Assault Rifle:

Although the CSDF has great experience in creating powerful handheld plasma weapons (the Personal Plasma Arc series of guns and rifles), they found that in boarding actions these weapons were often too powerful, blowing great holes in bulkheads, hulls and sensitive equipment. They realized that they needed a lighter weapon for boarding actions. The Gel gun was one of the weapons that came out of this train of thoughts, but they still needed a weapon which would be capable of lethal force. After some deliberation the research department delivered a idea to the Generals which they accepted, as it seemed like a very good idea (Actually the research department got the idea after one of the researchers watched the Pre-Rifts movie Aliens....reality mimicking fiction) The new CSDF assault rifle combines a assault rifle and a grenade launcher in one. The Grenade Launcher part of the rifle is long barreled, and lies on top of the assault rifle. Both the Grenade launcher and the Rifle part are magazine fed, with the magazine for the (automatic) grenade launcher between the grip and the shoulder stock, and the rifle magazine just in front of the trigger guard. In order to keep muzzle flash and the dispersion of gas in a vacuum to a minimum (Hot muzzle gasses will rapidly cool in a vacuum, giving away your position with a cloud, and reduce visibility), the grenades are fired by a magnetic coil, while the assault rifle part is really a low powered railgun. Energy for both is supplied by a battery, fixed in the stock. This battery provides power for 80 grenade shots, and 400 rifle shots. Normally the weapon can be recharged by linking it to the power supply of a suit, or armor (takes 2 rounds). The rifle has a integrated electronic sight with a laser distance meter, which can be used for setting burst time for grenades. It is a relatively new weapon, but because of its intimidating appearance, and horrible name, the troops already refer to it as the AARGH.
Model: ACRGL I (Advanced Combat Rifle and Grenade Launcher)
Cost: 7500 credits
Weight: 4.5 kg.(10 pounds) empty, fully loaded 6 kg (13.5 pounds)
M.D.C. of Weapon: 40
Range: Rifle: 300 meters (1000 feet) in an atmosphere, 2400 meters (8000 feet) in space. Grenade Launcher; 600 meters (2000 feet) in an atmosphere, 4800 meters (16,000 feet) in space.
Rate of Fire: Rifle; Equal to shooters hand to hand, bursts and sprays possible. Grenade Launcher: Single shot only, equal to gunners hand to hand
Payload: Rifle; 40 rounds per clip Grenade Launcher: 6 Grenades per clip (single grenades can be loaded through breach)
Damage: Rifle: 6D6 SDC Armor Penetrating, exploding 1D6x10 SDC, same ammo, can be selected by user at beginning of round. (Bursts can greatly increase damage. Because rounds are very powerful, if burst inflicts over 100 SDC, then it will inflict the damage of the rounds /100 in MDC, always rounding down - ex: exploding burst inflicts 280 S.D.C., it will inflict 2 M.D.C. worth of damage)
Grenade Launcher: Various types of Grenades:
• Explosive Fragmentation (normal round): 5D6 SDC in a 4 meter radius (13 feet), AND 2D4x10 SDC on contact
• High Explosive Fragmentation: 1D6 x 10 SDC in a 6 meter radius (20 feet), AND 2D4 MDC on contact.
• High Explosive Armor Piercing: 4D6 MDC in a 1 meter (3.3 feet) radius (contact only)
• Beehive (60 steel darts, shotgun pattern): 3D6 SDC Armor penetrating, +3 to strike
Special: The Grenades can be set to explode after traveling a predetermined amount of distance. This is done at the cost of one attack, by using the laser rangefinder in the rifle`s scope, and entering the appropriate distance into the grenade, which can be done to all grenades loaded at that time. Should the grenade encounter a target before the preset distance, it will also explode. This is great to clear rooms, or fire just past a barricade, and let the grenade explode then, just as it passes the blockade.

