What should this weapon be called?

[Charistoph]

I have a concept for a new weapon in mind, but I can't think of a good name for it.

Basic concept is that someone takes a Imperium's lasgun and converts it to accept Tau Pulse Rifle energy cell. This hybrid improves its ability to penetrate and range. For all intents and purposes it's a Pulse Rifle -2 Str, or the old Ordos Helgun with +6" Range.

Right now I'm using a temporary name of PLaser, but it just doesn't flow right.

Thoughts, ideas?

Edit: Stats would be useful, yes?  There will also be a Pistol, Carbine, and Salvo version of the weapon, too.

Weapon	Range	Str	AP	Type
{Plaser Rifle?}	30"	3	5	Rapid-Fire

[Naser Al-Istikhara Cyrus]

Why wouldn't they just use a Hot Shot Lasgun (or Hellgun) instead of converting the Tau energy cells.

IG is all about mass production and continuity and ease of use. Lasgun cells charge in the sunlight - I sincerely doubt that Tau cells would. So I doubt it would ever be adopted on a wide scale.

If it's used in elite units of troops only, then why not just use the hellgun. Same type of lasgun cell (kinda... ) and it already exists.

As for a name as to what it should be called (if it, for whatever reason, did exist), well I have a few suggestions off the top of my head. None sound brilliant to me, but suggestions nonetheless

 - Cellgun
 - Energy Rifle
 - Merc Rifle
 - Pulse Guns
 - Teclar (Tau Energy Cell Loaned Assault Rifle)
 - Flech (Foreign-Loaned Energy Celled Hellgun)
 - Litec Rifle (Limited-Issue Tau Energy Cell Rifle)

Idk just some racking of the brains to be honest

Zambia

[Charistoph]

Why wouldn't they just use a Hot Shot Lasgun (or Hellgun) instead of converting the Tau energy cells.

IG is all about mass production and continuity and ease of use. Lasgun cells charge in the sunlight - I sincerely doubt that Tau cells would. So I doubt it would ever be adopted on a wide scale.

Short fluff version:  Humans conquered by Tau for several centuries.  Tau are gone now.  The humans left can recreate lasguns and Pulse Rifle Cells, but not Pulse Rifles.  The P Rifle Cells provide more power than the lasgun cells do allowing for stronger bursts of energy, but lack the punch of true Pulse weapons.

Short Gameplay version: I wanted a unique small arm that wasn't a lasgun/boltgun/pulse rifle pt deux.  Helguns aren't in use anymore (unless they are available to Inquisitorial Troops, still, I don't have the GK codex, yet).  And this one has a little more range than the standard Helgun had.

As for a name as to what it should be called (if it, for whatever reason, did exist), well I have a few suggestions off the top of my head. None sound brilliant to me, but suggestions nonetheless

 - Cellgun
 - Energy Rifle
 - Merc Rifle
 - Pulse Guns
 - Teclar (Tau Energy Cell Loaned Assault Rifle)
 - Flech (Foreign-Loaned Energy Celled Hellgun)
 - Litec Rifle (Limited-Issue Tau Energy Cell Rifle)

Idk just some racking of the brains to be honest

Zambia

Litec sounds good, I'll consider it.

[Naser Al-Istikhara Cyrus]

It would probably be easier, cheaper and quicker to build a lasgun AND it's cell battery pack then it is just to create the pulse rifle cells.

Also how would the humans learn how to create pulse rifle cells? Reverse engineering can only go so far - they'd almost have to take over the entire Tau Empire and find the design plans, translate them, and so on. Perhaps the design lies in an encrypted code only specifically programmed drones can understand. Such drones would surely be able to be deactivated at a sign of plans being stolen, for the purpose of utilitarianism and hence the greater good.

That's just me asking a question about how they'd create it - not me saying "No, you're wrong". If you can answer this and justify the fluff behind it, not only will you prove it's plausible but also have a nice hefty background to go with!

Zambia

[Charistoph]

With Humans the only ones left after the Tau are gone, who do you think ran the factories?  So the manufacturing of Pulse Cells went on with no problem as their manufacturies stayed in tact, but the Rifle factories were pounded to scrap a long time ago.

Yet, oddly, they managed to maintain Burst Cannon and limited Drone production.  Very odd set of circumstances.

[Naser Al-Istikhara Cyrus]

So is this a weapon that exists after the Tau Empire has been completely wiped out?

[Masked Thespian]

I really don't like the idea of an acronym name.  In all of 40k there are few, if any, weapons that are acronyms.  It just seems a little kitschy.  Portmanteaus seem okay in terms of the setting (LASer CANNON springs to mind) so Pulsegun seems good to me

[Charistoph]

So is this a weapon that exists after the Tau Empire has been completely wiped out?

Not completely, just in the cluster these guys are in, and the Imperium hasn't checked up on them since before the Tau came.

I really don't like the idea of an acronym name.  In all of 40k there are few, if any, weapons that are acronyms.  It just seems a little kitschy.  Portmanteaus seem okay in terms of the setting (LASer CANNON springs to mind) so Pulsegun seems good to me

Another site suggest Burst Rifle, which may work, too.

