Pulse Lasers

A pulse laser emits a very high power beam of laser light with a duration of about a millisecond. Against soft material like flesh, the high intensity light will flash the material to vapor with sufficient violence that it will rip out a cavity in the material, flaying flesh from bone. The light beam propagates through the now-transparent vapor to the back of the expanding cavity, producing more high pressure vapor from the moving interface to drill deep into meat and organs. Incident on hard materials, the beam melts a thin layer and evaporates the surface of the melt. The high pressure evaporate jetting from the molten surface pushes on the molten layer, acting like a piston to squirt the melt layer out along the sides of the hole and producing a spray of incandescent sparks. Since melting is more efficient at removing material than vaporization, this improves the efficiency of the beam at drilling through armor. At longer range, the beam is too diffuse to cause the pulsed vapor explosion, but it still acts like a heat ray, causing melting, charring, and ignition.

In game terms, the pulsed vapor explosion is treated as tight beam burning damage, while the radiant heating is burning damage using the usual rules for damage fall-off as described in the main laser page. The closer the range to the target, the more tightly focused the laser beam will be when incident on the target. This allows better penetration of hard materials at closer ranges. At less than half the 1/2 D range, apply a (2) armor divisor to the tight beam burning damage (not to the burning damage). At less than one quarter the 1/2 D range, the armor divisor increases to (3). Alternately, consult the table below:
Fraction of ½D range Armor Divisor*
1 (1)
0.5 (2)
0.25 (3)
* DR after applying armor divisor is never less than the mass-derived cover DR.
This Armor Divisor only applies to DR due to material toughness, strength, and general resiliance; not to sheer mass getting in the way. Hence, do not apply the armor divisor to cover DR determined from an object's HP.

For military purposes, pulse lasers only have adequate range when they emit shorter wavelength beams than the default 1.5 μm near infrared. Consequently, military lasers are at a risk of causing severe eye damage to unprotected bystanders and all soldiers will be issued flash protection goggles. At short range, the high armor penetration of lasers makes them useful against heavily armored troops, while at long range the high accurace of lasers allows them to target lightly armored or unarmored locations on armored adversaries and enables precise long range sniping against unarmored targets. Eye-safe lasers may be used for close-quarters combat such as hostage rescue situations or clearing buildings or vehicles. Civilian lasers use eye-safe wavelengths. Since animals typically do not have significant armor, a pulse laser with a large focusing aperture can harvest game at respectable distances. For civilian self defense, where most attackers are unarmored and engaged at relatively close range, the low recoil and high accuracy of lasers makes them in demand. Pulse lasers tuned to green or blue wavelengths allow superior underwater performance, and are often seen at higher tech levels where other weapons have made pulse lasers obsolete for atmospheric or vacuum engagements.

Two-photon absorption will rapidly attenuate ultraviolet pulse beams at tight focus in air. This gives the shooter the choice of causing reduced damage, or intentionally defocusing the beam to keep the intensity (and hence the two-photon absorption) down to a more reasonable level. The table below gives the damage penalty for beams at full focus
Damage of Ultraviolet Beams at Various Atmospheric Densities
Beam Color Atmospheric Density
Superdense Very Dense Dense Standard Thin Very Thin Trace
UV-C 110 18 14 14 14 12 full
UV-B 14 13 12 12 12 23 full
UV-A 13 12 23 23 23 23 full
For every "steps" by which the laser is defocused (e.g. going from (3) to (2), or from (1) to beyond 2×½D range), you can get to one step better damage loss following the progression 110, 18, 16, 14, 13, 12, 23, full damage. Visible or infrared light cannot cause two-photon absorption, and thus can ignore this section. A consequence of all this is that ultraviolet pulse lasers are more useful in space combat than on the ground. When ultraviolet beams are used in atmosphere they make an eerie blue-violet beam, faint and whispy near the gunner but increasing in brightness as it nears its focus, with a pungent after-odor of ozone.

Pulse lasers are a late TL 9 technology. Early TL 9 will still be using laser heat rays. TL 9 lasers are still relatively underpowered and bulky, and are relegated to specialist roles. Lasers see substantial improvements into TL 10, where they become widely used.

