Approved Ranged Weapon VL-32 "Spiker" Light Autocannon

[VesperWorks]

VL-32 "Spiker" Light Autocannon​

OUT OF CHARACTER INFORMATION

• Intent:
  To create a compact kinetic autocannon for smaller vessels that excels at shield disruption and light hull penetration, expanding VektorLine's catalog of precision, high-velocity ship weapons
• Image Source:
  MidJourney
• Canon Link:
  N/A
• Permissions:
  N/A
• Primary Source:
  N/A

PRODUCTION INFORMATION

• Manufacturer:
  VektorLine Armatur (Subsidiary of VesperWorks)
• Affiliation:
  
  • Serina Calis
  • The Lady of Deceit
  • VektorLine Armatur
  • Atramentum
  • Project VESPER
• Market Status:
  Closed-Market
• Model:
  VL-32 "Spiker" Light Autocannon
• Modularity:
  No
• Production:
  Mass-Produced
• Material:
  
  • Reinforced Durasteel Outer Casing:
    The weapon's primary chassis, mounting frame, and external armor plates are constructed from military-grade reinforced durasteel, offering reliable protection from shrapnel, micrometeoroids, and indirect energy splash. This allows the cannon to remain operational even after hull compromise or near-miss impacts.
  • Titanium-Lanthanide Barrel Lining:
    The interior of the single rifled barrel is sleeved with a titanium-lanthanide composite, chosen for its exceptional heat resistance, wear tolerance, and structural integrity under high-velocity fire. This combination ensures minimal barrel warping and maintains accuracy over thousands of rounds.
  • Tungsten-Carbide Core Slugs:
    Standard ammunition for the VL-32 consists of tungsten-carbide penetrators—dense, high-mass projectiles capable of delivering significant kinetic force and optimized for shield disruption and light hull penetration. Their hardness ensures structural cohesion even at extreme velocities.
  • Polyceramic Autoloader Components:
    Internal feed gears, cycling arms, and shell casings within the autoloading mechanism are built from impact-resistant polyceramic composites. These materials resist wear, tolerate mechanical stress, and operate cleanly without lubricant—ideal for low-atmosphere and vacuum environments.
  • Magnetically Sealed De-Ionized Coolant Reservoir:
    The liquid cooling system uses magnetically sealed tubing and tanks filled with de-ionized, dielectric coolant fluid. This prevents electrical discharge and maintains thermal regulation during prolonged fire. The tubing is reinforced with fiber-wrapped polymers rated for thermal and vacuum integrity.
  • Insulated Vibration Damping Layer (Armaplast Mesh):
    Mounted between the cannon's internal systems and its universal ship bracket is a layer of aramid-polymer mesh, designed to absorb mechanical vibrations and reduce the stress imparted to the host vessel's hull. This increases longevity for both the weapon and its mounting structure.
  • Rudimentary Ferro-Mesh EM Baffles:
    Portions of the slug acceleration chamber are shielded with basic ferro-mesh plating, helping to suppress the EM signature emitted during round ignition. While not fully stealth-grade, it lowers detectability by standard long-range sensor arrays, particularly in low-signal combat zones.

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS]

• Classification:
  Slugthrower (Autocannon)
• Size:
  Large
• Weight:
  Heavy
• Ammunition Type:
  Armor-piercing kinetic slugs
• Ammunition Capacity:
  Average (Internal drum holds ~200 rounds per reload cycle)
• Effective Range:
  Long Range
• Rate of Fire:
  Average
• Damage Output:
  High
• Recoil:
  High

