The Red Star campaign setting gives a rundown on the iconic weapons used in the comics – from the ubiquitous hook to Kyuzo’s hailer and Makita’s SWORD, and even going far beyond that. Still, space in it is limited, especially with all the other parts of the setting, the vehicular weapons, the skyships, the military-industrial sorcery, the spiritrealms, and what not.
Taking a cue from the source material (the comics and the campaign setting), which depicts or alludes to a far greater number of individual weapons than were included in the book (such as the tripod-autocannon seen deployed by the boarding parties during the skyship Konstantinov’s initial battle with the Taktarov, or the short mention of the high quality of Western sniper weapons), and from what I personnally felt were “missing links” in the weapon’s catalogue of a military rpg (e.g. the lack of Western support weapons or PDWs), I set out to round out the selection of personal and support weapons available to Red Star characters.
| Weapon | Damage | Critical | Damage Type | Range Increment (Area of Effect) | Rate of Fire | Magazine | Size | Weight | Purchase DC | Restriction |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Handguns (requires the Personal Firearms Proficiency feat) | ||||||||||
| Tangram TAC-9
(9mm submachine gun) |
2d6 | 20 | Ballistic | 12m | S, A | 20 box | M | 2kg | 17 | Res (+2) |
| ZA-21 “Ursus”
(10mm protocol enhanced semi-automatic pistol) |
3d4+3 | 20 | Ballistic | 6m | S | 12 box | M | 1kg | 20 | Res(+2) |
| Longarms (requires the Personal Firearms Proficiency feat) | ||||||||||
| Caso Marksman Weapon, Mark 16
(5.56mm sniper rifle) |
2d8 | 20 | Ballistic | 40m | S | 20 box | L | 4kg | 19 | Res(+2) |
| IPW No. 9
(5.56mm assault rifle) |
2d8 | 20 | Ballistic | 32m | S, A | 20 box | L | 4kg | 19 | Mil(+3) |
| Marshal Gladius
(10mm submachine gun) |
2d6 | 20 | Ballistic | 32m | S, A | 20 box | L | 2.5kg | 19 | Res(+2) |
| Marshal Scorpio
(15mm sniper rifle) |
2d12 | 20 | Ballistic | 120m | S | 15 box | L | 18kg | 22 | Mil(+3) |
| Warhead rifle
(30mm anti-materiel rifle) |
2d20 | 20 | Ballistic | 150m | S | 5 box | H | 24kg | 24 | Mil(+3) |
| PV-52
(protocol grenade launcher) |
4d6+4 | 20 | Slashing | 20(4m) | S | – | L | 4kg | 25 | Mil(+3) |
| RKN-95
(5.45mm assault rifle) |
2d8 | 20 | Ballistic | 24m | S, A | 30 box | L | 4.5kg | 19 | Mil(+3) |
| ZA-22 “Mishka”
(10mm protocol enhanced submachinegun) |
3d4+3 | 20 | Ballistic | 8m | S,A | 30 box | L | 2kg | 22 | Mil(+3) |
| Heavy Weapons (each requires a specific Exotic Firearms Proficiency feat) | ||||||||||
| Arc-firing protocol gun
(protocol support weapon) |
3d10+3 | – | Electricity | 30m | S | – | H | 32kg | 25 | Mil(+3) |
| MILS
(infantry missile launcher) |
– | – | – | – | S | 1 int. | L | 15kg | 20 | Mil(+3) |
| -anti tank missile | 8d10 | 19-20 | Concussion | 80m | – | – | – | 4kg | 19 | Mil(+3) |
| -high explosive missile | 8d6 | 20 | Concussion | 80(6m) | – | – | – | 4kg | 18 | Mil(+3) |
| -fragmentation missile | 4d6 | 20 | Slashing | 80m(12m) | – | – | – | 4kg | 18 | Mil(+3) |
| -cargo missile | 5d6 | – | Slashing | 80m(10m) | – | – | – | 4kg | 19 | Mil(+3) |
| RKV-15 cannon
(15mm autocannon) |
2d12 | 20 | Ballistic | 50m | A | 100 box | H | 40kg | 20 | Mil(+3) |
| Grenades and Explosives | ||||||||||
| Rail Grenade | * | * | * | * | * | * | * | * | * | * |
Arc-firing protocol gun
This is a man-portable version of the arc-firing protocol mount vehicular protocol weapon. Like the vehicular version, the gun deals 1 point of non-lethal damage to the kaster each time she fires the gun. It requires the Protocol Gunnery feat to use.
