Directorate Officer
OUT OF CHARACTER INFORMATION
- Intent:To provide a piece of anti-armor / anti-aircraft artillery in Lucerne Labs product line-up in the vein of the classic Flak 88mm
- Image Source: Mash-up of Spartan Games Onager Rail gun model (image no longer available online) and this camouflage pattern made by your's truly
- Canon Link: N/A
- Permissions: N/A
- Primary Source: N/A
- Manufacturer: Lucerne Labs
- Affiliation: Silver Jedi(s) , Closed-Market
- Model: Capricorn-class Rail Gun
- Modularity: Ammunition, hauling trailer(repulsorlift sled or wheels)
- Production: Mass-Produced
- Material: Railgun components, Dallorian Alloy frame, Conductor X-112 rail coating,various electronic components, Argentum series Matrix Armor
- Classification: Medium Rail Gun Artillery Piece
- Size: Large
- Weight: Heavy
- Ammunition Type: shells, electricity/power
- Ammunition Capacity: 6 shells in autoloader (can be topped off),Average
- Effective Range: Average (Rapid Fire Mode), Battlefield (Penetration Mode)
- Rate of Fire: Average (Rapid Fire Mode), Very Low (Penetration Mode)
- Stopping Power: High (Rapid Fire Mode), Extreme (Penetration Mode)
- Recoil: Average (Rapid Fire Mode), High (Penetration Mode)
SPECIAL FEATURES
- Variable Charge: The Capricorn, like its predecessor the Rhongomyniad Mass Driver Cannon, can use variable electrical charge on its rails to accelerate its projectiles at different speeds and rates of fire. While individual users can theoretically tinker with its settings to mix and match power and fire rate, it practice most users only use two factory default and self-descriptive settings: Rapid fire mode and Penetration mode.
- Variable Ammunition: The Capricorn can fire several types of shells through its barrels, though electromagnetic currents running through the casing of the shell precludes the use of any sensitive electronics in its payloads. This versatility allows the same gun to be used as a direct-fire anti-tank gun with a solid mirrsteel slug or an indirect bombardment weapon with detonite-filled shells or a delivery mechanism for different types of gases.
- Networked Weapon: The Capricorn is designed to work in groups as batteries through a fire control network, typically through datacables in defensively employed Capricorns or through wireless datalinks on newly deployed guns to allow precise time on target attacks. This can allow Capricorn batteries to efficiently and precisely saturate areas with munitions or precisely impact the same small target, such as a large vehicle, at the same time and point on the target for maximum penetration. Capricorns are also able to receive and integrate targeting information and other sensor data from other sources, such as vehicles, artillery spotters, satellites, or starships.
- Auto-Assist: The Capricorn is a smart weapon in that not only does it have networking capability, but it automatically tracks designated targets without further input from the gunner and moves the barrel to track via its servo-motors. It also has an auto-diagnostic function that allows users to quickly discover and correct any malfunctions or repair battle damage.
- Mobile Power: Each Capricorn uses a pair of removable capacitor banks to provide enough power to fire the weapon continuously for up to a half hour. It is common practice to replace one capacitor bank at a time, allowing it to fire continuously, provided the weapon has enough time in between shots to properly cool.
- Farraday Cage: The Capricorn's most sensitive electronic components are enclosed in a farraday cage, which provides some resistance to weak, large area of effect EMP and ion attacks. It usually does not provide much if any protection against direct fire weapons like ion cannons.
- Versatile: The Capricorn is a versatile weapon thanks to its different fire settings and munitions load. It can be effectively employed as an anti-aircraft, anti-armored vehicle, or general bombardment weapon with the right settings and ammunition.
- High Power/High Range (Penetration Mode): Fully charging the Capricorn allows it to accelerate its shells at tremendous speed, providing it with excellent range and 'knock-down' power at closer through the principles of basic physics. In practice, much of the knock-down power is reduced at these longer ranges because of the effects of friction, the atmosphere, and gravity all act in concert to siphon off its high kinetic energy.
- Stationary: While capable of being moved into position on wheeled or repulsorlift trailers, the Capricorn must remain stationary when being fired. It typically takes between 3-7 minutes to fully ready the weapon from the trailer or to reattach it to the trailer, which can make the weapon and its crew especially vulnerable to quick enemy movements
- Low Rate of Fire (Penetration Mode): Building up the high charge needed for its penetration mode noticeably decreases its rate of fire to a very slow rate, necessitating that such shots are always precisely aimed and planned.
The Capricorn is a piece of general purpose railgun artillery usually manned by a crew of four that is typically towed into position or entrenched as part of existing fortification efforts. Once emplaced, the Capricorn is typically used to provide direct line of sight to attack targets such as enemy tanks or aircraft, or alternatively use indirect fire to provide saturation bombardment of targets such as groups of infantry. Key to this versatility is its use of variable charging and modular ammunition.
For the most part, the Capricorn builds upon Lucerne's existing experience with railgun weapons that started with the storied Rhongomyniad Mass Driver Cannon. Like that weapon, the Capricorn has some built-in settings that allow different charges of electricity to flow through the gun's rails to provide different amounts of velocity. Shorter charges do not provide as much velocity, and thus less range and penetration but do allow a higher rate of fire. Conversely, using a higher electrical power provides more range and kinetic power at the cost a noticeably reduce rate of fire and greater rail surface erosion. In order to maximize this fire mode versatility, the Capricorn uses a variety of shell types:
Solid: Consisting of a dense and completely solid Mirrsteel projectile, penetration ammunition relies exclusively on kinetic energy to deal damage. Combined with the Capricorn's penetration mode, it is best employed to penetrate through thick armor found on enemy armored vehicles or fortifications. It is sometimes used in conjunction with the gun's rapid fire mode to take down large groups of dangerous beasts such as Sithspawn or rancors quickly with a minimum of collateral damage.
High Explosive: This shell is filled with a detonite-based compound. When exposed to electrical current through the acceleration of leaving the Capricorn's barrel, the detonite becomes much more reactive, thus allowing the kinetic impact of it hitting an object or the ground to set off the charge without the need for any sort of fuse system. This is the most common shell in use due to its general purpose nature, being easily employed to either destroy vehicles or for saturation bombardment.
Hollow Container: The shell starts out as little more than an empty hollow shell. A frangible nosecap with sealing valve allows it to be loaded in the field or at a factory to act as a pressurized container for any number of gases or liquids. Common choices are Agent T-238 (to suppress large scale riots or to subdue hostile fauna), plank gas (to rapidly corrode and wear down metal objects), Cryoban (to freeze targets or suppress fires), and simple colored smoke compounds (to conceal or mark objects).
This versatility of payload options makes it attractive to many armies as a general purpose artillery piece, especially when compared to often cheaper but more limited laser-based weapons. However, unlike many more modern weapons, it is not mobile on its own, which can a detraction to more offense-oriented armies. Consequently, most users are moderately wealthy planetary defense forces or units engaged in frequent static warfare such as specialized siege units.
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