Hi folks! Rookery here once again. I've been meaning to update my weapons FAQ to include the current weaponry we pistoleers have access to, and the ones we might suggest we have access to later on. I wanted to include pictures and links to information as to where the weapon came from and what it was made out of. This one runs rather long. Do me a favor and let me get it all posted before we get into replies and such. Here's hoping you dig what you find!
-Rookery, who has too much time on her hands.
CONTENTS:
I. Existing Pistoleer Weapons in Star Wars Galaxies ( 6-29-2004 )
1. The CDEF Pistol (Drearian Defense Conglomerate Defender) 2. The D-18 (Upgraded CDEF), (The Blas-Tech DL-18) 3. The DL-44 (The Blas Tech DL-44 Heavy Pistol) 4. The DX-2 (The Tenloss Syndicate DX-2 Disruptor Pistol) 5. The FWG-5 (The Malaxan Firepower FWG-5 Smart Pistol) 6. The Republic Blaster (The Merr-Sonn Quickfire 2 Hold Out Blaster) 7. The Scout Blaster 8. The SR Combat Pistol (Dr. Evazan's Gun) 9. The Striker Pistol (The Oriolanis Striker Projectile Pistol) 10. The DE-10 Heavy Blaster Pistol (The DE-10 Firefly?)
II. Weapon Suggestions for Inclusion in Star Wars Galaxies from Other Star Wars Media
1. The Westar-34 Blaster Pistol (Source: Star Wars, Episode II: Attack of the Clones) 2. The Bryar Pistol (Source: Dark Forces, Jedi Knight, Jedi Outcast) 3. The Merr-Sonn MSD-32 Disruptor Pistol, or The Proper Disruptor That Could Still Happen 4. The Pacnorval Defense Systems Sd-77 Sonic Pistol, or... SLEEEEEEEEP!!!!!!! 5. The Merr-Sonn Munitions IR-5 'Intimidator', or... RAPID FIRE! 6. The Kelvarlek Consolidated Arms KD-30 'Dissuader', or ‘DO YOU SUFFER FROM ACID UPSET?’ 7. The Merr-Sonn Model 434 'DeathHammer' 8. The Blas-Tech T-6 'Thunderer'. or THAT BLOODY HUGE HAND CANNON. 9. The Verpine Shatter Gun, or THE RAILGUN PISTOL
III. A NOTE ON SLUGTHROWERS AND AMMUNITION AND DAMAGE TYPES
IV. OTHER WEAPONS AND THE CONCLUSION, or "NOW, A WARNING??" 1. The SoruSuub Security S-5 Blaster Pistol 2. The KYD-21 Blaster Pistol 3. The Blas-Tech DT-12 Blaster Pistol 4. The Relby K-23 Blaster Pistol
V. BIBLIOGRAPHY
Rookery DeCarabas, The Zeltron Zabrak, Enthralling Gunslinger, Corellia - Eclipse "Walk easy, shoot straight, and luck in your steps!"
The CDEF Pistol, or the Drearian Defense Conglomerate Defender This pistol is the sporting blaster that Leia Organa was toting about on Tantive IV before the Stormtroopers stunned her down. (There's an idea for a class specific perk. A Stun Setting for the Stormtrooper 1, or Freedom 1. Hitting the mind pool.) I've also seen this pistol referred to as the DDC Defender. Or according to WotC, the Drearian Defense Conglomerate Defender. This blaster prop was created from a Margolin .22 MTs target pistol. The history reads:
"The creation of the designers at the Drearian Defense Conglomerate, the Venerable but dependable defender is often handed down from parent to child. As with all sporting blaster pistols, the defender has a prominent muzzle and sights, and is usually personalized to provide an ideal shooting weight and aim for the wielder. As an added benefit, the DDC Defender may be broken down into three parts- Grip, Body, and barrel. After entering a special three digit code into a keypad on the weapon, the user can break down the weapon. The various parts can then be hidden and reassembled later."
A picture of the actual prop. http://www.smartgroups.com/picvault/22934346.jpg
To look at the stats and things on swg.warcry.com, have a look at: http://swg.warcry.com/data/weapons/view.php?weapons=2
To look at the Schematic Drawing of the DDC Defender: http://www.smartgroups.com/picvault/22936778.jpg
Rookery DeCarabas, The Zeltron Zabrak, Enthralling Gunslinger, Corellia - Eclipse "Walk easy, shoot straight, and luck in your steps!"
