Grenades

                Grenades are explosive charges either propelled against or thrown at the target. Normal grenades rely on the explosive power of the warhead to cause damage rather than kinetic energy; RAM and rock­et-propelled grenades add their kinetic energy to their effects.

 

Grenade Pistol (HE)

                Weight 200g. Length 250mm. The SAG-23 looks very much like a large flare pistol. it has a 200mm barrel and a stubby butt with a large screw cap on the end. Four large, vaned vents perforate the barrel about a quarter of the way down. One 20mm RAM grenade (choice of HE, Incendiary and Stun) is loaded by inserting down the barrel from the muzzle end and turning through 90o. A second grenade can be carried in the butt, secured by the screw cap. Reloading takes one round, during which the firer is treated as evading. When fired, the exhaust gas from the grenade is directed through the vents in the barrel. This results in a large and spectacular circular flare around the barrel. The forward blast of this flare serves to counterbalance most of the brutal recoil, although this is still considerable.

 

Hand grenade-5 (HE)

                Weight 1000g. Hand grenades appear at TL 5 and are generally available thereafter. Improvements occur at various TLs after that, culminating at TL 11. Hand grenades may only be used against targets at medium range. One grenade may be thrown each combat round, during which the thrower is treated as evading. No specific weapons skill is required to use grenades. A 1kg grenade may be thrown ((Str x 5) / square root of gravity in G) metres.

 

Napalm Grenade-7

                Weight 1kg. Introduced mid way through the TL 7 period, the napalm grenade is deployed in exactly the same way as a standard explo­sive grenade. Upon explosion, it inflicts 4D damage, but then covers everything in its area in burning napalm which delivers 3D per round for four combat rounds.

 

Plasma Grenade-12

                Weight 1200g; pack 15000g. The plasma grenade is actually an integrated system, consisting of a power pack similar to that for the PGMP-12, and a number of grenades. To operate, the grenade must be plugged into the power pack for one combat round. This charges up the grenade's small battery and fills its magnetic chamber with plasma-heated hydrogen fuel. The grenade's magnetic bottle contains the plasma in the same way as the chamber in a PGMP (q.v.). Until the grenade is actually required, the bottle is powered from the power pack; however, when unplugged, the gre­nade's very limited batteries take over, providing enough power for up to 10 seconds of operation (adjustable with a dial on the grenade). After that, the bottle collapses and the plasma escapes, causing an explosion similar to the arrival of a PGMP bolt. Each power pack is good enough for 50 grenades. Up to three grenades may be plugged onto the pack at any one time; they may be removed without being armed (the plasma is cooled off and returned to the power pack). The rules on throwing hand grenades also apply to plasma grenades. For troops also equipped with the PGMP-12, a combination pack is available; add Cr5000 to the cost of the weapon's own pack and 5kg weight. 

 

Plasma Grenade-13

                Weight 1200g; pack 12000g. Identical in operation to the Plasma Grenade-12 package, the TL 13 version is improved and produces a bigger explosion. Improvements include a lighter power pack and better batteries in the grenades; the timer may be set at up to 30 seconds. Also improved is the number of grenades that the pack may hold ready at any one time; up to four. A combination pack (see above) is available for the PGMP-13.

 

Plasma Grenade-14

                Weight 1000g; pack 10000g. Great strides in battery technology make possible much longer timer delays at TL 14; the grenades may be set to go off at anything up to five minutes. Once again, the explosive power of the grenade has been improved. The pack for the TL 14 version may hold up to six grenades ready at any one time. Combination packs are available for both the PGMP-14 and the FGMP-14; add the same proportions of cost and weight as described for the TL 12 version.

 

RAM grenade

                Weight 450g. Incorporating rocket assistance to give the round superior range and flat trajectory capability, the Rocket Assisted Multi-purpose grenade is fired both from special launchers and from ACR and gauss rifles. The grenade is fired at an initial velocity of 150-200 metres/second and accelerated to 500-600 metres/second by its internal booster charge. Rounds include HE, Flechette and HEAP.

 

RAM grenade-16    

                Weight 250g. Essentially similar to the Imperial 40mm RAM grenade, the 20mm is produced only in the Beyond and may only be used by the Grenade Pistol and the MWS (q.v.). Available rounds are HE, Flechette, HEAP, Gas, Incendiary, Stun, KEAP and KEAPER.

 

Rocket grenade-6  

                Weight 200g. The rocket grenade is a simpler ancestor of the RAM grenade, usually fired from a rifle. It comes in HE, HEAP and Flechette varieties.

 

Rocket grenade-7 

                Weight 400g. The TL 7 version has an improved booster unit, allow­ing a heavier warhead.