Approved Tech Trian ion machine gun

[Jessica Med-Beq]

An infantry Trian without its scope

OUT OF CHARACTER INFORMATION

• Intent: To provide an infantry ion machinegun
• Image Source: US Army
• Canon Link: N/A
• Restricted Missions: N/A
• Primary Source: DEMP 2 ion carbine

PRODUCTION INFORMATION

• Manufacturer: Ringovinda Systems
• Model: Trian ion machine gun
• Affiliation: Open-Market
• Modularity: Can be mounted in various turrets.
• Production: Mass-Produced
• Material: Standard ion cannon components, standard power generator components, ostrine

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

• Classification: Ion heavy machinegun
• Size: Stationary or Vehicle Mounted
• Length: 1.65m
• Weight: 40kg (without tripod) 20kg (tripod)
• Ammunition Type: Power Cell and Gas Canister
• Ammunition Capacity: Stationary weapon emplacements with stand-alone power packs can fire approximately 200 shots before the power pack needs to be recharged. Vehicle mounted versions tied into the power plant are effectively unlimited.
• Effective Range: 1 km
• Rate of Fire: Approximately 3 shots per second at standard rate of charge. (effectively ~80-90 rounds per minute)

SPECIAL FEATURES

• Targeting scope
• Power generator
• Collapsible tripod
• Quick-change barrel

DESCRIPTION
It was found in the various Incursion engagements that, while the classic Korriban heavy machinegun was serviceable on the battlefield, it was best suited to suppressive fire missions while fighting organic infantry. When the mission called for fighting vehicles or droids, however, sometimes suppressive fire was called upon to thin the herd of enemy assets being engaged. Also, a new power pack was designed for it to last longer in firefights, as well as an enhanced cooling system, thanks to the usage of ostrine as coolant inside the entire assembly, and is also located behind the barrel. In addition, the tripod in use for the infantry version of the Trian allows for T&E (traverse and elevation) aiming, which helps compensate somewhat for its mobility limitations: even with the collapsible tripod, the infantry version still takes 20 seconds to emplace a Trian's tripod, and an additional 20 seconds to place it into position for firing. Barrels can also be changed rapidly on the field should the barrel be damaged in combat: a special handle at one end of the barrel allows for rapid ejection of the barrel. The process of changing barrels can take as few as five seconds.

As with ion weapons, the Trian is best suited to engage droids and vehicles, with each shot being capable of disabling a swoop's electric systems for a few hours, and potentially cause catastrophic failures in a human-sized droid that does not come equipped with cap drains or combat de-ionizers. Also, armor with higher-than-average resistance to ion attacks can mitigate shots from that weapon, with better armor being able to mitigate it to the point where one may only need to a flip of a circuit breaker to repair the damage, made all the more easy if the armor contains cap drains, combat de-ionizers.

Just like any other ion weapon, fire from a Trian will penetrate armor made of conducting materials, on the other hand, it will not be very effective against armor made from insulating materials.

An additional drawback to firing a Trian is that it is easy to detect on EM sensors. Even so, its firepower allows it to be used as a point-defense weapon or as a starfighter weapon. Finally, the Trian can be set to fire in bursts of either 1, 2 or 3 seconds each. Its firing rate is 3 shots per second while the weapon is being fired, and it also requires a cooldown period for 1, 2 or 3 seconds respectively after a burst is fired.

Important notes:

• For point-defense use, it is worth 1 point-defense emplacement
• For starfighter use, it is worth 1 starfighter laser cannon

Strengths:

• Can disable electronics and even vehicles: a well-placed ion shot can disable a swoop's systems and a few more shots can disable larger vehicles
• Very rapid fire: the Trian can manage a very high rate of fire in short bursts (usually 1-3 seconds).
• Versatile roles: the Trian can be found mounted on vehicles, used as a fire support weapon, or built into defensive emplacements.
• Barrels can be easily changed

Weaknesses:

• The infantry version requires two people to move around and operate
• High recoil
• Takes a long time to install it and move it around (ca. 20 seconds for the tripod and 20 seconds for the rest of the weapon)
• Very easy to detect using EM sensors
• Requires a cooldown equal to the length of the burst (1-3 seconds depending on burst length)

 

[Rusty]

<p>Hello, I'll be the factory judge reviewing your submission. If you have questions, please feel free to respond to this thread once we are underway.</p>

 

[Rusty]

Okay, so we've got a number of fairly serious issues with this submission that'll have to be ironed out before it can move forward. I can't promise that I'll catch everything the first go round, but I'll try to be as thorough as possible.

