Laser Weaponry
Laser weapons were, for the longest time, large, unwieldy and lasted only for a single shot. They required either a truck-sized power source or a direct connection to the grid. With the combination of miniaturization and progress in energy storage, portable laser weapons started to become a reality.
Modern laser weapons are high-intensity pulse lasers, producing nanosecond long bursts of high-intensity, multi-frequency laser packets. Their main drawbacks involve lack of sustainable fire, but with their high damage and unique damage type, they make for great short-burts weapons that melt through armor and shields like butter. Recharging a laser weapon is commonly done by putting it in a dedicated charger for about an hour, after which it's fully recharged.
The first laser weapons
Making continuous wave weapons were rapidly deemed unfeasible as these lasers, to reach the power level required to actually damage something, would need not only to be fed enormous amounts of power but also require large and impractical cooling. For that reason, the vast majority of modern weapons are pulse lasers. The very first weapons were large, statically mounted laser cannons. The large cannons could easily accomodate both energy storage and adequate cooling, even when mounted on vehicles. These cannons, while limited in their longevity, proved to not only be incredibly destructive, but their variable power settings allowed for unprecendented versatility in damage application. As a bonus, most armor had been designed to resist kinetic energy, rather than intense thermal energy, making the cannons useful against early vehicles.Pulse Rifles
The modern pulse rifle, or laser rifle as most people call it, is a somewhat large two-handed weapon looking vaguely like a cross between an assault rifle and a sniper rifle. A big energy pack sits in the back of the rifle, giving it a bullpup shape. The rifle is capable of varying its output between little more than an intense burn and a lethal blast of hyperenergetic photon packages. At full power there's enough energy in the battery pack to allow for ten high-powered blasts before it needs recharging. There will be few things alive once the energy is spent.
Axylite Z3 (Light Pulse Rifle)
Axylite Z6 (Pulse Rifle)
MAKA PL-12 (Pulse Rifle)
Related Reading
However, in spite of it's assault rifle-esque design, all pulse rifles on the market are "semi-automatic", firing a single "packet" of pulses per press of the trigger. Sustained fire would rapidly overheat the rifle's generator and battery pack. A packet, sometimes referred to as a pulse or bullet although both designations are incorrect, is a series of nanosecond long laser pulses, approximately 100-500 ms long, depending on the power setting of the weapon.
For the same reason, pulse weapons cannot be reloaded, only recharged. It is not considered safe to use the rifle for longer than a single energy pack before it needs a significant time to cool off.
R. Dylon Elder
Sooooo, really enjoyed this. It's a cool way of handling lasers more realistically, particularly in how you break down the experience of firing the weapons. While everything made a ton of sense, i did wonder why they make no sound. Would something of that power make a hum, or were you referring to the shot itself. No bank, no pew, but it can be assumed you'd hear the actual mechanisms working? I could be reading to far into it but still it got me thinking. It's terrifying in many ways. With that range (I mean, speed of light) u don't miss a shot a sniper, and I imagine its... an unpleasant death... though likely almost instant. The little history section toward the beginning was a nice little touch as well. I like how you quickly move through early version and finally hit the more recent models, especially like the little warning label from the manufacturer, I'm assuming that's what that quote is. My favorite part is the last bit for one particular reason among many. "Reflective armor." Bot only have you addressed a glaring problem with laser weaponry, something I don't see too often now that I think about it, but you immediately provide how that problem is worked around. Well done Toblin!
Tobias Linder
The physics are sketchy and hand-wavy at best, but as long as the technobabble sounds cool and believable enough, it works. :) As for the "no sound" part. It does give off a high-pitched whine when fired as the electronics draw a lot of power from the capacitors, but it's pretty much only audible for the people around the weapon itself. At distance, you won't hear anything but the "crackle" of the air, provided you're close enough to the firing line. It's not silent, but its nowhere near as loud as a traditional firearm, even with a silencer.
R. Dylon Elder
Oooooo very nice. Still awesome!