SPECIAL FEATURES

• High-Velocity Kinetic Slugs:
  The Spiker fires dense tungsten-carbide slugs at extremely high velocity, designed to overload shield generators—especially those found on starfighters, gunships, and unarmored freighters. The kinetic energy is focused to breach light armor with precision rather than brute force.
• Single-Barrel Precision Design:
  Unlike rotary or multi-barrel systems, the VL-32 features a rifled single-barrel design optimized for accurate, repeatable fire. It excels in deliberate shot placement against small targets at longer ranges.
• Internal Polyceramic Autoloader:
  A self-contained autoloading mechanism constructed of abrasion-resistant polyceramic materials ensures reliable slug cycling even under extreme thermal stress. It allows for continuous fire without exposing moving parts to external vacuum conditions.
• Liquid Cooling System (Mag-Sealed):
  Integrated de-ionized liquid cooling circuits run along the barrel housing and internal feed system. Magnetic seals ensure coolant containment even after partial impact damage, keeping the weapon operational during sustained firefights.
• EM Signature Suppression Baffles:
  Ferro-mesh shielding lines critical components of the firing chamber and autoloader to reduce electromagnetic emissions. This makes the Spiker harder to detect at long range than comparable energy or hybrid weapons.
• Precision Fire-Control Integration:
  Fully compatible with standard shipboard fire-control suites, including turreted stabilization rigs and forward-firing targeting solutions. Capable of linking with tracking systems for optimized shield-harassment and soft-target kill priority.
• Staggered Burst/Continuous Fire Toggle:
  A switchable fire-control governor allows crews to choose between three-round bursts for stability or sustained fire for shield cracking. This provides tactical flexibility depending on heat conditions and power draw.
• Durasteel-Reinforced Mounting Interface:
  Built with a universal mounting brace compatible with most light and medium vessel hardpoints, including fixed-forward emplacements, dorsal defense rigs, or turret housings (though rotation speed is limited).
• Vacuum-Tolerant Mechanical Housing:
  Entire system is sealed against vacuum exposure, radiation, and extreme temperature shifts, making it suitable for exposed hull placement or low-atmosphere combat without risk of mechanical seizure.
• Autonomous Power Regulation Cell:
  While dependent on ship systems for primary power, the VL-32 features a compact fallback power capacitor that enables limited emergency operation (e.g., five shots) in case of mainline power loss or sabotage.

STRENGTHS

• Highly Effective Against Shields and Light Armor:
  The VL-32's high-velocity kinetic rounds are specifically engineered to apply concentrated physical stress to deflector shields, particularly the lower-tier generators found on starfighters, corvettes, and shuttles. Once shields collapse, the cannon's penetrative slugs are more than capable of puncturing weak armor plating, sensor blisters, and exposed systems.
• Longer Effective Range Than Standard LMGs:
  Thanks to its rifled barrel, precision design, and high muzzle velocity, the Spiker boasts superior accuracy and range over typical close-in kinetic defense systems. It is ideal for engaging targets before they reach point-blank interception range, giving smaller ships a standoff advantage.
• Consistent, Precise Fire Support:
  The single-barrel configuration, combined with its staggered fire control governor, allows gunners or targeting AIs to deliver controlled, accurate bursts without drift or dispersion. This makes the VL-32 invaluable for picket duty, ambush strikes, or surgical kill-box fire coordination.
• Low Electromagnetic Signature (Sensor Hard to Track):
  Unlike energy weapons or hybrid plasma systems, the VL-32 emits only minor electromagnetic signatures when firing. This makes it harder to detect via long-range sensors, especially in stealth or low-profile engagements.
• Durable and Vacuum-Hardened:
  Every component of the Spiker is hardened against exposure to vacuum, radiation, and zero-atmosphere mechanical degradation. It is a favorite among hull-mounted guns on open-rig freighters, outer-rim picket ships, and modular strikecraft that often operate without full shielding.
• Autoloader Reliability Under Adverse Conditions:
  The internal polyceramic autoloader is heat-resistant, friction-tolerant, and non-reliant on lubricant. It performs flawlessly under thermal stress, physical shock, and even partial system outages, ensuring the weapon stays operational in prolonged engagements or after sustaining damage.
• Modular Ammunition Flexibility:
  The VL-32 supports a variety of slug types depending on mission needs. Its ability to cycle through armor-piercing, frangible, and EMP-jacketed ammunition gives crews tactical flexibility against different threat profiles—without needing to change weapons or rely on secondary systems.
• Universally Mountable on Most Ship Classes:
  Designed with standardized mounting rails and compatibility with both fixed and turret platforms, the VL-32 is easy to retrofit into nearly any light or medium vessel configuration. This makes it a popular upgrade for retrofitted gunboats, escort corvettes, or auxiliary military craft.
• Emergency Power Fallback System:
  The onboard capacitor allows the VL-32 to fire a handful of shots even if the ship's main power grid is knocked offline—critical for last-ditch efforts, post-EMP retaliation, or fighting during system failures.

