Genevec Railguns
(Author's Note: I obviously realize that there are already railguns
designed for the Palladium megaverse. However, having done some research
into real-life railguns, I have come to realize that the Rifts railguns
are not all that accurately portrayed. Therefore I thought I would try
my hand at doing my own railguns. I've tried my best to keep them plausible
and somewhat realistic. I have also attempted to keep them much closer
to the power level of the main book; I don't care for the current rise-in-power-level
trend. While these weapons may appear fairly powerful at first glance,
they each have their own drawbacks and quirks which help balance them
out.)
Theory:
A railgun is one type of advanced electromagnetic weapon system. A railgun
uses a number of parallel rails (normally two, but a third can be used
as a ground) to form the "acceleration lane" for the projectile.
The rails are also almost always placed within a strong vertical magnetic
field; this helps increase the efficiency tremendously. Both the rails
and usually the projectiles are of a conductive material. The projectile
is placed so that it is touching both rails simultaneously. A strong electric
current is then applied to one rail. The current uses the projectile as
a bridge to the other rail, thus forming a circuit. The current across
the projectile creates a force (Lorentz Force) which accelerates the projectile
down the rails.
This is a basic description of the theories behind railguns.
History:
Railguns have always fascinated scientists and weapon designers since they
were first theoretically proposed. However, at that time there were not
sufficiently advanced energy sources to power practical military grade
railguns; practical meaning smaller than a large house.
Starting at the end of the 20th century more advanced and useful sources
were being developed. These included high-power batteries, homopolar generators,
explosively driven magnetic flux compression generators, and high-energy
capacitors. Many colleges and universities in the United States began
experimenting with the technologies under funding and direction from the
government. Many research areas were pursued including not only military,
but also aerospace applications such as satellite launching.
By about 2025 the Engineering and Technology University of Pennsylvania
(ETUP) had joined the ranks of schools researching railgun technologies.
Along with their other research, it was mostly military oriented. Progress
was accomplished, but not nearly as much as at other institutions. ETUP
had decided to concentrate more on other projects, so the railgun program
was not nearly as large as other schools'.
Then came the Great Cataclysm. Luckily much of the research survived
the cataclysm. Once the survivors in Gabriel
City had rallied themselves together, the railgun was one of the first
weapon systems pursued to help defend themselves. However, with the near
complete decimation of national industry and such, it was again impractical
to build railguns and so they decided to turn to other technologies, particularly
lasers.
By approximately P.A. 75, the necessary technologies had been reinstituted
by Archangel Heavy Industries (AHI) and
Genevec in Gabriel City for railgun research to continue as a viable personal
weapon system. The problem of a power supply was still a hurdle, however.
Micro nuclear reactors could provide the necessary power, but were definitely
not man-portable since they weighed several hundred pounds and were very
dangerous in the case of a reactor breach. Therefore other avenues needed
to be researched. Several feasible energy storage/delivery methods were
investigated or invented. Each, however, had its own advantages and drawbacks.
Almost all of the energy storage systems required a perceptible recharge
time. This meant that virtually all the railguns fired individual projectiles
as opposed to bursts.
Several other things were also discovered while researching the technology.
One of the most important, at least militarily, regarded the weapon's
power. By varying the power/current applied to the system, the velocity
of the projectile was affected. This meant that the same weapon could
use a low setting against infantry (soft) targets and then switch to a
high setting against armored (hard) targets. This eliminated the need
for many multiple weapon systems.
Another discovery, however, was not nearly as useful. Occasionally, when
excessive levels or prolonged periods of power were applied to the rails
a catastrophic event occurred: the rails melted. This, of course, ruined
the weapon, at least until the rails were replaced, sometimes permanently.
This would not normally have been a problem; just fire at a lower power.
The problem was that the weapons needed to be fired at high power to be
able to defeat the current level of armor technology.
Regardless of the problems, research and productions of railguns continued
because of their incredible potential as weapons.
