Missile Weapons? Firearms?

[Yasriia]

While looking for some interesting weapons I found in Galladinium's Fantastic Technology (one of the very few sourcebooks I own ), that a Verpine shattergun is associated with the firearms skill.
But I found in "Galladiniums" the magna caster aswell. The magna caster is associated with the missile weapons skill
The description of both of the weapons indicate, that they use projectiles.

So I was wondering why is the magna caster a missile weapon?

Or even more general: what defines a missile weapon?
- a self-propelled projectile?
- some kind of explosives? Like grenadelaunchers

And even the wirst vac blades and the flechette smart pistol are missile weapons.
I mean all these 4 weapons inflict damage with pure kinetic energy on impact. Don't they?

[Ankhanu]

I think more to the point, why is the Verpine Shattergun a firearm? It uses a controlled magnetic field to fire its projectile like a rail gun... it should be used under Missile Weapons as well, not Firearms.

Basically, Missile Weapons is intended to cover projectile weapons that impart velocity through a means other than a taught string (bows) or initial, external combustion (firearms). This should cover rail guns, missile launchers, grenade launchers, flachettes, rockets, compressed gas launchers, etc.

I think the reason for the confusion comes down to simple inconsistency on WEG's part... something that wasn't terribly uncommon.
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[garhkal]

Agreed. The Shatter gun is like the Magna caster in using magnetics to propel its projectile. Ergo it should be a missile weapon like the caster.

Now one NICE weapon in the book is the Prax arms HB-4. Also a missile weapon, but fires a bullet like a firearm rifle, with a tow cable (to give it guidance) but it does so out to 8 KILOMETERS!!!! Now, hows that for 'reaching out and touching someone?
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[Yasriia]

Ah, okay thanks. I was only thinking about rockets, due to some bad translation in my rulebook. Now I got the idea of missile weapons.

[Gry Sarth]

I always envisioned that the difference between firearms and missile weapons is the behaviour of the ordenance. Firearms are normal guns. You fire, the "bullet" comes out instantly and very fast and speeds towards its target pretty much in a straight line. There's virtually no need to compensate for gravity or wind, etc. With missile weapons, well, the "bullet" behaves like a missile, with slower speed and moving in an arc, self propelled, with a different ignition behaviour and sometimes self-guided. Aiming it at a target requires a different mindset, compensating for gravity, movement, leading the target more, etc.
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[Bren]

[jmanski]

But what I think Gry is saying is that firearm means the bullet is only affected to a small degree (inches over hundreds of yards) while missile means a large degree (feet over hundreds of yards).

Which is directly related to speed. A high velocity bullet is less affected than a slow bullet.
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[Bren]

[Ejacobs]

My take on the reason for different skills for Firearms and Blasters is it's not just about pulling a trigger, it's also about the little things that you take for granted when using a weapon; loading, cleaning, simple operator maintenance, immediate action for misfires, remedial actions for jams, and so on. True some of those examples don't apply to blasters, but if you've only ever used blasters, and suddenly find yourself firing a slugthrower, what do you immediately do when you pull the trigger and nothing happens? That is how I explain it to myself anyways.

YMMV.
E
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[garhkal]

Yup. Most blasters don't even seem to have safeties... Fire arms also need to be loaded and cocked.
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