Burst Ray
Type	Main Gun
Available From	PAR ALI TEM TRI
Fitted To	Small ships
Role	Anti-Surface Element, Anti-Capital
Required License	Military License (+10)

In-game Description

Because of its amplified destructive power against surface elements, the Burst Ray is the weapon of choice for daring fighter pilots who want to strip capital ships of their engines, shield generators and turrets. As the name suggests, it fires a sequenced burst of focused radiation to deliver several galvanic calefactions in quick succession, causing the target's surface material to lose cohesion on a molecular level. This niche ability comes at a cost, however: its short range and low energy output against the main shield and hull of its target make the Burst Ray an ineffective weapon for skirmishes with small and medium-sized ships. In a pinch, the fact that the individual beams deliver their damage instantaneously, may nevertheless prove useful against small and evasive targets.

It is said that the Priest Duke of Pious Mists himself ordered the development of a specialised anti-capital ship weapon to counter the overreliance on heavy fleets and long-range weaponry of the Holy Order of the Pontifex.

The Mk2 variant fires more often per burst, which increases the energy output significantly. In turn, the effective range drops slightly and the weapon becomes prone to overheating.

Tactical Overview

The Burst Ray is a highly effective weapon against capital ships. Though not by quickly destroying them outright.

The damage output of the Burst Ray is pretty pathetic. But it gains a gigantic damage multiplier against surface elements. Turrets, shield generators, and engines will be destroyed in just a few volleys, leaving the capital ship vulnerable and unable to defend itself.

Against any other target, even light fighters, the Burst Ray will struggle to do any meaningful damage. It is highly specialized to strip capital ships of all their equipment. That is all it is good at. Outside of that specific niche, it is not very useful.

The Burst Ray is the player's best friend in the early game if they come across a marauding Xenon K. A single fighter equipped with those can easily remove any threat from the destructive Xenon ship, leaving it utterly helpless against any force, no matter how small. 

A part of the damage ignores the shields and damages the hull directly, so don't worry about the shielding on surface elements.

Specifications

Construction Cost

Universal Build Method