Weapons & Equipment
Errata & Clarifications to Weird Wars Weapons & Equipment
Some necessary information was left out of the weapons and equipment descriptions in the Weird War II book, which I've supplied here. Additionally, I felt that the descriptions of some items were left a little too general, and so have added more detailed information to some other entries.
MP40 (WW pg.60)
An ammunition pocket/belt set was issued to soldiers carrying the MP40, with a total of 6 pockets (able to carry 1 clip each) as well as a magazine loader device carried in a smaller pouch.Kar 98k (WW pg.60)
The Kar 98k can use 5-round charger clips to reload, but otherwise uses a standard internal magazine. Standard ammunition load for a German rifleman is 60 rounds total, 2 5-round charger clips in each of 6 ammo pouches on their web belt.Raketenpanzerbuechse 43 (Panzerschreck) (WW pg.61)
The Panzerschreck was not available for use until late 1943.Panzerfaust (WW pg.61)
The Panzerfaust 30 did not enter service until September of 1943, the Panzerfaust 60 in August of 1944, and the Panzerfaust 100 in November of 1944. However, the precursor to the Panzerfaust 30 was available in late 1942, and in game terms works the same as the Panzerfaust 30.Flakvierling 38 (WW pg.62)
The Flak 38 uses 20-round detachable box magazines/clips for it's ammo feed, one per gun. Due to their size and weight, it requires a full-round action by a single loader to reload (two loaders could do so as a standard action). The gun is normally manned by a gunner and two loaders, each loader handling 2 of the guns. 6 spare magazines are stored on either side (12 total).
Guns used in the field were almost always equpped with an armored blast shield (Armor 30), and a ground sight (often telescopic) was also mounted (the AA sight was left in place). The gun is transported on a forked two-wheel trailer, from which it could be fired (with a limited traverse).Sten (WW pg.63)
A silenced version of the Sten was produced for covert operations behind enemy lines. Detecting the sound of the weapon firing within 60 feet requires a listen check against a DC of 15, and is virtually undetectable (DC30) at greater ranges.
The first silenced Stens were used in the raid on Dieppe in August of '42.
As a side-note on the Sten, the first version was mass-produced in June of '41.Lee-Enfield (WW pg.63)
Uses a 10-round detachable box magazine, although, as with many other box-fed weapons of the time, they were intended to be reloaded via a stripper clip and only removed during cleaning and maintenance; it is a 10M weapon, not 10S. However, due to training and the prohibitive cost of a box magazine/clip versus a stripper clip, British troops were issued stripper clips and loaded the weapon as if it had an internal magazine.
As a side-note on the Sten, the first version was mass-produced in June of '41.PIAT (WW pg.63)
The PIAT entered service in 1943.40mm Bofors (WW pg.64)
The Bofors, and similar guns produced by other countries, uses a 4-round clip to reload, similar to a charger clip. In game terms, a team of trained loaders can, by taking full-round actions every round, reload the weapon as fast as the gunner can fire it. If the crew is unskilled at loading, or some loaders are missing, the WM may want to limit the rate of fire to a single burst per round, per loader, with suppression fire (or spraying an area) impossible.
(Note: Trained loaders could slam clips in as fast as the gun could spit them out - I've seen pictures of people loading it so fast that their hands were blurred in the photo. This may also seem like a bad way to load a weapon, but it does allow for changing ammunition types without causing any breaks in weapons fire. In any case, this newer versions of this weapon are still in use today, so it must work pretty well.)M1 Garand (WW pg.65)
The M1 Garand is the only weapon listed as using a stripper clip that actually uses one - all other guns listed as such (in the Weird War II book) use charger clips, which are used to more quickly load an internal magazine, but are not actually inserted into the weapon with the rounds.M1 Carbine (WW pg.65)
The M1 Carbine, although very prevalent by the end of the war, was not available until 1943. As a side-note, it was intended as a replacement for the M1911A1 pistol, not as a full-fledged rifle (despite it's use as such by GIs). For those beginning their campaigns before Normandy, you may want to limit early use of the M1 Carbine to officers, vehicle crews, and others by replacing their pistols (or other sidearm) with the carbine.
