Roleplayer #9, March 1988

Laser Guidance and Targeting Lasers in GURPS Autoduel

Laser Guidance Link

Duellists agree that, pound for pound and dollar for dollar, the most powerful weapons out there are rockets. But all the firepower doesn't mean a thing if it never hits the target, and rockets are notoriously inaccurate. . . .

Until now. Resnick Labs' crack R&D department has combined 20th-century ideas with 21st-century technology and brought back an old military favorite, the laser guidance system. Retrofit your old laser, or purchase one of our new Targeting Lasers <TM> – either way, you'll pack more punch than ever before with Resnick Labs' Laser Guidance Links!

Laser Guidance Link – The conversion kit links any number of rockets (Heavy Rockets, Rocket Launchers or Micromissile Launchers) to one laser (or targeting laser). The cost is $500 to tune and link the laser, plus $200 per rocket to add the necessary guidance systems. (The $200 must be paid for each individual rocket in a Rocket or Micromissile Launcher.) This system may be retrofitted on an existing set of rockets and lasers. A rocket may not be fitted for guidance by more than one laser. Any number of rockets may be linked to one laser, but only one volley of rockets may be guided at a time, and the laser must be able to hit the rockets' target.

When a tuned laser and a modified rocket are fired together at the same target, roll normally to see if the laser hits the target and assess the laser's damage. If the laser hit, regardless of whether the victim made his Defense Roll against it, each rocket guided by that laser also hits on an unmodified roll of 14-. If the laser misses or the modified rocket is fired without laser guidance, the rocket only hits on a 3 or 4. Though the point-blank range and range increment do not apply to guided rockets, they are still limited to their max range.

Targeting Laser

Give your rockets the benefit of Resnick's Laser Guidance Link without the expense and space of a laser. The low-power targeting laser is easy on your power plant, easy on your wallet, and can't enjoy higher accuracy! Note: The laser guidance link must be purchased separately.

Targeting Laser – $1000, 50 lbs., 2 cu. ft., HT 3, P-B 8, Inc. 50, 1/2 Dam. not applicable, Max. 2000. The targeting laser does no damage and is primarily useful for guiding rockets.

(Excerpted from the Resnick Labs Spring 2038 Catalog.)

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