Stat Requirements     Many ranged weapons have a STR stat requirement to wield the weapon with one and two hands. Characters who do not meet these requirements may hold the weapons, but cannot use them to attack. As detailed in Ranged Attacks, conventional weapons are all meant to be wielded two-handed, but can be used one-handed at the cost of offense roll Hindrance.

    Some weapons also have a Nimble STR requirement. If you meet this requirement, there are benefits related to full-auto and Rapid Fire Attacks. In any weapons list, values in parentheses indicate the Nimble requirement or any modified values for use if you meet the Nimble requirement.

    Rapid Fire Difficulty (RFD) is related to the rules for Rapid Fire Attack (Marksmanship), and is not relevant to characters without that Ability.

    Unless otherwise stated, any action to reload a ranged weapon requires both hands (one to keep holding the weapon, the other to perform the reload).

Competency Categories    Ranged weapons can have competency categories of Bow, Crossbow, Firearm, Energy, Rocket Launcher, Grenade Launcher, Sling, or Thrown. Most weapons used with the Thrown category are instead found in Melee Weapons. In order to wield the weapon competently, you must have a corresponding competency from Ranged Competency (Marksmanship).Bows     Bows date back to the time of the Antecessors. Simple and surprisingly effective, they remained in widespread use even during Alacrian times due to their ability to ignore normal kinetic shields, without the slow fire rate of crossbows or the expense of railguns.

    Bows always require 2 hands to use. They use the Bow ranged competency.Draw Weight     All bows list a certain draw weight, which refers to how much STR is required to draw the bow. Each unit of draw weight raises the STR requirement by 1, and increases the damage, drive, range, and price of the bow. Bows are listed with a minimum draw weight, and give the effects of every draw weight increase beyond this minimum.

    Draw weight is referred to separately from STR because it is an integral part of the bow. Raising your STR above the requirement of the bow's draw weight has no effect; you need a higher-weight bow. You can attempt to fire a bow with 1 less STR than it requires, but all such ranged attacks will be incompetent.

    For reasons of physics, making bows extremely large is only effective to a point. Every draw weight unit above 20 counts as only half a unit.

Crossbows     Compared to conventional bows, crossbows require less strength from a character to achieve the same power and range, but cannot fire as quickly. Unlike bows, the important stats of a crossbow are determined less by the particulars of its construction, and more by the method used to reload or "span" the weapon.

    Like bow arrows, crossbow bolts ignore normal kinetic shields; kinetic shield adapters or draconic kinetic shields are required for blocking them. Unlike bows, they can be fired one-handed, and have no WGT restrictions whether on foot or mounted. Crossbows use the Crossbow competency category.STR Requirement     All crossbows list a certain two-handed STR requirement, which is derived from their weight and length. One-handed STR requirements are typically 3 times the two-handed requirement. Increasing the STR requirement (and therefore the size) raises the damage, drive, range, and price of the bow. Crossbows are listed with a minimum STR, and give the effects of every STR increase beyond this minimum.

    Raising your STR above the requirement of the crossbow has no effect on it; you need a higher-STR crossbow.

    For reasons of physics, making crossbows extremely large is only effective to a point. Every STR unit above 15 counts as only half a unit.

Arrows & Bolts     Bow arrows and crossbow bolts are similar in construction (though not interchangeable), therefore both have similar effects. All arrows and bolts weigh 1/10 of a pound, and take up 1/20 of a carry slot.

    For all bows and crossbows described above, the drive values given are for steel arrows/bolts. More expensive materials provide a bonus to drive, while stone "economy ammo" is inferior. Given that most bows and crossbows have relatively poor anti-armor performance and need every edge they can get, it is common for Lur-Asko archers to spent more an ammunition than on their actual weapon.

Slings     A simple strip with a pouch in the center, the primitive sling may even predate the use of bows by the Antecessors. It remains remarkably widespread in Lur-Asko. Slings are especially beloved by commoners, who often cannot afford more complex ranged weapons and ammunition. Even adventurers have been known to keep one on hand, as they are light and inexpensive.

    Slings use the Slings ranged competency. Their damage, drive, and range vary with the STR of the user; there are no different sizes or styles of slings (at least not enough to make a measurable difference in the rules). Retrieving the ammunition is included in the attack action, and does not require an inventory action. Slings require both hands to use. Like bows, their projectiles are not blocked by normal kinetic shields. Their RFD is always 8.

