Plasma Cannon

Plasma Cannons can be considered a standard Short Range Weapon [SRW], used commonly by majority of fleets of both humans and alien. While it requires relatively decent technological level, it grants immense firepower and decent accuracy, making it a useful weapon.
Plasma Cannon can be described as a heavily modified Magnetic Acceleration Weaponry [MAW], with a small tokamak thermonuclear reactor built within its gun emplacement. It generated superheated plasma (up to many millions degree in Celsius scale) that is then pressed into specially constructed shells, where it is sustained for a relatively short while.
The biggest problem with Plasma Cannons is that its shell cannot withstand the temperature for long, as they cannot contain internal reactor strong enough for it to power up neccessary electromagnets. Thus the shell quickly decomposes, limiting its range to 250-300 000 kilometres. On the other hand, when it actually hits an enemy, it is a truly terrifying weaponry. With singular detonation (and subsequent spread of plasma) capable of ripping of big chunk of Particle Shield from capital ship. Several consecutive hits are guaranteed to take down shields... and even single hit from this weapon melts even strongest armors.
On the other hand, they struggle against Magnetic Shield, since there is nothing for them to melt, and electromagnets are very useful in diverting cloud of plasma away from the ship itself.