I was wondering what the hellgun power source looks like and how reloading works with it because if it looks the way it does on some minis, then I don't see how you could possibly carry a reload...
Hellgun reloads
Hellguns have small backpacks that are usually placed by the hip or lower back, roughly the size of a car battery. There are larger, backback power packs the size of a backpack.
Strangely, the rules for Backpack Power Packs in Only War is standardized for 80 shots for all Las-weapons, even though the number of shots for a single Charge Pack usually vary depending on the weapon. That's a measly +20 for regular M36 Lasguns, and an amazing +50 for Hellguns. That's.. very odd to me.
I have instead judged that the car battery-sized power packs used by Hellpistols and Hellguns as a standard equals three regular charge packs strapped together (with the necessary capacitors necessary for the greater punch), meaning that a Hellgun, compared to a standard M36 Lasgun, consumes twice the power for half as many shots (it consumes 3 laspacks for 30 shots, while a lasgun consumes 1 laspack for 60 shots).
And a large backpack power pack would triple the number of shots in a Hellgun from 30 to 90, but for a standard Lasgun a backpack power pack would carry a whooping 360 shots.
With this system, I can also calculate the effects of basically any las-weapon with a backpack power pack.
But I have also judged that Hellguns (and -pistols) can use the Variable settings rule, although with Overheat added on Overload.
Uh, I don't follow your math, sorry. 3 for 30 vs 1 for 60 = 6 times the power draw, because its thrice the power for half the shots.
Granting that the Backpack triples the hellgun ammo to 90, wouldn't that then mean it would increase the ammo count to 540 (3*180)?
At any rate, it's clear that there is no reloading with that.
Now that I can imagine the smaller power source to be car-battery-shaped, I can see how you'd carry more than one. Impractical, but doable.
Leads me to a further question though: How much can a grav-chute carry?
It does not have to be impractical. Just think about the big backpacks of some Stormtrooper Artworks/Miniatures. These are just the outer shell and might have a pair of two or more charge packs in them, besides some other field gear. That way you can "easily" carry them with you around and reloading would be less exchanging a magazine but changing the wire ring in a fuse box.
A Grave-Chute should be able to carry a Stormtrooper with full load-out for an independent recon mission that takes some time - more than that might be unlikely. If you want to drop more just make it as in real life where heavy stuff like supply crates are dropped with several regular chutes.
Thw weapond escription somewhere that the Hot.Shot Lasgun come with a small 10kg backpack power source for ammo, which we ruleed contain the power packs of 40 shots included in the profile and that redirecting the energy from a depleted power pack is what causes the 2 Full reload time and is different from the 25kg backpack power source which provides the 80 shots for Plasma, Melta and Las Weaponry.
Thus, if you select hot Shot Lasguns as favored weapons you get the small back pack with three reloads which make up for 120 shots and is more convenient that the big backpack of 80 shots if you are not bothered by the reload time...
...are we correct or our GM should have issued the big 25kg back?
Seems right to me. Taking the small reloads trades 5kg of weight for having to reload and more carrying space in the regular backpack.
Uh, I don't follow your math, sorry. 3 for 30 vs 1 for 60 = 6 times the power draw, because its thrice the power for half the shots.
Granting that the Backpack triples the hellgun ammo to 90, wouldn't that then mean it would increase the ammo count to 540 (3*180)?
At any rate, it's clear that there is no reloading with that.
I honestly have no idea what I was thinking on the second sentence anymore. This is awkward. I'll probably dump it down to having the Power Pack equal 2 Charge Packs (plus necessary capacitors, etc), for a total of 30 shots for Hellguns, 60 for basic Lasguns. So with a Backpack Power Pack, that'd be 90 shots for the Hellgun, and 360 for a regular Lasgun.
Now that I can imagine the smaller power source to be car-battery-shaped, I can see how you'd carry more than one. Impractical, but doable.
Leads me to a further question though: How much can a grav-chute carry?
How much can a grav-chute carry? A lot, I would say. They can carry a fully equipped Stormtrooper dropped down for prolonged engagements. Presumably, it's one Stormtrooper in full gear, with a Backpack Power Pack, and all his gear (if not carried, then at least attached).
There is also the possibility to do additional drops of gear in independent or guided grav-chutes. I'm imagining four soldiers jumping in formation, with a large box between them, or simply a large box with big grav-chutes on it, similar to how buildings are dropped down for the Imperial Guard in Dawn of War 2 (...or was it Dawn of War 1..?).
Edited by FgdsfgHammer of the Emperor has Drop Containers, or something of that effect. They are boxes with grav chutes that hold replacement guns, ammo, supplies, heavy weapons, whatever.