About the mini-repulsorlift, I think that's already addressed in regards to the "cip-quad", which is a quad laser cannon similar to the one that the Falcon' boasts but can be uses by one man. You can actually see this in use in the opening episode of Season 2 of 2003 Clone Wars series (the 2D animated one, not the 3D CGI one) when the Clone Troopers race in on their custom-painted LAAT to rescue Ki-Adi Mundi and two other Jedi (Aayla Secura and Shaak Ti) from General Grievous.

I wouldn't give that monster the same damage stats as an actual quad laser cannon, but rather treat it as a heavy repeating blaster with a built-in repulsorlift to make it man-portable and an integrated power supply of its own.

So is limited ammo what applies to the heavy blaster pistol? Something about threats or despairs indicating (w/GM fiat) that the gun has run out of ammunition?

Regarding the repulsorlift, yeah there a number of repulsor-aided weapons out there. I can also think of the PLX missile launcher. So it's definitely been done. I'd re-skin the weapon harness or backpack and go from there.

Have you looked at the M-214 for a better idea of what 'Ol Painless was supposed to be?

Just goofing around to see what a big gun would be like. It seriously does not look man portable, the kick back is like lifting a large adult.

If you were so inclined to bend the rules to allow a single Star Wars player to use the Heavy Repeating Blaster, I'd make it really hard. There should be limitations.

I remember reading an article a long time ago about commando troop equipment load-outs. They were hitting 80kg during the Falklands War.

There was a great picture of a commando carrying a mortar between his legs, and he couldn't carry the ammo. Of course, Chuck Norris would probably just ask for a shoulder sling...

There was a great picture of a commando carrying a mortar between his legs, and he couldn't carry the ammo. Of course, Chuck Norris would probably just ask for a shoulder sling...

Canderous Ordo had a prototype Heavy Repeater in the Old Republic Era, but I again think it would be more of a specialized Light Repeater with a damage boost in this rule set, or a modified Medium Repeater (which amounts to the same thing since none exists in the EotE rules). What about AoR, any mention of a Medium Repeater in the beta?
If they have one in AoR I'd go with that, to use the Heavy Repeater in this way is just Munchikisim at it's finest.

to use the Heavy Repeater in this way is just Munchikisim at it's finest.

In a game where people are playing full Jedi, a massive Wookie (massive even by Wookie standards) carrying a E-Web might be the kind of non-jedi who could keep up.

Canderous Ordo had a prototype Heavy Repeater in the Old Republic Era, but I again think it would be more of a specialized Light Repeater...

Something like that appears to be what the Trandoshan is wielding in the Hired Gun career page.

My only hesitation to call it a Light Repeating Blaster is that it seems so much bulkier than the T-21. Which means nothing, really. BlasTech might just have a more efficient design than most. But I am reminded more of that awesome weapon from the Republic Commando game..

Ah! The LS-150 Heavy Accelerated Charged Particle Repeater Guns *insert Tim the Tool man Taylor grunt*

As far as other light repeating blaster designs, you've got the Z-6 rotary blaster cannon (probably a light repeating blaster, and certainly bulkier than the T-21), and on par with what Jesse Ventura was using in Predator.

Oh, and for an alternative heavy repeating blaster design, here's the reciprocating quad blaster that I mentioned earlier.

Weapon Harness

Designed to allow a single sentient to field even the heavist man-portable weapons with no support, weapon harnesses are rare among the Out Rim terroritories. Worn over the shoulders and belted around the midsection or torso, weapon harnessess consist of a series of load-bearing traps and harness coneected to a gyro-stabilized, power-assisted boom arm attached to a heavy weapon. Power by a tiny rechargeable power pack, the harness offers its user enhanced stability and strength when using heavy weapons. this attachment can only be used with Ranger (heavy) and Gunnery weapons.

Decrease Cumbersome rating by 2
1 Innate (Brace) Mod
Hard points required:2

So I am picturing the setup the Marines used in Aliens with the smart gun. I think indeed by the rules use a heavy repeater rifle with this.

I would hope that Generator is super light compared to a battery! Anyone here carried around a true soilid battery or UPS? Those things weigh like 50 pounds for one the size of a shoebox.

Aaaaagh Flashback! Flashback!

