Plasma Weaponry

**Plasma Weaponry** is a type of directed energy weapon in Voidbourne, characterized by firing bolts, toroids, or pulses of plasma. It is characterized by being the most common form of handheld directed energy weapon.

## Characteristics

The primary damage mechanism of these weapons is usually thermal transfer; it typically causes serious burns, and often immediate death of living creatures, and melts or evaporates other materials. Plasma weapons also have a significant kinetic energy component, as the ionized material is projected with sufficient momentum to cause some secondary impact damage in addition to causing high thermal damage, and the sudden energy transfer is often enough to crack most materials like a hot object cracks ice. Plasma is highly effective against mechanical targets, such as droids, as the ionized material disrupts their systems.

The **pulse cannon**—known variously as a **turbolaser**, **megapulse**, or **heavy pulse** for larger variants—the most common plasma-based weapon, uses a large energy cell to power an electromagnetic accelerator that fires a toroid ("pulse") of plasma. During operation, the weapon first locks on a target and begins the process of firing. A plasma sphere is created in the core by super-heating and compressing gases, usually stripping them of a lot of their ions. Once the gas is super-heated, compressed, and a plasma sphere is created, it is then loaded into the electromagnetic accelerator, which is then energized.

Once fully energized, the accelerator is activated, which results in the "pulse" being launched at an extremely high rate of speed to the intended target. The entire process can take less than three seconds for a large battery, while small rifles and carbines used by infantry can take less than a millisecond; the reason being that most plasma is pre-ignited and then placed into battery shells and cartridges equipped to handle it, to both reduce the strain on ship reactors during combat and increase firing speed.

The major disadvantage of this kind of design is that it is easily deflected or negated and ineffective against energy shielding, due to the fact that little electromagnetic force is binding the blast together, something which is solved with ion weaponry.

A unique variant, the **maser cannon**, overcomes the inherent weakness against energy shielding that comes with these weapons. Through an unknown process, the maser can be likened to a cross between a pulse cannon and a railgun (it is speculated by strengthening the electromagnetic field binding the blasts of plasma, though this is unconfirmed as the Crypti do not easily give up their secrets), combining the destructive energy of plasma with the kinetic impact of matter, making it extremely effective against both shields and armor.

Both the Crypti Empire and the Alina Confederation deploy maser cannons: the latter alternating between them and neutron beam cannons, the former exclusively.

(Maser stands for "**m**icrowave **a**mplification by **s**timulated **e**mission of **r**adiation").

## Ion Weapons

**Ion weapons** are a type of plasma weapon that fire beams, pulses, or toroids of ions (positively or negatively charged particles). It is actually a type of particle cannon; only the particles used are much more highly ionized. Due to their electromagnetic charges, they also have the potential to disable electronic devices, and anything else that has an electrical or similar power source, using a phenomena known as an **Electromagnetic Pulse** (EMP). They are also far more effective at penetrating shields and other energy-based defensive systems, at the expense of hull damage.

## Usage

The Rin Empire is the largest user of plasma weapons in the Voidbourne universe, though it is very diverse in its military and designs vary greatly.