<![CDATA[Latest posts for the thread "So plasma weapons...how do they work?"]]> http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/list/31.page JForum - http://www.jforum.net So plasma weapons...how do they work? And what is in the "clip"? Is it a liquid or a gas?]]> http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/432817/3966450.page http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/432817/3966450.page GMT So plasma weapons...how do they work?
It is entirely undefined, plasma ammo is often referred to as a cell or sometimes a flask, and gas is mentioned a time or two in some of the fluff, but that is about as much detail as you are going to get.]]> http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/432817/3966462.page http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/432817/3966462.page GMT Re:So plasma weapons...how do they work?
Remember that 40K authors (and fluff in general) has a very loose and variable idea of what 'plasma' is, and reaching back into old fluff doesn't solve this (EG plasma grenades beings ome weird matter-to-energy conversion process. And don't get me started on the Goliath Factory ships from Space Fleet.) ]]> http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/432817/3966472.page http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/432817/3966472.page GMT So plasma weapons...how do they work? http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/432817/3966480.page http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/432817/3966480.page GMT Re:So plasma weapons...how do they work?
It's not like you can say Imperium tech works exactly like Ork Tech - unless that is in fact your theory ]]> http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/432817/3966510.page http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/432817/3966510.page GMT Re:So plasma weapons...how do they work?
Connor MacLeod wrote:Which versions of plasma weapons are we talking about?


The sort that the IoM use.
I admit that I am thinking of THQ's take on plasma guns.]]> http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/432817/3966525.page http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/432817/3966525.page GMT So plasma weapons...how do they work?
juraigamer wrote:There is a point when technology ceases to be indistinguishable from magic. Plasma is at that point.


More true than you know.
Even the Imperium isn't entirely sure how their plasma technology actually functions, as the knowledge has faded over time.
They're able to replicate it, but as the replication essentially boils down to ritual and machine-gods for them, it's highly unlikely they understand it clearly.]]> http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/432817/3966529.page http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/432817/3966529.page GMT Re:So plasma weapons...how do they work? KE of its component atoms, and becuase they have high KE they have high velocity (which means they expand.) Alot like in a nuclear explosion, really. In real life they're more like particle beam weapons (Shiva Star, which fired a plasma 'bullet' at someting like 5-10 thousand km per second, and was meant for use on planes before it was canceled/classified.) Some authors (those who tend to treat plasma as 'star hot' stuff or the actual fourth state of matter') could fall into this category. I'd say FFG plasma guns do as well (their analogies to solar flares or something like that) Damage wise it might burn the target (but in the same way a Particle beam would) or it might do explosive damage (sudden and rapid vaporization.) It's important to note that in this sort you need both high velocity and a highly compressed 'bolt' of plasma to counter its natrual tendency to expand, because otherwise its range will be horrible. James Swallow is fond of thse kinds of plasma weapons as well, I'd note.

Another 'realistic' approach would be to fire a physical bullet that explodes on impact. This is more of a nuke-like warhead, and it would have some thermal but mostly mechanical damage effects (blast like a high explosive.) I think af ew plasma weapon examples might fit into this but I'm not sure. I suspect Plasma cannon fall into this category more often than not as they're described as having an 'area of effect' (which would also be possible under the 'super soaker' plasma types.)

Third example is pure 40K magic. Its what I have heard described as 'plasma supersoakers', although they are more in effecti like an acid thrower or flame thrower. Ben Counter is fond of this kind of gun (if you want a example to draw on.) Basically it fires a plasma that looks like a liquid (or molten material) and generally drenches the target and dissolves/melts/cremates it. Others might be more the 'steam gun' variety. These are the ones that 'engulf' the target in plasma in a non-flamethrower way and burn it incendiary style - and are actually more magical, I suspect. You would need to have some way to confine or compress the bolt in either case to give it any range. Third and fourth examples tend to be the ones that are the most dependent upon thermal damage (vaporizing or cremating/incinerating the target).


