Charged Multi-Launcher

[Loco]

Affiliation: Various Mandalorians


Ownership: Arya Atin'al (Mounted on the Corusca)


Intent: To provide a unique "main gun" option for Mandalorian and Mandalorian affiliated ships by reviving and upgrading a previously common use technology (pre-time skip). And also because :cool:


Model: Various; Charged Multi-launcher


Type: Ship Mounted


Size: Variable, depending on base model. These weapons can vary in size from smaller mounts on raiding corvettes to the massive main guns of the feared Taung Class Dreadnoughts of the old Mandalorian war machine.


Composition: Most commonly durasteel or alusteel, with a variety of smaller components comprised of duraplast and other lighter materials.


Range: While intended for close to medium range ship-to-ship combat, in theory due to the solid nature of the projectiles maximum range is limited only by outside forces. Left to its own devices in the vacuum of space, a projectile will maintain its speed and course until it strikes another object or is otherwise impeded. However, the energy envelope wrapping the projectile dissipates after approximately 3-5 kilometers, decreasing the rounds overall effectiveness.


Ammunition Capacity: Due to the launching mechanism and the breakaway nature of the casings, multi-launchers must be loaded individually one round at a time, most commonly by automated droid loaders.


Description: Multi-Launchers are a specialized subset of the Heavy Mass Drivers that were so common throughout the Mandalorian Navy before and during the Core Blitz. Multi-Launchers make use of a simple but unique loading system that makes use of recoverable and reusable breakaway canisters- allowing the weapon to be loaded with anything from torpedoes or concussion missiles to scrap metal, loose cargo, or small asteroids. Once the canisters are loaded, the Multi-Launchers functioned similarly to the more common variants of Mass Drivers by accelerating the solid projectiles to extremely high speeds. While the actual damage varied by payload, Multi-Launchers were often able to bypass the shielding of any ships not specially equipped with heavy particle shielding by their use of heavy solid projectiles, thus inflicting very high amounts of kinetic damage to targets. The most common payloads of torpedoes, missiles, and other high explosives compounded this initial kinetic damage.

The Charged Multi-Launcher is a more recent development born out of the ingenuity and desperation of the surviving Mandalorians, seeking to make the most of what little of their technology survived the genocide. Some of the few surviving Multi-Launchers have been modified with the addition of large polarized orbs similar in use, if not scale, to the ancient Wookie Bowcaster, within the weapon housing. This, combined with an unstable new plasma based propellant used in the construction of the breakaway casing has allowed for startling new levels of effectiveness. The propellant, when ignited by and electrical arc, launches the projectiles at high speeds and envelops it in a plasma coating. As the projectile passes through the polarizing orbs it is accelerated further, resulting in an attack that is one part ion cannon, one part missile, one part giant Bowcaster, and is heavily reminiscent visually of old Mandalorian Rippers. While the plasma coating itself can be highly damaging to shields, the solid projectile ignores Ray shields and can inflict heavy kinetic damage. If both plasma and projectile strike an unshielded target the effects can be devastating as the plasma super heats exposed metal before the projectile barrels through it.

While powerful, Multi-Launchers are not without drawbacks. Due to the nature of the loading mechanism, Multi-Launchers are most often fixed position weapons, either to the fore of a ship or arranged into broadside batteries on larger vessels. The additional power draw of the launching mechanism and the polarizing orbs is considerable, and the rate-of fire is strongly affected by the amount of power reserves dedicated to recharging the weapons capacitors. The loading and construction of the breakaway canisters, and the manufacture of the propellant, while not particularly difficult does require a certain amount of know-how. The weapon is also considerably rough on its components and requires regular maintenance. Perhaps the biggest impediment to regular mounting though is the relative rarity of base component multi-launchers, as no new models have been produced by MandalMotors in over a decade.

 

[Clayton]

approved