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Ke-M4-W2901 Mk.I and II Light Armor Service Rifle

Doshii Jun

Doshii Jun

Perpetual player
Retired Staff
Ke-M4-W2901 Mk.I and II Light Armor Service Rifle

Designer/Manufacturer: Ketsurui Zaibatsu
(Suggested) Price: 25,000 KS.

Individual Component Costs:

Fabric sling: 25 KS
Ke-M4-W2901 Mk.I 06x AIES-linking scope: 2,500 KS
Ke-M4-W2901 Mk.II 30x Mult-spectrum AIES-linking scope: 4,000 KS
WickedArms GP-1 4x manual scope: 50 KS
WickedArms GP-5B/12A 10x manual scope: 100 KS
Zen Armaments Precision Sniper Rifle 20x manual scope: 400 KS
Emrys Industries Gauss Flechette Rifle 4x red-dot scope: 100 KS
Extra forward grip: 200 KS
Extra M100 magazines: 50 KS
Extra M200 magazines: 100 KS
Attachable under-barrel grenade launcher (Mk.I): 6,000 KS
Buttpad: 100 KS
Replacement foregrip (wraps around part of the barrel): 150 KS
Foregrip/bipod: 300 KS
Bipod alone: 150 KS

Nomenclature Information

Type: Rail gun fired from the shoulder.

Model: Ke-M4-W2901 (Mk.I) comes without scope and 40 cm-long rails housed inside a barrel. Mk.I also can have a grenade launcher attached. Mk.II comes with an adjustable 20x electronically linked scope with 55 cm-long rails, also housed, and a folding bipod.

Role: The LASR's purpose is rather simple -- give M4-suited soldiers a weapon that does not have the overkill of the M2-W2901 Aether Beam Rifle, yet retains some armor-killing punch. The sniper variant acts as an alternative to low-powered aether shots. Combined field systems or external kinetic dampeners can dull its damage. The M4-2901 is standard issue for the Sylph power armor and is often found with the Lamia and Mindy armors as well.

Length: Mk.I is about 70 cm long with stock collapsed; 100 cm extended. Mk.II is 115 cm long with extending stock.
Weight: Mk.I weighs about 30 kg empty, 40 kg loaded; Mk.II about 45 kg empty, 50 kg loaded.

Discharge Information

Projection/ammo type: Magnetically propelled rounds with several variants listed under Ammo Description.

Firing Mechanism: Round is pushed into chamber by the magazine spiral loading system from top-loading helical magazine by pulling a small cocking handle on the left side of the weapon's receiver. Magnetic pulse is charged behind the round by pulling the trigger, similar to a double-action trigger on a conventional rifle. That is for the first round only, however; a capacitor immediately draws off the battery after the first round to provide instant fire after the first shot (single-action pull). The magnetic pulse is then fired behind the round once the trigger breaks, sending the round between the differently charged rails inside the barrel of the weapon. The moment the pulse is fired, it pushes a door above the chamber open, loading the next round. Cycle repeats.

Note: Battery powering the weapon is found in front of the trigger, built into the gun. It is a fairly slim battery that folds into the weapon and under the foregrip, but can power the gun for up to 4,000 rounds (800 for Mk.II).

Caliber: 7x15/20mm boat-tail tapered dart with colored tips.

Effective Range: 4,000m for Mk.I; 13,000m for Mk.II.

Maximum Range: 12,000m for Mk.I; 45,000m for Mk.II.

Muzzle Velocity: 1,500m/s at anti-personnel setting (about 5,000ft/s, which is about 500ft/s faster than a .220 Swift); up to 6,000m/s at anti-armor setting.

Muzzle Blast: A small blip of bluish light.

Firing Mode(s): Mk.I is semi-auto, three-round burst and full auto at 900 rounds/min. Mk.II is semi-automatic only.

Recoil: Heavy. An unarmored non-Neko soldier attempting to fire this weapon on its lowest setting would receive a significant kick to their shoulder. An NH-17R or NH-27 could fire the weapon up to a certain point, but not at full power.

Ammo Description:

Name: Ke-M4-W2901 7x15/20mm LASR.

Visual Description: A plain light or dark-grey boat-tail tapered dart with a colored tip.
  • Standard ball (natural grey):
    Tungsten round, steel jacket.
  • Hollowpoint:
    Soft steel round with hollow tip, thin tungsten half-jacket.
  • Armor Piercing (black):
    Fullerene dart within tungsten-nickel alloy round.
  • Tracer (white):
    Hollow fullerene round, tungsten steel jacket. Packed with slow-burning magnesium. 0.01 second delay on fuse to ignite magnesium.
  • Training rounds:
    A single dummy round is loaded into the chamber; the range master will activate a rifle's training mode for a trainee.
Stored in a simple cylindrical magazine, 4cm wide by 7cm tall by 15cm long (20cm long for Mk.II). A counter is fed directly into the armor, as the weapon is actively linked to AIES. However, a counter is found on the magazine itself.