Also note that WWII-issue M1 Carbines had no bayonet lug.M3 (WW pg.65)
The M3 "grease gun" was not produced until 1943.Browning Automatic Rifle (BAR) (WW pg.65)
The BAR M1918A2 has a bipod, carrying handle and hinged buttplate; altogether, these parts bring it's total weight to over 20 lbs. The 16 lb. weight listed is for the fully stripped down version. In the field, the BAR was usually stripped down to this basic setup, as it was originally designed to be fired from the hip while moving towards the enemy, a tactic which obviously doesn't require the bipod.Bazooka (WW pg.65)
The original M1 bazooka, which was a single tube, was produced in 1941. In 1944, the M1A1 began seeing use; the launch tube can be disassembled into two pieces for ease of transport.M9A1 Rifle Grenade (WW pg.66)
The whole topic of rifle grenades is a complicated one. First, there are two categories of rifle grenades used by the US during the war; specifically-designed rifle grenades and standard grenades with an adapter connected to them. The rifle grenades were the M9A1 anti-tank grenade, M22 colored smoke grenade (use standard AN-M8 smoke grenade stats, but with a range category of 30. Comes in red, green, yellow and violet) and M17 fragmentation grenade (use standard Mk2 grenade stats, but with a range category of 30). There are 2 adapters for standard grenades; the M1A1 adapter is used for Mk2 frag grenades, and the M2A1 adapter for the AN-M8 smoke grenade or M18 colored smoke grenade (same as the AN-M8, but comes in red, green, yellow and violet). Adapters relied on the standard grenade timer, and so could be made to air burst if their arming and firing were timed correctly (if the target is least 1 full range category away, the firer can make an Intelligence DC 10 check to time an air burst over the target area. If the roll fails, the round automatically misses and deviates accordingly). The adapters and rifle grenades were all in service by the time the US entered the war, although the M18 was not produced until 1942 and so only saw very limited at first.
Adapter-wise, there were the M1, M7, M8 launchers. The M7 launcher, used on the M1 Garand, kept the gun from firing in semi-automatic mode while the adapter was attached, and only allowed blanks to be fired (required to fire rifle grenades anyway, but quite bothersome as it had to be removed for normal gunfire). The M7 was introduced in mid-1944, but was never very popular (for the obvious reasons). The M8 launcher, produced in early 1944, was fitted to the M1 Carbine, and did allow standard semi-automatic firing (and ball ammunition). The M1 launcher, used on the M1903 Springfield rifle, was the most-used during the war, as every platoon had at least 1 private carrying an M1903 (the "sniper"), and it did not interfere with the rifle's standard operation (although it did require a blank round for grenade firing). By the end of the war, the M1 was still in common use.
As far as who got rifle grenades is concerned, no more than 1 per squad, but whether or not anyone in the platoon even got one seemed to be highly variable.Mk2 "Pineapple" Grenade (WW pg.66)
Earlier versions were painted yellow, although this was quickly changed to a single yellow stripe around the top.M1A1 Flamethrower (WW pg.66)
The original US flamethrower, the E1-R1, was available in 1942, first seeing use in New Guinea. It's ignition system was even worse than on the M1A1, and it used liquid gasoline, resulting in propellant issues (effective range should be considered half that of the M1A1).
In 1944 the M2 flamethrower was produced; although it still had some ignition problems, ignore the "malfunction on a natural 1" rule listed in the Weird War II book.Maxson Mount (WW pg.66)
Although the .50 cal machinegun was used throughout the war, the Maxson Mount did not enter into the war until 1943.40mm Gun M1 (WW pg.66)
The 40mm M1 uses the same ammo feed (4-round charger clips) as the 40mm Bofors (see above).Ammo Pouches and Web Belts (WW pg.66-67)
The US army had several pouch/belt combinations that were given to GIs based on what weapon(s) they carried, as well as other bags designed to carry certain types of ammunition. Additional pouches could be added on, based on availability and the user's taste, but the following were the standard-issue gear:
M1910/23/26 Cartridge Belt: These belts (produced in the indicated year) had 10 ammo pouches, each able to hold 2 5-round charger clips for the M1903 rifle, or a single 8-round M1 Garand stripper clip (i.e. a total of 20 charger clips or 10 stripper clips).
M1910 Cartridge Belt, Cavalry Version: Same as above, except it only had 9 pouches.
M1938 Cartridge Belt: Had 12 pockets, each capable of holding 2 5-round M1903 charger clips or a single 8-round stripper clip (24 and 12 clips, respectively). This belt only saw limited service through the end of the war.
M1912/36 Pistol Belt: This is the "standard" web belt, having no pockets attached to it as standard issue.
M1912/36 Pistol Belt, SMG Layout: For those using the Thompson SMG, a 5-pocket set was attached to the pistol belt. Each Pocket held a single 20-round clip, or a 30-round clip if the wearer didn't mind the clip protruding from the pocket (which, obviously, could not be snapped shut). Late in the war a 3-pocket set capable of holding 30-round clips was issued. These pouches fit both Thompson and M3 "grease gun" clips.
M1937 BAR Belt: The web set issued to BAR gunners had 6 pockets, each holding 2 20-round BAR clips (for a total of 12 clips).
BAR Assistant Gunner Belt: This web belt, used by the assistant gunner in a rifle squad, had 4 BAR pouches (8 clips total) and 4 standard rifle ammo pouches (8 5-round charger clips or 4 M1 Garand stripper clips).
