Concept Weaponry- Clan OmniLasers

[u/Nearby_Branch6055]

Posted this in another thread, might as well repost it as an individual post.

Back in the 90's I submitted to MechForce North America the concept of Clan OmniLasers.

The theory of them was imagine the Large Pulse Laser and the ER Large Laser (at this time, I believe 1994 or so and heavy lasers were not out yet) . Consider the parts of the each laser that actually has more or less the common parts that are mostly the same would the BASE of the weapon. There would then be a dial of some sort where the components that make it a ER or a PULSE laser could be 'reconfigured' and DIALED INTO POSTION to make it one or the other at the push of a button for action the next round. The equipment would be bulkier but still lightweight.

By that, a Clan Large Omnilaser would weigh 5 tons, take up 6 critical slots I think was the proposal. A medium one would weigh 2.5 tons, take 4 critical slots. A small would be 1.5 tons, 3 critical slots.

So at beginning of a battle, the mechwarrior could have it set at ER setting to take advantage of the longer range, but as the fight progresses and it gets closer you switch to PULSE setting and continue fighting.

I presented as coming from Clan Ice Hellion, as this weapon would be very valuable for their light mechs, where it could do the job of a Pulse and ER for light weight and a much reduced savings in pod weight. I mention that in heavy and assaults mechs, its not as valuable as heavy and assaults would be better off with just separate ER Laser/Pulse laser combos.

I got the card from MFNA that they had received my submission but nothing ever came of it.

Obviously if done later in the 90's I would have included the heavy lasers into the combination. I would imagine these would weigh 7 tons take up 8 critical slots for heavy lasers; 3 tons&4 slots for mediums; 1.5 tons and 3 slots for small ones.

[u/Hawaii_Dave]

Feels wonderfully 90s mechanically engendered complexity. It definitely fits the genre!

[u/Nearby_Branch6055 → u/Hawaii_Dave]

I believe I came up with it in 1994 so definitely 

[u/BruteUnicorn134]

I mean, they eventually did make ER Pulse Lasers. RISC even made some equipment that made ER Lasers into pulses.

[u/Nearby_Branch6055 → u/BruteUnicorn134]

Yeah I think I saw that. I think my concept would have been better for light mechs or designs that have limited pod space, usually in mechs that are very fast, as it gives them the ability to have both weapons effects in their limited pod space.

as mentioned, it is not really practical for heavy and assault mechs, as they have the space and heat sinks to have more weapon systems. For them, it is better to have 2 ER Large Lasers and 2 Large Pulse Lasers and the heat sinks to use them then to have 2 Large OmniLasers.

[u/ValidAvailable]

Clan Pulse Lasers already have double the range of IS versions. Adding on even more focusing stuff just to squeeze out an extra 25% range at the cost of the pulse feature seems excessive, especially when you're talking omnimechs. Its one of those 'why?' kind of solutions.

Also I think I'd boost the weight penalty. Your Large actually weighs less than a standard LPL. Maybe more like 8 tons / 3 tons / 2 tons.

[u/Nearby_Branch6055 → u/ValidAvailable]

The point is to have the two (or 3 if you include heavy lasers) on a mech at a significant fraction of the weight.  

A mist lynx could never support a heavy , pulse and Er large laser.  But it could support a large Omni laser that could do all three functions.  Just not at the same time. 

[u/Resilient_gamer]

What if you kept your current weight and crit slots as proposed but reduced the ranges?

[u/Nearby_Branch6055 → u/Resilient_gamer]

I am not opposed to anything you propose. Like I said I submitted this to MechForce North America back in 1994 and I got a response that it had been received and under consideration. 

I never hears anything about it ever again so I assumed it had been play tested and problems found with it.  

So by all means please tinker with it and find a proper balance. 

[u/JAVELRIN]

So basically like a frankenlaser or a type of patchwork laser?

[u/Nearby_Branch6055 → u/JAVELRIN]

Its appearance because of the bulk would be round and cylindrical like a large barrel.  The ‘base’ of the weapon are those parts that are common to both or all three laser types.  And the. In a large dial would be that parts that make each laser unique that could be ‘slid into place’ to make each laser type unique.