M6C/SOCOM HANDGUN

"M6S -- whisper-quiet with armor-piercing rounds. Brutes might see us coming, but the only thing they'll hear is their asses hitting the ground."
-Gunnery Sergeant Edward Buck.

   The M6C/SOCOM, also known as the "M6S", and informally known as the "Automag", is a semi-automatic pistol used by the United Nations Space Command, and is a variant of the M6C magnum sidearm.

Model: Misriah Armory M6S Magnum Sidearm
Type: Semi-automatic handgun
Scale: Character
Skill: Firearms: Handguns/Pistols
Rate of Fire: Semiautomatic (1)
Fire Control: +2
Ammo: 12
Cost:
-Weapon: 1615 cR
-Magazine: 25 cR
Availability: 3, X
Range: 1-15/30/60 (4x zoom, see below)
-Difficulty: Easy/Moderate/Difficult
Damage:
-Semiautomatic: 7D
-Melee: Str+2 Physical (Blunt)

GAME NOTES:

-RATE OF FIRE: This weapon can fire consecutive rounds quickly in succession.  When using "Multiple Actions" to fire several shots in one combat round, instead of -1D per extra action, it is instead like reversing the rules for Fire-Linking (see Star Wars RPG Revised Rulebook).  The first extra shot is -1D, and every extra shot past that is -1 pip (with every -3 pips being -1D).

-HUD: When using a Heads Up Display (HUD) or Command Neural Interface (CNI) to work with this weapon's electronics suite, the user gains a +1 to their skill when using the weapon.  This stacks with any other bonuses, such as modifications to the weapon to increase Fire Control, other equipment, etc.  These also display various information on the weapon, such as ammo count, targeting reticule, overheating and other general relevant information.

-SMART-LINK SCOPE (4x): This weapon has a smart-link scope built into its frame.  It requires the use of a Heads Up Display (HUD) or Command Neural Interface (CNI)  to use it.  This scope (which can look like a small camera built into the frame, or can be built into a scope mounted on the body) allows the user to see at FOUR TIMES the listed range above, provided they spend an action to use the zoom function.  If they want to zoom and fire the weapon, these count as two actions, and the attack will be at -1D.  If the GM requires the user to Search for their target before firing, and they are still doing two actions, then the Search skill roll will also be -1D.  The scope can also be used by those with a HUD/CNI to look around corners with the weapon while the user stays safely behind the corner.

-VS ENERGY SHIELDS: When used against energy shields, such as those used by the Covenant, the Damage of most UNSC firearms is reduced by -1D in Semiautomatic, and automatic fire  only gets half the stacking pip bonus from all bullets spent (in both Sustained Fire and Short Controlled Bursts).  Specifically, Autofire will grant the +1D for the first extra bullet (as the Fire-linking rules from WEG Star Wars RPG Revised Edition), but then every two bullets fired only grants +1 pips.  This can still be damaging at close range, but beyond this, energy shields become a problem.  Stronger weapons may be required.

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DESIGN DETAILS

   The M6C/SOCOM variant is a special issued handgun to the UNSC's special operations units. The M6C/SOCOM variant has an integrated sound suppressor, and muzzle brake. It is the secondary weapon of special forces Orbital Drop Shock Troopers and is used in operations that rely on stealth rather than direct engagements. In lieu of the KFA-2 sight used on the M6D PDWS, the M6C/SOCOM utilizes the VnSLS/V 6E smart linked 4x scope, enabling the user to eliminate targets at long range while incurring limited recoil due to the integral sound suppressor and compensator. It has a double-action-only trigger and fires M228 12.7mmx40mm (.50 caliber) SAP-HP ammunition from a twelve-round magazine. It has a considerably high rate of fire with an long effective range, being able to hit a target accurately at about fifty meters. The M6C/SOCOM is, like its M6C counterpart, weaker than the standard-issue M6G PDWS due to lower efficiency against shielded and heavily armored targets.

