Maximum Firepower: A Newcomer’s Guide to Heavy Gear RPG’s Weapons
by Red Rick Dias
With the recent release of Heavy Gear RPG 4th Edition, players have a huge arsenal to customize their gears. This guide is meant to help new players and Directors/GMs sort through the weapons list, letting you pick ones that fit your character concept or design a satisfying fight!
A few notes before we begin:
1) With so many weapons available, it is fine (and expected) if you need to read this guide more than once. One fun way to learn is to pick out a few weapons at a time, then ‘sandbox test’ them by putting a mini on the table and rolling dice with them in various practice scenarios.
2) Heavy Gear is a ‘combined arms’ setting, so Directors might throw a variety of enemies at the players. A dedicated ‘tank buster’ or ‘sniper’ or so on can be a nice role for a character to fill.
3) There are a few weapons that are meant mostly for NPCs. If you find something that is too large to fit a gear or has unusually low stats, this might be why.
4) Burst 2 and AOE weapons are generally good at fighting swarms of small targets, and sometimes handle this job better in RPG than they do in Heavy Gear Blitz.
Let’s get started!
General Purpose/Anti-Gear Weapons
Suitable for fighting most enemies, these weapons have decent range and damage. Most of them also feature some kind of accuracy bonus, usually via the Burst or Precise traits. Picking something from this list will let your character do well in most situations!
Autocannon: The most common ranged weapon, autocannons are great against gears and light vehicles. Though less effective against aerial targets than the anti-air cannon, this has a higher ammo stat while the Precise trait rewards staying at optimal range. If you aren’t sure what you’ll be fighting, this is a good ‘default choice’.
Anti-Air Cannon: This autocannon variant is slightly less effective against ground targets, but is much better against flying enemies. While it struggles against heavy armor and swarms, the anti-air cannon does well against nearly everything else in the game. Despite its name, this weapon can be used against enemies on the ground.
Flamer: Don’t let its low range fool you, the flamer is a very dangerous weapon. It ignores most cover, and Burst 1 makes it more likely to hit the target. Combined with the Fire trait, it is a highly accurate 'damage over time' weapon. Flamers are nearly useless against anything with Fireproofing, so be sure to bring a decent secondary weapon.
Frag Cannon: A sidegrade to the flamer, the frag cannon cannot do ‘damage over time’ but has a higher base damage. It also has the AP trait, letting it do damage to tanks and other high-armor threats. While the flamer is stronger overall, frag cannons remain effective against Fireproofing-equipped foes and will generally cause less collateral damage.
Note: Peace River sponsored Teams can mount (and fire) Frag Cannons in the Torso. This is incredibly versatile, giving your character an ‘always ready’ weapon that can handle many threats and leave the Manip slot free for a weapon with higher range, damage, or so on.
Pistol: A 1-slot weapon with most of an autocannon’s performance, pistols are a great secondary weapon and the Backup trait makes it easy to switch to them. While weak against heavy armor, they are decent against most foes. Their low range and lack of Burst are notable downsides, but characters who need a decent single-target weapon to go with other equipment will be well served by a Pistol.
Rotary Cannon: A higher-slot variant of the Autocannon that gains Burst 2. This makes it more accurate and better able to fight swarms, so it is a strong all-around choice if your gear is able to carry it. If you plan to use it in two hands, note that some gears are better off two-handing an autocannon or anti-air cannon; check your character’s PL and what gear they are piloting when picking among these.
Rotary Laser: An upgrade to the rotary cannon, this high-PL weapon is among the best general-purpose guns in the game. It does more damage than a rotary cannon, has fewer ‘non-optimal range’ issues in close combat, and doesn’t need reloading. It also has the Forearm trait, which is normally useful but can be an issue on stock designs due to their limits on how many Forearm weapons they can equip.
Submachine Gun: Low range and damage are off-set by equally low PL and slot requirements. While not as easy to fit into a loadout as a pistol, the submachine gun is still a viable choice. Its Burst 2 trait makes it suitable for fighting infantry/swarms, and partially makes up for the lower damage. Combined with the Backup trait, this is a good weapon for combined arms situations.
