IM-L1 "Hygroscope" Infantry Heavy Maser

The IM-L1 Infantry Heavy Maser aser, also designated by the Cobalt Protectorate as the "Hygroscope" in a slightly misleading reference its desiccating effects on water-based targets, is a heavy laser weapon of Lepidosian make designed for use in area denial contexts. The Hygroscope may be used as a crew-served weapon or wielded by a soldier in powered armor.

Mechanics & Inner Workings

Unlike the closely related IL-24 "Broadsword" Infantry Heavy Laser, the Hygroscope fires a continuous (non-pulsed) beam of coherent microwave light. Because this laser frequency interacts with water more strongly than the ultraviolet frequencies employed by the Broadsword, the Hygroscope is devastating against organic targets but has shorter range as a result of atmospheric humidity. The maser beam can also destructively interact with electrical systems through electromagnetic effects, including those found in cybernetic augmentations and even the un-augmented nervous system. Thus, a Hygroscope can be used for non-lethal pain-compliance or anti-drone roles, though the manufacturer strongly disapproves of the weapon being used in non-military contexts as the boundary between lethal and non-lethal maser exposure is ill-defined. Hygroscope beams are faintly visible due to the production of steam vapor or plasma along the beam track, but are less likely to cause blindness as a result of being outside of the human visible spectrum.
Against single targets, the Hygroscope's beam is generally only focused down insofar as it covers the whole silhouette of a prospective target or, for deterrence, a group of targets. The power of the weapon is scaled based on whether the operator wants to disable, kill, or destroy the target, all of which are are options thanks to the specific choice of laser frequency (see above). The beam is swept slowly over targets in the manner of a flamethrower. The beam can be focused down to a fine point to bore through harder materials, raster-scanning across the targeted area to get around the shielding effect of steam and plasma generated at the point of contact from prolonged exposure, but is less effective in this role than the pulsed ultraviolet beam of the Broadsword.
Ablative, metallic, and fluid-filled armors, such as those found on the Nautilus III, are resistant to Hygroscope beams, but can become saturated with heat under concentrated fire. Electromagnetic shielding in the form of field-proof cages can also prevent the electronics of a target from being scrambled the maser, though these, too, can become saturated with heat. When attacking an enemy position where Hygroscopes are believed to be in use, savvy Lepidosian soldiers will equip insulated ponchos lined with metal mesh or foil to provide some degree of protection. Certain types of reactive armor are less effective against Hygroscopes because the explosives contained within can be triggered prematurely by the microwave frequencies of the beam.

Significance

The comparatively arid environment of Lepidos and enclosed spaces found in Lepidosian city-states, where the weapon's reduced range is less of an issue, partially inspired the design of the Hygroscope. Hygroscope emplacements make for excellent defenses against advancing infantry or raiders.
As many Northern Lepidosians are Raikepists, not all League members are ethically comfortable with employing the Hygroscope, as, the usual ethics of armed conflict aside, the lethally evaporative effect the weapon has against biological targets can be perceived as unlawfully (as in regard to religious canon) interacting with the vital water that rightfully belongs to Raikep alone. The ability of the Hygroscope to painfully disrupt the nervous system and induce hyperthermia and subsequent thirst in targets further cements the weapon as having a 'demonic' or Setesh-aligned nature in the minds of some Northern Lepidosians. Indeed, raiders repelled back into the Great Ilmenite Desert by Hygroscopes are often later found dead of heat exhaustion or dehydration, their demise hastened by having the moisture in their skin cooked off.

Item type

Weapon, Ranged

Raw materials & Components

A Hygroscope comes with a power supply backpack and a charging adaptor to connect it to external power sources if available. The Hygroscope lacks the Broadsword's rollable solar panel because any ground open enough to allow for this functionality is often too open to suit the Hygroscopes tactical niche.