Diverse weapons are available to Cosfor and the alien federations. Key elements are discussed below.
APEP
The antipersonnel enegery projector is one of the commonest hand weapons employed by the Commonwealth and the other races. Both pistol and rifle versions exist. The weapon can be set to fire either bolts or a continuous beam. The strength of the discharge can also be modulated but even at the lowest setting an APEP is designed to injure; the emitted energy cannot be figured into a 'stun' setting.
APHID
Armour-plated heavy infantry drones were invented by the Terran Commonwealth in an attempt to reduce human casualties on the battlefield by replacing organic soldiers with robotic counterparts.
An APHID possesses a cylindrical body that is curved into the shape which resembles a sickle. Although humans tend to view the top of the body as equating to the head, the sensors of an APHID are distributed across its form and the main proccessing units are located in the centre of the body.
The sensors of an APHID are formidable and provide the CPU with electromagnetic, auditory and chemical data. The elecromagnetic radiation sensors extend beyond visible light into both the infrared and ultraviolet components of the spectrum and receive information in a three hundred and sixty degree perimeter; an APHID has no blind spots.
Each APHID is equipped with four pairs of weapons arms. Each side of the APHID bears one arm of each type. From the superior aspect of the APHID down the arms are as follows.
- Blade
- Heavy APEP
- Electrostatic discharge unit
- Micromissile launcher
The blade arms have multiple joints. Each terminates in a dinurium blade.
The ESDUs emit high voltage electrical discharges which are fatal to organic lifeforms. Each ESDU arm terminates in five fingers. The primary function of these fingers is to emit the electrical arcs but they can also function as claws.
Micromissiles are a form of exploding bullet. The maximum firing rate is one thousand rounds per minute and an APHID's total arsenal is five thousand micromissiles (two thousand five hundred per launcher).
Each of the eight weapons arms can be targeted independently of the others.
Although they possess sophisticated artificial intelligence software, APHIDs are not artificially sentient. In addition they require central co-ordination from a NEST (nuclear extermination selection terminal).
APHIDs can be programmed to recognise specific individuals as friends. However, further distinction between friend and foe is afforded by the security authorisation projector (SAP). The SAP emits a signal which identifies the wearer as a non-foe.
Despite their efficacy in killing, APHIDs were rejected as soldiers. Several failures to recognise allies exposed flaws in the APHIDs' decision-making algorithms which rendered those people the APHID was charged with protecting vulnerable to being misidentified as enemies. Production of APHIDs was halted by the Commonwealth but their manufacture has continued within
TIA.
Coherent Energy Projector
CEPs are a larger scale version of APEPs and are one of the main weapons aboard warships.
Maggrenade
The term maggrenade is an abbreviation of the formal description magnesium-flare grenade. Maggrenades were conceived as a non-lethal weapon and aim to incapacitate their targets by discharging a brilliant flare of white light. This flare bleaches the rhodopsin in the human retina and produces a few moments of temporary blindness while the visual pigment regenerates.
Some early version of maggrenades released flare intensities which were intended to cause permanent visual loss. Such weapons were outlawed by the Treat of Moscow but this has not precluded their illegal manufacture.
Plasma Cannons
Plasma cannons feature on many warships and discharge high energy plasma at their target. They are equipped on all Cosfor vessels of destroyer class and above.
Szu Seven
The Szu seven is the most advanced handgun manufactured by the Szu Weapons Corporation. In basic principle it is the descendant of the generations of projectile handguns which date back to the beginning of the gunpowder era. Other than numerous refinements in design, balance, durability and assistance to aiming, the Szu seven is distinguished by its capacity to accommodate two different clips of bullets and in the nature of those bullets.
- Standard
- Explosive
- Heat-seeker
- Explosive heat-seeker