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A Decker, Tanaka & Rogers initiative

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Homebrew items and rules for use with the Cyberpunk RED System.
The Expanded Firearms Attachments Resource provides expanded homebrew weapon attachment items in the Cyberpunk Red game. This article provides explanations and details for those optional items.

I DO NOT WANT TO USE THESE ITEMS

These items are standalone, rule wise, and do not rely on each other to function. You can just ignore these items if you don't like them.

Design Considerations and Creator’s Commentary

Weapon modding was absent in Cyberpunk 2020, because each weapon was unique and the whole system was much more granular. With the “flattening” of weapon into types, Cyberpunk Red provides a new way to make your character’s gun “YOUR gun” through weapon attachments.

This is a good system. However, I’ve seen many players who perhaps feel that Cyberpunk Red should have more gun attachments. I don’t think that this is because the system isn’t “deep enough” or lacking in options (in fact, it is already very deep, for a completely optional system). Rather, I just think that people like the fantasy of the hypermodifiable weapons that we see in video games. Guns are cool toys that are fun to customize, and that’s a fantasy that we like seen represented in our dark future/mad max TTRPG.

So, we want to have even more options to customize our weapons and, specifically to have most modern weapon attachments be available. However, I quickly came to realize that the reason that a lot of these attachments weren’t represented is that combat is already balanced on a knife’s edge.

As an attempt to avoid breaking the game AND as an attempt to tell you about the decisions I made to represent many modern weapon attachments, here’s my list of design decisions that I’ve made. My main goal was to avoid (as much as possible) to break CPRed’s combat

Avoiding overcomplexification

One of the first decision I took was to avoid recomplexifying the game’s weapons. u/CrestOfArtorias’ homebrew compendium, for example, introduces a lot of weapon attachments. The way they did so was by reintroducing concealability levels (like in Cyberpunk 2020), giving weapons locational attachment slots (barrel, top, grip, magazine, etc.) and creating more Single Shot DV Tables.

This isn’t a bad way to go about it if you have players who are really into gun customization and who are willing to deal with the crunch. This isn’t really to my personal tastes, however, so I instead went in with the philosophy that attachments should add fairly simple mechanics and shouldn’t be too heavily categorized.

Attachments can’t just increase accuracy

In video games, weapon attachments are basically always used to improve your accuracy: they reduce recoil, they make you aim down the sights faster, etc. The way we represent accuracy in Cyberpunk Red is by rolling a weapon Skill Check, often against flat DVs based on the range of the shot. The problem with improving that roll is that it breaks the balance of combat.

All of that to say that, by adding just one or two +1 bonuses, you can easily make it that your character never misses… ever.

This is something I’ve already mentioned in my resource of variant and exotic weapons: Excellent Quality Weapons are already insanely powerful, as they grant you +1 to hit regardless of the combat situation.

In the game, currently, there are two attachments that grant bonuses to hit: the Smartgun Link (which requires an attachment, 2 attachment slots and cyberware) and the Sniping Scope (which gives its bonus only when firing at targets over 100m).

What I take away from this is the following: bonuses to hit are unconditional only at the cost of heavy investment in other areas. Moreover, I think that the SmartGun Link should be the only attachment that grants a flat bonus to hit.

It also needs to be impossible to have three different attachments that grant +1 to hit simultaneously, even conditionally, because this would mean that the player could just install those three attachments and completely avoid the heavy investment required by the SmartGun Link.

Adding Initiative as a representation of weapon handling

When I concluded that “+1 to hit” was a design dead end, I had to figure out other stats that the attachments could modify.

Granting improvements to MOVE, REF or DEX were not options. Creating a design that implies that holding an object would make you faster than holding nothing is kind of weird. Boosting REF is just giving the player a +1 to hit, but in a more convoluted way. DEX could be changed a bit, but, again, the problem is that it doesn’t make sense that your character would be better at a thing because they’re holding something than if they weren’t. Lowering DEX, MOVE or REF is also kind of nonsensical: how heavy would those weapon mods be that they end up with a similar drawback than carrying several pounds of body armor?

How, then, could we represent attachments that make it easier to manoeuvre in tight environments? Better grips, laser sights, lighter materials are all modifications that improve weapon manoeuvrability, especially in CQC Combat. It struck me: Initiative!

This system adds attachments that boost initiative when you are holding the weapon at the start of the turn.

