A Sight is a device used to improve the aim of a character using a firearm,[1] making it easier to hit the target. Sights come in a variety of types, each of which aids aim in different ways.
Types of Sights[]
Iron Sights[]
Automatic rifle with iron sights
Iron sights are pieces of metal or polymer physically attached to a firearm. Some are referred to as "fixed" (meaning they are immovable), and others as "adjustable" (meaning they can be moved in order to change the aim- point). The shooter aligns the sights to determine where his shot will go.
Iron sights come standard with any firearm,[2] and the range tables assume that they are present. (In other words, there is no bonus to hit with iron sights.)
Laser Sight[]
under-barrel laser sight
Laser sights project a harmless dot of laser light on the target, showing where the shot will hit. They have the drawback of the target possibly seeing the dot and/or the beam of the laser thereby being warned and exposing the position of the shooter. This is especially problematic at night or in smoky/misty/dusty conditions.[3]
Laser sights confer a flat +10 to hit. They are simple and easy to make, and cost only 50 credits.[4]
Holographic Sight/"Red Dot" Sight[]
Holographic sight
Holographic (or "red dot") sights are designed to allow the shooter to acquire his target more rapidly and easily, particularly in a rushed situation. They use a lens and various means to project a "dot" in the shooter's field of vision through the sight, indicating the aim-point. Unlike telescopic sights (see below) they do not magnify the image, and range categories remain the same.
Holographic sights share the same mounting restrictions as telescopic sights.
As with laser sights, holographic sights confer a flat +10 to hit. They cost 75 credits.[5]
Telescopic Sight[]
Rifle scope
Telescopic sights (called "scopes"), are small telescopes that magnify distant targets, making them easier to aim at.[6] Using a scope lets the attacker use the range modifier for the next closer range. A shooter using a telescopic sight may fire only one shot per turn.[7] [8] Scopes include a "dot" or sometimes a "cross-hairs" to further assist aim, but the effects of this are already accounted for (no additional bonus to hit).
View through a "scope"
A scope may be mounted on any ranged weapon except for the following: electrostunner, machine gun, recoilless rifle, grenade rifle, and rocket launcher.[9] Scopes cannot be used on grenades or archaic weapons. In addition, a scope may not be mounted on any weapon that has a holographic sight already mounted. They may however be used in conjunction with a laser sight.
A telescopic sight costs half the price of the weapon it is to be mounted on as a base cost.[10]
Sight Accessories[]
Iron sights and laser sights have no accessory options, but holographic sights and scopes do:
Electromagnetic[]
The EM modification is used to spot the tell-tale blue or purple sheen surrounding all force screens and fields whether caused by a device or psionic discipline. Pressor beams are also visible to EM vision.
The EM modification costs 300 credits and adds 1 kg to the cost of the sight.[11]
Infra-Red[]
The IR modification permits the sight to "see heat" as IR goggles do, and have the same limitations.
The IR modification costs 350 credits and adds 1 kg to the cost of the sight.[12]
High-Resolution IR[]
High-res IR is the same as the regular IR modification, but also allows the shooter to also see maser weapons fire. Doing so carries the risk of microwave blindness.[13]
The High-res IR modification costs 400 credits and adds 1.5 kg to the cost of the sight.
Solar[]
Sights and scopes with the Solar modification are covered by a thin layer of polarized material on the glass that instantly darkens when brilliant light appears. Though the reaction is too slow to prevent the wearer from suffering the effects of a flash grenade, the modification does help a character looking into floodlights and powerlights.
The Solar modification costs 150 credits and adds 1 kg to the cost of the sight.[14]
Low-Light[]
The low-light modification permits the shooter to see in lowlight conditions as if wearing nightgoggles, with the same limitations.
The LL modification costs 450 credits and adds 1.5 kg to the cost of the sight.[15]
Ultra-Violet[]
The UV modification is useful for detecting anything printed or written in UV ink, paint, or dye (commonly used by Star Law to mark valuable objects or subjects), a Light-Shift screen, or any object emitting UV light.
The UV modification costs 250 credits and adds 1kg to the cost of the sight.[16]
Range Finder[]
A range finder (which tells the shooter how far away the target is) may be added to any holosight or scope for a flat cost of 25 credits.
Installation[]
A newly installed sight or set of sights requires a certain amount of fine tuning to ensure accuracy. This process is known as "sighting in" the weapon. Properly sighting in a weapon is part of normal ranged weapons training, and is accomplished by a simple Weapons skill check against the appropriate skill for that weapon.
Notes and References[]
- ↑ Ordinarily a rifle, but pistols may also have a mounted sight.
- ↑ Including energy weapons
- ↑ +10 to INT/LOG check for any observer. In hazy/clouded conditions, the check is automatic as the beam is plainly visible.
- ↑ Using the stated cost of a telescopic sight as a basis, and allowing that laser and holographic/red dots confer less of a benefit, it seems proper that they are cheaper.
- ↑ as above
- ↑ Star Frontiers Alpha Dawn pp.22
- ↑ Extreme range is treated as Long, Long as Medium, etc. Telescopic sights have no effect at Point Blank or Short ranges.
- ↑ Zebulon's uses a different system of ranges. Under Zebulon rules, scopes come in three "powers". Each power increases the range of the weapon to the next higher range group, and add 1 kg of mass per power. Cost is 100 credits per power.(Zeb p 67 and Equipment List)
- ↑ The last two already incorporate a sight, and the effects are already included in the range table for those weapons.
- ↑ "Dispel Confusion" Polyhedron #13
- ↑ Zebulon's Guide p.72
- ↑ ibid
- ↑ A shooter using High-res IR is blinded for 1d10 minutes if struck from the front by a maser blast. If the result is a 10, roll again. If the second result is also a 10, the character is permanently blinded. (This is also from Zebulon p.72.)
- ↑ Zebulon p. 72
- ↑ ibid
- ↑ ibid