Beam Weapons for Early CE Machines

[VhenRa]

Depends on engine.

But from memory an Ion Engine is rather proportional... as is Fusion based engine. (Fusion Torches essentially)

[Brave Fencer Kirby]

I seem to vaguely recall that rocket engines each produce an impulse (which can be measured in speed of exhaust) unique to that engine. But I really don't know much about it.

I believe you're referring to specific impulse, which measures efficiency of a rocket engine rather than power. Specific impulse of rockets is analogous to miles per gallon in cars. Though specific impulse is sometimes measured in "effective exhaust velocity", what it's actually measuring is the change in momentum per unit of propellant (ie, for every unit of propellant used by the rocket, this much change in velocity occurs), not the speed at which the propellant is leaving the engine.

[krullnar]

I can't remember what topic but about a year ago I posted a pic with a Ginn using a beam rifle during the operation Spitbreak.

*EDIT* I looked for the post couldn't find it so here's the pic http://i477.photobucket.com/albums/rr13 ... leginn.jpg

[azrael]

I can't remember what topic but about a year ago I posted a pic with a Ginn using a beam rifle during the operation Spitbreak.

*EDIT* I looked for the post couldn't find it so here's the pic http://i477.photobucket.com/albums/rr13 ... leginn.jpg

That's probably a coloring error.

[Deathzealot]

Can we please get back on topic here before a Mod comes in and shuts this thread down. If you guys are so interested in talking about this make your own thread. Thank you.

[DeltasTaii]

http://i477.photobucket.com/albums/rr13 ... leginn.jpg

That's a CGUE, and an animation error. There's a few random beams flying around during that episode or so.

It's interesting to note the ZuOOT was ZAFT's second mobile suit, and while it has no large thrusters at all, it still doesn't have any beam weapons, while the GAZuOOT has a new model number and name rather than attaching suffixes. I'm willing to bet it required a fairly significant rework to be able to power 4 beam cannons.

There's a couple random examples of pretty standard GINNs using energy weapons around like Liam's GINN Works with a linear gun and the phonon maser cannon used by the GINN WASP, which is specifically noted to be an easy upgrade. So hardware wise I'd say the GINN series does have the necessary pieces to transmit power to a beam weapon built in or easily equipped-the WASP is an early model either way. (Kaite's GINN used beam revolvers as well, but as I recall those are self-contained) Rau's CGUE is the only CGUE or DINN I can think of actually animated with the correct rifle and firing beams though, so ZAFT doesn't seem to be in a rush to give old MS newer weapons. As I recall GINNs are primarily employed for anti-ship or fire support purposes with rocket launchers and D-equipment in CE73.

[Dark Duel]

the linear gun used by Liam is not a beam weapon - it's a shell-firing cannon of the same type used by the Mobius and Mobius Zero.

[Newtype87]

the linear gun used by Liam is not a beam weapon - it's a shell-firing cannon of the same type used by the Mobius and Mobius Zero.

For that matter, both the Freedom and the Strike Freedom also use a linear gun: it's just that Gundam colors all attacks like that for ease of animation and comprehension on part of the audience. As for a reason in-universe that they're colored, it might be some sort of ignited shell like a tracer round to make it easier for allies to see it, since the N-Jammers have screwed up sensors and the like and they can't rely on it to track stuff like a linear gun firing.

PS: I was actually about to say that SEED colors its linear gun attacks, but then I remembered that 00 does it as well.

[DeltasTaii]

Linear guns and railguns are still energy drawing weapons, being that they require an electromagnetic field to launch the projectile. Yeah, I suppose technically "energy weapon" usually implies non-kinetic damage, but that wasn't the point.

[Strike Wing]

Yeah, K.E.W.'s (Kinetic Engery Weapons) and D.E.W.'s (Directed Energy Weapons), are in fact energy weapons. Not much of a difference except in terms of ammunition that they fire. =3

[Brave Fencer Kirby]

I think the distinction he was making was the fact that, although both types of weapons draw power from the unit firing them (as opposed to conventional weapons that use gunpowder, which don't), linear guns/railguns are still firing bullet-like projectiles and aren't considered directed energy weapons, while beam weapons fire charged particle streams and can be considered directed energy weapons (though, technically, they're not, since they're firing particles instead of actual energy).

So there are two distinctions being made. Projectile firing weapons (conventional guns, linear cannons, and railguns) vs particle and energy weapons (beam rifles, particle cannons, and laser weapons) is one; the other is energy-consuming weapons (which includes both particle/beam weaponry and linear cannons/railguns) vs. non-energy-consuming weapons (including things like conventional guns and missiles and such).