Sniping Weapons
Characters that want to attack a single, specific target at extreme range will be well served here. While some character archetypes and weapon mods can make an autocannon into a sniping weapon, this category is purpose-built for the job!
Rifle: The most basic sniping weapon available, with good range while only needing two slots and having low PL requirements. They have slightly worse minimum range than laser cannons, so rifle users might want to consider a secondary weapon for close combat.
Laser Cannon: The rifle’s energy-based upgrade, laser cannons do more damage and don't need to reload. An ideal sniping weapon, they are are also good for commanders who want to keep their distance. When customizing your gear, replacing a rifle with a laser cannon will sometimes free up a Torso slot; lasers don’t need an Aux slot.
Particle Accelerator: A specialized weapon, particle accelerators trade range for Haywire effects. While Particle Accelerators have less range than traditional sniping weapons, this Haywire effect can be worth it since it disrupts enemy electronics and communications.
Pulse Laser: A high PL weapon, pulse lasers mix aspects of autocannons, rifles, and bazookas. They have decent range, and you can choose between higher accuracy or higher damage and AP. This makes them a great choice later on, offering one weapon that is effective against most enemies. Pulse lasers don’t shoot as far as a true laser cannon, but they still have more range than most weapons.
Railgun: An anti-armor sniping weapon, railguns combine high range, AP value, and accuracy. Their high slot requirement means only a few gears can equip them, you will need careful customization to fit one in.
Anti-Air Missile: ‘Sniping’ with a missile might seem odd, but this one can do it thanks to high range and a lack of an AOE trait. While best against aerial foes, its Guided trait lets it do well against ground-based targets too. It has no Aux value, so this can replace heavier weapons and regain those slots for other Torso equipment. Note that the Limited Ammo trait means you won’t be able to reload it, so characters focused on sniping will want a proper rifle or similar weapon.
Tank Gun: The definitive ‘big gun’, it is typically not going to fit on a gear; you will usually see this on tanks. It is among the highest damage weapons in the game, with range and AP values to match. It can also use the Demo trait to blow up cover that its normal damage stat somehow isn’t enough to deal with. The only thing holding tank guns back is their lack of an AOE trait, so you can at least hide from them in the short-term. Try not to get hit by a tank gun; only the toughest gears can withstand more than one or two hits from them.
Melee Weapons
Close combat is very deadly in Heavy Gear, and gears that get close to a tank can do a lot of damage. If you have enough speed, ECM cover, or smoke to help you close the distance, consider these weapons.
Vibro-Blade: The ‘default’ melee weapon, vibro-blades have good stats, Backup, and a decent AP value. They are useful in every close combat situation, and have low PL/slot requirements. Not every character needs a vibro-blade, but you should have a good reason why they aren’t carrying one. They also make reasonable tools, useful for cutting open things in a narrative context (opening supply crates, etc.).
Bayonet: The first noteworthy Attachment weapon, this offers a melee attack while still keeping your main gun equipped. Its stats are weak, but it still counts as a melee weapon for avoiding melee defense penalties.
Chain Bayonet: An upgraded bayonet, its Brawler 1 trait makes it more likely to hit. Low damage means it will only be useful against lighter foes, however. The Demo trait is the real prize, as the chain bayonet is decent for damaging terrain. Like the regular bayonet, this counts as a readied weapon for avoiding melee defense penalties.
Chain Blade: An excellent melee weapon, the chain blade combines good reach with decent damage. It also has an accuracy-improving Brawler trait, and a good Demo value that lets it damage terrain. Unlike some melee weapons, chain blades require 2 slots; plan for this when making your gear’s loadout.
Claws: While they have average stats, claws are the earliest Forearm-equippable melee weapon. This lets you keep a hand free for other tasks while still being melee-ready. While slightly worse than spike guns, claws will be available to most characters sooner due to low PL.
Combat Weapon: A very basic melee weapon, this trades anti-armor capabilities for a Demo trait that makes it suitable for damaging terrain, tearing down walls, etc. While weapons like the Chain Blade are better at that, this low-PL choice is available sooner and has Backup.
Explosive Lance: A powerful melee weapon, the explosive lance combines good reach with excellent AP and Demo values. Its high performance is matched by a high PL, so it isn’t available to most beginning characters. Since it requires 2 slots, you will have to account for its extra size when customizing a gear.
Fist: While listed as a weapon, fists are mostly a low damage ‘last resort’ if your gear loses all its other weapons. Fists do not count as a weapon for melee defense purposes. Some Archetypes might be able to get more value out of the fist than a typical character does, but most characters will be better with anything else.
Flail: A 2-slot melee weapon with average damage, the flail is the most specialized melee weapon in the game. Its only benefits are above-average reach, and the ability to ignore an enemy’s shield or buckler. If you expect to run into a lot of shields (such as MP gears), then the flail will do very well. Outside of this purpose, most other melee weapons are better overall.
Haywire Whip: The melee version of a haywire grenade, this 2-slot melee weapon has excellent reach. While unlikely to damage an enemy, this is a reusable way to jam an opponent’s communications and electronics. This allows an ‘assassin’ playstyle, where your character isolates a target with haywire effects.
Lance: A lower-PL variant of the explosive lance, this weapon has a higher AP value but loses the Demo trait. Melee specialists might benefit from the increased AP, and the lower PL lets you obtain it sooner.
Morningstar: Requiring 3 slots, the morningstar combines good reach with extremely high damage. It has no traits, and no special tricks or tactics. Instead, it only focuses on doing enough damage to be a threat to most foes. With a high enough attack roll, a morningstar can damage even the most heavily armored targets.
Revisionist Staff: Another 3-slot melee weapon, equipping the revisionist staff means you are committing to a melee-focused fighting style. Thankfully, its good reach, AP2, and Brawler 1 traits easily justify that. Despite its name and Northern origins, the rules text does not mention it being hard to obtain. This is intentional; compare it with weapons like the white sand grenade which specifically restrict who can obtain it. Players interested in this weapon should thus talk to their Director; there is a good chance they will agree the revisionist staff is available.
Scythe: A lower-PL equivalent of the lance. Scythes do everything the regular lance does, but with weaker stats. This is justified by the reduced PL requirement, allowing most characters to get a scythe earlier than they can a lance.
Shaped Explosives: These unusual melee weapons combine a very good Demo value with the AP trait. This makes them great for fighting tanks, destroying terrain, and so on. They have very low reach and require two slots, but offer great results if you can work around that.
Spike Gun: A sidegrade to vibro-blades and claws, spike guns offer a higher AP value but lower base damage. They also have the Forearm trait, which can free up a hand while still satisfying the ‘readied melee weapon’ rules for defending yourself in close combat.
Staff: This weapon’s low stats and lack of meaningful traits are compensated by one thing: It is a PL 1 melee weapon with high reach. If your character concept calls for a lot of polearm fighting, this can be a decent weapon to start with.
Vibro-Katana: An extra slot and 1 higher PL over the vibro-blade gets you a higher AP value. This leads to the vibro-katana filling a fun niche: It is a relatively low-PL tank buster. It has more reach than shaped explosives, giving the katana some value over them in very specific situations. Outside of this niche, the vibro-katana is there for characters that want a very distinct melee weapon; you are giving up some efficiency for style.
Vibro-Rapier: An upgrade to the vibro-blade, this weapon has higher slot and PL requirements but adds the Precise trait. Its lower base damage is compensated for by Precise, so in practice it will hit as hard as an equivalent vibro-blade but with higher accuracy. While Heavy Gear’s lore places them mostly in Southern gear forces, characters with other Sponsors can usually obtain a Vibro-Rapier too.
Whip: Effectively the ‘budget grade’ staff, whips have good reach and low PL requirements. Their stats are otherwise unimpressive, but they do have some use when pursuing opponents before using a stronger weapon. Gears like the Lion and Lancier are especially good at this, since their linked spiked guns are always ready to use; using the whip to pin the enemy down followed by using your mounted spike guns is a powerful and very flavorful tactic!
Fire Support Weapons
Characters that want to discourage enemies from staying close to one another want weapons with wide AOE (Area of Effect) traits. They will also want a pistol or submachine gun as a secondary weapon, for situations where big explosions are a bad idea. Most of the weapons below will allow you to attack a wide area, and are ideal for fighting large groups.
Rocket Pack: A shoulder-mounted weapon on many gears, rocket packs offer AOE and AP1 traits to machines that otherwise lack them. The Salvo trait can improve their accuracy, but only against one target. It also severely cuts into the Ammo count, and Limited Ammo prevents them from being reloaded very easily. They are nonetheless a widely available fire support weapon, and easily offer some way to damage even the most armored opponents.
Note: Much like with anti-personnel rockets, NuCoal-sponsored teams can equip a Manip (handheld) version of this weapon. This is great for making several AOE-capable AP1 attacks. They hit harder than their PL and slot requirements would suggest, so this can be a powerful way for even low-end NuCoal gears to threaten tanks.
Grenade Launcher: A weapon that rewards creative players, Grenade Launchers carry multiple kinds of ammo. Using a Grenade Launcher offers all the benefits of a handheld grenade, but increases range and lets you target two areas via the Burst 1 trait. This is very useful with incendiary grenades and smoke grenades, both of which can completely change which tactics a situation calls for.
Specific grenades will be discussed either in this section or in a later ‘special purpose weapons’ section, depending on their role.
Frag Grenades: This 1-slot weapon is useful for one thing: Fighting large groups of infantry/swarms. Low range and damage make it weak against almost everything else, but it is a great choice against entrenched swarms. Remember that the anti-personnel grenade launcher (not to be confused with the separate “Grenade Launcher”) generally won’t work against enemies inside buildings. However, a frag grenade will work regardless of whether it is hand-thrown or fired from a launcher.
Incendiary Grenades: Comparable to the flamer, these grenades are harder to hit with but are a true AOE effect. Like most other grenades, these are even better when used in a grenade launcher; they can even be used to cover two (nearby) places with fire at the same time. These will usually cause collateral damage, so consider bringing a secondary weapon for situations where you don’t want to burn teammates, civilians, sponsor assets, etc.
Air-Burst Missile: A specialized type of artillery, this weapon trades damage output for very high range. The Blast trait helps it ignore an enemy’s cover in many situations, and the Guided trait lets a Target Designator make it even more accurate. However, it lacks the AP trait and has somewhat low damage for the amount of slots it takes up. It is purpose-built to take out infantry/swarms, lower-end gears, and some light vehicles. This missile will struggle against almost anything else, so consider having a good secondary weapon to go with it.
Anti-Personnel Rockets: While meant for fighting infantry and swarms, these are still effective against most gears. Their Blast trait makes it easy for them to mitigate the enemy’s cover, and Salvo can increase their accuracy against one target in their AOE. However, Salvo firing will cut into the weapon’s Ammo very quickly and this becomes a problem since they have the Limited Ammo trait.
Note: Players in a NuCoal team can also load handheld versions of this weapon, offering a low-PL option for consistent fire support. Using the Salvo trait makes a lot more sense with this weapon, since you can reload it afterward.
Artillery Gun: Typically seen on large tanks; most gears will not be able to equip it due to the high slot and Aux requirements. Thus, what most players need to know about this weapon is it will quickly destroy any cover you are relying on. More importantly, it will do major damage to any gear it hits; try to avoid being targeted by them.
Artillery Missile: A good all-around pick, these combine high range with several useful traits. Its only downside is a low AP value, but even AP1 has some use against heavy tanks. These are strong against many enemy types, so consider using them if they are available to you.
