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Energy weapons are characterized as high-heat, non-ammo dependant weapons with low critical slot and weight fitting requirements. Energy weapons do full damage to a target up to their optimal range and then do decreasing damage to their maximum range (though one weapon type has a minimum range: the IS PPC).
Lasers
Most Energy weapons are lasers. All lasers operate in the same manner: when a laser is fired, the beam instantaneously extends to the range of the weapon. There is no arc or delay as is the case with other weapon types and no need to ‘lead’ the target. Targets struck by the beam immediately begin taking damage to the specific hit location. Lasers do not do all their damage at once, instead damage is applied in increments for the duration of the beam effect. This means that to deliver the full damage potential of a laser, the beam must be kept on the target for the duration of the beam.
Lasers are categorized by size: small, medium and large, which refers both to the damage they do, the heat they generate, and their fitting requirements. Within these categories there are two main types of laser: standard and pulse. In a particular category (small, medium, or large) both types do about the same amount of damage (pulse does a bit more). Pulse lasers have a shorter beam duration, making it easier to deliver the entire damage potential of the beam to the target. However, pulse lasers have higher fitting requirements, generate more heat, and have a shorter range than standard lasers.
There are also lasers designated ER, or Extended Range. For the Inner Sphere there is one ER type. the ER Large Laser. This is an upgrade to the standard Large Laser that provides increased range at the cost of increased heat. All Clan standard lasers are labeled as ER but this designation is not meaningful in MWO as there are no non-ER standard Clan lasers.
For detailed information on the specifications of each laser, please check the in-game mechlab or Smurfy.
Particle Projector Cannon (PPC)
PPCs are the second type of Energy weapon. PPCs do not share the beam-based damage over time mechanic of lasers. Instead, PPCs fire a single projectile which travels to the target much like a Ballistic projectile. Unlike a Ballistic projectile, there is no arc or drop to a PPC bolt, even at extreme range.
When an IS PPC bolt hits a target, all damage from the weapon is applied to the point of impact. Clan PPCs apply ⅔ of their damage to the point of impact and the remainder to two adjacent location on the mech.
The Inner Sphere has two PPC types: standard and Extended Range (ER). Standard IS PPCs have a minimum range--below 90m a standard PPC does no damage. ER PPCs do not have this minimum range and have a longer range at the cost of generating more heat. There is only one Clan PPC type, the Clan ER PPC and like its Inner Sphere analogue it does not have a minimum range.
Flamers
Flamers are the last Energy weapon type. Flamers operate very differently than other Energy weapons but share many aspects with Machine Guns (see the Ballistics article for more information). Like a Machine Gun, the Flamer generates a cone of effect extending directly from the weapon to the maximum range. Hits are randomly assigned to mech target locations within the cone at short periodic intervals. This means that the Flamer is imprecise and will spread damage over the target.
Flamers do little raw damage but have two additional effects. First, Flamers have a bonus to their critical hit chance, like an LB-X autocannon or Machine Gun. This only affects mech locations without armor as armor prevents critical hits. Second, Flamers are the only weapon that generate heat on the target. This heat generation is limited: it cannot take a targeted mech over 90% of its heat capacity and the heat generation in not usually enough to significantly raise the target’s temperature. However, the heat will usually be enough to interfere with the target’s cooling ability, making it more likely that the target will overheat itself.
Note that, as an Energy weapon, Flamers generate heat on the equipped mech and this prevents use of the weapon for extended periods as can be done with Machine Guns.
Target Acquisition Gear (TAG)
TAG is the last type of item that can be fitted to an Energy hardpoint, but it is not a weapon. Instead, TAG is a utility item that assists in targeting, both for the mech carrying TAG and their teammates.
TAG generates no heat and requires no ammo. It has a range of 750m with no falloff effects due to range. It creates a visible beam to the target which makes it possible for an enemy to identify the source of the TAG.
To use TAG, the player must hold down the assigned trigger and keep their targeting reticule on the enemy target (‘painting’ the target). The game checks once per second to verify the TAG is on target so there is a slight wiggle-room for the TAG-using player in keeping the target painted.
When an enemy target has been TAG’d, it is subject to the following effects:
- Time to lock onto the target reduced by 50%
- The time before target lock on the target is lost increased by 150% (This effect is given by PGI in the patch notes but I am unsure of the exact meaning. I cannot be the same as target decay as the TAG-equipped mech will always have targeting info on the painted mech to share with teammates.)
- Missile spread against the target reduced to 75% of normal (similar to the effects of Artemis. See the Missile article for more detail). This affects LRMs--based on my testing it does not appear to affect SRMs the way Artemis does.
- If the target of TAG is protected by ECM, TAG eliminates the benefit of ECM to the painted target. Targeting info on the painted target is only shared with teammates if the mech with TAG is outside the range of enemy ECM.
Other information
As with other weapons, there are modules which affect Energy weapon performance. Clan Targeting Computers also provide interesting boosts to Energy weapons--Targeting Computers are described in the article on Equipment.
This is one of a series of articles on concepts in MWO. If you found this article helpful, you may wish to read the other articles listed in this post.
Edited by Gauvan, 10 November 2014 - 08:38 AM.
