Josh R.R. Worm wanted to know my thoughts on firearms in His Majesty the Worm on the Discord. While I missed most of the discussion (I am bad at Discord), I figured I should get down the ideas I toyed with for a now abandoned cyberpunk hack.
While not everything is a perfect representation of real life, that's honestly alright. His Majesty ain't a combat sim. A lead bullet gets inside steel plate armor, it's gonna bounce around inside, grinding up the meat into a big damn mess that's certainly more than "one damage." Armor is assumed to be at the 'tech level' due to this.
Antiquity
Alchemical Bomb - As the book (pg 235). They're basically single target grenades.
Bow - As the book. Gain access to the Aim action.
Crossbow - As the book. All attacks deal Piercing damage.
Greek Fire - Probably called something else in a setting without a Greece. The mysterious liquid within the fragile container sets the target on Fire and damages them every round unless they take time to Recover by putting out the flames.
Slings - Two cords attached to a pouch, used for slinging small almond shaped stones called bullets (12 bullets to a pouch/slot; sling and bullets take up one slot together). Due to the construction of the sling, it may be used as a melee weapon for any target engaged with the slinger, but suffers a notch each time and you're still considered 'unarmed'. Bullets can be restored via the Fletch Arrows camp action.
Industrial
While the conversation moved on, hours before I showed up, rules for powdered weapons over at Pastel Dungeon were shared. I tell ya, they're pretty solid, and I will be stealing borrowing a few. In pirate themed dice based games, I always had the flintlocks do a huge amount of damage, but take so long to reload that doing so in combat wasn't worth it. This led to the good image of the pirates wearing bandoleers of pistols, each firing a single shot and dropping it, until it was time for swords. (Buying multiple pistols also ate through their gold, another plus.)
Usage of powder weapons requires powder (usually stored in a horn) and a shot bag (12 shots per bag, to keep the count constant). OR these are required to generate paper cartridges during the Fletch Arrows camp action, which in turn are used as ammo. Either way, if the powder gets wet it's useless. If the powder catches on fire, it explodes. Additionally, the quickest (practiced, well trained) reload of a powdered weapon is about 20 seconds, or roughly 3 rounds. It's a damn stretch your little dude could do it, but if you're so insistent, I'll not stop you: Reloading takes 3 rounds of miscellaneous actions, you masochist.
Musket - All attacks do Piercing damage AND you gain access to the Aim action. Takes up 2 slots.
Pistol - All attacks do Piercing damage. Unlike most missile weapons, they do not offer attackers Favor against you in melee combat. Requires 3 rounds to reload - but again, why bother? 2 pistols can be stacked into 1 slot (it's called a Brace).
Powder Grenade - Iron spheres packed with powder and fitted with slow burning fuses. While the lit bomb doesn't go off until the next round, it Attacks every target in the Zone. (Place the card as you would a Riposte or Dodge, but face up) Consumed on use, obviously.
Modern
This is where most of my thinking set, given the cyberpunk nonsense I go on about. A major difference is that given the improvements in modern armor, guns lose their Piercing properties. Though, each one does gain the Aim action, and, typically, reloading is a Miscellaneous action after 12 shots (just to keep that number consistent.) Note: I'm still measuring things in HMtW Zones here, but would advise using meters should a cyberpunk hack actually be wanted.
Flame Thrower - One of the most horrific things mankind has created. Belches out a flame so hot that it not only ignites the target, doing damage to them until they Recover, but also heating up their bones enough that they continue to cook after the flames are gone (does 1 more damage the round after Recovery). On the other hand, you are wearing a tank full of combustible gas: Should the flamethrower suffer 2 notches, the tank explodes, taking you with it. Takes up 2 slots, requires 2 hands.
Grenades - Each attacks everyone in the Zone and is consumed on use. ("But Wayspell, ain't the effective casualty radius of a grenade around 15 meters? What if the Zone is smaller than that?" Welcome to shrinkflation, I guess. Seems not even the weapons industry is immune to it.) Does not gain the Aim action, but does go off this round, unlike the Powder Grenade.
