Wanted: The Chaingun from "All Tommorow's Parties" Options

[Gerzel]

There was a gun in William Gibson's "All Tommorow's Parties" that I would like to have stats for. The chaingun. If you read the book you'll know which gun I'm talking about. The one the antiques dealer on the bridge kept hidden in the wall for a friend.

Trying to figure out what this would be stat-wise in SR4.

This thing was non-re-loadable, and built with nanofac processes basically being a directional bomb with a trigger launching shrapnel chains at a target or targets doing a lot of damage over a wide area with a single shot.

Anyone have any insights/ideas?

[Udoshi]

It would help a lot if you posted a description of the gun's capabilities in action.

Stat me! threads work a lot better when you have something to work off of. Just sayin.

[Lanlaorn]

Here, I'll help him with that:

"What is it?" Rydell asked.

"Chain gun," Fontaine said. "Disposable. Can't reload it. Caseless:

this long square thing's the cartridges and the barrel in one. No-moving parts to it: ignition's electrical. Two buttons here, where the trigger would be, you just point it, press 'em both the same time. It'll do that four times. Four charges."

"Why do they call it a chain gun?"

"What this is, Martial says, it's more like a directional grenade, you understand? Or sort of like a portable fragmentation mine. Main thing he told me is you don't use it in any kind of confined space, and you only use it when there's nobody in front of you you don't mind seeing get really fucked up."

"So what's the chain part?"

Fontaine reached over and tapped the fat square barrel lightly, once, with his forefinger. "In here. Thing's packed with four hundred two-foot lengths of super-fine steel chain, sharp as razor wire."

Rydell hefted the thing by its two grips, keeping his fingers away from those buttons. "And that-"
"Makes hamburger," Fontaine said.

[Udoshi]

Sounds like a rifle sized sakura fubuki.

[Tanegar]

Not really. A Sakura Fubuki is just a fancy machine pistol. This thing is more like a portable Claymore mine. I'd stat it like a really big area-effect flechette weapon. Something like 20P, AP +5.

[Udoshi]

Bigger Bangalore torpedo, perhaps?

Or am i mixing up my shadow terminology?


I'm fairly certain something like this could be made up with Arsenal's advanced demolitions rules, anyway.

[Tanegar]

A Bangalore torpedo seems to be basically a big pipe bomb, if I'm reading the article right. You're probably right about being able to build something similar to the chain gun using demolitions rules, though.

[LurkerOutThere]

It's a street sweeper/fancy IED as envisioned by a writer who never fired a gun.

[Erik Baird]

The closest real-world equivalent would probably be one of the Metal Storm guns. The effects description does sound more like a Claymore, though.

[The Jopp]

It essentially sounds like a support weapon sized version of the Sakura Fubuki firing flechettes.

Quick statting:

Cost: 4000Y (slightly cheaper than usual HMG due to being disposable)
Damage: 7P[f] (As Heavy Machine Gun but Flechettes)
AP: +2 (HMG has -3 so I add +5)
Modes: BF/FA
Barrels: 4
Ammo Per Barrel: 20
Ammo Total: 80 (since it cannot have belt feed I gave it a bit more ammo)

Mods: Electronic Firing, High-Velocity, Gas Vent 3, Smartgun Link

Special
Can fire Normal Burst
Normal Burst use Sakura Fubuki Rules
BF gives same recoil as SA mode
Gas Vent only functional in FA mode
Disposable - Cannot be reloaded

[Tymeaus Jalynsfe...]

A Bangalore torpedo seems to be basically a big pipe bomb, if I'm reading the article right. You're probably right about being able to build something similar to the chain gun using demolitions rules, though.

Yes, a Bangalore Torpedo is indeed a big Pipe Bomb. It is sectional, and can be pieced together to form bigger pipes. It is generally used to clear wire obstacles in depth. They are a fun explosive device. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[The Jopp]

They are a fun explosive device. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

Arent all explosives fun?

[Tymeaus Jalynsfe...]

Arent all explosives fun?

Indeed they are... But some are more fun than others.

It is even more enjoyable when you have no limits on what you do. Crammed 80 pounds of C4, 2x 15 pound cratering charges, 1x 40 pound cratering charge, and about 50 pounds of TNT into a van once just to see what would happen. It was quite impressive indeed.