Energy Weapons     Energy weapons are preferred by many adventurers due to their ability to penetrate kinetic shields and most armor. Some avoid them due to their high cost of use, not to mention the bright flashes of light that give away one’s position. All energy weapons are powered by volatite crystals, a power source used in Alacrian technology. These crystals cost 30 coins apiece, weigh 1 pound, and have 0 carry slots. Each contains energy measured in generic charge units. One volatite crystal contains 20 charge, and every shot with an energy weapon consumes a certain amount of charge. Reloading a new crystal into an energy weapon is a major action. Retrieving the new crystal is included in the reloading action, and does not require an inventory action. Storing the old crystal does require an inventory action, though it can be simply dropped instead.

    The first energy weapons were Alacrian devices called Exuro ("burn, consume"). They are easily recognized on the battlefield by their bizarre shape, loud buzzing sound, and bright purple particle blasts. In the Age of Adventure, the elves created the more affordable arc staff derived from the Exuros, which emits lightning instead. Arc staffs are referred to in Hal'Tayat as kazurkhah, which is thought to be an onomatopoeia derived from their firing sound. kazurkhah'zurkh refers to the larger KAz-series staffs. The later 80-series staffs incorporate a compact folding design and expensive technology, borrowing heavily from Exuro designs.

    Energy weapons use the Energy ranged competency.

Firearms     Firearms are ranged weapons that propel their projectiles with the expanding gas of a combustible or small explosive. They tend to have excellent damage, drive, and rate of fire, but are blocked by all kinetic shields. This has not made them useless, however, since today's adventurers can often face suitable targets such as animals or poorly-equipped bandits. Against better-prepared foes, firearms enthusiasts must find another weapon, or resort to the alternate ammunition types found in Marksmanship Devices.

    After the Fall, the humans in Wynthia pioneered the invention of black-powder firearms - simple weapons that used burning gunpowder to propel lead bullets. These weapons came to Lur-Asko with the Manusian expedition. Meanwhile, in a case of parallel evolution, the orcs of Skreti had also developed firearms to deal with the Adlet threat. Using captured elven resonators from the Imperial Wars, the orcs produced volatite in very small sizes, which they attached behind steel-coated lead projectiles. Orcish firearms were much more expensive than human ones, as they had to be be stronger to withstand the small volatite explosions that propelled their bullets. Though rarer, orcish firearms were usually deadlier than their human equivalents.

    In the Age of Adventure, the economy has played interesting tricks with the firearms trade. Closer to Hal’Tayat and its kinetic shield industry, Manusia’s use of firearms has declined sharply in recent years. Meanwhile, the cheaper human firearms have found widespread use amongst the already gun-savvy orcs, ironically making Skreti the leading producer of both orcish and human firearms.

    Each firearm has a different ammo capacity; once the ammo is exhausted (or before, if desired), it must be reloaded as a major action. Reload type may be full, partial, or magazine. Full indicates a weapon that can be fully reloaded as one major action, while partial can reload only up to the indicated number of rounds per major action. Magazine indicates that the ammo is kept in separate magazines, which can be switched as one major action. Magazines have infra cost, and it is not necessary to track the number or weight of magazines you have; only that your ammo is in these separate containers. For example, you might write 30-30-30-30 on your character sheet to indicate that you have four 30-round magazines, and this might look like 10-24-30-30 after some shooting and reloading. Ammo can moved between magazines outside of combat.

    No type of reloading requires inventory actions; retrieving the new ammo is included in the reloading action. The exception is if you are retaining an old magazine instead of dropping it, in which case an inventory action will be required to put it away. If modified ammo is mixed in with normal ammo (or multiple types of modified ammo are mixed) in a magazine, or in any firearm with a capacity greater than 2, you must track in what order they are loaded; the weapon must fire them in that order. All firearms may be unloaded without firing, using whatever action rules they follow for reloading.

    If a character meets the Nimble STR requirements, they may use the better Rapid Fire Difficulty and full-auto damage listed in parentheses.

