Explosives and Incendiaries

• Conventional Explosives
• Dirty Tech: Skimming Nitro
• Dirty Tech: Home-Cooked Explosives
• Explosives Equipment
• Incendiaries
• Land Mines
• Hand Grenades
• Dirty Tech: Hand-Grenade Booby Trap
• Dirty Tech: Improvised Grenades
• Rifle Grenades
• Bombs
• Nuclear Weapons

Since the introduction of gunpowder at TL3, mankind has continued to develop more and better ways to blow up things – and his fellow man. For basic rules for explosives, see Explosions (pp. B414-415). Fans of gritty realism may enjoy these optional rules.

The shockwave from an explosion that occurs within a room or a vehicle may reflect off the walls and deliver all of its energy to those unfortunate enough to be inside. When an explosion occurs in an enclosed space, calculate the crushing or burning damage that would reach the boundaries. If this is more than 2 points, but not enough to burst the walls, then the blast is contained. Anyone in the area takes double damage – or 1.5¥ damage if there are doors and windows, which will blow out and relieve some of the pressure. Anyone behind a rupturing door or window automatically takes fragmentation damage (p. B414).

Explosions cause several unpleasant effects besides basic crushing or burning damage and possible fragmentation.

Except in a vacuum, explosives cause destruction at a distance via a wave of highpressure air. This is potentially injurious to hearing. Anyone who suffers crushing damage from an explosion must roll vs. HT.

Modifiers: -1 per 5 points of crushing damage penetrating the DR of a vehicle or armor; +1 for ordinary earplugs, or +5 for Protected Hearing (p. B78) – either natural or from high-quality earmuffs (see Ear Protection, p. 70). Failure means the victim suffers tinnitus that gives a Hearing penalty equal to his margin of failure. Failure by 10+, or critical failure, causes deafness. Either effect lasts (20 - HT) minutes, minimum one minute. After that, roll vs. HT each turn to recover. Critical failure on a recovery roll indicates a permanent injury (see Duration of Crippling Injuries, p. B422): Hard of Hearing (p. B138) if the penalty was -1 to -9, Deafness (p. B129) if total deafness occurred.

Exception: Duration is only two seconds with Protected Hearing, and recovery is automatic.

Any failure on the initial HT roll also stuns the victim. Roll vs. HT each turn to recover.

Explosives release some of their energy as a blinding flash of light. Those looking toward a blast must roll vs. HT if crushing or burning damage was rolled against them, even if they suffer no injury.

Modifiers: -1 per 10 points of crushing or burning damage received, regardless of whether it penetrated DR; +1 for sunglasses or a tinted windshield, +3 for welding goggles, or +5 for Protected Vision (p. B78) – either natural or from antiglare goggles (see Eye Protection, pp. 70-71).

Failure means the victim is dazzled and suffers a Vision penalty equal to his margin of failure. Failure by 10+, or critical failure, causes blindness. These effects last (20 - HT) minutes, minimum one minute. After that, roll vs. HT each turn to recover. Critical failure on a recovery roll indicates a permanent injury: Bad Sight (p. B123) if the penalty was -1 to -9, Blindness (p. B124) if total blindness occurred.

Exception: Duration is only two seconds with Protected Vision, and recovery is automatic.

Any failure on the initial HT roll also stuns the victim. Roll vs. HT each turn to recover.

The primary use of explosives is to blow things up! The following rules expand on Demolition (p. B415). They’re intended to help the GM determine the amount of explosives that PCs must carry to accomplish demolition missions. The guidelines below indicate the weight of explosives (in pounds) required to destroy various objects. They assume TNT, except as noted. To find the necessary weight of an explosive other than the one named, calculate weight as described, multiply by the listed explosive’s REF, and divide by the substitute explosive’s REF. See the Relative Explosive Force Table (p. 183) for REF values.

Well-tamped explosives have about twice the shattering power of untamped ones. Unless the description notes that tamping is required, a demolition expert can use it to increase effectiveness. Boring a hole in an object and packing in explosives halves the weight of explosives needed to destroy it.

Charges that meet these specifications – adjusted for substitutions and tamping – have the desired effect on a successful Explosives (Demolition) roll; see p. B194. Improvised materials may give a penalty. Failure always does some damage to the object. Critical failure usually means no explosion, but anything can happen (GM’s decision) – explosives are unpredictable!

• To breach a wall with a mine, or blow a crater: The explosive must be tightly packed in a hole in the ground. To breach a wall, this means in a tunnel under the wall (the original meaning of “mine,” although the name was later applied to the explosive charge). Then use:

300 ¥ distance to surface in feet = required weight of black powder (REF 0.5) in lbs.

This gives a crater as deep as the distance to the surface and six times that distance in diameter.

• To shatter timbers, such as bridge timbers, gates, or trees: Using the diameter of a round timber or the least dimension of a dressed one as “thickness,” if the explosives can be placed in holes bored in the timber, use:

0.004 ¥ (thickness of timber in inches) squared = required weight of TNT (REF 1) in lbs.

If the explosives are looped like a necklace around the timber (detonation cord works best), use:

0.025 ¥ (thickness of timber in inches) squared = required weight of TNT (REF 1) in lbs.

• To break iron girders, such as bridge girders: Wrap the charges completely around the girder, and use:

0.5 ¥ cross-sectional area of girder in square inches = required weight of TNT (REF 1) in lbs.

• To blow a hole in a wall: For a brick wall, use:

0.5 ¥ diameter of desired hole in feet ¥ (thickness of wall in feet) squared = required weight of TNT (REF 1) in lbs.

For reinforced concrete, the first factor is 1 instead of 0.5.

• To blow a hole in a metal plate: For an iron plate, use:

2 ¥ diameter of desired hole in feet ¥ (thickness of plate in inches) squared = required weight of TNT (REF 1) in lbs.

For steel plate, the first factor is 2.5 instead of 2.

A conical cavity in an explosive charge can focus the blast, greatly increasing breaching power. Mining engineers might have known about this phenomenon in the late 18th century, but it’s named the “Munroe effect” after Dr. Charles Munroe, who first demonstrated it in 1888. It remained a scientific curiosity until the late 1930s. A charge that capitalizes on this effect is termed a “shaped charge” – or sometimes a “hollow charge.”

If using Explosives/TL6 (Demolition), roll at -4 to remember this effect, and then at -5 to create a home-made shaped charge. Success gives a charge that will blow a hole in a wall (see above) with half the usual amount of explosive – identical in effect to tamping, but not cumulative with it. Failure simply means the charge doesn’t do the job. Those with Explosives/TL7-8 (Demolition) know how to set shaped charges; roll just once, at no penalty.

A shaped charge with a metal liner will produce a narrow – usually less than 1” – hole in armor. Properly fused for time and standoff distance, it receives an armor divisor of (10). Antitank weapons have employed such charges since early TL7; see High-Explosive Antitank (HEAT) (p. 170).

Where a shaped charge focuses an explosive blast on a small point, a “flat” or “pancake” charge does the opposite, creating a broad shock front to shake apart the target without (necessarily) opening a breach. If the damage roll fails to penetrate DR, divide it by 10 and apply it to 1/100 the target’s DR. Damage type becomes cutting. Setting flat charges requires no special knowledge, but they only see use in warheads from TL7; see High-Explosive Squash-Head (HESH) (p. 170).

This table expands on that on p. B415. See Conventional Explosives (pp. 183-187) for descriptions.

These important explosives are described in approximately the order in which they became available. Tech levels correspond to the start of widespread use, not to the date of invention.

“Black powder” is a 20th-century term for the sole explosive and propellant in general use before the late 19th century. Prior to that time, it was the only powder used in guns, and called simply “gunpowder.” All black powder is a mixture of saltpeter (potassium nitrate), charcoal, and sulfur; see Home-Cooked Explosives (p. 186).

Exactly when gunpowder was invented is unknown. In writings dating to about 1240, Roger Bacon – an English Franciscan monk – described how to make it and that it would explode. He wrote in a cipher that wasn’t broken for more than 600 years, though, and didn’t claim to have invented gunpowder. A Chinese text claims that the “Spear of Vehement Fire” – a sort of Roman-candle incendiary – was first used in 1259. An Arab manuscript from 1304 depicts something that might be a cannon: an arrow, surrounded by smoke and flames, apparently emerging from a tube of some sort.

