///UPDATE: NEW ILLUSTRATIONS HAVE BEEN ADDED TO THE THIRD RAIL COMIC ART [MISCELLANEOUS] AND D:HT CHARACTER ARCHIVE GALLERIES, WHICH CAN BE VIEWED THROUGH THE COMICS AND SEQUENTIAL ART GATEWAY PORTAL. SEE THE D:HT CAMPAIGNS SECTION FOR THE LATEST ADDITIONS TO THE D:HT - COVERT OPERATIONS CAMPAIGN MISSION PROFILE, VIEWED THROUGH THE DYSTOPIA: HOSTILE TAKEOVER GATEWAY PORTAL. FINITY, TRDL'S WEB-BASED GRAPHIC SERIAL, BEGINS FALL 03.

Weapons described below are of special interest in the Dystopia: Hostile Takeover Campaign environment. For a complete list of weapons in this category, see the complete Melee Weapons List.

Keys: [TRDL] = Created by Third Rail Design Labs // [Shirow] = Adapted from the work of Masamune Shirow

Scatter Gloves: Another interesting Big Knucks adaptation with ganger origins, easily compiled in the garage before the big night. An industrial manufacturer released a mining bot with a remote micro-explosive payload. The bot didn’t sell, but the remote micro-explosives were stripped and re-used for this unintended purpose at such a rate that the manufacturer was sued into oblivion. Micro-explosives are stripped and mounted to the gloves with epoxy resin, then coated with a fast-bonding adhesive. In hand-to-hand combat, the payload is transferred to the target, then remotely detonated. A recent innovation has been the use of Scatter Gloves for suppressive fire, by flinging the payload across a wide dispersal area, then detonating the explosives as the target approaches.

Xerex Blazing Fists: Xerex attempts to seduce the undesirables with another high-tech adaptation for hand-to-hand combat. Nozzles located under ridges along the back of the gloved hand are fitted with unique contact-activator valves, releasing a highly-flammable adhesive filament when in contact with opposing surfaces. The filament burns hot but with poor coverage. However, while the weapon is effective and visually spectacular, incidents of self-ignition are 70% likely with a Critical Fumble. Any victim of filament fire (self or target) must make an Athletics roll of DIFF 15 or continue to suffer exponentially increasing burn damage until extinguished.
Xerex Fists of Fury: Another Xerex mod for the flamboyant ganger, these armored gloves are equipped with sub-sonic amplified speakers which resonate on contact in direct proportion to the kinetic impact they absorb. The effect is a deafening sub-sonic tone with every blow. The user must wear proprietary earplugs or risk being deafened.
DeathBat: Introduced briefly in competitive baseball only to be banned the same season after a brutal dugout brawl, this liquid-filled titanium bat results in less weight and increased velocity. Besides being a significantly improved baseball bat, it can be used as a weapon.

Magna Group Ripwire: This popular ganger weapon consists of a polymer handle connected to a swivel-joint-mounted 4m long braided acrylic cable, laced with three ridges of steel spines. With practice, the user can become fairly proficient at performing elaborate whip attacks with minimal risk of self-injury.

Game terms: 2 attacks at same target, rolled individually or single attack to each target within range, rolled individually with -1 REF to each attack. [TRDL]
Fauk Imports Fan-Fold Scimitar: Another finely crafted concealable weapon from Fauk Imports. The hilt is grafted walnut with leather brads that reveal an extendable fan-fold interlocking blade 32” long, which is spring-loaded and released by a depressed lever. A Micro-fiber spine holds each poly-acrylic panel rigidly in place. The blade extends or retracts in .025 seconds [TRDL]

Ikari Razor Glove: This is a simple leather and kevlar glove equipped with Scratchers or Rippers. The Ripper version costs 50eb more, has a Con. of Jacket, does 1D6+3 damage, and reduces REF checks with that hand by -3 due to reinforced finger joints. Neither version can be used for punching, as the blades on the fingers make it impossible to clench the hand.
Bola Fyuti bone knife: A ganger fetish weapon. Bola began the niche market of orbital talisman weaponry with the first public use of this weapon on Madrid Station. Carved from the pelvic bone of a fallen opponent, then laced with a polymer latticed diamond edge, the knife is formidable, ultra-light, and non-metallic. Most importantly, it serves as a status symbol among warring ganger tribal combatants. Each Fyuti knife is obviously custom-made and detailed, and is crafted for an undisclosed price [TRDL]
Xerex Whipcord: A densely-coiled mono-filament whip with a retractable winding spring. TSA Operatives are trained with this weapon, and may perform a weapon grapple at +3 [TRDL]

