Approved Tech Fighter-Sized Lightning Gun

[Onrai]

Intent: The topic says as much.
Development Thread: N/A
Manufacturer: Ganathan Industrial groups
Model: Lightning Gun
Affiliation: Independent
Modularity: No
Production: Mass-Produced
Material: diatium(capacitors, electronics), durasteel(body, frame)
Description: It's a lightning gun. That fits on a starfighter. It literally does the same thing as the lightning gun mentioned in the aformentioned link, but on a smaller scale that can fit on a starfighter. Similar to its larger predecessor, the lightning gun transmits electrical impulses down a solid plasma beam. Said beam has a maximum range of only a few hundred meters, requiring fighters to get in close, but the effects are significantly damaging. While the beam itself has a consistent wearing down effect on shields and hulls(only affecting hulls after cracking shields), the "lightning" in the equation wreaking havoc on enemy ship systems is the real damage-dealer. Being an electrical weapon, the electricity tends to "cling" to a target within a certain cone, so even if a fighter isn't directly in front of the gun, it can still be damaged. for a good two or three seconds after leaving the perfect aiming position, provided it stays within a thirty degree cone of the end of the gun barrel. However, for the weapon to connect with the target, an actual hit is required.

Lightning guns are notorious powerplant-eaters, and only powerful energy sources(hypermatter or matter/antimatter reactors, energy crystals) can provide them with the energy they need. Fuel cells or other lesser power sources cannot give the weapon the energy it needs. With superior damage(2x) - albeit much limited range(likely 25% to 10% the range of a comparable laser cannon) - lightning guns will never be main-purpose ship weapons. Subach has received a supply of these advanced weapons in exchange for the shipment of more advanced weapons and technology to Ganatha.

Classification: Electrical Weapon
Size: Ship-Mounted
Status: Legal
Length: 1m
Weight: 200kg
Ammunition Type: Connection to starship reactor
Ammunition Capacity: Infinite
Effective Range: 100m

 

[Ashin Varanin]

[member="Enigma"] - I've always loved the Ganathan lightning gun, but to nail this down in usable form, there's a lot of work to be done. Flesh it out, give us some backstory, and give the technical aspects more detail. Your effective range, as depicted in the comics, is going to be more like dozens or hundreds of metres; I'd recommend finding a copy of the Dark Empire Sourcebook for more foundation, and the actual comic as well. I'll also need firm equivalency for what you expect this to do, how many guns you expect this to count as, and basically every other detail required of an exceptional submission.

I'm rooting for you on this one. Rock it.

 

[Onrai]

Edits have been made, [member="Rasho the Hutt"]

 

[Ashin Varanin]

[member="Enigma"] - Solid start. Let's work with this.

First off, a new and more technical name would be appreciated.

Please add some clarification as to the cannon's electrifying effect on systems - like ion cannons, it'll only work that way once shields are down.

I still need equivalency - is this worth one cannon? Two? Four?

For this 'clinging' effect, I'll need some idea of how long a bolt/arc would last under optimal conditions.

For the range, please find a number somewhere in high double digits or low triple digits. The depicted canon range for the larger gun really was quite short - around a hundred metres, if I'm remembering the scene correctly.

 

[Onrai]

Edited. The gun has an equivalency of one laser cannon.

 

[Ashin Varanin]

[member="Enigma"] - At this point, as a courtesy to the starship judges, I'm going to call in [member="Popo"] for his thoughts. Also, since this draws directly from the main reactor, some discussion of vulnerabilities, hazards, and downsides would be appropriate. Here's one example. Remember, this is primitive tech.

 

[Onrai]

Edited. [member="Rasho the Hutt"]

 

[Ashin Varanin]

[member="Enigma"]

superior damage

How superior?

Ganathan Industrial groups

Since you're apparently using these for a Subach fighter, how did Subach gain access to this very rare, very obscure tech?

 

[Onrai]

Edited once more.

 

[Ashin Varanin]

[member="Enigma"] - For twice the damage, 10-25% of the range is appropriate, but 200m doesn't really reflect that ratio. If you're shooting for damage that high, and based on the canon source of the original gun, I'd request a drop to 100m.

 

[Onrai]

Well, I don't exactly know the actual listed maximum range of a starfighter-mounted laser cannon. If I did, I would be able to be more adequately put a range down. I'd like to ask to keep the 200m range, as in a dogfight, a max range of 100m would certainly risk collisions, and would render the weapons entirely ineffective thus making their usage somewhat useless.

[member="Rasho the Hutt"]

 

[Ashin Varanin]

[member="Enigma"] - That's what you're dealing with, though - I consulted the comic it's from, the range is very short, it's a primitive weapon. Effective range of a starfighter laser cannon is somewhere around 500m-1000m. Sources vary. Anyways - 100m, please. That's more than long enough for dogfighting.

 

[Onrai]

Sigh... If you say so. Edited. [member="Rasho the Hutt"]

 

[Ashin Varanin]

[member="Enigma"] - I do. Now for the starship judges - [member="Popo"], [member="Ayden Cater"], [member="Domino"], your thoughts?

 

[Domino]

Several questions spring to mind, what sort of physical damage does this do, does the electricity start disabling systems before the shield is down, wouldn't circuit breakers limit that damage to electrical systems?
@Enigma @Rasho the Hutt

 

[Onrai]

Same physical damage as a comparable laser weapon. Disabling systems before shields - I don't think so. Circuit breakers? As far as I know of, those don't exist in Star Wars, otherwise a multitude of objects wouldn't be able to be easily overloaded, as has occurred many times in Star Wars canon.

[member="Domino"] [member="Rasho the Hutt"]

 

[Ashin Varanin]

[member="Enigma"] - So it does physical damage like one laser cannon, disables like one ion cannon, has the anti-shield power of one cannon, 'sticks' to its target - even with the 100m range, I'm tempted to stipulate that this is worth 2 -- but that'd probably make people think it was twice as powerful. A Ganathan lightning gun does, in canon, do physical damage.

And yes, circuit breakers exist in Star Wars.

This is a reasonable fleshing-out and size reduction for a balanced canon weapon. Approved pending secondary.

 

[Asemir]

[member="Rasho the Hutt"]

[member="Enigma"]

I'm reviewing this, but consulting Rasho via PM about something. Will get back to you soon.

 

[Asemir]

After discussion with Rasho, I'll approve this.