MINES AND OTHER REMOTE CASUALTY PRODUCING DEVISES
Remote casualty producing devices (RCPDs) have been a staple of warfare since the first time a branch had a point put on itand holes were dug. In fact, this is all that the first devices were, spike lined, camouflaged pits. Over the centuries, the devices became more exotic. Crossbows and slugthrowers attached to trip lines. Various and sundry explosive and incendiary devices. Gravity powered spikes and weights. Pits, in all sizes, filled with spikes, water, acid or just incredibly deep. Snares that hauled the victim into the air, or down a cliff, or across and over a tree limb, or into a hole smaller than the victim. Electrified fields. laser enclosion grids. Today, the assortment of technological mayhem that can be inflicted on individuals after you've left is incredible. For additional information, please refer to General Craken's field guide.
PRIMITIVE RCPDS
Spiked Pit
ENERGY BASED RCPDS
Merr-Sonn Sentry Gun
Laser Enclosion Grid
Lightning Hall
EXPLOSIVE BASED RCPDS
Landmine Etiquette

Merr-Sonn LM-18 Anti-Personnel Mine
Merr-Sonn LM-10 Area Denial Mini-Munition
Improvised Anti-Walker Mine
SoroSuub M15B3 Bounding Landmine
Hover Mine
Stun Mine
Explosive Snare


 

PRIMITIVE RCPDS

To conserve space, and to take into account the near infinite number of variables involved, the technologically primitive traps will only be given a light overview. To be precise, we will only cover the most basic, the spike pit. Please refer to your favorite wilderness survival manual for a more complete description of other systems.

Spiked Pit
The easiest RCPD is the pit trap. Simply a hole dug in the ground, the basic pit is best used to trap land vehicles that can not climb out. To be able to efficiently use it against sentients, you must become more creative. While some people have tried exotic methods, such as acids, the easiest method is to spike the bottom. Simply place sharpened spikes in the bottom of the pit, with not much more than 5cm separating them, but not less than 3cm apart (any closer, and the target will be able to spread his weight across a larger number). When the victim steps on the surface camouflage, he breaks through, sending the sole of his boot to the spikes.

Due to the increasing dependence on energy weapons, most boot manufacturers have stopped producing spike-resistant boots, making most individuals an easy mark for this trap. If you feel the need, coat the spikes with whatever toxin you happen to like.

Type: Spike lined pit
Damage: 2D-5D (depending on the spike construction, pit depth and other variables)


ENERGY BASED RCPDS
With the advent of the energy weapon, trapping took a different turn. Before, there had been some work done with slugthowersand bows, but nothing really efficient. Most of the R&D money went into explosive devices. Today, there are several energy-based RCPDs available, but many of them must be built into a building's structure to conceal them. This is why energy weapons are best used to defend a fixed posision, not to cover one's travel.
Merr-Sonn Sentry Gun
        Merr-Sonn has taken a bold step into the line of automated sentries with the introduction of the Sentry Gun.  Essentially a blaster, mounted on a tripod and slaved to a motion tracker, it does away with the potential for rouge programming found in sentry droids.  Having an effective range of 100m, the sentry's computer targeting system is roughly as skilled as a common rifleman.  It has a very high ammunition capacity, and may be connected to a power generator for unlimited firepower.  The tripod features mechanical field limiters, preventing the gun from firing on targets outside of it's designated field of fire.  This means that they can be used to support troops or protect landing fields without the chance of friendly fire.  There are currently variants of this device under development that use flame  throwers, grenade launchers and non-lethal arms.

Type: Remote sentry gun
Availability: 3 X
Cost: 1000 (50)
Skills:  Blaster: sentry gun 3D, Search 4D (not improvable)
Range:  1-10/30/100
Fire rate: 5
Ammunition:  500, or connected to a power generator for unlimited ammunition
Damage: 4D+2
Notes:
        Firing Procedure:  The weapon must make a Search roll vs the characters' Sneak roll.  If the targets are located, then the gun may fire on targets.  The gun will only fire once per round at a particular target.
        Field Limiters:  The gun's field of fire may be restricted to as little as 20 degrees of arc, or opened up to a full 360 degrees.
        Fire Linking:  Multiple sentry guns may be firelinked, with damage calculated as per normal.
 


Laser Enclosion Grid
        This device is one of those that must built into a building.  it consist of a series of laser emitters mounted along one wall and either the floor or ceiling, usually separated by only a centimeter or two.  This produces a "mesh" of laser beams, that are virtually guaranteed to slice into the flesh of the individual who tries to pass through.  The are commonly found in Imperial installations and ships, usually near command centers, armouries, prison blocks and computer and power cores.  They are nasty weapon that requires no skill to use, other than the ability to throw a switch, need very little maintenance, and can be activated from almost anywhere.  Very, very effective.

