Shadowrun
Shadowrun General => Gear => Topic started by: Dudesomebody on <07-18-18/2324:29>
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I have never used this stuff to rappel with, mostly I use it strung across doors. Once I had a bunch of the stuff strung between two poles and made a portable fence. Then there was the incident with the many flying eyes with makeshift microwire whips....that didnt end well for anyone involved, including the party.
I saw someone on here talking about making a violin bow with a length of microwire in it, kind of a concealed weapon, how do you made folk use the stuff?? I need ideas for my game, gotta remind the GM we hate him ;)
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Are you talking mono-wire (like used in mono-whips), or the thin wire used in specialized rappelling gear? I don't think that they are same?
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Micro-wire is about the same as fishing line, just much sturdier.
Sure, it's pretty useful. Just not as a makeshift weapon...
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Most of the uses I can think of involve traps.
Ever walked through a door, only to trigger a shotgun blast knee high?
That ganger NEVER saw it coming.
A grenade could just as easily been substituted.
A smart person could use micro-wire to trigger a rube goldberg machine to set off a nice chain of events.
If you don't know what a rube goldberg machine is, think the mouse trap board game.
As a weapon, pretty useless without a weight tied at the end of it.
Could still be used as a garrote.
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So here's a trick I used in my game as part of an MCT Zero-Zone. More useful for me as a GM, but I could see a PC using this too. Note that while it doesn't strictly require microwire, having it is useful due to its tensile strength.
You take 2 small flying drones, a length of microwire, 2 wireless/proximity-release pins, 2 grenades of your choice(I prefer Frag or High Ex), and a bit of Reuthenium paint.
The drones and grenades are painted with Reuthenium to make them hard to see; the wire already is. Each grenade is attached to the bottom of a drone with a release catch that triggers on either wireless command or proximity to the target. Attached to the grenades and strung between them is a length of wire, say about 2 meters.
The drones fly remotely or via command towards the target, damn near-invisible, as is their payload. When they reach it, the releases trigger, and you now have grenade Bolas that wrap around them as the drones keep flying past on either side and away.
The target is going to need to see the drones coming to avoid them. If he doesn't, he gets entangled by wire anchored by about 5-6 pounds of explody weights. This means he has 3 seconds to break the wire and run/find and throw the grenades/etc. Even if the drones miss or only partially tag him, most people won't immediately think to run. They'll stand there for a second confused.
And the best part is the trick is repeatable. All you need to replace is the grenades and wire. However, this is obviously not a wet work trick that will work in public or in heavily forested terrain where things can catch the wire, and you will need to make sure the drones don't get hacked.
Oh, and if you want to be truly cruel, replace the grenades with regular weights and the microwire with monowire.
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I'm partial to this particular use: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QYfkhduBMTw
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I'm partial to this particular use: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QYfkhduBMTw
That was how I did the fence, just strung it between two poles I could relocate. Not perfect, but useful for a make shift defense. As far as weapon, I think a weight at the end would make a poor mans monowhip, thats...what I did with the drones....I still owe a few party members new fingers.
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I'm partial to this particular use: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QYfkhduBMTw
That was how I did the fence, just strung it between two poles I could relocate. Not perfect, but useful for a make shift defense. As far as weapon, I think a weight at the end would make a poor mans monowhip, thats...what I did with the drones....I still owe a few party members new fingers.
Then you're definitely talking about monofilament line, not microwire. One cuts through damn near anything not designed specifically to deal with it, and the other is essentially fishing line.
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I think the only way to make microwire potentially dangerous would be to spin it like a weed-whacker. Even still, it would probably cut you up, but probably not slice off fingers (unless they just let themselves continue to be cut)
To really be a quick and dirty weapon you need monowire, which is much more expensive.
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N3C5GN15kas
Originally wasn't going to link this, but it does show a few tricks that could be used with microwire.
With enough time and patience, microwire can be an assassin's best friend.
Microwires used as tripwires for explosives or head height heavy guns come to mind here.
Not to mention the option of just sneaking behind and using it as garrote wire in a pinch.
You can do much the same if you're expecting unwanted company.
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I think the only way to make microwire potentially dangerous would be to spin it like a weed-whacker. Even still, it would probably cut you up, but probably not slice off fingers (unless they just let themselves continue to be cut)
To really be a quick and dirty weapon you need monowire, which is much more expensive.