M1 Carbine Ammo Pouches: Attached to the M1912/36 pistol belt, each M1 Carbine ammo pouch had 2 slots, each holding a single clip (i.e. 2 clips per "pouch", which was technically 2 pouches sewn together). With slight modification, one of these could be attached to the stock of the carbine.
Rifle Bandoleer: This disposable bandoleer had 6 pockets, capable of holding 60 loose rounds (or 12 5-round charger clips), or 6 M1 stripper clips.
BAR Bandoleer: This disposable bandoleer has 3 pockets, each capable of holding 2 20-round magazines (6 clips total). The ammo bearer assisting the BAR gunner in a rifle squad wore two of these in addition to a standard cartridge belt.
Shotgun Ammo Pouch This pouch attaches to the M1912 pistol belt with steel claws, as with most of the other ammo pouches, and holds 24 shotgun shells.
Thompson Drum Bag: These haversack-style bags could carry a single Thompson SMG ammo drum.
Haversack Pouch for Thompson Clips: A narrow haversack-style pouch for 30-round SMG clips was available in the European Theatre of Operation.
Canvas Haversack Ammo Bag: In 1943 a canvas haversack was issued, capable of holding a single ammo can (250 round capacity) or several grenades.Backpack (WW pg.66)
The original US army backpack, the M1928, was widely disliked by the GIs. It came in two sections, and had to be unrolled to open (i.e. it could not be opened while worn). In 1943 the M1943 Jungle Backpack was produced, although it wasn't any better than the M1928. The M1944/45 series fixed the complaints about the original backpack, although it was introduced too late to see widespread use.Half-Shelter
Basically, a canvas square that can be attached to a wall or other vertical surface to create a "half tent", or combined with another half-shelter to create a small free-standing tent. Bedrolls were normally wrapped in the GI's half-shelter to keep the blankets dry and (relatively) clean.
(Yeah, this should technically go in the "New" section, below, but I felt it was more appropriate to put it here. So sue me.)AN-M8 (WW pg.81)
What is it, you ask? The AN-M8 is the American-issue smoke grenade. There's also the M18 colored smoke grenade, coming in the colors red, green, yellow and violet.Boys Antitank Rifle (AK pg.47)
The Boys rifle uses a bolt action, and is fed by a top-loading 5-round detachable box magazine.
Revised Class Starting Equipment
The following equipment lists are more realistic representations of what equipment fresh GIs were issued. Obviously, this changed dramatically once they'd been in combat for some time, as the reality of combat and equipment necessity vs. encumbrance set in. For most starting characters, using these loadouts is appropriate. If the character background involves previous fighting (such as if characters are started at 3rd level of experience), use these as a starting point but let the players load their characters down as they wish.
Grunt (Infantry) armed with M1 Garand rifle
Helmet, gas mask in watertight rubberized bag, mess kit, canteen, personal aid kit, entrenching tool, bayonet, uniform & spare uniform, 4 pairs of socks, bedroll, rain poncho or overcoat depending on season, backpack, half-shelter, M1910/23/26 cartridge belt, M1 Garand rifle, 10 8-round stripper clips, 2 frag grenades.Grunt (Infantry) armed with M1903(A3, A4) rifle
Helmet, gas mask in watertight rubberized bag, mess kit, canteen, personal aid kit, entrenching tool, bayonet, uniform & spare uniform, 4 pairs of socks, bedroll, rain poncho or overcoat depending on season, backpack, half-shelter, M1910/23/26 cartridge belt, M1903(A3/A4) rifle, 20 5-round charger clips, 2 frag grenades.Grunt (Infantry) armed with M1 Carbine (1943 and later)
Helmet, gas mask in watertight rubberized bag, mess kit, canteen, personal aid kit entrenching tool, bayonet, uniform & spare uniform, 4 pairs of socks, bedroll, rain poncho or overcoat depending on season, backpack, half-shelter, M1912/36 pistol belt, 3 M1 Carbine Ammo Pouches, M1 Carbine, 6 15-round M1 Carbine clips, 2 frag grenades.Grunt (Infantry) armed with BAR
Helmet, gas mask in watertight rubberized bag, mess kit, canteen, personal aid kit, entrenching tool, bayonet, uniform & spare uniform, 4 pairs of socks, bedroll, rain poncho or overcoat depending on season, backpack, half-shelter, M1937 BAR belt, BAR rifle, 12 20-round clips, 2 frag grenades.Grunt (Any) with the Rank proficiency
In addition to their standard equipment, Sergeants carry a M1911A1 pistol and 2 ammo pouches, each holding 2 7-round clips. If they wish (and the WM allows it), they may exchange their rifle, cartridge belt and ammunition for a M1 Thompson SMG, M1912/36 pistol belt, 5-pocket SMG ammo pouch set, and 5 20- or 30-round clips. Later in the war the 5-pocket pouch set can be replaced by a 3-pocket set for the 30-round clips.Officer (Infantry)
