Ahh yes, the discerning man's pistol.  Did I say discerning?  I meant the man with too much money and not enough sense's pistol.  The SOCOM 2060 is well enough made, for sure, using modern materials and a redesigned frame that doesn't make it look like you're got a house brick in your shoulder holster instead of a pistol.  However, its basically the same pistol, at over twice the cost.  And with the SOCOM already twice expensive as your average pistol, you'd expect it to come with at least a smartlink II module integrated, but you'd be sorely disappointed.
However, the Sarge enjoyed using the pistol.  With it in his hands, he said it made him feel like Delta Force.  He was also quick to point out that unlike the Colt Manhunter and the Ares Predator line I was comparing it to, the SOCOM 2060 can be fired with a barrel full of water and the receiver partially submerged, making it excellent for amphibious operations.  However, with its low ammo capacity, lack of state of the art options, high price and the lack of places that seem to carry it, the SOCOM 2060 really is the type of gun you'd buy specially for water operations, or for the style, rather than the capabilities of the weapon itself.  And it kicks like a mother, too, with comparable penetration and melon damage to my Colt Manhunter .45.
The BAC System

This is something new from Ingram, fine purveyors of slug throwers.  The BAC (Barrel Attached Cybercamera) targeting system, like the acronym suggests, attaches a small high definition camera to the under barrel of your weapon, in place of the laser sight.  A cable (comes provided) then attaches much like the older smartgun systems (before hand induction pads) to the rear of the gun, running to your datajack.  If you're like me, and you like your intel up to the minute, you'll have an Image Link.  The BAC system feeds the camera input into the Image Link window, superimposing a small cross on the centre where (if properly aligned) the weapon is pointing.  Sounds kinda like a smartgun?  Well, it kinda is, with a major difference.

Because of the camera rather than telemetry computers, the BAC system actually allows you to see and shoot around corners.  This is a wonderful thing if you're a tactical (Sarge calls it Cowardly) person and like to stay out of path of incoming bullets.  It allows you to be fully behind cover, and extend your pistol or weapon around to take aimed shots without sticking your head around to get shot off. 

Unfortunately, the system is still new, and costly.  Also, because you cant see where the weapon (pistol, generally) is pointing when its around the corner, its totally incompatible with your smartlink hardware.  Not to mention, it's not easy to aim well using a small window with your arm stretched out at an odd angle, but it beats getting shot at.  I can see this becoming a favourite of security forces in the future.  The camera is interchangeable with lowlight and thermographic lenses, and can be installed by anyone competent enough to install an internal smartlink.  Its a bit costly, the standard vision coming in at 3500 yen, and the other major drawback is that it requires a datajack and an image link to make use of the system.  Finally, a big problem is the alignment, unlike the relatively simple laser sight or the rough and tumble smartgun chips, the camera may get misaligned after being dropped or knocked about harshly, making the system rather useless since you cant tell where the barrel is pointing.  In future, though, I can see this modification as a must have, once they get the cost down and make it sturdier
SOCOM 2060
Page Three

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