So, awhile back I wrote up a little something for energy weapons when I was still just a moderator for the server. I figured, since we've recently had trouble with energy weapons, I would copy what I had and suggest it to you all as some nice technobabble reasoning for their existence. So, without further ado, my energy weapon write-up. Plasma Weapons Plasma-based firearms would likely be expensive, though not necessarily uncommon. Assuming the technology is, by this point, something most races are familiar with, plasma firearms shouldn't be a rare find. However, the cost to produce these weapons is likely greater than your standard rifle, so everyday citizens likely wouldn't have access to them. Plasma weapons would likely require some sort of battery, similar to how a ballistic rifle uses a magazine, as well as a fuel source to convert to the plasma that is fired. The plasma itself would require a sort of electromagnetic field to contain it so that it doesn't just disperse the second it leaves the barrel of the weapon. The heavy reliance on electricity to make the weapons work would render them vulnerable to an EMP. Seeing as the plasma likely doesn't have much force behind it, it would, of course, rely most heavily on high temperatures to damage the target. That also means the plasma would cauterize any wounds created. Any sort of barrier between the target and the plasma would do well to stop it, for a few seconds at the least. The higher the heat resistance, the better the defense, of course. Laser Weapons Laser-based weaponry would probably be expensive and uncommon. Lasers would likely require a powerful energy source to be able to produce a beam capable of dealing severe damage without running out within seconds. For this reason, Avians have the easiest time producing laser weapons, though other species are capable of producing larger, bulkier designs to compete. Lasers would, of course, have no actual physical force behind them, instead relying on heat to burn through their targets (which also means any wounds created would likely be cauterized). So, any sort of extremely heat-resistant material should be able to protect against lasers to some extent. Even more effective would be a reflective surface that can divert the laser. While neither would be completely effective, they could protect the target substantially. Particle Beam Weapons Particle beam weaponry is the most expensive and rare form of energy weapon available in council space. Particle beams require a powerful energy source to power what is essentially a particle accelerator that makes up a majority of the weapon. There's no need for any sort of fuel or ammunition, as the particle beam draws in particles from the surrounding atmosphere. This, of course, means that the particle beam won't function in a vacuum. Particle beam weapons have focus levels that can be adjusted, with more highly focused beams resulting in a smaller area of effect but more devastating results and a less highly focused beam resulting in greater area of effect but greatly diminished results. Upon drawing in particles and accelerating them to extreme speeds, a beam, invisible to the naked eye, is released from the end of the weapon and causes mass destruction to whatever it may strike. Depending on the focus level the weapon is set to, the beam may cause a very small but substantial area of damage, capable of punching a hole clean through a person, leaving only radiation burns in its wake, or it may affect a large area, doing less intense damage but burning and irradiating any unfortunate enough to be caught in its path.
What I'm getting from this is: A) energy weapons are expensive B) energy weapons that are actually useful. (particle beam), are rare. C) conventional weaponry/ projectile-based weaponry is generally better. What are the actual advantages to energy weaponry? Good vs unarmored targets? Rechargeable, no need to produce more ammunition, or are we talking las-packs for las-weapons like in WH40K?
I'm not actually sure what those las-packs are, but the advantages to energy weapons are that they can be highly lethal against unarmored targets, and that they can be extremely effective at disabling targets or even weakening armor. Lasers are intended to be highly effective at penetrating materials that aren't reflective or heat-resistant, while plasma is meant to have more of an area of effect/splash sorta deal upon impact. These battery packs likely could be rechargeable, though it'd of course take some time and an energy source, and of course none of them really require ammunition. The downsides, of course, are that there's really no physical force behind them, meaning you won't get the same affects that you would using traditional ballistic weaponry. They've each got their own area of expertise, and ballistics is doing a lot of damage once it penetrates.
