Weapons in UtSS

Weapons development in the world of UtSS has been augmented severely by the art of Artifice. Thryn's constant state of war has produced an almost-constant need for new weapons. While most development is funded by governments through people such as Rain of Zanara, private companies, like Blackguard Weapons, reap massive profits in advanced weapons development for military and private weapons usage.

Ionite and Blackguard Weapons

Most weapons in Ionar are manufactured by Blackguard Weapons. However, only a few models are unique Blackguard models, the rest having existed before Blackguard became an independent company.

Ionic HG

Before the Wolfen, the Ionic HG was the main handgun for both military forces and Ionite Enforcers. A handgun chambering 14 Blackguard 9mm rounds in a box magazine in front of the trigger, the Ionic HG is still a mainstay for Ionite Enforcers and artificers who like customizing their weaponry.

Nearest OoC Comparison: Mauser C96

Ionic SMG

Developed shortly before Blackguard broke off into its own independent company, and generally considered ahead of its time at its release, the Ionic SMG is an effective, if somewhat touchy, Submachine Gun. Considered fondly by the Ionite military, the gun is nevertheless starting to show its age with its low-capacity 20-round box magazine, lack of artifice, and open-bolt design.

Notable Users

• The Ionite Military is fond of this weapon.
• Anarchs are also commonly sighted using old Ionic SMGs.

Nearest OoC Comparison: Bergmann MP 18 (with its never-realized box magazine)

Wolfen Combat Pistol

"Fast and deadly" is how Blackguard Weapons sold this gun to the Ionar Council. Introduced six years ago, this 12-round large-caliber handgun uses artifice that converts energy from the gun's recoil and waste heat to stabilize and accelerate the fired bullet's flight. The result is that each shot is deadly accurate and capable of piercing most non-reinforced or non-magical body armor with ease, yet is easy-to-use and lacks the egregious recoil of a normal pistol of its size.

The gun has its problems, however. The pistol is large, slightly bulky, and requires more maintenance to keep in working order. The runework prevents most artificers from adding field modifications to them for fear of rune conflicts. And finally, when used in urban combat, there's a very real risk of the gun over-penetrating and causing collateral damage, due to the high-caliber high-velocity rounds. Despite the drawbacks, the pistol was quickly adopted by the Ionite military, and everyone can agree that it's not a gun you want to be on the receiving end of.

Nearest OoC Comparison: IMI Desert Eagle, albeit with larger magazine and without gas-assisted blowback.

Blackguard Vizsla Rifle

Blackguard Weapons established a reputation of utter lethality with the Wolfen Combat Pistol, a reputation reinforced by their foray into rifles. The Vizsla is, by all rights, a fairly ordinary 8-round bolt-action rifle. Using simple iron sights, Blackguard mostly eschewed artificery for this gun, citing that the accuracy and velocity enhancements of the Wolfen were "redundant" for a bolt-action rifle.

However, the Vizsla does have one nasty surprise for its victims: A small band of runes at the end of the barrel weakens the structural integrity of fired rounds, causing them to shatter and fragment on impact with their victim. This turns even minor injuries into potentially-fatal hits, and has the added benefit of minimal overpenetration risk, making it an excellent choice on both the battlefield and at home. Additionally, the rifle is compatible with a wide variety of rifle ammunition, and limited artifice makes it cheap and quick to produce.

Vulpin Infiltration Pistol

A recent development from Blackguard Weapons, the Vulpin is a 9mm pistol, designed for easy concealment and infiltration. Slightly smaller than the Ionic HG, the Vulpin uses intricate internal runework to provide two separate firing modes. In its primary fire mode, the gun uses runework similar to the Wolfen, converting recoil and waste heat into additional inertia. However, if the Blackguard underslide runeplate is pulled back, it reveals a different set of runes that instead drastically reduce the noise of the gun and suppress its muzzle-flash.

Its small profile, versatility, and power make it a dangerous weapon in the hands of a professional, but it lacks the accuracy of longer-barreled or artifice-assisted weaponry. Additionally, its use of standard-caliber ammunition results in an appallingly small 8-round magazine. Thus, the weapon is best suited for short-lived, close-quarters fighting.

All runework is contained internally, thus making the gun initially appear mundane. This has lead to a couple tragic mistakes by Artificers who attempted to customize the pistol and wound up causing deadly misfires. The Vulpin is watched closely by the Ionar government, since its stealthy nature makes it perfect for criminal activity, and legally acquiring typically requires a series of background checks. Nevertheless, the weapon is a strong choice for nobles wishing a concealable gun, or covert agents with a need to keep things quiet.

Notable Users

• Oaeren Revlas uses a Vulpin as his primary side-arm (usually in tandem with an extra magazine of ammo).

Nearest OoC Comparison: Walther P38

Blackguard Hellhound Experimental SMG

Blackguard's latest development, the Hellhound is a heavily-artificed and positively terrifying SMG. Using a 40-round drum magazine filled with the same Blackguard Heavy rounds found in the Wolfen, and adding the Wolfen's recoil-based accuracy and velocity enhancements, the weapon has been compared to a fully-automatic Wolfen. In addition, Blackguard's signature underslide runeplate selector enables the user to select from standard, fragmenting, or anti-vehicular incendiary fire. The Hellhound is a truly terrifying weapon, and puts Ionar back on the map when it comes to high-tech weaponry.

