Accelerated Ionisation Weapons

Among some of the more specialised weapons developed by the countless Xenos which plague the galaxy, an Accelerated Ionisation Weapon (AIW) is a rarity to behold. They are almost exclusively constructed by the Rixari, although a small handful of other Xenos races have been found to possess these infernal devices. Every race which has produced a form of this weapon is always technologically advanced, as the weapons require both an understanding of, and access to, radioactive substances.
==Mechanics==
An Accelerated Ionisation Weapon relies upon the ionising effect of focused Gamma Waves. A plethora of waves are forced to travel down a reinforced Adamantine tube, before entering a focusing tube, which intensifies the waves into a powerful beam of gamma radiation. This powerful beam is then provided with more energy, using a powerful electromagnet, so that emitted waves are even more devastating on impact. The focused radioactive beam is so concentrated that it will sear flesh and dissolve bone upon contact. This is a result of the exposed tissue undergoing vastly accelerated ionisation, hence the name of the device.
Due to the effects of the weapon being similar to, but far more extreme than, a laser, the AIW has been nicknamed the "Invisible Lascannon" by Imperial soldiers. It should also be noted that when fired an AIW emits a small EMP as a result of the powerful electromagnet that is required to increase the power of the gamma wave beam.
==Deployment==
Depending on the race in question, Accelerated Ionisation Weapons are used in a variety of methods. Smaller, humanoid, races tend to mount the weapons on vehicles or on stationary defences. Their main targets are usually heavily armoured infantry and lightly armoured vehicles, when used by humanoids. They may also be found to be carried in specialist teams, on a fixed position, as the devices are not man-portable. However, larger species which have developed the technology required to produce AIWs don't just mount them on vehicles. If the race is large enough to carry the weapons on their own (eg. the Rixari), then an AIW can basically be used in a similar manner to a handheld weapon. It will be carried by the monstrous creatures and used in the same way as if it was mounted on a vehicle: to eliminate soldiers equipped with reinforced armour and to destroy vehicle with relatively light armour.
==Strengths==
As gamma waves can only be stopped by several inches of reinforced lead, the AIW is an extremely potent weapon against all but the strongest of armour. It's primary strength, therefore, lies as an anti-personnel weapon. This is due to the fact that no armour, worn by any kind of infantry, can withstand a direct blast from an AIW. The focused gamma radiation beam is capable of searing through all kinds of man-portable armour and the waves scramble electronics, rendering devices such as force-fields useless. Certain vehicles, on the other hand, may incorporate several layers of adamantine or similar substance, making damaging the war machine more difficult. This is the reason for the AIW's use as an anti-vehicle weapon remaining solely as it's secondary function.
==Weaknesses==
The only real weakness of the AIW is it's size. In order for a powerful enough electromagnet to be mounted on the weapon, the barrel of the device needs to be very large. As well as the barrel, the container of the radioactive source, which powers the device, needs to be incased in several inches of Ceramite and Adamantine, in order for it to be safe for use. This basically means that the weapon is so large that it either has to be mounted on a vehicle or carried by a large creature. Fortunately, one of the main users of these weapons, the Rixari, are 23 foot tall monstrosities, which can carry the devices in a similar fashion to a human carrying a lasgun.
Of course, as the device always employs the use of radioactive materials, poorly made or maintained AIWs can become prone to causing radiation burns to anything using the device, if their are cracks in the containment unit or barrel. On top of that, if the device is hit by an explosive round, it will create an effect similar to that of a "dirty bomb" and radioactive materials can become strewn all over the battlefield.
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