The items below are manufactured by Viking Weapons Co., of Norseman. They may sell for ten times their usual price outside the UAR. Persons less than 2m in height are -3 to strike. They are particularly popular with Toogarth warriors, but also with other giant d-bees and with borgs and power armour pilots.

Viking Knife. 2D4 MD. $3,000.

Viking Machete or Axe. 2D6 MD, $5,000.

Viking Great Scimitar or Pole Axe. 3D6 MD, requires a PS of 24+, $10,000.

CEC needle pistol. A railgun-type weapon, pistol-sized. Fires single shots only, using an E-clip to power a magnetic accelerator hurling poisoned needles. Damage 4D6 SDC, range 100m. Injured chararacters must save vs. poison or be paralysed, dying of respiratory failure in 3 minutes. Ammo 20. $2,000. Ammunition is $5/round. These are the standard weapons of Java Company internal security troops.

CEC needle carbine. A larger version of the pistol, capable of full auto fire. Accepts 100-needle clips, range 300m, damage 6D6 SDC. The needles are the same size, but go faster. $4,000 +$5/round.

Projectile Weapons: MDC Guns

TCS Thescar Assault Rifle. Double-barrel large-calibre semi-automatic rifle with double ammunition feed. Can fire both barrels simulaneously. Loads flechette (2D6x10 SDC to 50m, half that to 200m) or HE (D3 MD, range 300m) shells, 20-round clips. $25,000. Flechettes $20/round, HE $60/round. This is one of the standard weapons of TCS Noyd gene-marines.

Webley Havoc One-Calibre oversized pistol. 25.4mm, range 200m, damage (sabot) 4D6 (HE) 3D6 to 1m radius, ammo 10, $10,000. Requires height of 2.4m, PS 25+ and mass 250+ kg. to use (NB: can be customised with smaller grips, +$2,000). Rounds for the One-Calibre are $50 each (HE) or $80 (sabot).

Webley Havoc 12.7mm Rifle. Range 1,000m, ammunition 30-round box or 50-round drum magazine, damage D4x10 SDC or 1D4 MD for SLAP (Sabot Light Armour Piercing). $18,000. Mass 40 kg, requires a minimum PS of 24 to use. An oversized bullpup-style assault rifle. Ammunition is $40/round.

Webley Havoc 20mm Rifle. Range 1,200m, ammunition 30-round box or 50-round drum magazine, damage 1D6 MD for HEAP (High Explosive Armour Piercing). $25,000. Mass 60 kg, requires a minimum PS of 30 to use. An oversized bullpup-style assault rifle. Ammunition is $80/round and 1 kg/round.

Webley Havoc 30mm Rifle. Range 1,500m, ammunition 30-round box or 50-round drum magazine, damage 2D4 MD for HEAP (High Explosive Armour Piercing). $40,000. Mass 95 kg, requires a minimum PS of 40 to use. An oversized bullpup-style assault rifle. Rare. Rounds cost $100 and mass 4 kg each.

Webley Grenade Launcher. Pump-shotgun style weapon, holds 5 grenades, damage is 3D6 to impact point and 2D6 to 6m radius. Range 300m. $15,000, ammo $150/round. The ADI Personal Grenade Launcher is an effectively identical design.

Webley Grenade Launcher Add-On. Single-shot weapon, takes 1 action to load, damage is 3D6 to impact point and 2D6 to 6m radius. Range 300m. Can be attached to any long gun. $10,000.

ADI GMk.1 grenade launcher. Damage 3D6 to impact point, 2D6 to 6m radius, can fire short bursts, ammo 20. Range 350m. Requires PS 19+ and mass 150 kg+ to use. $35,000. Normally used from a roof mount on vehicles.

ADI GMk.4 automatic grenade launcher. Damage 3D6 to impact point, 2D6 to 6m radius, can fire short or long bursts, ammo 50. Range 350m. Requires PS 30+ and mass 250+ kg. to use. $55,000. Normally used from a turret mount on vehicles.

CEC 20mm sniper rifle. A portable support weapon, requires PS 24+ to use without a tripod or braced bipod. Semi-automatic, uses bottleneck sabot rounds, range 2000m. Damage 3D6 MD, ammo 10. $10,000. Ammo is $100/round. The huge range makes this a favourite with special operations teams and assassins from the Java Company.