TL 12, beam color 1.5 micron

Change beam color
Beam Color:
TL Weapon Type Damage Acc Range Mass (kg) ROF Shots Min ST Bulk Rcl Cost LC Notes
12Pocket Cutterbeam-0.5 10 3 0/- 0.15/0.008 3 800 2 -1 1 $80 3
12Palm Laserbeam-0.5 10 3 6/- 0.12/0.0015 3 160 2 -1 1 $80 3
12Pocket Laser Pistolbeam+0.5 15 7+3 20/- 0.4/0.011 3 400 4 -1 1 $250 3
12Medium Laser Pistolbeam+1 20 7+3 40/- 1.1/0.03 3 400 6 -2 1 $600 3
12Pistol Cutterbeam+1.5 22 3 1/- 1.5/0.08 3 800 7 -2 1 $800 3
12Magnum Laser Pistolbeam+1.5 22 7+3 40/- 1.5/0.035 3 320 7 -2 1 $900 3
12Auto Laser Pistolbeam+1 20 7+3 40/- 2/0.04 8 640 7 -3 1 $1.1 k 2
12Target Laserbeam+1.5 25 14+3 80/- 2/0.02 3 160 5† -3 1 $1.2 k 3
12Laser Carbinebeam+1.5 25 14+3 70/- 2.5/0.05 5 400 6† -3 1 $1.5 k 2
12Assault Laserbeam+2 30 14+3 100/- 4/0.11 4 480 7† -4 1 $2.5 k 2
12Heavy Duty Cutterbeam+2.5 35 3 1/- 6/0.25 4 800 8† -5 1 $3.5 k 2
12Hunting Laserbeam+2.5 32 14+3 110/- 5/0.025 3 80 8† -5 1 $3 k 3
12Infantry Battle Laserbeam+2.5 35 14+3 110/- 6/0.11 4 320 9† -5 1 $3.5 k 2
12Sniper Laserbeam+2.5 35 14+3 180/- 7/0.11 3 320 9† -5 1 $4 k 3
12Dinosaur Laserbeam+3.5 50 14+3 200/- 10/0.08 1 80 11† -7 1 $6 k 3
12Light Support Laserbeam+2.5 35 21+5 180/- 12/1.5p 10 4000 13M -8 1 $8 k 1
12Heavy Support Laserbeam+4.5 70 21+5 500/- 100/12p 10 4000 36M -10 1 $60 k 1
12Strike Laserbeam+5 90 21+5 1000/- 250/9 10 1600 55M -10 1 $120 k 1
12Laser Cannonbeam+8 280 21+5 5 km/- 3500/150 4 800 208M -10 1 $2 M 1

