Star Wars Roleplay: Chaos

Register a free account today to become a member! Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members through your own private inbox!

Approved Tech Vulcan Mass-Driver Flak Cannon

Status
Not open for further replies.
Image:
Gatling_gun_by_Sqenixs.jpg

Credit: Sqenixs


Intent: To create a new type of point defense system for large capital ships that can also threaten small warships.

Development Thread: Test Firing The Weapon
Manufacturer: Mandal Hypernautics
Model: Vulcan Mass-Driver Flak Cannon
Affiliation: Hyperion Security, Mandalorian Navy, Open Market
Modularity: None
Production: Minor-Produced
Material: Durasteel, Duraplast, other materials.

Description:
The Gatling Mega Mass-Driver Flak Cannon, also known as the Vulcan Flak Cannon is a massive point defense weapon for warships of Heavy Cruiser size or larger. The weapon utilizes the same timed explosive rounds used in standard Mass-Driver Flak Cannons, but three times the size. Three sets of three rotating Mass-Driver cannons rotate at high speeds while a powerful capacitor pulses energy through the weapon. The weapon takes a few moments to build a charge in the capacitor and get the three barrels rotating at a precise speed. Once ready to fire, this weapon churns out 540 rounds in a minute and holds enough belt fed ammunition to operate for 3 continuous hours before requiring reloading. Even with the multiple rotating barrels and the cold of space, this weapon still tends to overheat. It is recommended to allow the weapon 30 seconds to cool for every 60 seconds of use. Using this method of firing and then cooling off, the Vulcan Flak Cannon can be utilized for roughly 4.5 hours of continuous use before requiring reloading.

Like all Flak cannons, a sensor and automated program calculates the velocity of the projectile and the distance between the weapon and the target being aimed at. This program then sets a timer located within the projectile itself that will cause it to detonate at a specific distance from the target. This precisely timed detonation causes a cloud of shrapnel to expand in a cone towards the desired target. While traditional flak cannons tend to be very effective against starfighters, the Vulcan Flak Cannon has difficulty targeting starfighters in most conditions. Large and relatively slow to turn, this weapon has difficulty tracking small targets and rapidly moving targets at close ranges. As such, this weapon does a very poor job of targeting most missiles and starfighters at closer than medium range. While this flaw had initially labeled the design as a failure, secondary testing of the weapon showed new and interesting uses for the weapon.

The effects of rapidly moving clouds of shrapnel were researched extensively by the Mandal Hypernautics engineers after it was noted that testing the weapon tended to interferer with the sensors being used in the testing. It was then determined that while the weapon itself might not be able to target individual missile systems, the cloud of shrapnel would confuse most guidance systems and cause interference in sensors not specifically calibrated to deal with the debris. Further testing showed that not only was it true that this weapon caused ship sensors and targeting computers to slow down as they tried to track the shrapnel, but the weapon itself tended to have a far more significant impact on Particle and Deflector shielding than originally estimated. The high volume of rapidly moving shrapnel had a tendency to overload the shield systems of ships struck by the weapon.

While this discovery excited the engineers and prompted them to research using the weapon against capital ships, it was quickly realized that the small shards of shrapnel had little to no affect against the thick armor plating of most warships of cruiser size or larger. This, compared with the weapon's relatively short range when compared to other ship to ship weapons, reduced the Vulcan Flak Cannon to a niche weapon used primarily against enemy corvettes and gunships at close and medium range. Though its similar effect to an Ion cannon when used against Particle and Deflector shields has not been lost on the few commanders who have encountered this weapon.

Classification: Gatling Heavy Mass-Driver Flak Cannon
Size: Ship-Mounted
Status: Military
Length: 74 meters
Width: 55 meters
Height: 55 meters
Weight: 150 tons if Hull Mounted, 200 tons if a Turret
Ammunition Type: Large Caliber Flak Projectiles
Ammunition Capacity: 100,000
Effective Range: 'medium' range / three times longer range than normal 'flak cannons'

Value: 30 point defense weapons (3x3 Flak Cannons + 3x for bullet size = 27)
Value: 20 Capital Ship weapons (3x3 Mass Drivers +2x for bullet size = 18) (if loaded with "Solid Slug" instead of Flak ammo)
  • Slows down tracking speeds of enemy weapons
  • Causes interference in nearby ship sensors (unless specially calibrated)
  • High damage against Corvettes, Gunships, Dropships, Bombers, and Starfighters
  • High damage to Particle and Deflector Shielding
  • Medium damage against Frigates
  • No damage to armor plating of Cruiser or larger ships
  • Can only target Missiles, Starfighters, Bombers, Dropships, and Gunships that are moving directly towards the vehicle or are at medium to long ranges.
 
@[member="Captain Larraq"] I'm not so much about length, basically make sure the story is about designing and building the weapon, or even testing it. As long as its quality we're good, ten posts would be fine then.
 
@[member="Sargon Vynea"]

Update: Dev thread is almost complete. It's sitting at 14 posts. We test fired the weapon until it exploded. All that's left is for Larraq and one of the scientists to discuss how to correct the problem that caused it to explode.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Users who are viewing this thread

Top Bottom