Weapon Heatbeam Pistol

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HEATBEAM PISTOL

AFFILIATION
Open market.

MANUFACTURER
Various.

SIZE
Length - 0.3 meters.

WEIGHT
1.4 kilograms.

COMPOSITION
Durasteel and plastoid.

WEAPON TYPE
Energy projector.

DAMAGE TYPE(S)
Medium.

AMMUNITION CAPACITY
20 shots per power pack.

FIRE SELECTOR
Semi-automatic.

MAX RANGE
30 meters.

DESCRIPTION​

Heatbeam pistols are an archaic form of hand weapon which was used primarily in the pre-Republic era. One of the first widely used and standardized energy weapons known to Galactic history, they are considered a direct ancestor to modern laser weapons, and larger versions could be found in the form of rifles and even capital ship-scale artillery pieces. The pistol form, however, is considered the most iconic form.

Heatbeam pistols are a brutal weapon from a more barbarous age. Unlike modern blasters, and like later beam tubes, heatbeam weapons fire a continuous beam of energy in a split second pulse. Also unlike modern blasters, which utilize ionized plasma bolts to inflict damage, heatbeams fire tightly focused beams of coherent radiation. On impact, these beams generally only cause pinhole puncture wounds, not fatal unless they happen to hit a vital organ; beings trained in the proper use of a heatbeam tend to favor "raking" shots, however, moving the weapon during the split second of focus to tear semi-cauterized gashes in their opponent. As a result, heatbeam injuries can be gruesome and difficult to treat if properly inflicted.

Most heatbeams ran very "hot" compared to modern weapons, and can be easily identified by the dramatic cooling flanges fitted to many of them. Their beams are also usually an incandescent white, rather than the multi-colored hues produced by the fire of modern weapons.

Heatbeam pistols, arguably unlike later blasters, require a high degree of skill to use effectively, and though they were powerful weapons in their day, they tended to be used only by experienced warriors, and by the upper echelons of Galactic society, who were able to invest in the requisite instruction to use them properly. As a result, heatbeams came to be associated with leadership and martial prowess. Many representations of prominent generals, revered politicians and other leaders are portrayed with a heatbeam in one hand and a datapunch card in the other, representing wisdom and strength. Many ancient stories featuring legendary heroes will include mention of a heatbeam prominently; the mythical Coruscanti warrior-king Arttu, for example, is said to have pulled a heatbeam pistol from a stone in the Manarai Mountains as a demonstration of his right to rule, and to have recovered another from the depths of one of the planet's now-vanished seas.

Heatbeam pistols began to become obsolete with the advent of beam tubes, which, despite being heavier and bulkier, were cheaper to make and easier for minimally trained soldiers to operate. Though highly trained "heatbeamer" units remained a staple of Galactic warfare for some time, by the time of the first pulse-wave blasters the technology had fallen more or less completely out of use. In the present day, while heatbeam weapons are considered to have a degree of classical sophistication about them, standard blasters are considered much more effective and much easier to use, and thus few still carry one for anything except to make a statement.

LEGALITY​

Legal. Ownership of heatbeam pistols is not restricted in most of the Galaxy, and may even be considered part of formal attire on more civilized worlds.

INTENT​

To bring a weapon from Legends canon into our site's fanon.