Descriptions
     Pocket Cutter: A pocket tool often used for cutting or drilling. Skill: Beam Weapons (Pistol). Aperture 0.018 cm. Beam energy 0.2 kJ. Energy used per shot 0.2 kJ. Extra power cell 0.008 kg, $0.4.
     Palm Laser: A small weapon designed for a slim profile and concealed carry. It does not have a terribly ergonomic design, since it lacks a grip and has no real sighting mechanism, so it is mostly used at short range with unaimed shots. Skill: Beam Weapons (Pistol). Aperture 1 cm. Depth of focus multiplier 0.07. Beam energy 0.2 kJ. Energy used per shot 0.2 kJ. Extra power cell 0.0015 kg, $0.08.
     Pocket Laser Pistol: A small sidearm designed for concealed carry. Skill: Beam Weapons (Pistol). Aperture 2.5 cm. Depth of focus multiplier 0.04. Beam energy 0.6 kJ. Energy used per shot 0.6 kJ. Extra power cell 0.011 kg, $0.6.
     Medium Laser Pistol: A typical laser sidearm, commonly used in law enforcement or by civilians for self defense. Skill: Beam Weapons (Pistol). Aperture 3.5 cm. Depth of focus multiplier 0.04. Beam energy 1.5 kJ. Energy used per shot 1.5 kJ. Extra power cell 0.03 kg, $1.5.
     Pistol Cutter: A cutting and drilling tool with a pistol grip. Skill: Beam Weapons (Pistol). Aperture 0.04 cm. Beam energy 2 kJ. Energy used per shot 2 kJ. Extra power cell 0.08 kg, $4.
     Magnum Laser Pistol: A heavy sidearm that packs a powerful punch. Skill: Beam Weapons (Pistol). Aperture 3.5 cm. Depth of focus multiplier 0.05. Beam energy 2 kJ. Energy used per shot 2 kJ. Extra power cell 0.035 kg, $1.5.
     Auto Laser Pistol: A heavy, military-style sidearm capable of rapid fire. This weapon is commonly used in roles similar to submachine guns. Skill: Beam Weapons (Pistol). Aperture 3.5 cm. Depth of focus multiplier 0.04. Beam energy 1.5 kJ. Energy used per shot 1.5 kJ. Extra power cell 0.04 kg, $2.
     Target Laser: A lightweight sporting laser, often used for competition shooting, varmiting, and hunting small game. Skill: Beam Weapons (Rifle). Aperture 6 cm. Depth of focus multiplier 0.03. Beam energy 2.5 kJ. Energy used per shot 2.5 kJ. Extra power cell 0.02 kg, $1.
     Laser Carbine: A compact longarm for use in close quarters combat or by vehicle crews. It is capable of rapid fire, particularly if using reduced power beams. It may alternately obtain energy from a 5 kg pack, providing 500 shots for $250. Skill: Beam Weapons (Rifle). Aperture 5 cm. Depth of focus multiplier 0.035. Beam energy 2.5 kJ. Energy used per shot 2.5 kJ. Extra power cell 0.05 kg, $2.5.
     Assault Laser: A common infantry longarm. It is capable of rapid fire using reduced energy beams, or punching through most body armor at close range with full power discharges. It may alternately obtain energy from a 5 kg pack, providing 300 shots for $250. Skill: Beam Weapons (Rifle). Aperture 6 cm. Depth of focus multiplier 0.035. Beam energy 5 kJ. Energy used per shot 5 kJ. Extra power cell 0.11 kg, $5.
     Heavy Duty Cutter: A two-handed torch for tough cutting and drilling jobs. Skill: Beam Weapons (Rifle). Aperture 0.06 cm. Beam energy 7 kJ. Energy used per shot 7 kJ. Extra power cell 0.25 kg, $15.
     Hunting Laser: A common civilian weapon capable of taking big game such as deer or boar. It is incapable of firing more than RoF 3, but reduced power beams are often used for smaller game. Skill: Beam Weapons (Rifle). Aperture 6 cm. Depth of focus multiplier 0.04. Beam energy 6 kJ. Energy used per shot 6 kJ. Extra power cell 0.025 kg, $1.2.
     Infantry Battle Laser: A full sized and high powered laser longarm for infantry combat. It may alternately obtain energy from a 5 kg pack, providing 200 shots for $250. Skill: Beam Weapons (Rifle). Aperture 6 cm. Depth of focus multiplier 0.04. Beam energy 7 kJ. Energy used per shot 7 kJ. Extra power cell 0.11 kg, $5.
     Sniper Laser: A large aperture and high power beam allows this weapon to deliver damaging pulses at long range, particularly when set to emit shorter wavelength beams. Skill: Beam Weapons (Rifle). Aperture 10 cm. Depth of focus multiplier 0.025. Beam energy 7 kJ. Energy used per shot 7 kJ. Extra power cell 0.11 kg, $5.
     Dinosaur Laser: This weapon is optimized to emit a very high energy pulse at low overall repetition rates. It is used to lake down the largest and most dangerous game. It also finds a role as a light anti-armor and anti-material weapon in militaries. Skill: Beam Weapons (Rifle). Aperture 8 cm. Depth of focus multiplier 0.04. Beam energy 20 kJ. Energy used per shot 20 kJ. Extra power cell 0.08 kg, $4.
     Light Support Laser: A squad-support level weapon, serving in a machine gun role. Skill: Gunner (Beams). Aperture 10 cm. Depth of focus multiplier 0.025. Beam energy 7 kJ. Energy used per shot 7 kJ. Extra power cell 1.5 kg, $70.
     Heavy Support Laser: A rapid fire light anti-armor weapon. Skill: Gunner (Beams). Aperture 12 cm. Depth of focus multiplier 0.04. Beam energy 60 kJ. Energy used per shot 60 kJ. Extra power cell 12 kg, $600.
     Strike Laser: A rapid-fire vehicular laser, often used on aircraft. The beam is directed with a turreted beam pointer telescope separate from the beam generator, allowing faster and more accurate beam aiming than if the entire weapon had to be turned to aim the beam. Skill: Gunner (Beams). Aperture 20 cm. Depth of focus multiplier 0.03. Beam energy 120 kJ. Energy used per shot 120 kJ. Extra power cell 9 kg, $500.
     Laser Cannon: A heavy vehicular mounted weapon. Like the strike laser, the beam is directed via a turreted beam pointer telescope separate from the main beam generator. Skill: Gunner (Beams). Aperture 30 cm. Depth of focus multiplier 0.07. Beam energy 4000 kJ. Energy used per shot 4000 kJ. Extra power cell 150 kg, $8000.
Accessories
     Recharging pack: A battery pack that can recharge power cells between firefights. It does not provide enough power to directly shoot most pulse lasers, but it can continuously provide 10 kW of power while the power cell is at less than maximum capacity, for a maximum energy of up to 40000 kJ. Divide the power supplied by the energy per shot of the laser to find the time to recharge one shot, divide the maximum energy by the energy per shot to find the total number of shots that can be supplied when fully charged. Mass: 1 kg. Cost: $100.


Custom Pulse Laser Weapon
Description:
TL:
Damage: d +
or d ×
Shots:
Energy Source: TL:
Internal Magazine
Aperture (cm):
Beam Color:
ROF:
Configuration:
beamer - a weapon without stock or pistol grip, like a flashlight or cutting tool.
pistol - a weapon with a pistol grip but without a stock.
rifle - a weapon with shoulder stock and grip.
cannon - a weapon designed to be fired from a tripod, turret, or weapon mount.
pointer - a weapon where the beam is directed through an external turreted beam pointer telescope.

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