[Unusual Suspect]

Another site suggest Burst Rifle, which may work, too.

I would save that for the Hotshot lasgun using pulse rifle cells, a rough tactical equivalent to the pulse carbine. 

[Lord Sotek]

I have a concept for a new weapon in mind, but I can't think of a good name for it.

Basic concept is that someone takes a Imperium's lasgun and converts it to accept Tau Pulse Rifle energy cell. This hybrid improves its ability to penetrate and range. For all intents and purposes it's a Pulse Rifle -2 Str, or the old Ordos Helgun with +6" Range.

Right now I'm using a temporary name of PLaser, but it just doesn't flow right.

Thoughts, ideas?

Pulse rifles don't use energy cells as ammunition. They have solid ammo, which the gun uses a secondary energy cell to help activate and fire.

The Tau also don't entrust Gue'vesa with the manufacturing knowledge for any of the Tau wargear they may have. So even aside from the fact that such a feat of reverse engineering would be far beyond anyone except Admech who'd never countenance the idea, it wouldn't be available to do so.

Even should you successfully manage this, the ultimate result would just be a lasgun that doesn't work as well. You would have compromised the infamously robust and reliable mechanism of the lasgun to force it to accept a non-STC power source, which is much more difficult to manufacture, can't be recharged like a Lasgun power cell can, and probably really isn't all that much more powerful to begin with- if you look into it, ordinary lasgun power are staggeringly energy dense.

If you simply must have something unique and tau-related, just say they've heretically applied reverse engineered Tau tech principles in order to create lasguns that sacrifice reliability for extra power and range- S3, AP 6, R30" Rapid Fire.

[Charistoph]

Pulse rifles don't use energy cells as ammunition. They have solid ammo, which the gun uses a secondary energy cell to help activate and fire.

1) I never that the Pulse Rifle energy cell was used for ammunition.

2) You contradicted yourself in saying they have a secondary energy cell (where's the primary?).

3) It's the energy cell that starts the ball rolling that's being put in the lasgun.

The Tau also don't entrust Gue'vesa with the manufacturing knowledge for any of the Tau wargear they may have. So even aside from the fact that such a feat of reverse engineering would be far beyond anyone except Admech who'd never countenance the idea, it wouldn't be available to do so.

Why not?  Especially if the Humans are the most common form of labor available in this cluster and have been properly trained for a couple generations into the Greater Good?  The AdMech in this area is gone, and all their technical dogma.  These Humans are being taught by Fios to do the job they don't have the numbers for.

Even should you successfully manage this, the ultimate result would just be a lasgun that doesn't work as well. You would have compromised the infamously robust and reliable mechanism of the lasgun to force it to accept a non-STC power source, which is much more difficult to manufacture, can't be recharged like a Lasgun power cell can, and probably really isn't all that much more powerful to begin with- if you look into it, ordinary lasgun power are staggeringly energy dense.

If you simply must have something unique and tau-related, just say they've heretically applied reverse engineered Tau tech principles in order to create lasguns that sacrifice reliability for extra power and range- S3, AP 6, R30" Rapid Fire.

It wouldn't be heretically.  Anyone associated with the Imperium is long dead by this point from age or gun point.  A heretic implies one is a member of a group or order.  This group of Humans are not.  (Wouldn't stop the Imperium from calling them that, though).

And thanks for ignoring the main request of this thread.

[Naser Al-Istikhara Cyrus]

Pulse rifles don't use energy cells as ammunition. They have solid ammo, which the gun uses a secondary energy cell to help activate and fire.

1) I never that the Pulse Rifle energy cell was used for ammunition.

2) You contradicted yourself in saying they have a secondary energy cell (where's the primary?).

3) It's the energy cell that starts the ball rolling that's being put in the lasgun.

I think what he's trying to say, is that the Pulse Rifle's Energy Cell is a "Secondary" cell, because it's used to assist the gun (by loading and charging rounds, etc) rather than actually being used to fire. IIRC, the lasgun has no "ball" to roll - its simply converting the energy from the Power Cell to an Energy Projectile or some sort. Pulse rifle cells may not be used for ammunition, but Lasgun packs are depleted very similarly to ammunition. Hence a simple conversion by simply using a different energy cell won't work, even when reverse engineered - because it's not what the Tau Energy Cells were designed to do.

The Tau also don't entrust Gue'vesa with the manufacturing knowledge for any of the Tau wargear they may have. So even aside from the fact that such a feat of reverse engineering would be far beyond anyone except Admech who'd never countenance the idea, it wouldn't be available to do so.

Why not?  Especially if the Humans are the most common form of labor available in this cluster and have been properly trained for a couple generations into the Greater Good?  The AdMech in this area is gone, and all their technical dogma.  These Humans are being taught by Fios to do the job they don't have the numbers for.

The Tau would not share the secrets to how they manage their weapons "in the name of the greater good." The advancement in Tau's Technology is so vast that their manufacturing is most likely done completely by AI-controlled Engineer Drones in specifically designed factories and workshops. The Tau would no sooner give the Imperial's guns in order to attempt to ally with them then the Imperium would give the Orks some tanks for them to loot, in order to gain their allegiance. It just wouldn't happen.

