12 gauge EMP shells

12 Gauge EMP Shells are a type of 12 Gauge shells that appeared exclusively in Fallout Tactics.

Damage: 0%

Penetration: 0%

Description: Shotgun ammunition designed to deliver a concentrated EMP burst to a small area.

Principle
Main Article: EMP

Electromagnetic Pulse, commonly abbreviated to EMP, is a phenomenon generally attributed to nuclear blast effects. In its most basic description, an EMP is highly energetic pulse of electromagnetic energy. When part of a nuclear blast, this wave of electromagnetism is accompanied by a pulse of high-energy particles. Both can cause considerable damage to electronics. To humans, an EMP has no confirmed noticeable effect.

Although EMP effects were first noted during testing with nuclear weapons, science has since determined methods by which the electronics-damaging electromagnetic pulse can be created without the mess inherent in a nuclear detonation. Consequently, experimental EMP weapons of many sizes and descriptions have been developed and tested, ranging from wide-area "blackout bombs" designed to disrupt computers and electronics over a vast distance, to very small, localized weapons that could potentially be used to deactivate a fleeing automobile -- although such a move would be quite drastic.

Design
Effectively, EMP shells are 12-gauge shotgun shells which propel a small EMP burst weapon rather than a slug or shot downrange. On impact, these EMP bomblets detonate, causing electromagnetic damage to any nearby electronics.

Employment
Shotgun EMP rounds are very effective against robotic enemies, and can be used to neutralize some minor foes outright. Larger robots, which are likely to possess better EMP shielding, are not as severely affected by a single strike with EMP shells, but can be brought down with a concerted or prolonged attack. Given the ballistic resistance robots have, which reduces the effectiveness of normal bullets to a fraction, EMP shells represent the best cost-to-effectiveness ratio ammunition, barring perhaps high explosives when taking on large robotic game.

Against personnel, however, EMP ammunition is entirely ineffective. Firing an EMP-loaded shotgun at a human or animal foe is nothing more than a waste of valuable ammunition.

Cost and Availability
EMP shells do not become available until late in the game, when the weight of the Calculator's forces begins to fall upon the Brotherhood. Even so, this ammunition tends to be somewhat more costly than most other forms of shotgun ammunition. Some caches can be had "in the wild," but much of the supply must be procured through the quartermaster.