Difference between revisions of "Balor"

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The '''Balor''' is a rapid-fire particle cannon developed by the [[GTVA]] as a result of the Threat Exigency Initiative. The Balor was designed with flexibility in mind; its high refire rate and projectile speed makes it an excellent weapon of choice against bombs and smaller, faster enemies, while sustained fire and successive hits allows it to grind through the hulls of heavy bombers within a reasonable amount of time. In addition, the Balor's low energy drain means that it can be fired for prolonged periods, even with decreased weapons energy recharge. The success of the Balor prompted it to be mass-produced even during the economic collapse that arose as a result of the Capella supernova, and its versatility on the field was put to good use during the 14th Battlegroup during their [[Blue Planet: Age of Aquarius|misadventure to Sol]].
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The '''Balor''' is a rapid-fire particle cannon developed by the [[GTVA]] as a result of the Threat Exigency Initiative. The Balor was designed with flexibility in mind; its high refire rate and projectile speed makes it an excellent weapon of choice against bombs and smaller, faster enemies, while sustained fire and successive hits allows it to grind through the hulls of heavy bombers within a reasonable amount of time. In addition, the Balor's low energy drain means that it can be fired for prolonged periods, even with decreased weapons energy recharge. The success of the Balor prompted it to be mass-produced even during the economic collapse that arose as a result of the Capella supernova, and its versatility on the field was put to good use in the 14th Battlegroup during their [[Blue Planet: Age of Aquarius|misadventure to Sol]].
  
 
The Balor employs a cycle-fire pattern that causes it to fire a single shot from each chamber sequentially, rather than the more common simultaneous-fire pattern found in almost all pre-Capella weapons that fire a single shot from all chambers at once. Hence, the Balor's firing speed is proportional to the number of firing points of the primary weapon bank it is mounted on. When mounted on a primary bank with more than two firing points, such as the lower quad bank of an [[GTF Aurora|''Aurora'' heavy reconnaissance fighter]], the Balor's firing rate is increased dramatically.
 
The Balor employs a cycle-fire pattern that causes it to fire a single shot from each chamber sequentially, rather than the more common simultaneous-fire pattern found in almost all pre-Capella weapons that fire a single shot from all chambers at once. Hence, the Balor's firing speed is proportional to the number of firing points of the primary weapon bank it is mounted on. When mounted on a primary bank with more than two firing points, such as the lower quad bank of an [[GTF Aurora|''Aurora'' heavy reconnaissance fighter]], the Balor's firing rate is increased dramatically.

Revision as of 05:22, 20 December 2010

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The following information has not been confirmed by Volition
and is therefore not canon for the FreeSpace universe.

The Balor is a rapid-fire particle cannon developed by the GTVA as a result of the Threat Exigency Initiative. The Balor was designed with flexibility in mind; its high refire rate and projectile speed makes it an excellent weapon of choice against bombs and smaller, faster enemies, while sustained fire and successive hits allows it to grind through the hulls of heavy bombers within a reasonable amount of time. In addition, the Balor's low energy drain means that it can be fired for prolonged periods, even with decreased weapons energy recharge. The success of the Balor prompted it to be mass-produced even during the economic collapse that arose as a result of the Capella supernova, and its versatility on the field was put to good use in the 14th Battlegroup during their misadventure to Sol.

The Balor employs a cycle-fire pattern that causes it to fire a single shot from each chamber sequentially, rather than the more common simultaneous-fire pattern found in almost all pre-Capella weapons that fire a single shot from all chambers at once. Hence, the Balor's firing speed is proportional to the number of firing points of the primary weapon bank it is mounted on. When mounted on a primary bank with more than two firing points, such as the lower quad bank of an Aurora heavy reconnaissance fighter, the Balor's firing rate is increased dramatically.

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The Balor


Description

Blue Planet Tech Room Description

The Balor particle cannon is a production derivative of the UD-8 Kayser technology, optimized for low energy usage and high rate of fire. Developed by a collaborative crash program between the Akheton Corporation and Triton Dynamics, the Balor is designed to give GTVA fighters flexible, sustained firepower, capable of engaging nimble Shivan light fighters and massive bombers alike. The Balor's design reflects the bloody lessons of Capella - its high rate of fire allows it to excel at warhead intercept. Produced in massive numbers even during the post-war economic collapse, the high-compatibility Balor is now used in every Terran fighter squadron of the GTVA. The Balor was the first result of the post-Capella Threat Exigency Initiative.

Performance

Statistics

Range 1125 m
Rate of Fire 0.2 shots per second
Velocity 675 ms-1
Base Damage 16
Armor Damage 1.0x 16
Shield Damage 1.0x 16
Subsystem Damage 0.4x 6.4


Notes

Veteran Comments

Please read the Veteran Comments policy before editing this section.


The Balor is the weapon that can give the GTW UD-8 Kayser a run for its money. In fact, the Balor in its original incarnation actually outstrips the Kayser in terms of overall damage done per second if every shot hits. Subsequent revisions of AoA have rebalanced the Balor so that it is now more on par with the GTW Prometheus S.


The Balor isn't the monster it once was, and it can't provide the single-hit snapshot punch of the Prometheus S or GTW UD-8 Kayser, but it has minimal energy usage, it's an excellent bomb interceptor, and it certainly outperforms its predecessor the Subach HL-7. The Balor's balance is a delicate matter since it serves as one of the primary antagonist fighter weapons in War in Heaven.