Another time we ran a ring charge with about 300 pounds of C4. Fun times. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[Stahlseele]

this is basically a mono-grenade-launcher that only uses the grenades as a sort of holder for the mono-wire-flechette . . so it's basically a BIG shotgun that electrically shoots BIG projectiles which fall appart after leaving the barrel and make loads of monowire fly . .

[The Jopp]

this is basically a mono-grenade-launcher that only uses the grenades as a sort of holder for the mono-wire-flechette . . so it's basically a BIG shotgun that electrically shoots BIG projectiles which fall appart after leaving the barrel and make loads of monowire fly . .

So perhaps the above profile but adding a choke setting like shotguns - that way multiple people can get hit.

[Stahlseele]

Or use a PAC with electric firing and use normal splash damage rules?

[Daier Mune]

Little bit of thread necromancy, here.

He carries it as a heavy weapon, like an assault cannon, or even a rocket launcher. They make 40mm grenades that fragment in the barrel, functioning like a large-scale shotgun, maybe this "Chain Gun" is a disposeable rocket launcher version of that?

Same damage as anti-personel rocket, but with wide-choke shotgun rules.

[Gerzel]

Little bit of thread necromancy, here.

He carries it as a heavy weapon, like an assault cannon, or even a rocket launcher. They make 40mm grenades that fragment in the barrel, functioning like a large-scale shotgun, maybe this "Chain Gun" is a disposeable rocket launcher version of that?

Same damage as anti-personel rocket, but with wide-choke shotgun rules.

Now that would work.

Heck if SR can get away with monowire. It can handle this.

[Kliko]

Sounds like a shotgun conversion of the Sakura Fubuki loaded with bola rounds.

[Hound]

Sounds like a shotgun conversion of the Sakura Fubuki loaded with bola rounds.

This. I dunno why some people are saying it should have +5 AP, it sounds like it shoots monofilament whips, basically.

[Hound]

ignore this, accidental double post.

[Neurosis]

Actually, my interpretation of that text differs somewhat from the stats someone provided above.

Cost: You can't build one of these, but you can make one.
Damage: 18P(f)
AP: +5 [Impact]
Modes: SS
Ammo: 4 (non-reloadable)
Uses Heavy Weapons skill but Shotgun rules and ranges.

The thing is not anything like an actual 'chaingun' (minigun), it sounds more like a flak cannon to me. The fact that it has 'four charges' indicates to me that it's not full auto at all, rather it has four shots each of which unleashes a huge shit-storm of death.

[scarius]

Actually, my interpretation of that text differs somewhat from the stats someone provided above.

Cost: You can't build one of these, but you can make one.
Damage: 18P(f)
AP: +5 [Impact]
Modes: SS
Ammo: 4 (non-reloadable)
Uses Heavy Weapons skill but Shotgun rules and ranges.

The thing is not anything like an actual 'chaingun' (minigun), it sounds more like a flak cannon to me. The fact that it has 'four charges' indicates to me that it's not full auto at all, rather it has four shots each of which unleashes a huge shit-storm of death.

this is the same interpretation that i have of it, i would only give it a smart-link, shotgun choke, and a blast of 1-10m (controlled by the choke)

[Faelan]

Indeed they are... But some are more fun than others.

It is even more enjoyable when you have no limits on what you do. Crammed 80 pounds of C4, 2x 15 pound cratering charges, 1x 40 pound cratering charge, and about 50 pounds of TNT into a van once just to see what would happen. It was quite impressive indeed.

Another time we ran a ring charge with about 300 pounds of C4. Fun times. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

Reminds me of when EOD at Camp Geiger was bored and decided to run an MOS grade demo course for all the Infantry Instructors. We had about 80 Vietnam Era Claymores scheduled for use or disposal, and set them off at the signal. Fortunately someone was filming, nothing like seeing thousands of little impact marks in the dirt when there was nothing there before.

Ring charges are always fun. especially when someone sends down electrical blasting caps for it. I always hated electrical blasting caps.

[Kliko]

Reminds me of when EOD at Camp Geiger was bored and decided to run an MOS grade demo course for all the Infantry Instructors. We had about 80 Vietnam Era Claymores scheduled for use or disposal, and set them off at the signal. Fortunately someone was filming, nothing like seeing thousands of little impact marks in the dirt when there was nothing there before.

Pics/Vids or it didn't happen (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif)