Ideas on Glitter Boy Pilot Culture

[taalismn]

Remember; today is the day The Patriot REALLY goes all out, pumping out the blare and Clare, does a 24-hour recitation of important documents and memorable lines form U.S. history, and ends the night with one stupendous fireworks display(possibly even with some enemy of Liberty smack in the middle of it).
Giant Robot Lady Liberty couldn't make it this year to join in the festivities, but faithful UNCLE SAM is steadfastly by The Patriot's side.

If you ask nicely, The Patriot might even stop by your camp site and laser-cook your hot dogs for you.

[Hotrod]

Here’s a thought: what about creating some alternative ammunition types for the boom gun? Each round is the size of a coke can, give or take, and contains 200 slugs/flachettes.

Alternative Materials slugs could be viable, either as a coating or as a segment of the flachette. Some possibilities:
1. Silver for anti-vampire or anti-supernatural purposes are already a thing for standard rail guns; it seems reasonable they could be made to work in a Boom Gun as well. Damage is reduced to 2D6x10 M.D.C., but double this damage against enemies vulnerable to silver.
2. Afterburn rounds contain thermiteand will continue to burn after the hit, inflicting 1D6 M.D.C. per round for 2 full minutes unless scraped or rubbed off. Cannot be extinguished.
3. Uranium rounds: add +10 to damage and reduce supernatural M.D.C. regeneration rates by half.

It might also be possible for the boom gun to launch a single munition rather than its 200-slug standard shot. Such a shot would likely do less ballistic damage (perhaps 1D6x10), but it could provide some space for some additional effects:
1. A bursting smoke/white phosphorous filler could be useful for marking and temporarily blinding a target for a full melee round. This would also cause major life-threatening burns to anyone not in full environmental armor (1D6x10 S.D.C. per round for 1 minute and must be scraped off; cannot be extinguished by water).
2. A Knockdown round: carries a rocket motor that ignites at the moment of impact, imparting a violent shove that will send human-sized targets flying: take 3D6 SDC damage and lose the next 2 attacks as they're thrown back 20 feet. Power armor and small vehicles will get knocked over and lose an attack. Robot vehicles will be unaffected (though they will still take damage).
3. Photoflash Powder munition, causes the same effect as the Blinding Flash magic spell.
4. Plasma: Adds 6D6 MDC to the target and everything within a 12 foot area.
5. Curve Shot: fins on the projectile steer it along a preset curve, allowing the projectile to hit targets hiding behind a corner, wall, or rock (ignore cover bonuses unless the target is enclosed).
6. Techno-Wizard: imparts the effects of a pre-loaded spell upon impact in addition to its damage. Expensive and non-reusable, the gemstones used in its creation are pulverized on impact. Pilots can hand-load these rounds to be their first shot in an engagement.

[Orin J.]

well, the Boom Gun is a heavy Railgun that's designed to fire a single heavy cartridge, so munition choices that are more efficient in any role than the current one are going to be kinda limited......at least hand-loading is an option so you don't have to guess the load ahead of time.

maybe silver flechettes, or an enriched uranium penetrator for giant monsters? lesser general damage but enhanced power against vulnerable targets? plus with the silver you could mulch potentially dozens of vampires in a mob.

maybe a long-range radio transmitter in the back of an epoxy-gel slug?

a "blank" slug of copper or iron that isn't able to do signefigant damage doe to softness but is enough to provoke the sonic boom? for intimidation and exploiting the secondary effects where needed.

I'll come back to this when i can get into the mindset for balancing stats, i've got....stuff i'm doin'.

[taalismn]

Being rail gun, you can potentially lower the power and number of stator rings that supply power, lowering range and muzzle velocity....less damage. Not ideal, using an anti-armor weapon as an lower-powered antipersonnel weapon(this would be better taken care of by a handheld/mounted secondary weapon), but it could allow you to fire rounds filled with warhead fillings/mechanisms that might be otherwise pulped or broken by higher accelerations.
But them you run into the problem of how much/little you can pack into a Boom Gun shell. It's nowhere near the internal volume of a 75mm artillery round. but inspiration might be found in the lower calipers like 20-30mm.

