Plasma Weapons

for the World of Shadowrun

>>>>>[Well, before the workday officially starts, we post. What we've got here is a bit on the illegal side. If you deal with us frequently, we'll have you know that if you try to acquire any of this through the usual channels, don't expect too much. We'll see what we can do though. This is, after all, big time technology. (And you thought the lasers were bad...)]<<<<<
---Firefly & Striker <08:43:56 / 08-17-55>

Plasma Rifles

Ares "Virulence"

Rated highly by weapons evaluators, the Ares Virulence is probably the best rounded plasma rifle available. Sales of this high-tech weapon are strictly regulated, with good reason. A field evaluation shows the Virulence to be a deadly combat weapon. At the current time, the Virulence is used by several national militaries and a select handful of mega-corporations. Reports indicated, however, that smuggling and theft of the Virulence is rampant and Ares officials, in conjunction with several watch-dog agencies, are posting surveillance squads to locate and seize the stray weapons.

• Concealability: 3
• Ammunition: 15 (c)
• Mode: SA/BF
• Damage: 14S
• Weight: 5.5 kg
• Cost: 380,000¥
• Availability: 10/6 months
• Street Index: 3.5

>>>>>[FYI: national militaries include UCAS, CAS, CFS, several NAN members, the British, the Russians, and Tir Tairngire. Ares has also known to distribute the Virulence to Fuchi, Renraku, and Mitsuhama. Strangely enough, among its own security agencies, it has allowed the infamous KE to have them, but not Hard Corps.]<<<<<
---Sue <11:13:04 / 08-17-55>

>>>>>[Oh, that's easy. KE is their top-o-the- line, Hard Corps is their scrubs. Why waste the best juice on them? What's that? You can't think of a good reason? I didn't think you could.]<<<<<
---Sabre <11:19:40 / 08-17-55>

>>>>>[Smuggling?]<<<<<
---Gray Matter <11:29:11 / 08-17-55>

>>>>>[Yeah, at first a lot of guys with access to the rifles saw the potential to turn a profit on the black market. Unfortunately, the pipeline is all but shut down. There are only a few floating around as it is, trying to get any more out it plumb near impossible.]<<<<<
---Belle <11:45:16 / 08-17-55>

Heckler & Koch 318

The H&K 318 is the most unique of all plasma rifles currently on the market. Each round for the weapon is loaded in a medium sized cylinder which is on the bottom of the rifle. As each round it expended, the cylinder rotates and ejects the last round. All in all, the H&K plasma rifle is a decent weapon in its class. It is considerably light and compact, and nonetheless deadly. Like all plasma rifles though, its sales are strictly regulated to legal, paying customers, such as national militaries and security agencies. However, unlike Ares, it has not posted an illegal possession warning for its product. On the other hand, local governments are not apt to allow the common citizen (or a Shadowrunner for that matter), stick one on the mantle above his fireplace or the gun rack in his truck.

• Concealability: 4
• Ammunition: 10 (cy)
• Mode: SA
• Damage: 14S
• Weight: 5 kg
• Cost: 355,000¥
• Availability: 8/8 months
• Street Index: 3.75

>>>>>[The Azzies undoubtedly have a hand in this. They recently acquired a chunk of H&K stock. They moved to buy it out, but can't seem to get a controlling interest. Needless to say, they are very upset about that. Anyway, the Azzies are not as tight about their plasma rifles as Ares is (hmm...something to do with their morals and ethics?) and they tend to look the other way when the smuggling is going on. H&K, in turn, isn't happy about this because #1) they aren't turning as much profit as they could be and #2) it's giving them a bad reputation.]<<<<<
---Pyramid Watcher <13:14:20 / 08-17-55>

>>>>>[That is unsubstantiated. Last I checked, the H&K stock in question was still in the hands of its rightful owners. However, that isn't to say that H&K isn't drekking pissed off about the smuggling that is going on. And believe me, there is smuggling going on.]<<<<<
---Brightflash <13:21:58 / 08-17-55>