In all of the cases they probably can and do use EM accelerators (IIRC the 3rd edition description and others describe them as having EM/linear accelerators as part of the design) to project the bolt and confine it. This can work regardless of the nature of the 'ammo', and for all I know they may be interchangable. Worse ideas have been known to crop up in 40K.

Another factor is whether the plasma weapon is of the 'get hot and explode if used too rapidly' variety or the 'designed to have a slow refire rate between shots as it cools/recharges' variety, which depends on your author/source/edition of fluff. In practical terms it really just comes down to differences in design. Some weapons may be designed more with safety (Hence the enforced cooldown or recharge), whilst others are deliberately made more dangerous to increase performance. One other factor in 'performance' here is power setting. Plasma weapons tend to be consistently 'variable' power (a low power and a high power setting at least. And some sources like Faith and Fire and Black Tide depict plasma weapons as having a variable focus/aperture.. so you can do narrow bolts or widebeam effects..) A plasma weapon coudl be deliberately made to be less powerful at max setting, but because its outputting less raw energy, it is at less risk of overheating (it could fire faster, or be used more safely. and have greater ammunition capacity.) Interesting thing to note here, I remember the tau codexes saying that tau plasma weapons were actually less desructive but more reliable than Imperial counterparts - an example of that sort of tradeoff in action.


Plasma munitions (as noted in FFG and other sources) are just plasma ammunition or plasma reactors designed to be volatile. I'd imagine the effects can vary as much as the 'ammo types' do above, so you could have HE, incendiary, etc. grenade types. Probably even some corrosive ones - I'm pretty sure plasma has been described as corrosive before somewhere :lol:]]> http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/432817/3966602.page http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/432817/3966602.page GMT So plasma weapons...how do they work? dow 2. ]]> http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/432817/3966610.page http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/432817/3966610.page GMT So plasma weapons...how do they work?
CthuluIsSpy wrote:How exactly do plasma weaponry work? How do they manage to keep the plasma "bolt" intact, and not have it dissipate everywhere?
And what is in the "clip"? Is it a liquid or a gas?


Plasma gun is basically a weapon that use high energy magnetic fields to create and eject stream ball of plasma energy at designated target. Plasma gun can create plasma ball at different temperatures ( with 6000*C being the lowest, IMHO ), but the more power you use the grater is risk of gun exploding ( and therefore you have Get's Hot rule ). Of course, you can went it, but in a heat of battle sometimes you forget doing that and as a result your gun blow up.

I imagine that the clip contains some form of energy unknown to us yet, in every other sci-fi it is usually either gas/fuel or simple battery that provides power to the Plasma Gun main body in witch the projectile is formed ( I think that 40k use the second form of ammunition since in every description of the gun in fluff and video games I noticed the sing for electrical power ).

]]> http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/432817/3966795.page http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/432817/3966795.page GMT So plasma weapons...how do they work?
When the ball hits something, the inertial shock causes the magnetic field around it to collapse, causing the plasma ball to explode. This is why many plasma weapons have an area-of-effect attack, though this area is usually no more than a couple meters across.

Converting fissile material to plasma generates a lot of excess heat, which requires most such weapons to cool off before firing again, or risk destroying the weapon and its operator.

A plasma grenade is basically the same, magnetically-shielded ball of plasma kept in a fissible container. Pulling the pin begins a countdown to the dissolution of the magnetic field, releasing the plasma to explode.

In other words:

A wizard did it.]]> http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/432817/3966828.page http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/432817/3966828.page GMT So plasma weapons...how do they work? http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/432817/3967486.page http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/432817/3967486.page GMT So plasma weapons...how do they work? http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/432817/3967520.page http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/432817/3967520.page GMT Re:So plasma weapons...how do they work?
the ammunition is a gas like hydrogen or helium, contained in the flasks, along side a powercell all contained in a single magazine. the larger versions like the Executioner or Plasma blast gun, have gigantic power cells to run the weapons.