The earliest gunpowder was serpentine powder (TL3), also called “meal powder.” This was less powerful than later powder and tended to separate in storage or travel. It was used for artillery until the late 16th century. To keep it from separating, it was often hauled to the battlefield as ingredients and mixed on-site. Having to blend an unstable explosive under enemy fire, surrounded by burning matches or lit braziers, may explain the devotion of gunners to Saint Barbara, their patron saint!

Early in the 16th century, corned powder (TL4) was invented. Meal powder was dampened and pressed into cakes, which were dried and ground into grains of various sizes. Corned powder didn’t separate in storage or transport – a huge advantage. As well, varying the grain size made it possible to adjust the burn rate: fine-grained powder was used for small arms and for priming (which needed a fast rate), while coarse powder was superior for large-bore weapons and as a blasting explosive.

These practices eventually led to a grading system – introduced in France in the 18th century – in which FG was the coarsest grade, FFG was one grade finer, and so on. Such standardization came with further advances in production, which made it possible to maximize power. The improved black powder (TL5) assumed in the remainder of this discussion and throughout High-Tech is about as good as black powder can get.

Historically, military gunpowder was packed in kegs holding 100 lbs. (6d¥14 cr ex damage if it explodes). Two powder kegs made a convenient load for a mule or a pack horse. The usual charge for a flintlock musket was 100 to 200 grains; thus, at 7,000 grains to the pound, a mule-load of powder gave 7,000 to 14,000 musket shots! Smaller amounts were typically packed in 4-lb. cans (4d¥4 cr ex). A pound of improved black powder – enough for 35 to 70 musket shots – does 4d¥2 cr ex damage. $5 per pound. LC3.

In 1846, Ascanio Sobrero of Italy invented nitroglycerin (NG): a colorless liquid explosive. Swedish chemist Alfred Nobel perfected the process of making it in the 1860s. It was exported worldwide under the name “Swedish Blasting Oil.”

Nitroglycerin is powerful and not difficult to manufacture if sufficient care is taken (it involves mixing glycerin with nitric and sulfuric acids). Nobel insisted that it was so safe that the routine precautions developed for gunpowder were unnecessary. This proved not to be the case. Nitroglycerin is extremely sensitive to shock and thus tricky to transport. It’s inert when frozen (at 50°F), so in the late 19th century, manufacturers froze it for shipment – but thawing it is dangerous in itself!

Whenever nitroglycerin is dropped or otherwise shocked, roll 3d. On 12+, it explodes. Impure nitro can be even more dangerous – some compounds explode on 10+! A pound of nitroglycerin does 5d¥3 cr ex damage. It commonly comes in 4-oz. vials (7d+1 cr ex). $15 per pound. LC2.

Dynamite was invented in 1867 to circumvent the problems of nitroglycerin. It consists of nitroglycerin soaked into a stabilizing material, such as kieselguhr (diatomaceous earth) or sawdust, to make it more difficult to detonate. It’s so safe that it won’t explode if set on fire. (It burns beautifully, too.) Dynamite must be detonated by the shock of an explosion – typically by a blasting cap that is itself set off electrically or by a burning fuse.

Despite its safety, dynamite initially faced heavy regulations – some of which amounted to prohibitions on shipping nitroglycerin at all – in many places. In the U.S., matters were further complicated by the absence of domestic manufacturers and an active dislike of the substance by the explosives industry. Nevertheless, there was a demand: dynamite could move more rock than black powder, and was safer to handle. From the late 1860s to the mid-1870s, there was an active black market in the stuff. Armed men with bulging suitcases roamed the mining and quarrying districts, at odds with the law, the explosives trust, and each other. By the 1870s, dynamite was being produced in America and the regulations had changed to allow legal transportation . . . but it was lively while it lasted.

One practical problem does enliven the use of dynamite, especially illegal use or transportation: old dynamite “sweats” – that is, the nitroglycerin oozes out of the carrier. Sweating dynamite is just as dangerous as nitro! If the PCs encounter old dynamite, the GM should decide what number, on 3d, sets it off if shocked. Guessing this number merely by looking requires a successful Explosives (Demolition) roll.

The REF of dynamite depends on its nitroglycerin content. This ranges from 20% to 80%, giving REF 0.3 to 1.2. Dynamite is named after its nitro percentage; e.g., “80% dynamite” is dynamite with 80% nitro. Note that so-called “military dynamite” (TL7) doesn’t contain nitroglycerin – it’s a mix of high explosives in “stick” form, equivalent in strength to 60% dynamite.

Dynamite commonly comes in 0.5-lb. sticks, which are about 1.25” in diameter and 8” long (Holdout -2). A 0.5-lb. stick of 80% dynamite does 9d+1 cr ex damage. $10 per pound. LC2.

Nitroglycerin had been on the market about one full day when someone figured out how to blow a safe with it. About a day after that, the police realized that anybody buying nitro was a suspect. The underworld soon learned that nitro could be extracted by boiling dynamite, which was more easily acquired, and skimming the nitro off the top – hence “soup” as the slang term for nitroglycerin.

This operation is dangerous. It requires a Chemistry-2 or Explosives (Demolition)-2 roll. Failure by 1 simply ruins the dynamite. Failure by 2 blows up half its weight. Any greater failure blows it all up; the worse the failure, the closer the “expert” was to the explosion.

During the first half of the 20th century, the classic way to blow a safe door was to put putty around the door-crack, pour in the soup, and hit the safe with a sledgehammer. Professional safe-blowers – called “yeggs” – usually had bad hearing and shaky nerves . . . They were also unpopular company, possibly due to their habit of carrying around impure and very unstable explosives.

One method of carrying nitro was to inject it into a rubber ball about the size of a baseball (which would hold eight ounces and do 5d¥2 cr ex) and sling the ball by a string under the shirt. It wasn’t safe to body-punch a yegg! Anyone carrying nitro in this fashion must make a DX roll whenever he falls, is hit, suffers a car accident, and so on. Success means he cushioned the explosive safely. Failure . . . R.I.P.

Nitro might be carried in much larger quantities for some purposes. An illegal cache of old, sweating dynamite might be the equivalent of several pounds of nitro. This much explosive could level a building or turn a vehicle to confetti!

In 1845, Christian Schönbein of Switzerland developed nitrocellulose (NC) or “guncotton.” In 1885, French chemist Paul Vieille produced the earliest “single-base powder” by combining nitrocellulose with moderators to make it burn more slowly. This was also the first successful “smokeless powder”; the French adopted a rifle that fired smokeless ammunition in 1886 (see Lebel Mle 1886, p. 111). In 1887, Swedish chemist Alfred Nobel invented “double-base powder,” which used a blend of nitrocellulose and nitroglycerin (p. 184). Almost all smokeless powders developed since have been of one of these two types.

There are many different smokeless powders, each with a specific purpose. The results of simply substituting one formula for another by weight or by bulk would range from embarrassing to disastrous. British and American writers often refer to all such propellants as “cordite.” In fact, Cordite was a particular class of double-base powders used in English sporting and military ammunition from the 1890s to about the 1960s.

Smokeless powders aren’t entirely smokeless, but they produce so much less smoke than black powder that the name has stuck. They almost never fill the entire cartridge case . . . a .38 Special case completely filled with some mixtures would shatter the gun! However, they aren’t normally explosive – you can’t blow a bridge with the contents of a few thousand cartridges. They do burn fiercely, though, and can be used to start fires even on wet wood.

Typical smokeless powders cost $7.50 per pound. LC3.

The high explosive trinitrotoluene (TNT) was invented in 1876 and saw wide use as a demolition explosive and warhead filler throughout TL6. Its prevalence made it the benchmark against which the concussive power of all other explosives was measured: relative explosive force (REF) is a comparison to TNT, which has an arbitrary REF of 1. TNT was still used for demolition during WWII, common packaging including the German army’s 0.45-lb. blocks (4d¥2 cr ex) and the U.S. military’s 1-lb. blocks (6d¥2 cr ex). $10 per pound. LC2.

