[HoE] Junker gun: Banshee Rifle

["Casey McGirt" <cmcgirt@hotmail.com>]

     Well, I've had HoE for a little while now, and I just picked up The 
Wasted West.  Now that I have a more detailed background, I've made up a 
few sample characters so I can get a feel for the differences between 
HoE and 'classic' Deadlands.  My latest project is a Junker, and I 
decided to experiment with the device creation rules to see how they 
work.

     I want to make sure I've got the basics down, and I know people are 
always on the lookout for new devices.  Below is my first device, the 
Banshee Rifle, along with my design notes.  Let me know what you think.

Banshee Rifle (3 GR/shot)
     The Banshee Rifle was designed by one of the junkers in the Denver 
resistance.  While its main purpose is to take down the Combine's 
automatons, the mystical nature of the weapon has proven useful against 
many of the supernatural horrors that inhabit the Wasted West.
     The Banshee Rifle is a large weapon, with a barrel wide enough to 
put a fist into.  It is powered by a spirit battery, but uses ghost rock 
for ammunition (one ounce of ghost rock provides approximately 50 
shots).  A tiny chip of irradiated ghost rock is broken down into 
spiritual energy, as the gun builds a charge.  Then, a blast of white 
energy screams forth from the barrel to impact with the target, the 
sound giving the gun its distinctive name.  When the blast hits the 
target, the energy becomes physically manifested...after passing through 
the first inch or so of the target.  People hit by the blast often have 
no visible entry wound (although there is a large exit wound).
     The weapon normally takes two actions to use (one to charge, and 
one to fire).  However, there is an overload setting that allows the 
user to fire in a single action.  The user takes the -2 penalty for 
shooting from the hip, and the power requirement is doubled.  The weapon 
normally comes with a 60-point Spirit Battery, enough for 20 normal 
shots, or 10 on overload.
     Stats:  Speed 2 (1), ROF 1, Damage 2d20/AP 4, Range 10.
     Components: Structural 8, Mechanical 6, Electronics 3.
     Total Cost: 150 points.

Design Notes:
     As stated above, I wanted a weapon primarely useful against 
automatons, but also effective against most supernatural horrors.  The 
high damage requirement (automatons are -tough-) meant that certain 
sacrifices had to be made in speed and ammo requirements.  Below are the 
options I chose:
* 2d20 damage (70 points)
* 4 levels of AP (+40%)
* Spiritual damage (+50%)
* ROF 1 (+0%)
* Range 10 (+10%)
* Speed 2/1 (+15%) - Since the weapon can be fired at Speed 1 (with 
penalties and increased power requirements), I charged an additional 5%.

-Casey

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