.
Kg REQUIRED PER POINT OF ARMOUR FOR
SIMPLE
PENETRATION
|
TYPE |
5 |
6-7 |
8-9 |
A-B |
C-D |
E-F |
|
Conventional |
3 |
2 |
1.5 |
1.2 |
1 |
0.7 |
|
Shaped |
No |
0.4 |
0.3 |
0.24 |
0.2 |
0.14 |
|
Plastic |
No |
No |
0.5 |
0.55 |
0.25 |
0.12 |
|
TDX |
No |
No |
0.6 |
0.4 |
0.2 |
0.1 |
Kg REQUIRED PER POINT OF ARMOUR FOR
1m2
BREACH
|
TYPE |
5 |
6-7 |
8-9 |
A-B |
C-D |
E-F |
|
Conventional |
36 |
24 |
17.7 |
14.2 |
11.8 |
9.7 |
|
Shaped |
No |
4.8 |
3.4 |
2.8 |
2.4 |
1.2 |
|
Plastic |
No |
No |
3.2 |
2.16 |
1.3 |
1 |
|
TDX |
No |
No |
3.4 |
2.12 |
1.8 |
1.1 |
DICE
OF DAMAGE PER 5Kg USED
|
TYPE |
5 |
6-7 |
8-9 |
A-B |
C-D |
E-F |
|
Conventional |
5D |
6D |
7D |
8D |
9D |
10D |
|
Shaped |
No |
7D |
8D |
9D |
10D |
11D |
|
Plastic |
No |
No |
4D |
5D |
6D |
7D |
|
TDX |
No |
No |
9D |
10D |
11D |
12D |
Note that the damage for shaped and TDX explosives is reduced by half if the blast is directed away from the individual.
COST PER Kg (Cr)
|
TYPE |
5 |
6-7 |
8-9 |
A-B |
C-D |
E-F |
|
Conventional |
25.3 |
16.9 |
11.3 |
7.5 |
5 |
2.5 |
|
Shaped |
No |
33.8 |
22.5 |
15 |
10 |
5 |
|
Plastic |
No |
No |
56.2 |
37.2 |
25 |
12.5 |
|
TDX |
No |
No |
337.5 |
225 |
150 |
75 |
The explosives defined by these tables are Standard explosives, with a general balance between blast and penetration. More refined variants of all the types are available, biased towards either more blast damage or more penetration.
Enhanced Blast explosives - multiply the damage result by 1.25; multiply the penetration Kg required by 1.15; multiply the cost by 1.25.
Enhanced Penetration explosives - multiply the damage result by .85; multiply the penetration Kg required by .75; multiply the cost by 1.50.
A standard code description applies to explosives; it consists of three groups.
|
XXX |
-X- |
X |
|
| |
| |
| |
|
a |
b |
c |
a Type of explosive. CON, SHA, PLA or TDX.
b Bias of explosive. S for Standard, B for Enhanced Blast, P for Enhanced Penetration.
c Tech level. UPP letter code.
To place a single explosive charge:
Routine, Demolitions, Dexterity, 3 minutes
Referee:
A conventional (only) charge may be tamped
(compressed), doubling the time increment to 6 minutes. This will result in an
explosion for twice the penetration and damage.
For added variety, throw (2D-6)+skill level for the % effectiveness of the charge; multiply the damage and penetration by this value.
If the charge is pre-prepared and man-portable (e.g. satchel charge or limpet mine), the time increment may be dropped to 15 seconds. A charge of this type may not be tamped; a limpet mine is automatically shaped.
To successfully detonate an emplaced charge:
Routine, Demolitions, Intelligence, fateful, hazardous
Referee:
Charges may either be detonated by time fuse or remote control.
This task also applies to disarming charges; if tremblers and anti-tamper devices are built in then use the Demolitions skill of the setter as a negative DM.