[Hotrod]

I added in a few additional ammunition types allowing curve shots, techno-wizard magic effects, and uranium rounds.

[taalismn]

I added in a few additional ammunition types allowing curve shots, techno-wizard magic effects, and uranium rounds.

Somehow 'More Bang for Your Credits" doesn't sing as well as the original 'More Bang for Your Bucks".

It would help, however, to know how much of a curve(in degrees) can that round do?

[Library Ogre]

I added in a few additional ammunition types allowing curve shots, techno-wizard magic effects, and uranium rounds.

Somehow 'More Bang for Your Credits" doesn't sing as well as the original 'More Bang for Your Bucks".

It would help, however, to know how much of a curve(in degrees) can that round do?

"More Crash for your Cash"?

[Orin J.]

I added in a few additional ammunition types allowing curve shots, techno-wizard magic effects, and uranium rounds.

Somehow 'More Bang for Your Credits" doesn't sing as well as the original 'More Bang for Your Bucks".

It would help, however, to know how much of a curve(in degrees) can that round do?

"More Crash for your Cash"?

"More Dead for yer Cred"

[Hotrod]

It would help, however, to know how much of a curve(in degrees) can that round do?

Maybe 45 degrees or so?

[taalismn]

It would help, however, to know how much of a curve(in degrees) can that round do?

Maybe 45 degrees or so?

Sounds about right.
I was looking at some of the angling of the old German corner-shooter barrels, but these rounds would be relying on aerodynamics, and not barrel path.
Seems to me there was some recent talk IRL of a fifty-caliber 'smart' round that could home on a target, but the round in question would be rather longer than than the regulation round, and thus unsuited for existing cartridge and belt systems(unless you took a cut in range and velocity and buried more of the length of the projectile in the cartridge.

And to add to the growing list of bad marketing slogans:
'More Mayhem for your Molla!"

[slade2501]

What is the situation with each group dealing with the Black Market, the primary source (outside of Free Quebec or Archie 3) of replacement parts or boom gun rounds? according to the BM sourcebook, they ask 1000 credits per boom round!
I can only imagine what they charge for spare limbs, replacement thrusters, etc.

[Orin J.]

What is the situation with each group dealing with the Black Market, the primary source (outside of Free Quebec or Archie 3) of replacement parts or boom gun rounds? according to the BM sourcebook, they ask 1000 credits per boom round!
I can only imagine what they charge for spare limbs, replacement thrusters, etc.

RUE puts the cost of boom gun ammo at 3 credits a round so i think i'm gonna chalk the BM price to someone drastically overestimating how much of a sucker some people are.

[taalismn]

RUE puts the cost of boom gun ammo at 3 credits a round so i think i'm gonna chalk the BM price to someone drastically overestimating how much of a sucker some people are.

And such a person would either be left hanging out with inventory nobody's buying....or ends up with large holes punched in him, and missing inventory.

[slade2501]

RUE puts the cost of boom gun ammo at 3 credits a round so i think i'm gonna chalk the BM price to someone drastically overestimating how much of a sucker some people are.

And such a person would either be left hanging out with inventory nobody's buying....or ends up with large holes punched in him, and missing inventory.

I thought it was kinda crazy myself. this whole talk got me reading up on the shadow boy for an entry (like chevy vs ford) and i read that the baby boom gun has the exact same ammo, at a grand a round, and about freaked. So by default, I'm gonna use the regular replacement costs in source book 1 as the baseline for parts (arms, limbs, thruster) costs, unless some one here comes up with a better answer.