In addition to their standard equipment (same as the Grunt class, above), officers carry a M1911A1 pistol and 2 ammo pouches, each holding 2 7-round clips, binoculars, a map case, and appropriate maps and documents based on their current mission. Officers may exchange their rifle or pistol (or both) and corresponding web belt, ammo and ammo pouches for a M1 Thomspon SMG, M1912/36 pistol belt (if needed), 5-pocket SMG ammo pouch set, and 5 20- or 30-round clips. Later in the war the 5-pocket pouch set can be replaced by a 3-pocket set for the 30-round clips.Grunt or Officer (Air Crew)
Flight suit, bomber jacket, warm boots, survival kit, personal aid kit, gas mask in watertight rubberized bag, and sidearm or SMG with appropriate web belt, ammo pouches and ammunition.Grunt or Officer (Airborne)
Standard equipment. Some carry an SMG with appropriate web belt, ammo pouches and ammunition (as officers).Grunt (Artillery, or Infantry if no Artillery specialist is available)
Standard equipment plus a radio telephone unit.Grunt or Officer (Combat Engineer)
Standard equipment plus, if a the demolitions specialist or on a demolitions mission, a squad demolitions kit (composed of various items including a demolitions bag for tools, wire reel of demolitions wire, a "Hell Box" with 10 blasting caps, 1/2 pound (1 charge) TNT block, 1 pound (2 charge) TNT block, plastic explosives block, friction tape, fuse, M2 fuse igniters and blasting cap primers), or other mission-critical demolitions equipment, as appropriate. Usually 1 or more member of a Combat Engineer squad will replace their rifle with a flamethrower, while another member carries a jerry can (or equivalent container) of extra fuel for the flamethrower.
If on a mine clearing mission, one or more members will be equipped with mine detectors.
Of course, when performing non-combat engineering duties such as bridge building, fortification construction, etc., the appropriate tools are provided.Grunt or Officer (Mechanic)
Standard equipment plus a vehicle toolkit. If assigned to a vehicle as crew, an SMG with appropriate web belt, ammo pouches and ammunition (as officers).Grunt or Officer (Tanker)
Helmet, gas mask in watertight rubberized bag, mess kit, canteen, personal aid kit, entrenching tool, uniform & spare uniform, 4 pairs of socks, bedroll, rain poncho or overcoat depending on season, backpack, half-shelter, M1912/36 pistol belt, M1 Thomspon SMG or M3 "grease gun" (1943 or later), M1912/36 pistol belt, 5-pocket SMG ammo pouch set, and 5 20- or 30-round clips. Later in the war the 5-pocket pouch set can be replaced by a 3-pocket set for the 30-round clips.Army Medic
Helmet with red cross, armband with red cross, medic's kit, gas mask in watertight rubberized bag, mess kit, canteen entrenching tool, uniform & spare uniform, 4 pairs of socks, bedroll, rain poncho or overcoat depending on season, backpack, half-shelter, M1912/36 pistol belt.Resistance Fighter
Characters should be given choice to choose equipment they carry (approved by the WM, of course), including explosives if they are skilled in Demolitions. Weapon-wise, many French military weapons or captured German weapons were used along with Allied weapons - the WM should work with the player to determine the characters weapon(s), appropriate to the character background. Ammo should be limited to 60 rounds, tops (3d20).
New Allied Weapons and Equipment
American M15 White Phosphorous (WP) Grenade ("Wily-Peter")
A gray steel cylindrical canister with a single yellow stripe and yellow markings, and had a rounded bottom to make it distinguishable from smoke grenades by ffeel. This grenade was used for starting fires, smoke, marking targets, and suppressing bunkers. It burns at an extremely high temperature, making it's smoke rise quickly (only provides smoke cover to the immediate area where the fire is, and ends when the fire stops burning). Note that it is damn near impossible to throw the grenade farther than it's burst radius, making cover very necessary for friendly units in the area (including the thrower).
When the M15 WP grenade explodes, it causes fire damage to all targets within its primary burst radius. The weapon causes no damage beyond that distance. Those affected may make Reflex saves (DC15) to take only half damage.
Anyone taking damage from a WP grenade is set on fire. This has the same effects as described for flamethrowers (WW pg.91). Likewise, WP grenades used gainst vehicles ignore the vehicle's armor and have the same chance of setting it alight as a flamethrower.
WP grenades burn for 2d6 rounds, unless extinguished (this is not an easy task, as particles will re-ignite easily), filling the area with smoke for the same duration.
Damage: 4d10, PV: Special, Primary Burst: 20, Range Inc: 15, Weight: 2 lbs, Type: Fire.British No. 74 ST "Sticky Bomb"
The No. 74 grenade, the real "sticky bomb", was disliked by everyone who ever used it, and so was not produced for the military. However, there's no reason the OSI, resistance fighters, and/or Special Forces troops would not be equipped with it for special missions.