The gas is superheated and encased in a magnetic field created by the coils on the weapon creating a ball of extreamly charged energy that is projected out of the barrel of the gun via the same magnetic coils. the energy is contained in the ball from the magnatic fields until it impacts a target where the magnetic field disipated unleashing the super heated gases vaporizing flesh and melting metal.

the superheating process it what overheats the gun and/or a rupture in the magnetic field can cause the gas to escape and blow up the gun (and its operator), vehicale mounted versions are sealed better with stronger and larger magnets and have larger cooling systems the smaller more volitile handheld devices lack.


science to a fictional weapon system. for the Omnissah

off topic: if guardsmen can carry auto cannons, heavy bolters and las cannons and other weapons in Heavy weapons teams, why can't their be Plasma Cannon heavy weapons teams? Space Marines get them!
]]> http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/432817/3967615.page http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/432817/3967615.page GMT So plasma weapons...how do they work? http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/432817/3967798.page http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/432817/3967798.page GMT So plasma weapons...how do they work?
ObliviousBlueCaboose wrote:Guard dont have plasma cannon teams because plasma tech is susposed to be rare. And when a gun gets hot its not so much the user dying, as for him taking a burn severe enough to take him out of the fight.


Meh. They would certinly be a useful and powerful addition to any IG regiment. Heavy Plasma Cannon teams entrenched and capable of shredding through heavy armored troops or enemy armor.]]> http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/432817/3967819.page http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/432817/3967819.page GMT Re:So plasma weapons...how do they work? IG used to have plasma HWT? I remember fighting them in 4th ed.]]> http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/432817/3968561.page http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/432817/3968561.page GMT So plasma weapons...how do they work?
]]> http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/432817/3968613.page http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/432817/3968613.page GMT So plasma weapons...how do they work? http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/432817/3968650.page http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/432817/3968650.page GMT So plasma weapons...how do they work?
Henners91 wrote:I read somewhere that the projectile is kept together by a 'magnetic field' or some gak.


Which is a fine explanation until one actually thinks about it. ;-)

If you are capable of emitting a magfield strong enough to keep the bolt together you should also be capable of defending against those weapons with a like field... Not to mention the field is strong enough to be used as a weapon in itself.

edit: in other words, it's magic made to sound a bit like scifi. ]]> http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/432817/3969385.page http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/432817/3969385.page GMT So plasma weapons...how do they work? http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/432817/3969481.page http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/432817/3969481.page GMT So plasma weapons...how do they work?
CthuluIsSpy wrote:How exactly do plasma weaponry work?


Pretty well, unless you roll a '1']]> http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/432817/3970344.page http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/432817/3970344.page GMT So plasma weapons...how do they work?
asimo77 wrote:I always assumed that "plasma gun" was a stock sci-fi phrase for a weapon that shoots hot blue energy thingies with no real science to back it up. You can't have sci-fi without blue energy bullets and plasma is pretty much short hand for blue energy bullets.



1,000,000x this. Also dont forget if its purple and glowy it must be evil.]]> http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/432817/3970672.page http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/432817/3970672.page GMT So plasma weapons...how do they work?
IIRC, the plasma weaponry in 40k utilises plasma produced from something metalic, then the plasma is shot using magnetism in the same way an IRL rail gun works. The plasma "bullet" stays in cohesion due to magnetised atoms attracting and holding it together.

But it is science FICTION. It's all made up. For instance, laser weaponry cannot not work in space due to the lack of gravity.]]> http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/432817/3970719.page http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/432817/3970719.page GMT So plasma weapons...how do they work?
DeadlySquirrel wrote:Plasma is it's own state of matter that is not fully understood. If you cut a grape in half, but leave some skin attached at the base, put it in an upturned glass and microwave it then plasma is produced. You can also do it with a light match.

