A bit of a tangent, but this discussion does bring up an interesting point regarding the Pistol Grip attachment.

Frankly, is the shooter required to use the attachment at all times?

As part of keying up all the Dangerous Covenants crunch for OggDude, I've been reading (and re-reading) quite a fair chunk of the material, and with Pistol Grip, i could see a GM ruling either way.

Personally, I'd say it's an option, and that if the shooter wants to use Ranged (Heavy) as would be normal for a blaster rifle that has the Pistol Grip attachment, then the shooter can go ahead and use Ranged (Heavy) as their attack skill and pretty much disregard the rules of the Pistol Grip as they're using the rifle properly.

In the movies, we see the stormtroopers constantly using their E-11 blaster rifles* with two hands, one on the grip and another under the barrel to improve their aim. And yes, I'm one of those that thinks the main reason we say the stormtroopers being so inaccurate during the escape sequence in ANH was they were under orders to let them escape. It also goes to show the level of devotion and dedication they have to the New Order that these men were willing to put themselves at great risk (with several of them dying in the process) just to further Vader's plan of action (let them escape and track them via homing device).

*to my dying day I will insist those bloody things should have been termed carbines in the RPG rather than being rifles

*to my dying day I will insist those bloody things should have been termed carbines in the RPG rather than being rifles

I'm with you brother! I've been preaching this one for a long while. Ever since some ONE person at WEG descided to call it a rifle instead of a carbine and screwed it up for all games following.

1. The prop is a Sterling SUBMACHINEGUN, a weapon typically SMALLER then a carbine in size, not LARGER then a carbine like a rifle.

2. You can holster it on your hip.

3. You can shoot it one handed.

Based on those three, how can you call it a Rifle on the Pistol-Carbine-Rifle spectrum? There's a better argument to make it a Pistol with a folding stock then a Rifle if you couldn't choose Carbine.

Do we ever see the E-11 rifles with their stock extended? Because I'm pretty sure it's mostly folded in the films, basically making it a very large pistol, if the fluff text on page 162 of the CRB is anything to go by. Few of the scenes in ANH go beyond short range, some up to medium sure.

Do we ever see the E-11 rifles with their stock extended? Because I'm pretty sure it's mostly folded in the films, basically making it a very large pistol, if the fluff text on page 162 of the CRB is anything to go by. Few of the scenes in ANH go beyond short range, some up to medium sure.

The stormtroopers on Tatooine that carried rifles appeared to be carrying an entirely different weapon. IIRC, its considered to be either a heavy blaster rifle or a light repeating blaster these days.

Do we ever see the E-11 rifles with their stock extended? Because I'm pretty sure it's mostly folded in the films, basically making it a very large pistol, if the fluff text on page 162 of the CRB is anything to go by. Few of the scenes in ANH go beyond short range, some up to medium sure.

The stormtroopers on Tatooine that carried rifles appeared to be carrying an entirely different weapon. IIRC, its considered to be either a heavy blaster rifle or a light repeating blaster these days.

Depending on what film version you watch, there are lots of weapons carried by the Stormtroopers on Tatooine (my preferences in parenthesis):

The E11 Rifle (carbine w/folding stock)

The DLT-19/20 Heavy Blaster Rifle (heavy blaster rifle full auto capable with bipod, so pseudo light repeater)

The T-21 (fat barrel) Light Repeater (ion cannon)

The RT-97 Heavy Blaster Rifle (rapid assault stockless heavy blaster rifle)