Sidenote: if you use these attachments, your players should get used to calculate their Initiative with their weapon out and their normal Initiative, as they might need to switch between the two in combat. If they forget, they shouldn't get the benefits from the attachments. Adding cool toys with added mechanics should be done through teamwork at the table. I recommend that the GM make it clear that they aren't solely responsible for remembering this mechanic.

This comes with a few caveats. Like with weapons that increase chances to hit, there is a cap: attachments can only grant up to +3 Initiative, and this is only possible if you use a 2-slot attachment.

I feel like, while this does feel a bit gamey, increasing Initiative is a relatively conditional buff. Shooting faster doesn't necessarily mean that your players will win all the time (especially since, unlike in 2020, characters in RED can take a few more bullets before going down).

No Red Dot Sights

I’m sorry. I really wanted to include it, but I feel like it would break the system.

I’ve introduced a new scope with this resource, but, in a game where most fights happen in buildings or on city streets, adding an attachment that adds a +1 to hit in close range basically just means “add +1 to hit”. There is a case to be made that having a red dot sight on some weapons could be an interesting way to reduce the disadvantages of those weapons in close quarter environments (think of ARs or Sniper Rifles), but I think that such a condition is not, well, conditional enough.

If you want to justify it in-universe, you could choose to believe that red dot sights have become standard on all firearms: iron sights are a thing of the past, as cheap components have allowed manufacturers to ship weapons with integrated optical sights and holographic display sights. This is probably already the reason that R. Talsorian gives. A bit unsatisfying, but hey.

The Three Axes of Weapon Attachments

After saying all of this, I came to understand this expanded attachment system as a Triangular Chart with three axes: Efficiency, Speed and Utility.

Efficiency Attachments: Attachments that increase the chances to hit of the weapon or that help the weapon just be better. Maximizing this side of the chart means reducing your efficiency in close range and opting out of useful utility options. The most Efficient Attachment, in my eyes, is the SmartGun Link.

Speed Attachments: Attachments that improve your weapon’s manoeuvrability up close. Initiative boosting attachments go here. Maximizing this means reducing long-range potential to gain an advantage up close. The most Speedy Attachment, in my eyes, is the Short Barrel.

Utility Attachments: Attachments that give the weapons new useful tools and abilities. Maximizing this side of the chart means abandoning direct weapon upgrades to gain other abilities which improve your versatility in combat. The most Utilitarian Attachments, in my eyes, are the Underbarrel Weapons.

This way of thinking is useful because it shows how the different possible builds provide different options to players. Each Attachment comes with a rating I made up from 1-5 on how it rates in each of those categories.

EXPANDED WEAPON ATTACHMENTS

Mid-range scope

Cost:
500 eb. (Expensive)
//
Eligible:
All Non-Exotic Ranged Weapons.
When attacking a target between 25m/yards and 100m/yds with either a weapon's single shot firing mode or an Aimed Shot, you can add a +1 to your Check. Does not stack with TeleOptics Cyberware and Sniping Scope.

Commentary

Speed 0 / Utility 1 / Efficiency 4.
While this might be a better option than the Sniping Scope in most games, I feel like the upper range limit still means that the Sniping Scope retains a unique identity and use for players. I think Mid-range Scopes will be very good for Pistols and SMGs, but it shouldn’t break the game too bad. A very Accuracy-focused attachment.

Sniping Scope

Cost:
Same as Core Rulebook
//
Eligible:
Same as Core Rulebook
Same as described in the Core Rulebook (p. 344), with the addition that the last sentence should instead read “Does not stack with TeleOptics Cyberware and Mid-range Scope.”

Commentary

Speed 0 / Utility 1 / Efficiency 4.
The new phrasing is a bit awkward, but all scope attachments serve the same purpose of zooming in and removing the stacking makes sense. A very Accuracy-focused attachment.

Infrared Nightvision Scope

Cost:
Same as Core Rulebook
//
Eligible:
Same as Core Rulebook
Same as described in the Core Rulebook (p. 343).

Commentary

Speed 0 / Utility 3 / Efficiency 2.
This attachment is unironically why I decided to not include a locational attachment slot system. If a player chooses to install both a Sniping Scope and an Infrared Nightvision Scope, it is cool to imagine that they have a Sniping Scope that can see in the dark. These scopes already exist, and the system is pretty good at representing them. This attachment is more Utility based than the other scopes: it grants you a power that you otherwise might not have (ignoring darkness-based penalties in combat).