To be honest, if the Guard wanted some stronger lasgun varients, they can simply overcharge the cells, or build new guns to use different sized cells. IIRC, the Lasgun, Long-las Sniper Rifle, Hellgun, Multilaser and Lascannon all use the same type of energy cell. Personally it would be wiser resource wise to delve into new varients using the current selection of cells available to the IG then to attempt to reverse engineer foreign energy cells and duplicate them before making them standard issue across certain units of the IG regiments.

I understand you put the query up to get some input on the Name of the rifle, but discussions about plausibility will almost always come with the package free of charge We're all hobbyists and fans here - and even though it feels like you're changing what you've spent time and effort creating, a second (and 200th) opinion can still help bring out the best potential for the weapon. Don't take it as though people are deliberately shutting down your ideas, we're just trying to make it fit in with the rest of the fluff. If Mat Ward used this forum, we'd offer him the same critique we offer everyone else (Except he'd probably get LOTS of C&C )

Zambia

[Charistoph]

Pulse rifles don't use energy cells as ammunition. They have solid ammo, which the gun uses a secondary energy cell to help activate and fire.

1) I never that the Pulse Rifle energy cell was used for ammunition.

2) You contradicted yourself in saying they have a secondary energy cell (where's the primary?).

3) It's the energy cell that starts the ball rolling that's being put in the lasgun.

I think what he's trying to say, is that the Pulse Rifle's Energy Cell is a "Secondary" cell, because it's used to assist the gun (by loading and charging rounds, etc) rather than actually being used to fire. IIRC, the lasgun has no "ball" to roll - its simply converting the energy from the Power Cell to an Energy Projectile or some sort. Pulse rifle cells may not be used for ammunition, but Lasgun packs are depleted very similarly to ammunition. Hence a simple conversion by simply using a different energy cell won't work, even when reverse engineered - because it's not what the Tau Energy Cells were designed to do.

I guess it depends on how we see those cells.  I see them as batteries of energy.  In the case of the lasgun's cell, it also comes with a recharger built in.  At which point, it's only a question of conversion and appropriate steps to avoid burn out of the system while in use.  Kind of like using your phone battery to run a flashlight.  Yeah, it doesn't normally work like that or fit properly, but with the right bits and bobs, you can get it to work, or use similar tech to make a LiIon battery for a flashlight.

The Tau also don't entrust Gue'vesa with the manufacturing knowledge for any of the Tau wargear they may have. So even aside from the fact that such a feat of reverse engineering would be far beyond anyone except Admech who'd never countenance the idea, it wouldn't be available to do so.

Why not?  Especially if the Humans are the most common form of labor available in this cluster and have been properly trained for a couple generations into the Greater Good?  The AdMech in this area is gone, and all their technical dogma.  These Humans are being taught by Fios to do the job they don't have the numbers for.

The Tau would not share the secrets to how they manage their weapons "in the name of the greater good." The advancement in Tau's Technology is so vast that their manufacturing is most likely done completely by AI-controlled Engineer Drones in specifically designed factories and workshops. The Tau would no sooner give the Imperial's guns in order to attempt to ally with them then the Imperium would give the Orks some tanks for them to loot, in order to gain their allegiance. It just wouldn't happen.

To be honest, if the Guard wanted some stronger lasgun varients, they can simply overcharge the cells, or build new guns to use different sized cells. IIRC, the Lasgun, Long-las Sniper Rifle, Hellgun, Multilaser and Lascannon all use the same type of energy cell. Personally it would be wiser resource wise to delve into new varients using the current selection of cells available to the IG then to attempt to reverse engineer foreign energy cells and duplicate them before making them standard issue across certain units of the IG regiments.

This is a weapon for a different kind of Humanity.  One that has seen that progress IS possible and is seeking it out and working on it.  These Humans haven't been stuck in the doldrums of the Imperium and regained a little of the spark that drove them to the stars, to explore, and to invent.

This isn't for the Imperial Guard.  Though they are stated similarly, they won't be operating the same, nor have the same organization, but a hybrid of the Fire Caste, the Guard, and a little something else.

I understand you put the query up to get some input on the Name of the rifle, but discussions about plausibility will almost always come with the package free of charge We're all hobbyists and fans here - and even though it feels like you're changing what you've spent time and effort creating, a second (and 200th) opinion can still help bring out the best potential for the weapon. Don't take it as though people are deliberately shutting down your ideas, we're just trying to make it fit in with the rest of the fluff. If Mat Ward used this forum, we'd offer him the same critique we offer everyone else (Except he'd probably get LOTS of C&C )

Zambia

I'm sorry I didn't flesh out the entire fluff of the army that this weapon was going to be deployed with, especially when I'm still working out the details for them (like time lines).  I'm trying to focus on the weapon here to get some ideas.

[Warptide]

Sun beam, pulse gun, phase shot, lasplas, nova carbine...

Or any combination of those really. Just some ideas.