Homebrew "Borg Runner" gun (Inspired by the gun from Blade Runner)
So I've recently been watching videos from Adam Savage (the mythbuster)'s 'Man Cave' and in two of them he geeks out over the gun from blade runner, displaying an insane collection of various fan-made repros, including a few of his own. That got me into researching the gun, and I must say, it is really cool looking.
See?
When I found out it was made around a Charter Arms Bulldog (my absolute favorite 'backup piece' in CP), I had to bite.
The gun is basically a CA bulldog with the reciever and magazine from a Steyr-Mannlicher .222, and some added gubbins to make it look high tech and cover the revolvery bits. The Steyr has a two-stage trigger system where the first trigger is used to 'pre-load' the second trigger...so either pull the second trigger all the way to fire, like normal, or pull the first trigger all the way to lock the second trigger at 99.9% back, so that only the faintest touch is needed to set it off. Handy for a target rifle, not so useful for a sidearm, but the director thought it looked cool so they used it.
That got me thinking: What could that second trigger be for, in-universe? Officially: Nothing much. Virtually no data exists about the gun;s in-universe stats or abilities. One fan speculates that since in the book, Deckard carried both a 'laser tube' and a service revolver, maybe the double trigger and semi-stacked barrel represents a fusion of the two. That's cool, but for Cyberpunk, lasers are expensive and not so great. But it got me thinking that the top bit and the second trigger (and all the lights and the magazine under the barrel) could all be part of a compact microwaver system, like the underbarrel models from Chrome. so with all that in mind, I went about statting up an excellent anti-cyborg gun using the Blade Runner gun as my template.
Militech-Techtronica PKD-5223 "Borg Runner"
When the Night City C-SWAT team asked for a new standard sidearm for taking out increasingly chromed-up cyberpsychos, they had only two stipulations. 1: it had to pack a huge punch into a holsterable package, and 2: It had to have some sort of microwave or electrical based anti-cyber option. They specifically requested dual functionality, something that can fry a cyberlimb or punch through bodyplating. Microwavers don't always work, and sometimes even the heaviest slugs only piss off a raging cyberpsycho. They wanted a one-stop shop.
Militech reached out to Techtronica to rise to the challenge. The PKD (Jokingly said to mean 'Police Kill Device') 5223 is the marriage of a high-powered electro-thermal revolver and a miniaturized microwaver, based around the popular line of Underbarrel models released not long ago. The microwaver is mounted atop the revolver barrel, giving the slug thrower a shorter barrel axis, adding weight to counteract the kick and giving it an overall increased accuracy. Further balancing against recoil is provided by the removable underbarrel battery, which feeds both the microwaver and the Electrothermal firing mechanism (as well as the standard issue laser and optional smartlink). Replacement batteries cost about 10eb but can also be recharged after about an hour from a wall socket. Since the electrothermal and targeting mechanisms draw so much less charge than the microwaver, there is a bit of a 'reserve' charge, allowing the slugthrower to operate as normal even after there is no longer enough juice to run the microwaver (Good for about 10 shots, which should be more than enough for its 5-round capacity)
The gun has proven extremely popular with C-Swat, who nicknamed it the "Borg Runner" because the smart ones run when they see it. (Or because it makes running down borgs easier, or because it shows borgs who runs the streets, honestly there's no telling when it comes to these things. Everyone has a different explanation).
As stated, a laser sight is standard (factored into WA), and the largely electronic nature of the weapon (combined with the built in laser) make smartchipping relatively cheap and easy (+500 eb, Weaponsmith vs 15, 2hrs). Note, smartlinked versions only get +1 to the listed WA (additional +1 for targeting sight cyberoptic) since the listed accuracy already factors in the laser, which would be replaced by the smartlink. NCPD C-SWAT typically loads Armor Piercing, Armor-Piercing or Dual-Purpose ammo.
