neutral_beam_cannon

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neutral_beam_cannon [2026/02/07 22:06] – [Usage] mechamneutral_beam_cannon [2026/03/02 05:24] (current) – [History] mecham
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 Neutral Beam Cannons are primarily used as the main armament for capital class starships. Their low time to target and extreme range makes it a highly capable weapon in all situations. Their only drawback is low firerate and high energy draw. Neutral Beam Cannons are primarily used as the main armament for capital class starships. Their low time to target and extreme range makes it a highly capable weapon in all situations. Their only drawback is low firerate and high energy draw.
  
-Neutral Beam Cannons are typically mounted along the spine of a ship due to the large amount of accelerators required to push the beam to relativistic speeds. +NBCs are typically mounted along the spine of a ship due to the large amount of accelerators required to push the beam to relativistic speeds. Smaller NBCs have been mounted in turrets for versatility but lack the range and punch of their spinal mounted variants.
  
-Apart from its main role as an anti-ship weapon, NBCs can also be used in an anti-missile/anti-fighter role, albeit less effectively than their faster firing EBC cousins. NBCs can trade beam speed for firerate, with preset solutions at 50%, 30%, and 10% the speed of light. Smaller NBCs have been mounted in turrets for this role but still fail to meet the same efficiency as EBCs.+Apart from its main role as an anti-ship weapon, NBCs can also be used in an anti-missile/anti-fighter role, albeit less effectively than their faster firing EBC cousins. NBCs can trade beam speed for firerate, with preset solutions at 50%, 30%, and 10% the speed of light.  
 + 
 +NBCs can be used in atmosphere with reduced range and effectiveness. Firing in atmosphere leaves a bright cyan/purple trail as the stream of particles turns the air into plasma.
 ==== Defense ==== ==== Defense ====
  
-Due to their neutral charge, NBC beams cannot be deflected or diffused by electromagnetic active defenses. Experiments with gravitic and null active defenses have shown promise, but are both in the prototype stage and extremely expensive to use in terms of energy. The best way to mitigate NBCs as of now is to not get hit or absorb it with a plasteel armor cap.+Due to their neutral charge, NBC beams cannot be deflected or diffused by electromagnetic active defenses. Experiments with gravitic and null active defenses have shown promise but are both in the prototype stage and extremely expensive to use in terms of energy. The best way to mitigate NBCs as of now is to not get hit or absorb it with a plasteel armor cap.
  
 ==== History ==== ==== History ====
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 Neutral beam weapons were considered and even experimented with as early as 1989 with Los Alamos National Laboratory's BEAR project. However, there was no real requirement for high energy particle beam weaponry until the late Stellar Age, where intercolonial tensions were at a breaking point. Neutral beam weapons were considered and even experimented with as early as 1989 with Los Alamos National Laboratory's BEAR project. However, there was no real requirement for high energy particle beam weaponry until the late Stellar Age, where intercolonial tensions were at a breaking point.
  
-As the Jovian and Saturnian rivalries heated up to a point where missiles were exchanged, these weapons would take weeks, months, and sometimes even years to reach their target. In that time, the defender could easily come up with a solution.+As the Jovian and Saturnian rivalries heated up to a point where missiles were exchanged, weapons would take weeks, months, and sometimes even years to reach their target. In that time, the defender could easily come up with a solution.
  
 Early particle weapons such as the Electron Beam Cannon were rushed into full production, offering moderate success at long range combat. To truly engage at a stellar range, however, a relativistic weapon with enough cohesion to reach out to light minutes were required. Early particle weapons such as the Electron Beam Cannon were rushed into full production, offering moderate success at long range combat. To truly engage at a stellar range, however, a relativistic weapon with enough cohesion to reach out to light minutes were required.
  
-Neutral Beam Cannons in the form of Proton Beam Cannons were introduced 15 years after the first mass production model EBC. These hydrogen plasma particle cannons could accelerate a beam at 30% the speed of light with enough cohesion to damage a target a light minute away. Due to limitations with focusing, acceleration, and targeting, this range could only be achieved against non-maneuvering targets.+Neutral Beam Cannons in the form of Proton Beam Cannons were introduced 5 years after the first mass production model EBC. These hydrogen plasma particle cannons could accelerate a beam at 30% the speed of light with enough cohesion to damage a target a light minute away. Due to limitations with focusing, acceleration, and targeting, this range could only be achieved against non-maneuvering targets.
  
 Second generation NBCs could reach up to 99% the speed of light with reasonable efficiency, but mass deployment was interrupted by The First Virtual War. Second generation NBCs could reach up to 99% the speed of light with reasonable efficiency, but mass deployment was interrupted by The First Virtual War.
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