WEAKNESSES

• Poor Traverse Speed / Limited Defensive Utility:
  The internal autoloader, recoil compensators, and liquid cooling infrastructure result in a physically bulky weapon with sluggish mount articulation. The VL-32 is unsuitable for rapid-targeting roles, making it ineffective as a close-in defense weapon against nimble fighters, missiles, or swarm drones.
• High Recoil, Especially on Light Hulls:
  Despite having recoil dampening features, the sheer kinetic force of each round places strain on the mounting system—particularly on small ships not reinforced for sustained kinetic weapon use. Over time, this can cause mount misalignment, microfractures in the hull, or outright bracket failure.
• Thermal Vulnerability Without Coolant:
  The weapon relies on a liquid-cooled system to maintain performance over multiple volleys. If the coolant reservoir is damaged or vented, the VL-32 will rapidly overheat, forcing manual cooldowns or resulting in total weapon seizure mid-combat.
• Low Ammunition Efficiency / High Logistics Burden:
  Each high-velocity slug is dense, metallic, and physically large. As a result, ships equipped with VL-32s can only carry a limited number of firing cycles. Without access to resupply infrastructure, the cannon risks running dry in protracted engagements.
• Minimal Effectiveness Against Heavy Armor or Shields:
  While highly effective against light hulls and standard starfighter shields, the VL-32 performs poorly against military-grade armor plating or reinforced deflector systems found on capital ships or elite vessels. Its rounds lack the mass and velocity to breach such defenses without support.
• Susceptible to Mechanical Failure if Not Maintained:
  The polyceramic autoloader is durable but sensitive to fouling, dust, or debris entering the internal cycling chamber. If left unmaintained, especially in post-battlefield conditions, the system may jam or misfeed, reducing fire rate or disabling the weapon entirely.
• Non-Adaptive Targeting Systems:
  While compatible with standard fire-control suites, the VL-32 lacks the built-in machine learning or adaptive tracking protocols found in high-end energy turrets. Against fast-moving or evasive targets, especially when jamming is involved, it struggles to keep up without manual adjustment.
• Exposed Coolant and Feed Lines (Combat Vulnerability):
  The weapon's design features semi-external coolant lines and ammunition feeds for ease of maintenance. While efficient, this creates weak points that can be targeted during combat—damage here can cripple the weapon even if the barrel and receiver remain intact.
• Heavy Mount Footprint:
  The VL-32's cooling system, autoloader, and recoil housing occupy significantly more space than other weapons in its class. This limits where it can be mounted, and makes retrofitting difficult on small hulls with cramped internal volume or poor balance tolerances.

DESCRIPTION

The VL-32 "Spiker" Light Autocannon is VektorLine Armatur's solution to a problem as old as modern space combat: how do you arm small ships with just enough bite to matter—without crippling their energy grid, breaking their mounts, or inviting overcomplication? The answer, as the Spiker proves, lies in raw, kinetic precision.

At first glance, the VL-32 doesn't look like much. One long, brutal barrel, a squat ammo drum, a cooling rig more suited to an industrial furnace than a starship weapon. But beneath the utilitarian skin lies a carefully tuned weapon system that excels at what it was built for—crippling shields and chewing through light hulls at distances most slugthrowers can't touch.

Unlike rotary cannons or saturating flak systems, the Spiker favors controlled, high-velocity impact. Each tungsten-carbide slug exits the rifled barrel with bone-breaking force, designed to hit fast and hit hard—overloading deflector screens through kinetic impact alone. Against starfighters, patrol skiffs, shuttles, and raiders, it is merciless. Shields buckle. Armor plates rupture. Systems short out from hull penetrations. And in the quiet that follows, a Spiker's kill is rarely loud—just surgical.

But with that lethality comes limitation. The VL-32 is no point-defense weapon. Its bulky autoloader and liquid cooling jacket add critical weight and restrict traverse speed, making it poor at engaging fast-moving threats like torpedoes, strike drones, or weaving interceptors. It is a hammer, not a net—and using it as anything else is asking to be flanked.

Where it shines is in mid-range fire support. Mounted to corvette prow hardpoints, frigate broadsides, or even turreted gunboats with stabilization assists, the Spiker becomes a vicious precision tool—ideal for ambush volleys, area denial, and coordinated alpha strikes. It plays especially well in hit-and-run doctrines, where quick bursts of extreme kinetic output can down a shield, punch a critical module, and allow the ship to disengage before retaliation lands.

Built with VektorLine's signature blend of hardened materials and rugged engineering, the Spiker is vacuum-rated, self-cooled, and sealed for use in zero-atmosphere environments. Its polyceramic internals resist wear and operate without lubricant, while its modular ammunition loading system allows captains to cycle between armor-piercing, EMP-jacketed, or even frangible rounds as needed. It is not a fancy weapon. But it is a reliable one—and reliability is currency in deep space.

Among independent contractors, frontier militias, and Sith-aligned scout divisions, the VL-32 is increasingly favored as a mid-tier combat upgrade. It fills a specific niche often overlooked by traditional navies: the middle distance. Too far for flak, too small for main cannons. That's where the Spiker thrives—throwing its weight around in the vacuum between missiles and megaton barrages.

 

[MANIAC]

VesperWorks

Very cool sub again!

Approved.