[Hotrod]

Flex Magazine (G-10 Add-On Kit)

The G-10 has an unusual design feature among robots and power armor with built-in weapons: it can accommodate left-handed pilots. To do so, the Glitter Boy's Boom gun was designed to be mounted and fired on the left or right shoulder, and it actually has two loading ports, one on each side. In a standard G-10, the unused loading port is sealed off with a latching door through which the pilot can hand-load ammunition one round at a time directly into the Boom Gun and its main magazine. This is slow, but it allows a Glitter Boy to reload without dismounting or needing a dedicated reloader.

The Flex Magazine replaces this hand-loading door with a 10-round magazine. This serves three purposes. First, it allows the pilot to continue fighting and firing even while the main magazine is being reloaded. Second, it gives the pilot a little extra ammunition. Third, it allows the pilot to load and fire specialty ammunition at a moment's notice without having to hand-load each round. Pilots can encode specific round selections with voice commands, such as "Flash," "Smoke," "Incendiary," "Plasma," or "Silver."

The drawback of this accessory is that it makes hand-loading the Boom Gun impossible while the pilot is suited up. In order to avoid interfering with the Boom Gun's operation, the Flex Magazine had to be placed in a spot that the Glitter Boy hands can't reach during normal operation. Thus, reloading while suited requires assistance from someone else. Otherwise, the pilot must get out and reload the suit. A few pilots carry a "back scratcher" tool that can allow them to hand-load their Flex Magazines without dismounting, but this is very awkward and slow: 1 shot per melee/15 seconds, and any movement or impact will prevent the pilot from reloading for that round. Most pilots don't bother with this.

The Flex Magazine is popular among the Riggers and Sons of Thunder. A few Old Guard members have it as well, though most are too traditional to consider it. Minutemen will not install this system on their suits, though they have no issue with using or hand-loading alternate ammunition for specific situations.

[Hotrod]

Mirror-Boy (G-10 Modification)

This unusual modification does two things. First, it changes the surfaces of the Glitter Boy's armor plates from smooth curves to flat facets with sharp, hard angles (akin to the F-117 Nighthawk). Second, it polishes the Chromium armor to a near-perfect finish.

The result is an armor that is incredibly resistant to laser weapons. Normal laser weapons will do no damage and simply bounce off! Even variable frequency lasers will only do half damage!

Despite these advantages, this modification is unpopular among Glitter Boy pilots for three reasons. First, this modification makes the Glitter Boy substantially weaker to other forms of attack, giving them only 80% of the standard G-10's M.D.C. Second, repairing armor with this modification is far more difficult and time-consuming; while an operator with the right tools can restore a nearly-wrecked suit of armor to like-new condition overnight, a Mirror-Boy suit takes a week due to the polishing needed. Third, only a few people have the equipment and know-how to repair Mirror-Boy armor plating, so getting repairs at all is difficult unless you bring the equipment and know-how with you.

Still, a few Mirror Boy-modified suits are out there, mostly among the Riggers, with a couple of suits in a single chapter of the Sons of Thunder. No Old Guard or Minuteman pilot would ever consider getting this modification, seeing it as a foolish and wasteful desecration.

[Hotrod]

Hell-Stomper (G-10 Modification)

While the pylon stabilizers of the G-10 can damage and even penetrate M.D.C. materials, their main purpose is to dig through weaker materials and stabilize the G-10. Still, some pilots among the Sons of Thunder love using their pylons as weapons, and that led to this modification.

Hell-Stompers add laser and plasma torches to the area around the laser drill and pylons in the heels of the Glitter Boy. This drives the damage of a heel-stomp up to 1D4x10, and it allows the suit to embed and stick within M.D.C. materials far more easily and effectively, making it extremely difficult for a victim to escape or break away. This has led to some novel tactics.

A stomp attack from a Hell-Stomper generally requires the victim to already be knocked down and be about the same size or smaller than a Glitter Boy. A successful strike roll then pins the victim and embeds the pylon in the victim/victim's armor. Once pinned, the Hell-Stomper will continue to burrow and burn through its victim. Unless the victim is strong enough to break away the Hell-Stomper can keep burning through its victim until the victim is dead or destroyed. This requires no further action on the pilot's part, and a Hell-Stomper can continue shooting its boom gun at other targets while slowly killing the victim under its heel.

