So I'm creating the card for the DR-45 “Dragoon” Cavalry Blaster and reading the description of the weapon, it isn't cleared on something

"Marketed to vehicle crews and beast riders, the DR-45, also called the Dragoon is marketed as an all-in-one weapon providing the portability of a blaster pistol with the range and stopping power of a blaster carbine. To accomplish this, the base weapon, which is a long-barreled blaster pistol, can be fitted with a detachable polycarbonate shoulder stock and a range-extending augmented spin barrel to turn it into a respectably effective blaster carbine.

The stock and barrel are fixed to the base weapon with sturdy quick-release mounts that allow an experienced user to mount or dismount the attachments quickly and easily. While not particularly common, Dragoon cavalry blasters are slowly finding a following among members of the Rebel Alliance who value their versatility, reliability, and stopping power.

Converting the DR-45 from a pistol to a carbine takes one maneuver and changes the weapon’s combat skill from Ranged (Light) to Ranged (Heavy). Similarly, it takes one maneuver to convert the weapon back, restoring its combat skill to Ranged (Light)."

So if I'm to attach the Shoulder Stock and Barrel, I change the Skill required from Ranged (Light) to Ranged (Heavy), that is cleared. So far, it's not that great...it basically depends on your skill level which you might prefer.

"range-extending augmented spin barrel", I guess it mean that if it is in it's carbine mode, then you get Ranged Band +1 = Long?

Now what is the draw back to have it as a pistol....feels like pistol usually do less damage ?!! why not always leave it as a Carbine...is it because of how easier it would be to hide it, I don't see any bonus or downside to this....

So that feels unclear at the moment, what would be the upside and downside to each mode... it's not like if the table that describe the weapon's stats had two entry ….one for each mode....

25 minutes ago, Mefyrx said:

So if I'm to attach the Shoulder Stock and Barrel, I change the Skill required from Ranged (Light) to Ranged (Heavy), that is cleared.    

Right.

25 minutes ago, Mefyrx said:

S   o   far, it's not that great...it basically depends on your skill level which you might      prefer.  

And other fine details. In pistol mode it's a 1-handed weapon, in carbine mode it's a 2. Stuff like that.

25 minutes ago, Mefyrx said:

"range  -extending augmented spin barrel", I guess it mean  that  if it is in it's carbine  mode  ,  then  you  get  Ranged Band +1 = Long?

Nope, just fluff.

25 minutes ago, Mefyrx said:

Now  what is the draw back to have it as a pistol....feels like pistol usually do less damage ?!! why not always leave it as a Carbine...is it  because  of how easier it would be to hide it, I don't see  any bonus or downside to this....   

Hide it, hands needed to operate, keep thinking. It's a flexible weapon, but it's utility isn't all encompassing.

Some weapons have obvious advantages...some are just novelties that may occasionally prove useful.

In this case the name is the clue. A Dragoon is a soldier trained to fight on foot or on horseback. A weapon like this would work for such a person.

Ranged(Heavy) requires two hands, something you can’t always use for your weapon. Sometimes you need one hand to drive, or hold onto something so you don’t fall off the vehicle you are riding. it can also be used with a second weapon, or a shield, or a comlink, or a grenade, or a fusion lantern, or a Stim pack, or any other useful tool.

Ranged Heavy also has an increased difficulty at Engaged Range vs Ranged Light. So if you expect to be fighting in close quarters then the pistol can be more useful,

This weapon therefore offers a side arm and rifle without having to carry the Encumbrance of both.

Other than what skill you use to shoot the thing, a few situational modifiers based upon that skill (as Richardbuxton covered), and the applicability of a few talents that are specific to a skill, there's no difference between the weapon's modes. Most characters that I've seen using the Dragoon just have it in the mode that works best for them and then promptly ignore that it can convert.

And off course the house rules.... "Its a pistol AND a carbine?" Throw on a BAM and a Forearm Grip(carbine mode only) on the same weapon? Silly stuff like that.

Ah, the Dragoon, the (other than cost) "why have any other blaster..blaster?" Damage better than a Heavy Blaster Pistol (Dam: 7) and lighter (HBP is Enc: 2) while supposedly representing something between a blaster (Enc: 1) and a Carbine (Enc: 3).

Our rules for the Dragoon were to increase Enc to 2 (average of a Pistol and a Carbine) and it is a Pistol that can use Ranged - Heavy, so only attachments that can be mounted on pistols will work.

