CO Shotgun

[morrowwolf]

All credit for the idea and written doc to C4xmaniac. This idea has been approved by CO council.

Abstract

The CO shotgun is an alternative to the M46C and the Smartgun offered in the CO vender. It provides a comparably powerful weapon to both the M46c and the Smartgun, while still offering a different pluses and minuses, creating a different playstyle, thus ensuring it remains pickable.

Goals

1. Add a new shotgun option to the CO primary weapons category in the CO vender.
2. Provides the CO with a ranged support role through stunning xenos with slugs and then damaging them with Flechette.
3. Gives the CO more attachment variety than the M46C and the Smartgun provide.

Non-goals

1. This weapon should not be a hell chungus weapon causing COs to frontline and PFC++.
2. This weapon should not be extraordinarily more powerful than what the CO/SOs/XO can reasonably obtain for gear as is.
3. This should not create annoyance for staff and the CO council by providing COs an excuse for needlessly frontlining/pfc++ing.

Content

The CO shotgun is a mk221 with two shell tubes which rotate internally around a center axis. Due to the design, the tubes are incapable of holding buckshot because of the risks of overpressure destroying the weapon and the hands of the user. One tube is rated for slugs, the other for flechette. This is done to incentivize that this shotgun is not intended for combat at point blank range, mechanically restricting the PB shell from being used should cut down on COs wishing to run to the front and PB everything. The rotating tube design allows the CO to choose which ammo they need to fire at which given time and allows faster firing than normally capable on the mk221. It does this by allowing the rotating of the tubes to dramatically reduce the firing delay. This rotating ensures that the CO cannot spam a single shell like the MOU can, and gives (at least the largest) Xenos time to react. By mandating one tube is for slugs and the other for flechette, it stops the creating of a hell MOU chunger keeping a xeno stunned forever, or killing a T3 before they have time to react while further incentivizing that it is a support weapon. This also necessitates that a CO be stocked with both flechette and slugs, increasing the complexity of the kit and reducing the amount of time a CO can be in the field before needing to restock. This will either lead to COs creating more teamwork with CIC and req to create frontline supply drops, or that the CO needs to be more tactical about their approach and engagements to manage their ammo. This weapon would not have IFF, its meant to be a 2nd line weapon for COs who like to be towards the front, not shooting through 6 marines with IFF on the SG.

Alternatives

The idea of this weapon came from that many COs take the mk221 and that it’s a cool weapon. You could quite literally just make an mk221++ with either a larger tube for ammo storage or increase its damage or give it iff. However, it still creates the major risk that COs just walk to the front of a push and die/stop commanding. Additionally, you could great a mateba/deagle customization package for COs that creates a marksman style side arm primary allowing COs to choose between the stuns of high impact, or more damage on the normal magazines. Preferably adding in IFF and maybe something else as you can already do this with the m44 heavies and a b8 smartscope as a normal marines.

Potential Changes

It could create super hell MOU chungers that vastly beats out the m46c during its glory days, look at Tibby or Cass using the MOU. This can be tweaked by changing the firing delay on it or incorporating one on the tube changes. It is also to make sure that attachments that are too powerful are not allowed on the CO shotgun, ones that could be problematic like the BFA and BC combo could both be restricted, or only allow one or the other.

[hotimep]

ok now make it blow up anyone who isn't the CO who tries using it