If the laser hits, it does its normal damage, and a second roll is made for the EPC.

If the laser fails to hit, both weapons are stopped by the shields. To achieve a hit, first the laser must penetrate the shields. The weapon has met with mixed success when encountering shielded targets, often the EPC beam is stopped even if the laser achieves a hit through the shield. The EPC is timed to impact an instant after the laser hits, creating a characteristic T-shaped damage profile. In this weapon system, Commonwealth engineers tried to synchronise a 5/1 laser with an Electron Particle Cannon to achieve an undercutting effect on armour. The LEPC-18 schematics, as appearing in the Renegade Legions Fighter Briefing Laser / EPC Combination (LEPC) ( Commonwealth / Renegade forces only) Often, starfighters carry a mixed array of EPCs and laser weapons to undercut armour if the EPC beam hits an area already deeply perforated by a laser. Rather than penetrating armour plating, the EPC boils it off in large planes, a layer at a time. An EPC hit is dispersed over the surface of the target. The beam, which is visible in space as a faint blue line, is most effective for close-in fighting between ships.

Although the magnets, focusers and electron extracting machinery are all relatively small and lightweight, the power required to fire the weapon is high. A complex array of superconductive magnets and focusers accelerate the streams of electrons to near the speed of light before directing them towards the target. The EPC strips the electrons from atoms, usually helium or hydrogen from the shipВґs I-K driveВґs fuel reserve. Particle Weapons in Interceptor Electron Particle Cannon (EPC) Grav tanks and ground vehicles are not equipped with particle weapons in atmosphere, charged particles lose attenuation quickly and are therefore not a feasible weapons system in ground warfare. Atmospheric density prevents a particle weapon from firing at range, as the beam quickly disperses when meeting air resistance. There are no hand-held or pintle-mounted particle weapons able to be used by infantry.

3.2 Laser / EPC Combination (LEPC) (Commonwealth / Renegade forces only).1 Particle Weapons in the Legionnaire RPG.

Renegade legion centurion templates