Artillery Rockets: A downgrade of the artillery missile, these rockets lose the Blast, Guided, and AP traits. Being able to Salvo fire them partially compensates for these losses, but artillery rockets are still a significant step down. However, they have a much lower PL requirement than the artillery missile and are a decent choice for fire support early in your campaign.
Field Gun: Heavy and powerful, this uses a whopping 4 slots plus 4 Aux slots. In return, it provides an extremely high damage value and your choice of a wide AOE with Blast or a high AP value. The only serious downside is its Ammo 1 stat, which is not the same as having Limited Ammo 1; instead, it means you have to reload it after every shot. Some character Archetypes have abilities that let them reload quickly, and they will get the most out of this superb weapon.
Field Mortar: High range, damage, and the Blast trait offer most of the benefits of the field gun with lower PL and slot requirements. If you want a fire support weapon with a large AOE and are willing to work around its Ammo 1 stat, the field mortar is a very good choice. Its lack of an AP trait is the only serious downside, but this will only matter against very high armor enemies.
Guided Mortar: A sidegrade to the field mortar, this weapon has a smaller AOE and lower damage but gains the Guided trait. In many cases, the bonus from a Target Designator (“TD”) on your guided mortar will improve accuracy and compensate for the lower damage.
Incendiary Artillery Rockets: A significant upgrade over normal artillery rockets, these have a higher PL and add the Fire trait. Setting areas on fire is a great way to force enemies to move, and these can do the same ‘damage over time’ tactics that the incendiary grenade does. If you have the PL to support it, consider upgrading your artillery rockets to these versions.
Incendiary Rocket Pack: A variant of the normal rocket pack, this weapon trades the damage and AP of a standard rocket pack with the Fire trait. While nearly useless against Fireproofing-equipped foes, this is still an excellent tool. Think of it as a lighter version of the incendiary artillery rocket.
Note: NuCoal teams can use handheld incendiary rockets just like they can with regular and anti-personnel rocket packs. All the same benefits apply here; you lose Limited Ammo and can thus reload it, delivering fire attacks over a wide area. Due to their low base damage, consider bringing a secondary weapon in case the enemy has Fireproofing.
White Sand Grenade: The most powerful grenade type in the game, their Corrosion trait is much harder to deal with than Fire is. This makes them an extremely threatening ‘damage over time’ weapon, and a great choice if you have access to them. The problem is having access. Unlike the revisionist staff, HGRPG’s rules place very specific limits on who can obtain white sand grenades.
Anti-Tank/Strider Weapons
These big guns are especially suited to fighting high armor targets like tanks, striders, and gear-striders. Character concepts focused on high power weapons will find several good choices.
Bazooka: A versatile weapon with a high ammo count, bazookas can switch between a good AP value or a small AOE Blast attack. This lets it fight swarms, offer limited fire support, or do well against tanks. While not as suited to fighting gears as most weapons, bazookas are a very low PL tank-hunter and have some use in ‘combined arms’ combat.
Rapid Fire Bazooka: This bazooka variant focuses on fighting gears and tanks, giving up some ammo and the Blast trait in return for Burst 1. This makes them less effective against infantry and other swarms, but rapid bazookas are an excellent choice against heavier foes.
Snub Cannon: If your goal is to pack the biggest gun possible on a smaller or normal-sized gear, this is it. While it has low range and ammo, the snub cannon does tremendous damage for its low PL. High base damage combines with Precise, AP, and Demo traits to make snub cannons a threat to walls, tanks, striders, and other heavy targets. Getting in range will be a challenge, so consider packing smoke grenades to help you approach enemies.
Note: North teams can add the Apex trait to their Snub Cannons for +2 TV, making it do even more damage!
Anti-Tank Missile: A low ammo count is the only major downside to this weapon, which boasts excellent damage, range, the Guided trait, and a high AP value. Like the anti-air missile, this weapon has no explosive AOE; it only affects one target. If customizing a gear that has this excellent weapon, consider adding the Extra Ammo equipment to get the most out of it.