A victim pinned under a Hell-Stomper must do two things to break away. First, they must overcome the strength of the suit (Robotic P.S. of 35 or supernatural P.S. of 25) and two successful dodge rolls in a row. The first successful dodge roll allows the victim to move, but it will not break them away from the grip of the pylon, which remains embedded within them. The second successful dodge roll allows the victim to rip out the pylon, which will do another 4D6 M.D.C. of damage on its way out. All the while, the Glitter Boy can continue to do 1D4x10 M.D.C. every action with no strike roll needed.

This tactic has a few drawbacks. First, a Hell-Stomper can't defend against attacks from a pinned victim, and only one limb of the victim is pinned down. While most victims of a Hell-Stomper panic and try to get out, a cool-headed or fatalistic victim may see this as an opportunity and do as much damage as they can. Second, the Hell-Stomper can't use its Boom Gun on its victims; the gun is too long to shoot at the victim. Third, the Hell-Stomper can't move or dodge until he disengages his pylons (though he can still pivot and shoot at other targets).

Despite this, the Sons of Thunder who use Hell-Stompers love using pin attacks. The sight of a victim squirming and thrashing as they burn to death under their heels is an intimidating sight and a trademark among their pilots.

Against large enemies (robots or giant-sized), the Hell-Stomper modification enables a unique and wild flying leap-attack. Like a swooping eagle, the Hell-Stomper leaps at the enemy heels-first and drills into armor/M.D.C. flesh, doing 2D4x10 damage. Once embedded, the Hell-Stomper's boom gun turns around and fires backwards, effectively becoming a thruster while at the same time, the suit's recoil-compensation jets fire. Rather than cancelling each other out, this drives double the force of a Boom Gun's recoil directly into the giant opponent. This will do 2D6x10 M.D.C. and knock down all but the largest vehicles, ships, or gargantuan creatures, and the Hell-Stomper can continue doing 2D4x10 M.D.C. every attack automatically (no rolls or actions necessary) while continuing to blast the giant enemy with the Boom Gun (automatically hitting unless the pilot is targeting a specific area on the pinned enemy).

Victims of the flying-leap attack may be able to pull off the Glitter Boy if they have sufficient strength: a robotic P.S. of 50 or a supernatural P.S. of 40. Ripping off the Glitter Boy will do another 1D4x10 damage, and it will knock down the Glitter Boy pilot, who must roll with impact or lose his next four attacks due to being stunned and having to get back up. If the victim has a higher P.S. than the Glitter Boy (25 robotic), then the victim can grab the Boom Gun and force it away. This will keep the Hell-Stomper from shooting the victim, but the Hell-Stomper's heels will continue to do 2D4x10 M.D.C. every attack.

This flying-leap attack is devastating, but it also has its drawbacks. It takes three actions to perform: preparation (can't be interrupted), leap attack/latching (requires a successful hand-to-hand strike roll), and then the knockdown shot (no roll needed, but still takes an action). Once latched on, the Glitter Boy is totally vulnerable to attacks (no dodge is possible), and the spectacular nature of this attack tends to draw a lot of attention and fire.

This modification is exclusive to the Sons of Thunder, and it is common among that association, especially among chapter leaders. A couple of Riggers have stolen or copied the design, and bad things happened to both. The Sons see any outsiders using a Hell-Stomper modification like biker gangs see outsiders wearing their jackets. Most Glitter Boy pilots, especially among the Old Guard and Minutemen, see this modification as silly, unprofessional, and inefficient; it's faster and safer to simply shoot foes from a distance, and Glitter Boys are intimidating enough.

[Hotrod]

Shove-Jax (G-10 Accessory)

A combination of vibro-axe, jackhammer, and shovel, the Shove-Jax is a product of Northern Gun meant to help power armor pilots dig in quickly, but it hasn't sold well, as most power armor pilots prefer to keep their mobility. However, its popularity has taken off with Glitter Boy pilots who prefer a more stationary approach to combat and often like to dig in before the shooting starts.