>>>>>[You sound as though it matters. How many shadowrunners can get their hands on...no, wait...even afford to purchase a plasma rifle?]<<<<<
---Orenda <13:25:19 / 08-17-55>

Defiance-Ingram PR-100

The PR-100 is the result of two design teams, one from Defiance International, the other from Ingram Firearms, working together to produce the deadliest of plasma rifles on the market. The PR-100 is heavy, but within the lifting limits of the normal soldier. Although this is all true, the Defiance-Ingram consortium lost is contract bid with the UCAS and a large stockpile of PR-100s and ammunition was left sitting. It is estimated that nearly 2500 weapons were left in several warehouses, as well as nearly a million rounds of ammunition. Smuggling and selling of the rifles is widespread among Ingram and Defiance employees with access to the weapons. In response to this, the UCAS has made it a federal offense to possess a PR-100, with the exception of a few, specific security firms.

• Concealability: 2
• Ammunition: 20 (c)
• Mode: SA/BF
• Damage: 12D
• Weight: 6.5 kg
• Cost: 395,000¥
• Availability: 8/4 months
• Street Index: 2

>>>>>[What a great idea on the part of the UCAS. Tantalize two companies into forming a consortium, hanging a fat contract over their heads. Then, when the product is ready to go, yank out the works from under them.]<<<<<
---Furlong <15:19:10 / 08-17-55>

>>>>>[Newsflash: Defiance-Ingram is not as loose as the article would like you to believe. Any old Joe Samurai can't just walk into the warehouse and say, "Gimme a PR-100 and a belt of 1000 rounds." No, that's not happening. On the other hand, anyone with credentials (read "a forged security license and half a million nuyen") can purchase a few rifles. What you do need to watch out for is those pesky law enforcement agents, though. They'll see right through your so-called credentials.]<<<<<
---Sabre <15:25:02 / 08-17-55>

>>>>>[The easiest way to get them is to convince some corp to buy them for you. Of course, it's not like that's really all that easy, either.]<<<<<
---Dr. Kewl <15:38:56 / 08-17-55>

Plasma Cannon

Heckler & Koch 356-VMPC

This is a plasma cannon specifically engineered for a vehicle mount and cannot be used as a hand-held weapon. The 356-VMPC has an enormous range and tremendous firepower. It is the deadliest of all plasma weapons to date. What makes it even more deadly is its versatility, as it can accept standard, plasma rifle ammunition. However, the weapon is difficult to find, as H&K only produced 500 of them. 100 were bought by the UCAS, 50 by the CAS, 50 by the CFS, and 200 by other various purchasers. 100 remain in an H&K warehouse, and it is believed that H&K is willin to sell them to any paying customer. Heckler & Koch is also known to be willing to reopen its production lines on the 356-VMPC.

• Concealability: N/A
• Ammunition: 100 (belt)
• Mode: SA/BF/FA
• Damage: 20D
• Weight: 52 kg
• Cost: 1.5 million¥
• Availability: 16/6 months
• Street Index: 6

>>>>>[Ooooo...if only I could get ahold of one...]<<<<<
---Nightmare <16:26:19 / 08-17-55>

>>>>>[If you ever invest in a plasma weapon, this is the one. The man-portable ones are alright, but don't put a whole lot of stock in their range. This, on the other hand has it all. Plus, you don't even need to seek special ammo.]<<<<<
---Hotrod <16:59:11 / 08-17-55>

>>>>>[Yeah, and most places will install its turret or other mounting free of charge.]<<<<<
---Tailspin <18:32:50 / 08-17-55>

Plasma Rifle Ammo

per 10 shots

A plasma rifle shell consists of a titanium/aluminum alloy jacket, a hydrogen fuel core, and an aluminum cap. The jacket provides insulation and enough conducting material to generate the heat necessary to make the plasma. The aluminum cap at the head of the shell is vaporized upon discharge to initiate the plasma. The hydrogen core is the primary conducting material, rising rapidly in temperature to stabilize the fired round. Also, when exposed to extreme heat, the shells have been known to detonate.