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