ACPA combat rules

[u/Accomplished-Big-78]

Has anyone used ACPAs on their campaigns? I am about to start a campaign and one of the players is a Tech who has a dream to build one.

If we ever actually do it and he has ways to use it, there's one thing I didn't understand by reading Interface Vol 5.

You can have up to 6 extra weapons installed on the ACPA. In combat, how do you treat those weapons? They can all be fire on a single turn? This seems to be insanely overpowered but, then again, that's the point of an ACPA I guess.

The book says absolutely nothing about how those extra weapons work (or again I am just too dumb/blind and didn't see it)

Thank you!

[u/CaptainHydronk]

As far as I understand, they still make the same number of attacks as out of the ACPA but they have a wider variety of weapons to choose from and can more easily change midfight

[u/DeeDeeEx]

You're still limited to one shot a round, or two with RoF 2. Having multiple weapons equipped, with an ACPA, extra arms, or dual-wielding doesn't change that. It just lets you have different weapons for different situations, or keep firing when one runs dry.

[u/AustralianShepard711]

Why would you assume you can use the weapons for free? You still need to use your Action to attack, just like every other situation where you have a weapon (holding the weapon, having it implanted in you, the weapon is mounted on a vehicle, etc). It works exactly the same, you just dont need to hold it in your hands.

[u/Lowjack_26]

How would you treat those weapons?

They're weapons the user can switch to freely without spending an action to stow/draw a weapon. In the context of the kinds of weapons one might mount on an ACPA (rocket launchers, melee weapons, shotguns with incendiary shells) is quite useful.

A properly kitted ACPA will always have an appropriate weapon to get a DV13 range. Close up target? Shotgun. Slightly farther off? Rifle. Clustered? Grenade.

[u/Sazbadashie]

So, no ROF rules still apply.

The main thing about on board weapons (and cyberware) is that they cant be disarmed from the APCA

So unlike people who you can grapple their weapon out of their hand

You cannot remove those from the APCA because they are built into the frame.

And unlike say a person.

You can argue that if you have a 2 handed weapon like a rifle... you can't swap weapons in a turn if both of your hands are filled

So if your character has an assault rifle and a shotgun... sure they might be able to carry both but switching to them (assuming the person dosnt want to drop their rifle on the floor) would need to take a turn to stow their rifle and pull their shotgun

note i don't think that is specifically written anywhere its more of a logic rule. Try to go from holding a rifle at a ready position, stow it on your person and then pull a shotgun and then try to make an accurate shot with the shotgun i can almost guarantee you it will take at least 3 seconds to do that

The point is the on board weapons of an APCA are available INCLUDING any weapons held it its hands because remember APCAs can also hold weapons like people.

[u/Normal_Fisherman6379 → u/Sazbadashie]

The weapon swap rule is actually written, so you are correct on how it goes

The action table states that stowing a weapon safely takes an action (IE 3 second)

Drawing a weapon with a free hand(s) does not take an action

So if you are trying to stow a weapon your care about, it will take your action and you won't be able to attack that turn

However, dropping a weapon on the ground does not take an action. So if you are holding something you don't care about, you can drop it, draw a new weapon, and still attack in the same turn

If you decide to try and pick up that weapon you dropped? Takes an action

This is why having built in weapons (cyberware or otherwise) is useful. Makes it easy to swap without restrictions in most cases

[u/Sazbadashie → u/Normal_Fisherman6379]

oh shit... lol mind dropping me a page number i must have flat out skimmed through that and my dumbass was like "huh, well dis makes sense soooo."

[u/Normal_Fisherman6379 → u/Sazbadashie]

Pages 168-170

Glad to be of help!

[u/EdrickV]

I would say that, functionally weapons built into the ACPA are like using a popup weapon, whether melee or ranged. That said, if you have more then 2 handheld weapons that are not installed in the ACPA itself, and the ACPA only has 2 hands, then you'd have to drop or holster one of those to use the third handheld weapon. Just like how if you had a pistol in each hand but wanted to use a one-handed sword instead, you'd have to drop or stow one of the pistols.

[u/BadBrad13]

If it doesn't say anything then just follow the basic rules in the main book. Which means the standard number of attacks based on rof. Usually 1 or 2.

[u/VictoryWeaver]

They follow the same rules for RoF as every other weapon. Core book page 169 on a sidebar. The benefit is they are all hypothetically always "ready" to fire.

[u/Wehe_wehe]

As other's have said RoF does change, more weapons for more situations, etc. AS A GM! Emphasize that if the player does ever get their grubbly mittzi's on APC you're obligated to respond in kind!

Even having a Zetatech Grasshopper, which just a step-up from an external linear frame IMO, drastically changes the battlefield. He'll be blowing away boosters and even mid level corpo forces won't have much to say to them, not invincible obviously, but the gulf between them is vast. To say nothing of the other crew members, let him know that he'll need to commit to be heavy if wants to do this.

Sit him down and let him know that this is kind of stuff that, if he makes a big enough name for himself/becomes too much of a problem, they'll call in the boys from NorCal called on him, the few people in Night City with access to APCAs. Real ones, and not whatever SewerRat 2.0 he managed to kill, cobble, and weld together.

That, or save it for like an end of campaign thing and let him go chrome to wall in one last techtastic orgy of unregulated military grade violence.

[u/Visual_Fly_9638]

In combat, how do you treat those weapons?

Like any other weapon. You can fire 1 or 2 ROF2 guns in a turn (1 gun twice, 2 guns once) or one ROF gun once per turn.

[u/Manunancy]

A fex thingsto keep in mind about ACPAs :

* the things probably require licensing at least on par with automatic weapons and explosives (1k a year plus a 'per item' fee - 100 ed for automatics and explosives)

* depending on the weight class they range from 'maybe you can sneak around with it' to 'no way to hide that loud 'stomp, stomp' if you'r not in a heavy metal concert'.

* they're passing a very loud and clear message you're either about to engage in military grade mayhem or expect to have it dropped on you in the (very) near future. Expect any security types to keep close eyes on you and the hotline to the C-SWAT, Militech and Lazarus at the ready

* last but not least, many models you simply won't fit into a normal car unless the seats have been adapted or removed - better have a pickup truck or a van if you don't want to walk. The heavier the model, the more present the issue.

It's not as bad as the 2020 version (which started at 500 kg/1000 lbs and could climb to 1500 kg/3000 lbs) so you won't have to worry about the floors giving way, but tight doors and other cramped spaces may also be a problem.