Webley 12.7mm HMG. A standard .50 heavy machine gun, designed for use with SLAP ammo (D4 MD/round) in linked belts. Range 1,500m. $3,000. Lithgow of the RA makes an identical weapon. A standard defensive weapon.

Webley 20mm autocannon. A standard light automatic cannon, designed for use with HEAP ammo (D6 MD/round) in 30-round drums. Range 1,750m. $6,000. Lithgow makes an identical weapon. A standard defensive weapon.

Something else which always struck me as silly: why would you have energy clips for each kind of weapon, when the great thing about energy weapons is they all use the same kind of ammunition? In Rifts Oz, there are just two kinds of E-clips - standard and long. Ammunition is listed for standard, the long E-clip has 20% more in it. As a result, pistols have many, many more shots than rifles or heavy weapons. In fact, with heavy weapons it makes vastly more sense to use backpack-style heavy energy cells which hold ten times what an E-clip does.

Energy Weapons: Pistols

ADI HMk.3 ion pistol. Range 100m, damage 2D6 MD, ammo 30, $10,000. The standard-issue sidearm of Republican troops.

Fujimatsu Guardian laser pistol. Range 100m, damage D6 MD, ammo 60, $6,000. The cheap option, manufactured by local agents of the Asian Cooperative.

Sterling S-4 laser pistol. Range 200m, damage D6 MD, ammo 60. $8,000. Sterling remains the most dependable name in energy weapons; their products can accept massive abuse and remain not just functional but accurate.

TCS Variable Blaster. A heavy ion pistol with 3 settings: 1/4 power (3D6x10 SDC damage), 1/2 power (D6 MD damage) and full power (2D6 MD). A standard E-clip delivers 40 full-power shots. Range 100m. $15,000. The standard sidearm of Tekagi officers and adventurers.

Gunstar Lightfire laser pistol. Range 80m, damage D3-1 MD (3D6x10 SDC), ammo 100. $4,000. An obsolete weapon, not manufactured for decades, but still sometimes encountered in the hands of villagers or found in ruins.

ADI RMk.4 ion rifle. Range 350m, damage 4D6, ammo 15. $20,000. The standard-issue Republican infantry weapon.

Fujimatsu Variable laser rifle. Range 300m, 4 settings: 1/20 power (D6x10 damage), 1/10 power (2D6x10 damage), 1/2 power (D6 MD), full power (2D6 MD). Ammo 20 shots at full power, $19,000. A popular adventurer's and wilderness scout's rifle, usable for hunting as well as combat.

Jacobite Rapid-Fire laser rifle. Range 400m, damage 3D6 MD, ammo 20, can fire short or long bursts (only). $30,000. A popular light support weapon.

Sterling L-3 Fairlight laser rifle. Range 300m, damage 2D6 MD, ammo 30. $16,000. An obsolete Sterling product, still very dependable, and still often used.

Sterling L-5 Sunray laser rifle. Range 500m, damage 3D6 MD, ammo 20. $20,000. The benchmark in laser rifles.

TCS Noclar Assault Rifle. Heavy laser rifle with underbarrel grenade launcher. Laser range 500m, damage 3D6, ammunition 20 with standard E-clip. Grenade launcher (uses standard grenades) range 300m, damage 3D6 to impact point, 2D6 to 6m radius, has a 20-round clip. $30,000. The other standard infantry weapon of the TCS Noyd gene-marines.

ADI PMk.2 particle-beam rifle. Range 300m, damage 5D10, ammo 10, 20 kg. $45,000. Unbelievably deadly, used by Republican infantry in the anti-armour role.

Fujimatsu Beam Laser. Range 500m, damage D6/"round", ammo 40 "rounds". Treat as a machine-gun with automatic fire, but the weapon's bursts are continuous beams which can be concentrated on one target (burst) or arced across multiple targets (spray). When bursts are fired by a gunner with WP energy rifle, the aimed bonus is applied instead of the burst bonus, +1 to the total. 20 kg, $50,000. Relatively new and untested, but already well-loved by some adventurers.

Gunstar Little Boy particle-beam rifle. Range 300m, damage 6D6+6, ammo 8, 30 kg. $60,000. I always thought it was silly that the best energy weapon in the Rifts Main Book was available only as a borg's forearm blaster. It makes a heavy rifle, though. Uncomfortable to carry, and when fired without gauntlets can cause hand burns, but highly effective.

