In the game we are playing right now, a character was a sniper who tried to kill a criminal, but failed because the criminal was actually a vampire.
Now, the sniper is a vampire too, and he's obsessed to be able to shoot a vampire dead. So, he's asking his sire to get incendiary or explosive ammunition.
Now, I don't know much about guns, so I need help with the effect these bullets would have on vampires. I have read about the damage they do (or used to do) on vehicles, but I don't know which effect would be on a human (or vampire) body.
- What would happen to a vampire shot with this kind of ammunition?
- What kind of damage (bashing/lethal/aggravated) would she suffer?
- Can this ammunition be shot with a sniper rifle or a pistol ?
- How hard would it be to obtain?
- Is this ammunition dangerous to use?
- I have found the ammunition in WoD combat, it says it causes great wounds, but they are only +1 damage, and type of damage is not specified. Are there any other source about the subject?
Please use understandable terms to someone who is not very knowledgeable in weapons.
Best Answer
Explosive and Incendiary ammunition is generally very exaggerated in fiction. Both usually have poor ballistics (ability to fly straight) and low penetration (ability to pierce armor/flesh/anything else). Also, the intention of using either is different from what you want to accomplish. Incendiary ammunition is usually paired with armor-piercing rounds to engage enemy aircraft - cause a leak in the fuel storage and then ignite it, and for that it starts flaming right after it leaves the barrel. Explosive ammunition is usually used against armored targets to blast away the armor a fraction of a second before the penetrator (a very hard core) of the bullet hits it. Contrary to the popular belief, none of those light up/detonate after the penetration.
What would happen to a vampire shot with this kind of ammunition?
A lot of damage, but not more than using a dedicated anti-personnel rounds. While incendiary will burn the vampire for a couple seconds if it stays in the wound, the explosive one is likely to just cause overpenetration - the bullet would make a hole in the enemy and fly right through him, without causing increased damage at all!
What kind of damage (bashing/lethal/aggravated) would she suffer?
For Explosive I would rule lethal. Incendiary - following the rule about flaming swords - aggravated, but that's just my opinion. Imagine a guy being shot with a gun and then having a firecracker sticked in the wound - that's the sort of situation we're looking at.
Can this ammunition be shot with a sniper rifle or a pistol ?
Most certainly, however you will have a problem finding such ammunition for a pistol - simply, these are designed for anti-materiel rifles and machineguns, not pistols.
How hard would it be to obtain?
Very hard, unless you have contacts in military. That ammunition is usually calssified as a destructive explosive device and unavailable to the public. Also, home production of this is very complicated and requires expert knowledge of chemistry, engineering, gunsmithing and uncommon tools and supplies.
Is this ammunition dangerous to use?
Yes, even more so if you're a vampire. While explosive rounds are simply a hazard, just like small grenades, incendiary rounds are known to damage the gun's barrel and make it prone for jamming. For drama, I would consider every botch a misfire that ends up with the rounds exploding dangerously close to PC's face.
I have found the ammunition in WoD combat, it says it causes great wounds, but they are only +1 damage, and type of damage is not specified. Are there any other source about the subject?
The duplicate question has better information about it.