Short Barrel

Cost: 100 eb. (Premium)
//
Eligible: All Non-Exotic Ranged Weapons except Grenade Launchers/Rocket Launchers
You add 2 to your initiative. You cannot hit targets over 100m. Only one barrel can be attached to a weapon at a time. Requires 2 Attachment Slots.

Commentary

Speed 5 / Utility 0 / Efficiency 1.
The Short Barrel is the only way to minmax the Speed of your weapon: If you use this and another attachment to boost your initiative, you can get +3 bonus to Initiative, which allows you to play faster than most opponents.

Long Barrel

Cost:
100 eb. (Premium)
//
Eligible:
All Non-Exotic Ranged Weapons that can be fired using Autofire.
When rolling damage using Autofire, all dice that come up 1 are instead considered to be 2. The weapon has +2 when using Suppressive Fire. Only one barrel can be attached to a weapon at a time. Requires 2 Attachment Slots.

Commentary

Speed 0 / Utility 3 / Efficiency 3.
In firearms, there are many factors that affect the weapon’s recoil. Muzzle Brakes, general weight, recoil pads, and more are all elements of the weapon that reduce recoil. Of course, reducing recoil is a way to increase your weapon’s accuracy, but, as I mentioned, we can’t have attachments that increases chances to hit.
I didn’t want to just forget about these attachments, though, so I tried to figure out ways to include them that represented their capabilities without adding bonuses to hit. I figured that I could strike two birds with one stone by creating an attachment that helped manage recoil in Autofire. The Heavy Barrel reduces the swinginess of using Autofire. This would represent how their automatic fire bursts are more accurate and more bullets land on target.

Silencer

Cost: 100 eb. (Premium)
//
Eligible: All Non-Exotic Ranged Weapons fired with the Handgun and Shoulder Arms Skill.
The DV to hear your weapon when it is fired is +4.

Commentary

Speed 0 / Utility 3 / Efficiency 0.
While it should be assumed that all weapons in CPRed are suppressed, according to the creators, adding an additional way to keep weapons silent can make some heists a lot more interesting. A Utility Attachment.

Forward Pistol Grip

Cost: 50 eb. (Costly)
//
Eligible: All Non-Exotic Ranged Weapons except Grenade Launchers/Rocket Launchers.
You add 1 to your initiative. Any One-Handed Weapon with this attachment becomes a Two-Handed Weapon.

Commentary

Speed 4 / Utility 0 / Efficiency 1.
The Basic Speed Attachment, the Forward Pistol Grip comes at the cost of occupying both your hands.

Laser Sight

Cost:
50 eb. (Costly)
//
Eligible:
All Non-Exotic Ranged Weapons.
You add 1 to your initiative. The laser sight is visible to all while it is active. Only one laser sight can be attached to a weapon at a time.

Commentary

Speed 3 / Utility 1 / Efficiency 0.
The Laser Sights are useful when your players really want to maximise their Speed without getting the Short Barrel. It comes with a Drawback but boosts Initiative. I decided to avoid having the Laser Sight's ability reduce with range (as actual laser sights do) to avoid having to fuss over it in-game. Basic Speed Attachment.

UV Laser Sight

Cost:
100 eb. (Premium)
//
Eligible:
All Non-Exotic Ranged Weapons.
You add 1 to your initiative. The laser sight is only visible to those who can see UV light. Only one laser sight can be attached to a weapon at a time.

Commentary

Speed 3 / Utility 3 / Efficiency 0.
The UV Laser Sight reduces the drawback of the Laser Sight, but, obviously, requires that the players invest in UV vision.

Flashlight

Cost: 20 eb. (Everyday)
//
Eligible: All Non-Exotic Ranged Weapons.
The flashlight illuminates the area where the weapon is aimed. Reduces penalties imposed when firing at the target the weapon is aimed obscured by darkness to 0. The ray of light is visible to all and only extends up to 51 m/yds. You can use an Aimed Shot Action to attempt to blind enemies who can see the light of the flashlight. If you succeed, they suffer from the effects of the Damaged Eye Critical Injury during their next turn.

Commentary

Speed 0 / Utility 3 / Efficiency 0.
A pure Utility Attachment, the flashlight reduces the effects of Darkness and gives the players an ability to blind enemies. This might be irrelevant in some situations (the effect is limited), but it might help in some specific situations. The darkness-reduction effects are also very limited (and very visible), compared to the Nightvision scope. This means that one does not outclass the other.