Ammo: 100 rounds per magazine.

Damage Description: Depends on the round type and target. Standard is issued for most engagements; hollowpoint is usually issued only when unarmored targets are expected in tight quarters; armor piercing is also standard; shield piercing is issued only when shielded targets are expected; tracers are for nighttime fighting; and HE rounds are issued to sniper squads.

Weapon Mechanisms:

Safeties: Located above the trigger on the left side in the form of a pulldown-pushup switch that unattaches the trigger from the magnetic pulse generator. AIES link allows access to magnetic pulse generator safety; essentially shuts the gun down.

Fire mode selectors: AIES link needed. Default is semi-auto, 1,500m/s. See Fire modes above.

Weapon sights: AIES provides main sighting abilities. However, 30x scope on Mk.II is designed to supplement those. The standard 06x scope on the Mk.I provides some extra sighting power. The weapon has no iron sights. A laser sight is built into the rifle's frame below the barrel. It is turned on and off with a small button above the grip.

Attachment hard points: A grenade launcher similar to that of the old WickedArms GP-12a can be attached to the area below the battery and in front of the trigger guard on the Mk.I.

Note: the weapon's stock slides into and out from the receiver to maintain stability. It is like that of an Type 28 SMG.

Maintenance Information:

Field Maintenance Procedure: Weapon requires no major cleaning, as no chemicals are produced. The foregrip under the barrel can be removed by undoing two hidden snaps on the front and back of it, but other than that, there's little else that can be repaired without a workbench. Barrels can be switched if necessary. The magnetic pulse generator's rear end ("the bolt") is exposed and can be tinkered with using simple field tools, but it is a somewhat fragile unit.

Replaceable Parts and components: The Mk.I is serviced fairly easily. The quick-change barrel is the most important part, but the battery, scope, trigger group and stock are the only parts that can be field-stripped. The rails inside the barrel are actually replaced with the Mk.II, instead of just attaching a new barrel as with the Mk.I. The receiver can be removed from the back and includes the magnetic pulse device that propels the rounds, as well as the cocking device that loads new rounds. The recoil pad on the extending stock can also be added.

Visual Description:

Mk.I
1151279689713.png


Mk.II
1151284388315.png


The Light Armor Service Rifle is comprised mostly of a titanium alloy and polymer furnniture. The alloy is a mix of of smooth and checkered blue/grey, the standard Star Army colors, with the polymer a dark grey. The bolt is uncolored and exposed on the right side of the weapon. A modular rail is set on top of the weapon, allowing for a highly versatile rifle without changing the basic components. The magazine actually slides in between the extendable stock's rails and beneath the end of the rail. The barrel fits snugly with the lower portion of the rifle that holds the foregrip and battery. It is not connected, as the barrel is a quick-changer.

LEFT SIDE: The safety is above the trigger. The charging handle is above the main grip.

History:

The infamous design team responsible for mostly failed projects was finally given a task and asked to tailor it. They did just that, creating a rifle usable by soldiers in the new M4 Sylph light power armor and possibly future light armors. In essence, the weapon gives the armor badly needed medium attack power that can be used against unarmored and armored targets alike. Because the old WickedArms weapons are no longer in production, and any other space-borne power armor weapon is overpowered, this weapon suits the light armor well. However, it is primarily designed to face targets inferior to Yamatai's spacy armors. Oddly enough, it is the first design team's actual success. A pistol is in the works.

Edits:
Changed weapon nomenclature to reflect proper naming methodology.
Highlighted stock placement under Weapon Mechanisms.
Replaced "shoulder-mounted" with "fired from the shoulder."
Increased price.
Edited damage description to shrink globe size.
Added magazine cost.
REVAMPED AMMUNITION (Types, speed, etc.)
Changed jackets from Yamataium to tungsten steel.
Added steel bands to certain rounds to make magentic properties work.
Added laser control switch.
Modified ammunition color labels.
Added reference to firing modes.
Added more accessories/parts.
Added folding bipod to Mk.II.
Added recoil pad to stock butt of Mk.I.
Reduced battery power from 20k/15k to 4k/0.9k.
Edited out Zesuaium, replaced it with titanium carbide.
Added polymer coating.
Modified ammunition to remove titanium carbide; replaced with tungsten.
Added capacitor system to allow for rapid firing.
Changed frame composition from Yamataium to titanium alloy.
Modified portions of the weapon to fit the art.
Added scope options to purchaseable items.
 