Gel Gun

Designed specifically to capture people without harming them, the gel gun has proven itself to be a invaluable tool in boarding actions, where minimal collateral damage is a must. The gun fires cans filled under pressure with a highly viscous and sticky gel. It looks like a wide barreled shotgun, with a large magazine. Upon impact the cans burst open and release the sticky gel. The cans themselves are fired by means of a magnetic coil, and do stunning damage due to their speed. The gel is composed of several kinds of long chained polymers, and is impossible to cut, even with a vibro- knife. The only way to remove the stuff, apart from ripping free a limb, is to dissolve the gel by means of a special solvent, which is supplied in spray cans. Because of the slightly greenish color, and the viscosity of the gel, the weapon is more commonly known as a "Snot Shooter" among the troops. Even though the nickname is rather derisive, the gun has proven to be highly effective in the hands of skilled users. In several instances it proved possible to knock someone down with the first shot, and to glue him to the floor with the second shot.
Model: GG-1
Cost: 7000 credits (240 per canister clip)
Weight: 6 lb. (clip weighs 4 lb.)
M.D.C. of Weapon: 35
Range: 75'
Rate of Fire: Single shot only, equal to gunners hand to hand
Payload: 12 cans per clip, plus energy for 12 shots
Damage: Special, The gel gun entangles and stuns (impact damage only). It can incapacitate one limb per shot. Any items held in that limb are useless. If the limb is a leg speed is reduced by 70%. The gel has 1 MDC or 100 SDC, it is comparable to a very viscous epoxy resin in feel, but firm enough to prevent anything other than minor jiggling of the limb. Any supernatural PS or a 'normal' PS of 30 or higher can rip/pull free in 2D4-1 melees. The limb cannot be cut free, this results in the blade being stuck too! As a matter of fact, the gel will stick to just about anything, resulting in the victim sticking to just about anything, from floors to other people who tried to help them.

PPA MKII

The Personal Plasma Arc MKII is the standard personal sidearm of the crews onboard the CSDF`s warships. Larger weapons are usually issued only to the Marines and the SAS members onboard. It is usually carried in a shoulder holster on the outside of the uniform. It has superior power compared to most handguns in the orbital community, and is very lightweight. In appearance it looks like few other weapons: it is made entirely from ceramics and plastics and has a very distinctive large rectangular muzzle. The weapon is the result of much engineering and research, and represents the best in (personal) weapons currently available to the CDSF. The weapon fires powerful bolts of plasma, which are generated by forcing xenon gas through a electrical arc (hence the name) and "packing" the resulting plasma in a magnetic bubble which is then compressed and fired out of the gun.
Weight: 750 grams (1.6 lbs)
Length: 21 cm (8.4 inch).
Height: 14 cm (5.6 inch).
Width: 3.6 cm (1.44 inch)
Price: 8000 Credits (About 6000 IOU in the rest of the orbital community)
Mega Damage: 3D6 MD.
Range: 200 meters (667 feet) in atmosphere, 1600 meters (5334 feet) in space.
Rate of Fire: Equal to gunners hand to hand.
Payload: twelve (12) shots per E-clip (small E-clip does not fit).
Bonuses: Accurate: this weapon is very accurate, +1 to strike.

PPA MKII S

The PPA or Personal Plasma Arc MKII S (short) is a very powerful and highly concealable small handgun, and is standard issue for all CSDF officers. It is a scaled down version of the PPA MKII, but without a loss of power. This little handgun fires powerful bolts of plasma, but is relatively short ranged. Also it has only power for seven bolts before the small energy clip is empty. A plus of this weapon is that the grip folds forward and upward against the casing, rendering it in the form of a semi oval. This reduces its size so much that it fits in the palm of ones hand. This small size means that it can be fitted into a special holster which is fitted on the forearm inside of the (wide) uniform sleeve. A flick of the wrist then throws the handgun out of the holster, at which time it unfolds, straight into the palm of ones hand. Although this practice requires some training, it results in a immensely fast draw, with all the advantages this brings with it, and a almost undetectable gun. Due to the holster being fitted for a single person, there is no chance of the pistol accidentally falling out of the holster. Conversely, the holster is very unsafe to use if it is not worn by the person it was fitted for.
Weight: 550 gram (1.21 lbs)
Length: 14 cm (5.6 inch) unfolded, 10 cm (4 inch) folded
Height: 11 cm (4.4 inch) unfolded, 7.5 cm (3 inch) folded
Width: 3 cm (1.2 inch)
Price: 8,000 Credits, including forearm holster (About 6,000 IOU in the rest of the orbital community)
Mega Damage: 3D6 MD.
Range: 45 meters (150 feet) in atmosphere, 360 meters (1200 feet) in space.
Rate of Fire: Equal to gunners hand to hand.
Payload: Seven(7) shots per small E-clip (large E-clip does not fit)
Bonuses:
Fast Draw: gives +1 to initiative
Light weight: +1 to strike.
Concealable: - 70% to detect in forearm holster.