The D-18 (Upgraded CDEF) or, The Blas-Tech DL-18 This pistol was seen in use in Return of the Jedi by Jabba's Palace Guard. The basis for this blaster is a Umarex RO 72 Panther De-Luxe target air pistol. It's described by WotC this way:
"The DL-18 has served as the Galaxy's basic blaster for decades. It was the foundation of many later Blas-Tech designs as well as the company's fortunes. Versatile enough to balance multiple requirements, the Blas-Tech DL-18 and it's chief competitor, the Merr-Sonn Model 44 are among the most ubiquitous of these weapons. Typical models such as these are often heavily customized by their owners. The DL-18 is also known as the 'Mos Eisley Special' since it is a common weapon among the crime lords of that Tattooine City."
One footnote here: The Wizards of the Coast picture, when compared with the prop itself is inaccurate in the Star Wars: Arms and Equipment Guide
Picture of the actual prop: http://www.smartgroups.com/picvault/22934362.jpg
To look at the stats and things on swg.warcry.com, have a look at: http://swg.warcry.com/data/weapons/view.php?weapons=40
Rookery DeCarabas, The Zeltron Zabrak, Enthralling Gunslinger, Corellia - Eclipse "Walk easy, shoot straight, and luck in your steps!"
There's also a variant version of this gun in Star Wars Galaxies known as the DL-44 Metal. This is the classic blaster Prop we all remember Han Solo frying Greedo with in Mos Eisley. If you had a Star Wars Pistol when you were a kid, more than likely it was this one. The prop itself was built on the Broomhandled Mauser Machine Pistol, which saw use in World War II. The WotC guide describes it this way:
"The Archetypical Heavy Blaster, the DL-44 is designed with lethal close combat in mind. Its range is shorter than a blaster pistol's, but the damage it can deliver at close range makes up for this shortcoming. Despite the weapon's restricted status on most worlds, this model has sold well for Blas-Tech, and its success has encouraged other manufacturers to get into the game. The Merr-Sonn Flash 4, for example is little more than a copycat design, of almost identical appearance to the DL-44. Blas-Tech also licensed this design to Imperial Munitions for the Empire's heavy blaster. Both the Blas-Tech and the Merr-Sonn designs use a 'cautionary pulser' grip that sends out a vibration to warn the user when the power pack is down to 5 shots or fewer. The Imperial Munitions design lacks this feature. Often in the heat of battle this vibration is overlooked, and neither company accepts responsibillity for users whose power packs suddenly turn out to be empty. The most famous wielder of the DL-44 in the New Jedi Order era was Han Solo. As tales of the General's exploits spread, the weapon enjoyed a substantial boost in sales. Truth to be told, Solo's accomplishments were due more to his own capabilities and the specific modifications he made to his DL-44 than to the attributes of the factory version of the weapon."
Picture of the actual prop: http://www.smartgroups.com/picvault/22946074.jpg
Picture of the Broomhandled Mauser http://www.smartgroups.com/picvault/22950362.jpg
To look at the stats and things on swg.warcry.com, have a look at: http://swg.warcry.com/data/weapons/view.php?weapons=23
A footnote here. Since the DL-44 Metal and the Power 5 blaster Pistols are so similar, they're not getting their own section of this FAQ, however you can have the small description of the Power 5 by WOTC and links to the warcry pages for both. Interestingly, the model seen in the game is shown on www.partsofsw.com as the Merr-Sonn Model 44, used by the Death Star Gantry Officer.
"The Power 5 was the first of a new design of Merr-Sonn in this category. After the Flash 4 showed that the company could compete against the DL-44. Because it is made of lighter material than the Flash 4 or the Blas-Tech DL-44, the Power 5 is a little more fragile than either of those typical heavy blaster models."
