Date: Wed, 30 Nov 1994 23:40:13 -0500 From: CyHiggin@aol.com Subject: Materials of Weapons This is an enhancement of the original article posted by Lahtinen Antti; I propose that as new materials and the technology to machine them are developed, older materials become easier to machine. After all, if you can machine tungsten, soft steel is trivial. ------------------------------------------------------------------------- In FFS weapon design section there is no information about the materials used in weapons. However, modern barrels and receivers can be made of various different materials to produce lighter and more compact weapons. Alternative materials can be used in CPR and ETC small arms, but they should not be used in other weapon systems. I assume that all weapon design tables in FFS are calculated by using Hard Steel as weapon building material. The following table shows the weight and price modifiers for various materials that can be used in barrels and receivers (and tech level of introduction/tech level of improvement). For price mod, the number to the left is the price at TL of INTRODUCTION, and the number on the right is the price at TL of IMPROVEMENT on. _______________________________________________________ Material Type TL Weight Price Iron 3/4 1.33 1.06/0.8 Probably used in black-powder weapons Soft Steel 4/5 1.18 0.944/0.8 Hard Steel 5/6 1.00 1.0/1.0 The most common weapon material Light Alloy 6/10 0.88 2.35/2.0 Common receiver material Titanium Alloy 6/10 0.67 5.0/3.33 Used in rifle barrels Light Composite 7/8 0.44 3.5/1.75 Comp. Laminate 8/10 0.33 4.0/1.33 Crystaliron 10/12 0.31 4.5/1.125 Superdense 12/14 0.27 7.0/1.0 ____________________________________________________ The weight modifier is derived from FFS page 38 'Vehicle and Craft Construction Materials' table by calculating how much material is needed to get the same Toughness as Hard Steel has. The price modifier is taken directly from FFS table, and, at TL of Introduction it is not multiplied by weight modifier to show that it is difficult and expensive to machine tougher materials. At TL of Improvement, it is multiplied by the weight modifier to show that machining technology has improved enough in the meantime that it is no longer especially difficult to machine this material. Note: currently there are many weapons with Hard Steel barrels and Light Alloy receivers, and some companies are manufacturing titanium barrels for rifles. Source: Lahtinen Antti with modifications by Cynthia Higginbotham