Recruits Paperback Edition
0. Introductory Statement
Warrior, you need to know your and your opponent's weapons. This can make a difference between life and death - so read careful and keep it always at hand.
1. Machine-Gun
The Machine-Gun is an (almost) instant Damager so Damage is inflicted to the target (almost) at the moment of pulling the trigger. What you can see when you are pulling the trigger aren't the bullets but the flare ammunition every nth round of fire. Flare ammunition is used to coordinate Fire in an all-in attack - while in a stealth attack it may and will indicate your location to the enemy.
2. Plasma-Gun
The Plasma-Gun uses an ionized mixture of inert-gas and metal-slags which are vapourized and then accelerated by means of ultra high current. Therefore it is the ultra high power cousin of the ordinary railgun which is known for accelerating a metal particle between two rails.
A Problem with the older cousin has always been that when the current was strong enough to almost melt the particle then the particle would stick to the rails. In this more modern version inert-gas (as known from Arc-Welding) is used to prohibit redox-reactions (ie. burning like Thermit) while the slug is still in the Barrel. Therefore the Plasma-Gun is more like a high power mix of an old Television-Cathode-Ray-Tube (CRT) and a MIG-Welder with a vapourizing rail.
3. Spark-Gun
The flaming Spark-Gun can be used as a means of demolition to destroy buildings and other slow moving things faster. This weapon has been banned - nevertheless there are cruel mercenaries who will use such a weapon in the field. Yet again this weapon may still have its purpose in defending a trading outpost against such inhuman mercenaries - to fight fire with fire. Further more this thing is used by firefighters to lay counter-fires. And beside that it is better to have one at hand when facing extra-terrestrial life of the unfriendlier kind.
It is rumored that this weapon is to be replaced by a shotgun type weapon.
4. Ray-Beam
The Raybeam is a pulse charged beam of destroying rays intersecting (almost) everything. Prior to firing the Raybeam needs to charge its enormous capacitor-banks. When finally firing the Raybeam it will take some time to pulse the beam to its full extends - afterwards it will perish as the energy of the caps is fully drained from the banks.
5. Homing-Missile
The Homing-Missile is in itself a fierce enemy to be confronted against. Its brains has evolved from simple transistor-logic over fuzzy-logic to a full rebuild of the abilities of swarming insects and some even show some self-awareness. It is rumored that some lost or even deserted formed their own hives. That's what happens to lost missiles.
6. Explosions
Be aware of explosions - be they by exploding targets, by grenades or missiles. Explosions can cause severe damage in any random direction around the source of the detonation through shrapnel particles, concrete and ripped of machine parts.
