On equipment: Firearms

[Bahamut_A6M5]

I noticed the tau'ri firearms "department" is rather generic. I understand the basic premise about that, as we have a stunningly broad variety of weapons and trying to reflect that would require a whole suplement on its own. But there's the point about SGC, as a military organization, running a policy on standard issued weapons, which would limit the actual range of a potential weapon table to a selected few. So, I suggest some ideas to look into and debate:

Handguns

Weapon                 TechLevel Damage Type         Range         Capacity Reload    Bulk    Special

Beretta M9             2             1d6        Piercing   37m/75m    15          1 action  1         -

Colt M1911A1        2             1d8        Piercing  37m/75m     7           1 action   1        Knockdown

(I would be dropping the "pistol" quality, as most firearms, if not all, don't suffer from accuracy issues at point blank ranges. In fact, it's at that distance when they are more lethal. Also, changed the damage dice to represent the greater stopping power a .45 ACP round has over a 9 mm. round, but decreased clip capacity shows .45 rounds are bigger and take more space up, so less ammonition available per clip. I'd consider giving handguns an easier concealability due to their smaller size compared to other weapons).

Shotguns

Weapon                       TechLevel Damage Type         Range         Capacity Reload    Bulk    Special

Franchi SPAS-15 (shot) 2             1d8        Piercing    22m/45m     6          2 actions 2         Scatter

Franchi SPAS-15 (slug) 2             1d10      Piercing    22m/45m     6          2 actions  2        Knockdown

(Pointing out different stats for using different shells, either shots or slugs, to represent the same weapon behaving differently with either ammonition).

I've broken Longarms down into several subclasses to point out the obvious differences (also, shotguns should be considered longarms, proficiency-wise).

Assault Rifles

Weapon                       TechLevel Damage Type         Range         Capacity Reload    Bulk    Special

Colt CAR-15                2              2d8        Piercing   93m/187m  30         1 action  1         Automatic, Snub

Colt M16A3                2              2d8        Piercing   187m/375m 30        1 action   2        Automatic

Submachine guns

Weapon                       TechLevel Damage Type         Range         Capacity Reload    Bulk    Special

H&K MP5A3                 2               1d6         Piercing     22m/45m     30           1 action    1         Automatic, Snub

FN P90                         2               1d6         Piercing     45m/90m     50           1 action    2         Automatic, Armor Piercing

(Armor Piercing would increase weapon tech level by X points in order to determine if armor resistances are bypassed).

There could also be sniper rifles made into Longarms, but I don't recall any being used onscreen, so I won't list them (though, I have stats for one, which could be posted for additional debating).

Heavy weapons

Machine guns

Weapon                       TechLevel Damage Type         Range         Capacity Reload    Bulk    Special

M60E4 LMG                 2               1d10       Piercing     225m/450m 100         3 actions  2         Automatic, Belt Fed, Recoil Compensation

(Would consider increasing Bulk in 1 point).

Grenade launchers

Weapon                       TechLevel Damage Type         Range         Capacity Reload    Bulk    Special

Colt M203                    2               3d8         Force         75m/150m   1             2 actions  2          Blast 3m

(Stats provided are for fragmentation grenades being fired. Other types could be considered, as in the case of shotguns; white phosphorus grenades could have lesser damage, fire damage type and a DoT like Melf's Acid Arrow).

Missile launchers

Weapon                         TechLevel Damage Type         Range            Capacity Reload    Bulk    Special

Hughes Stinger IV AAML 2               6d6         Fire+Force 600m/1200m 1             3 actions   3        Blast 5m, Armor Piercing

[1001100x02]

Because I'm on a mission atm I look at this nice collection of data points and see an opportunity for the engineer to shine. Rather than getting granular via all the countless varieties of gun, I' think this could be abstracted out to get the effect you're looking for.

Have your standard pistol, SMG, Rifle, etc. Then you throw in a "Large Calbre" upgrade from the team engineer that bumps the die up a notch of the weapon it's applied to. Have a side bar showing which combination of upgrades (and upgrades should be adding weapon qualities too) broadly replicate what type of real word weapon.

Automatic upgrade bumps the die up a notch (and maybe gives advantage on the attack check if you use strength instead of dex) but halves short range. So the M60 as a high calibre automatic long arm should be spitting out 2d6 or 2d8 damage.

Alternatively, there's always thefreely available for devs and players alike weapon stat-lines from the d20Modern SRD if you're after something a bit grittier and granular.

[Bahamut_A6M5]

That's an advanced idea to discuss later. For now, I am more interested in a basic idea: rather than having a bland, generic and nondescript list of weapons (which may lead to unwanted results, such as a P90 being a "longarm" with 1.000 meters range), creating a list with the standard issued weapons of the SGC, with their particular traits and stats as a base for further modifications (as you propose). This way, game still has a relatively short list of firearms while it keeps some flavor (for me, at least, it's more descriptive saying "characters bring M9s on their belts" than "they are carrying sidearms"). Also, this would allow for some diversity even within a "category": M9 vs M1911, MP5 vs P90,...

[NightWatcher]

On 5/11/2020 at 7:34 PM, Bahamut_A6M5 said:

There could also be sniper rifles made into Longarms, but I don't recall any being used onscreen, so I won't list them (though, I have stats for one, which could be posted for additional debating).

I may be remembering this wrong.

It was never used but in the episode (can't remember the name) that Dr Daniel Jackson retakes human form on the planet where Colonel Jack O'Neill uses the second Ancient Repository, one of the members of SG-3 was carrying a Barrett M82 Sniper Rifle, (It was only in passing though)

[NightWatcher]

It wasn't the one where Colonel Jack O'Neill uses the second Ancient Repository (Lost City Part 1 (S7, E21), (Sorry melded two episodes together)), It was at the start of Fallen (S7, E1)

Edited May 14, 2020 by NightWatcher

[Mal]

I generally think this is a great idea. It provides a moderate degree of character customisation that is presently lacking - my guys are basically identikit except for their kits. I don't think it makes combat more complex on any real level. I think you might struggle to make the base damage values you've given work with attack specialist etc though.

I think to decrease the combat focus even more the weapon you choose should effect social roles with NPCs. If you rock up with a Barret people might be a bit less welcoming than when you pack a discreet p90 - even if both can kill you just as dead. This means player have to balance the cost and benefits with a mind to non-combat activities. Alien weapons should be treated in the same way - if you rock up with a staff weapon you can't expect people to be nice to you, whereas a zat is a bit more low profile. 

There is also a sniper rifle in the episode where they rescue Teal'c's son from the labour camp. O'Neil takes it from a soldier and takes out a bunch of Jaffa while they bracket the camp with mortar fire.