Directorate Officer
OUT OF CHARACTER INFORMATION
- Intent: To create an updated version of the Scythe-class Homing Laser in Lucerne Labs product line
- Image Source: here
- Canon Link: N/A
- Permissions: N/A
- Primary Source: Scythe-class Homing Laser
- Manufacturer: Lucerne Labs
- Affiliation: Directorate, Silver Jedi Concord, Lucerne Labs Customers
- Market Status: Closed-Market
- Model: Scythe II-class Spectrum Laser
- Modularity: Dye Lasing Mediums; mounting devices
- Production: Mass-Produced
- Material: Duravlex casing, Biolux series Organoform Circuitry, Calor Series Bio Computers, various laser components.
- Classification: Spectrum Laser
- Size: Very Large
- Weight: Very Heavy
- Ammunition Type: Energy, Dye Lasing Medium
| Homing Laser "Heat" Mode | Pulsed Energy Projectile "Ion" Mode | Dazzler "ECM" Mode | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ammunition Capacity | Average | Average | Large |
| Effective Range | Battlefield | Long Range | Extreme |
| Rate of Fire | Low | Very High | Extreme |
| Stopping Power | Extreme | High | None |
| Recoil | Average | Average | Average |
SPECIAL FEATURES
- Electro-Chemical Laser: Like its predecessor, the Scythe II is a large chemical laser which is fed an organic liquid, dye lasing medium which is then energized by an separate electron laser which acts as the reaction priming mechanism. The photons produced by this reaction are then funneled and concentrated through a series of magnetic fields and mirrors before exiting the weapon's barrel. Depending on the dye (and frequency), the Scythe II's beam can appear to be any number of colors. Most Scythe beams in the classic homing laser mode appear as a meter-wide incandescent blue stream, but their color can also vary to light cyan or dark purple depending the lasing dye used and the frequency used by the priming electron laser. Conversely, the so-called "ion" mode uses infrared light frequencies, which typically is not visible to most baseline organic species while "Dazzler" mode typically appears as a blindingly kaleidoscopic array of colors.
- Variable Fire Modes: Scythe II is an advanced example of a Spectrum Laser, and as such can change its frequency of its beams to get different effects through using different dye mediums. However, in practice, most modes are not referred to their frequency length but rather their practical effect. Most commonly Scythe II is used like the classic "heat" laser found on the homing spider droid, superheating materials to the point of vaporization and disintegration. Like other spectrum lasers, it can hone in on different material types to find the optimal frequency to destroy them. However, a different dye can be used to produce a laser that works in the infrared spectrum in "Pulsed Energy projectile" mode, more commonly known as ion mode. While it performs a similar function as ion weaponry, its method of operation is a little different, as the laser ablates material near the target to produce not only equipment-disabling electromagnetic waves, but also often causes atmospheric pressure wave changes from blooming plasma that often harms most nearby organics. Lastly, Scythe II can be used as a dazzler weapon, which while not causing any physical damage can blind organics and overload many visual sensors.
- Versatile: The Scythe II can provide a wide variety of effects simply by changing its dye, which takes under a minute in most combat conditions.
- High Rate of Fire ("Ion" and "Dazzler" Modes): In these modes, Scythe II's laser beam is almost nearly constant, with little cooling effort needed to sustain such fire rates.
- Packs a Punch ("Heat" Mode): Scythe II is not a small weapon, taking up as much space as many classic hypervelocity cannons, and the power converted in "heat" mode is fairly efficient, making it a very damaging weapon.
- Long-Range: The Scythe II is fairly efficient at focusing its beams at all frequencies, giving it good ranges except in some atmospheric conditions can cause some thermal blooming issues.
- No Damage (Dazzler mode): In Dazzler Mode, the Scythe II does no permanent damage, and its effects may even be counteracted by non-visual-based sensor types.
- Bulky Weapon: Scythe II is a bulky weapon, being as large as many classic hypervelocity cannon designs. This often limits its use to spinal mounts on smaller capital ships and big turrets on larger vessels.
- Low Rate of Fire ("Heat" mode): Somewhat ironically, the Scythe II produces a fair amount of internal heat in "heat" mode, which means that it needs time to cool off before it safely fire again.
- Thermal Blooming (Atmospheric): As with many other pure laser weapons, the Scythe II does suffer from thermal blooming in many atmospheric conditions, which typically results in reduced range.
The Scythe II is an evolution of the earlier Scythe Homing Laser, which itself was an imitation of the Scythe weapon used by the Teljkon Vagabond. Most of the changes to the Scythe II are simple refinements in manufacturing processes and systems optimization - both axes of advancement being unsurprisingly given the cobbled-together construction of the original Scythe prototype. However, much further advancement in lasing dyes has been made since the company has been able to obtain several spectrum lasers from the Unknown Regions during Directorate operations in the region.
Initial studies of these weapons resulted in better modulating the "heat" mode's frequency to destroy different material types, optimizing both the time and power needed in combat conditions. However, the greatest advancement from these studies was a better understanding of the laser mechanics in the infrared range, which led to the development of Pulsed Energy Projectile or "Ion" mode. The ability to minimize physical damage to a target and incapacitate electronics and crew significantly increases the Scythe II's tactical versatility.
Despite its many refinements over the original, the Scythe II remains a fairly large weapon. This tends to limits its use to fixed mounts on smaller capital ships, though large turrets can accommodate the weapon. Its common for several Scythes to be fire-linked together in these multiple-mount turrets in order to form a composite laser style of weapon, which can focus very heavy firepower onto a single point on a target to overpower defenses, thus emulating the Teljkon Vagabond's Scythe weapon.