Militech-Tectronica PKD-5223 "Borg Runner"
Very Heavy Pistol -- 2kg -- 12 BOD Min (For firing one-handed. Cyberarm counts as Bod 12)
Pistol: P -- +2 -- J -- R -- 6d6 (.44 ETE) -- 5 -- 1 -- VR -- 75m -- 900eb (1400 Smartlinked)
Microwaver: EX(P) -- +1 -- * -- * -- 1d6+ Special -- 6 -- 2 -- ST -- 20m
An LT "Civilian Contractor" version is also available, both to the police and the public which 'only' chambers .357 Magnum. The smaller, lighter round allows for a slightly increased capacity and ROF, and allows for easier handling by users without cyberarms or extensive BOD boosts. NCPD C-Swat jokingly refers to this as the "Ladies Choice" version. As part of a special pricing promo, both versions retail for the same amount, despite the increased capacity and fire rate, allowing the end user to decide if they prefer raw stopping power over control. (It also makes bookkeeping easier for the NCPD, who expressed an interest in a lighter version for less augmented officers)
Militech-Tectronica PKD-5223-LT
Very Heavy Pistol -- 2kg -- 10 BOD Min (For firing one-handed. Cyberarm counts as Bod 12)
Pistol: P -- +2 -- J -- R -- 5d6 (.357 ETE) -- 6 -- 2 -- VR -- 75m -- 900eb (1400 Smartlinked)
Microwaver: EX(P) -- +1 -- * -- * -- 1d6+ Special -- 6 -- 2 -- ST -- 20m
The front trigger discharges the microwaver, while the back one fires the pistol. Additionally, both barrels can be discharged at the same time, but at a -1 WA penalty to the pistol segment for the long and unusual double-trigger pull (You effectively have to pull 'through' the first trigger to discharge the second, making it nearly impossible not to 'jerk' the second trigger). This special 'double-tap' can only be performed once per action, regardless of the weapon's usual ROF. Roll to hit, location and damage for both shots individually.
The integrated microaver works like a standard microwave weapon, per FNFF rules, p108 of the main book. It is capable of firing 6 shots before the battery is too low to power another blast. After the microwave blasts are used up enough power remains to fire the pistol segment 10 times. If you have a Reff who's really pedantic about book keeping, it takes 15 pistol shots to consume 1 microwaver charge, +10 for the reserve (So it takes 11-26 pistol shots to use up the first microwaver blast, and every 1-15 after that consumes another charge). Most people just carry an extra battery or two and replace them once the microwaver shots are exhausted . Replacement batteries cost 10eb, take 1 round to replace, and can be recharged in an hour off of wall current. Ammo costs 40eb per box of 50, AP is 120eb/50, DP is 160/50.
So I've recently been watching videos from Adam Savage (the mythbuster)'s 'Man Cave' and in two of them he geeks out over the gun from blade runner, displaying an insane collection of various fan-made repros, including a few of his own. That got me into researching the gun, and I must say, it is really cool looking.
See?
When I found out it was made around a Charter Arms Bulldog (my absolute favorite 'backup piece' in CP), I had to bite.
The gun is basically a CA bulldog with the reciever and magazine from a Steyr-Mannlicher .222, and some added gubbins to make it look high tech and cover the revolvery bits. The Steyr has a two-stage trigger system where the first trigger is used to 'pre-load' the second trigger...so either pull the second trigger all the way to fire, like normal, or pull the first trigger all the way to lock the second trigger at 99.9% back, so that only the faintest touch is needed to set it off. Handy for a target rifle, not so useful for a sidearm, but the director thought it looked cool so they used it.
That got me thinking: What could that second trigger be for, in-universe? Officially: Nothing much. Virtually no data exists about the gun;s in-universe stats or abilities. One fan speculates that since in the book, Deckard carried both a 'laser tube' and a service revolver, maybe the double trigger and semi-stacked barrel represents a fusion of the two. That's cool, but for Cyberpunk, lasers are expensive and not so great. But it got me thinking that the top bit and the second trigger (and all the lights and the magazine under the barrel) could all be part of a compact microwaver system, like the underbarrel models from Chrome. so with all that in mind, I went about statting up an excellent anti-cyborg gun using the Blade Runner gun as my template.
Militech-Techtronica PKD-5223 "Borg Runner"
When the Night City C-SWAT team asked for a new standard sidearm for taking out increasingly chromed-up cyberpsychos, they had only two stipulations. 1: it had to pack a huge punch into a holsterable package, and 2: It had to have some sort of microwave or electrical based anti-cyber option. They specifically requested dual functionality, something that can fry a cyberlimb or punch through bodyplating. Microwavers don't always work, and sometimes even the heaviest slugs only piss off a raging cyberpsycho. They wanted a one-stop shop.
