Ballistic Weapons (Cannon) Ballistic weapons use chemical propellants or powerful electromagnets to impart tremendous amounts of kinetic energy to a solid projectile which is then launched at the target. The damage potential of the projectile is often increased by the use of secondary explosive charges which detonate upon impact. Since the chemical propellant is provided as part of the ammunition, standard ballistic weapons require no energy to fire which makes them ideal for fast-moving units. The simplicity of these weapons also makes them much more resistant to damage than other weapon types. Autocannon Due to the recoil produced by the weapon and the effects of gravity and other physical factors on the projectile, cannons have poor accuracy at long ranges. Though devastating to armor, ballistic weapons are for the most part totally ineffective against shields. Though the shield itself will be unaffected by the projectile, its incredible speed will insure that some fragments will successfully penetrate to the armor beneath causing minor damage (usually between 30-10% of the normal damage). When used as a follow-up weapon to a target which has lost its shields ballistic weapons can be deadly. Ammo ______________________________________________________________________ Autocannon (20mm, 50mm, 120mm) Autocannon are standard ballistic weapons, using chemical propellants to accelerate the projectile. They are inexpensive to purchase and maintain, and have good damage potential for their size against unshielded targets. Their inaccuracy is offset somewhat by their good rate of fire and large ammunition reserves. When paired with energy weapons, autocannon give light Hercs an effective knockout punch against targets in their weight class. Chainguns (30mm, Devestator) Chainguns use a series of standard cannon barrels mounted on a rotating frame to increase the weapon's rate of fire to astronomical proportions. Though ammunition-hungry, these weapons can do significant amounts of damage to armor. Because the barrels must be kept short, chaingun projectiles scatter quickly forcing the weapon to engage targets at close range. Ranger Cannon (40mm) The Ranger Cannon overcomes many of the shortcomings traditionally associated with ballistic weapons. It utilizes advanced "smart" shells with limited in-flight maneuverability to accurately strike targets at long range. These projectiles are also equipped with small onboard gauss generators to enhance their shield-penetrating power which allow the shell to deliver an impressive third of its normal damage to a shielded target. The inclusion of these enhancements required a corresponding reduction in the projectile's explosive charge, but considering the advantages gained the compromise was deemed acceptable. HEAP Cannon (200mm, X-210mm) These long range high powered cannon fire huge projectiles fitted with a special type of warhead. These shells detonate a precise distance from the surface of the target and, via a physical phenomenon known as the Monroe effect, eject a high velocity jet of molten metal through the target's armor plating. These weapons have the highest damage potential of any standard ballistic weapon when used against an unshielded target. The premature detonation caused by shields, however, negates any advantages gained from using this type of ammunition. Both types of HEAP Cannon are large, bulky weapons and should only be mounted on heavy Hercs. The 200mm cannon also suffers from low ammunition reserves, making it unsuitable to prolonged combat. The X-210mm gun makes use of the technology developed for use in the Ranger Cannon combined with the damage potential of the HEAP warhead to produce a top-notch weapon in terms of both range and hitting power. Electro-Flechette Cannon The E-F Cannon fires non-explosive projectiles that fragment into hundreds of tiny needles upon leaving the weapon's barrel. These flechettes spread out as they travel increasing the chances of a hit at close range, but limiting the total range of the weapon. The E-F Cannon is the first weapon to make use of a series of electromagnets to fire the projectile rather than a chemical propellant, which means that unlike most ballistic weapons the Electro-Flechette Cannon requires energy to fire. The weapon also imparts a large static electric charge to the projectile which is preserved as it flies towards the target. This electric charge allows the flechettes to damage shields with the same effectiveness as armor. The complex and temperamental nature of this weapons system makes it very susceptible to incoming damage. Auto Mortar (260mm) The 260mm Auto Mortar features a single launch tube fed from a ten shell magazine. It has average range for a mortar, and does good damage to its primary target, and moderate damage to adjacent targets. Like most ballistic weapons, this mortar is ineffective against shielded foes. Since the shell is totally unguided after launch, this mortar has poor accuracy at all but the shortest ranges. Accelerator Guns (90mm, 100mm-Chain) Like the E-F Cannon, these weapons use a series of electromagnets to launch shells at tremendous speeds, rather than chemical propellants. This allows these weapons a slight range advantage (around 20%) over comparable standard ballistic weapons (albeit at the minor cost of needing energy to fire) and a high rate of fire. The high speed of the projectile, along with the residual EM effects of firing, means that these weapons can cause minor shield damage. The compact design and low power requirements of these weapons make them good choices when upgrading medium Hercs. ATX (280mm) This weapon was specifically designed for the spinal mount of the Juggernaut Herc and is the most powerful Herc weapon ever fielded. The ATX is a magnetic accelerator cannon which fires a trio of heavy shells armed with small fusion warheads at hyper-velocities towards the chosen target. The detonation of the warheads causes significant splash damage over a large area, and only the heaviest primary targets will survive more than one hit by this weapon. This power comes at a price that would buy a light Herc outright, but such a weapon is enough to turn the tide of battle in your favor. ______________________________________________________________________ Ballistic Weapons (Cannon) Table v2.0 (to view the key for this table, click here.) Name Tech Ammo RoundsPT Range(Max/100%) Energy(TF/PT) DAMvS DAMvA PenDAM Ind Area Effect Cost Weight Vuln 20mm Light Autocannon 0 30 2 10/2 0 0 24/48 4/8 N N 440-28 90 105 50mm Autocannon 0 18 2 15/3 0 0 32/64 6/12 N N 1,200-81 125 50 120mm Heavy Autocannon 1 12 1 20/2 0 0 90 12 N N 4,500-308 360 35 200mm HEAP Gun 1 8 1 25/5 0 0 110 15 N N 7,000-480 450 20 30mm Rapid Fire Chain Gun 1 24 2 10/2 0 0 35/70 10/20 N N 3,850-263 100 175 40mm Ranger Cannon 1 24 2 30/10 0 0 30/60 10/20 N N 2,500-171 100 20 Electro-Flechette Cannon 1 30 1 10/2 20/20 60 60 0 N N 1,800-122 120 200 210mm X-HEAP Cannon 4 15 1 20/10 0 0 140 35 N N 7,000-938 400 20 260mm Auto Mortar 4 10 1 12/3 0 0 120/96/0/0 12/9/0/0 Y 3 7,700-1,032 250 150 Devastator Chain Gun 4 30 3 10/2 0 0 32/96 4/12 N N 5,250-704 150 150 90mm Accelerator Cannon 6 20 2 12/3 18/36 15/30 75/150 15/30 N N 6,500-1,362 210 150 100mm Accelerator Chain Gun 10 24 2 12/3 24/48 24/48 120/240 24/48 N N 10,485-5,632 290 175 280mm ATX 13 18 1 25/10 0 100/50/20/0 480/240/96/0 ? N 5 198,000 1650 5 Name Tech Ammo RoundsPT Range(Max/100%) Energy(TF/PT) DAMvS DAMvA PenDAM Ind Area Effect Cost Weight Vuln _________________________________________________________________ Main Menu This page was last updated on December 21, 1996 [images on this page copyright 1996 J.S. Robards]