Line Launcher

This device consists of a pulley system, a handle, a liquid cable reservoir, and two high-penetration grapnel guns. The guns point on opposite directions, such that they can create a single line, anchored at two points, neither of which need be close to the user.

The guns can each shoot up to 50 meters, and there is sufficient liquid cable for a 100m length. The cable test is 250 kg; the handle is up to spec. The user may hook up a provided loop harness to the upper arm, or attach a line to a full-body harness, if worn (this is recommended). The device contains a mechanical winch which can pull the user along at up to 10 meters per second at level; it can be disengaged for free motion.

The cables are conductive, and the provided grappling hooks all respond to remote commands. Three types of hooks are provided:

• Four-clawed hook: for hooking onto edges, protrusions, or wrapping around the cable
• Self-anchoring mortar screw: for driving into stone, concrete, or wood
• Magnetic anchor: high-test electromagnet with local power source and reversible polarity

The liquid cable reservoir fits standard types A, B, and micro-AB.

Rules

• Swapping one hook takes one full round, plus actions to retrieve new hook and store old one
• You can fire one line at a time or both simultaneously
• Firing one line is an attack roll, range increment 5. Firing both simultaneously inflicts a -5 penalty.
  • Miss: the line is not secure, but can be retracted
  • Hit: the line is secure
    • Special: to fire a trick shot which wraps the cable around an object and secures a four-clawed hook to the cable itself, suffer a -5 penalty to the attack
    • Using the wrong kind of anchor will cause the attempt to fail. A four-clawed hook must have something to hook onto. A mortar anchor can penetrate stone and concrete, but not metal. A wooden wall will likely not hold the weight of the cable and rider. A magnetic anchor will work on ferromagnetic walls, but not aluminum or other non-magnetic surfaces.
  • Retracting a cable requires that the cable spool outside the device, which is something of a mess. It can be re-fired without swapping the liquid cable, but the attack will suffer a -5 penalty, as the spool might snag on itself.
• To "ride" along the line with the winch, you must hold onto the handle. This requires a DC 20 Strength check each round if simply holding the handle.
  • If using a forearm harness, the check is only DC 10, and on failure, you slip from the harness, but you can still grasp it with your hand, raising further checks to DC 20.
  • If linked to a full-body harness, there is no check needed.
  • You can only use the winch at level or in descent. However, it is not needed for descents of greater than 5 degrees.
• Landing: at full speed, the winch moves the rider at 10 m/s, which is 40 squares per round. This is much faster than most creatures can move on their own. Landing properly is thus a challenge. Roll Acrobatics, DC 20 (at maximum speed, pro-rated if winching more slowly, DC 0 at 20 squares/rd or less, can also be higher than 20 if free-falling).
  • On success, you land precisely where you mean to, standing, canceling your momentum (or perhaps harnessing it for some sort of maneuver).
  • On failure, you stumble. If secured to the line, you will continue to move until other forces act to stop you. Otherwise, you fall prone and tumble forward 1 square (which could put you in other danger).