Type: anti-intruder device
Availability: 3 R,X
Cost: 300+ per meter of wall and ceiling needing emitters (cost depends on how hard it is to add to building)
Damage:  6D


Lightning Hall
        The "Lightning Hall" defense is an old, and reliable, one.  It must be built into a structure at the time of construction, and can not be retrofitted very easily.  It requires metal walls, floor and ceiling, and a direct feed from a large energy source.  When activated, whole sections of the corridor become shot through with lightning.  Anything conductive that passes through the hall acts as a lightning rod.  Some users have even taken to adding water mister nozzles to these areas for the psychological effects. The nice thing about this RCPD over a laser enclosion grid is that the voltage may be adjusted in potency, and in amperage for either stunning or lethal force.

Type: anti-intruder defense
Availability: 2 R,X
Cost:  200/meter of corridor
Damage: 1D-8D, stun or lethal

EXPLOSIVE BASED RCPDS

Explosives have been the backbone of RCPDs since the triggering devices became stable enough to meet the mission at hand. The devices have included such things as an armed hand grenade placed inside a can, and rigged to be pulled out of the can when a line is pulled. These devices can be large enough to take out a tank, or small enough to simply remove a couple of toes. They can be detonated by command, from pressure being placed on them, pressure being removed from them, pull switches, push switches, various sensors, or anything else you can think of.
There are millions of models of anti-personnel and anti-vehicle mines manufactures through out known space. This document is in no way intended to even begin to catalog these devices, but is rather an overview of the more common types available, and whenever possible, discuss one of the more common models of that type in use with Imperial forces.
Landmine Etiquette
Lets be honest, these are not a good weapon. They are small, cheap and can function over decades, even centuries. They can not discriminate, and the explosive ones are difficult and dangerous (if not impossible) to disarm. For these reasons, use them only when you must. If you must use them, keep the most accurate record concerning their type, quantity and location that you can.

Traditionally, they have been used to form a perimeter around a fixed position, to provide extra power to an ambush, or individually placed in likely places to harass the enemy while on patrol. Other times, they are placed in mass quantities, without bothering to conceal them, so as to force the enemy to waste time either disarming them or going around, often into a favorable position.

Auto guns have been used in situations were the use of a living sentry has not been preferable, or to provide additional firepower to defenders. They also have been used to secure vaults, as they can not become greedy nor can they be reprogrammed by such a person. They also have the added bonus on not having a brain, and thus can not be scared.



Merr-Sonn LM-18 Anti-Personnel Mine
The LM-18 follows the typical pattern for this kind of device. It consists of a layer of explosives placed under a layer of shrapnel material. This is packed into a curved, plastic container, which has fittings for a detonator, which is in turn attached to the initiator, and set of metal legs and loops for mounting. There is certain danger area behind the device when it detonates, but for the most part the danger is to the front of the mine. The air is filled with whistling shrapnel, producing horrific effects. Due to their simplicity and effectiveness, directional mines such as these are a staple of guerrilla forces, but only the Merr-Sonn LM-18 is good enough for the forces of His Majesty Palpatine.

Type: Directional, anti-personnel device
Availability: 2 X
Cost: 450
Notes:
          Detonating Devices: it may be attached to a variety of trips, a timer or a command detonator.
          Difficulties: Easy Demolition to arm or disarm (modified by circumstance).
Blast radius/damage:

 
Blast Radius 0-2m 6m 10m 15m
Primary 15 Degree Arc 6D 5D 4D 2D
Secondary 15 Degree Arc (around the primary) 5D 4D 2D
All directions 2D



Merr-Sonn LM-10 Area Denial Mini-Munition
Merr-Sonn has done it again, producing a small, easy to use, impossible to disarm anti-personnel weapon. The LM-10 is a 12mm diameter sphere of explosives, detonated by contact. They come packaged in a canister of 100. DO NOT remove them from their shipping container. This contains a strong magnetic field that inhibits their detonator. When removed from their container, they arm 30 seconds later. The next thing that they hit, they explode. They don't contain enough explosives to kill, merely remove a limb which can be replaced by cybernetic systems, and reflect the Empire's growing deployment of humane, non-lethal weapons.

Once they are armed, they can not be disarmed. It is for this reason that the Empire is experimenting with larger canisters of thousands of these little bastards, to be carried and sown by TIEs or airspeeders. If dropped high enough, they arm before hitting the ground, doing a relative small amount of damage to an incredibly large area. There have been some vocal opponents to the manufacture of these items, but the most vocal of them have met with Treason charges.

Type: Miniature, area denial munitions
Availability: 2 X
Cost: 1300 (package of 100)
Damage: 3D
Notes: Armed 30 seconds after removed from canister. Detonated by contact. Can not be disarmed.
 