CSDF uniform:

The standard uniform for the CSDF, this is worn by all service branches with only minor cosmetic differences. (Go Here for a picture of the uniform). It consists of three basic pieces, namely:
Skinsuit: this piece is custom made for each soldier, and is a black one piece suit which covers the entire body. Part of the suit are magnetic shoes and (white) gloves. The torso of the suit looks armored, but the thin plates house a small oxygen supply and a emergency beacon. The suit opens over the front. This suit has only minimal armor, but is fire resistant, acid resistant, and airtight. It is also worn in a spacesuit and in powered armor, as a matter of fact it is the basis for all of the CSDF personal clothing.
On each lower arm there are attachment points for various kinds of hardware. Normal is a vibro-dagger with sheath, and for officers a holster fitted for that specific person which houses a PPA MKII S. (Note: it should be obvious from the name, but you do NOT wear anything underneath this suit.)
Jacket: This piece comes in several standard sizes. It is a rather heavy affair, but it is well armored and isolated. When one puts it on it locks airtight over the plates fitted on the torso of the skinsuit. In a emergency a clear plastic cover can be drawn from the back of the jacket, over the head. When this is then fitted over the collar a small electric charge permanently hardens the memory plastic into a dome shape, which than acts as a airtight helmet. in combination with the oxygen supply in the skinsuit this acts as a space suit. The dome can be softened by the application of another electric charge of a specific current, after which it folds back into the suit. The triangular black plastic patches on the shoulders (mirrored on back) can actually detach and reveal attachment points. Regular soldiers and Noncoms have a shoulder holster hanging from these points. Flashlight patches can also be worn, and assorted other equipment can also be attached, including oxygen tanks. Several pockets are also fitted into the jacket, and there is room for two spare E-clips (three small ones) for the wearers PPC.
Trousers: Worn over the skinsuit, they latch onto the skinsuit at the underside of the torso and at the shoes. Armored and insulated, with fire resistance built in. They contain several deep pockets, one of which contains field dressings, and another one emergency ration. There are several attachment points at the hip for equipment such as a canteen, E-clips, survival equipment and other material.
No headgear is worn, except under special circumstances and with parade dress. The headgear for such occasions is a black baseball cap with unit insignia for all personnel, except for active members of the SAS which has held on to the famous red beret.
Statistics:
Skinsuit:
Weight: 3.5 kg (7.7 lbs)
Damage: 30 SDC!
Air supply: 1 Hour
Special: Airtight, fire resistant, acid resistant, Fitted to person.
Cost: 4,000 Credits (About 3,000 IOU in the rest of the orbital community)
Jacket:
Weight: 4.5 kg (9.9 lbs)
Damage:
Arms(2): 5 MDC
Body: 9 MDC
Head(plastic dome): 6 MDC
Special: Fire resistant, isolated (-200 centigrade to +500 centigrade)
Cost: 6,000 Credits (About 4,500 IOU in the rest of the orbital community)
Trousers:
Weight: 3 kg (6.6 lbs)
Damage:
Legs(2): 6 MDC
Lower abdomen: 6 MDC
Special: Fire resistant, isolated (-200 centigrade to +500 centigrade)
Cost: 6,000 Credits (About 4,500 IOU in the rest of the orbital community)

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By Mischa (E-Mail Mischa)
Minor revisions by Kitsune (E-Mail Kitsune).

Rifts Copyright © 1998, Mischa. All rights reserved.