At first glance, the Shove-Jax looks roughly like a conventional shovel or E-tool: a handle, a shaft, and a flat head with sharp edges. This simple exterior conceals the working technology within. The shaft of the Shove-Jax includes a piston that cycles and drives the head like a jackhammer, allowing the tool to quickly drive, chip, and wedge its way into tough materials. The head includes a vibro-field generator and is sharp on three sides, enabling the Shove-Jax to chop through M.D.C. and S.D.C. materials with ease, and its width allows users to quickly scoop out dirt, rock, and rubble.

With a Shove-Jax, a pilot can dig a rifle pit or foxhole in less than a minute, easily five times faster than what a Glitter Boy can dig by hand. It can slice through trees and rock like a hot knife through butter, and it also makes a decent hand-to-hand weapon, doing 3D6 M.D.C. per swing (use the W.P. Axe skill, and include the 1D6 damage bonus at Level 2).

The Shove-Jax is becoming a popular tool and backup weapon among Glitter Boy pilots, especially among the Riggers and Old Guard. The Sons of Thunder tend to take a somewhat more brash approach to combat, but even some of their more practical members have adopted this tool as well. The utility of the Shove-Jax has even gotten a few Minutemen to question their rules on not using accessories or backup weapons.

[Hotrod]

One aspect of Glitter Boys that could be interesting to explore is the creation of variants on the O.C.C. itself.

Right now, there are two versions of the Glitter Boy O.C.C.: the Descended Pilot and the standard pilot. I'd like to introduce some other alternatives that include tradeoffs to make Glitter Boy character creation a bit more interesting, both from a roleplaying and a game stats perspective.

Born to the Life: Path of the Descended Pilot.
This character gets some nice bonuses (the extra attack being the most consequential) with no drawbacks based on the idea that they are raised in a multi-generational family of Glitter Boy pilots and inherit a suit. I love this idea, and I think it's best to leave it as is. They are highly skilled and specialized, and they tend to be more traditional and dogmatic in how they care for and use their suits. Most Minutemen and Old Guard pilots are Descended Pilots.

Apprenticeship: Path of the Chosen Pilot.
Chosen Pilots are chosen at a young age by a Glitter Boy pilot to be an apprentice, who inherits a suit at the end of the apprenticeship. Instead of the Descended Pilot bonuses, A Chosen pilot has a knack. This knack is what caught the attention of the pilot's master/mentor. Players can choose from one of the following:
Psionics: these pilots developed minor psionics powers during their apprenticeships that are particularly attuned to Glitter Boy suits. These pilots can choose two of the following special abilities:
+Activate a mental link with their suit identical to that of a Psi-Tech with a single action that costs 10 I.S.P. and lasts 2 minutes per level of the pilot.
+Impervious to Fire from RUE, and while in a Glitter Boy, this power can be activated in a single action without a preparatory trance, and its protection channels through and extends to the Glitter Boy's armored surface, making it temporarily immune to plasma and M.D.C. fire attacks (magic fire does half damage).
+See Aura from RUE, and while in a Glitter Boy, this power channels through the optics to a range of up to 2 miles. It still requires line-of-sight.
+See the Invisible from RUE, and while in a Glitter Boy, this power channels through the optics up to a range of 2 miles. It still requires line-of-sight.
+Other minor psionic power from RUE, but the pilot can use his Glitter Boy as if it were his body (powers that require touching can be done through the suit's armored surface/hands).
Exceptionally Observant: This pilot has an exceptional IQ of 19+1D6, gets a +6 perception bonus, and an additional skill bonus of +10% to perception-related skills in addition to the I.Q. bonus.
Natural Leader: This pilot has an M.A. of 18+2D6 and enjoys a +10% bonuses to skills involving social interaction (public speaking, interrogation)
Exceptional Marksman: This pilot gets the Sharpshooting skill from New West, with bonuses applying only to the Boom Gun (the trick shot they get must be #3: Accurately shoot while riding on a horse or moving vehicle).
Regardless of their knack, Chosen pilots tend to be proud Glitter Boy pilots, but are often less dogmatic in how they use their suits. Most Minutemen or Old Guard pilots who aren't Descended Pilots are Chosen Pilots, and Chosen Pilots are common among the Sons of Thunder and Riggers.