Plastic explosives – also called “plastique” – consist of high explosives mixed with binding agents (“plasticized”) to make them pliable. Their texture is similar to plastic putty, allowing them to be cut and formed to shape. They’re also extremely stable, only exploding if set off by a detonator or another explosion. These factors make plastic explosives easy to work with and highly effective – they account for the majority of special-ops demolition jobs and well-planned terrorist bombings.

Nobel’s Explosive Number 808, a green-colored British innovation used in WWII, was the first modern plastic explosive. Another British creation widely used during WWII was the grayish PE1 (also “Composition C”), which appeared in 1939. C4 (or “Composition C4”), the whitish explosive featured in countless action movies, is a U.S. innovation dating to 1948. The orange-colored Semtex-H, infamously used in many terrorist bombings, came out of Czechoslovakia in 1967. There are many other examples!

Most plastic explosives are odorless – although Nobel’s No. 808 has a distinct almond smell – and emit a low level of fumes (nitrogen compounds). This makes them difficult (-8) for chemical detectors (pp. 48-49) or trained sniffer dogs to find, unlike most other explosives. They’re also impossible for X-ray machines (pp. 206- 207, 217) to detect unless specially treated – which some commercially available mixtures are, to discourage illegal use. Plastique has a long shelf-life (at least 10-20 years), and thus can be stored in caches until required.

World War II-era plastique usually came in wax paper-covered 0.25-lb. blocks (7d cr ex). Modern military C4 comes in 1.25-lb. blocks (5d¥3 cr ex) sheathed in olive plastic, with a self-adhesive sticky side for placement. A chewing-gum stick of plastic explosive, as seen in Mission Impossible, would do 1d+1 cr ex – if you managed to detonate it. $30 per pound. LC2.

“ANFO” stands for “ammonium nitrate/fuel oil.” More generally, it refers to any explosive mixture of an oxidizing agent – such as ammonium nitrate (found in fertilizer), calcium nitrate, or ammonium perchlorate (used in bleaching agents) – with a liquid fuel, usually diesel (possibly mixed with vegetable oil). The ratio varies according to the ingredients and desired results, but is typically about 94% oxidizer to 6% fuel.

ANFO-type explosives, commercially available from 1955, are used in mining and account for 97% of the industrial explosives used in the U.S., as well as many major terrorist acts (including the truck bomb that destroyed the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma). They have many disadvantages – they’re low-powered, highly water-absorbent, and easily detected (by their smell, fumes, and size). However, they’re stable and relatively easy to put together; see Home-Cooked Explosives (see box). They need a blasting cap and a booster charge (a small amount of high explosive) to set off.

One pound of ANFO does 4d¥2 cr ex. Ingredients cost $2 per pound. LC3.

Home-made explosives are often dangerous and illegal, but sometimes an adventurer’s only option!

Black powder is easy to make, once the secret is known – but there’s no particular reason why anyone would mix the ingredients and touch a match to them. A society might never discover this basic explosive. H. Beam Piper’s Lord Kalvan of Otherwhen stories explore just this possibility: Calvin Morrison, thrust into an alternate world, knew how to make gunpowder, and his life soon became very interesting indeed.

Black powder is a mixture of saltpeter (potassium nitrate), charcoal, and sulfur. Saltpeter is a white, crystalline substance, found under well-aged manure piles – of which no medieval society has a shortage. Charcoal is easily gotten by burning wood. Sulfur may be found as deposits of paleyellow crystals, and can also be obtained by evaporating the water from foul-smelling sulfur springs. A typical blend is 75% saltpeter, 15% charcoal, and 10% sulfur. Early gunpowder generally contained less saltpeter, which reduced its power.

Layering sulfur, charcoal, and saltpeter does not an explosive make! The constituents must be ground finely and combined in the right proportions. Producing black powder requires the ingredients, a few basic tools (mainly storage containers, and a mortar and pestle for grinding), and a successful Explosives (Demolition), Explosives (Fireworks)+4, or Chemistry+4 roll. Success yields meal powder or serpentine. Dampening this, pressing it into cakes, and drying and grinding the cakes (carefully – don’t strike a spark!) gives corned powder. See also Black Powder (pp. 183-184).

Producing home-made plastic explosives requires $50 in raw materials per pound, 12 hours’ work, and a Chemistry or Explosives (Demolition) roll. Failure means the plastique is unstable (-4 to all Explosives rolls to use the stuff), weak (halve damage), smelly (detected on an unmodified Smell roll), and/or inert (simply won’t blow up). Critical failure detonates the whole batch for full damage! See also Plastic Explosives (pp. 185-186).

Most explosives improvised from cheap and easily available materials are of the ammonium nitrate/fuel oil (ANFO) type, and concocted from such things as fertilizers, bleaching agents, and diesel fuel. Make a Farming or Streetwise roll to obtain these ingredients, which cost $2 per pound. Roll against Chemistry+4 or Explosives (Demolition)+4 to mix them correctly. Actually blowing the stuff up requires a further Explosives (Demolition)+2 roll. See also ANFO (see right).

Fuel-air explosive (FAE) munitions were developed in the late 1960s as a way to generate large, nonnuclear explosions. The principle was known long before that – in WWII, the Germans considered using an FAE (finely powdered coal dust) to attack Allied bomber formations, but couldn’t solve the problems of spreading and igniting the fuel. Practical considerations aside, the theory is simple: release a volatile mixture of pressurized fuels such as ethylene oxide, propylene oxide, and methylacetylene, allow it to disperse over the desired area (which takes fractions of a second), and ignite it.

In general, FAEs are five times as powerful (REF 5) as an equivalent weight of TNT (REF 1). Some military theorists have warned against the battlefield use of large FAE munitions, because their explosive power is so great that the opposition might believe that nuclear devices had been used and respond in kind! FAE bombs were first used in combat in Vietnam.

Constructing a homemade FAE requires appropriate materials, eight hours’ work, and a Chemistry-3 roll followed by an Explosives (Demolition)-4 roll. Any failure means the device won’t function. Critical failure results in a life-threatening catastrophe. Success can be devastating, however – the fuel-enhanced truck bomb used against the U.S. Marine Corps headquarters in Beirut in 1983 was equivalent to 12,000 lbs. of TNT (6d¥220 cr ex).

A FAE explosion has an increased blast radius (see Explosion, p. B104): divide damage by only (2 ¥ distance in yards from center of blast). LC1.

Extrudable explosive (plasticized RDX) looks like green toothpaste. It comes in caulking-gun cartridges and small plastic tubes. Used to fill hard-to-reach places, it’s handy for blowing open doors, safes, etc. Roll against Explosives (Demolition) to apply it properly. Detonating it requires a blasting cap or other explosion.

A 0.1-lb. blob of extrudable explosive does 4d+2 cr ex damage; use maximum damage for objects in contact with it (see p. B415). A caulking-gun cartridge is $40, 1.1 lb., and holds 1 lb. of explosive (7d¥2 cr ex); a caulking gun is $5, 0.5 lb. A small “toothpaste tube” is $10, 0.3 lb., and holds 0.25 lb. of explosive (7d cr ex). LC2.

Foam explosive (nitromethane) comes as a liquid in an aerosol dispensing can, and has the appearance and consistency of white shaving cream. Developed during the 1980s for destroying land mines, it’s designed to cling to an object and deliver a powerful shock to its weakest part. Foam explosive has low explosive power for its volume, making it ideal for opening doors, car trunks, etc., in situations where stronger measures would draw unwelcome attention or endanger the user. Make an Explosives (Demolition) roll to apply it properly. Detonating it requires a blasting cap or other explosion.

A 0.1-lb. blob of foam does 4d cr ex damage; apply the maximum to objects in contact with it (see p. B415). An aerosol can is $10, 1 lb., and holds 0.9 lb. of explosive (6d¥2 cr ex). LC2.

Fortunately, most explosives are stable enough that special equipment is needed to detonate them.

At TL3-5, a time fuse, or “match,” is a cord impregnated with flammable material – usually a nitrate solution or spirits of wine (alcohol distilled from wine). At TL6-8, it’s a cord with a black-powder core. Match comes in two varieties:

Slow-match is primarily a way to carry fire until it’s needed. It burns at 4” per hour. It’s used to fire matchlock guns, to light grenades, to set off cannon, and as the slow element in a fuse train.

