 December 5, 2010 - 10:39am | The Heavy Gyrojet Rifle in the Star Frontiersman magazine is now alive and well in today's time. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/XM25_Individual_Airburst_Weapon_System I guess if it ain't broke, don't fix it, even waaaaaay in the future! You can't argue with the invincibly ignorant. - William F. Buckley |
 December 5, 2010 - 11:20am | Actually the gyrojet rifle has been around since the 60's. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gyrojet They were not pursued any further as the rockets left a jet trail which gave away the soldier's position. In every age, in every place, the deeds of men remain the same. |
 December 5, 2010 - 2:32pm | Actually the AA12 automatic shotgun has gyro-scopicly stablized rounds besides the standard 12 guage rounds. Spring activated fins deploy once the round leaves the barrel. results in longer range and more accuracy. Kind of scarry on a weapon that the smallest useful magazine is a drum. RE: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p4ebtj1jR7c look for the Frag 12 grenade ammo (over 100m range with accuracy- fired from a shot gun) I might not be a dralasite, vrusk or yazirian but I do play one in Star Frontiers! |
 December 5, 2010 - 3:58pm | Actually the gyrojet rifle has been around since the 60's. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gyrojet I like the quote from the article: "The rocket leaves the barrel with low energy, and accelerates until the fuel is exhausted at about 60 feet (20 m), at which point the rocket has a velocity of about 1250 feet per second (FPS), slightly greater than Mach one, with about 50% more energy than the common .45 ACP round. While test figures vary greatly, testers report that there was a sonic crack from some rounds, but only a hissing sound from others, suggesting that the maximum velocity varied from slightly below to slightly above Mach 1. A modern inertially guided small arms rocket launcher could have internal control of the rocket motor to allow a projectile to cruise subsonically and quietly to the neighborhood of the target and accelerate to supersonic noisy armor piercing speed only within the last 30 meters to the target." So gyrojet rounds should be available with different flight velocities. With modern micro-circuitry this could be programmed from the gun. So the weapon could have a sonic crack depending on how the round was programmed to accelerate. This could also bring programmable damage into the game. -iggy |
December 6, 2010 - 6:59am | Actually the gyrojet rifle has been around since the 60's. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gyrojet They were not pursued any further as the rockets left a jet trail which gave away the soldier's position. Oh, I knew they were available. I've actually held one of the old Gyrojet pistols, but never got to fire it, due to the rarity of the rounds available (10 years ago, the rounds sold for $25/each). That thing was one of the most 60's futuristic-looking style of weapon I'd ever seen. Looked like it was right out of a Sci-Fi movie. In the original OICW (see Wikipedia) the rifle had a 5.56 Auto Rifle attached, with a standard 20 rd clip. Why the Army didn't include that on the weapon is beyond me. It would "kill" 2 birds with one stone, and be MUCH more flexible for the soldiers to get the job done. Now, game talk. Any thoughts on any improvements that wouldn't "break" the weapon for gameplay? I'd like to see the rifle added as "canon" to the one in Star Frontiersman. Thanks! You can't argue with the invincibly ignorant. - William F. Buckley |
December 6, 2010 - 12:29pm | I'm a fan of the triple gyrojet rifle from the zine (forget which issue) as it was designed to be stats for the rifle that is seen in a yazirian's hands firing with 3 barrels in a triangular pattern. I just liked it. Maybe some thought should be given to quad mounted heavy weapons used for area denial I might not be a dralasite, vrusk or yazirian but I do play one in Star Frontiers! |
 December 6, 2010 - 3:09pm | I'm a fan of the triple gyrojet rifle from the zine (forget which issue) as it was designed to be stats for the rifle that is seen in a yazirian's hands firing with 3 barrels in a triangular pattern. I just liked it. Maybe some thought should be given to quad mounted heavy weapons used for area denial I have all that in my section of the House Rules Wiki here. IIRC it's entitled "multi-barrel weapons". Fun stuff if you don't mind encumbering your character  |