Pistols - Using your free hand to steady your shooting hand, modern pistols qualify for the Two-Handed Focus. Also, does not allow melee attacks against you to take Favor. 1 slot each.
- Gunkata Pistol - I know you were thinking it; I certainly was. Look, despite the name, regular pistols aren't made for pistol whipping. It fucks 'em up. Now _these_ special pistols have been reinforced to withstand improper usage, as well as contain hidden metal prongs in the grips, for when you really need to club the shit out of someone. With a gun.
Rifles - Where the bow allows you to attack 2 zones over, the improved accuracy of rifles increases this range to 3 zones. Additionally, a standardized rail integration system allows for attachments, adding various options to your weapon. 2 slots, 2 hands.
- Chainsaw - Hell yeah brother, let's fucking goooooo. You Notch anything you jam this bad boy into.
- Bayonet - You now have a Dagger on the end of your rifle, with all that that implies.
- Flamer - It's a mini flamethrower, though it needs to be reloaded with a new canister after every usage.
- Flashlight - Makes light, allowing you to shine it on things.
- Net Launcher - Launches a net that Roots the target.
Shotguns - Why aim when you can just pull the trigger? Provides Favor when shooting at a target within your zone. (If you're using meters, rather than zones, "Attacks two adjacent targets at the same time" would also be an acceptable ability) An idea is stirring that there might be enough tactical difference with a Sawed Off, but my brain is too sleepy at the moment. I'll let you make it. 2 slots, 2 hands.
Future
Oh, boy, that's a huge can o' worms, ain't it? It really depends on what sort of future you're going for. The 2179 of Star Trek looks a hell of a lot different than the 2179 of Alien. Adding magic in there? Even more different. What's listed is applied to Modern weapons (mainly Pistols and Rifles) and include the traits inherited from them.
Blaster - Fires a bolt of particle beam energy, doing Piercing damage in the process. Powered by power packs, kept 2 to a slot.
Dissolvo Ray - Shoots out a green laser beam while going 'whom whom whom whom.' Bestows 2 Notches objects hit by it.
Grenades - Paired with a targeting headset (worn on the Helm slot), the grenades automatically teleport from your inventory to the designated location, detonating upon arrival.
Magneto - The gun has two buttons: "Attract" which Disarms targets of anything metal, and "Repel" which fires a chaotic mass of assorted metal objects at a target that's about to have a really bad day.
Neural Disruptor - Overloads the target's brain meat for a moment, leaving them Stunned and draining a point of Lore.
Phaser - Generates a harmful beam of light, but is adjustable between 2 settings: Stun and Combat, the later doing normal damage.
All the Damn Grenades I Came Up With
At one point I had these listed with the grenade sections, but that was getting too specific for HMtW's weapon categories. But I liked them. So they're here now.
- Anti-Magic - This game is magical after all. Must remember that. The grenade fills the Zone with iron particles, enough that breathing hurts and magic is disrupted.
- Expanding Foam - Used in riot control situations. Roots the target(s) in an expanding and rapidly hardening foam.
- Flash Bang - Both Blinds and Deafens the target(s).
- Knockout Gas - I'm sure you can guess.
- Light - Golden egg looking thing with the words "Pick Me Up" embossed on the side. Once armed, anyone picking it up is Destroyed.
- Micro Black Hole - Look, my cyberpunk gets weird occasionally. Trips the target(s) as they're dragged towards the quickly evaporating gravitational anomaly.
- Micro White Hole - Displaces the target(s) out of the Zone as they're repealed by the quickly evaporating theoretical gravitational anomaly.
- Quantum Maleficence - Probability weaponized and canned. On detonation, it briefly opens a portal to a Far Realm, flooding the area with Maleficence.
- Silence - More of an aggressive noise cancelling speaker, generating the counter wave to whatever noise it detects. Effectively, and awkwardly, Silences the area.
- Stun - A lower strength (and cheaper) version of the Flash Bang. Stuns the target(s).
- Tear Gas - Technically a war crime. One that the American police force has no problem committing against the population, all the while collecting overtime. Shrouds the target(s), but anyone starting their turn in the cloud of gas is Exhausted.
