Space opera weapons

Astronomer said:

I've always been amused by the trope that has aliens scoffing at our "primitive projectile weapons" that blow brains out just as effectively as their stupid lasers.

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It's always so much fun to use, isn't it? I have such a moment in my WIP.
"You mean to kill me with such a primitive thing?"
"I mean to."
*HEADSHOT*

Telford, here's a link to a list of subatomic particles:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_particles

Just append a particle name with the word "beam", and you have an exotic weapon that would be the envy of any self-respecting galactic despot.

Kaluza-Klein Cannon - Based on the Dilaton particle. Causes the strong and weak nuclear and the electromagnetic forces of the target to bleed into the other seven dimensions of spacetime, thereby reducing the target into a plasmonic goo.

Fracton Beam - The name of this weapon implies at first glance that it causes the target to fracture into a million pieces, but nothing could be further from the truth. The Fracton is a particle that induces the enforcement of fractal rigidity, not fracturing. Then and only then, once rigid, the target fractures into a million pieces.

Majoron Beam - Yeah, find the hidden word in that one. This weapon inhibits the mediation of neutrino mass violation, which causes the billions of neutrinos passing through the target to hit with the impact of bullets. This weapon is ineffective without a neutrino source (like a simple star) nearby.

Neutralino Beam - This weapon doesn't just neutralize your target. It Neutralino-izes your target. You can see, of course, how much more effective that would be.

Omega Meson Beam - This weapon works best because, you know: Omega.

Exciton Beam - Uh, you can come up with your own theory of operation on this one.

Slepton Beam - I'm thinking this weapon renders the target craving for a cigarette.

Astronomer said:

Majoron Beam - Yeah, find the hidden word in that one. This weapon inhibits the mediation of neutrino mass violation, which causes the billions of neutrinos passing through the target to hit with the impact of bullets. This weapon is ineffective without a neutrino source (like a simple star) nearby.
.

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This made my inner geek jump up and down and giggle wildly. I love this idea almost as much as Ian M Banks and the 'Lazy Gun'

Or you can name your weapon after its fictional inventor, thereby avoiding the necessity of linking it to a specific technology/science except in your description of how it functions (a la "Heisenberg cannon".)

HTH,

-Suzanne

dpaterso said:

Pedant mode: didn't Balveda describe it to Horza as a wireframe? A satisfying moment (not so much for the Idiran).

I just call 'em blasters, or bolt-guns, depending on the ammo.

-Derek

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Ah, wireframe. I don't think Banks was very happy with that weapon. As far as I can remember it never recurs in any of his work.

telford said:

Thanks Astro. You put a good bit of effort in and I appreciate it.

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Telford, you were kind enough to thoughtfully crit my submissions in SYW, so I'm more than happy to provide you the benefit of my, uh... my crackpotitudinousness. Besides, this was fun. And it's the least I can...

Hey! There you go! The Crackpotitudinous Beam! It does just whatever the heck you want it to do!

Problem solved!

Astronomer said:

I like rail guns and projectile weapons. Get a projectile up to a good percentage of light speed, and it will do as much damage as a beam weapon, and be nearly as quick about it, depending on the distances involved. I've always been amused by the trope that has aliens scoffing at our "primitive projectile weapons" that blow brains out just as effectively as their stupid lasers.

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Yep. Always struck me as more energy-efficient than beam weapons.

Charlie Stross does a neat line in space combat in Iron Sunrise where (IIRC) it is all a bit like subs hunting each other; if your opponent sees you first, you're basically dead, because you're about to have a chunk of iron slung through you at very close to c.

Maxx said:

Ah, wireframe. I don't think Banks was very happy with that weapon. As far as I can remember it never recurs in any of his work.

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A 'memoryform', I think - sort of a shape-changing weapon. I think Banks describes it as looking like a wireframe; it'd have to be very streamlined to fold down to the size of a molar. Hey, the Culture has its own Wiki, by the way!

Torgo said:

A 'memoryform', I think - sort of a shape-changing weapon. I think Banks describes it as looking like a wireframe; it'd have to be very streamlined to fold down to the size of a molar. Hey, the Culture has it's own Wiki, by the way!

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The last time I looked up some aspect of the Culture online, I got completely side-tracked into the "Gravitas" question about ship names
in the Culture.

Culture GSV(type) Ethics Gradient (Range class)

Astronomer said:

I like rail guns and projectile weapons. Get a projectile up to a good percentage of light speed, and it will do as much damage as a beam weapon, and be nearly as quick about it, depending on the distances involved. I've always been amused by the trope that has aliens scoffing at our "primitive projectile weapons" that blow brains out just as effectively as their stupid lasers.

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No kidding. And do you really want to be waving something around that could slice and dice your space ship just as easily as it does the bad guy??

I like projectile too. It's simple. Use some kind of magnetic launcher with some kind of capacitor strapped to a power source, and you have a cool gun. You can carry tons of rounds because the projectiles can be small (relatively speaking since you don't have to have all that gun powder and shell), and the thing would have enough power to launch hundreds, or thousands, of rounds before being depleted. You can make it small enough for a handgun, or scale it up for space ships. Nothing ruins your day like diamond coated gold blasting through your ship at near C speeds.

Ah, Banks. The ship names crack me up, and I have to stay away from the Wiki.
And I still really, really want to live on an Orbital.

Thanks for the great weapon names, Astronomer!

For stupid-fun space opera weapons, I still remember some old RPG buddies of mine and their Manned Portable Stellar Canceller. Not very effective as an actual weapon, but great for system-wide extortion.

The Things that Shoot.