Railguns     In their Golden Age, the Alacris invented projectile weapons that used electromagnetic rails to fire dart-like projectiles at extreme velocities. Also designated magnetbows, railguns were the primary weapons of the Alacrian military until they were rendered obsolete by the invention of kinetic shields. They were often replaced by Exuro particle weapons, but these met with their own difficulties in the latter years of the Draconic Wars, when various forms of energy shielding proliferated. Railguns then met a limited revival; though targets without kinetic shielding were rare, the new models could also fire heavier, slower projectiles more akin to crossbow bolts. Today, any "magnetbowman" able to acquire one of these ancient weapons enjoys a low-velocity weapon more powerful than an insendite crossbow, while simultaneously having a high-velocity option arguably superior to even orcish firearms.

    For the purposes of interacting with kinetic shield rules, railguns function as firearms when firing high-velocity darts, and as crossbows when firing low-velocity bolts. Onboard computers automatically calibrate the weapon to whichever ammo type is loaded, avoiding catastrophic user error. They follow reloading rules identical to firearms with magazines, and use the Firearms ranged competency. Bolts and darts cannot be mixed in the same magazine, though modified ammo may be mixed with normal ammo of the same size, just as with firearms.

    Though generally superior to other projectile weapons, railguns suffer one drawback in comparison to orcish firearms: whenever a railgun fires more than five rounds in one attack (whether via full-auto or a Rapid Fire Attack), it cannot be fired on your next turn. The weapon must dissipate heat and recharge its capacitors. This process is automatic, and requires no action during the turn the railgun is recovering. Marksmanship Devices can mitigate this disadvantage, as well as provide the railgun with alternative ammo (some of which are most useful during full-auto, just as with firearms). Some marksman still prefer orcish firearms when full-auto fire is a priority, especially since railguns can be ungainly at short range due to their long rails.

ExplosivesGrenades & Satchels     Explosives are even older than firearms. Grenades were the first wartime use of gunpowder, and low-quality volatite was quickly utilized as an even more effective explosive.

    All grenades detonate either on impact, or after a delay which is short enough to occur within the resolution of their attack (that is, not lasting until a later turn or round). Satchels are based on larger gunpowder charges or volatite crystals. They can be set to detonate on impact, but this is rarely used as they are heavier and more difficult to throw. Instead, satchels are produced with remote detonators. These detonators are adamant devices based on Alacrian technology, and will detonate their satchel at a range of up to a mile. Detonators have negligible weight and slots, and are included in the price of the satchel; if lost, replacements can be obtained in cities for 10 coins. Shops which offer detonators can also key them to a certain satchel, or they can be re-keyed with Repurposed Ordnance (Technology). Activating a detonator is a major action, which requires it to be in your hand.

    Grenades and satchels that are set to detonate on impact will also detonate upon taking any amount of damage, even if the amount would not normally disable them. Normally, this is not relevant, as such explosives are only set for impact detonation in the process of being thrown; however, they can be set earlier. This might be done when preparing them to be flung via pseudogravity, or even for the purpose of detonating them via Damaging Objects rules (for example, if a detonator has been lost).

Bombs     Explosives are usually called bombs if they are large enough to make them impractical for tactical use on foot. Such weapons are produced for aircraft and only detonate when properly dropped, but Repurposed Ordnance (Technology) can be used to make them work with regular detonators. Still, satchel charges are usually preferred by adventurers looking to defeat locked Alacrian doors in ruins, as ordnance of "bomb" size stands a high chance of causing collateral damage and cave-ins.

    Bombs use ZAoE rules to resolve their damage. Impact damage is listed only for situations where the bomb is set up to demolish an object, dropped or placed on a large target (such as when an aircraft bombs an airship), or if a bomb happens to go off when a character is carrying or touching it. The safeties that normally restrict their impact fusing to proper aircraft drops can also be disabled via Repurposed Ordnance, allowing them to go off on other impacts (such as when flung with pseudogravity).

Rocket Launchers     Explosives in the Alacrian era were almost always accompanied by additional explosives or rocket engines to launch them at distant targets. The primary purpose of such launchers was strategic: to continue to force vehicle kinetic shield production after magnetbows fell out of favor. Still, Draconic Wars troops often reported the usefulness of such weapons against well-defended adversaries. Even kinetic-shielded people or vehicles are vulnerable to the blast shockwave of explosives, and launchers provide a much easier way to score a direct hit on such a target. As with thrown explosives, energy damage caused by launchers can only be shielded by high-precision energy shielding on a direct hit.