I am part of a game where someone is making this their goal, to use a heavy repeating blaster from the hip. The thought of this horrifies me, but not for any game mechanic. Back in the day, I had to hump an M-60 machine gun over too much of Ft. Sewart in Georgia. It was a good 'big stick' for when the time to 'talk softly' had passed, but even then it was a bit of a load for even my 6'5" and 240 lbs. Considering that the '60 was the equivalent of a light repeating blaster, just the thought of carrying something even bigger fatigues me.

As far as other light repeating blaster designs, you've got the Z-6 rotary blaster cannon (probably a light repeating blaster, and certainly bulkier than the T-21), and on par with what Jesse Ventura was using in Predator.

I'd use the Light Repeating Blaster stats and add something to base damage or lower the critical threshold (or both) and balance it with a higher Cumbersome rating.

But as for allowing a Heavy Repeating Blaster to be used like this, sorry not in my game, not without some kind of AG platform at the very least. Anything else is pure Munchkinism.

So I am picturing the setup the Marines used in Aliens with the smart gun. I think indeed by the rules use a heavy repeater rifle with this.

Even that gun in Aliens would be a LRB. They used a modified MG42/43 to make it, not a .50 Cal.

The big problem with this is not in a game mechanics sense, but in a narrative sense. There are ways to rig up an E-Web blaster so that you could carry it and the generator around with you, particularly if you're a large alien like a Wookiee or Trandoshan.

Here's the thing--if a character does that, they're giving themselves firepower on par with the Empire. It would be akin to, say, someone walking around with a .50 caliber machinegun with an ammo drum. It's a great situation to have when you're on an encounter map, but then there's the rest of the game to consider. What happens after you've mopped up the swoop gang or stormtroopers? You're going to be the most memorable person in the area, if not the planet. Everyone will know who you are, which is a good way to get a bounty placed on your head by either a crimelord or the Empire itself.

Second, how are people going to react to a group that has among its members a being who is armed like they're expecting the next round of the Clone Wars to take place? I'd say that's worth a setback die or two when trying to do anything other than coerce information out of someone. Okay, maybe it's worth a boost die when you're negotiating, but then again good luck getting a merchant to want to meet with you without bodyguards if he knows you're packing heavy weaponry. Also, what will Imperial customs officers think, especially if they happen to discover your ship's smuggling nook with the E-web in it?

Also, combat in Star Wars shouldn't just be "mow 'em down." Players in Edge of the Empire should engage in combat with more options than just because a random encounter popped up. Carrying around an E-Web blaster with accompanying harness makes running pretty difficult, not to mention climbing, swimming, crawling, and pretty much any other physical activity. Eventually, the E-web is going to be more of a hinderance than a help, and the player may not realize it until the entire galaxy considers him/her to be someone to attack first and ask questions later.

Aaaaagh Flashback! Flashback!

I am part of a game where someone is making this their goal, to use a heavy repeating blaster from the hip. The thought of this horrifies me, but not for any game mechanic. Back in the day, I had to hump an M-60 machine gun over too much of Ft. Sewart in Georgia. It was a good 'big stick' for when the time to 'talk softly' had passed, but even then it was a bit of a load for even my 6'5" and 240 lbs. Considering that the '60 was the equivalent of a light repeating blaster, just the thought of carrying something even bigger fatigues me.

Those of us with a Military background (I'm assuming here) can get our minds around calling certain weapons from movies the equivalent of LRBs. I can not get my head around a HRB being man portable.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M60_machine_gun

http://www.imfdb.org/wiki/Predator#GE_M134_Minigun_.28Handheld.29

There is a picture in this showing the "harness" that Jesse Venture helped design to carry the weight of the mini gun. (Big frigging dude, Ex-Navy Seal)

Decent video that shows the harness

It is not only the weight that is an issue for me, it's the size / bulk of them.

Heck, if we were to have something like this our GM would just throw us a curve ball and give us plenty of environmental hazards to over come with Athletic checks just to navigate. Rocky creek beds, chasms, cliffs and so on making it disadvantageous to carry one. Combat multipliers are awesome, but there is a price to pay. (Our GM would also start giving our enemies the same things)

It is not only the weight that is an issue for me, it's the size / bulk of them.

