[RPG] Why is a Blaster Rifle worth more than a Blaster Carbine

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I am perplexed by the difference between Blaster Rifles and Blaster Carbines.

According to Table 8-4 on page 127 of the Core Book, they are both medium rifles, have the same damage, stun damage, type, rate of fire, availability, and both come with folding stocks.

A Blaster Carbine can always be used to perform attacks of opportunity, while a Blaster Rifle can only do so with it's stock folded down. A Blaster Carbine is also less than half the weight of a Blaster Rifle, and is 100 credits cheaper.

So why is a Blaster Carbine cheaper, and also better in every way than a Blaster Rifle? Have I missed something?

Best Answer

With only the original text, there'd be no reason to buy a blaster rifle. However, there was an errata document published that made some changes to the rulebook. The relevant changes were made to Table 8-4: Ranged Weapons.

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The listings for the hold-out blaster, heavy blaster pistol, blaster carbine, blaster cannon, heavy blaster rifle, thermal detonator, net, and grenade launcher should be given a superscript of 5, denoting inaccurate weapons. Add the following footnotes at the bottom of the table:

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5 Inaccurate weapon: This weapon cannot fire at targets at long range.

So, by the errata'd rules, the only reason a blaster rifle costs more is that the carbine cannot fire at long range, which in this case is 151-300 squares.

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