Improvised Anti-Walker Mine
These are commonly manufactured by forces that do not have access to pre-produced devices, including many Imperial forces (considering the current shortages of such heavy weapons). They are formed by removing the warhead from a proton torpedo or a concussion missile, and fitting it with pressure and repulsorlift switches. This home made device is then buried along the expected route of a vehicle. When the sensors detect the passage of the vehicle, it detonates with same amount of force as it would have if it had been fired from a fighter, doing an incredible amount of damage. Similar conversions have been made of concussion grenades, artillery missiles, and even capital class concussion missiles. These last are especially devastating, but very heavy and expensive.

Type: improvised high yield landmine
Availability: 2 R,X (warhead)
                   2 F,R (sensors)
Cost: 200-500 (projectile)
         400 (sensors)
Scale: starfighter
Blast radius: 5m (typically, depends on the weapons involved)
Damage: 6D-9D (depending on projectile used).
Notes:
          Targeting: Fitted with repulsorlift and vibration sensors. Detection radius 3m.
          Difficulties: Moderate Demolition to construct, Heroic Demolition to disarm.


SoroSuub M15B3 Bounding Landmine
This a fairly nasty little mine. It consists of a pressure switch, connected to a spring loaded launcher that contains a modified hand grenade. When the grenade reaches the end of it's one meter tether, it detonates. The pressure switch is one of the most advanced of its kind on the market. When more than 40kg is placed on it, the system cocks. When the weight is removed, it starts a two second delay, which leads to the launching spring. These are popular with some elements of the Rebellion for dealing with Imperial patrols in rural areas, but the Rebellion as a whole is reluctant to use mines.

Model: SoroSuub M15B3 Bounding Landmine
Type: Bounding anti-personnel mine
Availability: 2 X
Cost: 400
Blast radius: 0-2/4/6/10
Damage: 5D/4D/3D/2D
Notes: Moderate Demolition's to emplace, Difficult Demolitions to disarm.


Hover Mine
This is a very nice explosive it can be set to chase after any alien or human within a five meter radius. For just 500 credits more, it can be
fitted with servomotors that allow it to be thrown or set to track an individual.

Model: BlasTech M-32 Hover Mine
Type: Anti-personnel smart bomb
Scale: Character
Skill: Grenade
Weight: 0.5 kilograms
Cost: 1,000 credits (tracker: 500)
Range: 5 meters (without tracker)
Blast Radius: 3 meters
Damage: 8D
Game Notes: The tracker, if added, has 3D in Tracking.


Stun Mine
This mine was made to stun a large number of individuals at a time. This is great for capturing large heavily armed escorts.

Model: BlasTech 9 Stun Amplifier
Type: Stun mine
Scale: Character
Skill: Demolitions
Cost: 500 credits
Ranges: 1-10/18/20
Damage: 7D/5D/3D (stun)


Explosive Snare
An explosive Snare is a large wire mesh, set in thousands to millions of 6cm by 6cm squares. At each junction where two wires meet, there is a small quantity of detonite. To set an Explosive Snare, a character rolls his demolitions total twice: setting the snare without mishap is a Moderate roll, the second roll is the Snare's "hide" roll. If there is loose sand, small rocks, grass, or dead leaves under which the snare can be hidden, add 2D to the roll. An explosive snare is a completely independent piece of equipment, and cannot be wired to any other piece of detonation hardware. At each of the four corners of the snare are small yet powerful repulsors.

At intervals of 24cm (4 squares) all across the inside of the mesh are small sensors, like the sensor of an IM mine, which can detect repulsor or contact. Using tiny "smart" technology, the meshing watches the movement across its surface; a targeted object does not trigger the snare until it is as close to the middle as possible on it's current path; when the object begins to move away from the center again, the trap is triggered. All four repulsors roar to life, swinging first straight upward until, held by the weight of the victim, each is forced into a tethered semi-circle, bringing its corner of the mesh over (or at least up the side of) the victim. A full dodge will bring a character outside of the snare's range, a regular dodge will bring a character out if he/she is within half a meter of the edge. (Both are rolled against the Snare user's Demolition's total.)

Objects with a move greater than 20 cannot be trapped by a 9sq.m. Snare, greater than 50 by a 25 sq.m., greater than 200 by a 100 sq.m.; the snare is still set off, however. (Assuming that a snare has been set up on the ground. It may also be set vertically, allowing nothing to escape if it collides with the net.) The net then detonates all the small pieces of detonite, causing 4D/10D/20D speeder scale damage, dependent on Snare size, to any one or anything contained therein. The net can also be spread "upside down," tarp-like, over parked (or at least unmoving) speeders, starships, bunker doors, walkers, etc., and detonated. Folded and packed (as sold) the 9sq.m. snare is about as large as a paperback, the 25sq.m. about a large textbook, the 100sq.m. is contained in a large duffel bag.

Model: BlasTech Explosive Snare
Type: Explosive net
Cost: 2,000 (9 square meters), 5,000 (25 square meters), 10,000 (100 square meters)
Range: 3x3, 5x5, 10x10