Five Earths, All in a Row

[Prince Charon]

Ray Weapon Designations on Dieselpunk/Atompunk Earth

Dieselpunk Earth produces a fairly wide variety of energy weapons (though few of them have large production runs at this time, something likely to change as Dieselpunk becomes Atompunk), enough that there is a need for multiple categories that fall under the heading of 'ray-gun,' itself meaning 'any ranged weapon that inflicts damage using rays of energy, rather than fast-moving matter.' Some rays fit into multiple categories.

Heat Ray: Weapons that cause damage primarily by heating up part of the target; mostly these are masers or lasers, though some pyrokinetic devices are placed in this category, along with a few particle beam weapons.

Electric Ray: A ray gun that does its work via electricity. Many Stun Rays and Sting Rays (see below) overlap with this category.

Psi Ray: Any energy weapon that does damage or affliction through an explicitly psionic effect might be called a psi ray, though this covers far more weapons than it is normally applied to. In most cases, telepathic and vampiric weapons are far more likely to be called 'psi rays' than psychokinetic or ergokinetic weapons will. Transmutation rays (frequently biokinetic and slow-acting, or fast and based on warping space) also fall in this category.

Force Ray: A weapon that inflicts damage, or otherwise attacks, though kinetic (nearly always psychokinetic) energy, also called a 'pressor' or 'repulsor' (or 'tractor' for Force Rays that pull on the target).

Atomic Ray: An energy weapon that causes damage via ionizing radiation (and also quite often causes radiation sickness and cancer). These are generally more talked about than actually used.

Sting Ray: Also called a 'pain ray' or 'prod,' this designation refers to any weapon that is more designed to inflict pain than to do anything else, like cause damage or unconsciousness. They most commonly are taser-like weapons using magic and/or UV lasers to carry the current, instead of wires. Such weapons tend to be used as compliance tools, instruments of torture, and combat practice devices.

Stun Ray: A ray weapon that is designed it incapacitate the target, preferably without doing much damage. This includes weapons that leave the victim stunned or dazed, unconscious, or temporarily paralyzed (the latter being called paralo-rays). The term sometimes refers to directed EMP weapons, or other devices intended to shut down machinery.

Death Ray: Any energy weapon that is not intended to be less-lethal is likely to be called a death ray.

Disintegration Ray: A ray gun designed to rapidly reduce the target, or a significant portion thereof, to small particles (whether ash & dust, molecules, atoms, or subatomic particles), without a noticeable explosion. Usually a type of Death Ray, though some disintegrators do not effect living matter.


Thoughts?