====== MICROWAVE WEAPONS ======

Microwave weapons project electromagnetic beams
with wavelengths longer than infrared light, but shorter
than radio waves. Vehicle-mounted microwave beams
first appear at TL8, followed by personal weapons at
TL9+. Microwave beam weaponry is usually used to
stun people or machines, depending on the frequency
used.

==== Microwave Area Denial (MAD) (TL9) ====

These “pain beam” weapons use microwaves to heat the
surface of the target’s skin to about 130ºF, activating pain
receptors without causing actual burning. The sensation is
similar to touching a hot light bulb all over the surface of
the body. MAD weapons are often used for riot control: they
can disperse a crowd without leaving piles of unconscious
bodies or messy clouds of gas.

MAD beams deliver a HT-based affliction attack (modifier
varying by weapon) with no armor divisor; add the
target’s DR to HT to resist. If he fails to resist, he suffers
from the Agony affliction (p. B428) for as long as he is in
the beam, and for one second afterward.

MAD beams are ranged cone attacks – see Area and
Spreading Attacks (p. B413). Due to the need for a large
antenna to focus the beam, the projectors are vehicle or
tripod-mounted.

=== MAD Weapons ===

Portable MAD (TL9): A weapon the size of a light
machine gun, used as a portable anti-riot device. It’s sometimes
built into vehicles as a secondary weapon.

Tactical MAD (TL9): A large semi-portable projector
capable of breaking up a crowd at a thousand yards. It’s
usually tripod-mounted or built into a vehicle.

=== MAD Weapons Table ===

BEAM WEAPONS (PROJECTOR) (DX-4, other Beam Weapons-4)

^ TL ^ Weapon ^ Damage ^ Acc ^ Range ^ Weight ^ RoF ^ Shots ^ ST ^ Bulk ^ Rcl ^ Cost ^ LC ^
| 9 | Portable MAD | HT-3 aff (1 yd) | 12 | 400/800 | 20/Dp | 1 | 83(5) | 10† | -5 | 1 | $10,000 | 3 |

GUNNER (BEAMS) (DX-4, or other Gunner-4)

^ TL ^ Weapon ^ Damage ^ Acc ^ Range ^ Weight ^ RoF ^ Shots ^ ST ^ Bulk ^ Rcl ^ Cost ^ LC ^
| 9 | Tactical MAD | HT-4 aff (3 yd) | 18 | 600/1,200 | 70/Dp | 1 | 100(5) | 18M | -8 | 1 | $70,000 | 3 |

==== Microwave Disruptor ====

These are refinements of the single-shot explosively-pumped 
high-power microwave pulse weapons of TL8.
They generate a directional pulse that can scramble and
overload electronics and electrical systems. Criminals use
them to hijack robots for later resale, while saboteurs and
terrorists use them to attack vital circuitry.
Microwave disruptors project ranged cone attacks –
see Area and Spreading Attacks (p. B413). Any target in
the cone is struck by an affliction attack. This only afflicts
electrical systems and those with the Electrical disadvantage.
Make a HT roll or be shut down (or unconscious)
for minutes equal to the margin of failure. Add +3 to
resist beyond 1/2D range. The target’s SM adds to the HT
roll to resist.

Microwave disruptors are contact agents that ignore
DR unless the target is sealed. Disruption can propagate
along radar or communications antennas, power lines
and communication cables. Treat a target with unshielded
electronic access as unsealed.

Microwave disruptors come in holdout-sized “scramblers”
for sabotaging computers or other electronics, and
heavier carbines and semi-portable weapons for disabling
robots and vehicular targets. Very large microwave disruptors
are rare, since most large vehicles are sealed; EMP
warheads (p. 157) are more effective.

===Microwave Disruptor Weaponry (TL9-10)===
Most microwave disruptors are personal weapons
requiring Beam Weapons (Projector) skill to use.

EMP Gun (TL9): The basic portable microwave weapon,
capable of stopping a robot or vehicle, or frying a room full
of electronics.

Pulse Carbine (TL9): A more compact version of the
EMP Gun, primarily used as an anti-robot weapon.

Scrambler (TL9): A pocket holdout microwave pulse
weapon, useful for disabling a small security robot or performing
sabotage on computers or other electronics.

Tactical Disruptor (TL9): A semi-portable microwave
cannon, usually tripod-mounted or installed in a vehicle or
robot. It requires Gunner (Beams) skill to use.

=== High-Power Microwave Weapon Table ===

BEAM WEAPONS (PROJECTOR) (DX-4, other Beam Weapons-4)

^ TL ^ Weapon ^ Damage ^ Acc ^ Range ^ Weight ^ RoF ^ Shots ^ ST ^ Bulk ^ Rcl ^ Cost ^ LC ^
| 9 | EMP Gun | HT-3 aff (1 yd) | 6 | 90/270 | 1.8/C | 1 | 33(3) | 4 | -2 | 1 | $650 | 2 |
| 9 | Pulse Carbine | HT-4 aff (1 yd) | 12 | 160/480 | 5/2C | 1 | 28(3) | 5† | -3 | 1 | $2,000 | 2 |
| 9 | Scrambler | HT-2 aff (1 yd) | 3 | 40/120 | 0.3/B | 1 | 11(3) | 3 | -1 | 1 | $120 | 2 |
GUNNER (BEAMS) (DX-4, or other Gunner-4)
^ TL ^ Weapon ^ Damage ^ Acc ^ Range ^ Weight ^ RoF ^ Shots ^ ST ^ Bulk ^ Rcl ^ Cost ^ LC ^
| 9 | Tactical Disruptor | HT-8 aff (3 yd) | 18 | 600/1,200 | 70/Dp | 1 | 50(5) | 18M | -8 | 1 | $32,000 | 1 |