Beam tube/Legends

Beam tubes were early energy weapons, developed prior to the formation of the Galactic Empire. The precursor to the modern blaster, beam tubes were most often associated with the empire of Xim the Despot.
==Characteristics==
Beam tubes were early energy weapons, and the precursors to blast-rifles and blasters. Requiring two hands to carry and use, beam tubes were powered by a backpack power cell coupled with a large gas reservoir that weighed over thirty kilograms. Beam tubes fired an energy-particle beam that had a range of about fifty meters.
Beam tubes had a slow rate of fire, and their generator backpacks only held enough ammunition for one hundred shots. During combat, squads of beam-tubers alternated their fire and carried larger power generators on repulsorsleds. One of the major manufacturers of beam tubes was Timms UniStar Armaments, who built the first ones. They manufactured the Emperor-4 beam tube.
==History==
Over twenty thousand years prior to the Galactic Civil War, beam tubes were the first energy weapons developed in the galaxy. The creation of the weapon was made possible following the invention of the portable power cell and the discovery of high-energy gases. The introduction of beam tubes changed the face of warfare, easily defeating the armor of the day that had been designed to counter high-velocity projectile weapons.
Beam tubes were used to great effect by Xim the Despot's legions during his military campaigns. During the Battle of Nuswatta, where Xim's forces razed the High Fane of Xo, the local theocracy was forcibly converted to the service of Xim's father, Xer VIII, by threatening them with beam tubes. As Xim continued his conquests, factories on the worlds of Jaminere, Cadinth, and Thanium, produced massive beam tubes for use in ground assaults. One of Xim's elite units, the Duinarbulon Star Lancers, carried beam tubes into battle.
As further developments led to the production of higher-yield power cells and miniaturized components, newer weapons became smaller and evolved into designs such as the blast-rifles used in the Great Sith War and eventually into the modern-day blaster.
In 44 BBY,The Essential Reader's Companion dates the events of the Jedi Apprentice series to 44 BBY. a type of beam tube was still in use on the planet Melida/Daan. Cerasi, leader of The Young, possessed a beam tube.Jedi Apprentice: The Defenders of the Dead The weapons were also on Kegan, although they fired missiles.Jedi Apprentice: The Fight for Truth
In 22 BBY, the "Cradle of the Galaxy" exhibit, which was a collection of pre-Republic artifacts, began a tour of the Core Worlds. Ancient beam tubes from the Tion Hegemony were part of the exhibit, alongside war-robots and parts of a jump gate accelerator.
The Survivors, guardians of the Treasure Vaults of Xim the Despot on the planet Dellalt for thousands of generations, wielded beam tubes. They tirelessly protected the vaults. During his adventures on Dellalt, Han Solo encountered the Survivors and was held prisoner by Survivors armed with beam tubes.Han Solo and the Lost Legacy
==Appearances==
*Jedi Apprentice: The Defenders of the Dead
*Jedi Apprentice: The Fight for Truth
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*Han Solo and the Lost Legacy 
==Sources==
*A Guide to the Star Wars Universe
*The Essential Guide to Weapons and Technology
*Star Wars Encyclopedia
*The New Essential Guide to Droids
*The Complete Star Wars Encyclopedia
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*The Essential Guide to Warfare
==Notes and references==
Category:Energy rifles
Category:Xim's empire