However, the weapon has not been officially released, and less than 50 have been produced; this is because working prototypes take too long and cost a small fortune to produce (costing roughly the same as a new car), and until the design and artifice can be streamlined, the weapon is unlikely to be seen in any form of widespread usage. Critics are also quick to point out that the weapon is heavy, would require frequent maintenance, and would likely have tremendous recoil, even with Blackguard's recoil-reducing artifice.

Nearest OoC Comparison: Thompson Submachine Gun (albeit smothered with runework, and with a underslide underneath the barrel)

Cloudscar Machine Gun

The Cloudscar Machine Gun is an old model, developed for both airships and anti-air emplacements. Has a reasonable rate of fire, and has been the standard for Ionar machine guns for the past 20 years.

Cloudscar BgV Machine Gun

An variant of the old Cloudscar, the Cloudscar BgV (Blackguard Variant) Machine Gun comes with simple artifice enhancements on the loading mechanisms, increasing reliability and fire rate, without reducing the ability to make field modifications to aim or power. The Cloudscar BgV is standard with most newer airships or ground emplacements.

Cloudscar Anti-Vehicular Cannon (CAVC)

Developed for Ionar Battlezepplins and naval forces, the Cloudscar Anti-Vehicular Cannon (Also known as a Cloudscar AVC or just CAVC) is basically an artillery piece meant to kill airships or naval vessels. Using Cloudscar (and later, Blackguard) explosive AV rounds, the AVC was once capable of killing other airships with one shot, simply by firing on the hostile airship's hydrogen-filled canopy and letting the resultant fire finish the job. As airships switched to Helium gas chambers, the AVC's effectiveness was reduced, and it was further reduced with the introduction of fast and small Interceptor airships, which were difficult to track and hit. Against large airships, however, the AVC is still a potent weapon.

Cloudscar AVCs come with noise-reducing artifice to protect the crew's hearing. Later versions also include some basic artifice to improve the accuracy and range of the rather-weighty projectile. Notably, this can only be mounted on larger airships or naval vessels, mainly because the gun's massive recoil, which can cause smaller vessels to lose control or take structural damage. The gun's size and weight is also a contributing factor. Some ground-mounted AVCs are present in Ionar cities to act as anti-air versus bombers.

Cloudscar Rockets

Small, artifice-stabilized rockets carrying an explosive payload. Commonly used as artillery on Ionar rocket vessels.

Zanara Weapons Development

Ammunition

General ammo used in most Zanara weapons

• Zanara Standard (ZSA): Used in military issued carbines and pistols. Similar to the .357 Magnum.
• Zanara Large Round (ZLRA): Used in military issued rifles. Similar to the 5.7x28mm.
• Zanara Piercing Round (ZPRA): Large 20 mm caliber rounds used in military Zanara airships and anti-air turrets.

Zanara Military Pistol "ZMP"

Standard-issue to all Zanara military personal. With its 10-round capacity of ZSA rounds, it's a must have for any infantry.

Zanara Military Revolver "10-Shot"

Not so commonly issued, the 10-shot Zanara Revolver uses special triangular rounds.

Zanara Military Rifle "ZMR"

Issued to most Zanara infantry. Bolt action, five round magazine.

Zanara Piercing Gun "ZPG"

Fully automatic, fires six ZPRA rounds per second. Mostly used against airships. Can also hypothetically be used against automobiles. Usually comes in pairs.

Experimental Weapons

Zanara is infamous to always be constantly developing new and clever ways to kill fast and efficiently. Currently known to be in the experimental stage:

• Zanara Long Range Rocket Propelled Grenade (ZLRRPG or ZRPG): Relatively small and portable, the ZRPG makes use of rocket-based artillery rounds to cause devastation like regular artillery only with deadly accuracy. Unfortunately, it is so reliant of artifice in its experimental state that only competent artificers can make use of them.

Vyanat Weapons Development

Ammunition

Vyanat uses four different types of ammunition in all their weapons:

• Vyan Infantry (VIA): Used in military issue pistols and carbines. Stuctually similar to the .30 Carbine
• Vyan Large Round (VLRA): Large-caliber round used in Vyan-issue sniper rifles and in older model airship turrets. Similar to the .50 BMG
• Vyan Aero Round (VARA): Large, 20mm rounds used in modern Vyan airships and anti-air emplacements.

Vyan Military Pistol "Firesnake"

Standard-issue to all Vyan soldiers, the Firesnake, with its 10-round capacity of VIA rounds, is the mainstay of every soldier's arsenal. It's elongated barrel allows it incredible accuracy at long ranges, and features a removable runeplate on the barrel and tool-less disassembly for battlefield cleaning.

Vyan Military Carbine "Thunder"

Issued to ground troops, the Thunder is essentially a Firesnake pistol with a long barrel and a shoulder stock. It features 30-round magazines, and features a slightly-improved fire rate. Many of its parts are interchangeable with the Firesnake.

Vyan Military Rifle "Trueshot"

Touted as Thryn's most accurate weapon, the Trueshot can put a VLRA shot into a target over 2.5 kays away. With its artifice-enhanced glass lens scope, the only of its kind in the Vyan military, and its advanced artifice barrel, it is Vyanat's most advanced weapon. Bolt-action, five round magazine.

Vyan Antiair Gun "VAG"

Featuring a belt-fed action and fully-automatic fire, the VAG is Vyanat's solution for enemy airship fire. Capable of firing five VARA rounds per second, it features a meter-length barrel for improved accuracy. Aerial turrets are usually mounted by themselves, ground-based emplacements feature two VAGs side-by-side.

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