Link to Warcry's DL-44 Metal Page: http://swg.warcry.com/data/weapons/view.php?weapons=54
Link to Warcry's Power 5 Page: (Note Incorrect picture) http://swg.warcry.com/data/weapons/view.php?weapons=62
Link to Parts of Star Wars pic of the Power 5 Prop http://www.smartgroups.com/picvault/22946250.jpg
Schematic Drawings from Essential Guide of DL-44 & Power 5 http://www.smartgroups.com/picvault/22946154.jpg
The Merr-Sonn Model 44 (Basis for the Power 5 Model in the game) http://www.partsofsw.com/merrsonn.htm
Rookery DeCarabas, The Zeltron Zabrak, Enthralling Gunslinger, Corellia - Eclipse "Walk easy, shoot straight, and luck in your steps!"
The DX-2, or the Tenloss Syndicate DX-2 Disruptor Pistol
The DX-2 is also listed in the book Star Wars: Essential Guide to Weapons & Technology (Pg 24). It made an appearance in Star Wars: Galladinium's Fantastic Technology: Guns and Gear for Any Occasion, and later would make an appearance in the Star Wars Roleplaying Game: Arms and Equipment Guide. However there's no 'acid' effect listed here. The Tenloss DX-2 is listed as a disruptor pistol. There's also the Tenloss DXR-6 Disruptor Rifle on the same page. They're listed as blacklisted and reviled weapons because they were really REALLY powerful. These weapons drain their power packs very quickly. But the force they put out justifies the power involved. Quoted here:
"Among the most controversial and reviled hand weapons in the galaxy, disruptors are energy weapons whose blasts are so powerful that they break down objects at the molecular level, leaving only a smoking pile of ash.
These small handheld pistols can disintegrate a 1x1 meter durasteel plate up to a half meter thick, or penetrate force-fields, personal battle armour, and vehicle and starship hull plating. Against living targets, these weapons almost always cause instantaneous death, and even a glancing blast causes horribly painful injuries that must be treated immediately in order to prevent irreparable nerve damage.
Most disruptors utilize brute force rather than technological innovations to produce their lethal blasts. The oversized XCiter and the actuating blaster module produce a much higher volume of blaster gas, while the barrel's series of galven cylinders tightly focusses the beam, concentrating the blast's high energy particles. However, because of the crude design, disruptors tend to have short ranges and a limited ammunition capacity: The DX-2 has an optimum range of 5 meters, and a maximum range of 7 meters and drains a standard power pack after just 5 shots...
...While disruptors are militarily impractical because of their limited range and ammunition, many assassins, slavers, and BOUNTY HUNTERS enjoy the notoriety and infamy that comes with toting these weapons...
...Disruptors are banned on most New Republic Worlds. On some planets, mere possession is grounds for the death penalty. Even under the Empire only a very small number of imperial officials -Imperial Security Bureau Investigators and Inquisitors - were allowed to carry these inhumane weapons. During the rule of the empire, some companies were authorized to produce these weapons in limited quantities, although most ceased production under New Republic Law. However, the Tenloss Syndicate and many other criminal organizations maintain back alley labs to build disruptors, and reap tremendous profits from black Market Sales"
From the description here, it looks like SOE sort of tried to remain faithful to the text. It does bear some superficial resemblance in the book to what was produced model-wise in the game. Though it looks as though in the interests of time, they didn't make the effort to model the grip of the gun, opting instead to use the modelling and bitmapping from other carbines in the game. The DX-2's origin appears to be from the Han Solo at Star's End books. The point blank range for the DX-2 we find so wanting may have been an attempt to accurately reflect the weapon.
However, the tremendous damage the gun does appears to have been left out, instead replacing the devastating disruption effect with an 'acid' effect. It’s my guess that the gun’s power was blunted a bit in the interests of balance. But in making it a less lethal gun, the lousy range was left the same. The DX-2 COULD be more accurately reflected by making it a commando-like charge-using weapon. The Description of the thing suggests that it burned through power packs like President Bush incurs national debt. It would certainly make it the point blank disintegrator that it seems the weapon was meant to be. As well, the weapon might be reflected more accurately by giving it Armour Piercing 2.
It has been mentioned that the sound effect for the DX-2 has a lame sound effect on the Pistoleer boards. One person likens it to the sound of a Ping Pong Ball gun. Come to think of it, it does bear a passing resemblance to those old ping pong ball shooting spring guns. What IS with that sound effect anyway? This is supposed to be a massive energy discharge. Of course with the 'acid' damage, they may have tried to go for a lethal water gun sounding effect.