(Author's Notes: Where applicable, these railguns should be treated
as using armor-piercing rounds. An easy optional rule to simulate this
is to count a natural 18, 19, or 20 on a strike roll as critical. Also,
these weapons, except possibly the Vengeance, should work well in an SDC
setting such as Heroes Unlimited(TM) or
Ninjas & Superspies(TM). They can
be treated as advanced prototype weapons. A straight M.D.C.-S.D.C. conversion
should work relatively well.)
Genevec 471 "Destroyer" Heavy Railgun
The G-471 Destroyer was one of the first railgun designs put
into production by Genevec. It is a heavy, man-portable anti-armor weapon.
It fills much the same capacity as 20th century recoilless rifles or shoulder
launched missiles.
The Destroyer is an almost two meter long shoulder launched weapon. It
has an advanced computer-assisted targeting system to help aid in "first
shot hit" capability. The weapon uses a unique ammo/energy storage
technique. Each clip holds both the armor piercing ammo and the high-energy
capacitor to fire the rounds. Unfortunately, this bulk severely limits
the payload. It also means that each clip must be reloaded and recharged
at a Genevec/AHI facility.
Because of the gun's weight and size, they are often deployed in two man
teams. One soldier carries the weapon while the other carries several
clips of ammo. Augmented humans sometimes use this weapon unaided.
The Destroyer comes equipped with a back-up set of rails. These are stored
in a special housing on the side of the weapon.
Weight: Gun: 65 lb. (30 kg); One Ammo Clip: 15 lb. (6.8 kg)
M.D.: The weapon has a number of power settings:
Setting 1: 7D6
Setting 2: 1D4x10 +20
Setting 3: 1D6x10 +25
Setting 4: 1D8x10 +20
Setting 5: 2D4x10 + 50
R.O.F.: Single shot only
Range: The range is dependent on the power setting:
Setting 1: 2000 ft (610 m)
Setting 2: 4000 ft (1220 m)
Setting 3: 6000 ft (1.1 miles / 1.83 km)
Setting 4: 8000 ft (1.5 miles / 2.45 km)
Setting 5: 10000 ft (1.9 miles / 3.05 km)
Payload: Each clip contains 6 rounds and the capacitors to fire
them. The clips are approximately the size of a cereal box.
Cost: Restricted military/security weapon. It may also be sold to
other militaries or established mercenary groups. Legitimate sales go for
65,000 credits. Clip recharge/reloads are 2000 credits, or 3000 new. The
Destroyer is rarely available on the black market. When it is, it will
go for at least 100,000 credits. Remember, though, the ammo and recharge
is not sold to just anyone.
Note: The advanced computer-assisted targeting system and
inherent accuracy of railguns offer a +3 to strike out to 6000
ft and a +2 to strike out to maximum range.
Special: Whenever the weapon is fired, there is a 01% chance that
the rails will melt. Settings 4 and 5 each add a cumulative 10% chance.
(I.e. setting 4 is 11%, setting 5 is 21%) If the rails melt, the only recourse
is to replace them. This is the reason that the weapon is equipped with
the back-up set. Replacing the rails will take approximately one minute
(4 melees) for a trained operator. Untrained individuals will require at
least twice as long (1D4+1 minutes).
|
Genevec 250 "Vengeance" Light Railgun
While working on various railgun designs, researchers found
that using light rounds, and thus smaller energy requirements, meant that
capacitor recharge time was drastically reduced. With a reduced recharge
time, it was actually possible to create a weapon that could fire short
bursts. This meant that even though it was using a light round, the weapon
was able to inflict fair damage. The G-250 Vengeance was the result of
this research.
The Vengeance is effectively the descendent of the sub-machine gun and
fills much the same role. It is a small, light weapon capable of firing
short bursts. It has been incredibly popular with the elite troops of
the Gabriel Defense Force -- the Black
Operatives. The Vengeance is now one of their most preferred weapons.