Intent: To provide an infantry repeater directional EMP

Well, here's your first problem. You seem to be confusing an ion cannon with an EMP. More on that later.

Material: Standard ion cannon components, standard power generator components, ostrine

Please provide a link to ostrine. It's not a widely known substance, and it'll make life easier for everyone if they can find out what it is directly from the submission. Also, if you're using ion cannon components, you're not going to get an EMP. You're going to get an ion bolt. Two completely different things, even in Star Wars.

Ammunition Capacity: Stationary weapon emplacements with stand-alone power packs can fire approximately 15,000 shots before the power pack needs to be recharged. Vehicle mounted versions tied into the power plant are effectively unlimited.

Absolutely not. 15,000 shots is about 14,800 too many. I understand that the right type of power generator can sustain fire effectively indefinitely, but that figure is absolutely unbalanced for RP purposes.

Effective Range: Battlefield range (ca. 3 km)

This will not do. If the shot is spreading out in a cone, by the 3km range, you're looking at a spread, on the narrow end, of several dozen meters, which basically means a single weapon can take out an entire army if it sits back far enough. Of course, ion bolts wouldn't be much use if they could expand anyway, but 3km for a weapon of this nature is still extreme.

In addition, the tripod in use for the infantry version of the Trian allows for T&E (traverse and elevation) aiming, which helps compensate somewhat for its mobility limitations: even with the collapsible tripod, the infantry version still takes 20 seconds to place a Trian into position for firing.

Please provide a weight for the tripod. Those things are heavy as hell, and will increase the weight of the weapon overall. Believe me when I say there's nothing trivial about having to carry one for any distance, and that should be reflected when the weapon is used.

with each pulse firing the EMP equivalent of a .50 cal in a cone fanning out from the barrel of the weapon.

The longer I think about this statement, the less sense it makes. I get that you're trying to make an easy comparison to something that people will understand, but you're comparing a bullet to an electromagnetic energy pulse. That's sort of like saying my 40 watt lamp has the horsepower of a Corvette. I mean, you can kinda find some way to twist the math to make the bridge between the two, you're still making a fundamentally nonsensical comparison. Please remove this references and all similar ones from the submission.

Understandably, at longer ranges, the effectiveness of the EMP is diminished due to the cone of EM energy being fired having an increasingly wide diameter.

And then we get to the expanding cone part. You seem to be confusing EMPs with ion weaponry. One is an electromagnetic pulse. The other is a coherent burst of energy delivered in a discreet package, much like a blaster bolt. Ion bolts are not expanding cones. Please remove all references to the conical nature of the bolt from this submission.

Finally, the Trian can be set to fire in bursts of either 1, 2 or 3 seconds each, firing three shots per second while the weapon is being fired, and also requiring to cool down for 1, 2 or 3 seconds respectively after being fired.

Please reword this sentence for clarity. You've got a lot of vital information here, but it doesn't make a whole lot of sense at a glance. Also, you'll need to list the cooldown period under the weaknesses.

Can disable electronics and even vehicles in a cone from the barrel

This is extremely vague. Please provide more detail as to the nature and extent of the damage done, as well as how the weapon would perform against armor.

Takes a long time to install it and move it around (ca. 20 seconds)

20 seconds is not a long time to emplace a crew served weapon. It can take that long to get the tripod set on a Ma Deuce.

Best used in multiple units at once

This isn't a weakness. With the possible exception of thermonuclear hand grenades, most weapons are best employed in this manner.

The mount is vulnerable when it isn't firing: a swift enemy can fire at the gun and take it out between bursts

This implies that the weapon isn't vulnerable when it is firing. Please reword.

[member="Jessica Med-Beq"]

 

[Jessica Med-Beq]

[member="Rusty"] Although I did remove references to it being a conical pulse, among other edits, I'm not sure about how to describe the extent of damage ion weapons can cause. What I do know about those is the nature of the damage caused: it would disable electronics, electrical systems.

 

[Rusty]

Yes, but there are degrees of damage. Are we talking about something that can be fixed by flipping a circuit breaker, or permanent catastrophic failure? How will armor mitigate the damage? These are details that need to be included.

[member="Jessica Med-Beq"]

 

[Jessica Med-Beq]

[member="Rusty"] I wonder whether that edit about the extent of damage is satisfactory...

 

[Rusty]

[member="Jessica Med-Beq"]

You still need to address how it deals with armor and fix the range.

 

[Jessica Med-Beq]

[member="Rusty"] Edits made...

 

[Rusty]

Awesome. Pending Admin Approval. Thanks! [member="Cira"]

 

[Jamie Pyne]

Approved.