   The M6C/SOCOM uses the short recoil principle. This means that the trigger needs to be pulled after every shot for the next round to be fired. Because it is semi-automatic, the gun will cock itself after every shot due to recoil and will continue to do so until the magazine is empty. The recoil comes from the gases of the rounds fired. The gases force the slide, located on the top of the gun, backward. The slide not only absorbs the force of the gases but also uses the force to eject spent casings out of the ejection port and load new rounds into the chamber. It also recocks the gun. Before the first round can be fired, the round must be chambered; this is done by inserting a magazine with ammunition into the grip of the weapon and then pulling the slide back completely and letting it launch forward, chambering a round on the way. There is a small, red rectangular box on the flat back of the slide that protrudes slightly when the weapon is cocked. Once this is done, the safety, located at the back of the slide on both sides, must be switched off or the weapon will not fire. Once all the rounds have been spent, the slide catch, a rectangular lever located above the trigger, is forced upward and ?catches? the slide by a small notch. To reload, the empty magazine must be removed, done by using the magazine release button located on the grip. Once the empty magazine is removed, a "fresh" one can be inserted. Once the fresh magazine is inserted, the slide catch is pressed downward and the slide chambers a round.

AMMUNITION

   The M6C/SOCOM uses 12.7mm x 40mm (.50 Caliber) Semi-Armor-Piercing, High-Penetration rounds. These rounds have a jacket of copper or nickel which encloses a more frangible metal projectile that will deform shortly after penetration. When the round hits a hard object such as body armor, the jacket will temporarily help maintain the shape of the projectile so that it has a better chance of penetration. A second impact against bone or solid muscle mass inside the target's body is usually enough to complete the jacket's rupture, at which point the projectile mushrooms and fragments into smaller pieces, causing a large number of wound channels and maximizing damage. These rounds are typically more effective against infantry as opposed to armor-piercing rounds due to a larger dump of kinetic energy, resulting in better stopping power, and also to the process described above, with an armor-piercing round speeding through the target's body without causing as much trauma, creating a scenario where a wounded enemy can still be an effective combatant until they bleed out. Ammunition packets for the M6C/SOCOM are labeled in the same blue color as all other M6 sidearm ammunition packs. However, each ammunition pack has a different shade and text to denounce the type of ammunition used.

ADVANTAGES

   The M6C/SOCOM, being a sound suppressed variant of the M6C, features several key advantages. The first is an increase in accuracy by the addition of a muzzle brake which reduces the recoil of the gun - this allows for better aiming and more controlled fire. The weapon also has an increased effective range, making it a very formidable weapon when used against lightly armored infantry. Its suppressor allows for more stealthy engagements and excels at eliminating enemy infantry from concealed locations without compromising the user's location. The addition of a optics module, located underneath the suppressor/muzzle brake, gives the user 4x digital zoom for long range targets; the optics module also includes a flashlight to provide lumination in low-light situations.

DISADVANTAGES

   Like the M6C, the M6C/SOCOM is not a purely offensive weapon among the M6 series. While it is more effective than the standard M6C, the role of the M6C/SOCOM falls between offensive and defensive combat. The M6C/SOCOM, like the M6C, is not effective against energy shield systems, making engagements against shielded enemy infantry very dangerous. In order for the weapon to be effective, a user must rely on a more powerful weapon to take down the shield and then switch to the sidearm, killing the target with a headshot. This requires a great deal of focus, and the time required to switch weapons leaves the user vulnerable to return fire. Rapid fire will cause the gun to climb like the M7.

OTHER INFO

Technical Specifications:
-Size: Hand-held, single-handed
--Length: 22.86cm/9" (standard); 26.7cm/10.5" (up-sized)
--Weight: 1.8kg/4.0lbs (standard); 2.7kg/6.0lbs (up-sized)
-Damage Per Hit: Low to Medium
-Magazine Size: 12 rounds
-Maximum Ammunition: 60 rounds/5 magazines
-Fire Mode: Semi-automatic
-Ammuntion Type: 12.7x40mm Semi-Armor-Piercing High-Penetration/.50 caliber magnum rounds
-Operation: Short recoil principal
-Rate of Fire: Double action only
-Accuracy: Medium
-Range:
--Maximum Effective Range: Between 30 and 50 meters
--Maximum Range: Between 60 and 115 meters
-Eras: Human-Covenant War
-Affiliations: United Nations Space Command