    Today, all of these weapons are referred to simply as rocket launchers. Rocket launcher ammunition comes in three types, all of which follow AoE rules for their damage. Frag projectiles focus on area damage, while shaped-charge projectiles focus on impact drive. Kinetic-enhanced projectiles contain an adamant dart that is strengthened upon impact by a small kinetic shield of its own; this does not make the projectile any more effective against targets that themselves have a kinetic shield, but provides the maximum drive against unshielded vehicles or other extremely-armored targets.

    Rocket launchers cannot be wielded one-handed. Reloading a rocket launcher in combat requires 3 slowing major actions, all of which continue to occupy both hands. The weapons use their own Rocket Launcher ranged competency. If you are competent in rocket launchers and are assisted by another character who is also competent, they can assist you in reloading; this allows the 3 actions to be split between you (typically 1 from you and 2 from the assistant, allowing you to fire every other round). Assisting someone in reloading a rocket launcher is considered a touch. Upon taking a major action to reload, you have 2 degrees of melee disadvantage until your next turn (whether you are the wielder or assistant). The reloading actions do not need to be consecutive, but the process must be restarted if you change the reload method (for example, reloading by yourself after an assisted reload was interrupted). The projectile is chosen as part of the final major action, without the need for an inventory action, and may be taken from either character's inventory. Rocket launchers can be unloaded via the same process.

    Rocket launcher ammunition has safeties which prevent it from detonating too soon after launch. At any attack within engagement range, the projectile will not explode, and merely inflict damage and drive equal to 1/3 of a frag projectile's impact frag damage and drive. This damage is blocked by kinetic shields as with normal frag or firearm damage. These safeties can be deactivated using Repurposed Ordnance (Technology). Even if this is done, the projectiles never detonate unless properly fired from a launcher.

Disposable Rocket Launchers     Many Spina and Vapos projectiles were also produced in their own single-use launch tubes, which were intended to be discarded after firing. This allowed more soldiers to be issued rocket launchers more affordably; salvaged units are well-liked by many of today's adventurers. While an inefficient way to carry multiple rounds, disposable launchers are perfect for those who perhaps wish to carry a single shot for use on a particularly troublesome obstacle or enemy.

    Any Spina or Vapos projectile may be obtained in disposable form. The STR requirements, offense rolls, weight, and carry slots of such a launcher are equivalent to those listed for the normal launchers above (but excluding the additional weight of a normal launcher's projectile). The price is equal to the price of the projectile normally, plus 100 (for a Spina projectile) or 150 (for a Vapos projectile). Disposable rocket launchers cannot be reloaded by any means, cannot have devices attached or associated with them, and must add 1 Hindrance to any long-range offense roll.

Grenade Launchers     Grenade launchers apply the general purpose of rocket launchers in a smaller, more firearm-like package. While some were produced in ancient times, such specimens are rare today, as the Alacris generally preferred to fill this niche with disposable Spina rockets. Orcs have been the largest producers of these weapons, which use similar technology to their firearms

    While the bulk of a grenade launcher's damage is still blocked by kinetic shields, they are still beloved for their performance against non-shielded targets, much like firearms. They are also useful for applying blast damage to targets with kinetic shielding but no high-precision energy shielding, though admittedly much less effective in this role than rocket launchers. In any event, they allow most of the power of a volatite grenade to be brought to bear, without the range limitations of a thrown grenade.

    All grenade launchers fire the same ammunition; these rounds are volatite-based in both their propulsion and warhead, and are smaller than normal thrown grenades. A grenade launcher round costs 30 coins, weighs 1/2 pound and occupies 1/4 carry slots; loaded rounds have their carry slots ignored.

    Grenade launchers use their own Grenade Launcher proficiency, but follow identical rules to firearms for reloading, RFD, and nimble requirements.

    Grenade launcher ammunition has safeties which prevent it from detonating too soon after launch. At any attack within engagement range, the projectile will not explode, and merely inflict damage and drive equal to 1/3 of its impact frag damage and drive. This damage is blocked by kinetic shields as with normal frag or firearm damage. These safeties can be deactivated using Repurposed Ordnance (Technology). Even if this is done, the grenades never detonate unless properly fired from a launcher.