Quick-match is used principally as a time fuse. Various formulas burn at rates from 1’ per minute to 4 yards per minute. (An open powder train – that is, a line of powder poured on the ground – also burns at about 4 yards/minute.)

To make or evaluate a fuse, or to set one to go off at a predetermined time, roll vs. Explosives (Demolition or Fireworks). A 15’ length of either type of match is $10, 1 lb. LC3.

Blasting caps, invented in 1863, are used to detonate explosive charges. Non-electric caps are ignited by an ordinary 7.5’ time fuse (burns for one minute per 1.5’). Electric caps attach to a blasting machine via integral 30’ wires. Each cap does 1d-2 cr ex on its own. For six: $10, 0.25 lb. LC2.

Blasting machines (also called “exploders”) produce the electric current that detonates electric blasting caps. Early Blasting Machine (TL5). A heavy, boxy device with a T-shaped handle. Pushing down the plunger detonates up to 20 electric blasting caps at once. $30, 10 lbs. LC3.

Military Blasting Machine (TL7). A modern military blasting machine – often called “clacker,” after the sound it makes – is cell phone-sized and generates enough electric current (usually by twisting its handles a few times) to detonate up to 50 electric blasting caps at once. $50, 0.75 lb. LC3.

Remote Blasting Machine (TL8). A radio transmitter for detonating electric blasting caps up to five miles away. It comes in a briefcase, which holds the transmitter and 10 receivers. Each receiver can set off up to 15 electric blasting caps at once. $500, 10 lbs., 4¥S/14 days. LC3.

Also called “det cord” and “primacord,” this is a “rope” consisting of a PETN core sealed in tape, wrapped with yarn, and sheathed in plastic. When ignited, it detonates at over 6,000 yards per second – much faster than sound, and effectively instantaneous to human senses. It’s intended primarily for linking detonators with explosives, and for connecting multiple charges for simultaneous detonation. Other applications are mine-clearing, cutting girders and trees, and laying booby traps. The military uses it extensively.

A pound of detonating cord does 5d¥2 cr ex damage. Many thicknesses are available. The standard military type has a diameter of 0.2”, and a pound is about 55.5’ long; it usually comes as a 500’ roll of 9 lbs. of cord, which weighs 11.7 lbs. with spool. One foot weighs 0.018 lb. and does 1d+2 cr ex; one yard weighs 0.054 lb. and does 2d+2 cr ex. Det cord wrapped around something to cut it inflicts maximum damage on the object (roll damage normally for those nearby). $100 per pound. LC2.

Time Clocks (TL6) Precision timepieces are sometimes used to trigger explosives. A blasting cap (p. 187) is wired to the clock, which is then set. It can be stopped, reset, or tripped manually. Typical designs are waterproof to 20’. Mechanical Clock (TL6). Time delay can vary from 15 minutes to 12 hours. $25, 1 lb. LC4. Electronic Clock (TL7). There’s no specific limit on delay – an electronic clock can count down for a long time. $25, 0.5 lb. LC4. Time Pencils (TL6) A “time pencil” consists of a pencil-shaped metal tube containing a thin wire and an ampoule of corrosive liquid. Crimping the tube crushes the ampoule, which starts the corrosive eating through the wire. When the wire finally breaks, it snaps a percussion cap that sets off any fuse or explosive attached. Special-ops soldiers and saboteurs made extensive use of such detonators during WWII. Various models have delays of 10 minutes, 30 minutes, two hours, five hours, 12 hours, and 24 hours. Temperature variations cause the exact time of detonation to fluctuate; for instance, a temperature above 60°F reduces time by 20- 50%. Make an Explosives (Demolition) roll to select the version needed for the situation and to determine the approximate time of detonation. A six-pack – one of each type – is $30, 0.25 lb. LC2. Cutting Cord (TL7) Also known as a “flexible linear shaped charge,” this is an angular lead “rope” with a high-explosive core. The inverted-V shape causes the explosive to function as a shaped charge (pp. 182-183) that can cut through doors, walls, etc. Special-ops forces and SWAT teams often use cutting cord for forced entry; combat engineers employ it for various demolition tasks. A 2’ length of standard cutting cord weighs 1 lb. This does 4d¥2 cr ex damage to anyone nearby – but against the item it’s supposed to cut, use 4d(5) cr ex and apply maximum damage. It usually comes as a 20’ roll of 10 lbs. of cord, which weighs 15 lbs. with spool. $90 per pound. LC2. INCENDIARIES Against some targets, fire is more effective than explosions. See Flame (pp. B433-434) for basic rules that apply to all incendiaries.

Thermite is a powdered aluminum/ferrous oxide mixture used for welding and for sabotage. When heated to the combustion point of the aluminum via a special igniter, the components react vigorously and develop great heat (over 4,000°F). This reaction is almost impossible to contain – it cuts through steel, ignites nearby flammables, burns underwater (water won’t extinguish it), and streams molten metal.

Burning thermite does 3d burn damage per second to anything it touches. Every 10 points of damage also reduces DR by 1 permanently, even on armor; in effect, DR at that specific point is considered semi-ablative against the attack (compare p. B559). Sparks and radiated heat inflict 3 points of burning damage per second in a one-yard radius, dropping to 1 point per second at two yards, but don’t destroy DR. Thermite burns for about 25 seconds a pound. $40 per pound, often cheaper in bulk. LC3.

White phosphorus, while a potent incendiary, relies on a bursting charge for its famous hot fragments and instant smokescreen; it isn’t used alone. For its effects as a bursting warhead, see White Phosphorus (WP) (p. 172). LC1.

Napalm – also called “jellied gasoline” – is a mixture of roughly 90% gasoline and 10% aluminum soaps (aluminum naphthenate and aluminum palmitate, whence “napalm”). The U.S. developed it in 1942 and employed it extensively from 1944. An improved formula uses 21% gasoline, 33% benzene, and 46% polystyrene. A United Nations convention of 1980 declared napalm illegal, but the U.S. didn’t sign it.

Napalm is mainly used in incendiary bombs. It’s enclosed with phosphorus as an igniter. When the casing is cracked, the phosphorus ignites on contact with air and sets the napalm aflame. The napalm spreads out evenly, and can penetrate into earthworks and bunkers.

Napalm sticks to whatever it hits and burns for at least a minute, although fires started in the area of effect might burn for considerably longer. It inflicts 1d-1 burn damage per second over the area, like ordinary flame. However, burning napalm can’t be extinguished by anything less than complete immersion in water or burial under lots of earth (which won’t help the victim). As well, it consumes the oxygen in its immediate area, threatening even those protected against the flame with asphyxiation.

Napalm is easy to make, requiring a Chemistry+3 or Explosives (Demolition)+3 roll and simple materials: gasoline and something to gel it. Packing peanuts, liquid soap, melted animal fat, and many other common materials will suffice. Orange-juice concentrate won’t… LC1.

Land mines are emplaced explosives for use against infantry and vehicles. Crude mines were employed in some 19th-century wars (TL5), while purpose-built mines saw use in WWI (TL6). In the decades since, millions of mines have been buried worldwide.

To place ready-to-use mines, roll against Explosives (Demolition)+4, Soldier, or Traps+2. Improvised mines – often rigged from artillery shells – are a favorite of guerrillas. Roll vs. Explosives (Demolition)-2 to set up such a device.

A mine might be triggered by pressure, contact, a tripwire, a magnetic sensor, or even a remote detonator. A metal detector (pp. 50, 206) will find some buried mines, but TL7-8 devices are often made of undetectable plastic or wood. Dogs and rats can be trained to sniff for the explosives. Probing the ground with a knife or a stick will locate a mine on an Explosives (EOD) or Soldier-5 roll. Disarming it requires an Explosives (EOD) roll – and many mines feature anti-tamper devices that give a penalty.

The Tellermine 35 (“plate mine model 1935”) was the standard German antitank mine of WWII. It was a discshaped device, 1’ in diameter, with a carrying handle. Its pressure fuse required at least 220 lbs. to activate. The TMi35 sometimes had an anti-lifting fuse, too (-2 on attempts to remove it, with any failure meaning detonation). Similar designs are still made in various places today.