Jacobite EMP rifle. Hits to "biologicals" cause -3 to initiative, strike, parry and dodge for 1 round, but hits to activated electronic gear cause it to short and fail (electronics must be replaced). Items not switched on are unaffected. Borgs, bots and vehicles gain a save of 12 to avoid paralysis and death (borgs' biological parts will die within 1 minute per point of PE). Range 200m, ammo 10, 20 kg, $25,000. Rarely seen except in "anti-borg" units, and sometimes issued to police.

Jacobite Ion Calliope. Intended for use as a borg heavy weapon or a light vehicle-mounted weapon. Comprises a row of light ion weapons which can be ripple-fired (not fired simultaneously, as the field from each barrel interferes with the next), permitting effective automatic fire. Range 200m, damage 3D6, capable of short (3-round) or long (6-round) bursts, payload 30. To use the 60-kg weapon without a vehicle or tripod mount requires a PS of 24 or better. $40,000. A strange weapon, rarely seen.

Lithgow Anti-Armour laser. Range 500m, damage D4x10+20, ammo 1/2. A heavy energy rifle intended for use with an E-pack, though it will accept 2 E-clips (provides 1 shot). 40 kg, $50,000. Another Republican infantry-portable anti-armour weapon, usually served by 2 or 3 soldiers.

Lithgow Portable plasma gun. Range 400m, damage 5D6 (considered an area effect weapon vs. non-enclosing armour), ammo 15, 30 kg, $30,000. A heavy but effective rifle, particularly against idiots who wear non-enclosing armour, like Juicer armour.

Sterling C-1 Neon laser cannon. Range 1200m, damage 5D6 MD, ammo 5. The weapons masses 75 kg, and requires PS 23+ or a tripod mount to use. $40,000. This weapon has for decades been the standard vehicle armament in the UAR.

Sterling C-2 Gold laser cannon. Range 1500m, damage D6x10 MD, ammo 1 (will accept E-clips, or an E-cell backpack which provides 10 shots, or a railgun cell which provides 100 shots). The weapon masses 90 kg, and requires PS 25+ or a tripod mount to use. $50,000. Released only a year or two ago, and already considered the "new standard" in vehicle energy weapon armament.

ADI MMk.1 mini-missile launcher. Damage and range variable. An excellent shoulder-fired missile launcher, this weapon takes a 3-round top-loading clip. $40,000.

ADI Portable short range missile launcher. Comprises the 50 kg (loaded) launch tube with bipod and a control unit built into a rifle stock with a sight. The target is fixed through the optical sight, and then the missile launched. The two parts must be within 100m to work, and can communicate via digital short-range radio or a 30m optic-fibre cable. Reloading takes 2 full melee rounds for a 2-man team. Damage and range variable. Cost (empty) is $20,000 for the tube, $15,000 for the control unit, $1,000 for a 30m reel of optic fibre cable with connectors. This is very handy for attacking well-armed targets, who are likely to annihilate the launcher right after it fires.

Jacobite "Strap-On" mini-missile launcher. Damage variable. Shoulder-mount mini-missile pods (similar to the short-range missile pods on a Robotech Defence Force Gladiator) are linked by armour struts and held in place with adjustable belts. Each pod holds 4 mini-missiles (8 total), which can be fired singly or in volleys of 2, 4 or 8. The wearer must be standing erect, with clear space before and behind, when firing. The pods have 30 MD each, and if breached the missiles may be detonated in place. Only borgs, bots and invulnerable or near-invulnerable mutants or d-bees standing at least 2.4m tall can employ the Strap-On. The system also has a quick-release, involving tiny explosive bolts. Loaded mass is 200 kg. Can be worn with a jetpack. $100,000, damage and range variable. And, yes, this item has been the subject of many rude jokes. >Lithgow Accelerator railgun. Range 1500m, damage D4x10, ammo 400 (40 short bursts). Weapon 100 kg, cell 150 kg, loaded drum 75 kg. $60,000. It's the standard Republican railgun. The Sterling RG-3 railgun has only cosmetic differences; it's the standard UAR railgun.

Sterling RG-4 portable railgun. Range 1200m, damage 6D6 MD, ammo 100 (10 short bursts). Backpack E-cell and ammo drum are all one unit with the weapon, loaded mass is 100 kg. $65,000. A popular borg weapon.

