by Adam Getchell

Since the Corps are the ones in power now, and since there has been Corp War brinkmanship a number of times, I would think the Corps would be starting to develop some very nasty weapon ideas. Here are a few Secret Weapons(tm) possibly in use by various corps:

Ares: Developed HVAR and HV-LMG, now working on ETC (electrothermal-chemical) firearms which would increase muzzle energy by 50%, and better man-portable lasers, including a Squad Support Laser concept based around the Firelance and a Homopolar Generator (rapidly spinning flywheel to provide rapid pulse capacity). The SSL currently has autofire capability (10 pulses/phase) but is large, with limited battery life (80 shots or so) and requires coolant-recharge after sustained firing.

Aztechnology: There are a number of toxins and bioweapons under development, but the most fun is the AZT-15. This is a modified squirtgun looking thing that has two barrels: a thin one and a thick one, over/under. The thin one sprays a small stream of a particular pheremone/chemical to a range of up to 30 meters. With the same compressed gas charge that sprays the chemical stream, the thick barrel ejects a genetically engineered wasp which is stored in the magazine in cryogenic suspension. The nozzle is designed so the wasp' wings don't rip off, etc (they have this technology thanks to making a wasp cure of the cassava mealybug infestation in Africa), and it has a genengineered toxin sac producing a virulent 6D poison. The pheremone stream excites and angers the wasp from lethargy, so that the insect is extremely likely to sting the recipient of the spray. The insect will, of course, look for exposed surfaces. After the toxin sac empties, the animal dies.

The nice thing about making a poison from a living animal is, aside from its organic targetting nature, the ability to enchant the wasp (its toxin more precisely) such that 'Detox' and 'Cure D Poison' spells are ineffectual....

Fuchi: The premier Black IC producers have come up with an innovative number of weapons attacking the CNS, including the AR-13C, the third model flash pistol which induces epilepsy to targets (called shot to eyes, 10D stun weapon, flare compensation provides 4 points of "armor"), a similar model flash grenade (same effect, all targets in LOS, -1 Power per 2 meters). There is also the FWS-110P, an EMP rifle with a 10 shot capacitor, the FWS-220U, an underbarrel weapon of same design (EMP weapons do 15D Stun to humans, treated like a Shotgun with a choke of 2. Cyberware is targetted as if the owner had a Deadly wound, and automatically burns out unless provided with EMP shielding).

MCT: These guys are nasty, and they like revenge. A weapon that caters to both is the MCT-5, the fifth generation electrostatic rifle. This weapon uses a capacitor discharge to drive an electrostatic dust projector, the opposite of a vacuum cleaner. The "dust" particles in the weapon, however, is Cobalt-salted aluminum with some other nasty isotopes thrown in. The reversed charge and small size enables these particles to adhere to the target for quite awhile. (The weapon is basically a shotgun with the same range but no "damage"). Besides dosing the foe with radioactive particles to kill them within 30 days, the radioactivity also allows MCT to trace and track these individuals wherever they might be, including payment meets, fencing, and so on. These special issue weapons are sometimes issued to unknowing guards with good reflexes, in the hopes that they will hit intruders before they go down ....

Renraku: This corporation likes expert systems, and the Red Samurai are equipped with the best. The weapon of choice here is an SMG-sized weapon firing micromissiles at the target (INT 5, 20 shots). The extra kicker is in addition to using smart rounds that can track the target around corners, etc (see "Runaway"), the warhead is a tight package of flechettes. The flechettes have microcillia-type motors along their length, such that when they impact the target they continually work themselves further into the target. There is a small, cheap pressure sensor in the nose which seeks out the largest pressure fluctuations in the body, which happens to be the heart. (Microcillia motors are in use today, and not too expensive). These flechettes tend to cause more damage, and move reasonably fast (5cm/minute, or 1 cm/4 combat rounds). Progressive damage is up to GM, but when there's several of these things crawling for the heart ....

Saeder-Krupp: The dragon likes his toys, and his favorite right now is the H&K pv54f "flame pistol". This is basically an SMG-size air pistol with a whopping air reservoir firing "Paintball" cartridges. There are several things that can be loaded (acid, etc) but his favorite is his new experimental flame mixture, which has good flame/quench properties (from this side of the muzzle). Treat as white phosphorous. The SMG carries 30 rounds and can fire 10/round.

Shiawase: "Happy Corporation" (in Japanese), they don't like lethal responses (they're soooo nice!). Their weapon of choice looks like a pistol and acts like a fire extinguisher, except that the foam it sprays is quick-drying and very hard, such that targets encased in it are immobile and it provides decent cover in a jiffy (and it has good ballistic and energy-absorbent properties too). Anybody that gets hosed down can make a Str (12) test their first available action to break out; if they fail they're stuck. The foam provides Barrier -12 per meter, doubled against firearms and lasers. The pistol is attached by a feedline to a beltpack containing the foam, with a small gas reservoir to charge up the stuff. Their other weapon of choice is a "stunner", an autofire taser with a magazine of 30 darts (power generation advances by Shiawase have made the capacitor darts very small). It is the size of a heavy pistol, with a light pistol's range, and every two successes on burst fire means a dart has struck the target. Roll dart incapacitation as normal, except use the highest value rolled (rather than adding them all together). This weapon is frighteningly effective as suppressive fire.

Yamatetsu: Dedicated to pushing the edge of the (meta)human envelope, let's just say Yamatetsu's best secret weapons is all their nasty cyberware. But one of their options is a heavy dart type weapon, like a traditional 4 shot-dart taser with cords trailing back. This weapon, upon successful hit, overrides the body's proprioreceptive system, thus effectively taking over involuntary actions of the target. The easiest thing for the Yamatetsu corp-guard to do at that point is to turn off the lights, but if you're a magician they may drek around with your mind first. To that end, they've got several BTL like sequences intended to thouroughly confuse and convince a magician to cancel any harmful magical activities, usually through the playing out of some fantasy. The actual time for the fantasy is short in realtime, but you know what they say about subjective time .... Plus, they can just slap a battery pack on the target to keep the spool running, while they check you into their better engram manipulators to take your brain apart, dry-clean it, starch it and press it. Shadowbeat and it's contents on such nefarious devices comes to mind at this point.

Well, have fun. Hopefully this gave some people evil ideas, and perhaps may stimulate some discussion.