Anti-Vehicle Grenade: While technically a handheld weapon, this is best used in a grenade launcher. With low damage, the anti-vehicle grenade relies on its AP value to hurt armored foes. If you do not have a grenade launcher and still want a small, handheld anti-tank weapon then consider the Panzerfaust instead.
Anti-Vehicle Missile: Mostly meant for use on NPC vehicles that aren’t gears, the AVM is nonetheless a legal choice if you need it. Its Guided and AP traits give it a niche use on low to mid-PL gears, but its other stats are low.
Panzerfaust: Essentially a ‘pocket bazooka’, the panzerfaust has high damage but very low range. However, it is a 1-slot weapon with the Backup and AP traits; they are anti-tank weapons for characters that are better at shooting than melee.
Special Purpose Weapons
These weapons do unusual tasks, or just don’t fit in any other category. Most characters won’t build their entire concept around these, but they are still great for solving specific problems.
Anti-Personnel Grenade Launcher: The APGL is a deterrent; it encourages infantry to stay away from your gear instead of running up to attack it with things like shaped explosives. Its low damage value makes the APGL useless against almost everything else, but it is still a valuable tool at keeping swarms from getting too close.
Smoke Grenades: A non-damaging ‘weapon’, this is useful for disrupting line of sight. It is possible to use sensors to attack through smoke, so in many cases they won’t prevent an attack. However, the smoke will make that attack less accurate. Thus, think of smoke grenades as a defensive buff for your team. This can make it easier for melee-focused allies to approach, among other benefits.
Anti-Armor Mine: Mines are generally used to ‘deny’ an area to enemies, making it difficult to safely move through that location. The anti-armor mine specializes in damaging foes such as heavy tanks and striders, so place it where you expect them to go. They will be forced to spend time going around the mine, clear it out, or take significant damage.
EM Mines: Much like the anti-armor mine, this is meant to set ambushes or control where enemies move. Its low damage means it is only a threat to infantry and the very lightest of gears; the Haywire trait is the real prize. Haywire cuts off communications for a short time, so the EM mine is primarily an ambush tool.
Incendiary Mines: A fire-based mine, these are even more dangerous than anti-armor mines and their higher PL reflects that. A fire explosion means many foes will be reluctant to go through the area even after they’re triggered, so they are an effective 'area control' tool.
Vehicle Claymore: An unusual mine, combining decent damage with the Spray trait. Their major benefit is they are very likely to hit their target, even if placed in unusual terrain. Their lack of an AP trait means they won’t be useful against tanks or striders, but most other opponents will have to be careful about walking by a claymore.
Machine Gun: While it has low range and damage, Burst 2 makes the machine gun a very good choice for fighting infantry/swarms. Though it can be equipped in a Manip location, the machine gun is usually best on a Shoulder or Torso to keep better weapons on your Manip slots.
Note: North-sponsored teams can replace rocket packs (including incendiary ones) with a heavy machine gun for no increase in TV. One or two characters might want to do this; while rocket packs are generally better, machine guns are a great way to fight infantry/swarms.
Haywire Grenades: The most specialized grenade type, these disrupt a target's electronics/communications. This can be used to shut down an enemy commander or silence a patrol gear, though the low range means you should probably use it in a grenade launcher.
Bomb: Generally not meant for gears to use, this is a basic AOE weapon. It will be far more likely the Director’s forces attack your character with this, so try to spread out if you expect them.
Conclusion
With a wide mix of weapons to learn, it is perfectly normal if it takes you a few sessions to get used to all of them. The aforementioned ‘sandbox testing’ can be a fun way to get used to them; put your gear on the table, and make up scenarios to roll some dice for hands-on learning.
Remember that since Heavy Gear is a ‘combined arms’ setting, it’s fine for some characters to focus on countering specific enemy types; this gives them a distinct role in the team.
Heavy Gear RPG gives you the chance to design your very own mecha hero, so have fun picking the right weapons to bring that character concept to life!
