Liquid Projectors

• Flamethrowers
• Spray Guns and Aerosols
• Vortex Ring Projectors

A “liquid projector” is any weapon that dispenses a liquid in a stream or a mist. At TL6, this usually means a flamethrower or a powerful water hose. At TL7-8, other possibilities include aerosol dispensers intended for personal defense and water cannon used for riot control.

At TL6, flamethrowers appear that use a compressed gas such as nitrogen to propel an oil-based liquid through a tube. Normally, the fuel is ignited as it leaves the weapon – although many models can also fire “cold shots,” drenching an area in unlighted fuel that can be set aflame later. Flamethrowers soon become popular for bunker-clearing and house-tohouse fighting (and for battling sci-fi and horror creatures that are immune to firearms!). At TL7, flamethrowers employ thickened fuel for increased range. They can use unthickened fuel – e.g., plain gasoline – but this halves Range. At TL8, incendiary projectile launchers like the Buck HAFLA (p. 142) and RPO-Z (see KBP RPO-A Shmel, p. 149) supplant flamethrowers, offering superior range and fewer drawbacks.

Effects: Anyone hit by a flamethrower suffers large-area injury (p. B400). The fuel continues to burn for 2d¥5 seconds (1d¥5, beyond 1/2D), inflicting 1d burn per second. Unsealed DR protects at 1/5 value; sealed armor protects completely. See also Catching Fire (p. B434).

A flamethrower can be played over an area up to three yards wide as an All-Out Attack. Roll separately to hit each target. Divide damage and burn duration by the width of the area (round down). For instance, an All-Out Attack (Jet) on two men in a three-yard area requires two attack rolls. Each victim suffers 1/3 damage, and then 1d burn per second for (2d¥5)/3 seconds.

If a vehicle with an air-breathing engine is hit in a vital area (p. B554), it must make a HT roll to avoid a breakdown. It may also catch fire. Roll again every three seconds until the fuel burns out.

Flamethrowers often strike fear into their intended targets. The GM may require a Fright Check (p. B360) – or penalize one made for other reasons – for those who face these weapons.

Drawbacks: Flamethrower damage has almost no penetrating power on cover; even a sheet of plywood will deflect the burning fuel. If the stream is kept on the cover, it might catch fire – but those behind it will have time to retreat or shoot back. One can bounce the jet off obstacles to reach behind cover, however.

If using Malfunctions (p. B407), roll 3d when a malfunction occurs:

3-5 – No ignition. The target is sprayed with fuel, which can be ignited later, but there’s no flame. Each attempt to solve the problem requires 10 seconds and an Armoury (Small Arms) or IQ-based Liquid Projector roll. Success returns the weapon to action, failure allows another attempt, and critical failure means an explosion, as 18.

6-17 – No fuel is sprayed. To solve the problem, use the rules given for 3-5.

18 – Explosion! Everything within two yards of the firer suffers the equivalent of one second’s damage.

Flamethrowers may also explode if struck by a bullet or a fragment . . . and they do tend to attract enemy fire. An attack on an exposed weapon is at no penalty, but an attack on a backpack model is at -4 if the carrier is facing the attacker. If any damage penetrates the flamethrower’s DR 2, roll 1d. On a 1, the device explodes, as above. Any other result means it’s simply disabled.

The Kleinflammenwerfer (“small flamethrower”) was the first modern flamethrower, and ideal for taking out strongpoints in trenches. By 1916, most WWI combatants had similar weapons. The Kleif had a single ignition cap, and fired its entire 4.2 gallons of unthickened fuel in one 20-second stream.

During WWII, the Red Army used the Rantseviy Ognemyot Klyueva-Sergeeva-2 (“Klyuev’s and Sergeev’s backpack flamethrower”). Its flame-gun looked like a rifle and its rectangular tank resembled a backpack. This was to deceive the enemy into letting it into range (make a Vision roll to identify it) . . . even though most soldiers don’t allow any hostile within 40 yards, regardless of his armament! The tank held 2.6 gallons and the flame-gun used 7.62¥25mm blanks in a revolving 10-round cylinder for ignition, giving 10 one-second bursts.