Spoiler: Lasgun WH40K The Lasgun uses a small portable capacitor power pack to produce a focused pinpoint laser beam which is strong enough to take an ordinary human arm off with one shot but is not as effective against the more durable alien bodies and stronger types of personal armour. A Lasgun's beam also cauterizes the wounds it inflicts due to the immense heat given off by the shot. The Lasgun is effective when used en masse, but considerably less effective when used alone. The Lasgun uses the same basic technology and operates along the same lines as other laser weapons, emitting a beam of highly-energetic, focused, coherent photons. The high amount of energy carried by the photons of the beam causes the immediate surface area of a target to be vaporized in a small explosion. It is a relatively unimpressive weapon when compared to many of the other high-technology weapons available in the galaxy, but it is capable of cleanly severing limbs and potentially even piercing the Power Armour of a Space Marine (but usually only through a vulnerable spot in the armour). Most Lasgun designs have iron sights mounted along the top of the weapon. It is powered by a small rechargeable power pack located beneath the weapon and in front of the trigger guard which can be recharged in a number of ways, including by sunlight. These power packs can also be "overcharged", a trick used by Imperial Guard veterans, which causes the pack to explode, turning the weapon into a makeshift grenade. This tactic is only used in last-ditch situations as it results in destruction of the weapon. Lasguns have numerous power settings for adjusting the power of each shot and to conserve power (resulting in a weaker laser shot fired). The weapon can be overpowered with a "Hotshot" laser capacitor pack, providing more powerful but fewer shots. The Lasgun mounts a bayonet lug, allowing the weapon to be fitted with bayonets or combat knives. The sniper variant of the Lasgun, known as the Long-Las, is the preferred weapon of the Imperial Guard's sharpshooters. The barrel of the Long-Las is extended to bolster the weapon's accuracy. The barrel requires replacement after every 20-50 shots depending on the power setting and cooldown time. For this reason, the Long-Las is outfitted with a "slide-lock" barrel, which is easily locked and unlocked from the weapon's housing. I know it's 40K and ppl generally don't like the comparison, but do give it a read. It has some interesting ideas.
I feel like Apex are a little left out of this write up. A part of their flavour (from my PoV, should probably do my part with lore for them at some point soon) is that the Miniknog have a distaste for ballistics, while the Resistance is not "above" such weaponry. This level of practicality both helps the political engine of the Miniknog (barbarians using dangerous, needlessly harmful weapons) and the Resistance in availability and general utility.
I feel like plasma and lasers might be good against armor, not that it'll punch through or anything, but that it might weaken the armor enough for ballistic weaponry.
If one wishes to get technical, you could simply say different types of weaponry have a armour that counters it. Lasers countered by ablative armour, etc (as suggested). Everything else I guess would act as one would guess. Laser ignites/burns holes through cloth, etc. I also presumed lasers - out of all three of the energy weapons - on the contrary would maybe be rather moderate in price (maybe the same/less-ish as ballistics) but also very easy to manufacture. All you /really/ need for a laser (in theory) is an emitter (to produce the beam) and a bunch of lenses (to intensify, and focus the beam). It doesn't exactly take too much of a genius to slap those two together. Naturally, this also would mean a bigger laser would be better - more lenses, more focus. Bigger emitter, bigger initial blast (at the cost of yet more power.) However, it would also mean that I guess a "compact" laser wouldn't exactly exist because then you basically have a glorified torch really. My words on plasma are also thus: the concept sounds fine, basically being a electromagnetic "catapult" to sling ionized gas at foes. However, here comes that point - would a plasma weapon in theory require two sources of "ammo", power and gas that can be manipulated by the magnetic field? The power would be needed of course for the field itself and also to (presumably) ionize the gas, and then the gas is what you... well, ionize and then sling at that poor blighter over yonder. I won't mention anything on "shields" being counters yet seeing I can't find anything on your guys standing with it. Though, if you guys are fine with such a concept, I guess a "magnetic shield" would be a suitable defence against plasma, probably at the most obvious cost of being unable to use rail/coil-guns or any other electromagnetic based weapon yourself being surrounded by a super-charged electromagnetic field. That reply was /far/ longer than I intended. Whoops.
