Use of Weapons

Weapons

Some of the weapons shown have very high effect numbers, which go well off the "attack versus defence" table. This usually indicates an attack which will do maximum damage unless a 12 is rolled, or the effect number is somehow reduced; for example by distance (e.g. explosives), by the damage being spread to cover several targets (mini gun), or by armour.

Note that most unarmed attacks and some weapon attacks don't show death as a possible outcome; it simply isn't very likely in the course of a fast-moving fight. Referees should feel free to ignore the suggested result in unusual conditions; for example, if someone is attacked while unable to resist, or is completely outmatched by his attacker.

Melee Weapons Effect is based on BODY or skill.
Weapon	Multiple Targets	Effect	Damage			Notes
			A	B	C
Fist	No [1]	BODY [2]	B	B	KO	See above
Kick	No [1]	BODY [2]	B	B	F	See above
Wrestling	No	BODY [2]	B	KO	KO / I	See above
Animal Bite	No	BODY+2	F	I	C	See above
Animal Claw	No	BODY+1	F	I	C	See above
Animal Horns	No	BODY+2	F	I	C/K	See above
[1]	Using the Martial Arts skill it is possible to perform one fist and one kick attack in a single round against one target, or against two targets that are close together. Against two targets the attacks are at -2 Effect.
[2]	Users of the Martial Arts skill can use BODY or Martial Arts for Effect in these attacks, whichever is better.
Club	Max 2 [3]	BODY+1	F	F	KO/K	Eg. Cricket Bat
Spear	No	Melee	F	I	C/K	e.g. bayonet on rifle.
Axe	No	BODY+2	F	I	C/K
Sword	Max 2 [3]	Melee+1	F	I	C/K
Dagger	No	Melee+1	F	I	I/K	Eg. flick knife
Whip	No	Melee/2	B	B	F
Chair	No	Brawling	B	F	I/KO
Broken bottle	No	Brawling+1	F	F	I
Nunchuks	Max 2 [3]	M. Arts	B	F	KO/K	Martial arts skill ONLY
Staff	Max 3 [3]	Melee+2	F	I	KO/C
[3]	Targets must be within 5ft. Multiple attacks are at -2 Effect. Multiple attacks are available with the Martial Artist skill ONLY.
Range	For all melee weapons, targets are TOO CLOSE if they block effective use of the weapon; within a couple of feet for swords and axes, within 6 ft for whips (a lousy weapon, despite Indiana Jones), and so forth. If unsure, give players the benefit of the doubt.
Projectile Weapons Effect is usually based on skill (for thrown weapons), on BODY (for longbows and thrown axes), or on the weapon rather than the user for firearms etc.
Weapon	Multiple Targets	Effect	Damage			Notes
			A	B	C
Spear	No	Melee	F	I	C/K	Thrown
Axe	No	BODY+1	F	I	C/K	Thrown
Dagger	No	BODY+1	F	I	C/K	Thrown
Shuriken	Max 3	M.Arts ONLY	B	F	F	Thrown
Boomerang	No	Marksman	B	F	KO/I	Thrown
Cricket Ball	No	Marksman	B	F	KO/I	Thrown
Longbow	No [4]	BODY+1	F	I	C/K	Hunting bow
Crossbow	No	7	F	I	C/K	Military bow
[4]	Maximum 2 targets if attacking with Martial Arts skill.
Small handgun	Max 2 [5]	6	F	I	C/K	e.g. .22 revolver
Big handgun	Max 2 [5]	6	I	I	C/K	e.g. .38 revolver
Huge handgun	Max 2 [5]	8	I	I	C/K	e.g. .45 revolver
Small rifle	No	5	F	I	C/K	e.g. .22 rifle
Big rifle	No	7	F	I	C/K	e.g. Winchester
Huge rifle	No	9	I	C	K	e.g. Elephant gun.
Small Shotgun	Max 2 [5]	4	F	I	I	One barrel
Small Shotgun	No [5]	8* / 4 * short range ONLY	I	I	C	Both barrels
Large Shotgun	Max 2 [5]	7	F	I	C/K	One barrel
Large Shotgun	No [5]	14* / 7 * Short range ONLY	I	C	K	Both barrels
Machine pistol	Yes [6]	7	F	I	C/K	e.g. Schmeisser
Submachine gun	Yes [6]	9	F	I	C/K	e.g. Tommy Gun
Machine gun	Yes [6]	11	F	I	C/K	e.g. Gatling / Maxim Gun
Harpoon	No	15	I	C	C/K	Non-explosive whaling
Harpoon	No	25	C	C	K	Explosive whaling
[5]	Hand guns can be used to fire at two targets, or twice at one target. If firing at two separate targets each attack is at -2 to hit. If firing two shots at one target there is no modifier. Each attack is resolved separately. Shotguns can fire twice at one target (no modifier to hit, small effect), fire at two different targets (modifier -2 to hit, small effect), or fire both barrels at once (+1 modifier to hit, big effect at SHORT range ONLY). In all but the last case the two shots are resolved separately. The doubled Effect of firing two barrels simultaneously is felt at short range ONLY!
[6]	Reduce Effect by 2 if fired at additional targets
Ammunition	Players will undoubtedly have their own ideas about the number of rounds in their weapons, and usually keep track without prompting. If you don't want to bother with bookkeeping it's perfectly acceptable to ignore the matter. As a rule of thumb six shots for all rifles and handguns, and three bursts or twenty single shots for machine guns, should satisfy most players. Gatling guns (including chain guns, rotary cannon, and mini-guns) cannot fire single shots, but the referee may wish to allow many more bursts to be fired.
Range	Normal range for all hand-thrown weapons, handguns, machine pistols, and submachine guns is 10-20 ft; normal range for bows, rifles, machine guns, and mini guns is 50-100 ft. Anything closer is at short range, anything further away at long range. Targets are too close if they are closer than the end of the weapon!
Area Effect Weapons All explosives damage everything at full effect inside the radius shown, at effect -1D6 to double that radius, at effect -2D6 to three times the radius, and so forth. The effect of these weapons is not reduced if there are multiple targets.
Weapon	Damage Radius	Effect	Damage			Notes
			A	B	C
Stun Grenade	6 ft	8	B	KO	I+KO
Hand Grenade	10ft	10	F	I	C/K
Dynamite	10ft	10	F	I	C/K	+2 Effect per additional stick.
Mortar Shell	10ft	12	I	C	K
Howitzer Shell	10ft	15	I	C	K
Anti-tank mine	10ft	20	I	C	K
Car Bomb	20ft	15	I	C	K
Truck Bomb	20ft	20	I	C	K
Flame Thrower	10ft	10	I	C	K	No damage outside 20ft radius.
Exotic Weapons Things that might conceivably come into play in a campaign, in no specific order.
Weapon	Multiple Targets	Effect	Damage			Notes
			A	B	C
Radium gun	No	8	F	I	C/K	Burrough's Mars
Disintegrator	Yes [6]	15	I	C	K	Most SF
Mini gun	Yes [6]	8	I	C	K	Terminator II
Weapon	Damage Radius	Effect	Damage			Notes
			A	B	C
Stun Gun	3ft	8	B	KO	KO	Most SF
Heat Ray	75ft	30	C	K	K	War of the Worlds
Black Smoke	500yd	10	C	K	K	War of the Worlds
Hydrogen Bomb	1 mile	40	C	K	K	Not recommended!