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Ranged Weapons

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Primitive Weapons

Some worlds and cultures of the Imperium are technologically backward to the extent that they have yet to (re)discover blackpowder weapons, and utilise bows and javelins as their primary ranged weapons. These weapons are instantly outclassed when set against all but the most primitive firearms, but can occasionally be found amongst more advanced cultures, in the hands of collectors or eccentrics.

Weapons like throwing knives or javelins are used in the same way as normal firearms, with the following modifications.

The long range of a thrown weapon is equal to half the character’s Strength (i.e. the Strength of one arm) minus the Encumbrance of the weapon. Short range is determined by dividing the long range by three, while medium range is double short range. For convenience, it is probably worth calculating these range bands on the character sheet, and adjusting them whenever a character’s Strength changes. There is no extreme range for thrown weapons.

Thrown weapons use the Pistol modifiers for range (short = +10, medium = -20, long = -40).

Example: Serkis Smeagol hurls a throwing knife (Encumbrance 10) at a ganger eight yards away. His strength of 50 means that the maximum range of his weapon is 15 yards (50/2, minus 10 =15). Thus his short range is 5 yards (15/3=5) and his medium range is 10 yards (5x2=10).

Characters will probably eventually want to throw objects not intended as weapons (chairs, bottles, small aliens), in which case they should be given an Encumbrance characteristic. There will also be an additional –10 to hit, since the object is almost certainly poorly balanced.

Thrown weapons are usually reusable, and generally lie next to (or in) the target. Should the weapon miss, it usually lands D6 yards away. It may occasionally be embedded in a wall.

Consisting of a number of stone or metal weights attached by cord, rope or chain, the bolas is generally thrown at opponents to incapacitate or impede them before moving in for the kill using swords or knives.

Specialist Weapon: Bolas require the Specialist Weapon – Thrown ability.

Thrown Only: Bolas must be thrown. They are not compatible with bolas launchers.

Entanglement: If a bolas hits, there is a 75% chance that the location is entangled, in addition to any damage caused.

If the legs are entangled (both legs can be entangled by a hit to only one), the target character is knocked prone. The character is at –20 Initiative and may only move at half speed.

If an arm is entangled, that arm cannot be used. The character is at –20 Weapon Skill.

If the head is entangled, the bolas wrap around the neck and causes an additional D6 damage at the end of every round due to choking. This damage ignores any head armour with an armour value of 4 or less. The character is at –20 Initiative while choking.

The torso cannot be entangled, although it takes damage as normal.

It takes one action and a successful Initiative test to disentangle a bolas.

Simply a small arrow weighted to be thrown, darts are primarily used by assassins to deliver poisons discreetly.

Specialist Weapon: Darts require the Specialist Weapon – Thrown ability.

Javelins are lethal, if inaccurate, weapons. Able to punch through most armour, what they lack in range, they make up for in killing power.

Specialist Weapon: When thrown, javelins require the Specialist Weapon – Thrown ability.

Thrown: Javelins are thrown weapons.

Close Combat: Javelins may be used in close combat with the same characteristics as a spear. Note that the weapon’s Damage characteristic changes from 2D6 to D10 when used as a close combat weapon.

Impales: Javelins rarely pass completely through a target’s body, but will instead impale the character, restricting movement. While the javelin remains embedded, the character suffers a –20 penalty to Initiative. It takes one action and a successful Willpower test to pull the javelin out. If the test is failed, the character cannot bring himself to pull the weapon out. If a character is pulling the javelin out of someone else, the Willpower test is not required.

The handbow is a pistol-sized crossbow, popular with assassins, particularly when the bolts are tipped with poison. Since it is so small, the handbow requires its own type of bolt, which can be difficult to find, which makes the weapon less well favoured among regular fighters.

Crossbow: Like all crossbows, handbows do not require the Specialist Weapon – Archery ability.

One of the simplest projectile weapons in history, the sling can fire virtually any projectile approximately the size of a small pebble.

Specialist Weapon: Slings require the Specialist Weapon – Thrown ability, even though they are not technically thrown weapons – the same knowledge of trajectory and weight is required to use them properly.

Versatile: Any small, solid object can be used as ammunition for a sling, including blackpowder weapon balls.

Grenade Launcher: Grenades of Encumbrance 5 or less can be thrown using a sling, although there is a penalty of –10 to hit, and a matched failure will result in a misfire, as is usual for the grenade.

Stationary: The sling is best used when stationary, and all penalties for moving and firing as part of the same action are tripled.

Slightly smaller than a typical hand axe, but still deadly, throwing axes are normally only used by primitive horseback warriors.

Specialist Weapon: When thrown, throwing axes require the Specialist Weapon – Thrown ability.

Close Combat: A throwing axe can be used in close combat as a normal axe. However, they are not designed to be used as such, and will break if a matched failure is rolled when rolling to hit.

Weighted to fly point-first, throwing knives are common backup weapons for many fighters and assassins, although very few use them as a primary ranged weapon.

Specialist Weapon: When thrown, throwing knives require the Specialist Weapon – Thrown ability.

Close Combat: A throwing knife can be used in close combat as a normal knife. However, they are not designed to be used as such, and will break if a matched failure is rolled when rolling to hit.

Only slightly larger than coins, throwing stars are lethal weapons. Although they might not be able to penetrate armour, they can still cause severe injuries, opening arteries and severing hamstrings.