The "sticky bomb" was composed of a handle attached to a round ball covered with an extremely potent adhesive. Inside the ball was a glass (later, light plastic) globe of nitroglycerin explosives, which was meant to be broken open by impact, spilling the explosive out into the interior of the ball. In use this was a bad idea, as handling could cause the globe to crack an leak prior to use, making the weapon prone to exploding from jolts or impact (WM decision as to the odds of this happening - perhaps a 1-in-20 chance whenever it is jolted, by a nearby explosion, for instance).
Before use, the grenade had to be prepped by removing a release pin, which would open the protective case covering the adhesive ball (treat this as a move-equivalent action). Next, a safety pin on the weapon itself is pulled, arming it (a lever on the handle is held down while this is done; the detonator timer does not begin until the lever is released), and the weapon is either thrown or smashed onto the side of an enemy tank, bunker, etc. If thrown, use the standard grenade rules to determine if it hits or deviates. If used manually, only a touch attack is required to attach it to the target. Due to the extreme stickiness of the grenade, however, there is always the chance of getting it stuck to oneself in the process; the hero must make a Reflex save (DC7) in order to safely use the weapon; failure indicates getting it stuck to their pants or other article of clothing, requiring either a Reflex save (DC20) or Strength check (DC20) to remove their clothing or pull the grenade off (respectively) before the weapon explodes. Note that the adhesive will not stick to mud or wet surfaces.
If the attack roll to use the weapon hits, but not by 5 or more above the DC, then either the globe was not broken or the weapon was not attached to the target strongly enough, resulting in a weakened explosion (either does half normal damage and a PV of 0, or normal damage and a PV of 10; 50% chance of either).
Damage: 6d6, PV: 50 (or 0, 10), Primary Burst: 4, Range Inc: 10, Weight: 2.25 lbs, Type: Fire.American M20 Recoilless Rifle
The M20 Recoilless Rifle fires a 75mm HEAT round, with the rounds propellant gas being partially expelled out the back of the weapon, negating the recoil caused when the round is fired. This solved the problem of requiring a heavy tripod to keep the weapon in place, making it more easily transported and deployed by a small team of men. The weapon uses a standard .30 cal machinegun tripod mount.
Test versions of the M20 were produced in 1944 (and may be available for OSI or other Special Forces use after then), but full-scale production and deployment was not begun until March of 1945.
Damage: 7d8/5d8, PV: 70, Burst: 4, Critical: x2, Range Inc: 200y, Action: Breach, Type: Piercing/Fire, Weight: 114.5 lbs., plus tripod (30 lbs.)M97/M1912 Shotgun:
These 12-gauge "riot" shotguns, also known as "trench guns", were available in very limited numbers; MPs guarding prisoners were the only individuals normally assigned them. Despite this, they were definitely used in limited numbers in the Pacific, and likely saw action elsewhere as veteran GIs began carrying unusual equipment loads.
Although the tubular magazine under the barrel only carries 5 shells, it is possible to load a 6th by cocking the weapon then re-loading a 6th shell into the tube.
The M97 and M1912 use the shotgun rules listed in the Weird Wars book (WW pg.89). Finally, if there are any rules regarding the operation of it's action, consider the "pump" action to be "bolt".
Damage: 1-4d6, PV: -10, Critical: 19-20/x2, Range Inc: 30, Ammo: 5M, Type: 12 gauge, Action: Pump, Weight: 8 lbs, Damage Type: Piercing
.30 Caliber AP and Tracer Rounds
.30 cal ammo came in the standard ball round, black-tipped armor piercing rounds, and red-tipped tracer rounds.
For AP rounds, the PV is 0 instead of -5.
Tracer rounds allow the gunner to "walk" his fire onto targets. Normally 1 out of 4 or so rounds will be a tracer. For game purposes no rules changes are necessary - it is standard practice to use tracers as an aiming mechanism for machineguns rather than a sight, so the usual rules should apply. Tracer rounds can also be used in rifles if standard ammunition isn't available, although there is no other reason to do so as their only real effect would be to help the enemy locate the firer's position.
New Axis Weapons and Equipment
Panzerbüchse 39 (PzB 39) Anti-Tank Rifle
The PzB 39 rifle fired a 7.92mm round out of a necked-down 13mm shell casing, resulting in a bullet that traveled almost 4000 feet per second. It loads a single round, reloaded by swinging the handle down, which opens the breach. Although only a single-shot weapon, a steel box containing 10 rounds could be attached to each side of the gun, speeding up reloading of the weapon (if ammo is present in these quick-load boxes, a standard action is needed to reload the rifle. Otherwise, it requires a full-round action to reload).
The weapon was produced in great numbers from 1939 to 1940, but it's lack of penetration power made it rarely used once the war got into full swing. In the African theatre, however, it was the main anti-tank weapon used by the Afrika Corps.
