Approved Tech LK-40 Flechette Gun

[Cadmon Geller]

OUT OF CHARACTER INFORMATION

• Intent: Provide a pretty cool sidearm to those who can acquire it
• Image Source: The Netflix Series Altered Carbon, images are screenshots so I'll simply provide a link to the episode
• Canon Link: N/A
• Restricted Missions: N/A
• Primary Source: N/A

PRODUCTION INFORMATION

• Manufacturer: Locke and Key Mechanics
• Model: LK-40
• Affiliation: Closed Market
• Modularity: Limited, sights on top rail
• 
  Production: Semi-Unique (four)
  
• Material: Durasteel, railgun components

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

• Classification: Railgun
• Size: Small
• Weight: Average
• Ammunition Type: Flechette (good ole lil rods)
• Ammunition Capacity: 10
• 
  Reload Speed: Very Slow (manually loading rounds)
  
• 
  Reload Speed: Fast (retrieval function).
  
• Effective Range: Average
• Rate of Fire: Slow
• Stopping Power: High
• Recoil: High

SPECIAL FEATURES

• Specialized magnetic field allows for fired flechettes (which have a unique magnetic signature) to be retrieved and loaded directly back into the magazine through the tube on the bottom of the gun, enabling quick replenishment of ammunition, saving money on ammo, and possibly tearing through an opponent who happens to get in the way. The range of retrieval is about 50 yards.

Strengths:

• High Stopping Power
• Can tear through low-grade armor
• Specialized Reload Function

Weaknesses:

• Barely out of the prototype phase, there's very little in the way of parts for the LK-40 lying around, so maintenance is difficult
• Reloading the weapon manually is slow
• Attempting to use the reload function on a damaged round could potentially result in varying degrees of damage to the weapon, including destruction
• Ammunition is unique to the LK-40, making acquiring new flechettes difficult and costly
• Should the gun become damaged, it is possible the reload function will attract objects other than the ammunition, which could either be a nuisance, or outright destroy the weapon
• An EMP would disable the firearm

DESCRIPTION

An experimental sidearm developed by several Research and Development team members as a one off prototype, the LK-40 was intended to be put into limited production after its performance impressed enough people in the right places. With high stopping power and effectiveness against the usual armor seen used in the field by most major groups, the weapon had its work cut out for it. That said, the unique nature of the weapon made it rather costly, and after the shipment containing the four prototypes went missing, the project's future hangs in the balance. That said, for the man in possession of the four prototypes (that would be me), they weapons could come in quite handy.

 

[Gir Quee]

Under Review.

 

[Gir Quee]

Reload Speed: Very Slow to Very Fast (actual reloading is tedious, requires loading each shot individually, but using the retrieval function is incredibly fast)

If I'm understanding this right, I'd separate the two firing rates and give descriptions directly behind each one. Otherwise, this looks like it has a range of reloading speeds that could include almost any firing rate. To clarify, I'd write it something like this:

Reload Speed: Very Slow (manually loading rounds) / Very Fast (retrieval function).

Specialized magnetic field allows for fired flechettes to be retrieved and loaded directly back into the magazine through the tube on the bottom of the gun, enabling quick replenishment of ammunition, saving money on ammo, and possibly tearing through an opponent who happens to get in the way

What's the grab range of this magnetic field?

Tearsthrough low-grade armor

If you'll place "can" or something similar that describes intent but doesn't dictate damage.

 

[Cadmon Geller]

[member="Gir Quee"] done and done.

 

[Gir Quee]

[member="Cadmon Geller"], this being a semi-unique weapon gives it a lot of leeway. That being said, the special reload ability seems to largely negate the practical weaknesses of this weapon, and adds in yet another, unusual and potentially powerful method attack. It could also be used to completely nullify its slow reloading speed (why load them by hand if you could just line them up and suck them in?).

I'd like to see mention that this magnetic field can also accidentally grab and drag in other metallic small objects that could damage the gun (such as shrapnel).

Alternatively, you could add another practical weakness.

 

[Cadmon Geller]

[member="Gir Quee"] attempted to find a sort of middle ground here, I've added that the retrieval of a damaged round could result in the full destruction of the weapon, and that should the weapon undergo some sort of damage it would possibly attract other bits of metal, also with the risk of outright destroying the weapon. Also added a vulnerability to EMP.

 

[Gir Quee]

that should the weapon undergo some sort of damage it would possibly attract other bits of metal,

How does it tell the flechettes apart from other metallic objects?

 

[Cadmon Geller]

[member="Gir Quee"] special features notes it uses a specialized field. Also added flechettes have a unique magnetic signature.

 

[Gir Quee]

special features notes it uses a specialized field. Also added flechettes have a unique magnetic signature.

There are millions(if not billions) of small, metallic objects in the universe. There's a good chance that at least some of them have the same magnetic signature as the flechettes. Perhaps more importantly though, this does not address balance.

While this is a semi-unique weapon, which will get it more leeway than normal, it needs to have an immediate, combat-related practical performance weakness that could be exploited to balance out for its related combat-related performance strengths.

Most of these weaknesses listed are situational at best, and almost all are well within the control of the writer using them (like detailing if the gun is damaged somehow) or they can nullified by something else written with the submission.

I'd strongly suggest looking at one of the ratings, and bringing it below average. The reloading would have worked this sub if it wasn't essentially negated by the "very fast" reload rating from the retrieval function.

 

[Cadmon Geller]

[member="Gir Quee"] recoil increased, RoF decreased.

 

[Gir Quee]

Awesome. Pending Secondary Approval. Thanks! [member="Jamie Pyne"]

 

[Ellie Mors]

Approved.