Mass Driver
Type	Main Gun
Available From	PAR ALI DUK TRI YAK
Fitted To	Small and Medium Ships
Role	Sniper
Required License	Military License (+10)

In-game Description

The Mass Driver fires a single high energy projectile, which maintains its accuracy and destructive force over a very long distance. Heat accumulates almost instantaneously when the trigger is engaged, after which the pilot can release the shot immediately or take their time to aim. These unique features come at a cost, however: the weapon is mounted in a fixed forward-facing orientation, which makes automatic target tracking impossible and means that the pilot has to rely solely on their own skill. Over an extended period of time, the energy output of this weapon may appear relatively poor, but its strength lies in the initial attack, which can surprise the target and take out vital systems before a skirmish. It is therefore most commonly used in a combined arms approach, to support an already engaged force. On fast and nimble ships, which can reliably keep their opponents at a distance, the weapon's superior range may also allow the pilot to defeat their opponent without ever coming under fire themselves.

This weapon is not to be confused with pre-Shutdown versions of the Mass Driver, which fired constant streams of shield-penetrating projectiles. The militaries of both the Argon Federation and the Godrealm of the Paranid attempted to improve on the old design, and both developed weapons that now bear little resemblance to the original. The Paranid opted for a dual barrel, lined with perfectly synchronised, superconductive electromagnets. It appears curious, therefore, that the weapons development experts in Trinity Sanctum, upon presenting what was essentially an entirely new type of weapon, chose to keep the traditional name.

The Mk2 variant incorporates expensive, highly calibrated electromagnets, greatly reducing the weapon's heat build-up before each shot.

Tactical Overview

The Mass Driver is essentially a sniper rifle and the longest-ranged weapon of the game. It also features an extremely fast projectile and perfect accuracy, as expected.
That is, however, where the good news already ends. The in-game description greatly oversells the Mass Driver and what it can do.

Let's start with the most significant problem: Zero tracking. The gun is completely fixed, and you must move the entire ship to aim the weapon, which is rather tricky despite the fast projectile. 
This lack of tracking makes it impossible to focus multiple mounts on a single target. If you fire an entire loadout of those, you must line them up and fire one at a time. If you fire all at once, only one shot will hit the target.

Small targets are almost impossible to hit. And if you somehow manage to do that, the damage is not high enough to leave a lasting impact. Fighters that have two shield generators are essentially immune to this weapon.
Even the relatively flimsy Xenon fighters take three shots from the small variant to go down! They still need two shots from the medium variant!
Many medium ships will already be immune to sustained fire from this weapon and unable to be destroyed. Or at least it will take a very, very long time.

That is pitiful for a weapon advertised as having a "High-energy projectile with destructive force."

It is very difficult to make this weapon work and the result is generally disappointing. There are much better choices out there, and all of them will outperform the Mass Driver in damage output, cost-effectiveness, and practicality .

Specifications

Construction Cost

Universal Build Method