Rail Guns

Magnetic acceleration. Kinetic impact. The weapons that dominate Confederation combat don’t fire beams of light—they throw metal at terrifying velocities.

Overview

Rail guns use electromagnetic acceleration to launch solid projectiles at extreme velocities. No chemical propellants, no energy beams—just magnetic fields and physics, delivering kinetic energy on target.

From personal sidearms to ship-mounted batteries, rail gun technology scales across the full range of Confederation weapons systems.

How They Work

Magnetic Acceleration

Electromagnets arranged along the barrel create sequential fields that accelerate a conductive projectile. Each coil fires in sequence, adding velocity until the round exits at speeds measured in kilometers per second.

Ammunition

Rail guns fire solid projectiles—metal slugs designed for maximum penetration or fragmentation on impact. Ammunition is cheap to manufacture compared to energy weapon power cells.

Power Requirements

The magnetic coils require significant power. Personal weapons use rechargeable cells. Ship systems draw from reactor output. The trade-off between rate of fire and power consumption is constant.

Applications

Personal Weapons

Sidearms and rifles used by SLPS, military, and civilians. Robert carries a rail pistol. Wido favors precision rail rifles. The weapons are reliable, effective, and common.

Vehicle-Mounted

Ground vehicles and aircraft mount heavier rail systems. Higher velocity, larger projectiles, greater range. The difference between a firefight and an execution.

Ship Weapons

Capital-scale rail batteries can punch through hull plating at combat ranges. Ship-to-ship engagements are brutal, kinetic affairs—nothing elegant about metal moving at relativistic speeds.

Advantages

• Reliability - Fewer complex components than energy weapons
• Ammunition - Cheaper and easier to manufacture
• Penetration - Kinetic energy defeats most personal armor
• Simplicity - Well-understood technology, easy to maintain

Limitations

• Power dependency - Cells run dry, coils burn out
• Heat buildup - Rapid fire causes overheating
• Ammunition weight - Solid projectiles mass more than energy cells
• No stun setting - Rail guns are lethal by design

Connections

• Robert Fannec - Skilled marksman with rail weapons
• Wido - Precision rail rifle specialist
• SLPS - Standard issue weapons
• Confederation Military - Primary armament across all scales

Rail gun technology features in combat scenes throughout the Fannec Records series.