Sterling RG-5 heavy railgun. Range 1800m, damage 2D4x10, ammo 1000 (100 short bursts). Weapon masses 1.5 tonnes, requires a fusion plant for power, loaded drum 300 kg. Seen only defending UAR military bases, and not sold.

Webley Cyborg Grenade Rack. Designed to be mounted outboard of a bionic arm, this resembles 8 stubby missile tubes mounted at varying angles. Each is actually a single-shot grenade launcher, and the grenades can be fired singly or in volleys of 2, 4, or 8. All shots from the rack are wild, since there is no aiming mechanism and the grenades fire in different directions; this device is designed to distract the enemy or be used on large numbers of lightly armoured targets. Often loaded only with smoke grenades, but equally effective with phosphorus (D4 MD and smoke) or fragmentation (2D6 MD). Like all borg external arm guns, inflicts -1 strike, parry and dodge to the user because of the awkwardness. Loaded mass 40 kg, $30,000.

Webley Mini-Missile Launcher. A basic shoulder-fired missile launcher, single-shot weapon, takes 1 action to load, damage and range variable. $20,000.

Webley Over/Under (Oversized Underbarrel). A single-shot mini-missile launcher for attachment in the underbarrel position on cyborg rifles. Fits any Webley Havoc rifle or a standard RG-4 railgun. Takes 1 action to load, damage and range variable. $25,000.

7.62mm APDS (Armour Piercing Discarding Sabot) $50/round (3D6x10 SDC or D3-1 MD) (this is also available for .303s .44, .45 and .50 pistols, at the same cost). This ammo makes the many 7.62mm and .303 rifles kept for hunting actually useful in combat.

12-gauge HE (High Explosive) $50/round (D3 MD). A combat load for shotguns.

12.7mm SLAP (Sabot Light Armour Piercing) link $40/round (D4 MD). This is the ammunition used to make .50 machine-guns and 12.7mm Havoc rifles useful against mega-damage targets.

Energy cell backpack $40,000 or $10,000 to recharge. Holds 10 times as much energy as a standard ("short") E-clip, and weighs about that much more too.

Railgun portable cell $300,000 or $80,000 to recharge. Holds 100 times as much energy as a standard ("short") E-clip and weighs about 200 kilos. Sometimes these are carried in liquid-fuel vehicles to power mounted energy weapons.

Antipersonnel grenade. A fragmentation HE type. Damage 2D6 to a 6m radius. $500.

Anti-armour grenade. -6 to hit a target as small as a person, but only -2 against oversized bots and borgs, and +0 against vehicles or buildings. Does 1D6 in 3m radius and D4x10 to impact point. Can be attached with an adhesive strip and timer detonated, up to 60 minutes later. $1,000.

Command-detonated antipersonnel mine. Does 1D6 in 6m radius, but 3D6 out to 12m in a 45-degree arc. Can be detonated by radio, voice command or hardwired signal. $2,000.

All UAR explosives, grenades and mines are effectively identical to items employed by the Republic. However, the Republic also uses the following items:

RA "Strangler" grenade. A gas grenade containing a corrosive gas which destroys gas mask and cybernetic toxin filters, effectively rendering them useless until replaced or fixed. Sealed suits operating on independent oxygen are immune. $1,000.

RA Prismatic smoke grenade. A gas grenade containing a fine mist of light-reflective particles. Laser beams passing through prismatic smoke are degraded by 50% (do half damage). $100.

All items manufactured by the UAR are essentially identical to items in use by the Java Company.

Items manufactured by the pre-Rifts Australian Republic (not to be confused with the contemporary Republic of Australia or RA) are no longer manufactured and are not sold. If functional, they do fetch good prices, though.

75mm Anti-Tank Gun (ATG). Range 1500m, damage 2D4x10 to impact and 1/4 to 6m radius, ammo 20. Can be mounted on giant robots and armoured vehicles only. On small vehicles may be manually loaded, requiring 1 action to load and 1 to fire.

Meltdown heavy P-beam. Range 1000m, damage 3D6x10, maximum 2 shots/melee. Can be mounted on giant robots and armoured vehicles only.

Peacemaker medium railgun. Range 1500m, damage D6x10, ammo 400 (20 short bursts). Can be mounted on power armour and vehicles only.

BFG heavy railgun. Range 2000m, damage 2D6x10, ammo 40. Single shots only. Can be mounted on giant robots and armoured vehicles only.