The OZM-3 resembled a soup can with a fuse assembly on top. The fuse was usually connected to a tripwire, which required 15 lbs. to activate. When tripped, the mine hurled a grenade that exploded 5’ above the ground, scattering fragments to the sides. (Immediately dropping to the ground – see Dodge and Drop, p. B377 – avoids the fragmentation damage!) The OZM-3 is typical of TL7-8 bounding mines – often known by the slang term “Bouncing Betty” – used against personnel from WWII on. Most armies had something similar during the second half of the 20th century. The German Schrapnellmine 35 (1935-1944), or SMi35, was the first mine of this type: Dmg 4d¥2 [4d] cr ex, Wt. 8.8.

The U.S. equivalent is the M16 (1953-): Dmg 6d¥2 [4d] cr ex, Wt. 8.2.

This directional, above-ground weapon is in service with the U.S. military and many other countries, and has been widely copied. It consists of a convex block of C4 explosive with 700 steel pellets embedded in the front, enclosed in a plastic case about the size of a pocket book. It comes in a 5-lb. bandoleer with blasting cap (p. 187), 33-yard wire, and 0.75-lb. military blasting machine (p. 187). With its folding legs deployed, the mine is pointed toward the desired area of effect and can be detonated remotely or by tripwire.

When triggered, everyone out to 270 yards in a 60° cone in front of the device is attacked at basic skill 9, with +9 for the rapid-fire bonus but minus the range penalty for distance from the mine. Treat this as a huge shotload (see Multiple Projectiles, pp. 172-174) with Dmg 2d(0.5) pi-, Range 55/270, RoF 1¥700, Rcl 1. Resolve attacks in order of distance – if all 700 pellets somehow manage to hit something, no more-distant targets can be hit. While the pellets are directed forward, the explosion (6d¥3 cr ex) isn’t directional and affects a large area to the sides and rear; thus, the weapon is usually deployed 20+ yards from friendly positions. To see the Claymore at work, check out such action movies as Platoon and Predator.

The less-than-lethal M5 Modular Crowd Control Munition-Ground Emplaced (2001-) looks identical and works the same way, but fires a load of 600 plastic pellets. Treat the “Stingmore” as a shotload with Dmg 1d-2(0.2) cr, Range 15/75, RoF 1¥600, Rcl 1, Cost $350. The explosion does only 2d+1 cr ex.

The M86 Pursuit Deterrent Munition (PDM) is a hand grenade-sized antipersonnel mine. American special-ops soldiers use it on the retreat, or for quick ambush and harassment. The user simply arms it and drops it on the ground. After a 25-second delay, it deploys seven 20’ tripwires. After another 40 seconds, it’s fully armed – and if disturbed, launches itself 6’ above the ground and detonates. Left undisturbed, it self-destructs (explodes!) after four hours. Some TL8 artillery shells and cluster bombs scatter similar munitions.

See pp. B268-271 for an explanation of the statistics.

TL Weapon Damage Weight Holdout Cost LC Notes 6 TMi35 5d¥8 cr ex 19 -4 $130 1 7 OZM-3 5d [4d] cr ex 7 -3 $60 1 7 M18A1 Claymore 6d¥3 cr ex 3.5 -3 $50 1 [1] 8 M86 PDM 8d [2d] cr ex 1.2 -2 $45 1

Notes:

[1] Fires a multiple-projectile attack (p. B409) to the front: Dmg 2d(0.5) pi-, Range 55/270, RoF 1¥700, Rcl 1.

Hand grenades first appear at TL4: hollow cannonballs – or containers made of pottery or heavy glass – filled with about a quarter-pound of gunpowder and fitted with a length of burning fuse (p. 187). They’re a favorite naval weapon at TL4-5, as they have a devastating effect on the crowded decks of a warship . . . and a grenade in the powder magazine can sink a vessel that might withstand hours of pounding by cannon. Grenades of this type gradually disappear as firearms and artillery improve, although specialists such as combat engineers continue to use them until TL6, especially for sieges.

Modern hand grenades result from the perfection of time and impact fuses at mid-TL6. Historically, WWI played a decisive role in reestablishing grenades as important infantry weapons – almost all militaries (re-)introduced them during and after the Great War. This era saw the development of the most common subtypes:

• Concussion grenades have little or no fragmentation, relying on the blast of their explosive filler. Their small casualty radius allows use while advancing (that is, on the offensive, which is why these are also called offensive grenades). There may still be incidental fragmentation (p. B415) if a concussion grenade explodes on a hard surface (such as asphalt), in a pile of scrap metal, etc.

• Fragmentation grenades propel fragments farther than they can be thrown, so the thrower needs cover (such as a defensive position, which is why these are also called defensive grenades). These are the most common hand grenades.

• Incendiary grenades contain phosphorus (pp. 172, 188), thermite (p. 188), or a similar burning agent. While primarily used to create smoke, they’re sometimes employed against personnel or to destroy artillery, maps, radios, vehicles, etc., at immediate risk of falling into enemy hands.

• Smoke grenades produce smoke for concealment or signaling. The smoke isn’t harmful to humans and animals, although its aroma is a little unpleasant.

Various nonlethal grenades for police operations (e.g., riot control) appear at TL7-8.

At TL4-5, grenadiers normally prepare their own grenades just before going into action. At TL6-8, hand grenades require little preparation but come unprimed. Grenade and detonator are shipped separately, and only combined before combat (10 seconds per grenade).

Except as noted below, all hand grenades are activated by pulling out the safety pin with its attached ring and letting the arming handle fly off (a Ready maneuver). The fuse doesn’t begin to act until the handle is released, but the handle need move only a fraction of an inch. The pin can be reinserted.

Veteran fighters often “cook off” a hand grenade by letting the arming handle fly off, taking two Wait maneuvers, and then throwing the weapon. With a four-second fuse, this leaves no time for a defender to pick it up and throw it back (see p. B410). If a critical failure on Throwing causes the attacker to drop a cooked-off grenade, he may have no time to pick it up!

Diving on a live grenade is often portrayed in film and fiction as the ultimate sacrifice by a soldier for his comrades (see pp. B377, 415).

The Grenade à Main (simply “hand grenade”) was the main weapon of French grenadiers for two centuries: a 4- pounder iron ball, about 3.2” across, with a removable screw-plug for loading the powder. The plug held the fuse – a short length of match (p. 187). Other militaries fielded similar designs. Use of these unreliable and somewhat fumble-prone grenades declined during the 18th century but never quite broke off until the late 19th century. The grenadier had to light the fuse prior to throwing the grenade (a Ready maneuver). This was impossible in rain, etc. A typical fuse burned for around five seconds.

The Grenade à Main Mle 1882 (1882-1914) was the same basic grenade given a mechanical time fuse for improved safety and reliability (Malf. 16): Wt. 2.6, Fuse 5. It was armed by pulling a ring (a Ready maneuver). This weapon was still in use during WWI.

During WWI, the Germans adopted a style of concussion grenade that remained standard until the end of WWII: the Stielhandgranate (“stick hand grenade”). Americans nicknamed it the “Potato Masher” after its appearance. German military influence manifested itself in similar or identical patterns in Bolivia, China, Finland, and elsewhere.

The long wooden handle gave good leverage for a throw, compensating for the extra weight (+2 ST to figure distance; see p. B355). It also made the grenade awkward to carry and hide; German soldiers stuck it in their belt or even their boot, and improvised carriers from sandbags. To activate the grenade before throwing, the user twisted the end cap off the handle and pulled sharply on the string inside (two Ready maneuvers).

Several models existed during WWI and the interwar years. During WWII, the standard type was the StiHGr24 (1928-1945), filled with TNT rather than black powder: Dmg 7d cr ex, Wt. 1.4. From 1943, one in three had a detachable 0.3-lb. fragmentation sleeve: Dmg 5d [2d] cr ex, Wt. 1.7. A 33-lb. case held 15.