Caso Marksman Weapon, Mark 16
The CMW 16 is an accurized variant of the Mark 16 assault rifle. Though the Mark 16 family of weapons has been replaced by the Mark 20 protocol assault weapon in Western frontline units, the CMW 16 remains in use with some WTA special forces units. The CMW 16 is considered a masterwork weapon, granting a +1 bonus on attack rolls. Also, while incapable of fully automatic fire, it features a burst fire setting and can be used with the Burst Fire feat (expending the usual five bullets). As a WTA weapon, the Purchase DC is increased by +5 outside the WTA and its allied countries.
IPW No. 9
The No. 9 is the standard assault rifle of the Isle of Lions. Its design reflects the traditional Lionist emphasis on individual marksmanship, counting as a masterwork weapon and thus providing a +1 bonus on attack rolls. It is configured in a compact bullpup layout. Outside the Isle of Lions the Purchase DC is increased by +5, this also applies to the WTA because the Lionists’ weapons are less widely exported, even to their allies than weapons from the West.
Marshal Gladius
The Gladius is a heavy submachine gun in use with Western special forces and intelligence agencies. It is of excellent manufacture, counting as a masterwork weapon. A compact version, replacing the stock and with a shortened barrel is available. This version is of Medium size and weighs only 2 kg. Because it is somewhat less controllable than the full-sized variant, it loses the masterwork attack bonus. The Gladius Purchase DC is increased by +5 outside the WTA and its allies.
Marshal Scorpio
The Scorpio is a top-of the line Western sniper rifle. Though sniper doctrine in the West and the URRS remained remarkably diffrent for the duration of the war, the weapons the two sides came up with shared common solutions to common problems. The 15mm bullets, though incompatible between Western and Red calibres, for example have virtually the same performance characteristics, lending dedicated sniper weapons such as the Scorpio the ability to deal armor piercing damage. The quality of craftsmanship in the Scorpio makes it always count as a masterwork weapon. As a WTA weapon, its Purchase DC is increased by +5 when trying to procure the weapon outside of WTA territory.
MILS
The Multiple Infantry Launch System is the West’s standard infantry missile launcher. Other than the Red Fleet’s SWORD one-shot anti-armor missile, the MILS uses a reusable launch tube and is capable of firing a variety of projectiles with differing payloads. The launcher can be collapsed and the sights dismounted for easy transport. It can be either fired from the shoulder or be mounted on a tripod for increased stability. The MILS’ anti tank missile is an armor piercing munition.The cargo missile is aimed at a square and does no damage upon initial attack. Instead it is used to deliver an anti-personnel mine. The mine will explode with the damage given above as soon as a person approaches within 8m. As with other Western weapons, the Purchase DCs for the launcher and its missiles are increased by +5 outside of the Western Transnationalist Alliance and Western allies.
Warhead Rifle
The Warhead is a modern WTA anti-materiel rifle. Its intended uses are mainly the destruction of APKs and other light armored vehicles, and the depletion of protocol shields. It deals armor-piercing damage. As a WTA weapon, its Purchase DC is increased by +5 outside of the Western Transnationalist Alliance and allies of the WTA.
