I'm a bit of an artist and I've been drawing sketch after sketch of my current crews characters.

When drawing one of my character's heavy blaster pistols, I based it on the iconic Han Solo one, which has a scope mounted on it.

Scopes on rifles, I've got no problem with, but scopes on a handgun looks ridiculous.

How do these really work in the Star Wars universe? Does Han aim through the scope or maybe there's a light to indicate he's on target and when to pull that trigger?

Just something to discuss.

Scopes work on pistols, just unlike rifles they tend to be very low powered (more sights then scopes I suppose). In the case of han's its also usually called a night vision sight, so han might not use it all the time, just in low light.

Scopes are used on IRL "pistols" all the time. usually when combined with a collapsible stock to turn the pistol into a small rifle. Usually only on larger caliber pistols.

the Heavy Blaster Pistol definitely can make use of a scope.

I've added an attachment called a, "CQ Scope". It's a low power scope (CQ means Close Quarters). More of an advanced aiming aid (think EoTech, red-dot, holographic with little or no magnification).

IRL telescopic scopes have been used on handguns, especially the larger ones, but this is rare. I knew a person who hunted deer using a very large revolver with a telescopic scope attached.

The scopes on Star Wars pistols tend to look like telescopic ones not the low-telescopic or non-telescopic "red dot" sights that are more common. They are very common on Star Wars pistols (most pistols in the movies have scopes!). For game purposes I would go with the attachment being some sort of aiming assist or low light device since I don't see high powered telescopic sights being common even on heavy blasters.

I think the prop masters commonly put scopes on old handguns in the Star Wars movies to further cover up what they really were (Han Solo's blaster is an old pre-WW1 German "Broomhandle" Mauser with a scope and other gadgets attached). This has created issues with explaning why all of those pistols almost all have scopes on them.

Thanks for the responses! When you look through one of those close quarters scopes, can you see through it at a close distance (for example: looking thru the scope at arm's length, you can make out your target)?

I could imagine a few black eyes earned at the firing range if you had to look down them like on a rifle.

If its basically a red dot sight, then sure.

Thanks for the responses! When you look through one of those close quarters scopes, can you see through it at a close distance (for example: looking thru the scope at arm's length, you can make out your target)?

Yes. A red dot on a rifle isn't going to be up on your eye either. For that matter, even telescopic sights aren't up against your eye. The only scope I've ever used up against my eye would be a night vision scope. But, even that has a rubber piece that fills the gap between the hard back of the scope and your eye. A shock observer of sorts that keeps the light out when you look into the scope. I don't know of any scope that puts a hardened piece against your eye. That would be painful unless you are using a tripod perhaps?

Red dot on a pistol:

This thing above actually has some similarities with what we see in Star Wars. It's a short scope.

These type of scopes are much more common on closer ranged rifles (assault rifles, carbines). Telescopic scopes are more typical on long ranged rifles and open sights are still the norm on handguns. But, red dots (using a generic for many different varieties including holosights and reflex sights) are starting to become more common on pistols.

Here is a more common looking "red dot", but it doesn't look any of the scopes we see in Star Wars:

To model the affects in game, it should give a benefit only at Medium or closer ranges (a bonus die? or innate Precise Aim 1 if also Aim?). They wouldn't give a bonus at longer ranges. They are either non-telescopic or have a very weak magnification. You could also argue some sort of Quick Draw bonus as a modification perhaps since these "reflex" sights also allow you to come up on target quicker.

I had an old pistol scope that was pretty much the same size as the one on Han's blaster. They look the same as a rifle scope but the focal length is different, it's calibrated to be looked through at around arms length. I've only ever seen them used on revolvers and only high powered ones that have longer range - .357 Mag, .44 Mag, .454 Mag.

Jst a reminder: in this game scopes dont autimatically grant a bonus. Lots of the weapons presented in the books have scopes and sights that aren't nifty enough to grant a bonus, and one pistol actually penalizes the player for having all that junk hanging off his gun.

Jst a reminder: in this game scopes dont autimatically grant a bonus.

Well, they should. It hurts my realism meter if the guy with a DL-44 and no scope is using the exact same game mechanics as the guy with a DL-44 and a scope attached. There should be same mechanical difference in game terms.

Jst a reminder: in this game scopes dont autimatically grant a bonus.

Well, they should. It hurts my realism meter if the guy with a DL-44 and no scope is using the exact same game mechanics as the guy with a DL-44 and a scope attached. There should be same mechanical difference in game terms.

You have to use them to get the bonus. They do not automatically grant the bonus. That is what the aim maneuver does.

Jst a reminder: in this game scopes dont autimatically grant a bonus.

Well, they should. It hurts my realism meter if the guy with a DL-44 and no scope is using the exact same game mechanics as the guy with a DL-44 and a scope attached. There should be same mechanical difference in game terms.

You have to use them to get the bonus. They do not automatically grant the bonus. That is what the aim maneuver does.

Ah got ya. I misunderstood what you were saying.

Jst a reminder: in this game scopes dont autimatically grant a bonus.

Well, they should. It hurts my realism meter if the guy with a DL-44 and no scope is using the exact same game mechanics as the guy with a DL-44 and a scope attached. There should be same mechanical difference in game terms.

The scope on Han's DL-44 is off to the side and he can still sight down a barrel, which he seems to be doing every time we see him shoot. I imagine if he chose to he could use it and gain the appropriate bonuses.

Watch the movie Tango & Cash...They have a gun w/ a Laser sight on it "Bantha Eye" which is the Star Wars equivalent...Yes they do work on pistols.

Jst a reminder: in this game scopes dont autimatically grant a bonus.

Well, they should. It hurts my realism meter if the guy with a DL-44 and no scope is using the exact same game mechanics as the guy with a DL-44 and a scope attached. There should be same mechanical difference in game terms.