The improvised geballte Ladung (“concentrated charge”) – used to attack vehicles – consisted of six grenade heads bundled around one complete stick grenade: Dmg 6d¥3 cr ex, Wt. 4.4.

The NbHGr39 (1939-1943) was a smoke grenade with identical appearance, except for a white stripe: Wt. 1.9, Fuse 7-8. It develops a 7-yard-radius smoke cloud that lasts for 90 seconds.

Developed from the almost identical Mills Number 5 Mk I (1915-1918), the Number 36M Mk I fragmentation grenade was produced in Britain for a long time. Hundreds of millions were made, and it was widely exported. It’s still manufactured in India and Pakistan.

The “Mills bomb” was the first grenade with a deeply serrated cast-iron body. The serrations didn’t actually control fragmentation (although William Mills might not have known this) but did give a better grip – especially in the slimy mud of a Flanders trench. Fragmentation with the Mills bomb was very uneven. Much of the cast iron was splintered, too small to cause serious injury, while an occasional large piece (especially the fuse and base) might travel 200 yards with enough force to kill. If the GM wishes, anything within 200 yards of the explosion could plausibly suffer a 2d fragmentation attack!

The original fuse delay was seven seconds. Starting in 1940, a four-second fuse became standard.

After WWI, the U.S. military copied the contemporary French-issue grenade, the Grenade Défensive F1 Mle 1916, which they had used during the war. The MK II had a deeply serrated oval body similar to that of the Mills bomb. The nickname “Pineapple Grenade” was obvious.

The MK II and minor variants saw heavy use during WWII and the Korean War. It was widely exported, and copies are still made in Chile, Taiwan, and Turkey. There are several similar designs, including the Soviet Koveshnikov F-1 (1933-): Fuse 3-4.

This concussion grenade is a half-pound block of TNT in a cardboard body, which doesn’t develop any fragments. Its final version, the MK 3A2 (1943-), is still in use. Late-production weapons have a plastic body for better protection against humidity. Widely exported, this grenade is also copied in Israel, Taiwan, and Turkey, among other places.

Although the StiHGr24 (see Stielhandgranate, pp. 190-191) was more visible, German forces used the Eihandgranate 39 (“egg hand grenade model 1939”) or EiHGr39 – a small concussion grenade with a pull-string igniter – in greater numbers during WWII.

This soup can-shaped device was typical of the chemical smoke grenades used by most armies since WWII. The fuse didn’t burst the grenade – it ignited the filler. The AN-M8 burned for two minutes, generating a cloud of thick, white smoke over a 7-yard radius; see Smoke (p. 171). The canister grew hot enough (about 2,200°F) to burn unprotected flesh (1d-2 burn) and set fire to dry vegetation, paper, and similar flammables (see Making Things Burn, p. B433).

The M7 series (1935-) emits tear gas (p. 171) instead, filling a 7-yard radius for 25 seconds: Wt. 1, Cost $175.

The M18 (1942-) generates red, yellow, green, or violet smoke for signaling, and fills a 7-yard radius for 70 seconds: Wt. 1.2.

The M83 (1994-) replaces the AN-M8 in U.S. military service, and fills a 7-yard radius for 50 seconds: Wt. 1, Cost $35.

This can-shaped device contained over 1.6 lbs. of thermate incendiary. Placed inside an abandoned tank, in the barrel of a captured artillery piece, or atop secret radio or encryption equipment, it would soon destroy the hardware. It also radiated enough heat to ignite flammables within two yards, and burned even underwater.

See Thermite (p. 188) for effects; thermate is identical for game purposes. The AN-M14 burns for 40 seconds. Anything in contact with it takes 3d burn damage per second and permanently loses DR 1 per 10 points of damage.

The Ruchnaya Protivotankovaya Granata obrazets 1943g (“hand-held antitank grenade model 1943”) was a stick grenade with a 95mm shaped charge in the head and a cloth stabilizer in the tail. It was designed during WWII to give Soviet infantry a close-range weapon for use against armored vehicles. The Viet Cong employed it in the Vietnam War and the Egyptians used it during the 1973 Yom Kippur War.

This RPG-43 must hit head-on to be effective. Throwers unfamiliar with the special hurling technique required have -5 to Throwing skill. Attack from above using the Dropping skill (p. B189) is another option.

This lemon-shaped fragmentation grenade had a smooth, sheet-metal body. Inside, a tight coil of notched wire surrounded the explosive charge. The M26 superseded the MK II (p. 19) with the U.S. military after the Korean War, and served in America’s subsequent conflicts until the 1970s. Widely copied – including in Germany, Israel, the Netherlands, South Africa, and the U.K. – the M26 is likely to turn up almost anywhere even today.

Also known as “Willy Pete,” this grenade scatters burning white phosphorus fragments when it explodes. The result is an instant – and dangerous – hot smokescreen. The 5-yard-radius smoke cloud lasts for about a minute, depending on the weather. See also White Phosphorus (WP) (p. 172).

This baseball-sized fragmentation grenade is current issue in U.S. military service. A replacement for the M26 (p. 190), it’s safer, lighter, and easier to throw. It’s widely distributed, and also made in Canada, South Korea, and Taiwan.

The Handgranate DM51 is a fragmentation grenade with a removable plastic sleeve containing several thousand steel balls. Without the sleeve, it functions as a concussion grenade: Dmg 5d cr ex, Wt. 0.3. The DM51 is the German military’s standard combat grenade, and has also been exported.

Stun munitions such as this Schermuly design – often called “flashbangs” due to their blinding flash and neardeafening bang – appeared during the 1970s. Originally intended as training grenades, they were first used in the 1977 hostage-rescue operation executed by the German GSG9 antiterror unit in Mogadishu. Since the 1980s, they’ve been standard issue for SWAT units and special-ops forces.

The Handgranate 86 is a small fragmentation grenade ideally suited for house-to-house combat. In 2001, the U.S. Army Special Forces used it for cave-clearing in Afghanistan.

This less-than-lethal grenade has a plastic body filled with 100 soft rubber balls. The explosive blast can stun, while the rubber balls inflict a painful sting over a 7-yard radius. The U.S. Navy and Marines adopted the M452 in 1998.

The M452C Comboball (1987-) is almost identical, but also spreads a 3-yard-radius cloud of tear gas powder (see Tear Gas, p. 171), which settles after a second: Cost $35.

Booby traps involving hand grenades are common in guerrilla warfare. A classic example – widely encountered during the Vietnam War – is a fragmentation hand grenade placed inside a can fixed to a stake or a tree. The can is tilted downward so that a little pressure from the tripwire (p. 203) causes the grenade to slide out of the can, releasing the arming lever. The grenade explodes seconds later. Setting such a trap takes a couple of minutes and requires a roll against Soldier or Traps+4.

When hand grenades aren’t available at all or in sufficient numbers, you can improvise. This might require knowledge of how to construct a simple fuse – make an Explosives (Demolition)+2 roll. Anybody can throw a stick of dynamite (pp. 184-185), though, and concocting a Molotov cocktail is as simple as it gets.

During the Russo-Japanese War (1904-1905), and again in WWI, the realities of trench warfare often led soldiers to construct their own hand grenades. Most consisted of a slab of explosive in a metal container such as an empty flare round, 37¥94mmR cartridge case, cigarette can, or jam tin (as shown in the film Gallipoli). Combat engineers usually assembled these munitions.

Any available explosive will work – including black powder (pp. 183-184), dynamite (pp. 184-185), and military demolition explosives such as picric acid. Fitting an impact fuse or a burning time fuse (p. 187) yields a makeshift offensive hand grenade. Attaching a wooden handle allows better handling. Adding a handful of large nails, tightly wrapped with thick wire, gives an improvised defensive grenade with adequate fragmentation. Each device requires an Explosives (Demolition) roll and 10 minutes’ work.

A typical jam-tin grenade inflicts 5d cr ex damage – or 4d [2d] cr ex, if fitted with fragmentation material. Cost depends on the explosive, which is free for soldiers on the battlefield. Weight is about 2 lbs.

A Molotov cocktail consists of a glass bottle (beer bottles are popular) half-filled with gasoline and fitted with a burning fuse – often an old rag. The container bursts upon hitting a hard surface, spilling the fuel, which immediately ignites. This incendiary is named after the Soviet war minister during the Finnish-Soviet Winter War (1939- 1940), but it was first employed in the Spanish Civil War (1936-1939).

