I am writing a SciFi story but I don't like Rayguns

[SleipnirTheHorse]

I have an advanced race of aliens, but I want them to use a Projectile Weapon.

I've written that they have high-density propelled by a plasma explosion, inside a chamber of a powerful and strong gun.

 

[Frabjous]

In general, people try to avoid explosions because of the shock waves damaging the gun. Plasmas will probably cause excessive barrel wear.

 

[DaveC426913]

Was there a question? Did you want feedback? Advice?
Tell us a little more about your story.

 

[SleipnirTheHorse]

Was there a question? Did you want feedback? Advice?
Tell us a little more about your story.

Advice.

 

[SleipnirTheHorse]

In general, people try to avoid explosions because of the shock waves damaging the gun. Plasmas will probably cause excessive barrel wear.

Well, what type of explosion or projectile force would work? Maybe hyper-magnetic?

 

[Rive]

I want them to use a Projectile Weapon.

You need to be aware of the limitations, then. There is a maximal velocity (well below orbital velocities), and with projectile mass and speed comes barrel wear: with orbital-like distances comes accuracy requirements not really achievable.
Also, the traditional in-flight corrections for projectiles won't work in space.

 

[SleipnirTheHorse]

You need to be aware of the limitations, then. There is a maximal velocity (well below orbital velocities), and with projectile mass and speed comes barrel wear: with orbital-like distances comes accuracy requirements not really achievable.
Also, the traditional in-flight corrections for projectiles won't work in space.

So what would be the best way to do, this, I'm thinking of a gun that fires a bolt of pressurized plasma?

 

[Rive]

bolt of pressurized plasma

Once you are down to technobabble, you can do anything and no need for advice about hard Sci-Fi.

A 'bolt of pressurized plasma' is an explosion, not a projectile.

 

[Physics Detective]

I have an advanced race of aliens, but I want them to use a Projectile Weapon.

I've written that they have high-density propelled by a plasma explosion, inside a chamber of a powerful and strong gun.

Make it a "gamma gun". A gun which emulates a gamma ray burst, and is powered by the 100% conversion of matter into energy. The amount of matter converted to propel each bullet would be tiny. The bullets would be small too, but very fast. Let's a say a bullet has a kinetic energy of 1000 Joules. You would need 11.1 picograms of matter to yield that much energy. There are of course one or two little issues, such as would the bullet get vapourised, but you can work round that.

 

[BWV]

Why not a rail gun? If you can handwaive past the energy requirement, it’s the most powerful way to launch projectiles

 

[Physics Detective]

How about a gamma railgun?

 

[SleipnirTheHorse]

Why not a rail gun? If you can handwaive past the energy requirement, it’s the most powerful way to launch projectiles

A Rail Gun sounds good!

 

[DaveC426913]

A Rail Gun sounds good!

Not to mention highly plausible, being built on existing technology but for compactness.

 

[Ken Fabian]

Plasma explosions would be fine for a fictional projectile weapon - just don't say how they would work.

It is fiction - there isn't any requirement that the technologies should actually work. For lots of SF the key technologies more often don't exist and wouldn't work but it doesn't detract from the appeal of the story - which generally require interesting human interactions more than accurate physics.

Internal consistency within the story about technologies matters more than consistency with actual physics and being vague about the details can go a long way.

 

[DaveC426913]

the appeal of the story - which generally require interesting human interactions more than accurate physics.

Seconded.

We should be more interested in what your story says about the Human Condition than about what it says about weaponry.

 

[GTOM]

Probably railguns are closest to Star wars blasters. They can boost a small projectile to so high speed that it glows. Until air slows it, it will have excellent armor pierce.
If anti-missile systems keep advancing, it doesnt hurt to have supervelocity weapons too.

 

[Ben vdP]

There is already a lot of laser guided weaponry.

Smart ammunition could be a direction to take.
Point the gun or upload the target description; and the bullet, needle or missile will identify or find the target out of itself and follows its trail.
It doesn't have to go fast, always. And can contain different options, i.e. not only something explosive but also acid or some poison (more effective than that of the spitting cobra) or something stunning. The projectile may even look like a tiny insect that may follow you for 15 minutes before it strikes.
There could be lots of options.