This flamethrower was standard for the U.S. military until the 1950s. Some 25,000 were made. Most nations had something similar during WWII. The tank held 4.75 gallons of thickened fuel and the flame-gun used blank cartridges in a revolving five-round cylinder for ignition, giving five twosecond bursts or one 10-second stream.

The similar GE M9A1-7 (1956-1969) superseded the M2- 2 and saw use in the Vietnam War: Range 35/55, Wt. 52. Two of these appear as part of the armory of the Antarctica Research Station in The Thing. The U.S. removed all flamethrowers from service in 1978.

The POA-CWS M3-4-3 (1944-1945) had the same performance as the M2-2, but was installed in some M4 Sherman tanks (p. 239) in the place of the bow MG (and 12 main gun rounds). It fed from a 25-gallon tank – enough for a 45-second stream or 10 five-second bursts. Some 1,784 were made and used in WWII and the Korean War.

The Einstoss-Flammenwerfer 46 (“single-burst flamethrower model 46”) was a disposable weapon resembling a fire extinguisher with a pistol grip. The operator tucked the bottle under one arm, pointed it at the enemy, and unleashed a single burst of flame. It was intended for parachutists and other assault troops. Some 30,900 were made.

The Soviet Lekkiy Piekhotnyy Ognemyot-50 (“light infantry flamethrower”) contains 2.6 gallons of fuel – enough for three three-second bursts. Batteries (4¥S) activate the three ignition cartridges. The flame-gun has a bipod. The LPO-50 was copied in China.

Flamethrowers are highly effective against certain enemies but nearly unobtainable outside the military – and even an army might not have any! A popular improvisation involves just a lighter and a spray can of flammable, pressurized liquid. Many hair sprays, spray paints, aerosol cleansers, and selfdefense sprays (see Spray Guns and Aerosols, p. 180) will work, as will a liquor bottle with a spray cap. A makeshift flamethrower has Dmg 1d-2 burn and Range 1. It gives 1-5 seconds of flame, depending on container size. Few improvised fuels burn for more than 1-2 seconds on the victim. Malf. is 14; a malfunction usually means the flame fizzles out.

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

TL Weapon Damage Range Weight RoF Shots ST Bulk Cost LC Notes 6 Fiedler Kleif 3d burn 15/20 68 Jet 1¥20s 11† -8 $1,500 1 [1] 7 TOZ ROKS-2 3d burn 25/40 50 Jet 10¥1s 10† -7 $2,000 1 [1] 7 Beattie M2-2 3d burn 25/40 72 Jet 5¥2s 11† -8 $1,800 1 [1] 7 DWM FmW46 3d burn 25/40 7.8 Jet 1¥1s 6† -4 $500 1 [1, 2] 7 TOZ LPO-50 3d burn 50/75 51 Jet 3¥3s 10B† -7 $2,500 1 [1] Notes: [1] Takes two Ready maneuvers to prepare for firing. [2] Sling swivels (p. 154).

These weapons squirt liquids and gases, typically in lessthan- lethal personal-defense and riot-control applications. Most must hit the face (-5) to be effective, but the wide jet grants the same +2 to hit accorded to blowpipe-delivered powders (p. B180).

This is an aerosol spray canister that dispenses any of several agents commonly called “tear gas” (see Tear Gas, p. 171). Treat it as a melee weapon with Reach 1, 2, not as a ranged attack; speed/range penalties don’t apply. The victim must make two HT-2 rolls: one to resist coughing (see Afflictions, p. B428) and another to resist blindness (p. B124). Both effects endure for minutes equal to the margin of failure.

Tear gas sprays come in many sizes. The canister in the table is small enough to carry in a coat pocket or a purse. Dispensers are sometimes incorporated into other devices, notably flashlights (pp. 51-52) and batons (see Clubs, p. 198). One-shot models can even be concealed in items as small as wristwatches (p. 31).

Similar to tear gas spray (above), this dispenser uses a pepper solution that’s more effective than most chemical agents – especially in cold weather, against animals, and on people who are emotionally disturbed or on drugs. The victim must make two HT-4 rolls: one to resist coughing (see Afflictions, p. B428) and another to resist blindness (p. B124). Both effects endure until the solution is removed with lots of water and towels.

