Magnetic Accelerator Cannon: Difference between revisions
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==Overview== | ==Overview== | ||
[[File:Magnetic_Accelerator_Cannon.png|300px|thumb|An Orbital Defense Platform above the planet [[Reach]] preparing to fire its Magnetic Accelerator Cannon.]] | [[File:Magnetic_Accelerator_Cannon.png|300px|thumb|An Orbital Defense Platform above the planet [[Reach]] preparing to fire its Magnetic Accelerator Cannon.]] | ||
The | The operation principle of a Magnetic Accelerator Cannon is the same as that of a coilgun.<ref group="notes">A coilgun (not to be confused with a railgun) is a type of cannon which uses one or more electromagnetic coils to accelerate a magnetic projectile to high velocity.</ref> The cannon fires a massive metal projectile using a linear system of magnetic fields coils down a long shaft, increasing the projectile's velocity until it carries an incredible amount of kinetic energy. The ship-based models use ferric, ferrous, or depleted uranium cores, while orbital platforms and station-based versions use ferric tungsten rounds. | ||
===Mounting=== | ===Mounting=== | ||
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===Ammunition=== | ===Ammunition=== | ||
A standard ship-based MAC fires slugs of either ferric [[tungsten]] or depleted uranium at around 30,000 meters per second.<ref>'''[[Halo: The Fall of Reach]]''', page 108</ref> The high muzzle speed gives the 600-ton slug the kinetic energy and momentum necessary to damage a target and partially mitigates the unguided nature of the slug and its lack of maneuverability. [[ODP|Orbital Defense Platforms]] fire a 3,000-ton slug at "point four-tenths"<ref>'''[[Halo: The Fall of Reach]]''', page 320</ref> the [[Wikipedia:Speed of light|speed of light]], around 12,000 kilometers per second, which is capable of piercing multiple obstacles before fully stopping the projectile, if needed. | A standard ship-based MAC fires slugs of either ferric [[tungsten]] or depleted uranium at around 30,000 meters per second.<ref name="for108">'''[[Halo: The Fall of Reach]]''', page 108</ref> The high muzzle speed gives the 600-ton slug the kinetic energy and momentum necessary to damage a target and partially mitigates the unguided nature of the slug and its lack of maneuverability. [[ODP|Orbital Defense Platforms]] fire a 3,000-ton slug at "point four-tenths"<ref>'''[[Halo: The Fall of Reach]]''', page 320</ref> the [[Wikipedia:Speed of light|speed of light]], around 12,000 kilometers per second, which is capable of piercing multiple obstacles before fully stopping the projectile, if needed. | ||
===Aiming=== | ===Aiming=== | ||
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==Types== | ==Types== | ||
===Standard Magnetic Accelerator Cannon=== | ===Standard Magnetic Accelerator Cannon=== | ||
The standard ship-mounted MAC fires a 600-ton ferric-tungsten projectile with a depleted uranium core at | The standard ship-mounted MAC fires a 600-ton ferric-tungsten projectile with a depleted uranium core at 30,000 meters per second.<ref name="for108"/> The large amount of energy needed to fire the weapon is particularly onerous on a warship, and the extended recharge time is a significant factor in combat against Covenant warships as multiple MAC rounds are required to penetrate Covenant shields. At 270 terajoules per shot a single ship base MAC round can destroy any UNSC or Covenant ship in one shot. | ||
Shipborne MAC draw power from the ship's reactor and require a charge of the weapon's magnetic coils in order to be fired. According to ''Halo: the Fall of Reach'' it takes three shots from the standard MAC cannon to effectively lower the shields of a covenant ship and destroy it. The time it takes to bring the MAC's systems to full charge on a UNSC vessel is the deciding force in a conflict. Thus, while a vessel may not run out of ammunition for a long time (depending on the size/weight of the shots and the capacity of the ship), a captain or commander has to carefully analyze the situation of a battle and use his shots strategically. The weapon can be fired even when not at full charge, but the range and velocity of the projectile is greatly diminished. | Shipborne MAC draw power from the ship's reactor and require a charge of the weapon's magnetic coils in order to be fired. According to ''Halo: the Fall of Reach'' it takes three shots from the standard MAC cannon to effectively lower the shields of a covenant ship and destroy it. The time it takes to bring the MAC's systems to full charge on a UNSC vessel is the deciding force in a conflict. Thus, while a vessel may not run out of ammunition for a long time (depending on the size/weight of the shots and the capacity of the ship), a captain or commander has to carefully analyze the situation of a battle and use his shots strategically. The weapon can be fired even when not at full charge, but the range and velocity of the projectile is greatly diminished. | ||
