Best Pistol for the Poor

By Richardson, in Rogue Trader

Posted at

I seem to keep ending up playing Pistol-wielding Rogue Trader characters, but running into the scenario where I'm not that thrilled with my weaponry.

A bit part of that is aesthetics I'm afraid. I like "reasonable" pistols, i.e. ones I can easily visualize. While this includes oversized and fantastic weaponry (Trigun, etc.), it does not include MASSIVE weapons such as the mighty Bolt Pistol (the size of an old dictionary with a handle and clip) and most often it is solid projectile and not energy. Another huge factor at this time is a VERY low acquisition factor. I think we're at a 20% right now.

So I'm looking for highly effective Pistol class weaponry with either awesome art examples or at the very least something I can picture a man actually wearing on a holster and pulling in a quickdraw. Revolvers, sawed-off shotguns, whatever you've got and why it's good such as versatility of ammo or simply ease of acquiring and ease of acquiring special ammo.

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  1. "Poor" PCs in RT is an oxymoron. NPCs, yes, of course all your armsmen and officers need a sidearm, and it's a good idea to have one standard, but that's just some or other naval pistol.
  2. SP pistol is indeed a good idea. While lasers or non-overheating plasma weapons are nice, SP and Bolt types use variant ammunition, specifically including blessed and poisoned.

Bolt weapons are a sign of status in the Imperium, which is one more reason why those who can afford prefer them. Of course, this also makes them a bad choice when you don't want to look like big fish.

Hand cannons (baseline) have low rate of fire, and if you need range from a pistol, you are doing something wrong. With semi-auto or full-auto RoF, from the Armory - either

  • Naval Pistol, Mars-Pattern (RT core) . Modest and has one more type of ammunition (default for it).
  • "Irontalon" Pistol, Cypra Mundi (The Inquisitor's Handbook) . V ariant autopistol used by navy officers. Also with those soft bullets (Primitive, Tearing, Reliable).
  • Ripper Pistol (Into the Storm). Uhh, yeah. If you don't mind dubious conversion or unique ammunition.
  • Hecuter 9/5 Heavy Combat Autopistol (The Inquisitor's Handbook) . With damage D10+3 like most decent weapons, and Reliable. Popular among the gunslingers and bounty hunters.
  • Orthlack Mk IV 'Thollos' Autopistol (The Inquisitor's Handbook) . H igher caliber and full auto. Calixian Guard officers carry these, so does not stand out too much.
  • Carnodon Pattern Precision Hand Cannon, Westingkrup (The Inquisitor's Handbook) . Much like a baseline handcannon, but RoF S/3/- and Accurate. Based on bolt pistol mechanism and layout, kind of expensive "cool boys' gun" (Arbites, House Krin guards, some gangs) , but not as noteworthy as a bolt pistol.
  • Puritan-14 Execution Pistol, Hax-Orthlack (The Inquisitor's Handbook). Combi autopistol + shotgun pistol. Uncommon and ugly, used by Arbites and enforcers, thus may still attract attention of the wrong sort.

and...

  • "Flametongue" Howdah Pistol, Fykos Forge (The Inquisitor's Handbook) . H andcannon, but two-barreled and high powered. Uses custom Exotic ammunition (though you probably can at least bless or poison it), Primitive and Reliable , reload: 2 Full. Very situational, but if you don't expect to have opportunity for more than 2 shots anyway, at least make them count. As the name implies, a sidearm for rich hunters.