Heck, if we were to have something like this our GM would just throw us a curve ball and give us plenty of environmental hazards to over come with Athletic checks just to navigate. Rocky creek beds, chasms, cliffs and so on making it disadvantageous to carry one. Combat multipliers are awesome, but there is a price to pay. (Our GM would also start giving our enemies the same things)

The rules do say that the Weapon Harness is power assisted. That would be fun trying to see some one climb with that getup.

I would house rule that your character would need to have an minimum 5 brawn to carry and use a heavy repeating blaster in their bare hands AND the required generator to operate it.

That's not even a house rule. The weapon has Cumbersome 5, so using it without that is nearly unfeasible because of the difficulty upgrade.

Remember everyone, "Yes, but..."

Remember everyone, "Yes, but..."

"Yeah, no..." is sometimes an acceptable an alternative.

As others have pointed out it's not just the weight but the bulk. From the pictures it's 2+ meters long (6-7ft), I mean it's longer than the guy firing it is tall for F'sake! And the generator is the size of an average cooler. Wookiee or no, you're not getting through and doors wearing this thing. You could potentially modify one but then it's really not a HRB anymore anyway.

Reducing the Generator would likely mean lower power levels and reduced ammo capacity, and chopping it down would reduce range and accuracy, plus increased recoil making it more difficult to control. All of this means Lower damage, shorter range, more difficult to hit with. You might as well stick with LRB.

As others have pointed out it's not just the weight but the bulk. From the pictures it's 2+ meters long (6-7ft), I mean it's longer than the guy firing it is tall for F'sake! And the generator is the size of an average cooler. Wookiee or no, you're not getting through and doors wearing this thing. You could potentially modify one but then it's really not a HRB anymore anyway.

Reducing the Generator would likely mean lower power levels and reduced ammo capacity, and chopping it down would reduce range and accuracy, plus increased recoil making it more difficult to control. All of this means Lower damage, shorter range, more difficult to hit with. You might as well stick with LRB.

OTOH, you could have a droid PC that is little more than a walking HRB if that's what you really want.

As others have pointed out it's not just the weight but the bulk. From the pictures it's 2+ meters long (6-7ft), I mean it's longer than the guy firing it is tall for F'sake! And the generator is the size of an average cooler. Wookiee or no, you're not getting through and doors wearing this thing. You could potentially modify one but then it's really not a HRB anymore anyway.

Reducing the Generator would likely mean lower power levels and reduced ammo capacity, and chopping it down would reduce range and accuracy, plus increased recoil making it more difficult to control. All of this means Lower damage, shorter range, more difficult to hit with. You might as well stick with LRB.

In all fairness that guy firing it in the picture is a puny actor. Probably only 5 foot 7 150 lbs. Stick Mr. Olympia (6'6"+ 350 lbs.+) next to that and you'll sing a different tune.

So here's one idea for that droid I mentioned. This one comes from BattleTech, but there's nothing in the image to give scale.

In all fairness that guy firing it in the picture is a puny actor. Probably only 5 foot 7 150 lbs. Stick Mr. Olympia (6'6"+ 350 lbs.+) next to that and you'll sing a different tune.

Maybe but the weapon is still 2+ meters (that 6-7ft) long and likely weighs close to if not more than 50lbs (an unloaded M60 is 23lbs), not including the generator.

Whats Brown and Furry and can't turn around in hallways?

Anyway we can argue this endlessly but honestly Star Wars isn't the same kind of fantasy/SiFi as Predator. The whole Arnold blockbuster shoot'em up just doesn't fit, it's not about the bigger gun. The 2D cartoon and some of the comics went a little overboard but with the Clone Wars they brought it back to the more mostly-reasonable. This set of games is based on the original trilogy, a gritter actor based vision, not the cartoon-y Clone Wars kind of thing where bulk and weight don't matter because you don't need an actor to really carry this stuff around, you can just hand wave physics away.

Besides when does it end? I mean if you start hand waving mounted support weapons, why not cannons, or other artillery? Basically you're taking the game and turning it into an arms race. It's not Warhammer, there is no need for a PC to carry a weapon like this.

I think if they have the right ability's and equipment they could carry it with not much penalty's if any at all. For example if your character has Brawn 3 and has a weapon harness and has two ranks in burly I think that they should be able to carry it.