IIRC, the plasma weaponry in 40k utilises plasma produced from something metalic, then the plasma is shot using magnetism in the same way an IRL rail gun works. The plasma "bullet" stays in cohesion due to magnetised atoms attracting and holding it together.

But it is science FICTION. It's all made up. For instance, laser weaponry cannot not work in space due to the lack of gravity.


Wait what?
Since when did light need gravity?]]> http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/432817/3970845.page http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/432817/3970845.page GMT So plasma weapons...how do they work?
CthuluIsSpy wrote:
DeadlySquirrel wrote:Plasma is it's own state of matter that is not fully understood. If you cut a grape in half, but leave some skin attached at the base, put it in an upturned glass and microwave it then plasma is produced. You can also do it with a light match.

IIRC, the plasma weaponry in 40k utilises plasma produced from something metalic, then the plasma is shot using magnetism in the same way an IRL rail gun works. The plasma "bullet" stays in cohesion due to magnetised atoms attracting and holding it together.

But it is science FICTION. It's all made up. For instance, laser weaponry cannot not work in space due to the lack of gravity.


Wait what?
Since when did light need gravity?


The beam disperses too quickly to be effective. It can't stay concentrated enough to do damage.]]> http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/432817/3970858.page http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/432817/3970858.page GMT So plasma weapons...how do they work?
DeadlySquirrel wrote:
CthuluIsSpy wrote:
DeadlySquirrel wrote:Plasma is it's own state of matter that is not fully understood. If you cut a grape in half, but leave some skin attached at the base, put it in an upturned glass and microwave it then plasma is produced. You can also do it with a light match.

IIRC, the plasma weaponry in 40k utilises plasma produced from something metalic, then the plasma is shot using magnetism in the same way an IRL rail gun works. The plasma "bullet" stays in cohesion due to magnetised atoms attracting and holding it together.

But it is science FICTION. It's all made up. For instance, laser weaponry cannot not work in space due to the lack of gravity.


Wait what?
Since when did light need gravity?


The beam disperses too quickly to be effective. It can't stay concentrated enough to do damage.


I think you misunderstand something. Can you please provide any kind of explaination for this claim?]]> http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/432817/3971173.page http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/432817/3971173.page GMT So plasma weapons...how do they work?
DeadlySquirrel wrote:
The beam disperses too quickly to be effective. It can't stay concentrated enough to do damage.


Can you provide us with info on this? Because this is a fist time I hear that light is dispersing in space because of the lack of gravity.]]> http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/432817/3971225.page http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/432817/3971225.page GMT So plasma weapons...how do they work?
Brother Coa wrote:
DeadlySquirrel wrote:
The beam disperses too quickly to be effective. It can't stay concentrated enough to do damage.


Can you provide us with info on this? Because this is a fist time I hear that light is dispersing in space because of the lack of gravity.


Yeah...this doesn't sound right to me either. And I am bloody terrible at physics.]]> http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/432817/3971238.page http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/432817/3971238.page GMT So plasma weapons...how do they work? http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/432817/3971272.page http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/432817/3971272.page GMT So plasma weapons...how do they work?
DeadlySquirrel wrote:Just something I read, likely Arthur C. Clarke - the only realistic sci-fi writer.


Are you sure you are not confusing lasers with projectile weapons?]]> http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/432817/3971282.page http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/432817/3971282.page GMT So plasma weapons...how do they work? IIRC. Solid slugs will work due to mass and velocity stuff, not sure about explosives.]]> http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/432817/3971294.page http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/432817/3971294.page GMT So plasma weapons...how do they work? AFAIK a laser would work better in space due to there being no dust blocking small amounts of the beam. The only instance I know of where gravity affects light is around a black hole, and that's because it's twisting spacetime around itself.]]> http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/432817/3971316.page http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/432817/3971316.page GMT So plasma weapons...how do they work?
Durza wrote:AFAIK a laser would work better in space due to there being no dust blocking small amounts of the beam. The only instance I know of where gravity affects light is around a black hole, and that's because it's twisting spacetime around itself.