A thousand or so units of the PzB 38, the 39's precursor, were also produced; they were more complicated than the 39, using a semi-automatic ejection mechanism in addition to the swing-handle loading, but other than requiring only a standard action to reload (they did not have quick-access ammo boxes, but the loading process itself was slightly quicker) are effectively the same as the 39.
As an interesting note, the bullets were steel cored and contained a small (.4 gram) pellet of tear gas inside their tip. In use the tear gas was totally ineffective, normally being burnt up when the round hit (although it was too small an amount to be effective even if it wasn't destroyed) ,and was not even discovered to be in the round until a bullet was tested by Allied scientists.
Damage: 2d8, PV: 30, Burst: 0, Critical: x2, Range Inc: 100y, Action: Breach, Type: 7.92mm PmK, Type: Piercing, Weight: 28 lbs.Vampir Infra-Red (IR) Sight System
Late in the war the Germans began fielding an infra-red scope system, mounted on MP44 Sturmgewehr assault rifles or vehicle-mounted weapons (commonly those on a half-track). The system came in two pieces - a 5-pound scope, and a 30-pound IR spotlight. When mounted on a rifle it was extremely cumbersome (giving a -6 circumstance modifier to attack rolls made when the weapon is fired on automatic and not braced, instead of the usual -4 modifier), so the IR light would often be left off, instead mounted on a half-track or other vehicle and used to "light up" the entire area for all members equipped with the weapon scope.
In game terms, the Vampir scope grants the firer modifiers for night fighting as if they had Low Light Vision. This only applies to aimed shots (full-round actions) taken on targets illuminated by the IR spotlight (if the spotlight is mounted on the rifle this isn't a big deal, but if it is instead vehicle mounted the WM needs to determine if the spotlight is illuminating the target or not).
Being an advanced "super weapon", the Vampir system was commonly used by specially trained SS units, and the monstrosities that that entails in the Weird Wars universe. Test units may be seen as early as 1944, although it was only available even in extremely limited numbers after D-Day, when the German military could only safely move at night. The spotlight along with a scope were also attached to the turrets of Panthers and to pintle mounts on half-tracks, and were seen in service (still in very limited numbers) even earlier.Nebelhandgranate 39
The smoke-dispensing version of the M24 Stielhandgranate. Looks the same, uses the same arming mechanism, just doesn't kill unless someone has severe asthma.
Damage: NA, PV: NA, Primary Burst: 10, Range Inc: 10, Weight: 2 lbs, Type: Smoke.ZF41 2.5x Scope and ZF42 5x Scope
These telescopic scopes were attached to the Kar 98k to turn it into a sniper rifle, or any of the other later rifles for similar purposes. They use the rules for telescopic sites (WW pg.89); consider the ZF41 to have a magnification of 3 for purposes of to-hit modifiers.7.92mm AP and Tracer Rounds
7.92mm ammo is available in both armor piercing and tracer round forms, as well as the standard ball round.
For AP rounds, the PV is 0 instead of -5.
Tracer rounds allow the gunner to "walk" his fire onto targets. Normally 1 out of 4 or so rounds will be a tracer. For game purposes no rules changes are necessary - it is standard practice to use tracers as an aiming mechanism for machineguns rather than a sight, so the usual rules should apply. Tracer rounds can also be used in rifles if standard ammunition isn't available, although there is no other reason to do so as their only real effect would be to help the enemy locate the firer's position.
French Weapons
The French were ill-equipped for WWII, caught
in the middle of upgrading their military to newer technology and tactics when
the German invasion occurred. The standard French rifle round of WWI, the 8mm
Lebel, had a rimmed shell casing, causing feeding problems for automatic
weapons. The new French round, measuring in at 7.5mm, was scheduled to replace
the 8mm Lebel entirely, but the transition was far from complete when France
fell. At that time, French infantry were forced to carry both rounds, the 8mm
Label still being used by most rifles while the French standard LMG used the
newer 7.5mm round.
French military weapons are obvious choices for Resistance
Fighters in France or French colonies such as Morocco. The Germans also used
captured French weapons, especially for defense of France following the Normandy
invasion.
Pistols
Modèle D'Ordonnance 1892:
This circa-WWI revolver, still in use by officers and vehicle crews at the onset of WWII, fires a shortened version of the 8mm Lebel round.
Damage: 2d6, PV: -10, Critical: 19-20/x2, Range Inc: 30, Ammo: 6C, Type: 8mm Lebel Revolver, Action: Revolver, Weight: 2 lbs, Damage Type: PiercingMAS Modèle 1935S:
A semi-automatic pistol with an 8-round clip. It fires the underpowered 7.65mm Longue ("long") round, known for it's lack of stopping power.