One
of the benefits of railguns is that there is no explosive propellant to
produce a loud sound. Since the weapon also fires a light round at sub-sonic
velocities, it is virtually silent. This is true just as much for the
burst as it is for a single round.
The researchers came up with an innovative method to power the weapon.
The Vengeance uses a normal e-clip to charge capacitors which are drained
when the weapon is fired. Each weapon contains 9 capacitors. Each capacitor
can power one shot. A three round burst requires three capacitors. However,
the weapon can only charge one capacitor per melee action. This means
it would take 9 actions to completely recharge a depleted weapon.
This is the greatest limitation of the weapon. However, at full power it
is still capable of firing 4 consecutive bursts (do the math) before it
must either be switched to single shot or the user must pause two actions.
It is possible, though, to fire single shots indefinitely as long as there
is sufficient ammo.
The e-clip is positioned on the bottom of the gun forward of the grip,
the same as many weapons. This often causes the Vengeance to be confused
for an energy weapon. The railgun ammo is stored in a sealed clip horizontally
on the top of the gun. Three clips can actually be stored above the barrel
with the center one loaded. When the first clip runs out, there are two
other clips right on the gun itself.
Another special feature of the weapon regards its variability. It is
possible to use the Vengeance in a sniper role. By using a three capacitor
charge to fire a single round, the weapon's range and damage are dramatically
increased. Also, because of the nature of the weapon itself, it is very
accurate.
The Vengeance comes equipped with a back-up set of rails. These are stored
in a special housing on the side of the weapon. It was also designed to
be easy to change the rails. Part of the front of the weapon can open
up for quick access to the rail assembly.
Weight: Gun: 5 lb. (2.3 kg); One Ammo Clip: 1lb (0.5 kg); Fully
loaded: 8 lb. (3.6 kg)
M.D.:
R.O.F.: Single shot, 3-round burst, or sniper shot.
Range:
Payload: Each clip holds 50 rounds. Three clips (150 rounds)
can be stored on the gun. Short e-clips can recharge 75 capacitors, while
long e-clips are able to recharge 150 capacitors before being depleted.
Cost:Restricted military/security weapon. It may also be sold to
other militaries or established mercenary groups. Legitimate sales go for
30,000 credits. Clip reloads are 500 credits, or 1000 new. The Vengeance
is rarely available on the black market. When it is, it will go for at
least 42,000 credits. Remember, though, ammo is not sold to just anyone.
Note: The inherent accuracy of railguns offers a +1 to strike on
single and burst shots, and a +2 to strike on sniper shots. This does not
include any sights that may be mounted on the weapon.
Special: Whenever the weapon is fired, there is a 01% chance that
the rails will melt. Each consecutive burst adds a cumulative 5% chance.
Each sniper shot adds a 10% chance. This is the reason that the weapon
is equipped with the back-up set. Replacing the rails will take approximately
1 melee for a trained operator. Untrained individuals will require at least
twice as long (1D4+1 melees).
|
Genevec 334 "Ripper" Medium Railgun
The Ripper is probably one of the least popular of the railgun
line released by Genevec. While it is not as powerful or as versatile
as either of the others, it is still a very capable weapon in its own
right. It fits more into an assault rifle class than anything else.
Unlike the other two railguns, the G-334 uses batteries for power. The
operator wears a bulky vest which contains a multitude of batteries integrated
into it. The vest itself is also somewhat armored to prevent damage to
the batteries. (30 MDC for the torso and back.) The vest can be worn over
personal body armor, but not power armor. An armored power cord (15 MDC,
-5 strike on a called shot) connects the weapon to the battery vest.
The weapon fires single armor piercing rounds at multi-mach velocities.
It is not a quiet gun, but it is by no means anywhere near as loud as
the famed "boom gun".
Each vest contains enough batteries to power two full clips, or 50, shots.