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Before this will be mass-produced, some questions need to be answered:

1. How is the anti-matter in each round contained?
2. What safeguards do the rounds have against accidental/unintentional detonation?
3. What is the shelf life of these rounds, since the anti-matter needs to be forcibly prevented from interacting with the casing around it?
4. Also, don't you think the damage has a radius too high?
 
Not to be rude, Wes, but you tell me. I only designed the weapon. I assume there'd have to be a vaccum of some sort to keep the anti-matter contained. Accidental detonation would be the ballistic tip being the only item that could "pierce" the vacuum system and ignite the anti-matter. If the vacuum system isn't powered and is just sealed, it would last until the seal is busted.

I will edit the damage "radius" to be "diameter." I meant that.

Anyone have any ideas to solve this ammunition issue?
 
If anti-matter was in a vaccum then it would fall 'down' and detonate once it touched the case of the round. Reguardless of how powerful the vaccum is it wouldn't contain the anti-matter.
 
Depleted uranium composed projectiles could be standard issue and the anti-matter projectiles could be generated just before a mission by the homebase/vessel the power armors would be attached too. That way, the anti-matter is produced by the ship and essentially has no shelf-space or measures needed to keep it. Remaining ammunition only need to be recycled back after the said mission.
 
Uso Tasuki said:
If anti-matter was in a vaccum then it would fall 'down' and detonate once it touched the case of the round. Reguardless of how powerful the vaccum is it wouldn't contain the anti-matter.
Click to expand...

Yeah ... yeah, that's what I'd figured. Dammit.

But depleted uranium doesn't sound like it'd do much against anything, even at 1500 m/s.
 
I dunno. I know it's what's used for the big nasty autocannon in battletech and it seems to chew to their armor pretty well. *shrugs*
 
one, mechwarrior was ruined by microsoft... stupid 'dark age' plot arcs.

second, mechwarrior is a low tech setting compared to star army.
 
Kotori was saying that each individual round could have a small energy charge stored in the back of it. Might maintain a vacuum system of some sort? The system only has to keep a 10-millionth of a gram going for about a year or so ...
 
Well, like a magnet, really. If the spike fired is hollow, you fill it's insides with vaccum and put the said substance inside. By charging up the container and the said anti-substance pellet, you end up with something like two magnets repelling each other: the ordonnance should float in the very middle of the dart.

Making brutal contact with a target would ruin that balance and release the explosive potential of the weapon.

I'm not sure if this is actually feasible... but it makes sense given what I learned about magnetic fields back in high school... >_>;
 
That sounds like the rounds would have to be handled with a lot of care, Fred.

Is there a way we can create the anti-matter just before firing?

0.0000001g of anti-matter will only annihilate 0.0000001g of matter, but it will create a significant energy release (9,000,000 Joules). That's about 125 times the amount of energy needed to make an empty Mindy (115kg) move 90kph, or enough to move that Mindy at 11,269 kmph if all the blast went into it. Of course, most of the energy won't because of the nature of explosions (especially in a vacuum). Still, that's a lot of force!

Calaculations based on "Energy needed to stop 1 kg ball moving at 90 km/hr, 625 joules, 625 joules" found of Wikipedia books through Google and "Matter/antimatter annihilation = 9E16 J/kg" found in the Basic Scientific Concepts thread.
 
Even if we knock down the amount of anti-matter to an even smaller amount, that still doesn't set up the ammunition to be okay. Sounds like Fred's system isn't much of a solution either, as the rounds are sure to be jostled around. Sorry Fred; your system is what I was going for, too.

Creating the anti-matter just before firing sounds like something a large cannon could do ... but a service rifle? I'm not sure that's feasible. What would it take to do it?

Wes, when you proposed this ammunition to me, what did you have in mind? I don't mean to be an asshole, but I'm not much of a designer once you get past the basic firearm. The rifle's tech is at least sound, right?
 
Methods to contain antimatter:

Magnetic bottle; the antimatter is placed inside of an intense magnetic field that is used to suspend the antimatter away from any matter.

Buckyball: I've seen it mentioned, don't know much about it, but it has already been shot down in another tech thread.