It does indeed have the capacity, story-wise to be a really nasty up close and personal weapon. Coupled with a properly operating stopping shot, this gun could be lethal. With its armour piercing capabilities, this weapon could mean all the difference in a confrontation with imperial troops, or backshooting an AT-ST while your mates distract it from the front.
Link to the Technical Drawing of the DX-2 Disruptor Pistol: http://www.smartgroups.com/picvault/22936762.jpg
Link to Warcry's DX-2 Page: http://swg.warcry.com/data/weapons/view.php?weapons=53
Rookery DeCarabas, The Zeltron Zabrak, Enthralling Gunslinger, Corellia - Eclipse "Walk easy, shoot straight, and luck in your steps!"
The FWG-5, or the Malaxan Firepower FWG-5 Smart Pistol
The FWG-5 appears to be a weapon solely garnered from the Dice & Paper games released by West End Games and Wizards of the Coast. Originally, the gun was touted as something of a smart flechette pistol instead of a heat based energy weapon. The gun also appeared in the Essential Guide where it appeared on a page with flechette weapons.
Link to Technical Drawing and RPG Game Description: http://www.smartgroups.com/picvault/22936746.jpg
Link to Warcry.com's FWG-5 Page: http://swg.warcry.com/data/weapons/view.php?weapons=42
Rookery DeCarabas, The Zeltron Zabrak, Enthralling Gunslinger, Corellia - Eclipse "Walk easy, shoot straight, and luck in your steps!"
The Republic Blaster, or The Merr-Sonn Quickfire 2 Hold Out Pistol There were two of these kinds of pistols in The Phantom Menace. A long barrelled one and a short barrelled one. You'll remember it as the one that Amidala pulled out of her desk chair and turned on the Nemoidian Viceroy in her office. It's thought that it was made of original bits except for the barrel, which appears to be made from a coleman barbeque lighter. Essentially, this was an old republic hold out pistol, described thussly:
"Just as Blas-Tech is best known for its DL-44 Heavy Blaster, Merr-Sonn dominates the hold out blaster market with the Q2. Lightweight, elegant, and functional, the Merr-Sonn Q2 is an almost expected accessory for the diplomat or noble who is unsure of his or her allies. The Q2 design is so widely favored that SoroSuub licensed the design from Merr-Sonn for its own nearly identical model. SosoSuub also used the design as a basis of its heavier ELG line of blasters."
A picture of the prop on Parts of Star Wars: http://www.partsofsw.com/Ep_1/images/queenpistol.jpg
A Link to the Warcry page for the weapon: http://swg.warcry.com/data/weapons/view.php?weapons=49
Rookery DeCarabas, The Zeltron Zabrak, Enthralling Gunslinger, Corellia - Eclipse "Walk easy, shoot straight, and luck in your steps!"
The Scout Blaster, or... the Scout Trooper Blaster. There's really not a lot written up about this pistol. No entry appears in any of my books concerning its origins, maker, or past. It is likely that the prop was specially made from a mold with a few extra parts put onto it like the Quickfire 2 did. If you happen to know what the maker and model number is, please do let me know. At a guess, I'd say it was more than likely something that came out of Imperial Munitions.
Link to a picture of the prop: http://www.smartgroups.com/picvault/22939834.jpg
Link to the Warcry Page for the gun in game: http://swg.warcry.com/data/weapons/view.php?weapons=43
Rookery DeCarabas, The Zeltron Zabrak, Enthralling Gunslinger, Corellia - Eclipse "Walk easy, shoot straight, and luck in your steps!"
"He doesn't like you. *I* don't like you either. You just watch yourself. We're wanted men. I hold the death sentence in 12 star systems!" Now do you remember who Dr. Evazan is? Here's another gun that doesn't have much of a write-up in the different books I have. However, there is a picture for it on Parts of Star Wars.
Link to a picture of the prop: http://www.partsofsw.com/RangedWeapons/images/evazgun2.gif
The base gun for this prop is a Rexim-Favor 9mm Submachine Gun. For the prop the rear stock was removed as well as the main barrel of the weapon and the magazine. Two scopes, the same type used on Chewbacca's Bowcaster and on Fett's EE-3 Blasters from ESB and ROTJ, were added to the top of the gun and something is filling the magazine receiver; probably a simple block of wood similar to that filling the magazine receivers on some of the BlasTech E-11's.
