Dagger-Two
Villore Joint Task Force
17
   |
Posted - 2013.05.15 19:04:00 -
[1] - Quote
I think for the dropsuit bonus, the SR counts as a laser weapon, though the weapon itself is a strange laser-plasma combination.
Hybrid weapons refer to the two kinds of weapons that use magnetic propulsion to fire payloads: blasters and railguns. In space-based weaponry like starship turrets, the two use the same ammo, a canister filled with super compressed plasma, of varying types. Railguns fire the whole canister, blasters just take the plasma out and process it into a bolt, which is then fired.
With infantry weapons, the plasma rifle works like a blaster in that it takes a piece of ammo, a lead slug with a special fuse on it that vaporizes the lead into a plasma, then processes the plasma in a miniature cyclotron, then fires it as a magnetically contained bolt. The magnetic field only contains the bolt for a fraction of a second, so the range on blaster-type weapons is very limited. Infantry railguns fire small flechette-like ammunition instead of plasma canisters, simply because very small plasma canisters are extremely difficult to fabricate, and would hold very little plasma regardless. |
Dagger-Two
Villore Joint Task Force
17
|
Posted - 2013.05.15 19:19:00 -
[2] - Quote
Arx Ardashir wrote:the Minmatar are very behind the curve of everyone else and thus still use gunpowder weapons ("projectiles"),
Actually they're not as behind as you might think.
Minmatar starship weapons fire smart (flight-correcting, computer navigated), rocket-assisted projectiles, both in autocannons and artillery pieces. Though they're still fired from a shell, the slug itself is very advanced, and moves at incredible speed with high payloads. The flaylock pistol is basically a miniature version of Minmatar starship ammunition.
In terms of infantry weapons, yes the Minmatar still favor traditional bullet-shooting firearms, but all of the other races use them as well, even the Amarr. Slug-throwers are pretty common in the EVE universe, as they're some of the most dependable firearms, while still having the potential to be extremely lethal, especially with modern propellants and alloys. They're also cheap to maintain, manufacture, and operate, making them very popular for lots of forces all around the cluster.
The Minmatar have also make and use weapons of other types, such as the 'mass driver' we see in Dust. Its a brilliant design: a low-powered railgun eliminates the need for chemical propellant, meaning the grenades it fires can be much more powerful as 100% of their volume is dedicated to payload. |