This is a powerful toy water gun charged with compressed air by pumping the action like a shotgun. Filling the two-pint water tank takes 10 seconds; removing the tank and replacing it with a spare takes only two Ready maneuvers. After that, pressurizing the firing chamber takes another five seconds. A larger version with an interchangeable 15-pint backpack tank has Range 12, Wt. 18/15, Shots 15, and Cost $45, and takes 10 seconds to pressurize.

Possible loads include water (regular or holy), water-soluble paint, malodorous fluid (see Liquid, pp. 171-172), alcohol, and distilled garlic. Undead-hunters will find the film From Dusk Till Dawn inspirational. Acids and other corrosives won’t work, as they’ll quickly eat through the gun’s toy-grade plastic.

Effects depend on the liquid. Handle paint, alcohol, etc., using Liquids in the Face (p. B405). Water is merely distracting – halve the penalties given there to -1. Paint will blind those wearing goggles (eyes) or a visor (face) until it’s wiped off (takes three Ready maneuvers) or the protective gear is removed.

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

TL Weapon Damage Range Weight RoF Shots ST Bulk Cost LC Notes 7 Tear Gas Spray Special 1, 2 0.1 Jet 20 3 -1 $10 4 8 Pepper Spray Special 1, 2 0.1 Jet 20 3 -1 $10 4

TL Weapon Damage Range Weight RoF Shots ST Bulk Cost LC Notes 8 Squirt Carbine Special 8 3.5/2 Jet 2 4† -3 $30 4 [1]

Notes:

• [1] Sling swivels (p. 154).

These are pressurized aerosol spray cans or tanks. Their utility as ultra-tech weaponry comes from exotic biochemical or nanotech fillers. Weapons

Pocket Aerosol (TL9): A palm-sized disposable tank that sprays a single dose. It is used for black ops or self-defense. Respiratory agents must be sprayed into the face, but there’s no location penalty to hit due to the size of the cloud. Contact agents can be sprayed onto the body.

Spray Can (TL9): The size of a can of bug spray, it holds 10 doses of gas. It can spray up to three doses at once to fill a one-yard radius. The cloud lasts 10 seconds indoors, but dissipates quickly in a strong wind.

Spray Tank (TL9): A spray gun attached by a short hose to a tank, which can be worn as a backpack. The tank has DR 10, but is under pressure: any penetrating damage can rupture it, releasing the entire store of chemicals. This has the same effect as a 100mm biochemical warhead (p. 153). Spray tanks are often integrated into buildings as part of their security systems.

These advanced gas projector weapons consist of a reservoir tank, a chamber for mixing the delivery gas with a propellant, and a wave-shaping chamber that forms the ejected cloud into a vortex ring – a high-velocity smoke ring. This allows the weapon to deliver doses of gas at long range. Vortex rings retain their momentum and cohesion for a long distance, and are not affected by light winds. They break up, depositing their payload, on direct collision with a solid object… but will bounce from a glancing impact. Thus, they can be bounced around corners, if the user is skilled and knows where his target is. Each bounce gives -2 to hit and -10% to range per bounce; e.g., a weapon with Range 30 could bounce four times at -8, but this would limit the total path length to 18 yards.

Vortex ring projectors can fire almost any gas. Some of the more exotic “gas missiles” include carbon dioxide to choke internal combustion engines, Halon to extinguish fires, and even explosive vapors. On a smaller scale, vortex ring projectors may be the enabling technology behind high-efficiency medical inhalers.

Vortex ring projectors are regular ranged weapons that deliver a linked area-effect release of whatever gas they are loaded with. The vortex ring also has enough velocity to inflict crushing damage with double knockback.

Underbarrel Vortex Ring Projector (VRP) (TL9): A vortex ring projector that can be clamped under the barrel of a rifle or other long arm in place of a grenade launcher. Use the Bulk, ST, and sighting bonuses of the weapon it is installed in.

Vortex Pistol (TL9): A vortex ring sidearm the size of an ordinary automatic pistol.

Backpack Vortex Ring Projector (TL9): A heavy flamethrower-like device sometimes used by combat engineers or police for house-to-house fighting or riot control. It’s also occasionally used for non-combat applications, such as projecting fire-extinguishing foam.