Militech reached out to Techtronica to rise to the challenge. The PKD (Jokingly said to mean 'Police Kill Device') 5223 is the marriage of a high-powered electro-thermal revolver and a miniaturized microwaver, based around the popular line of Underbarrel models released not long ago. The microwaver is mounted atop the revolver barrel, giving the slug thrower a shorter barrel axis, adding weight to counteract the kick and giving it an overall increased accuracy. Further balancing against recoil is provided by the removable underbarrel battery, which feeds both the microwaver and the Electrothermal firing mechanism (as well as the standard issue laser and optional smartlink). Replacement batteries cost about 10eb but can also be recharged after about an hour from a wall socket. Since the electrothermal and targeting mechanisms draw so much less charge than the microwaver, there is a bit of a 'reserve' charge, allowing the slugthrower to operate as normal even after there is no longer enough juice to run the microwaver (Good for about 10 shots, which should be more than enough for its 5-round capacity)
The gun has proven extremely popular with C-Swat, who nicknamed it the "Borg Runner" because the smart ones run when they see it. (Or because it makes running down borgs easier, or because it shows borgs who runs the streets, honestly there's no telling when it comes to these things. Everyone has a different explanation).
As stated, a laser sight is standard (factored into WA), and the largely electronic nature of the weapon (combined with the built in laser) make smartchipping relatively cheap and easy (+500 eb, Weaponsmith vs 15, 2hrs). Note, smartlinked versions only get +1 to the listed WA (additional +1 for targeting sight cyberoptic) since the listed accuracy already factors in the laser, which would be replaced by the smartlink. NCPD C-SWAT typically loads Armor Piercing, Armor-Piercing or Dual-Purpose ammo.
Militech-Tectronica PKD-5223 "Borg Runner"
Very Heavy Pistol -- 2kg -- 12 BOD Min (For firing one-handed. Cyberarm counts as Bod 12)
Pistol: P -- +2 -- J -- R -- 6d6 (.44 ETE) -- 5 -- 1 -- VR -- 75m -- 900eb (1400 Smartlinked)
Microwaver: EX(P) -- +1 -- * -- * -- 1d6+ Special -- 6 -- 2 -- ST -- 20m
An LT "Civilian Contractor" version is also available, both to the police and the public which 'only' chambers .357 Magnum. The smaller, lighter round allows for a slightly increased capacity and ROF, and allows for easier handling by users without cyberarms or extensive BOD boosts. NCPD C-Swat jokingly refers to this as the "Ladies Choice" version. As part of a special pricing promo, both versions retail for the same amount, despite the increased capacity and fire rate, allowing the end user to decide if they prefer raw stopping power over control. (It also makes bookkeeping easier for the NCPD, who expressed an interest in a lighter version for less augmented officers)
Militech-Tectronica PKD-5223-LT
Very Heavy Pistol -- 2kg -- 10 BOD Min (For firing one-handed. Cyberarm counts as Bod 12)
Pistol: P -- +2 -- J -- R -- 5d6 (.357 ETE) -- 6 -- 2 -- VR -- 75m -- 900eb (1400 Smartlinked)
Microwaver: EX(P) -- +1 -- * -- * -- 1d6+ Special -- 6 -- 2 -- ST -- 20m
The front trigger discharges the microwaver, while the back one fires the pistol. Additionally, both barrels can be discharged at the same time, but at a -1 WA penalty to the pistol segment for the long and unusual double-trigger pull (You effectively have to pull 'through' the first trigger to discharge the second, making it nearly impossible not to 'jerk' the second trigger). This special 'double-tap' can only be performed once per action, regardless of the weapon's usual ROF. Roll to hit, location and damage for both shots individually.
The integrated microaver works like a standard microwave weapon, per FNFF rules, p108 of the main book. It is capable of firing 6 shots before the battery is too low to power another blast. After the microwave blasts are used up enough power remains to fire the pistol segment 10 times. If you have a Reff who's really pedantic about book keeping, it takes 15 pistol shots to consume 1 microwaver charge, +10 for the reserve (So it takes 11-26 pistol shots to use up the first microwaver blast, and every 1-15 after that consumes another charge). Most people just carry an extra battery or two and replace them once the microwaver shots are exhausted . Replacement batteries cost 10eb, take 1 round to replace, and can be recharged in an hour off of wall current. Ammo costs 40eb per box of 50, AP is 120eb/50, DP is 160/50.
I don't care if it makes more sense to fire it through the smartlink, it has two triggers and you have to use them both ;-)