December 7, 2010 - 4:52pm | Actually the gyrojet rifle has been around since the 60's. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gyrojet I like the quote from the article: "The rocket leaves the barrel with low energy, and accelerates until the fuel is exhausted at about 60 feet (20 m), at which point the rocket has a velocity of about 1250 feet per second (FPS), slightly greater than Mach one, with about 50% more energy than the common .45 ACP round. While test figures vary greatly, testers report that there was a sonic crack from some rounds, but only a hissing sound from others, suggesting that the maximum velocity varied from slightly below to slightly above Mach 1. A modern inertially guided small arms rocket launcher could have internal control of the rocket motor to allow a projectile to cruise subsonically and quietly to the neighborhood of the target and accelerate to supersonic noisy armor piercing speed only within the last 30 meters to the target." So gyrojet rounds should be available with different flight velocities. With modern micro-circuitry this could be programmed from the gun. So the weapon could have a sonic crack depending on how the round was programmed to accelerate. This could also bring programmable damage into the game. Well it is Wikipedia, so it's possible for there to be some errors in it. I can't see why we don't have the tech now to make the gyrojet more practical today. In game terms, well let's just say I've seen other games list gyrojet weapons and have some that are full auto. Imagine that in a SF game. In every age, in every place, the deeds of men remain the same. |
 December 7, 2010 - 5:02pm | Shadow has the stats for a full-auto gyrojet in the Ultimate Equipment Guide, while GURPS' gyrocs come in less than lethal, armor-piercing explosive, saboted slug, chemical warhead, and IR guided varieties. My understanding is that for budget and practical reasons, the DoD has ordered the OCIW's two components developed into separate weapons systems, with hopes of recombining them down the line. " 'Beware the Beast, Man, for he is the Devil's pawn. Alone among God's primates, he kills for sport, for lust, for greed. Yea, he will murder his brother to possess his brother's land. Let him not breed in great numbers, for he will make a desert of his home and yours. Shun him; drive him back into his jungle lair, for he is the harbinger of death." |
 December 7, 2010 - 6:23pm | I liked the gyrojet weapons in Game Over. View my profile for a list of articles I have written, am writing, will write. "It's yo' mama!" —Wicket W. Warrick, Star Wars Ep. VI: Return of the Jedi "That guy's wise." —Logray, Star Wars Ep.VI: Return of the Jedi Do You Wanna Date My Avatar? - Felicia Day (The Guild) |
 December 7, 2010 - 7:37pm | I had the chance to see one up close and personal in all its pieces to examine one and had it explained to me how it works and to see one of the rounds internal workings. It was the pistol version but I figured the only difference was the caliber of the rounds. I thought the design was so cool I wanted one for myself but found out that I could not have one. I see the gyro-jet weapons being more powerful than any weapon you can get in today's armories by far. |
December 7, 2010 - 7:52pm | Oooh. I like your ideas. You should post that stuff. We need stuff like that in the magazine. View my profile for a list of articles I have written, am writing, will write. "It's yo' mama!" —Wicket W. Warrick, Star Wars Ep. VI: Return of the Jedi "That guy's wise." —Logray, Star Wars Ep.VI: Return of the Jedi Do You Wanna Date My Avatar? - Felicia Day (The Guild) |
December 8, 2010 - 5:28am | Heh, good to see I'm not the only one who utilizes alternate gyrojet ammo. I don't have the full monty in terms of grenades in my game, but in addition to the standard rounds I have tangler, sleep, and high explosive versions. Granted they aren't as effective as the grenade equivilents, but if you can hit with all three you have a good chance of inflicting grenade-grade effects. |
December 8, 2010 - 4:34pm | "And, we even have gold-tipped bullets for you-know-who." With Shadow's and Gilbert's ideas for gyrojet weapons, more characters will probably start using them instead of lasers; unpleasant surprise for those who go the skeinsuit/albedo screen route. " 'Beware the Beast, Man, for he is the Devil's pawn. Alone among God's primates, he kills for sport, for lust, for greed. Yea, he will murder his brother to possess his brother's land. Let him not breed in great numbers, for he will make a desert of his home and yours. Shun him; drive him back into his jungle lair, for he is the harbinger of death." |
 December 9, 2010 - 7:25pm | Nerds..... so specific.... I did copy the XM25 (25mm grenade launcher) as a gyrojet rifle for Star Frontiers. The difference is the on fly adjustable air burst just like the real one. Gyrojets in the '60s didn't do that hehehe At least I got to scare an alien rabbit thingy...... |
December 10, 2010 - 5:13pm | You know comparing the XM25 to a gyrojet rifle has just opened a thought inside my head of another weapon that's seem some use today but there is no SF version. Not the shotgun although SF could use one as well, but I'm thinking more of fletchette fireing weapons. Steyr made the ACR which fired fletchettes but the weapon was rejected because of the discarded sabots, but I think SF would have the tech to make the weapon more useful. In every age, in every place, the deeds of men remain the same. |
