For those GMs looking for a weapon to equip your high-paid, highly skilled mercs with that the PCs cringe in cover from and won't necessarily find lying around just anywhere...

Balecaster is a feudal world located in the Markayn Marches. The las weaponry produced for the Balecaster regiments is reflective of the hunting lodges dotting the rural countryside and the sport shooting clubs of the elite. The Balecaster las-lock is a sturdy weapon, easily supporting the stresses of an added melee attachment. The Balecaster's "clip" is a length of insulated tube mounted underneath the barrel, each las cell "slug" ejected from/loaded into the breach by a smooth and reliable lever action. The tubes themselves can be "quick-loaded" with pre-filled card stock jackets, otherwise known as sleeves; the old sleeve is removed, and the new sleeve inserted into the insulated tube. Each las "slug" is it's own "Hot-Shot" cell; though not quite as potent as a standard Munitorum-issue Hot-Shot cell, the punch of the Balecaster's ammo more than makes up for its slow reload time and low rate of fire. A soldier in the Balecaster regiments will carry anywhere between 10-30 such pre-loaded sleeves in an ammo pouch that quite resembles a quiver. Each Balecaster is individually hand crafted. The Balecaster is almost never found for sale on the open market.

The Balecaster's construction doesn't normally accommodate sight attachments/upgrades, but it can be customized to fit any number of sighting devices (Challenging Trade: Technomat Skill Test) though a shooter's personal accuracy is a matter of pride among the Balecaster regiments, and anyone seen with a sight-fitted Balecaster las-lock may find him or herself the target of open and vicious ridicule (-10 to Interaction Tests with any individual possessing the Common Lore: Imperial Guard Skill, -20 with Balecaster regimental veterans).

Balecaster Lever-Action Las-Lock (Common Quality)

Basic, Range: 90m, RoF: S/-/-, Damage: d10+4, Pen: 3, Clip: 10, Reload: 2 Full, Accurate, Reliable, Tearing
Availability: Very Rare, Cost: 700-900 Throne Gelt (black market only), Ammo Cost: 17 Throne Gelt/slug cell (black market only)

Balecaster regimental soldiers usually police their own spent cell casings when and if time permits. Additionally, each soldier carries a mageto-charger (Wt: 10 kg, Cost: 200 Throne Gelt) that can be used to recharge the slug cells, though it usually takes about 10-15 minutes of slow and measured cranking, and even then the cells (10 at a time) take upwards of an hour to recharge. Some tech-inclined Balecaster regimental soldiers were able to wire their magnetos to the battery of a ground car, and could recharge their ammo supplies while on the road to redeployment.