Link to the Warcry Page on the weapon: http://swg.warcry.com/data/weapons/view.php?weapons=57
Rookery DeCarabas, The Zeltron Zabrak, Enthralling Gunslinger, Corellia - Eclipse "Walk easy, shoot straight, and luck in your steps!"
The Striker Pistol, or The Oriolanis Striker Projectile Pistol
A slugthrower in Star Wars? The higher tech a civilization, the more vulnerable it is to primitive attack, said a wise doctor once. And Star Wars is no exception. The Essential Guide has this to say on the subject of the Stiker Pistol and specialized ammunitions:
"The Oriolanis Striker pistol is a standard short-range slugthrower with an optimum range of 30 meters, a maximum range of sixty meters, and a slug cartridge that holds 8 slugs. As with a Hold Out blaster, only a vital hit is likely to kill. This weapon is normally easy to accquire, even on worlds with strict weapon laws."
"Ammunition is also varied, as slugs are made of metal and hardened plastics. Specialty rounds can release toxic or stun gasses, or acid, or carry explosive heads. DURING THE GALACTIC CIVIL WAR, Several Rebel Specforce units carried explosive-tipped rounds that were quite effective in blowing through stormtrooper armour."
In the next section of this FAQ, I'll be making suggestions for possible versions of slugthrowing ammunition for slugthrowing weapons, as an acid dealing slugthrower is indeed discussed. As well as alternative weapons that could be introduced for Pistoleers in the future.
Link for a Tech picture of the Striker Projectile Pistol: http://www.smartgroups.com/picvault/22939722.jpg
Link to the Warcry page for this weapon: http://swg.warcry.com/data/weapons/view.php?weapons=51
Rookery DeCarabas, The Zeltron Zabrak, Enthralling Gunslinger, Corellia - Eclipse "Walk easy, shoot straight, and luck in your steps!"
This gun was very likely come up with solely for Star Wars Galaxies. As it's a relatively new weapon, not much is known about the gun aside from the fact that schematics for it appear to come from Dark Sun Enforcers in the emply of a possibly Mandalorian splinter group. The design of the DE-10 is almost an identical model of the old west pistol, the Colt Dragoon. This design is consistent with the old west looking british flare gun that formed the base for both props built to be Boba Fett's blaster carbine, which could be theorized as a Mandalorian Design in Star Wars.
Several people have compared it to the Japanese Imperial Army pistol as seen being used by Malcom Reynolds in the Joss Whedon Science Fiction series, Firefly.
Picture of a Colt Dragoon: http://www.bigcountry.de/Colt_Dragoon_2.0.gif
My own Photoshop Mock-up of the DE-10 'Firefly' (After the old west look and the Firefly TV Series) http://www.smartgroups.com/picvault/22480314.jpg
Picture of the Webley & Scott #1 Mark I .37mm flare gun (the basis for Fett's Carbine) http://www.partsofsw.com/images/webflare.jpg
Rookery DeCarabas, The Zeltron Zabrak, Enthralling Gunslinger, Corellia - Eclipse "Walk easy, shoot straight, and luck in your steps!"
Okay. So much for the pistols we're familiar with in the game. The next part will be pistols that I'd suggest as possible ones to include in the game later. Ones that can be used to expand on the repertoire of damage types available to the Pistoleer, giving a bit of expansion to the versatility of our profession and introducing an element of strategy to engaging enemies. If I've missed anything or you'd like to help out with your own observations, don't hesitate to let me know.
Rookery DeCarabas, The Zeltron Zabrak, Enthralling Gunslinger, Corellia - Eclipse "Walk easy, shoot straight, and luck in your steps!"
The Westar-34 Blaster Pistol (Source: Star Wars, Episode II: Attack of the Clones)
This Dallorian alloy weapon was a favoured blaster of bounty hunters and other beings who relied upon surprise to attack their enemies. The Westar-34 was designed for sustained, close-range use, utilizing its Dallorian construction to absorb more heat than a standard blaster. In melee situations, the Westar-34 was near unstoppable in the hands of an experienced owner. Jango Fett, for example, used two of these pistols.
