Projectile Weapons

Projectile weapons date back to prehistory when humans hurled spears and darts at each other. Over the centuries, people learned new ways to propel projectiles: springs enabled bows and catapults; gravity enabled trebuchets; black powder enabled firearms. Eventually, projectiles were given a means to see their surroundings and guide themselves, giving way to missiles. At their heart, projectile weapons fire a physical projectile at a target with the hope of delivering some effect. Today, this is broken down into three parts: propelling the projectile, guiding the projectile, and the effect to be delivered. Because a physical delivery system is used, range and accuracy tends to be lower than DEWs, but projectile weapons can strike targets over the horizon or obscured from sight. Moreover, projectiles can deliver a effects ranging from puncture wounds to explosions to electromagnetic pulses to chemical dispersal, and more. Because of these strengths and limitations, projectile weapons find use in specific niches in modern warfare. They are regularly used to rain ordinance on targets beyond the horizon when aerial energy weapon platforms are not available - something common enough in contested air spaces. They also see use when specific effects are required. DEWs cannot deliver large explosions, spread chemical or biological agents, etc. These capabilities have ensured that thunder of guns still rings out across battlefields throughout the galaxy.

Ordinance Propulsion

The first key component of a projectile weapon is the means by which it fires its projectile at the target. Modern weapons use one of three approaches: chemical propellants, electromagnetic fields, or fully integrated propulsion systems.

Electrothermal-Chemical Guns

Chemically propelled weapons have accompanied ancient musical works, heralded the fallen, and struck fear into foes for millenia. Today, little has changed, in principle, if not execution. A gun is loaded with an explosive charge that is detonated to propel the proejctile toward the target. While ancient weapons used cases of gunpowder, modern weapons differ somewhat. Modern chemically propelled projectiles no longer rely on a metal case to hold an explosive powder. Instead, special plastic explosives are used and flashed into white-hot plasma by eletrical current within a gun's chamber. This plasma expands rapidly, accelerating the projectile to high speeds for longer ranges than ancient weapons. The advantage of ETC guns is that they are significantly simpler, cheaper, and more reliable than electromagnetic guns (below). Ammunition tends to be heavier and more expensive, however, These last two points have lead to a general decline in their use, especially as electromagnetic guns become more robust.

Electromagnetic Guns

An alternative to ETC technology is the use of electromagnetic fields to accelerate projectiles to high speeds. These EM guns take one of two general forms: railguns and coilguns. The former passes a massive jolt of electricity down one rail, across an armature, and back up another rail to accelerate the armature, and the projectile held by it, to tremendous speeds. The latter uses a series of ring-shaped electromagnets that alternate polarity to pull and push the projectile down the length of the barrel until it reaches sufficient speed to release. While railguns tend to achieve higher velocities, they also requrie more support equipment to remain functional. Both technologies are significantly more complex than chemically propelled weapons and far more susceptible to electromagnetic attacks like those from Masers. Moreover, they require precise timing and expert manufacturing processes of which not all nations are capable. Although for those who can field these weapons, they tend to outperform ETC weapons.

Integrated Propulsion Systems

Finally, some projectile weapons incorporate entire propulsion systems into their design. Traditionally, these are rockets of some form or antoher, but air-breathing systems are quite possible as well. Because of the added expenses associated with adding an entire propulsion and fuel system to a single unit of ammunition, this approach tends to be saved for smart ordinances that can be used against high-value targets and incorporate advanced guidance systems to ensure target kill. Such advanced systems are typically termed "missiles".

Projectile Guidance

Once a projectile is flying downrange, the next task is to ensure that it strikes its target. This is accomplished one of two ways: aiming carefully or using a guidance system.

Unguided Ordinance

For millenia, all projectile weapons were unguided. Those using them trained their aim and fired downrange at their targets. While still common today when operating Directed Energy Weapons, it is less prominent among those using projectile weapons. Unguided weapons tend to find purchase on the battlefield as part of large volleys or when the effector is sufficiently powerful that even being near the target is good enough. This is common for artillery, but less so for personal weapons.

Guided Ordinance

Guided projectiles incorporate seekers and guidance systems that allow the projectile to sense its environment, identify and track its target, and actively steer toward it. These systems tend to be more expensive, but also more effective on a shot-by-shot basis. They also allow for special effectors that require the projectile be in a specific orientation when detonated. Personal weapons almost always fire some sort of guided, or "smart", projectile, be it flechet or minitaturized missile. These are used to place effects on targets that energy weapons cannot deliver or to attack targets that are not in line of sight. But as useful as smart ammunition may seem, it is not without is drawbacks. The additional systems are expensive, making it harder to equip soldiers with enough ammunition to succeed, and those systems also occupy space and weight that could have otherwise been used for a larger effector. Furthermore, the miniaturized and categorically advanced technologies necessary for guided ammunition requries the involvement of the Astrianic Church. This latter point can limit access for those groups who do not have good relations with the Church.

AI-Guided Ordinance

Warning: This section contains references to dangerous and potentially seditious subjects and is presented purely for academic purposes. View with extreme caution.

It is widely believed that the most advaned smart ordinance used by the Astrianic Church is guided by a limited Artificial Intelligence. Such weapons would be similar to some of the ordinance employed by the Nyxians, but the Church maintains that they do not cavort with such blasphemous technology.

Effectors

See Effectors for more information The final piece of a projectile weapon is its effector - commonly referred to as a warhead, although that is inherently limiting. Effectors range from kinetic (e.g., bullets, arrows, etc.) to various types of explosives to Electromagnetic Pulse Generators to Nnuclear Weapons. They may deliver acoustic energy, provide lighting on a battlefield, spread chemicals or biological agents, or simply leave a streak of light to trace where the round landed.

General Information

Access & Availability

Projectile weapons are widely available, depending on their underlying technology, although they fall under the same restrictions as energy weapons in terms of lethality, fire rates, and the like.

Complexity

Complexity varies widely depending on the technologies involved. The simplest projectile weapons are relatively simple, while the most complex missiles are virtually autonomous starships designed to collide with a target and detonate. See specific technologies for more detailed descriptions.