Go to a gun shop some time and sample the wares. There's lots of sights and scopes that don't really perform much better then each other in any noticeable way. You'll also see that in most cases stuff like the $20 red dot sight isn't all that much of a step up from iron sights. And some actually do make things worse simply because they aren't that well made.

They do tend to make the gun look cooler though.....

Jst a reminder: in this game scopes dont autimatically grant a bonus.

Well, they should. It hurts my realism meter if the guy with a DL-44 and no scope is using the exact same game mechanics as the guy with a DL-44 and a scope attached. There should be same mechanical difference in game terms.

Go to a gun shop some time and sample the wares. There's lots of sights and scopes that don't really perform much better then each other in any noticeable way. You'll also see that in most cases stuff like the $20 red dot sight isn't all that much of a step up from iron sights. And some actually do make things worse simply because they aren't that well made.

Please note that I wasn't commenting on comparison of scopes to each other, but game mechanics of no scope versus scope. There should be some difference in game terms. If not you have a situation of a player saying, "I want to put a scope on my pistol" and the GM replying, "Sure, it looks cool but doesn't make any difference". I don't want that in my game. I would rather answer, "Ok you can get a Night Scope that does X or you can pick up this Reflec Scope that does Y while giving you a penalty of Z", etc.

Please note that I wasn't commenting on comparison of scopes to each other, but game mechanics of no scope versus scope. There should be some difference in game terms. If not you have a situation of a player saying, "I want to put a scope on my pistol" and the GM replying, "Sure, it looks cool but doesn't make any difference". I don't want that in my game. I would rather answer, "Ok you can get a Night Scope that does X or you can pick up this Reflec Scope that does Y while giving you a penalty of Z", etc.

Well, a scope on a pistol is mostly a wash. At Short range a scope will actually just get in the way most of the time because you end up loosing a lot trying to see through it while in combat. If you're unsure what i mean take a toilet paper roll and "sight" through it at arms length while looking at something moving around and moving a little yourself, then do the same thing without the roll, you'll see what I mean. At longer range you'll get some advantage but (at least with a slug thrower) you'll get such severe bullet drop for an average round that it'll be a wash. Plus, unlike a rifle, you can't hold a pistol as stable at arms length and those minute motions your gun is making will be magnified through the scope and make it harder to get a clean shot off. For a blaster you don't get bullet drop but you will get the magnified motion.

Jst a reminder: in this game scopes dont autimatically grant a bonus.

Well, they should. It hurts my realism meter if the guy with a DL-44 and no scope is using the exact same game mechanics as the guy with a DL-44 and a scope attached. There should be same mechanical difference in game terms.

Go to a gun shop some time and sample the wares. There's lots of sights and scopes that don't really perform much better then each other in any noticeable way. You'll also see that in most cases stuff like the $20 red dot sight isn't all that much of a step up from iron sights. And some actually do make things worse simply because they aren't that well made.

Please note that I wasn't commenting on comparison of scopes to each other, but game mechanics of no scope versus scope. There should be some difference in game terms. If not you have a situation of a player saying, "I want to put a scope on my pistol" and the GM replying, "Sure, it looks cool but doesn't make any difference". I don't want that in my game. I would rather answer, "Ok you can get a Night Scope that does X or you can pick up this Reflec Scope that does Y while giving you a penalty of Z", etc.

Well that's a different matter though. I'm saying "the stock sight it comes with is fancy looking, but doesn't really grant any noteworthy benefit."

When the player wants to make a point of investing in an upgrade, then yeah, it should do something.

Saying that a certain blaster should automatically have some kind of bonus simply because the picture of it has a nifty looking sight on it isn't something I'm down with though. If that were true then every stormtrooper would get a bonus because the stock E-11 has a scope on it...

Please note that I wasn't commenting on comparison of scopes to each other, but game mechanics of no scope versus scope. There should be some difference in game terms. If not you have a situation of a player saying, "I want to put a scope on my pistol" and the GM replying, "Sure, it looks cool but doesn't make any difference". I don't want that in my game. I would rather answer, "Ok you can get a Night Scope that does X or you can pick up this Reflec Scope that does Y while giving you a penalty of Z", etc.

Well, a scope on a pistol is mostly a wash. At Short range a scope will actually just get in the way most of the time because you end up loosing a lot trying to see through it while in combat. If you're unsure what i mean take a toilet paper roll and "sight" through it at arms length while looking at something moving around and moving a little yourself, then do the same thing without the roll, you'll see what I mean. At longer range you'll get some advantage but (at least with a slug thrower) you'll get such severe bullet drop for an average round that it'll be a wash. Plus, unlike a rifle, you can't hold a pistol as stable at arms length and those minute motions your gun is making will be magnified through the scope and make it harder to get a clean shot off. For a blaster you don't get bullet drop but you will get the magnified motion.

Not a red dot style sight. They are parallax free sights so you don't need to close an eye. Although at 10 feet or so it's easier to simply index a handgun within the silhouette of a given target rather than traditionally aim.

Not a red dot style sight. They are parallax free sights so you don't need to close an eye. Although at 10 feet or so it's easier to simply index a handgun within the silhouette of a given target rather than traditionally aim.

Thats not the type we see on Han's pistol. Any scope that limits your view or magnifies at all will be a detriment in close quarter combat. Something like in the picture below would be fine, but you're not going to get much benefit at longer ranges with it, at least not enough for a Boost die at the scale of this system.

Red Dot sights are also parallax free sights and look more like a telescopic sight. The one you have listed there is only one style of parallax free sights and not all of them are in that configuration. We never see down Han's scope, so we really don't know what it is.

We never see down Han's scope, so we really don't know what it is.