Yeah, that's what I thought. The beams would be more intense in a vacuum because there is nothing that gets in the way.]]> http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/432817/3971323.page http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/432817/3971323.page GMT So plasma weapons...how do they work? http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/432817/3971332.page http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/432817/3971332.page GMT So plasma weapons...how do they work?
DeadlySquirrel wrote:Gravity does effect light, as proven by black holes. As such, the lack of gravity also has an effect.


The fact that gravity affects the trajectory of light doesn't mean that light somehow behaves strangely in the absense of gravity.
In fact without any objects of high mass around light behaves exactly as newtonian physics would predict.
Did i miss something?]]> http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/432817/3971463.page http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/432817/3971463.page GMT So plasma weapons...how do they work? http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/432817/3971481.page http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/432817/3971481.page GMT So plasma weapons...how do they work? http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/432817/3971504.page http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/432817/3971504.page GMT So plasma weapons...how do they work?
http://www.projectrho.com/rocket/spacegunconvent.php#id--Laser_Cannon

There's some truth in DeadlySquirrel thoughts. Lasers are subject to diffraction, a physical property of waves that makes a laser beam lose its focus over distance. It has nothing to do with gravity, though. Provided enough power, you can fire a laser in free fall over a thousand kilometers and still deep-fry whatever is on the receiving end.

As for plasma... Well, Russia and the US have been tinkering with directed energy weapons since the 70s. Sadly, in an internet riddled with youtube gunporn and conspiracy theories, I've been unable to find anything of use beyond Wikipedia.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shiva_Star]]> http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/432817/3971780.page http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/432817/3971780.page GMT So plasma weapons...how do they work?
DeadlySquirrel wrote:It doesn't behave "strangely", the beam just doesn't stay focused enough to even be a laser... Just a ray of light that can't do damage.



That's under the assumption that gravity 'holds light' together and keeps it focused, which isn't true by any means. To the topic at hand, I read that it was plasma held together by an electromagnetic field that decays rapidly, and once it hits solid mass it dissipates and boom! Plasma does magic.]]> http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/432817/3972866.page http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/432817/3972866.page GMT Re:So plasma weapons...how do they work?
its usually heating a particle or atom till its ionized.

Then from ionized it has positive and negative electrons.

Then magnetic field pushes the opposite charge out.

Battle Angels while pretty old, have an extremely interesting grasp on how to use plasma that 40k can only dream of.

http://battleangel.wikia.com/wiki/Plasma_poison]]> http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/432817/3972890.page http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/432817/3972890.page GMT So plasma weapons...how do they work? http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/432817/3972968.page http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/432817/3972968.page GMT So plasma weapons...how do they work? http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/432817/3981535.page http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/432817/3981535.page GMT So plasma weapons...how do they work?

Trust only in the Omnissiah; all else is heretical. ]]> http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/432817/3981853.page http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/432817/3981853.page GMT Re:So plasma weapons...how do they work? For any who arent aware, there are several kinds of plasma, a few include the state of matter, (there are at least 17 states inbetweeen solid, liquid and gas http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/State_of_matter), the the plasma in blood, the plasma in tv's and the plasma in sphess mahreen guns. this plasma consists of super heated hydrogen, this is, for all intents and purposes, what the sun is made of, thats right, plasma guns fire miniaturised suns! seeing as the sun burns at a toasty 15 million degrees centigrade at its core, i decided to look into whether firing a plasma gun would ignite our atmosphere... the answer is no, it may however, ignite some atmospheres. seeing as how the shot from any plasma gun is considerably smaller then the sun, its internal temperature would be much lower due to its smaller gravitational field. the reasoning behind this is complex and would take a long time to explain in full, but basically, the core of the sun pushes outwards, whereas the the surface of the sun pushes inwards, generating said temperature. for this reason, the temperature of the plasma shot would be infinitely smaller then the sun, but still hot enough to vaporise pretty much anything on contact. another reason would depend massively on the planet in question, the imperium may have carefull restrictions in place for planets depending on there atmosphere, but for this example we will use earth. the earths atmosphere is roughly 70% nitrogen, the ignition point of which is as far as im aware still unknown by mankind, if it is ignitable at all, there most likely is an ignition point for it, especially when you consider the big bang was roughly 17 trillion degrees centigrade. like i said, there are probably complex calculations for each planet as to whether the imperium allow for any risk of plasma weapons igniting the atmosphere, there are plenty of planets out there with methane as the majority of htere atmosphere which will burn quite nicely at temperatures easily reachable by plasma.