Cities in the UAR are walled fortresses, and though their main weapons are rarely used, they are always kept in operating condition ("remember the demon assault of '37," the old-timers say). The details of the weaponry reflect the mix of regard for old-fashioned (chemical projectile) guns and new, experimental Jacobite technologies.

The biggest, and most obvious, weapons are the chemical-explosive artillery seen topping the walls or protruding through loopholes. Usually these are in a mix of sizes, with a few of the largest calibre, and progressively more of the smaller types. Large guns, of course, are intended for the destruction of large ground targets, from mega-demons and armoured vehicles to large formations of troops. Smaller guns target individual vehicles or monsters, and the smallest types are intended for anti-missile work or attacking larger targets en masse. The now-ubiquitous arms manufacturer Webley got its start making cannons for protecting human enclaves. Note that laser ranging provides +3 strike for all weapons listed below.

Webley 30cm semi-mobile cannon. This enormous howitzer is mounted on a rail car. Usually there's only enough rail to allow for the turntable (which adjusts the firing angle) and the gun's recoil, the original rail used to install the gun having long since been removed. It could, however, be replaced if necessary. Heavy HE shells (separate from the propellant bags) have a range of 15 km and inflict 3D6x10 MD to a 30m radius. Subcalibre HE shells (sabot rounds) have a range of 30 km and inflict 2D4x10 MD to a 10m radius. The rate of fire is 1/melee, maximum, and requires a crew of 6 and heavy equipment. Unless firing through a loophole, the cannon has a minimum range of about 1 km (very short ranges can be achieved by using lighter propellant bags). Also, if not firing through a loophole, firing is always indirect. The gun has 100 MD, the rail car 300.

Webley 15cm portable cannon. The most significant really mobile gun, mounted either in turrets or on a towable chassis behind the walls (if behind the walls, fire is always indirect, and minimum range is 1 km). Normally kept ready for action, but towed guns used by task forces require 1 minute to set up for action. The gun has 50 MD, the chassis 50, and the 4 wheels 25 each, but there is also a gun shield with 100 MD and a P of 35. Heavy HE shells have a range of 8 km and inflict 2D6x10 MD to a 10m radius. The rate of fire is 2/melee, maximum, and requires a crew of 5 and light equipment or an exo-skeleton.

Webley 12cm portable cannon. Similar to the 15cm, except as follows: heavy HE shells have a range of 5 km and inflict 2D4x10 MD to a 10m radius. Rate of fire is 3/melee.

Webley 10cm cannon. Similar to the 15cm, except as follows: heavy HE shells have a range of 3 km and inflict D6x10 MD to an 8m radius. Rate of fire is 3/melee.

Webley-Jacobite 75mm rapid-fire mobile cannon. These rare, high-quality guns are mounted either in turrets or on crawler or tank chassis. The gun can fire either HE or HEAT ammunition, and is capable of short burst fire, and has a number of attacks equal to the HTH actions of the gunner (normally 3). Range is 2 km. Damage for a HE shell is D4x10+10 MD to a 6m radius, but for a HEAT shell it's 2D4x10 MD (and does 1/4 to a 6m radius). Turret guns require a crew of 2 and light equipment or an exoskeleton.

Webley-Jacobite 30mm vulcan. Again, these weapons require very high quality manufacturing and are rare. They are almost always turret mounted, but are sometimes found mounted on crawler or tank chassis. They are very effective against troops and vehicles, but are most effective against missiles, especially when radar-directed. Normally they require a crew of only one. The gun has 50 MD. Range is 1500m. 30mm HEAP shells do D6x10 for a short burst of 20 rounds. The weapon is +3 strike if radar directed.

Webley-Jacobite 20mm vulcan. Identical to the 30mm vulcan, except as follows: range is 1300m, and 20mm HEAP shells do D4x10 for a short burst.

In addition, various 20mm and 30mm autocannons are often emplaced, particularly along the top of walls and overlooking gates.

Lasers are the most common sort of energy-weapon artillery. Because they are incapable of burst fire and can fire only in straight lines, they are usable only for direct fire and used only to target vehicles or large demons. They are extremely accurate in the direct-fire role, but are expensive to build, particularly on a large scale.

