GURPS Improvised Weapons (TL 7)

Version 1.1

Sometimes it can be preferable to use unusual weapons to mislead the target about the source or nature of an attack. Easily available or improvised weapons may deceive the target into assuming unprofessional opposition, underestimating you if he is foolish enough. Another similar old deceptive trick is to use the same weapons as your foe to give him a hard time sorting the sound of your fire from that of his own troops.

The page references are to the GURPS Basic Set (B), GUPRS Compendium II (CII), GURPS Cyberpunk (CY), GURPS High-Tech (HT) and GURPS Vehicles, 2nd Ed. (VE).

Weapon Malf Type Damage SS Acc 1/2D Max Wt. RoF Shots ST Rcl Cost LC  Holdout
Slingshot Crit. Cr. thr+4 12 2 ST×20 ST×25 1 1/4 1 - - $10 5 -1 
Note: Rubber slingshots are usually considered a toy and sometimes used for pest control. But anything can be used the wrong way. In Germany, several years ago, rioters used slingshots to shatter the visors of police riot helmets (like the ones on p. B211). This got these items a bad reputation, still lasting. Treat the slingshot steel balls as bullets rather than ordinary crushing attacks when using the hit location table on p. COII53. Slingshot is a P/E skill, defaulting to Bow-4 or DX-4.
 
Weapon Malf Type Damage SS Acc 1/2D Max Wt. RoF Shots ST Rcl Cost LC  Holdout
Hv. Speargun Crit. Imp. 3d 15 4 380 475 9 1/10 1 8 0 $300 5 No
Note: The "Black Master" (from Omer Sub in Brescia, Italy) is one of the finest elastic band powered fishing spearguns commercially available. The weapon is relatively silent (-5 to hear shoots, -10 to recognize if unfamiliar with). The RoF is for surface conditions. Under water it takes twice as long to reload. Range under water is reduced to 1/20 of surface range (p. COII61), that is 1/2D 19, Max 24. A special quiver wich holds 8 spears weighs 0.5 lb., costs $15 and is made for underwater use. The spears, sometimes called "harpoons", cost $15 apiece. Use the Crossbow [Speargun] skill.
 
Weapon Type Damage SS Acc 1/2D Max Wt. Cost LC  Holdout
Molotov Cocktail fire 1d/sec 13 0 - ST×3.5 1 1 6 -5
Note: Anything you might want to know about Molotov Cocktails in GURPS you can find at p. B121. Damage for anyone in a burning hex is 1d per second for one minute. Only one thing to add: Sometimes windows and other openings are protected by mesh to prevent Molotov Cocktails from entering buildings or vehicles. A very old countermeasure is to fix fishing hooks on the bottle. There is a four in six chance that the bottle will cling to the mesh. A hit by anything hard enough - another Molotov Cocktails or a rock - will break the bottle. Use the Throwing skill or DX-3. For throwing distances see p. B90, for scatter rules see p. B119.
 
Weapon Type Damage SS Acc 1/2D Max Wt. Cost LC  Holdout
Napalm Firebomb fire 3d/sec 13 0 - ST×3.5 1 1 6 -5
Note: Napalm is easy to produce even under simple conditions (see pp. VE118, HT28). - Do not try this at home! Roleplaying is fun, burning down the house is not. - Use Chemistry+3 or Demolition+3 to make napalm. Without phosphorous as igniter napalm can be filled into bottles and used just like a Molotov Cocktail. The differences are that napalm is stickier - it will cling to whatever it hits - and it burns hotter. Use the Throwing skill or DX-3. For throwing distances see p. B90, for scatter rules see p. B119.

Copyright © 1999 by Christoph Sticherling. GURPS is copyright © of Steve Jackson Games.
Thanks to Christoph Sticherling for allowing me to post his page on my page.