Well, there are a few solutions I can come up with. One idea is to have a magnetic container attached to the service rifle (An antimatter magazine of sorts.). Antimatter would be fed from the magnetic container into a magnetized rail system that would propel the wad of antimatter down the barrel and out of the rifle... the issue is after the round leaves the barrel... it would have to be contained in a subspace field like the Misshu use, or a focused magnetic field. The rifle's systems could be powered by an aether generator device to provide the power for such functions.

An entirely different approach would be to have a grenade launcher function to the rifle. Either one that is attached to the underside of the rifle, or a grenade that is placed onto the barrel. Each antimatter grenade would be a simple magnetic containment device with an attached battery. The shelf life of such a device would be a year or so, and if the proper battery is used, it could also add to the resulting explosion.


Or, we could abandon the project and we could have the Lorath antimatter munitions approved, and the Lorath could sell their weapons to the Yamatai Star Empire B)
 
DocTomoe said:
Well, there are a few solutions I can come up with. One idea is to have a magnetic container attached to the service rifle (An antimatter magazine of sorts.). Antimatter would be fed from the magnetic container into a magnetized rail system that would propel the wad of antimatter down the barrel and out of the rifle... the issue is after the round leaves the barrel... it would have to be contained in a subspace field like the Mishhu use, or a focused magnetic field. The rifle's systems could be powered by an aether generator device to provide the power for such functions.
Click to expand...

Seems overpowered ... and the idea of the rifle is that it's compact and low-maintenance.

DocTomoe said:
An entirely different approach would be to have a grenade launcher function to the rifle. Either one that is attached to the underside of the rifle, or a grenade that is placed onto the barrel. Each antimatter grenade would be a simple magnetic containment device with an attached battery. The shelf life of such a device would be a year or so, and if the proper battery is used, it could also add to the resulting explosion.
Click to expand...

That makes the rifle rather pointless, doesn't it? We can make grenades already. But we need a rifle that a light armor can use that can damage a power armor.
 
*thinks back to the grenade that Hanako choked off with her zesuaium helmet* Wait wait... maybe we're going the wrong way with this...

What we need is something that will be contained, stable, and will be able to deal sizeable damage on impact. There already are grenades that can apparently be powerful enough to deal the type of damage this weapon's ordonance would need deliver, so, in this instance, all that's needed is to miniaturize it.

Given the existence of femtomachines, I don't see how difficult this could be. I mean, it's probably not much more difficult than making a grenade on NH-12 scale.
 
Anti-matter really isn't an effective weapon since you will get nowhere near a 100% matter/antimatter reaction (more along the lines of 5-10% since the rest of the AM is going to be propelled away by the initial blast of energy). You can get a far more efficient effect from an advanced high-explosive that can produce as much energy without the problems of containing anti-matter.

I'd suggest using another space age alloy that's sufficiently dense and easy to manufacture.

Furthermore, the muzzle velocity of this weapon is far too slow compared to other weapons of its type (the suit-integrated assault rifle used by the NDI's Golem armors move at speeds exceeding 4 km/s). Increase it to a similar velocity and it becomes a pretty devastating anti-mecha/light armor weapon because time on target at the ranges you'd use it at are pretty instantaneous and its penetration capabilities will be absolutely superb.

Plus there's always something to be said about a kinetic impactor versus a pure energy weapon. Energy weapons just heat you up; kinetic weapons may not penetrate every time, but the concussive force can generate tremendous blunt force trauma.
 
... Right. Derran, why don't you RP anymore? Is there a skeleton in a closet somewhere? Are you too busy? Do you hate us? I'm sorry, for whatever reason, you sneak under my skin with great ease. I don't know why. It isn't personal, I don't think.

That aside, I realize the muzzle velocity is too slow. I realized it <I>the last time</i> you brought it up with a rifle I designed. I admitted you were right then, and I admit it now. And I can redesign the dart to use a better alloy ... but the worry is the worry that always seems to define my weapon design -- how the hell do I use this gun to kill a goddamn Mindy with Zesuaium. Because only anti-matter seems to damage it, and I assume that's what Wes had in mind when he suggested it. Aether seems to damage it too, of course, but the purpose of this rifle is to kill without excess.

I believe this is the point where my goddamn head explodes. Wes, can Derran's idea kill a bloody Mindy? I'm tempted to go for it anyway.

Help.
 
*hands Jake some tea*

It's gonna be okay, Jake. Take deep breaths.

See... this is why I don't try to design techs... It's all fun and games until someone curls into the fetal position. ^_^;
 
Yeah, a Mindy has a limited amount of impact it can absorb, even though the Zesuaium naturally disperses the force of a blast over its entire body. If you hit it hard enough, it is likely to cause internal damage as well as possibly knock off some armor plates.
 
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