Let's Talk Genres -#5 - The Gyrojet Gun - Sci Fi #4

 

To me, Gyrojet pistols and rifles are as much a part of sci-fi rpg's as Lasers and FTL travel. A gyro jet pistol/rifle is basically a personal hand held rapid firing rocket launcher. It fires large caliber shells, propelled by an internal rocket motor that exhausts through 4ports on the bottom of the shell. The ports exhaust the thrust putting a gyroscopic spin on the shell, stabilizing it for flight. If a micro processor is in the shell, the shell could be guided as well.

Gyrojet weapons were actually created in the 1960's. A picture of the real pistol is above. The classic Star Frontiers Gyrojet pistol is shown above as well.

Because of the enlarged shell size, many different warheads could be put in a Gyrojet shell. Use the following chart for random determination of round type:

01-35 Dumb-regular explosive
36-40 Guided-regular explosive
41-50 Dumb -armor piercing
51-53Guided-armor piercing
54-56 Dumb-incendiary
57-59 Guided-incendiary
60-62 Dumb-tracker
63-65 Guided-tracker
66-68 Guided-Personal EMP
69-71 Dumb-tranquilizer
72-74 Guided-tranquilizer
75-77 Dumb-poison
78-80 Guided-poison
81-85 Dumb-overload
86-90 Guided-overload
91-95 Dumb-super explosive
96-99 Guided-super explosive
100 Guided-mini-nuke

Definitions:

• Dumb-no internal guidance. Aimed rounds.
• Guided/Smart-internal guidance. Fire and forget.
• Explosive-standard explosive round
• Armor Piercing-standard AP round
• Incendiary-tracer/fire starter rounds. Phosphorus.
• Tracker-gps tracking round. No damage.
• Personal EMP-knock out round for electronics on target.
• Tranquilizer-knock out drug round
• Poison-sick/kill round from poison.
• Overload-electrical stun round
• Super explosive-super dense and powerful explosive round, usually for busting doors,buildings
• Mini-nuke-super rare mini nuclear explosive round

So, when you need a special round or just some rare ammo to buy at the gun shop, think of adding some variety to your Gyrojet ammo.