Cost (Cr)
|
TYPE |
5 |
6-7 |
8-9 |
A-B |
C-D |
E-F |
|||||
|
Electric |
-------------------- Cr5 ------------------------- |
||||||||||
|
Plunger & wires |
------------------- Cr50 ------------------------ |
||||||||||
|
Battery & wires |
No |
25 |
20 |
15 |
15 |
15 |
|
||||
|
Radio |
No |
5 |
2 |
5 |
5 |
5 |
|
||||
|
Control unit |
No |
100 |
75 |
50 |
45 |
30 |
|
||||
|
Microwave radio |
No |
No |
40 |
20 |
20 |
15 |
|
||||
|
Control unit |
No |
No |
400 |
200 |
200 |
150 |
|
||||
|
Timed |
10 |
10 |
10 |
10 |
10 |
10 |
|
||||
|
Inertial tilt |
No |
20 |
20 |
10 |
10 |
5 |
|
||||
|
Gravitic |
No |
No |
No |
100 |
100 |
50 |
|
||||
|
Magnetic |
No |
10 |
10 |
10 |
5 |
5 |
|
||||
|
Neural |
No |
No |
No |
No |
500 |
300 |
|
||||
|
Tremblers |
+5 |
+10 |
+10 |
+10 |
+15 |
+20 |
|
||||
|
Anti-tamper |
+5 |
+10 |
+15 |
+10 |
+10 |
+10 |
|
||||
All detonators rely on one of two methods; either an electric current is passed through the explosive, creating heat and ignition, or a small secondary explosive charge is fired close to or within the explosive, causing the main charge to detonate sympathetically.
Electric
Electric detonators are named after the method of signalling readiness; an electric current is passed down two wires and either fires the explosive by its' own power or triggers a firing charge. If the former method is used, the Cr5 cost for a trigger charge is ignored, and the maximum range of the wires is 50m for plunger and 100m for battery. Double these ranges if a trigger charge is used.
Plunger
A plunger is a primitive generator consisting of a ferrous rod, thrust forcefully through a wire coil. This induces enough current to send an electric impulse down the wires. Later versions use a ratchet and flywheel arrangement to spin the core in the coil, creating a stronger current capable of operating over greater distances.
A battery may be used to create the same effect; however, the charge is released as soon as the battery is connected.
Radio
Radio detonators are the earliest true remote control detonators to be invented. A simple, one-channel transmitter sends a radio impulse to a receiver/detonator which then fires a trigger charge into the explosive. Radio detonators are fairly easy to jam if the frequency is known; as a result of this, versions available from TL 8+ have more than one frequency available. The receiver must be set to one frequency when armed. Radio waves are screened out by thick buildings, armoured walls and being underground.
Microwave radio
M-Radio detonation systems are similar to radio systems, except for being much harder to locate and jam. They also can penetrate better.
Timed
Timers are possibly the simplest and most reliable of detonators available. A mechanical dial or digital clock is set to a pre-specified time, ranging from several seconds to hours or even days. After that time, the internal trigger charge is fired, setting off the main explosive. Timers are usually designed such that any attempt to change the time after setting detonates the explosive; this is additional to any anti-tamper devices that may be fitted.
Inertial Tilt
Really a subclass of tremblers, the tilt switch is sometimes used as the primary detonator and therefore deserves special mention. These detonators are also sometimes used to set up trip-wire explosive traps.
In early versions, a swinging pendulum carries one side of the circuit and the metal walls around it the other. When the electrics are connected, any movement enough to touch one to the other sets off the charge.
Later developed is the mercury switch. A blob of liquid mercury in a metal and glass tube is used as an electric switch in much the same way.
The gravitic detonator is the final development of the same theory, and uses a grav sensor (an outgrowth of gravitics technology) to detect the slightest motion relative to the local gravity field. This version has the advantage that it has no moving parts.
Magnetic
The magnetic detonator uses the principle of distorted magnetic fields to detect the approach of large quantities of ferrous metals or of powerful electric or magnetic fields. At TL 8+, the detonator may be calibrated at arming to react to various sizes of metallic object.
Neural
The neural detonator, primarily designed for antipersonnel mines, uses TL 12 neural technology to detect the approach of a sentient being by its brainwaves. Versions of TL 12-13 are factory calibrated to one race; TL 14+ versions can be set to react to any or several different sentient races, and to decide whether to explode depending upon the number of traces detected.
Tremblers
Tremblers are inertial devices, added to explosive emplacements to prevent the bomb being moved. Usually, movement triggers detonation.
Anti-Tamper
Anti-tamper devices are generally extra wires, red herring devices, connections to the casing, etc., designed to set off a bomb if someone tries to disarm it in situ.
At TL 12+, the robot brain makes the intelligent bomb a possibility. These find some use, but there are numerous drawbacks, cost not the least.