For a brute force effect or something immediate, take the plasma explosion more indirectly or figuratively or as intermediate step. You need to have an enormously high and very concentrated EM-field created that directs and propels the projectile initially like radiation from a pulsar or in a burst.

I do not have a design for it.

 

[DaveC426913]

The important issue here is not why you the author prefer projectile weapons but why your intelligent alien race prefers projectile weapons.

Because if the choice of weaponry doesn't do double duty - telling us more about the culture or circumstances of the characters in your story - it shouldn't be in there.

 

[Physics Detective]

@SleipnirTheHorse : how about because they like meat.

 

[Herman Trivilino]

Plasmas will probably cause excessive barrel wear.

Not to mention the damage to the projectile itself.

 

[Ken Fabian]

Not to mention the damage to the projectile itself.

Imaginary weapons can be easily made of imaginary 'wear resistant' materials, or just don't ever mention barrel wear - problem fixed.

Suspension of disbelief - an essential SF story ingredient - is not a matter of the story details conforming to reality. There wouldn't be SF stories if conforming to reality was a requirement.

 

[GTOM]

The important issue here is not why you the author prefer projectile weapons but why your intelligent alien race prefers projectile weapons.

Because if the choice of weaponry doesn't do double duty - telling us more about the culture or circumstances of the characters in your story - it shouldn't be in there.

I also think weapons can tell something about a culture. I write about a culture went full backward after AI Rebellion, they have powered armored knights with plasma swords. Although they are a police force and inside a space station, bullets can damage pretty much things.
Against external threats, they Use serious weapons Although i think sword can be justified in narrow asteroid mine shafts.

 

[Herman Trivilino]

Suspension of disbelief - an essential SF story ingredient - is not a matter of the story details conforming to reality

Well, sure, but why come to a physics forum? Presumably because the author is interested in advice, not about writing strategies in general, but in this case about the physics of projectile guns, which is the reality.

I agree that good SF is about suspension of belief, but I presumed the OP is interested in suspension of beliefs about physics. And knowing that might help authors to better understand which beliefs are being suspended. Indeed of course if that's what they're interested in.

 

[DaveC426913]

I also think weapons can tell something about a culture.

Exactly.

But more than can - should. But it should not be inadvertant; it should be deliberately used.

It will fall under the rubric of world-building. Fleshing out the aliens will lead, logically, to the weapons they use.

Even if they're the same as the Earthlings' weapons - say everyone uses a generic weapon - that's still part of the world-building - perhaps because it hints at a communal history and commonality that led to both (or all) races using the same type of weapon. Or some such. It doesn't matter how you rationalize it; as long as you do.

 

[jbriggs444]

If one is talking about hand held ballistic projectile weaponry then there is not a lot of room for improvement over gunpowder and lead. Chemical power source with built in oxidizer and projectile in a compact cartridge format offering a rate of fire good enough to deplete reasonable ammo supplies in seconds.

Guided or intelligent projectiles are a possibility that has been mentioned.

A better power source could lead to smaller and faster projectiles. More kinetic energy downrange for the same felt recoil. More carried ammo for a given amount of weight. Maybe one would need frequent barrel changes.

 

[sbrothy]

Well they beat laser rifles any day.

 

[SleipnirTheHorse]

I think I'm going to say their gauss guns like in Descent 2.

 

[SleipnirTheHorse]

@SleipnirTheHorse : how about because they like meat.

Like Cosgrove from Freakazoid?

 

[Physics Detective]

No. Like predators like meat. Fresh. Still warm if possible. Or better still, still alive. This is a very good reason for not using death ray disintegrator weapons as per Mars Attacks! That's if your aliens are the bad guys of course. Apologies if I missed something on that.

 

[SleipnirTheHorse]

No. Like predators like meat. Fresh. Still warm if possible. Or better still, still alive. This is a very good reason for not using death ray disintegrator weapons as per Mars Attacks! That's if your aliens are the bad guys of course. Apologies if I missed something on that.

Well, the reason is because of the opposite, the aliens don't want to kill unless they absolutely have to. They take prisoners according to Galactic Convention.