UV Flashlight

Cost: 100 eb. (Premium)
//
Eligible: All Non-Exotic Ranged Weapons.
The flashlight illuminates the area where the weapon is aimed. Reduces penalties imposed when firing at the target the weapon is aimed obscured by darkness to 0. The ray of light is only visible to those who can see UV light and only extends up to 51 m/yds. You can use an Aimed Shot action to attempt to blind enemies who can see the light of the flashlight. If you succeed, they suffer from the effects of the Damaged Eye Critical Injury during their next turn.

Commentary

Speed 0 / Utility 3 / Efficiency 0.
Works like the flashlight. Utility Attachment, although the blindness is even more situational. The possibility to not be spotted by everyone while still gaining the benefits of the attachment might make it worth it in some situations.

Bipod

Cost: 100 eb. (Premium)
//
Eligible: Any Ranged Weapon fired with the Shoulder Arms or Heavy Weapons Skill.
As an Action, the user can deploy the bipod on a surface or on the ground. Once deployed, the weapon can pivot, but the bipod's benefits will be cancelled if it is moved. When the weapon’s bipod is deployed, the weapon has +1 to hit when making an Aimed Shot or when using Autofire and Suppressive Fire.

Commentary

Speed 0 / Utility 1 / Efficiency 4.
The other conditional accuracy-boosting attachments. While this is very powerful, taking a whole turn to set up the bipod is a heavy investment in most firefights (especially in CQC combat). Of course, players can (and will) think of fights differently if they want to gain the benefits of their Bipod, but the fact that the players have to do this shows the limitation of the bipod.

Folding Stock

Cost: 100 eb. (Premium)
//
Eligible: Any Ranged Weapon fired with the Shoulder Arms Skill.
As an Action, the user can fold or unfold the Folding Stock. When folded, the weapon becomes concealable, but cannot hit targets over 25m. When unfolded, the weapon behaves as normal.

Commentary

Speed 1 / Utility 3 / Efficiency 0.
Pure Utility. Players can hide big guns under their clothes and surprise opponents, which is a very powerful ability. The range limitation represents how firing the weapon without its stock is very imprecise.

Pistol Stock

Cost: 100 eb. (Premium)
//
Eligible: Any Ranged Weapon fired with the Handgun Skill.
The weapon uses the SMG Range Table to determine DVs to hit when making single Shot. The weapon becomes two-handed and unconcealable. Requires 2 Attachment Slots.

Commentary

Speed 0 / Utility 3 / Efficiency 3.
I tried to keep away from changing the range of weapons (I personally believe that this should be a quality of the weapon, rather than something that can be easily modded), however, most pistols’ range is not really limited by the bullets they use, but rather how small they are. SMG fire pistol rounds and are more accurate because they are bulkier and easier to control. Adding a stock is often enough to make many pistols a lot more accurate. This is what this represents. I also like the idea of players using this to create V.H. Pistol “carbines.”

Telescopic Pistol Stock

Cost: 500 eb. (Expensive)
//
Eligible: Any Ranged Weapon fired with the Handgun Skill except the SMG.
As an Action, the Telescopic Stock can be folded or extended. If the stock is folded, the weapon uses the Pistol Range Table to determine DVs to hit when making Single Shots. If the stock is extended, the weapon uses the SMG Range Table to determine DVs to hit when making Single Shots. The weapon becomes unconcealable. Requires 2 Attachment Slots.

Commentary

Speed 1 / Utility 4 / Efficiency 3.
This is a more versatile version of the Pistol Stock, with the cost of being literally more expensive and taking up two attachment slots. Very utilitarian/efficient attachment, for when players want to be maximally efficient at close and medium range.

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Disclaimer

This is a fan project for our game of the Cyberpunk 2020 tabletop role-playing game. Most corporations, game rules and in-universe references are the intellectual property of R. Talsorian Games. Some graphical assets are created by Cédric Duchaineau were inspired by assets created by CD Projekt Red or R. Talsorian Games.

Buy me a coffee!

Disclaimer

This is a fan project for our game of the Cyberpunk 2020 tabletop role-playing game. Most corporations, game rules and in-universe references are the intellectual property of R. Taslorian Games. Some graphical assets are created by Cédric Duchaineau and Alejandro Olivares were inspired by assets created by CD Projekt Red or R. Taslorian Games.