Damage: 2d6-1, PV: -10, Critical: 19-20/x2, Range Inc: 20, Ammo: 8D, Type: 7.65mm Longue, Action: Semi-Auto, Weight: 1.75 lbs, Damage Type: PiercingRifles
Berthier Modèle 07/15:
This common French rifle was in use since WWI. It fires the 8mm Lebel round, with it's 3-round internal magazine loaded by charger clips. Although largely replaced by the M16 version, some were still in use in French colonies and by reserve troops.
Damage: 2d8, PV: -5, Critical: 19-20/x2, Range Inc: 120, Ammo: 3S, Type: 8mm Lebel, Action: Bolt, Weight: 8 lbs, Damage Type: PiercingBerthier Modèle 07/15 M16:
This weapon is identical to the Berthier 07/15, except that it has a 5-round internal magazine loaded by 6-round charger clips (allowing an empty weapon to have it's internal magazine fully loaded, with an additional round chambered to fire).
Damage: 2d8, PV: -5, Critical: 19-20/x2, Range Inc: 120, Ammo: 5S, Type: 8mm Lebel, Action: Bolt, Weight: 8.5 lbs, Damage Type: PiercingBerthier Carbine:
A shortened carbine version of the 07/15 M16. Versions with a 3-round internal magazine can also be found.
Damage: 2d8, PV: -5, Critical: 19-20/x2, Range Inc: 90, Ammo: 5S, Type: 8mm Lebel, Action: Bolt, Weight: 7 lbs, Damage Type: PiercingLebel 86M93:
This rifle predates the Berthier line, using an 8-round tube magazine instead of the later box-style magazines. It was kept in service to fire VB Rifle Grenades, as the Berthier 07/15 rifles were not strong enough for sustained grenade firing.
Damage: 2d8, PV: -5, Critical: 19-20/x2, Range Inc: 120, Ammo: 8M, Type: 8mm Lebel, Action: Bolt, Weight: 9.5 lbs, Damage Type: PiercingMAS 36:
This rifle, firing the 7.5mm round, was scehduled to replace the older Berthier rifles. By 1940 only 250,000 had been made and many had still not been distributed, resulting in few numbers appearing in combat. The MAS 36 could be loaded with 5-round charger clips, and could fire the VB rifle grenade without sustaining damage.
Damage: 2d8, PV: -5, Critical: 19-20/x2, Range Inc: 120, Ammo: 5S, Type: 7.5mm, Action: Bolt, Weight: 8 lbs, Damage Type: PiercingSubmachineguns
MAS 38:
The MAS 38 is strange looking weapon, its barrel angled down slightly from the rest of the body due to the design of its recoil mechanism. It was quite accurate and soundly designed, although the 7.65mm Longue round made it quite ineffective.
Production of the MAS 38 began in 1939, with the first batch being delivered to the National Guard rather than the army. The Germans took control of the production plant right before production for the army began, resulting in many of them showing up in the hands of Wermacht and Vichy French forces. The German designation for the gun was the "7.65mm MP722(f)".
Damage: 2d6-1, PV: -10, Critical: 19-20/x2, Range Inc: 20, Ammo: 32D, Type: 7.65mm Longue, Action: Auto, Weight: 6.5 lbs, Damage Type: PiercingMachineguns
Chatellerault M24/29:
The M24/29 design is based on the BAR, the major difference being a top-mounted detachable magazine. It fills the role of the squad support LMG, with one being carried in each infantry squad. As this was often the only 7.5mm weapon used by infantry, several individuals were normally designated to carry extra ammunition in addition to their usual loadout.
Damage: 2d8, PV: -5, Critical: 19-20/x2, Range Inc: 120, Ammo: 25D, Type: 7.5mm, Action: Auto, Weight: 21.5 lbs, Damage Type: PiercingHotchkiss Modèle 1914:
The standard general purpose machinegun of the French Army. It is usually mounted on a tripod (weight is included below) or on a vehicle (in which case subtract 60 lbs), and fed either by belted ammo or by a stripper-like clip.
Damage: 2d8, PV: -5, Critical: 19-20/x2, Range Inc: 120, Ammo: 30S or 250B, Type: 8mm Lebel, Action: Auto, Weight: 115.5 lbs, Damage Type: PiercingHotchkiss Modèle 1922/26:
A later version of the M1914, chambered in various different calibers and designed for different uses. The stats listed here are for a 13.2mm AA gun or heavy machinegun. The weapon is fed by metal strip clips. (Note: I couldn't find a lot of info on this weapon, so some guessing was done on my part to fill in the holes)
Damage: 2d8+2, PV: 0, Critical: 19-20/x3, Range Inc: 160, Ammo: 25/30S, Type: 13.2mm, Action: Auto, Weight: 81.5 lbs, Damage Type: PiercingHotchkiss Modèle 1931:
The Hotchkiss M31 is a version of the Chatellerault M24/29 used on tanks as the secondary armament. Ammunition is fed from a 150-round detachable drum. (Note: The only time I found any info on this gun was in relation to tanks; I haven't been able to determine if it was used in a man-portable role or not.)