PV-52 Protocol Grenade Launcher
Unlike the underbarrel protocol grenade launcher seen on RKG-family assault rifles or Samsonov machine pistols, the PV-52 is a standalone weapon, directly powered by a sorceress instead of relying on energy builtup from a primary weapon. The PV-52 was designed to provide offensive protocol support for infantry and special forces units without making it necessary to teach limited utility weapon protocols to all sorceresses attached to such units. To achieve this, the PV-52 borrows the firing mechanisms from sorcery-powered vehicular protocol weapons such as defense lances and combines them with the established protocol grenade systems found in automatic infantry weapons. The resulting weapon can only be fired by a sorceress, who takes 1 point of non-lethal damage everytime she fires the weapon. The protocol grenades of the PV-52 are generated on demand in the moment of firing, the energy is not stored in the weapon and there is no dissipation as seen in underbarrel designs.
Rail Grenade
Rail grenades are hand grenades especially adapted to rail fighting and enemy combat grid penetration, as such they are often issued to hailers and troopers sent on grid assault and defense missions and are considered standard equipment for Zero operatives. They are equipped with a series of magnetic and mechanical clamps, by which they attach themselves to the rails, making them very effective against opposing rail fighters by guaranteeing an optimum point of detonation. Rail grenades are available as concussion, fragmentation, thermate, and white phosphorus grenades, possessing all the statistics of standard grenades of these types. In addition to these standard statistics, rail grenades provide a +2 bonus on attack rolls if targeting a square containing a section of grid or rail, and the Reflex DC to resist the damage of a rail grenade is increased by +5 for characters using the grid or rail. Their Purchase DC is increased by +1 compared to the ordinary versions.
RKN-95
This ultra-modern assault rifle has been designed as a replacement for the RKG-75, though budget limitations and the Red Fleet’s bias against assault rifles have so far prevented its widespread adoption. Currently the rifle is in limited use with special forces units and Kommissariat troops. It features a unique 2-round burst setting for reducing ammo expenditure and keeping down recoil. If used with the Burst Fire feat, the RKN-95 uses only 2 bullets instead of the usual 5. The RKN-95 was first deployed during the Red Fleet’s Nokgorkan campaign and is not available in games set during earlier times.
RKV-15 Cannon
This autocannon is used as a heavy infantry support weapon by the Red Fleet. It provides mobile firepower, when Hailers and telekinetic autocannons are not available. The weapon includes a collapsible tripod and is usually crewed by two, though a single trooper can set-up and fire the RKV-15 if necessary.
Tangram TAC-9
This is a submachine gun manufactured in the WTA and sold in quantity on its domestic market. It was also widely exported to various Western allies and developing countires around the world. This ubiquity had made it a favourite weapon of criminal organisations and Western covert operations during the latter decade of the Iron Hold, after which it was mostly replaced by more advanced designs. It remains in use in some poorer nations. Because of this widespread proliferation of the weapon, Purchase DCs are not modified if acquired outside the WTA.
ZA-21 “Ursus”
The ZA-21 was developed in the aftermath of the dissolution of the URRS to provide the Kommissariat with a new powerful handgun to counter the proliferation of military equipment amongst the growing number of organized crime groups. The pistol’s unique 10mm round was specially designed to make the most of the protocol-enhanced action of the ZA. The weight and cost of this ammunition is identical to other 10mm pistol rounds, though both types of ammunition are not interchangeable. The ZA-21 is an ultra-modern weapon which is not available for campaigns set before the Nokgorkan conflict. The ZA-21 deals armor piercing damage.
ZA-22 “Mishka”
The ZA-22 submachinegun uses the same cartridge and protocol-enhancements as the ZA-21 pistol. The compact weapon was especially designed for use by special operations units of the Kommissariat both for police raids and urban warfare. Like the ZA-21, the ZA-22 is an ultra-modern weapon, and as such it is not available for campaigns set before the Nokgorkan conflict. The ZA-22 deals armor piercing damage.
Disclaimer:
Title illustration taken from The Red Star Issue 9 (collected in The Red Star: Nokgorka), © Christian Gossett. Used with kind permission of the artist.
The Red Star and all related characters are ™ and © Christian Gossett. Used with kind permission. The Red Star Campaign Setting is © Green Ronin Publishing, LLC.