Cerys Aynia gan Ymlerith Ithlinne
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OUT OF CHARACTER INFORMATION
- Intent: Create an advanced kinetic-energy based weapons technology that involves manipulating the inertial mass of its' projectiles to lower than their actual value and then accelerate said projectile to several fractions of the speed of light without significant recoil thanks to inertia manipulation of projectile. Said projectile despite being kinetic-energy based would be effective against all types of armor and shielding due to projectile impacting with several million joules of kinetic energy. Even non-penetrating hits to personal armor can pulp the protected object etc. Fundamentally the concept is inspired by and implements principles of ferro-magnetic accelerators, gyrojets, rocket-propelled munitions.
- Image Source:
- Canon Link: N/A
- Permissions: N/A
PRODUCTION INFORMATION
- Designer: Unified Gwerin Ecumene
- Designed: 397,109 BBY-397,103 BBY
- Manufactured: 397,103 BBY-Current
- Manufacturer:
- Current:
- Past:
- Affiliation: Closed-Market (Controlled technology)
- Governments & Organisations:
- Individuals:
- Model: Inertial Accelerator Technology
- Modularity: Yes (Application, caliber, size etc)
- Production: Mass-Produced
SPECIAL FEATURES
- Ferromagnetic/paramagnetic projectile
- Inertial dampening
- Magnetic acceleration
STRENGTHS
- Force-wielders: An unforeseen but welcome benefit of this projectile acceleration technology is that the projectiles are accelerated to such a velocity that even a lightsabre wielding force user should be hesitant to end up in the line of fire. Even if by some miracle a force wielder's body could move fast enough to obstruct the path of the projectiles the sheer kinetic energy is sufficient to knock their weapon clear from grip and easily fracture their wrists.
- Kinetic Energy: Even a grain of sand accelerated to relativistic velocities has the kinetic energy to obliterate a heavily armored vehicle into pulped machine parts and armor panels, the same principle applies here. The technology allows for projectiles to be accelerated at relativistic velocities with such tremendous kinetic energy penetration isn't necessary for good effect on target, the energy applied by these projectiles is sufficient to break even the most precise welds. Essentially it "rattles" hard targets apart blasting away rather than necessarily penetrating the armor. The effect on soft targets is unpleasantly gruesome with percentages of the high kinetic energy being translated into thermal energy on impact sufficient enough to cause cauterization of injuries or conflagration of organic tissue.
WEAKNESSES
- Ammunition: Like most projectile weapons the systems constructed from this technology will have finite ammunition upon expenditure of the finite munitions there must be a method of replenishment. Small arms constructed from this technology are generally fed by a "Helical" magazine which is large and cumbersome or an internal block of material that can only be replaced by completely stripping down the weapon system.
- Cherenkov tunnel: Interestingly when projectiles accelerated by this technology move through any medium such as the air, water or vacuum of space they create a comet-like trail of cherenkov radiation in their wake, this wake is highly visible and isn't precisely conducive to covert operation. The wake can also be used to identify the firing position.
- Decibel count: In addition to creating a cherenkov tunnel accelerating a small particle to relativistic velocities in an atmospheric environment there exist sound barriers is extraordinarily noisy and loud. It'd be impossible for this report to be suppressed and distinctly announces the firer's presence along with the type of weapon they are wielding.
- Inertial field: The technology relies upon an active inertia dampening field to allow safe acceleration of the projectile, without this there could be catastrophic consequences for the weapon system and/or user. A barrel could be split, magnets damaged, welds cracked and shattered etc.
- Overpenetration: Due to the sheer power of the projectiles accelerated by inertial accelerators there is a significant risk of over-penetration when faced with soft or lightly armored targets. For example the penetration of soft unarmored targets by handheld weapons can exceed twenty meters, while light armored target over-penetration can reach two meters and heavy armored target overpenetration can result in the projectile travelling an additional one point eight meters. Armor is an excellent reducer of penetration for the projectiles but the materials must be sufficiently tough and ductile with extraordinarily high compressive strength.
- Thermal dissipation: The weapon systems constructed from this technology need a method of dispensing with the intense thermal energy generated by operation, this could be done through expendable 'thermal magazines' or alternatively simply allowing the system to aid or liquid-cool. The method of cooling will be appropriate for the size and application of the system.
DESCRIPTION
Inertial Accelerator weapons have been a core staple of Gwerin Doeth weapon systems for more than one-hundred millennia, they serve as the kinetic counterpart to the particle accelerator technology which accelerates charged particles, the ferromagnetic inertial accelerator by contrast accelerates comparatively larger pieces of ferromagnetic or paramagnetic metals towards the target at relativistic properties. Small arms created from this technology do not possess a traditional "Magazine" which feeds projectiles into the action, rather they feature a solid-state ammunition that comes in the form of a laser-cut block of a lightweight paramagnetic or ferromagnetic material. This material is subjected to powerful magnetic fields which shaves a 0.011 gram piece of the material away and then accelerates it down what would appear to be a very much conventional barrel that is lined with magnets accelerating the sample to relativistic velocities without significant recoil. It achieves this by applying an inertial dampening field around the projectile which lasts until it leaves the barrel reducing the projectile's effective inertial mass allowing its' rapid and violent acceleration and when no longer under that effect reverts to its' actual inertial mass. These projectiles generate a staggering amount of kinetic energy often several million joules worth far surpassing traditional slugthrowers and firearms, when discharged in-atmosphere the friction generated causes superheating of the projectile which cauterizes resultant injury to soft tissue and flash vaporizes the surrounding structures with the potential to induce massive hypovolemia shock.
The weapons are capable of penetrating armor and even when they do not penetrate armor the sheer kinetic energy can be sufficient to cause backface deformation, spalling and inflict mortal soft-tissue and skeletal injuries in the case of non-penetrating impacts. There are significant secondary injuries that can be inflicted from impacts into soft-tissue and most commonly includes "conflagration" where the kinetic energy absorbed by the target exceeds the tissue's thermal capacity and causes spontaneous ignition. Up against the likes of turreted tanks, the results of infantry-portable weapons hitting the hull varies depending on armor composition and thickness though generally. Sustained non-penetrative fire from infantry-portable weapons can cause cracks and damage to elevation or depression gears for cannons or alternatively damage the turret ring through the kinetic shock in the material. Sustained fire can blow track pins straight out or cause actual or serious damage to the locomotors in a walker's joints. That said, the projectiles fired from man portable examples of this technology will still struggle to penetrate through thickly armored vehicle hulls and other more suitable weapon systems might be more appropriate or necessary to achieve catastrophic destruction.