Sources for different modern weapon types?

[Madeiner]

Hello,

i'm trying out ideas for a science fantasy campaign, using Esper genesis as my ruleset (a 5e hack).
I'm trying to come up with ideas for ranged military weapons of the future.
I'd like to avoid the classic "assault rifle/smg/shotgun/machinegun" etc of modern types, but i want to retain enough differences and flavor in each weapon type.

I'm NOT looking for "energy type" at the moment. I have those in mind already. I'm talking about kinetic, laser, plasma, cryo, etc.

Can you suggest some sources or ideas that can help me come up with something interesting, that feels modern/futuristic without defaulting to our real life modern infantry weapons?

[rsnull]

Electric Gun.
Stars Wars Stick.
Weapons Made With Steel. (Indian Versions)
Bow with some futuristic arrow design and capabilities.
Look at the weapons in Oblivion movie.
These are in my Mind. What I suggest is just watch some Hollywood movies and you'll be full of ideas :)

[Lapak]

Stun weapons (stunning rays a la Star Trek phasers, chemstun via chemical-laden flechettes, etc.)

Nerve disruptors (no material harm, but temporarily or permanently damages nerves to immobilize/kill)

Seeking weapons (mini-missiles that self-guide to selected target after firing)

[Nifft]

Producing heat (lasers, microwaves, white phosphor).

Incapacitating vision (smoke, poison gas, flash-bang).

A gun that fires ballistic leeches which secrete a powerful sedative, regulated by the leech(es) to keep the target alive.

[Khedrac]

Net-launchers
- can be purely to restrict movement
- could be glue-coated
- could be electrified
- could be covered iin hooks or little blades

Liquid-stream/spray
- at one end is the water cannon, just designed to knock people off their feet
- at the other is a water pistol loaded with interesting chemicals...
- glue guns to stick people to the ground (and themselves/each other)
- various chemicals - irritants, sedatives, hallucinogens, fluorescants (for identifying people later)

Compressed air projectile launchers
- air guns
-- syringe rounds
-- hard rounds
- low footprint missile launchers
- particle dispersion launchers

That should do for a start....

[RazorChain]

Needlers: Guns that fire fletchettes or needles with minimal recoil that are supposed to penetrate kevlar or ballistic vest better (not ceramic inserts)

Gyrocs: High caliber weapons that fire small missiles often with different payloads like APEX or Chemical payloads. Think of shooting somebody with a "bullet" that explodes inside of him. Minimal recoil. If you are far enough in the future those missile might even be smart missiles

ETC Weapons: Just an advancement over solid propellant weapons
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electr...cal_technology

[Rhedyn]

Hello,

i'm trying out ideas for a science fantasy campaign, using Esper genesis as my ruleset (a 5e hack).
I'm trying to come up with ideas for ranged military weapons of the future.
I'd like to avoid the classic "assault rifle/smg/shotgun/machinegun" etc of modern types, but i want to retain enough differences and flavor in each weapon type.

I'm NOT looking for "energy type" at the moment. I have those in mind already. I'm talking about kinetic, laser, plasma, cryo, etc.

Can you suggest some sources or ideas that can help me come up with something interesting, that feels modern/futuristic without defaulting to our real life modern infantry weapons?

Mind Disruptors
Vortex Projector
Grav Guns
Gyroc
Tachyon shotgun

Honestly, I think anyone making a system should take a look at GURPS material like GURPS Ultra-tech. They are well researched books that cover a lot of ideas that maybe you never thought of or haven't been popular in any media you've seen. A lot of the supplements read like an RPG genre textbook more than even being a GURPS book.

[RazorChain]

Mind Disruptors
Vortex Projector
Grav Guns
Gyroc
Tachyon shotgun

Honestly, I think anyone making a system should take a look at GURPS material like GURPS Ultra-tech. They are well researched books that cover a lot of ideas that maybe you never thought of or haven't been popular in any media you've seen. A lot of the supplements read like an RPG genre textbook more than even being a GURPS book.

Let's just go to a high enough tech level......Poof you're dead :D

[Rhedyn]

Let's just go to a high enough tech level......Poof you're dead :D

Yeah I do not think there is a good counter to someone shooting a wormhole at your feat.

Turns out it's important to understand just how Sci-fi your sci-fi is.

[Kaptin Keen]

The tasp is an old ... well, not a favourite, but still, it's there: A weapon that overstimulates the brains pleasure center, rendering you unconscious.

I've always liked the idea of an alternative rocket launcher, that fires vertically from your back, using advanced targeting systems to fly at a much higher trajectory, to hit the top armor of tanks and other armor.

Jules Verne had compressed air rifles, if I recall correctly - which were cool, in their way. Oh, someone mentioned that already.

Whole books could have been written about nothing but nano weapons.

Drone swarms are a recent favourite.

Mechanical spiders. Just .. any sort of mechanical spider, from the little spy-thingies in Minority Report, over handsized little terrors, to enormous eight-legged spider tanks.

Manhacks. They're essentially just another drone swarm. But they're a Halflife drone swarm, which is more cooler than just your average everyday paranoia-mongering.

[NorthernPhoenix]

Yeah I do not think there is a good counter to someone shooting a wormhole at your feat.

Turns out it's important to understand just how Sci-fi your sci-fi is.

The anti-wormhole field generator seems like the obvious solution there.

Infinite Escalation!

[Kane0]

If there isn’t a PPC of some variety I want no part of it!

If you peruse through youtube a bit (say forgotten weapons for example) you might come across some neat designs, the gyrojet already being suggested above.

[Knaight]

You specified science fantasy, so a lot of these aren't particularly realistic.

Canister Rifles: Weapons which fire large slugs containing various nastiness, usually high explosives or poison gases. Roughly analogous to grenade launchers, but with smaller ammunition.

Magnetic Disk Rifles: Weapons which fire spinning, highly magnetic disks full of explosives. Used mostly to deal with vehicles and robots, highly reliant on futuristic materials with ridiculous magnetic fields.

Ares Bomber: Close quarters weapon that fires a host of what are basically bouncy balls, full of high explosives. Useful to deal with corners.

Sonic Lance: A weapon that fires a bunch of high energy sonic waves at different frequencies, using wave interference to pick targets off at particular spots.

Portable Hive: A combination weapon involving a back mounted hive of what are basically scarier alien wasps that are docile until they detect a certain pheromone that signals to attack, and a canister rifle with pheromone canisters.

Portable Airstrike: A mortar that fires a rocket, which activates in the air to fly to a spot painted by a laser.