Sterling Megajoule Free-Electron laser cannon. Found only in turret mounts, but require only 2 crew. Range 5 km, damage 3D4x10 MD, but ROF is only 2/melee due to the time required to charge the enormous capacitors.They are +3 strike due to their accurate laying and aiming systems.

Sterling Cryo laser cannon. Found only in turret mounts, requires 1 crew. Range 4 km, damage 2D4x10 MD. When 20 or more rounds have been fired within 4 minutes, range drops to 2 km and damage to D4x10, due to overheating.

Sterling Gold and obsolete Sterling Neon laser cannons are also found, usually in manual emplacements atop walls and gates.

Railguns are another artillery favourite, though expensive. Examples exist of demounted Glitter Boy Boom Guns used as artillery pieces, usually scavenged from the remains of destroyed GBs. Giant railguns have not yet been perfected by arms manufacturers, so the biggest guns are usually found or adapted from something else, such as pre-Rifts BFG railguns.

Jacobite Mass Driver. An experimental weapon, with few yet in service. Damage 2D4x10, range 3000m, ammunition 40 round drum. A semi-automatic railgun firing 10-kilo tungsten-cored darts, which travel at mach 5. Mass 1 ton, about equivalent to a 75mm cannon, and requires a nuclear power pack.

Cyclopean Heavy Railgun. A production of the kobold workshops on Margaret River Island, this weapon is current only found in the MRI defences and aboard some ships build or refitted there. Damage 3D4x10 per burst of 20 rounds, range 2400m, ammunition 400 round drum. Masses 2 tons, about equivalent to a 105mm cannon, but requiring a nuclear power pack.

Goblin Cold Railgun. Another baby from the kobold workshop on MRI, and equally rare. The breakdown-prone cryo system has not kept sales down. Cryogenically-cooled very-fast-firing railgun. Damage 2D6x10 per burst of 100 rounds, range 1200m, ammunition 1,000 round drum. Doing more than 5 MD to the gun will disable the cooling system, permitting only one further shot before a jam occurs, requiring lengthy repairs. Masses 1 ton, about equivalent to a 75mm cannon, and requires a nuclear power pack.

Sterling RG-3 railguns are the most common artillery railguns in the UAR. They are often grouped into pairs or quad emplacements for maximum effect, and may also be employed in the anti-missile role like vulcan cannons.

In iron-ore centres such as Mount Magnet, interestingly jury-rigged weapons can sometimes be seen, not on the city walls but defending nearby mine sites or heavy transports. The most common example is the ore driver, a smooth pipe wrapped in a magnetic accelerator used to throw crushed ore from a facility into a transport or vice versa. Although the crudity of the device reduces its range to 200m, in that range it can be deadly. Damage is D6x10 per "burst" (it's a continuous flow), and human-size targets can be literally buried.

A unique weapon exists at the mining centre of Moora where steel is refined. It was built by local Jacobites when destruction by a large brodkil/demon force seemed inevitable, and is now a famous local icon. Once again the core is a mass driver, but in this case the weapon is used to project a thin, high-velocity stream of molten iron, glowing white-hot. Range is 500m, damage 3D6x10 per "burst" with an area effect of about a 6m radius. Crude iron statues seen in the homes or workplaces of the wealthy are actually the remains of the slain from that battle.

Inevitably, missile launchers are part of a city's defence grid. They are usually held in reserve for major assaults or anti-missile work, as missiles are expensive to replace. Some independent or remote cities may keep one or more long range missile launchers as a means of interstate deterrent - a big stick for diplomats.

Typical defensive missile launchers comprise 4-tube or 12-tube mini-missile or short range missile launchers, usually covered by armoured lids (50 MD for mini-missiles, 100 for short range missiles). These are almost always located behind the walls or in wall towers.

Typical offensive missiles launchers comprise 12 and 20-tube medium-range missile launchers on rotating turrets, always located behind the walls. Although guided medium-range missiles are most effective, many cities keep some or all of their launchers loaded with "dumb" unguided rockets of medium-range missiles scale. Such weapons are treated as tube artillery, but with missile ranges. They are sometimes mounted on tank or crawler chassis.

As a final note, it should be remembered that modern technology is capable of producing nuclear weapons with relatively little effort. Tactical nukes (50-200 kilotons) may be delivered by 15cm cannon or medium-range missile. It is only the massive devastation, and long-term effects, that prevent their indiscriminate use. Some tacticians hold that these considerations will prevent their intentional use even when a city is overwhelmed.