December 10, 2010 - 10:12pm | You know comparing the XM25 to a gyrojet rifle has just opened a thought inside my head of another weapon that's seem some use today but there is no SF version. Not the shotgun although SF could use one as well, but I'm thinking more of fletchette fireing weapons. Steyr made the ACR which fired fletchettes but the weapon was rejected because of the discarded sabots, but I think SF would have the tech to make the weapon more useful. I have to agree with Sargon that we could use a "safe" weapong for ship work (in other words a projectile weapon that is safe for firing on board ship (other than the needler) I might not be a dralasite, vrusk or yazirian but I do play one in Star Frontiers! |
December 11, 2010 - 3:28am | The safest weapon for a ship? Easy, electromagnetic floor plates: "You make your way aboard the disabled craft, guiding yourself weightlessly through the cut hatchway. Suddenly, all your metal weapons and gear are tugged to the floor by what feels like a 15G force!" |
December 11, 2010 - 6:45am | Ship Safe Weapons? Projectile. There are bullets made today that are organic lethal, but do minimum to zero damage to structures. One is the "frangible" bullet and then there are a couple of brand-name examples I know of. First is the "Glaser Safety Slug". It's a bullet shell with a small plastic cap on the end. The shell is filled with miniature bits of lead dust. When you are shot with it, the slug stops about 1/2-1" in the body, and the lead dust flies forward, expanding like a shotgun blast. Most victims of a torso hit don't make it to the hospital, and well, head shots, ewww.... The other is the "Mag-Safe". Pretty much the same principle. The Frangible, however, is a round of compressed copper or brass particles that will go injure a person, but shatter to dust when they hit anything other than flesh. You could shoot these at a porthole and just make a mess of metal dust for the cleaning robot. The Glaser and Mag-Safe are nearly identical, but the little carrier gets left behind too. The best thing about ALL these rounds is, no collateral kills in an urban environment. If they hit a house, mailbox, fencepost, or a leaf, before they hit the intended target, POOF, bullet is no longer a threat. In SF terms, I'd likely give these a disadvantage against inertia defenses, say 75% protection, 100% with an RS save. Unshielded though, I'd add +2 per bullet, due to the radical nature of the damage done. My 2 cents. You can't argue with the invincibly ignorant. - William F. Buckley |
December 11, 2010 - 11:03am | And then some one pulls out a laser rifle made of plastic, granted there will be some metal in it. But not enough to make much if any difference as most of the original weapon's weight will be in the plastic. And lets not forget the ideal of ceramic knives. On top if the boarders have anything like these the electromagnetic plates will hamper you just as much as the boarders. I was thinking of fletchettes as a mid area between full out projectiles and needlers. Work just like an auto-rifle with a larger ammo capacity, but with less damage and effectiveness against armor. The special ammo they make is great, but lets face the idea that some people want something a little more cost effective. In every age, in every place, the deeds of men remain the same. |
 December 11, 2010 - 2:30pm | what i was reading about fletchette rounds on wikipedia suggests that they are more effective against armored targets then ball/bullet-type rounds |
December 11, 2010 - 2:32pm | In SF terms, I'd likely give these a disadvantage against inertia defenses, say 75% protection, 100% with an RS save. You must have Jedi reflexes to dodge a bullet. |
December 11, 2010 - 2:36pm | LOL, yea. Sorry, was only up about 20 min when I posted that. Brain was stoopid. Although, another idea just hit me. Shoot a bunch of these bullets into a computer or some other set of sensitive electronics, and when the "dust" settles, watch the fireworks. You can't argue with the invincibly ignorant. - William F. Buckley |
December 11, 2010 - 2:38pm | Must be because it's a nail with fins, next to no stopping power compared to a bullet however. In every age, in every place, the deeds of men remain the same. |
December 27, 2010 - 9:32am | A friend of mine stationed in Afghanistan got to come home for Christmas. His unit has 2 of these weapons assigned to them. He's received training, but has yet to carry it into combat. He was shooting 200 yds (+2) and hitting targets inside buildings. To quote, "OMG, that thing is awesome. I got wood everytime I pulled the trigger." There are some rounds available that he couldn't talk about, which is understandable, but, he was REAL happy with them. Side Note: It was good to see him home. Gave him a goodie bag to take back, loaded with movies and tv shows (downtime over there is at best, boring). You can't argue with the invincibly ignorant. - William F. Buckley |
December 27, 2010 - 1:24pm | Agreed, Droid, it's good to see him home, if only for a bit. Here's my hope he'll get to come home for good, and in one piece. " 'Beware the Beast, Man, for he is the Devil's pawn. Alone among God's primates, he kills for sport, for lust, for greed. Yea, he will murder his brother to possess his brother's land. Let him not breed in great numbers, for he will make a desert of his home and yours. Shun him; drive him back into his jungle lair, for he is the harbinger of death." |
