Melee Weapons ||Slugthrowers || Gauss Weapons || Plasma Sprayers || Lasers || Masers || Tanglers || Neural Scramblers || Blasters || Needlers || Disintegrators || Ion Weapons
Ion weapons (also known as Meson Guns) are primarily designed for use against electronic targets — cyborgs, droids, ships and other vehicles. They disrupt the electronic fields which allow these targets to function, overloading their cybernetic pathways and melting their components into slag. Ion cannon are favoured as planetary defence systems and as ship-to-ship weapons, since only one or two hits from a heavy Meson gun can bring down the systems of almost any ship. Normal shields do not work against them but specialist Ion shields can be fitted.
They are also very dangerous when used against living targets, since the same disruption occurs in the electrical fields of the nervous system. A hit on muscle tissue causes uncontrolled spasms in the affected area, while a head hit can cause an effect very similar to grand mal epileptic seizure. The effects are almost identical to those of electrocution. Fortunately, ion guns use enormous amounts of energy, and so are seldom used as portable weapons. A single bolt from a hypothetical meson carbine would expend the energy of an entire standard weapon battery pack.
All weapons are OAF unless otherwise indicated
Note that STR Min is -10 With Bipod (minimum STR Min min is 5).