See Molotov Cocktails and Oil Flasks (p. B411) for rules. While rioters and guerrillas often employ Molotov cocktails as antipersonnel weapons, the original target was armored vehicles. Most TL6 and early TL7 fighting vehicles – and nearly all ordinary civilian motor vehicles at TL6-8 – have unprotected engine gratings through which burning gasoline can enter. Treat this as a “vital area,” at -3 to hit (p. B554). A hit means the vehicle must make a HT roll immediately and again every three seconds until the fire burns out (2d¥5 seconds). Failure indicates the engine breaks down. On a second failure, the engine catches fire; treat it as totally destroyed.

There are many refinements on the basic recipe – mixing the gasoline with diesel or oil, including rubber to make it sticky, etc. – but performance doesn’t change. Making a Molotov cocktail requires no skill roll and five minutes’ work. Cost is negligible. A bottle weighs 1-2 lbs.

See pp. B268-271 for an explanation of the statistics.

TL Weapon Damage Weight Fuse Bulk Cost LC Notes 5 Grenade à Main 3d [1d] cr ex 2.2 3-5 -2 $10 1 [1] 6 Stielhandgranate 5d cr ex 1.3 4-5 -3 $20 1 [2] 6 Mills Number 36M Mk I 5d-1 [2d] cr ex 1.7 7 -2 $20 1 [3] 6 MK II 4d+1 [2d] cr ex 1.3 4-5 -2 $20 1 [3] 6 MK III 8d+2 cr ex 1 4-5 -2 $20 1 [3] 7 Eihandgranate 39 6d+1 cr ex 0.6 4-5 -1 $20 1 [3] 7 AN-M8 Smoke (7 yd.) 1.8 1-2 -2 $45 3 [3, 4] 7 AN-M14 Special 2 1-2 -2 $45 1 [3] 7 RPG-43 6d(10) cr ex 2.6 Impact -2 $30 1 [3] 7 M26 8d+2 [2d] cr ex 1 4-5 -2 $30 1 [3] 7 M34 WP 2d [1d(0.2)] burn ex 1.5 4-5 -2 $50 1 [3, 5] 7 M67 9d [2d] cr ex 0.9 4-5 -1 $30 1 [3] 7 Diehl DM51 3d+2 [3d] cr ex 1 4-5 -2 $30 1 [3, 6] 7 Schermuly Stun HT-5 aff (10 yd.) 0.5 1-2 -2 $30 1 [3, 7] 8 ARGES HG 86 3d-1 [2d] cr ex 0.4 4-5 -1 $25 1 [3] 8 M452 Stingball 1d+1 [1d-1 cr] cr ex 0.5 2-3 -1 $30 1 [3, 7] linked HT-5 aff (10 yd.)

Notes:

[1] Takes a Ready maneuver to light the fuse – or five Ready maneuvers if you must insert the fuse first! Malf. is 14.

[2] Takes two Ready maneuvers to screw off the cap and pull the cord.

[3] Takes a Ready maneuver to pull the pin or string.

[4] Fills a 7-yard radius with smoke; see p. B439. Cloud lasts about 80 seconds under normal conditions.

[5] Fills a 5-yard radius with smoke; see p. B439. Cloud lasts about 60 seconds under normal conditions.

[6] With fragmentation sleeve (Dmg 5d cr ex, Wt. 0.3 without).

[7] A Vision- and Hearing-Based affliction that affects a 10-yard radius. The Protected Hearing and Protected Vision advantages (or equivalent; e.g., hearing protection and dark goggles) each give +5 to the HT roll. Failure to resist means you’re stunned; roll against HT-5 to recover each turn. Also creates smoke in the area of effect.

Grenades fired from the muzzle of a rifle first appear at TL5. At TL6 and early TL7, most such weapons require a special launcher: a “spigot” or a “cup” affixed to the rifle’s muzzle. While this is present, the gun cannot fire normally. Attaching or detaching the launcher takes five seconds. With this device in place, the grenadier must typically load his rifle with a blank cartridge or other special round (three seconds), and then take out the grenade and place it on the launcher (two seconds). After that, the grenade is ready to launch!

Some TL6-7 and most TL8 rifle grenades don’t rely on special cartridges for propulsion. Bullet-trap designs are launched by trapping a conventional service round (anything but an explosive bullet) in the tail. In bullet-through models, the bullet passes through the hollow grenade. These munitions also dispense with separate launchers; for instance, the majority of historical Western patterns could be fired from the muzzle of any rifle with a NATO-standardized flash-hider.

In all cases, use the Guns (Grenade Launcher) skill to fire rifle grenades.

Fired from a spigot launcher ($30), this was the body of the MK II fragmentation grenade (p. 191) screwed onto a tail and fitted with an impact fuse. The detachable launcher for the Springfield M1903 (p. 112) weighed 0.5 lb.; that for the Springfield M1 Garand (p. 112) weighed 0.75 lb.

The Gewehrsprenggranate 30mm (“30mm HE rifle grenade”) was fired from a 1.7-lb. cup launcher ($50) attached to the Mauser Kar98k (see Mauser Gew98, p. 111). Some 1.5 million launchers were made during WWII; one was issued to every German infantry squad. A 0.6-lb. sight was issued but unpopular. The GSprgr30 was propelled using a blank cartridge. In a pinch, it could also function as a hand grenade: Fuse 6.

The Gewehrpropagandagranate (“propaganda rifle grenade”) scattered 40 3.5”¥6” leaflets instead: Range 50/500, Wt. 0.5.

The HASAG grosse Gewehrpanzergranate 40mm (“large antitank rifle grenade”), or GGPzgr40, featured a 40mm HEAT warhead: Dmg 7d(10) cr ex with 6d cr ex linked, Range 10/150, Wt. 0.9. Japanese copies were fired from a 1.5-lb. cup launcher attached to the Arisaka 99 Shiki (see Arisaka Meiji 38 Shiki Shoujuu, p. 112).

The Energa-75 rifle grenade was a HEAT munition originally designed to be launched from a 0.75-lb. spigot launcher ($30) attached to such rifles as the Enfield Number 4 Mk I (see Enfield SMLE Mk III, p. 112). It was soon modified to be fired from 7.62¥51mm NATO rifles with integral launchers, such as the FN FAL (p. 115). It was widely adopted, users including Belgium, the Netherlands, Rhodesia, South Africa, and the U.K.

The U.S. Army used a copy called the M28 (1950-1953) during the Korean War, fired from a 0.75-lb. spigot launcher ($30) attached to the Springfield M1 Garand (p. 113).

This bullet-trap rifle grenade is designed for breaching doors and windows – especially in hostage-rescue operations and urban combat. Any 5.56¥45mm rifle with a NATO flash-hider can launch it. A long aluminum standoff rod ensures that the explosion occurs at the proper distance, destroying doors with minimal collateral damage. The Simon is in service with the Israeli and French militaries, and the U.S. Army adopted it as the M100 Grenade Rifle Entry Munition (GREM) in 2000.

See pp. B268-271 for an explanation of the statistics.

TL Weapon Damage Acc Range Weight RoF Shots Bulk Cost LC Notes 7 AMC M17 4d+1 [2d] cr ex 0 10/165 1.6 1 1(5) -1 $25 1 [1, 2] 7 Bergmann GSprgr30 4d [2d] cr ex 0 10/300 0.6 1 1(5) -1 $15 1 [1, 2] 7 MECAR Energa-75 7d¥3(10) cr ex 0 10/300 1.4 1 1(5) -2 $30 1 [1, 2] linked 7d¥2 cr ex 8 Rafael Simon 150 8d cr ex 0 15/35 1.5 1 1(5) -3 $50 1 [1, 2]

Notes:

[1] Add grenade’s Bulk to rifle’s Bulk.

[2] First Range figure is minimum range, not 1/2D. Below minimum range, or if the grenade fails to explode, rifle grenades do 1d+1 cr.

