Aeon Weapon Tag Questions

[literatzi]

I'm doing some prep work for an Aeon campaign I plan on running later this year. While looking at the weapons I noticed some gaps (no rifles for example) and thought I'd create some basic weapons using the Aeon tags, and developed a ton of questions.

Weapon Enhancement
The Basics: So weapons have 1 Enhancement as a base, then the Quality and Formatted tag can add more. (And other tags can add Enhancement for specific stunts).

My confusion comes from trying to tie this to the examples in the TC Aeon book.

The Flechette Carbine is listed as having 3/4 Enhancement. It has the Formatted, Ranged, Silent, Spread, Variable Ammo 3, and Psi tags. The Formatted Tag gives 1e if formatted, so that is /4 under Enhancement. By the rules I would have thought this should be 1/2 Enhancement. I'm not sure where the extra Enhancement comes from.

Then the Laser Carbine right under the Flechette Carbine has 2e, but it has the Quality 2 Tag so I would have expected 3e not 2.

Last bit of confusion here, the Slug-Thrower Pistol has 2-3e, but has the Quality 2 Tag, so I'd expect a base of 3e, then the number after the dash to be 2 higher if using the Slug ammo type from the Variable Ammo tag (Slug ammo has Quality 2, which I assume stacks with the Quality tag on the weapon)

Some of the examples work as I'd expect but not all, and I can't find any rhyme or reason. Did I miss something basic in the equipment section?

Stun Damage Tags
So we have quite a few tags that deal with Stun damage. Combined Stun and Non-Lethal tags make sense, no confusion there. Optionally Non-Lethal and Variable appear to be mostly the same tag at different costs though?

Optionally Non-Lethal (2) - This Tag lets you choose if you choose between stun and normal damage. (the 3pt version buffs up the normal damage attack)
Variable (1) - This Tag lets you choose between doing stun and normal damage, for one point less than Optionally Non-Lethal

Should Variable just not exist, or is there some distinction I'm missing?

[Florin]

For the Flechette Carbine, if you look on pages 277 and 278 in Aeon under Flechette Weapons, you'll see standard flechettes have a quality 2 or 3 tag. Basically, the Quality tag is assigned under the Variable Ammo tag, not directly onto the weapon.

Per page 125 of core, Quality 2 increases enhancement by 1 to a total of 2 and Quality 3 gives you a total of 3 enhancement.

You can't stack tags normally. However, I'd consider letting two Quality 2 tags combine into a Quality 3 tag.

Non-Lethal uses a slightly different system than Stun. Optionally Non-Lethal uses the Non-Lethal system. Variable uses Stun rules.

[literatzi]

For the Flechette Carbine, if you look on pages 277 and 278 in Aeon under Flechette Weapons, you'll see standard flechettes have a quality 2 or 3 tag. Basically, the Quality tag is assigned under the Variable Ammo tag, not directly onto the weapon.

Per page 125 of core, Quality 2 increases enhancement by 1 to a total of 2 and Quality 3 gives you a total of 3 enhancement.

Thank you! So breaking down the example the Orgotek Scorpion standard flechette has Quality 2, giving the gun 3e as a base, and 4 if formatted.

This brings up another question now that I look more closely at the Flechette entry. TC Aeon says all Flechettes have either Variable Ammo 2 or 3, but doesn't explain what Variable Ammo 3 gives you they way it does for other weapon type entries. I guess easy to just say at Variable Ammo 2 you have to pick between Poison or Poison (Non-Lethal), and at Variable Ammo 3 you get both.

You can't stack tags normally. However, I'd consider letting two Quality 2 tags combine into a Quality 3 tag.

Agreed. I'm inclined to view Quality 2 on that line being a weird presentation mistake, but yeah giving an extra 1e works well for cases where a weapon has an innate Quality tag, and a situational one based on ammo.

Non-Lethal uses a slightly different system than Stun. Optionally Non-Lethal uses the Non-Lethal system. Variable uses Stun rules.

Thank you! In my quick reading I assumed they were using the same system, but yeah I see that Non-Lethal stuns and gives you the ability to just knock someone out.

[Florin]

This brings up another question now that I look more closely at the Flechette entry. TC Aeon says all Flechettes have either Variable Ammo 2 or 3, but doesn't explain what Variable Ammo 3 gives you they way it does for other weapon type entries. I guess easy to just say at Variable Ammo 2 you have to pick between Poison or Poison (Non-Lethal), and at Variable Ammo 3 you get both.

Variable Ammo 2 gives you access to ammo with 2 point tags, and Variable Ammo 3 gives you access to ammo with 3 point tags. That would mean Variable Ammo 2 only lets you get Quality 2 on your standard shots, and Variable Ammo 3 lets you get Quality 3.

[literatzi]

Thank you again! I'd been hunting for the Variable Ammo base tag and your comment made me realize it is in TC Core, where it is clearly explained.

Florin you rock!

[Florin]

You're welcome. Have fun playing!