Snipers power play

By Wurstbrotjoe, in Dark Heresy Gamemasters

I can't imagine a place where sniper rifle wouldn't raise any suspicions other than the battlefield. Sure, there can be hives run by gangs armed with semi-auto guns, shotguns and so on. But a sniper rifle? There's only one purpoise this weapon has and only the soldiers are allowed to have it in the Imperium.

Matter of interpretation... One man's "sniper" rifle is another's hunting rifle to shoot animals with. And in GW's Necromunda, the gangs roll around with heavy bolters and plasma guns. ;)

Well, as Lynata said it, it always depends on the Situation and interpretation of your world. For some Gangers or a Huntsman it may only be a tool of trade and completly common in their respective living area. Though most imperial worlds allow its citicens zu be armed I mostly draw a line when the PC enter more "cilisied" areas like a trade hub or some upper hive where there is not big game to hunt and dedicated military hardware defenatly makes some Arbitrator suspicios - especially for this is a weapon that might actually threaten them. A Stub revolver? Carry that toy around if you want but some Long Las? That is a completly pracital weapon, nothing fancy a noble man would carry around and also not realy a weapon for his bodyguard.

Also Necromunda is some special place: The hirarchy allows the gangers to own such weaponry because they are actually part of the defensive force of that world an... well... the noble people of that world have a rather interisting hobby of hunting stuff... xD

I'm not sure that Necromunda is really that special when it comes to the underhive violence and the recruitment pools for the military - but that's a matter of interpretation, too. ;)

The thing that really matters is that any restrictions placed on the sniper should apply to the group as a whole, so if people waltz into certain areas, it's not going to be just a sniper rifle that raises suspicion, but also heavy weapons - "dedicated military hardware", as FieserMoep said. I would also count plasma- and meltaguns into this category, but obviously that would depend on the planet in question. In some places it could be totally okay to bring your lasgun or a bolter, but no plasma weapons, whilst on another world only pistols of any kind are allowed, and yet another place is so laid back that you can bring what you want ...

Correctly assessing this situation and adapting their loadout may well be part of proper preparation before the characters set foot on the planet. Similar to how in Shadowrun it pays to know what kind of gear is (il)legal in the country you want to visit. ;)

Hrm, since it's bound to come up soon: What gear would be considered legal on voidcraft or space stations? My own thoughts lean towards small arms fire, such as las- and auto-pistols, and not much heavier, with security invested heavily in shock and shotgun.

Hrm, since it's bound to come up soon: What gear would be considered legal on voidcraft or space stations? My own thoughts lean towards small arms fire, such as las- and auto-pistols, and not much heavier, with security invested heavily in shock and shotgun.

That is pretty much what I go with. Heavier stuff can be carried if you get a permit, which is not too hard if you have credits or influence, though not good for your subtlety.

Isn't there some info about this in the description for the Naval Pistol in OW and other books?

Basically yeah, melee stuff (ideally shock, but chain works too; power is a bit dangerous) and shotweapons, because they do lots of damage at short range, with almost no Pen to damage the ship.

Hrm, since it's bound to come up soon: What gear would be considered legal on voidcraft or space stations? My own thoughts lean towards small arms fire, such as las- and auto-pistols, and not much heavier, with security invested heavily in shock and shotgun.

It is mentioned in the Gaunt's Ghosts series that weapons like Las guns and Bolters are able to penetrate a ship's hull. Instead, anti personal rounds are used containing, for example micro glass shards to prevent any hull penetration.

Edited by Gridash

Hrm, since it's bound to come up soon: What gear would be considered legal on voidcraft or space stations? My own thoughts lean towards small arms fire, such as las- and auto-pistols, and not much heavier, with security invested heavily in shock and shotgun.

I'm running campaign in a voidship where personal arms are illegal. Only security is allowed to have it. PC's weapons are being locked for a time they spend aboard and get them back when they go out on a mission.

On space stations I always make plasma and melta weapons illegal - that's stuff that can pierce station's walls and that's something you wouldn't like anywhere. Also no solid projectile wpns in 0g stations as shooter is very unstable in such environments.

Yes, normally only security personal carries weapons.

Edited by Gridash

I can't imagine a place where sniper rifle wouldn't raise any suspicions other than the battlefield. Sure, there can be hives run by gangs armed with semi-auto guns, shotguns and so on. But a sniper rifle? There's only one purpoise this weapon has and only the soldiers are allowed to have it in the Imperium.

Matter of interpretation... One man's "sniper" rifle is another's hunting rifle to shoot animals with. And in GW's Necromunda, the gangs roll around with heavy bolters and plasma guns. ;)

Ah, necromunda. A world where everyone is surrounded from birth to death by crumbling industrial equipment but a length of rusty pipe still costs you five credits....

Ah, necromunda. A world where everyone is surrounded from birth to death by crumbling industrial equipment but a length of rusty pipe still costs you five credits....

Perhaps it's five credits because it is one of the few pipes in the Underhive that is not rusty! ;)

This is how trading works in the underhive:

Rusty pipe: 5 credits

Rusty pipe: Free*

* Free rusty pipe will be hand delivered to your skull by the owner of this establisment. Pay the 5 creds you sump suckin' low life!