Mass Driver
Friday, December 30th, 2011Designed by Sacredphoenix and ShadoWarrior
Vehicle Weapon
They inflicted damage by hurling projectiles at high velocities, which imparted kinetic energy and force to the target upon impact. Damage was thus a result of the mass of the projectile and its velocity.
The velocity the projectile could achieve is limited by the method by which it is initially propelled. For a chemical explosion (how a conventional slugthrower works), the peak velocity was ~1.8 km/s. For a plasma driven round from an electrothermal cannon (an electrical arc vaporizes the propellant into a plasma to create the requisite pressure to propel the slug), the peak was ~2.5 km/s. For a gauss/coil gun (where the mass is accelerated by passing through sequenced electromagnetic fields) the limit was ~2 km/s due to the rate at which the fields can be created and collapse. These speeds are extremely small in comparison to light speed
For a rail gun (where the slug is accelerated by Lorentz forces and electromagnetism between two parallel rails) there was no real limit (except the speed of light), only a practical one based on rail erosion and, when in atmosphere, ablation of the projectile. Typically this speed was 6 km/s.
Damage 7d10×2
Points 2
Availability Military
Cost 9,000
Heavy Mass Driver*
Damage 6d10×5
Points 6
Availability Military
Cost 18,000
Range Pt. Blank: 0-2 Short: 3-4 Medium: 5-10 Long: 11-20
*Colossal (frigate) or larger starships only
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