For Honor
OUT OF CHARACTER INFORMATION
- Intent: To create a standard issue blaster for the Corellian Shock Trooper Corps.
- Image Source: "WESTAR-M5" by Sergey Kolesnik, Edited by [member="Runi Verin"]
- Canon Link: WESTAR-M5
- Primary Source: Mentioned
BlasTech A320 Blaster Rifle - DTM-45 WESTAR Blaster Carbine
PRODUCTION INFORMATION
- Manufacturer: WESTAR
- Affiliation: Open-Market
- Model: WESTAR M9 Blaster Rifle
- Modularity: Yes
Power Cell - Plasma Cell
- Aftermarket Illegal Modifications
[*]
Production: Minor
[*]Material: Blaster Components
TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS
- Classification: Blaster Rifle
- Size: Small
- Weight: Heavy
- Ammunition Type:
Power Cell - -OR- Plasma Cell
- Gas Canister
[*]Ammunition Capacity:
- Power Cell: 300 Shots
- -OR- Plasma Cell: 700 Shots
- Gas Canister: 2000 Shots
[*]
Reload Speed: Slow
[*]Effective Range: Average
[*]Rate of Fire: High
[*]Stopping Power: High
[*]Recoil: Average
SPECIAL FEATURES
- Select Fire
Semi-Automatic - Four Round Burst
- Full Auto
[*]Stun Setting
[*]Sting Setting
[*]Computerized Elctroscope
Strengths:
- HUD Compatibility: The WESTAR M9 was made with compatibility in mind, able to link its targeting sensors and computerized electroscope, making it incredibly accurate and easy to use. It also gave the user a current count of ammunition, barrel temperatures, and other pertinent information about the weapon.
- Small Size: Due to the generation of the blaster or plasma bolts behind the trigger, the blaster retained its accuracy and stopping power at reduced size.
- No Processor: Unlike more blasters from competitors like BlasTech's E-series blasters, the WESTAR M9 blaster lacked any on board processor, instead relying on the combat armor of the user to calculate ranges and trajectories. This meant without a proper combat helmet or armor the user wasn't able to fully utilize the computerized electroscope or targeting sensors of the weapon.
- Reload Speed: While the large gas canister and powerpack of the blaster afford the WESTAR M9 blaster a larger ammunition capacity than most blasters of a similar size, the cumbersome gas canister was more difficult to change in combat scenarios than your standard blaster.
Galvanized by the success of its DTM-45 blaster carbine, WESTAR set about developing a weapon that could deliver a similar experience in a smaller package. While unable to strike lightning twice, the resulting M9 Blaster Rifle would prove to be a formidable weapon, especially in close quarters, due to its compact size and high stopping power. Instead of competing with its own blaster, the engineers settled to compete with BlasTech's own E-series and A300 series rifles. Despite its size however, it weighed as much if not a little more than your standard rifle, causing some to wonder why the blaster was shrunk to begin with.
A compact and remarkably powerful weapon, the M9 relied on its size to stopping power ration to set itself apart from the crowd. To compete with the high rate of fire of E-series blasters, WESTAR developed a barrel shroud perforated with two long air channels running the length of the shroud. Rather than relying on external heat radiators it released what it could through these large cooling slits and utilized an ingenious technology that utilized excess heat to spur the creation of blaster bolts which substantially increased the life of an M9's gas canister. These features allowed the barrel to withstand the heat of a fully automatic fire setting and lowered the overall maintenance costs of the weapon.
The M9 also came with a collapsible stock for greater stability and accuracy, though this wasn't as useful when the weapon was connected to a HUD. The electroscope and targeting sensors in the blaster made it extremely accurate, especially in close quarters and even when firing full auto. Lacking its own on board processor however, the stock became a godsend for marksmen who lacked a HUD processor to utilize the combat sensors, computerized electroscope, and the myriad of information the blaster offered.
The M9 would be sold across the Galaxy, finding its niche with starship and space station-based security teams where it small size offered better maneuverability for its operators in the sometimes cramped hallwyas and service hatches. Notably, it became the standard issue rifle for the Corellian Defense Force's Shock Trooper Corps, as its compact size and easier maintenance when compared to the previously used A320 made it a favorite though this expanded the amount of blasters in circulation as the A320 functioned better as a marksman rifle with its superior range.
