Relative Explosive Force Table

TL
Type
REF
3
Serpentine Powder
0.3
4
Ammonium Nitrate
0.4
4
Black Powder
0.4
5
Black Powder
0.5
6
Diesel Fuel/
Nitrate Fertilizer
0.5
6
Dynamite
0.8
6
TNT
1.0
6
Amatol
1.2
6
Nitroglycerine
1.5
7
Tetryl
1.3
7
Composition B
1.4
7
C4 Plastic Explosive
1.4
9
Octanitrocubane
4
10
Stabilized Metallic
Hydrogen
6
explosive force (REF) – see the
Relative Explosive Force Table, below.
How Big a Blast? Reverse the for-
mula to determine how much damage
a given weight of explosive will do:
damage is 6d ¥ square root of (weight
of explosive in lbs. ¥ 4 ¥ REF).
Example: A 1920s Chicago safe-
cracker plans to blast through a bank
vault. Estimating the toughness of the
vault (see p. 557), he decides he needs a
blast that does 6d¥8 damage. He’s using
dynamite. The weight of dynamite he
needs is (8 ¥ 8)/(4 ¥ 0.8) = 20 lbs.
Description
Standard gunpowder, pre-1600.
Common improvised explosive.
Standard gunpowder, 1600-1850.
Standard gunpowder, 1850-1890.
Common improvised explosive.
Commercially available for mining,
demolition.
The basic, stable, high explosive.
TNT-ammonium nitrate. Fills
bombs & shells in WWII.
Unstable! If dropped, detonates
on 13+ on 3d.
Common for smaller explosive
shells and bullets.
Another common explosive filler.
Standard military and
covert-ops explosive.
Theoretical advanced explosive.
Exotic science-fiction explosive.