EU-5 Pulse Beam Rifle question

[RockJock]

Do you play with this having the penalties to fire by an unaugmented human? I ask since the similarly weighted Valiant has no penalties attached.

As is a Fal gives up 100 feet in range, and no bonus when attached to a Cyclone for more punch per blast, more punch per burst, hugely increased payload, lighter weight, the ability to use without penalty unarmored, and even more durability in the weapon.

[Seto Kaiba]

Do you play with this having the penalties to fire by an unaugmented human? I ask since the similarly weighted Valiant has no penalties attached.

I've never actually permitted anything from the Marines book to be used in a game I run*... but considering how small the weapon is supposed to be, I would not be at all inclined to attach a penalty to its use by a man on foot. It's a little on the bulky side for its size but not prohibitively so.

For my purposes, the only weapons that I give a bonus to when carried by a Ride Armor are those specifically designed to interface with its internal scope (and only when the scope is used to aim): the missiles, the VR-038L's auto-bazooka and the beam pistol and rifle for the VR-052 series. No bonuses for firing from the hip, and anything and everything else is the same as if a man on foot is firing it.

As is a Fal gives up 100 feet in range, and no bonus when attached to a Cyclone for more punch per blast, more punch per burst, hugely increased payload, lighter weight, the ability to use without penalty unarmored, and even more durability in the weapon.

Well, yeah... there are a LOT of problems with the Marines book when it comes to trying to force in new material that isn't actually from Robotech, esp. when it came to checking consistency between books. The way they're written up, the FAL-2 and EU-5 in the RPG are contemporary developments, but the one that wasn't designed for the UEEF's new mainstay infantry unit is the one that was demonstrably superior in capability.



* Mostly because the parts "borrowed" from MOSPEADA development and pre-production material are only related to MOSPEADA in the loosest, most general sense (and therefore not Robotech in ANY sense)... but also because I think they look awful and don't fit the setting.

[RockJock]

I really like the flavor of Marines, and like the OOC concepts. On their own I like the tech. I'm not a Robotech purist in anyway, but I don't like the flow between. The FAL might not be a good example for comparison, since it holds up well even against the Shadows period stuff.

The question actually came up when I was going to use a Marine OCC in a different place to begin with.

[Seto Kaiba]

I really like the flavor of Marines, and like the OOC concepts. On their own I like the tech. I'm not a Robotech purist in anyway, but I don't like the flow between. The FAL might not be a good example for comparison, since it holds up well even against the Shadows period stuff.

That bit, actually, is pretty consistent with the original MOSPEADA source material... the Mars Colony's FAL-2 laser submachine gun was arguably the most versatile and effective laser weapon available prior to the Gallant H90's introduction. With the standard power cell it had 3-5 times the endurance of its contemporaries and was also compatible with power cells from its semiautomatic cousin, the SAL-9.

The question actually came up when I was going to use a Marine OCC in a different place to begin with.

*nods* Like I said, the EU-5's actually not that big or bulky... I've seen, and fired, more cumbersome weapons than that. I could totally see someone able to use that weapon effectively on foot, power armor or no. I might stick a carry sling on it just so the user isn't holding it constantly, but that's about all.

[RockJock]

Thanks Seto. I have an M1 Garand, which is heavy by modern standards at right under 12 lbs compared to say a M4 at under 8lbs loaded. At 12lbs the Garand is hardly cumbersome, and it was the standard US battle rifle for two US wars.

That is another reason why I was a little shocked at the restrictions listed in the book for the EU-5.