Plasma Weapons

The first plasma weapons were created at the turn of the last century. These gigantic and unwieldy laboratory-bound devices would heat a gas until it became ionized, then project this plasma toward the intended target. More modern incarnations create a mass of impermeable plasma which is then accelerated down the barrel to three times the speed of sound by electromagnetic fields.

These weapons have proven to be very lethal on the battlefield. The plasma 'bolts', 'rounds', or 'beams' cause kinetic and energy damage to the object they strike. They are effective against a wide range of materials, including the Army's own composite armor plating. They also feature little to no recoil, allowing the user to bring accurate and rapid fire on their intended target.

Plasma rounds travel so fast, and are so bright, that they leave behind an after image which makes it appear as though a beam or bolt of light has been fired from the weapon. This can be both helpful and detrimental to the user. It allows them to track the trajectory of their fire, but also allows enemy soldiers to understand where they are receiving fire from.

Advances in miniaturization have allowed plasma weapons to shrink to the size where they are no larger than other traditional ranged weapons, such as firearms. Instead of relying on magazine fed ammunition, the plasma weapon is powered by a dual purpose fuel cell, which provides both the source gas needed to create the plasma and the power to ionize it.

Because the plasma has mass, the weapon produces a report on firing, which sounds similar to a gunshot to the untrained ear. This is caused when the plasma is accelerated to multiples of the speed of sound. Umbrian soldiers trained in both weapons can quickly identify the difference between the two, as plasma weapons lack the metallic 'click' of the firing pin striking the primer.

The cutting edge of plasma weaponry can be found on the Mark Four power armor set, which features an integrated plasma carbine in the user's dominant forearm. The weapon is fed by the power armor's onboard power cell, which gives it the ability to fire thousands of rounds on a single charge.

While representing a significant leap forward in weapons technology, plasma weapons are not without their drawbacks. Penetration and damage to the target falls off as the plasma travels in an atmosphere, due to the reaction between the plasma and the ambient gas in the air. It also requires a constant source of power. Wounds caused by plasma can also be less likely to cause the enemy to bleed out, as the plasma can cauterize damaged blood vessels or internal organs.

Attempts to scale these weapons to replace heavier alternatives used on tanks and warships have also failed, though Umbrian researched remain hopeful that the barriers preventing further advances will be broken soon.

In the meantime, the Republic's military has found that the benefits of equipping their legionnaires with plasma weaponry far outweigh the devices' drawbacks, and the only obstacle preventing their full-scale adoption is a lack of production capacity.