Student: Path of the Upstart Pilot.
Upstart pilots learn their trade in their late teens or young adulthood after initially studying something else, Upstart pilots either earn, buy, or steal their suits. This pilot is more worldly than Descended or Chosen pilots, having developed skills in another area before deciding to become a Glitter Boy pilot. For three O.C.C. Related skills, ignore skill restrictions and select from any one category that aren't exclusive to a specific O.C.C.. These skills get a +10% bonus instead of the standard O.C.C. Related bonus. Advanced versions of a skill may require two or more skill selections at the GM's discretion. Upstart Pilots from Free Quebec or the Coalition may select Hand-to-Hand: Commando in lieu of three of these three skills; such characters began their careers training in special operations, but something happened that caused them to become a Glitter Boy pilot instead. Upstart pilots are uncommon in the Minutemen and Old Guard and common among Riggers and the Sons of Thunder.

Amateur: Path of the Part-Time Pilot.
Not everyone who pilots a Glitter Boy has the Glitter Boy Pilot O.C.C. The amateur is a character with a different O.C.C. who acquires and chooses to pilot a Glitter Boy suit. Any O.C.C. that can pilot Robots and Power Armor can be an amateur pilot. Traditional Glitter Boy pilot associations and groups won’t consider most amateur pilots for membership. Some may make exceptions for amateur pilots with skills that can help repair, maintain, and enhance their suits, such as Operators, Psi-Techs, and Techno-Wizards. However, no Glitter Boy Pilot association will ever accept a pilot who doesn't have the six minimum skills required: Radio: Basic, Read Sensory Equipment, Pilot: Robots & Power Armor, Robot Combat: Basic (expert specialization in the Glitter Boy may also be a requirement), Weapon Systems, and W.P. Heavy Energy Weapons.

[Hotrod]

Hey, a final addendum to to this thread: I have taken what I wrote up here, polished it, revised and expanded it, and submitted it for consideration as two articles for this year's Rifter. The first article is on Glitter Boy Culture, and the second is on the Glitter Boy itself. Per the terms of the unsubmitted manuscript form, I won't be posting any further contributions or revisions to what I have here.

Thanks to everyone who participated in this discussion! I really enjoyed the creative process in this thread.

P.S. Naturally, I did not include anything written up by other folks on this thread in my submission.

[Killer Cyborg]

I think it should be fairly common for GB pilots in the wilderness to arrange their Glitter Boy armor in such a way they can use it for a solar cooker on a sunny day.

[taalismn]

I think it should be fairly common for GB pilots in the wilderness to arrange their Glitter Boy armor in such a way they can use it for a solar cooker on a sunny day.

Don't think that's possible; the armor's all curved the wrong way.

[Killer Cyborg]

I think it should be fairly common for GB pilots in the wilderness to arrange their Glitter Boy armor in such a way they can use it for a solar cooker on a sunny day.

Don't think that's possible; the armor's all curved the wrong way.

Hands, arms, legs, shoulders, and other parts are movable, able to change shape.
Cross your arms on your chest, and tell me there's no place where--if you were chrome--some kind of rough parabola, crease, or corner is formed that on a 10' tall robot would NOT be able to cook a hot dog or something on a sunny day.
Or that a cupped chrome hand wouldn't couldn't have any kind of focal point. Or the armpit or knee pit.

I'm not buying it.

But I suppose there's not much point arguing about this one, unless we want to spring for a giant robot or at least cover ourselves with aluminum foil on a sunny day and see what happens.
Hm.
Actually, mylar survival blankets could work better for that... Okay, I'm probably overthinking this.