Damage: 2d8, PV: -5, Critical: 19-20/x2, Range Inc: 120, Ammo: 150D, Type: 7.5mm, Action: Auto, Weight: ? (not really applicable in the case of tank mounted guns), Damage Type: PiercingAntitank Weapons
(Note: Finding good info on antitank guns proved difficult, so the following information contains some guesswork.)25mm SA-L mle 34:
This is a 25mm cannon mounted on a light gun carriage. Although powerful for it's size, it was still ineffective against German armor. It has a crew of 4. The gun was most often towed by a Chenillette UE Supply Carrier. (AP40)
Damage: AP 4d10, HE 4d8/3d6, PV: AP 30/4, HE 3/1, Burst: AP 0, HE 2, Critical: x2, Range Inc: 200y, Action: Breach, Type: 25mm, Type: Piercing, Weight: 685 lbs.47mm SA mle 37 APX:
Designed to counter heavier armor, this weapon proved somewhat effective against early German armor, although there were too few of them to stop the Wermacht from overrunning France. The 47mm SA47 fires a high velocity, armor piercing round. Crew of 4. (AP40)
Damage: 6d10, PV: 60/3, Burst: 0, Critical: x2, Range Inc: 200y, Action: Breach, Type: 47mm, Type: Piercing, Weight: a lot.75mm SA mle 97/35:
Known as the "75" in WWI, this is the original 75mm field gun that became the basis for many American (and other countries) later heavy guns. It is used in various roles, from anti-tank to howitzer to anti-aircraft. It has a crew of 7. (HE15/AP30)
Damage: AP 8d10, HE 7d8/5d8, PV: AP 50/4, HE 15/1, Burst: AP 0, HE 6, Critical: x2, Range Inc: 200y, Action: Breach, Type: 75mm, Type: Piercing, Weight: a lot.Grenades & Explosives
F1 Offensive Grenade:
A standard fragmentation grenade with a common finger-style arming lever.
Damage: 6d6, PV: 0, Primary Burst: 4, Range Inc: 15, Weight: 2 lbs, Type: Piercing/Fire.VB Rifle Grenade:
The VB rifle grenade was used by the French since WWI. It is fired from a MAS 36 or 86M93 rifle with standard ammunition from a cup attached to the barrel. Each French squad usually had a member armed with an 86M93 rifle and 8 VB grenades.
Damage: 4d6, PV: 0, Primary Burst: 5, Range Inc: 30, Weight: 2 lbs, Type: Piercing/ Fire.Support Weapons
The French used 60mm and 81mm mortars, as well as the 75mm mle 97 field gun in a howitzer role. I don't see any point in rehashing stats for the mortars (use the American M1 and M2 mortar stats), and the 75mm howitzer has the same stats as the SA mle 97/35 antitank gun, above.Antiaircraft Weapons
Most machineguns were used in the antiaircraft role, as well as 75mm cannons. Use the stats listed above for these weapons. In addition, the French had the original 25mm AA gun that the Japanese used as a model for their's:25mm CA mle 38:
This is a 25mm automatic cannon mounted on a light, 2-wheeled towed carriage that set up with 3 legs. It was only produced in limited numbers before the German's invaded (around 1000) and was not nearly powerful enough to penetrate tank armor, although it did account for many armored (recon) car kills. Following the armistice many of the guns were turned over to German use, and were even involved in the D-Day landings. The gun was most often towed by a Chenillette UE Supply Carrier or truck, although it often suffered damage from towing and so was just as likely to be carried/mounted on the bed of a truck.
The Model 39 was a much heavier gun designed for static mounts, but otherwise identical to the 38.
Ammunition is provided by 15-round box magazines loaded through the top of the weapon. When deployed, the weapon has a complete 360-degree traverse, and can angle from -5 to 80 degrees. Although it does not have a gun shield, the weapon itself provides some cover to the gunner (1/2 cover).
The gun has a crew of 4. (AP30/HE60 - if you actually pay attention to these goofy numbers, which are more than likely much greater than that)
Damage: AP 4d10, HE 4d8/3d6, PV: AP 15/3, HE 3/1, Burst: AP 0, HE 2, Critical: x2, Range Inc: 200y, Action: Auto, Type: 25mm, Type: Piercing, Weight: 2,721 lbs, 1,874 lbs. when deployed.
Back to the Weird War II Main Page
Weird Wars, Weird War II, and all related trademarks are Copyright 2001, Pinnacle Entertainment Group, Inc. Dungeons & Dragons and all related trademarks are Copyright 2001, Wizards of the Coast, Inc. Other stuff is Copyright 2002, Biznatch Enterprises. See the Open Game License page for further information.