Your Opinion On why firearms become obsolete

[thedemonapostle]

ok, im curious as to what others think why firearms(slug throwers) became obsolete in star wars.

having shot more rounds than just about anyone i know of, of various pistol and rifle calibers for years. im wondering if the weapons went from bullets to energy was more of a political deal than whats most effective.
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[ZzaphodD]

[cheshire]

I've shot a few rounds off myself, but I can think of one major reason.

"Look at me guys, I've got a FRICKIN' LASER! How awesome is THAT!?!?"


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Before we take any of this too seriously, just remember that in the middle episode a little rubber puppet moves a spaceship with his mind.

[Crimson_red]

I think I would put my bet on ammo and weight. I don't recall how its been expressed in game systems but I figure a blaster would be both lighter than and have considerably lighter ammunition than an equivalent slug thrower.

Going off my poor memory, doesn't a blaster pistol do about the same damage as a slug thrower rifle (this I can only remember from d20 - 3d6 vs. 2d8), weighs less, fires 100 shots before the power pack needs replacing, and 500 shots before the blaster gas needs being refilled.

Given the cheap price of recharging power packs or replacing them and presumably of blaster gas, I would guess that the price per shot is also considerably cheaper than for firearms

Never mentioning a blaster is unlikely affected by wind and similar environmental conditions, fires a laser straight course instead of a ballistic course, and likely has fewer moving parts to knock loose. A blaster does seem to have a recoil after every shot, but it could be notably less than an equivalent firearm.

All these factors probably favor the blaster as a weapon over a firearm.

Though I'm sure a blaster has its disadvantages too; if a part breaks, it maybe less likely the user can repair it himself without replacing it, and in a place wear metal seems to be a common part of a working wardrobe, a slugthrower may be easier to slip past weapon detectors, especially if it doesn't use any form of explosive propellant.

[CRMcNeill]

Efficiency - Blaster gas likely delivers more energy per volume when converted to energy by a blaster's firing mechanism. It also makes it possible to carry a much larger ammo load, as well as the shot being completely consumed on firing (no shell casings).

Ease Of Use - Since it fires a linear discharge, it is easier to use and requires less training, since the shooter will not have to calculate things like windage and drop; just point and shoot. A blaster will still have to deal with some environmental considerations, but not nearly to the degree of a firearm.
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"No set of rules can cover every situation. It's expected that you will make up new rules to suit the needs of your game." - The Star Wars Roleplaying Game, 2R&E, pg. 69, WEG, 1996.

The CRMcNeill Stat/Rule Index

[atgxtg]

I would think that it would be due to a combination of factors.

1) Better ammo capacity.
2) A soldier can carry more ammo on him easier. A couple of spare clips allows a solider to fire his weapon 300 times at a fraction of the weight of 300 bullets.
3) Easier reloading and no need for manufactured ammo. Anybody with a power generator can reload a clip. That's not only a blessing in terms of logistics, but also in terms of units under siege. As long as the unit has power, it won't run out of ammo.
4) Fewer moving parts, or exposed components. So the weapons should wear out slower, and be more reliable..
5) It's probably a lot cheaper than shooting bullets.
6) It's probably fire a more powerful shot that a bullet.
7) Energy weapons appear to be better able to penetrate armor than projectile weapons.
8) The weapon can be set on stun, giving the shooter more options, both in terms of self defense, and in terms of capturing prisoners for interrogation.
9) Since all the weapons run on energy, there is a high degree of compatibility. People don't have to find ammo of a specific caliber, load,or rifling to match a specific weapon. Troops in the field can even scavenge power packs from the enemy.
10) Keeping up with the Jones. Somebody would probably look a bit primitive using a slugthrower while everybody else has a high tech raygun.

[Bren]

#5 Better penetration (body armor has a lower energy protection than physical protection)

#4 Increased damage (blasters do ~ +1D more damage than similar firearms)

#3 Greater ammunition capacity – 100 shot power packs are lighter and cheaper per shot than firearms; also power packs are rechargeable

#2 learning time / ease of use - the straight line (non-ballistic path) makes learning to shoot easier for a blaster than a firearm*

#1 Rule of Cool! Blasters are a far cooler space opera weapon than any kind of slug throwers.




* Note that in the real world in the hands of a trained user longbows are a superior weapon (based on effective range, rate of fire, and accuracy) to the musket that replaced the bow. The primary advantage to the musket is that it takes less time and training to learn to use it effectively.

[cheshire]

Plus, a 357 magnum cannot be set to stun.
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Before we take any of this too seriously, just remember that in the middle episode a little rubber puppet moves a spaceship with his mind.

[thedemonapostle]

[Crimson_red]

[garhkal]

[thedemonapostle]

[thedemonapostle]

on a side thought, where are the weapons that transition from firearms as we know them, to the blasters in star wars?
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[Raven Redstar]

Pulse wave weapons in Tales of the Jedi. Firearms are still used by the beast men in the comics I believe, but the "new weapons" are pulse wave technology.
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[jmanski]

Blasters can fire in any environment, where bullets need the right level of oxygen in the atmosphere to fire correctly.

And I'll still argue against the silencing of blasters vs. firearms. Anything over a low-powered .22 or 9mm can't be silenced.
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