Sandcasters are a defensive weapon that launches clouds of ablative crystals that can ablate laser fire in space. Each canister weighs 200 lbs. The caster itself is a 250mm Slow Autoload Extremely long barrel Extra Low Power Electomag gun. Standard canisters can be a devastating weapon at close range on the ground. The canister has no dispersive charge. On the ground a sandcaster will act as a giant shotgun. In atmosphere, against lower power planetary weapons, sand will fail to ablate and so is generally ineffective as a defense. Ships have been known to use their own lasers to activate a cloud of sand in an atmosphere to create a protective cloud.
A sandcaster can be used from orbit, or from suborbital space to fire ammunition which has been designed for use in a Sandcaster turret. All loads other than ablative sand are generally considered LC1, and are likely to be possessed only by licensed mercenary companies or the military.
Canister loads consist of shot pellets. Each canister includes a burst charge whose job it is to disperse the shot, once it is away from the ship. It has a longer range than a standard sand load, but will do less damage.
Beehive has an even greater range. A sandcaster equipped ship can literally rain death from above.
Advanced Chaff can be deployed to help spoof attacking weapons, but is only really effective in atmosphere. A small bursting charge allows remote dispersal.
Prismatic Ablative shells can be used to give cover to troops or vehicles. Like chaff Prismatic Ablative substance is dispersed with a small bursting charge which allows it to be deployed at any distance up to the maximum range or the weapon.
CHEM shells can be loaded with any chemical, but chemical weapons are generally considered by the Imperium to be weapons of mass destruction and so their use is a violation of the Rules of War and will exact retribution. Typical loads of permitted CHEM weapons include smoke, hot smoke, blackout gas and sleep gas.
| Name | Type | Damage | SS | Acc | 1/2D | Max | Wt. | Radius | RoF | Shots |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sand |
Cr.
|
5d x 50
|
32
|
24
|
6,000
|
8,900
|
120
|
-
|
13
|
200
|
| Canister |
Cr.
|
4d
|
32
|
19
|
10,000
|
14,800
|
140
|
-
|
13
|
200
|
| Beehive |
Cr.
|
4d
|
32
|
24
|
60,000
|
89,000
|
140
|
-
|
13
|
200
|
| Chaff |
Spcl.
|
32
|
24
|
60,000
|
89,000
|
140
|
1250yds
|
13
|
200
|
|
| Prismatic Ablative |
Spcl.
|
32
|
24
|
60,000
|
89,000
|
140
|
250yds
|
13
|
200
|
|
| Chem |
Spcl.
|
32
|
24
|
60,000
|
89,000
|
140
|
250yds
|
13
|
200
|
|
Ranges are for shots fired horizontally. Ordinance fired from above will, of course, act as deadfall ordinance; the force of gravity accelerating the projectiles to greater velocity, and so causing greater KE damage. Chaff, CHEM, and Prismatic Ablative are made to disperse in the air and so generally form a cloud once released, if in a standard atmosphere. They are generally ineffective in vacuum.