I thought microwire did 8 damage and -8 armor if you dont have the gloves? Admittedly I could be missing an errata or something, did it get nerfed??
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Errata didn't change microwire.
For some reason, I was thinking it was like fishing line with a strong test.
Did not expect it to be a less lethal monowire.
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I too did not remember that level of damage...
Granted, the 8P damage is for putting your whole weight into it and trying to rappel. I imagine trying to rappel with fishing line without the proper protection would deal at least a little damage too.
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I think the only way to make microwire potentially dangerous would be to spin it like a weed-whacker. Even still, it would probably cut you up, but probably not slice off fingers (unless they just let themselves continue to be cut)
To really be a quick and dirty weapon you need monowire, which is much more expensive.
I thought microwire did 8 damage and -8 armor if you dont have the gloves? Admittedly I could be missing an errata or something, did it get nerfed??
That's for trying to rappel down it with your hands gripping the line. It doesn't mean you get to use that damage code wherever you run it.
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Crap, I dont think anyone in our group ever thought of that. well the GM will be pleased... need to dig through the gear section for new ways to make his head explode now :P
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Think of it as a thin, strong piano wire. Makes a wicked garrote. Imagine trying to rappel with it, though, even with special gloves and protective gear? (shudder). I want a rappelling line to be as thick as my thumb, for comfort if not for strength.
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I did a little investigation and I think the -8 AP on the rappel with microwire is just there to simulate it slicing through your unprotected hands.
A) using a pair of 50¥ gloves prevents the damage entirely, plus there is no mention of potential damage from simply handling the rope (only if you try to rappel).
B) actual monowire used a fence-top (like razor or concertina) deals 8P damage with no AP. (Core Rulebook, Pg 359)
C) this is before the location called shots (which would be an interesting thing to apply to this sort of situation)
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...I used to fly sport kites. Back in the early 90s Kevlar lines were very popular as they had almost no stretch. They were also very dangerous as they could easily cut deep into skin when taut. One had to be very careful on a populated beach or flying near other kites as it would cut though other types of lines like a knife through warm butter. It was replaced with an advanced version of Spectra fibre (the same material used in parachute lines) and eventually banned. I still have a set from one of the early quad line kites I bought.
Now micro wire would be that much worse considering it is metal and most likely has a smaller diameter.
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...I used to fly sport kites. Back in the early 90s Kevlar lines were very popular as they had almost no stretch. They were also very dangerous as they could easily cut deep into skin when taut. One had to be very careful on a populated beach or flying near other kites as it would cut though other types of lines like a knife through warm butter. It was replaced with an advanced version of Spectra fibre (the same material used in parachute lines) and eventually banned. I still have a set from one of the early quad line kites I bought.
Now micro wire would be that much worse considering it is metal and most likely has a smaller diameter.
Yeah, but I could see it not being as good as monofilament, at least it shouldn't have the -8 ap. I do think it could work for other things, still make a nasty fence and I do think putting a weight at the end would make a nasty whip...just not an armor piercing whip.
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...I actually was cut once after grabbing kevlar lines with my bare hand to dump the wind out of the kite sail so it would immediately fall to the ground to avoid hurting this kid on one of those pedal beach trikes who suddenly thought it would be fun to turn and ride through my lines as I was doing a ground pass. I showed him the deep cuts I had and said that could have easily happened to him. He avoided riding around where people were flying kites the rest of the afternoon.
Yeah anything that thin and extremely taut can still cause injury. That pretty much ended my afternoon as well.
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Definitely. Microwire can cause injuries, just not the same level of injuries as an actual monofilament whip.
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Definitely. Microwire can cause injuries, just not the same level of injuries as an actual monofilament whip.
Indeed. If it was monowire, kyoto kid would be missing most of a hand.
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...yeah, and back in the 90s prosthetic technology was pretty simplistic. Even today with advances in neural interface and 3D printing, we are still not close to a 100% fully functional cyber replacement (and the best ones available cost a "wee bit" more than they do for our characters).
As for genetically matched vat grown replacements, that is even further off yet in RL.
...oh and since then I wear gloves when I fly sport and power kites, even with Spectra fibre lines. That was not a pleasant experience.