Blasters

"Blaster" is the name given to the weapon technology that succeeded pulsars. These lasers emit a train of dozens of nanosecond-duration pulses as a single shot that drill through matter with a series of rapid explosions. The shorter pulse duration tremendously inreases the energy per pulse, allowing it to flash armor to vapor instantly while allowing subsequent pulses to arrive before the vapors can attenuate the pulse train. This has the effect of literally blasting a hole through the armor in a series of small explosions. Like pulsars, blasters are capable of operating in wavelengths ranging from far infrared to the UV-C, but unlike pulsars, blasters can operate at intermediate and long ranges in any wavelength in both endoatmospheric and exoatmospheric environments. As such, they form the primary weaponry of most modern militaries. Because of the intense energy concentrated in blaster beams, they tend to catastrophically self-focus in transparent solid and liquid mediums, like water. This results in them being poorly suited for underwater operations. Additionally, their intensity makes UV wavelength blasters all but useless within atmospheres. This relegates them to vacuum operations where they dominate military applications.

Parent Technologies

Lasers

Children Technologies

X-Ray Lasers

General Information

Access & Availability

Blasters limited to far infrared wavelengths and limited rate of fire are widely available on the civilian market as self-defense and hunting weapons. Higher-power rapid fire versions are available to police forces and fully unlimited versions are in common use in militaries.

Complexity

Like all lasers, blasters require accurate rangefinding and an accurate computer to calculate and adjust the beam's focus. Such technology requires the intervention of a member of the Astrianic Church during design and manufacturing to oversee such sacrilegious technology.