Specialist Weapon: When thrown, throwing stars require the Specialist Weapon – Thrown ability.

Semi-Automatic: Up to two throwing stars may be thrown as one action, using the rules for semi-automatic fire.

A large version of the crossbow, the arbalest is used only on worlds where technology has not bettered it with firearms. As such, it frequently sees use alongside musket, which are actually inferior in range and hitting power. Because of its massive size, all arbalests have a windlass cranks to assist in reloading.

Crossbow: Arbalests do not require the Specialist Weapon – Archery ability.

One of the oldest weapons in history, common to the primitive ancestors of virtually every sentient species, the bow is also one of the simplest. Nevertheless, when two primitive armies clash, it is usually the side with the archers that wins.

Specialist Weapon: Bows require the Specialist Weapon – Archery ability.

Two Hands: The bow can never be fired one-handed.

Crossbows are mechanically more complex than bows, using greater tension to provide additional range and hitting power. Some are hand-drawn, but most use windlass cranks to draw the string back.

Despite being more complicated to construct, crossbows are far easier to use, requiring very little in the way of skill.

Crossbow: Crossbows do not require the Specialist Weapon – Archery ability.

Cheaper than cranked crossbows, some require the firer to use brute strength to reset the string before a new bolt can be loaded. In a trade off between range and the possibility of reloading, the tension of a hand-drawn crossbow is generally less than in cranked versions, giving the weapon a slightly shorter range.

Crossbow: Crossbows do not require the Specialist Weapon – Archery ability.

Hand Drawn: Of the two actions required to reload a hand-drawn crossbow, the first is the drawing of the string. The user must pass a Strength test in order to set the string successfully. If the test is failed, he must try again in subsequent actions.

Actually a modern weapon designed for hunting or sports, the repeating crossbow incorporates an automatic winding mechanism and an integral magazine. Unfortunately, the compact nature of most repeating crossbows makes them less powerful than more their old-fashioned cousins.

Crossbow: Crossbows do not require the Specialist Weapon – Archery ability.

Up to six feet in length, longbows require a degree of skill to be used effectively. They can, however, rival the range and hitting power of a crossbow, at far less cost.

Specialist Weapon: Longbows require the Specialist Weapon – Archery ability.

Designed to be fired from horseback (or for small creatures like ratlings or gretchin), the short bow lacks the range of a normal bow, although within this range, hitting power is maintained.

Specialist Weapon: Short bows require the Specialist Weapon – Archery ability.

Usually only used by excessively primitive creatures, such as ogryns (or the ‘scaly’ mutants of Necromunda), the spear gun is a large harpoon gun. Powered by tightly compressed springs, the spear gun has an impressive range and sickening hitting power, considering it is almost always homemade.

Crossbow: Spear guns do not require the Specialist Weapon – Archery ability.

Whether they are constructed of metal wire, moulded plastic or wooden shafts, arrows are cheap and relatively easy to come by in societies where firearms are rare.

Impales: Arrows rarely pass completely through a targets body, but either impale the character or lodge against bone, restricting movement. If only one level of location injury is caused, it is assumed the arrow is lodged against a bone, or simply lost momentum before plunging right through the character. Arrows causing two or more levels of location injury will have impaled right through,

While the arrow remains embedded (either lodged or impaled), the character suffers a –10 penalty to Initiative. It takes one action and a successful Willpower test to pull the arrow out. If a character is pulling the bolt out of someone else, the Willpower test is not required.

Barbed: Some arrows have hooked tips, designed so that a target who tries to pull the arrow out will bring a chunk of flesh with it, increasing the damage caused by the shot. Barbed arrows cause no additional damage on impact, but when a character has one removed from his body, the player of the character removing the arrow must specify that he is pushing the arrow through the body and out of the exit wound. Characters that have no experience with bows, or who fail to specify this, will simply pull the arrow out, resulting in an immediate hit to the impaled location (bypassing all armour and force fields), causing D6 damage.

Removing a barbed arrow that has not already caused an exit wound results in the character gaining D3 injury points. It is assumed the arrow is pushed the rest of the way through, or that the character removing the arrow carefully cuts away at the flesh surrounding the entry wound, to allow easy removal of the barbed arrowhead.

Usually of sturdier construction to an arrow, in order to withstand the force of the crossbow firing, bolts are significantly more expensive.

Impales: Crossbow bolts can impale a target in the same manner as an arrow.

Barbed: Crossbow bolts are also available in barbed versions, using the same rules as barbed arrows.

Handbow bolts are identical to normal crossbow bolts, except that they are less than half the length.

Impales: Handbow bolts impale a target in the same manner as an arrow.

Barbed: Handbow bolts are also available in barbed versions, using the same rules as barbed arrows.

Thick, sturdy and about four feet long, a spear gun harpoon is capable of causing massive damage and blood loss.

Impales: Harpoons impale a target in the same manner as an arrow.

Barbed: Harpoons are also available in barbed versions, using the same rules as barbed arrows.

Virtually anything can be fired from a sling, whether it is a purpose built bullet, pebble, ball bearing, rusty screw, dried seed pod or the skull of a small rodent. Most sling fighters carry a small bag of pebbles, purposefully collected for their aerodynamically smooth surfaces and regular shape.

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