It is possible to recharge the vest from a generator or nuclear power
supply . However, this is fairly risky. There is a 20% chance that the
vest will be permanently ruined. Each subsequent attempt at recharging
(after it was done successfully, of course) incurs a cumulative +8% chance.
Normally vests are recharged at AHI or Genevec facilities. There is no
chance of ruin if charged at one of these facilities.
The Ripper comes equipped with a back-up set of rails. These are stored
in a special housing on the side of the weapon.
Weight: Gun: 15 lb. (6.8 kg); One Ammo Clip: 5lb (2.3 kg)
M.D.: The weapon has a number of power settings:
R.O.F.: Single shot only
Range: The range is dependent on the power setting:
Setting 1: 2000 ft (610 m)
Setting 2: 4000 ft (1220 m)
Setting 3: 6000 ft (1.1 miles / 1.83 km)
Setting 4: 8000 ft (1.5 miles / 2.45 km)
Payload: Each clip holds 25 rounds.
Cost: Restricted military/security weapon. It may also be sold to
other militaries or established mercenary groups. Legitimate sales go for
50,000 credits. Clip reloads are 500 credits, or 1000 new. The vests cost
2000 credits or 500 for a recharge. The Vengeance is rarely available on
the black market. When it is, it will go for at least 65,000 credits. Remember,
though, neither ammo nor recharges are sold to just anyone.
Note: The inherent accuracy of railguns offers a +2 to strike. This
does not include any sights that may be mounted on the weapon.
Special: Whenever the weapon is fired, there is a chance
that the rails will melt. Settings 1 and 2 have a 02%, setting
3 an 08%, and setting 4 a 16% chance. This is the reason that
the weapon is equipped with the back-up set. Replacing the rails
will take approximately 2 melees for a trained operator. Untrained
individuals will require at least twice as long (2D4+2 melees).
|
Advanced Railgun Possibilities:
Currently, Genevec scientists are researching ways of improving possible
performance.
One of the most obvious shortcomings of railguns deals with the possibility
of rails melting. The avenue that is being immediately researched deals
with replacing the rails. if a suitable room temperature super-conductor
could be found, the possibility of the rails melting would be virtually
eliminated. In addition, a slight performance increase would be expected.
However, a suitable material has not yet been found.
The scientists are also investigating ways of actually doing away with
the rails themselves. They have been able to use confined magnetic bottles
to simulate the rails on prototypes. This is a method by which very strong
shaped magnetic fields act as the rails themselves did. This has the benefit
of not only eliminating the rails, but of eliminating much of the friction
that resulted from the rails. Unfortunately, the prototypes are currently
very unstable and it is extremely difficult to maintain the required strength
and shape of field needed. The scientists are optimistic about the possibilities,
however, and research is continuing.
Other research deals with finding more efficient energy storage systems.
The problem with these comes in trying to make them truly man-portable.
It is more likely that the next generation will not be railguns at all,
but coil guns or gauss rifles. These weapons use a series of magnetic
toroids (donuts) to accelerate a projectile. This method has the advantage
of not having any rails and having very little friction from the projectile
moving down a surface. Unfortunately, the timing and sequencing technology
is both advanced and fragile. The prototypes tested so far could never
survive battlefield conditions.
Vehicular Railguns:
It is fairly common to mount railguns on vehicles. Railguns are very good
candidates for main guns on assault vehicles. They can deliver very good
damage and range for the actual size of the weapon.
Vehicular railguns could deliver damage ranging anywhere from 5D6, for
light weapons, up to 5D6x10+100 or more for very large assault cannons.
The largest cannons can have effective ranges of up to ten or even twenty
miles. Accuracy at this distance is severely limited, however. Of course,
the largest weapons also require immense platforms such as heavy main
battle tanks or fixed positions to fire from.
Statistics and artwork by Chris Curtis (curtis@thepentagon.com).
Copyright © 1997, 1998 Chris Curtis
RIFTS and related properties copyright Palladium Books®
S.D.C., M.D.C., and related words are trademarks of Palladium Books®