EPSI Corp Necktie Garrote: A simple 1.5mm nylon garrote brilliantly hidden within a men’s necktie. The handles and cord are sewn into the tie with breakaway thread, metal-free to minimize detection. Can be uncoiled and prepared for use in seconds [TRDL]

Fauk Imports Concealed Blowgun: This cascading aluminum blowgun is entirely hidden within the casing of a fully-functional high-quality fountain pen. The head is held in place by a concealed magnet, and can be quickly removed and the blowgun prepared for use in seconds. Can be loaded with steel, acetate or resin darts, and laced with drugs or poison. Ammunition stored separately [TRDL]

MAAS-Krycek CrocTears: The latest in defensive protection, with the versatility of the Viper series of synthetic venom delivery systems, utilizing the existing tear ducts and an accelerant. Chromodacryorrhea is a side-effect in 30% of implant recipients (bloodlike appearance of tear fluids due to porphyrins [red pigment]). Any Viper series formula may be injected, with ½ potency and duration. Only 10% chance of permanent -1 REF loss, and no self-poisoning possible.

Kinetic Sphere: A truly bizarre misappropriation of spacer technology originally designed to improve EVA efficiency. The kinetic sphere is a 4cm rubberized metal spheroid, with an inertial amplifier housed within an energy-absorptive coil. The internal componentry of the sphere is designed to absorb and re-channel kinetic energy, as per it’s namesake. Once the sphere has built up enough kinetic energy (4 short bounces), it will continue to accelerate until it is either destroyed or slowed by water of foam. Depending on the size and configuration of the enclosed space in which the ball is released, the GM must determine the initial rate of the ball’s impact and resulting ricochet (generally 1 bounce per turn for a five square meter space) and the amplitude increases by one bounce per turn every round (3 bounces in the first round, 4 bounces in the second round, 5 bounces in the third round, etc.) The initial toss can be directional, and during the first round, the ball can be caught or deliberately deflected with an Athletics roll of 15 or greater. By the second round, the ball begins to cause damage upon impact, beginning with 1d6/2 with the first bounce of the second round, then 1d6 for the second, and increases by an additional 1d6 for each additional bounce. Impacts that causing damage that either exceeds the SDP of the object or cause 100% of total damage possible to an area of the body( ie. 8 pts to a limb, etc.) result in the ball passing through the object and continuing along the same trajectory. Dodging the ball begins at difficulty 10 in the 2nd round, and increases by +1 per turn, modified by the size of the room (elevator +15, small room +10, average room +5, warehouse +0, outdoors -5). After 4d6+4 bounces, the ball explodes causing 2d6 to a 2m area. Trajectory is roughly determined by the grenade table rolled twice: once for x direction, once for y, where logic allows. Note: the kinetic sphere only performs in a zero-gee environment.
Bogardin Cutter Net: Memory metal razorwire compressed into a softball-sized grenade. The net expands on impact, then recompresses, slicing up targets caught in the blast radius. Reusable if well-cleaned.
Bogardin Exploding Knife: A ganger favorite, this well-balanced throwing knife hides a small incendiary explosive in the handle. The detonator is twist-armed and utilizes a 4 second fuse.
Fist of Fun: This melee weapon was developed and used in the black market pit fighting rings of South America. A Kevlar-weave glove is fitted with 2cm wide knuckle cups which in turn are coated with blasting caps (one per knuckle) sprayed with an epoxy contact film. On contact, 1d4 caps adhere to the target and are pulled away from the cups, activating 3-second fuses (providing one turn for the attacker to withdraw 1.5 meters out of detonation range) before the explosion. The attacker rolls to hit as normal, doing 1d6+1 in bludgeon damage, then rolls 1d4 to determine how many caps are delivered to the target (either target or blocking limb or object). 1.5 turns later, the caps explode causing 2d10 damage each to a 1m area.