By: Mr. Widdim

I-18B Personal Infantry Assault Weapon (PIAW)
The I-18B is the latest in the long series of main battle rifles by the famous Trowbridge company, which has without fail designed every main combat rifle used by the Orange Star military for almost 150 years. The rifle is uniquely identified as a Trowbridge by the spiraling ridges on the barrel; an effective cooling mechanism; and the unique stock. The I-18B was introduced in '74, replacing the I-18A, an earlier design that had been introduced in '63 and had been the first standard issue rifle capable of fully automatic fire. The I-18A suffered from various problems that made it extremely hard to maintain, and a replacement was called for. The I-18B used a simplified mechanism with less moving parts, and provided a series of tools that could be used to quickly and efficiently clean out the barrel. The new I-18 also had a new sighting system and an improved bayonet mount capable of accepting a series of new combat aids. The I-18 was also lengthened, to make it more accurate. The I-18B passed it's trials with flying colours and has been the main combat rifle ever since. The I-18B was found to be very effective at distances and when firing in bursts. As such, the semi-automatic fire option of the I-18A was replaced with a three-round burst, while retaining the fully automatic fire for when situations get desperate. The classic titanium rounds used by Orange Star's combat rifles are chambered to it's 10.5 mm, and retain their habit of rebounding off objects due to their light weight and high strength. The riflemen of Orange Star use this reliable and powerful weapon on the battlefield, and it has served them well for 25 years. Though there is talk of replacing it, it will have a role on the field for many years to come.

I-19B Anti-Infantry Assault Carbine (AIAC)
In the tradition of the Orange Star Paratrooper forces, the Orange Star army commissioned a carbine version of the I-18B for special forces use, as with the I-18B the rifle had grown too large to be used for airborne infantry. Trowbridge Co. took the contract and in '78 produced the I-19A, a powerful variation on the I-18. The barrel was drastically shortened, though retaining it's bayonet mount, and the mechanism was changed to allow an improved rate of fire. The offset box magazine yielded a surprising 20 rounds of 8 mm ammunition, made from an unusual material, tungsten steel. These heavy rounds carry a lot of momentum, and will continue through most objects. This ammunition change made the I-19 a powerful option for assault infantry, and the ground forces quickly adopted the weapon as well. By '81 the I-19 was in service in all branches of the Orange Star military.

IS-9 "Enforcer" Pistol
The IS-9 Enforcer was introduced in '84, proposed by Madison Arms Co. as a police pistol. Though it was impressive and fit the design specifications, a political shift resulted in police forces seeking non-lethal alternative weapons (leading to the creation of the ShoC brand Stun Gun). As a result, the Enforcer was left without a major buyer. However, the Orange Star Army approached Madison Arms, hoping to replace the aging but popular Empire 11.5 mm pistol and Liberty Valance 11 mm revolver. Though the classic Liberty Valance was retained, the Enforcer proved a popular replacement for the Empire .45 and was in universal use by the end of '89 as the IS-9.At first glance a simple and straightforward semi-automatic pistol, hidden within the Enforcer's slide is a gas-operated system that resets the mechanism extremely quickly, allowing a high rate of fire while retaining a great deal of control. Firing 10 mm ammunition of specially formulated lead, the Enforcer's shells have a powerful kick on impact intended to stun targets using armour vests, a throwback to it's intended role as a police pistol.

R-9C Carbine
This famous Carbine's initial form was the R-9A, introduced in '40 as a paratrooper variation for the R-8A. Designed by Trowbridge Company to be an effective night fighting weapon, it's design was influenced by a survey of paratroopers asking what features they required in a carbine. The most common response was a way of telling, at night, if their rounds were striking the intended area without giving their position away. This resulted in the acclaimed Flash Round, the M-23, which burst, much like the experimental flash bang grenades of the time, into a bright puff of light which not only indicated the position of enemy positions but also ruined their night vision. The carbine proved amazingly popular, and every branch of the military attempted to get their hands on it. Within two short years nearly a million had been delivered, with Madison Arms and Breton Arms also taking up manufacturing the weapon to keep up with the wartime need, and General Steel devoting three factories to ammunition for the weapon. The R-9B was produced in '42 as a result, a simplistic version for mass manufacture that was issued almost as a sidearm in numbers close to six million to not only Orange Star troops, but also Grey Skies, Violet Lightning and Blue Moon soldiers as part of the Supply and Demand program. The weapon proved popular to non-combat troops, tankers, pilots and drivers of all kinds, as well as special forces and airborne troops they were intended for. In '61 the R-9C was introduced, a high quality version along the lines of the R-9A with many internal improvements, and it has been used ever since.