please correct me ony anything ive said if its wrong.]]> http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/432817/3987065.page http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/432817/3987065.page GMT Re:So plasma weapons...how do they work? http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/432817/3987072.page http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/432817/3987072.page GMT So plasma weapons...how do they work? http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/432817/3987345.page http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/432817/3987345.page GMT So plasma weapons...how do they work?
vodo40k wrote:
asimo77 wrote:I always assumed that "plasma gun" was a stock sci-fi phrase for a weapon that shoots hot blue energy thingies with no real science to back it up. You can't have sci-fi without blue energy bullets and plasma is pretty much short hand for blue energy bullets.



1,000,000x this. Also dont forget if its purple and glowy it must be evil.

I resent that accusation...]]> http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/432817/3987361.page http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/432817/3987361.page GMT So plasma weapons...how do they work? http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/432817/3987390.page http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/432817/3987390.page GMT So plasma weapons...how do they work? ]]> http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/432817/3987413.page http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/432817/3987413.page GMT Re:So plasma weapons...how do they work? 40k plasma weapons work using a magnetic field which projects a magnetic tunnel "beam" from the gun. the plasma travels down this tunnel(which keeps the plasma together) until it reaches its target.

the ammunition is Hydrogen of some sort. Its exact form isn't disclosed.]]> http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/432817/3988716.page http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/432817/3988716.page GMT Re:So plasma weapons...how do they work?
Grey Templar wrote:I believe the 40k plasma weapons work using a magnetic field which projects a magnetic tunnel "beam" from the gun. the plasma travels down this tunnel(which keeps the plasma together) until it reaches its target.

the ammunition is Hydrogen of some sort. Its exact form isn't disclosed.


I thought of that, but how do they form the magnetic field, and keep it stable enough to fire the weapon at long range?]]> http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/432817/3989503.page http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/432817/3989503.page GMT Re:So plasma weapons...how do they work?
Maybe they have some space distortion technology to project the field down the barrel and out to a target. Basically streaching space to allow for the field to be projected when otherwise it shouldn't.]]> http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/432817/3989655.page http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/432817/3989655.page GMT Re:So plasma weapons...how do they work?
It also depends on the temperature of the plasma. 'Plasma' can encompass a wide variety of things (from open, visible flames to the stuff found at the core of stars to exotic things like Quark gluon plasmas or 'cold' plasmas.) A lower temperature/higher density plasma would not expand as fast as one that was used in (for example) nuclear fusion. But again you're talking more of a particle beam/KEW than a thermal 'flamethrower' type. Other than that would be an 'exploding' plasma (akin to a miniature nuclear explosion) but that would probably be as much (or more) mechanical damage than thermal and would make a plasma gun more of a projectile weapon (probably more suited to tau pulse weaponry than to plasma guns.)]]> http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/432817/3990385.page http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/432817/3990385.page GMT So plasma weapons...how do they work? str and armor pen represented by a plasma rifle/pistol.

Plus it glows in the dark and burns even under water. Willie pete is some wonderful stuff.


]]> http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/432817/3990605.page http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/432817/3990605.page GMT