Shortly after combat aircraft appear at TL6, they’re carrying bombs; the first purpose-built aircraft bombs entered service in 1912. Most of these munitions are “dumb”: they’re simply dropped, and explode upon hitting the ground. Many of the weapons below arm the planes described in Chapter 8.

The PuW-series munitions were the first modern streamlined bombs. The 12.5-kilogram model was the lightest variant used by the Germans in WWI.

This was the standard light bomb of the French military during WWI and the 1920s.

This was the U.S. military’s standard light bomb through WWI and the 1920s.

The Sprengbombe, Cylindrisch, 50kg (“50-kilogram cylindrical demolition bomb”) was one of the lighter bombs the German Luftwaffe used during WWII.

The Sprengbombe, Cylindrisch, 250kg (“250-kilogram cylindrical demolition bomb”) was the most common bomb dropped by the German Luftwaffe.

This was a light general-purpose bomb employed by the USAAF in WWII.

This is the standard light, low-drag general-purpose bomb used by the U.S. military and many of its allies since the 1950s.

The MK 82 is probably the most common “dumb” bomb worldwide today.

This low-drag fuel-air explosive bomb was dropped from helicopters and low-performance airplanes. It scattered three submunitions, which released an 8-yard-radius cloud that exploded violently. Its main applications were detonating minefields and clearing landing zones. See also Fuel-Air Explosives (pp. 186-187).

See pp. B268-271 for an explanation of the statistics.

TL Weapon Damage Weight Cost LC Notes 6 PuW12.5 6d¥3 [4d+2] cr ex 25 $500 1 6 Alkan MMN 6d¥3 [4d+2] cr ex 22 $500 1 6 MK II 6d¥6 [6d] cr ex 25 $750 1 6 SC50 6d¥15 [5d¥2] cr ex 122 $1,500 1 6 SC250 6d¥35 [6d¥3] cr ex 548 $3,500 1 6 AN-M30 6d¥15 [5d¥2] cr ex 111 $1,350 1 7 MK 81 6d¥20 [6d¥2] cr ex 262 $1,800 1 7 MK 82 6d¥28 [7d¥2] cr ex 531 $2,200 1 7 CBU-55/B 6d¥65 cr ex 510 $10,000 1 [1]

Notes:

[1] Fuel-air. Divide damage by (2 ¥ distance in yards from center of blast).

Nuclear weapons, an early TL7 development, derive their immense destructive power from nuclear fission or fusion. The energy released by a nuclear explosion takes the form of a thermal pulse (heat), concussion, hard radiation, and – in a low-altitude burst – residual radiation (fallout). A nuclear device thus inflicts crushing damage with the explosion (ex) modifier, linked to burning damage with the explosion, radiation (rad), and surge (sur) modifiers; see Damage Modifiers (p. B104). Divide burning damage by only (2 ¥ distance in yards from center of blast). Flash and Blindness (p. 182) always applies!

It’s customary to rate a nuclear weapon’s yield in terms of the quantity of TNT to which it’s equivalent. This is usually expressed in kilotons (thousands of tons of TNT) or megatons (millions of tons). Nuclear explosives don’t appear on the Relative Explosive Force Table (p. 183), though, because most of a nuclear device’s weight is that of the detonator, not the explosive.

The first atomic bomb used in war was a fission device named “Little Boy.” Released over Hiroshima, Japan on August 6, 1945, it devastated the city with the equivalent of 12,500 tons of TNT, or 12.5 kilotons (6d¥10,000 cr ex with 6d¥6,500 burn ex rad sur linked). The hydrogen bomb, developed in the mid-1950s, further refined the art of destruction. Properly known as a thermonuclear device, this two-stage weapon employs a fission bomb to provide the incredible heat necessary to fuse hydrogen. The yield can approach 100 megatons – well beyond what fission can accomplish. At the other end of the spectrum, compact, modest-yield nuclear weapons become possible at mid-TL7. The U.S. and Russia produced miniaturized warheads weighing 50-100 lbs., with yields of about 0.1 kiloton (6d¥900 cr ex with 6d¥650 burn ex rad sur linked).

Unshielded electronic equipment within the visual horizon of a nuclear explosion risks a surge effect that can incapacitate it. This side effect of a nuclear blast is termed electromagnetic pulse (EMP). The larger or more numerous the bombs, the greater the EMP; for example, a 10-megaton nuclear detonation 200 miles above the center of the continental U.S. would blanket the entire country in its pulse.

Treat EMP as an Affliction that only affects electronics and those who have the Electrical disadvantage (p. B134). This effect is distinct from the surge modifier on the explosion’s burning damage! Every vulnerable target in the radius of the EMP suffers a HT-8(2) aff attack. A failed resistance roll means that item is knocked out of action until repaired. Affected solid-state technology is likely to be permanently damaged: all repair rolls are at -10. Repairs on other devices are at only -4.

A variety of TL7-8 military hardware is shielded entirely against EMP. Fiber-optic systems are also immune. Other equipment can be protected by surrounding it with metal that is in turn grounded.

Residual radiation – better known as “fallout” – consists of material picked up, irradiated, and spread around by a nuclear explosion. It’s generally only a factor in a “ground burst,” where the nuclear weapon’s fireball touches the ground. When it does occur, though, the radioactive debris distributed by the mushroom cloud poses a serious threat to anyone passing through or downwind of the blast site.

In game terms, assume that the contaminated “footprint” is an area 800 yards long by 200 yards wide, drifting downwind, for a 0.1-kiloton nuke. Double length and width for each tenfold increase in yield! Everything in this zone suffers radiation damage, measured in rads. Individuals passing through soon after the detonation are exposed to 100 rads per hour. This drops to 10 rads per hour about two days after the explosion, and to 1 rad per hour some two weeks afterward. For effects, see Radiation (pp. B435-436).

Realistically, designing and building a nuclear weapon requires a team of dozens of diverse specialists, several years, and the financial resources of a small country. In a cinematic game, though, a lone gadgeteer might be able to create a “home-made” nuke. Treat this as an Amazing invention (p. B473) that requires the Engineer (Nuclear) skill and several pounds of weapons-grade fissionables. Since such materials are almost never available on the open market, the inventor will likely have to steal them . . . or develop a working enrichment process that allows him to manufacture his own, which is a separate Amazing invention!

Hand-tossed bombs date to the earliest introduction of gunpowder; improvised gasoline bombs (“Molotov cocktails”) remain popular. See Throwing (p. 355) to determine how far you can throw such a device. “Fuse” is the number of seconds it takes for the weapon to detonate once readied.

(DX-3 or Dropping-4) TL Weapon Damage Weight Fuse Cost LC Notes 5 Black Powder 3d cr ex [1d] 1 3-5 $5 2 [1] 6 Concussion 6d cr ex 1 4 $15 2 [2] 6 Fragmentation 4d cr ex [2d] 1 4 $10 2 [2] 6 Molotov Cocktail spec. (1 yd.) 1 spec. $2 3 [1, 3] 7 Chemical spec. (2 yd.) 1 2 $10 3 [2, 4] 7 Concussion 5d¥2 cr ex 1 4 $40 2 [2] 7 Fragmentation 8d cr ex [3d] 1 4 $40 2 [2] 8 Stun HT-5 aff (10 yd.) 1 2 $40 2 [2, 5]

Notes [1] Takes a Ready maneuver to light the fuse (impossible in rain, etc.) – or five Ready maneuvers if you must insert the fuse first! A Molotov cocktail shatters on impact; a blackpowder grenade detonates 3-5 seconds later, depending on fuse length. [2] Takes one Ready maneuver to draw the grenade and a second Ready maneuver to pull the pin. Detonates 2-4 seconds later, depending on grenade type. [3] A glass bottle filled with gasoline, lit by a burning rag. See Molotov Cocktails and Oil Flasks (p. 411). [4] Fills a 2-yard radius with smoke, teargas, etc.; see Poison Examples (p. 439). The cloud lasts about 80 seconds under normal conditions. Exotic chemicals may cost more or have a lower LC. [5] A Vision and Hearing-Based affliction that affects a 10-yard radius. The Protected Hearing and Protected Vision advantages each give +5 to the HT roll. If you fail to resist, you are stunned; roll against HT-5 to recover each turn. Also creates smoke in the area of effect.