[Curbludgeon]

Nah, GBs are all about that paste life. There were experimental PA designs in the mid 2070s which included a weaponized jaw, phased out without exception within 18 months following then-infamous military subcontractor FlaxFlame's CEO's proclamation that "Chewing is for tourists," made during her virally successful speech "Verbs which rhyme with 'squirt': Action Diet Paydirt."

[Blue_Lion]

well, the Boom Gun is a heavy Railgun that's designed to fire a single heavy cartridge, so munition choices that are more efficient in any role than the current one are going to be kinda limited......at least hand-loading is an option so you don't have to guess the load ahead of time.

maybe silver flechettes, or an enriched uranium penetrator for giant monsters? lesser general damage but enhanced power against vulnerable targets? plus with the silver you could mulch potentially dozens of vampires in a mob.

maybe a long-range radio transmitter in the back of an epoxy-gel slug?

a "blank" slug of copper or iron that isn't able to do signefigant damage doe to softness but is enough to provoke the sonic boom? for intimidation and exploiting the secondary effects where needed.

I'll come back to this when i can get into the mindset for balancing stats, i've got....stuff i'm doin'.

Is it you hand load the weapon or hand load the back side of the drum.
The reload port is marked on the back of the drum, so you might need to empty the drum to get to special ammo. That would make it hard to change on demand.

[Hotrod]

well, the Boom Gun is a heavy Railgun that's designed to fire a single heavy cartridge, so munition choices that are more efficient in any role than the current one are going to be kinda limited......at least hand-loading is an option so you don't have to guess the load ahead of time.

maybe silver flechettes, or an enriched uranium penetrator for giant monsters? lesser general damage but enhanced power against vulnerable targets? plus with the silver you could mulch potentially dozens of vampires in a mob.

maybe a long-range radio transmitter in the back of an epoxy-gel slug?

a "blank" slug of copper or iron that isn't able to do signefigant damage doe to softness but is enough to provoke the sonic boom? for intimidation and exploiting the secondary effects where needed.

I'll come back to this when i can get into the mindset for balancing stats, i've got....stuff i'm doin'.

Is it you hand load the weapon or hand load the back side of the drum.
The reload port is marked on the back of the drum, so you might need to empty the drum to get to special ammo. That would make it hard to change on demand.

My interpretation is that there are two reload ports. The one on the back is for bulk reloading by a reloader (see FQ) or by a dismounted pilot. The other is on the gun itself. If you look closely at the Boom Gun, you'll see that it is symmetrical. The ejection port for spent casings is on the top, not on the side. In building the Glitter Boy Miniature, I noted that that the round area where the belt feed connects is mirrored on the other side of the gun.

I interpret this to mean that the Glitter Boy can be configured with its gun mounted on the left or the right side, accommodating both left and right-handed users. In this interpretation, one side is used to connect the ammunition belt from the back-mounted magazine, while the other is closed off in normal operation. This port can be opened to allow the pilot to hand-load ammunition one round at a time while suited up.

Without having a loading port on the gun itself, the pilot wouldn't otherwise be able to reach the normal loading port, and it is canon that the pilot can hand-load rounds one at a time.

[taalismn]

Why does it even have an ejection port for spent casings?! It's a RAIL GUN; it shouldn't need to eject casings unless it needs a chemical propulsive charge to get the shell up to speed before the electromagnetics take over.... Or maybe the weapon jams frequently enough that it needs a shell ejection port for clearing the breach?

[Hotrod]

Why does it even have an ejection port for spent casings?! It's a RAIL GUN; it shouldn't need to eject casings unless it needs a chemical propulsive charge to get the shell up to speed before the electromagnetics take over.... Or maybe the weapon jams frequently enough that it needs a shell ejection port for clearing the breach?

Each flachette round includes 200 slugs, so I guess the casing holds them together. The terminology used in canon is a little confusing. Flachettes are usually small, dart-like submunitions packed into a round, not a round itself. Or perhaps the slugs themselves are flachettes?