is actual behind them, because they forget that the window is not what is in front of them. Due to the size of the equipment, it may not be mounted on a weapon smaller than a blaster pistol.

type: remote sight with visor display
cost: 1000
availability: 3 R
installation difficulty: Moderate to Difficult
game notes: No penalties for unaimed fire. When activated, visor shows what the weapon "sees". If the weapon's POV and your's are not the same, must make Moderate PERC roll, or suffer -1D from all rolled actions, due to disorientation.

Backpack Power Generator

A small, packboard mounted fusion generator, these are about the same size as those used in survival packs and carried by handybeings the Galaxy over. What is noteworthy about these is they are reinforced for the wear-and-tear of field ops, and they are fitted with power cables. These cables terminate with interchangeable plugs that fit nearly any blaster on the market, as well as a number of sensors, high-powered communications rigs and personal shields. They are also used by miners, construction workers and Holonet news teams. Models capable of accepting multiple cables are available. Most commonly found attached to a repeating blaster, riot gun or selective fire blaster, these are popular among commando teams and bounty hunters. During press demonstrations, members of His Majesty's Royal Guardsmen and Storm Commandos have been seen using these in conjunction with light repeating blasters.

type: near infinite powercell
cost: 1000
+50 for a second power cable
+100 for ever power cable after that (5 max).
availability: 2 R,X
body: 3D (character)
installation difficulty: Very Easy to Easy
notes: Provides unlimited power to up to five weapons or similar devices. If it is damaged to the point of "incapacitated", it will not function. If it is "destroyed", it explodes as per a thermal detonator.

Shoulder Stocks

Many people have found that fitting a blaster pistol with a shoulder stock makes it more accurate. However, most of them think that the bonus is greater than it actually is. The best of the detachable shoulder stocks double as holsters. The problem with those is that they are bulky and inconvenient. Other models are skeletonised and fold into a small package that can be carried in a belt case or on the off side of a shoulder holster. This combination is sold to many a TIE pilot as a personally purchased item, and is one of the few their commanders approve of. It can only be used on sporting pistols and larger weapons.

type: detachable shoulder stock
skill: Blaster: carbine
cost: 50 (basic stock)
75 (collapsible, with pouch)
125 (holster)
availability: 2 F
installation difficulty: Easy to Moderate to modify pistol
game notes: Adds 3 meters to the short range, 10m to the medium range. It does not extend the long range.

Blaster Converter

This allows a heavy blaster pistol to have the same range of a blaster pistol. It consists of a power converter, a focusing lens adapter, new galven circuitry and modified gas flow regulator. Very expensive, very hard to find and usually quite illegal. It should be noted that even though it is possible to fire a heavy blaster fitted with a converter at the longer range without a loss of throughput, there is a real and serious danger of the weapon overloading, usually with explosive consequences.

type: blaster converter
skill: Blaster: heavy pistol
cost: 800
availability: 3 X
installation difficulty: Moderate to Difficult
game effects: Takes one action to active. When activated, reduce damage by 1D, add 3m to medium range, double long range. (example: the BlasTech DL-44 does 5D damage, with a range of 3-7/25/50. Fitted with a converter, it does 4D damage, with a range of 3-7/28/100 in the lower damage setting)
May be fired at longer range without damage loss, but if the Wild Die equals "1", the weapon explodes, doing 6D damage to the shooter.
Switching betweeen modes counts as two actions.

Shot Expander

A shot expander consists of several focus gems in a adjustable housing that replaces the original focusing lens on a blaster. It causes the blaster bolt to disperse, with a reduction in damage. They can be mounted on any weapon ranging in size from a sporting blaster to a blaster rifle.

type: blaster bolt expander
cost: 500
availability: 3 F
installation difficulty: Easy to Moderate
game effects: For every +1D to hit bonus, the bolt does -1D damage. You must have at least a +1D Bonus, but the bolt must still do at least 1D worth of damage. It is adjustable in one pip increments between those two points.

"Kill Shot"

This is a highly illegal device that converts a simple stunner into a lethal blaster. They are very, very expensive and very difficult to install. They are common on heavily industrialized planets that regulate the sale on possession of lethal weapons, especially n the Core Worlds and the CSA. It is only used by those who wish to legally, and without hassle, purchase a weapon, but can not, or will not, buy an intentionally lethal weapon. When they are purchased, these items often look like a collection of spare parts to a portable computer, a small droid or cybernetic limb, and do not register as parts to a weapon under most customs investigations. Weapons so modified still appear on scanners to be stunners.

type: stunner converter
cost: 150% of the base cost to he weapon it is to be fitted to
availability: 2 X (possession is often punishable by death)
installation difficulty: Very Difficult to Heroic
game notes: Converts a stun only weapon into a lethal blaster, but with a -1D penalty to the damage and a +3 difficulty to hit at all ranges. If the Wild Die rolls a 1, roll 2D. If that roll equals 12, the weapon explodes, doing 6D damage to the user.

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