3 hours ago, Jareth Valar said:

Ah, the Dragoon, the (other than cost) "why have any other blaster..blaster?" Damage better than a Heavy Blaster Pistol (Dam: 7) and lighter (HBP is Enc: 2) while supposedly representing something between a blaster (Enc: 1) and a Carbine (Enc: 3).

Our rules for the Dragoon were to increase Enc to 2 (average of a Pistol and a Carbine) and it is a Pistol that can use Ranged - Heavy, so only attachments that can be mounted on pistols will work.

A good house rule

5 hours ago, Jareth Valar said:

"why have any other blaster..blaster?"

I've found quite a few of those.

I'd house rule the beejesus out of this one.

Enc 2 at least. If you're fine with a variable profile, I'd say enc 2 as pistol, enc 3 as carbine, and accurate 1 only in carbine mode. Naturally carrying around the barrel extension and stock would be 1 enc. Carbine/ranged (heavy) attachments would be allowed, but would be removed when converted to pistol mode. Pistol/ranged (light) attachments would be allowed, but would have to be removed before converting to carbine.

I do like the idea of stocked pistols though, even if barrel extensions grinds my gears a little (but that's mostly due to them being completely pointless on real guns, blasters might be different). After all, this is just plain cool:

(I know it's an EE-3)

I've tinkered a bit with a house-ruled attachment, like so:

Rifle Stock
Adding a decent rifle stock to a pistol or replacing the existing one on a carbine with a sturdier one can improve range and accuracy at cost of increased size and weight.
Models Include: Various.
Base Modifiers: The weapon’s skill changes to Ranged (Heavy), and increase the encumbrance of the weapon by 1.
Modification Options: 1 Increase weapon's range by one range band to a maximum of Long Mod, 1 Weapon Quality (Accurate +1) Mod, 1 May remove or reattach attachment as a Maneuver Mod
Hard points Required: 1.
Cost: 300 credits.
Rarity: 3

Kind of the the reverse from the pistol grip attachment mod from Dangerous Covenants. If using this attachment, you could just use the basic pistol profile and include the attachments in the cost (although I'd still bump the base Enc to 2).

Feels like the general consensus is that it should be Encumbrance = 2 ... if you carry the parts to make it a Carbine that is...

I could modify my card this way, makes more sense too

I like the variant of Penpenpen...well making it a weapon with 2 different stats.... I think it should have been done this way from the beginning but it wasn't....from then it becomes like he said a house rule .....a custom card...

Maybe wait to see how the A-280 CFE is handled in Cyphers and Masks? I believe it will cover going from Pistol to Rifle. Might give some guidance?

Just as a sidenote, here's the picture I'm using for the Dragoon:

On 7/31/2018 at 2:55 PM, penpenpen said:

I do like the idea of stocked pistols though, even if barrel extensions grinds my gears a little (but that's mostly due to them being completely pointless on real guns, blasters might be different).

Are you trying to tell me that a 9mm carbine isn't more effective at longer ranges than a 9mm handgun?

The way I figure it is that the Dragoon aren't found on many black markets; it's a vanishingly rare weapon that is prioritised by the armoured divisions that don't necessarily have a lot of spare encumberance to carry a weapon, and thus need a general weapon that will serve as a reliable defence tool, or for a commando unit that might need a weapon flexiable to the situation. I generally would make it pretty difficult for anyone who isn't working in a military organisation to obtain one of these, or alternatively make the descriptions of the individual using it fairly distinctive, kind of like how carrying a heavy blaster around in civilisations. People generally don't carry dragoons unless they are seeking the kind of opportunities some might consider... disruptive to local interest.

Making En 2 also makes sense. It's a heavy blaster pistol, it should at least be as bulky as one.

1 hour ago, OddballE8 said:

Are you trying to tell me that a 9mm carbine isn't more effective at longer ranges than a 9mm handgun?

I'm saying that screwing another piece of barrel onto your barrel is not the same thing as swapping in a longer barrel.

4 hours ago, penpenpen said:

I'm saying that screwing another piece of barrel onto your barrel is not the same thing as swapping in a longer barrel.

Well, that I agree to... to a certain extent. You could, technically, do it, but it would require some veeeeery precise machining...

Also, the A280-CFE blaster should be coming in Cyphers... but, there's also the fact that Tobias Beckett used a carbine version of the DL-44 that could be broken down into the pistol version... Oh and as someone showed above, the EE-3 exists as both, but I'm not sure you can easily field change it into either.

So it doesn't seem to be as uncommon as you'd think.