With the coming dual wield for Pistoleers on the way (as of 6-28-2004) This would be the perfect gun to double-front like Chow Yun Fat, or Jango Fett. Even Bounty Hunters would come a runnin' to to get the Pistoleer lines for the sweet double your pleasure double your firing rate taste of a warm Westar in both hands. The Westar 34 would be a perfect high end pistol for Underworld factioned or Dark Jedi factioned Gunslingers.
A Picture of Two Westar 34's: http://www.smartgroups.com/picvault/22943242.jpg
Rookery DeCarabas, The Zeltron Zabrak, Enthralling Gunslinger, Corellia - Eclipse "Walk easy, shoot straight, and luck in your steps!"
The Bryar Pistol (Source: Dark Forces, Jedi Knight, Jedi Outcast)
If new weapons and weapon certs are to be added later in the game, a really good and (as described by Lucasarts on their Jedi Outcast Page) 'incredibly accurate' energy pistol might be the Bryar Pistol. (The Starting Pistol and one of the best weapons in the first three Jedi Knight games, as wielded by Kyle Kataarn.) The weapon is described by fan pages that likely took their information from manuals and the like, as a cutoff rifle that was modified by Kyle. It is more accurate then the stormtrooper rifle, but has a slower firing rate. Of course with this slower firing rate, the Bryar pistol uses less ammunition then the stormtrooper rifle.
At long ranges and with charging up shots, this gun was a darn fine weapon. If they're going to add new guns, I certainly wouldn't mind seeing the good ol’ Bryar Pistol put in an appearance. That'd be a heck of an energy weapon for us. And of course if you introduced the concept of pistol using Jedi, this would be a great counter to the Westar 34's as a Sith blaster. Especially as we already have the premise established that a Jedi uses the weapon. Pages where you might learn more about the Bryar Pistol would be:
The Merr-Sonn MSD-32 Disruptor Pistol, or The Properly Working Disruptor That Could Still Happen
Not shown, but described in the Essential Guide, Galladinium’s, and the WoTC guide is the Merr-Sonn MSD-32 Pistol, which is said to have circumvented a lot of the Tenloss DX-2's limitations. Now, if they want to KEEP the 'acid' version of the Tenloss DX-2, they COULD still give us a better and much improved disruptor pistol to make up for the awful mistake they made with the DX-2. Here's the description of that one as appearing in the SW Arms & Equipment Guide by WotC, Page 21:
"This weapon was so deadly and unpopular that evidence of its existence was officially stricken from the Merr-Sonn corporate history. The MSD-32 was commissioned by the Imperial Bureaucracy in extremely limited numbers for use by its agents. Many of these weapons quickly fell into the wrong hands, and the ISB (Imperial Security Bureau) spent a great deal of time tracking them down, time that would have been better spent fighting the Rebel Alliance. Ultimately, the design for the MSD-37 was purged from all company computers, the designers were sent to the Spice Mines, the managers were shot, and the remaining inventory was destroyed.
Despite these draconian tactics, a few MSD-32's have survived. The design has proved to be a very effective advance over the Tenloss DX series of disruptors. Merr-Sonn has managed to coax out better range than the Tenloss Pistol, while packing in the deadliness of the Tenloss Rifle. (See the DXR-6 Carbine that you'll see Carbineers carrying.) The designers achieved this with a phased array of energy pulses (As opposed to an overwhelming blast) that works against the natural harmonics in the molecules of the target."
This sounds to me like the TRUE disruptor pistol we almost got in the DX-2, but never got the chance to have. If indeed the folks at SOE looked at how hideously dangerous the DX-2 actually was and had to ramp it back a bit, the chances are that we may never see the MSD-32. They just wouldn't put THAT nasty a pistol in our hands. But it sounds to me like the MSD-32 would make a good pistol, along with the Blas-Tech Thunderer (Mentioned Later) in the way of a Master Pistoleer cert. Both weapons may carry an 'intimidation' status effect when used against an enemy due to both of the guns' relative infamy, which is why I'd limit both of these to MASTER only certs.
Link to a Tech Picture and RPG Description of the MSD-32 http://www.smartgroups.com/picvault/22946346.jpg
Rookery DeCarabas, The Zeltron Zabrak, Enthralling Gunslinger, Corellia - Eclipse "Walk easy, shoot straight, and luck in your steps!"
