Hyperenergetic Plasma Ball Cannon HPBC

Large, fully autonomous (remote operated) starship of the Hyperion Federation.
The Hyperenergetic Plasma Ball Cannon (HPBC) is essentially a very large weapon, similar to the Trebuchet Class Deep Space Railcannon except it is not a deep space weapon platform. Instead, it fires a large ball of subluminal plasma. This ball projects a large aura around it within which all targets are continually struck with high energy particle beams. The HPBC works by superheating a highly dense plasma before ejecting it with a plasma railgun esque barrel. After travelling a certain distance, a small flare - like object on the plasma ball explodes and causes it to remain in space relative to the original position of the weapon platform. The plasma ball is now ready to fire.
This type of plasma, at this temperature, clumps surprisingly well and is attracted to nearby objects that emit gravitational waves. It can be avoided with effective Graviton Wave Refraction, but this can be difficult to perform to such a high degree of precision. The attraction of gravity causes the plasma ball to lose a small amount of material and cause heavy damage as it melts through the shield as it reaches its target, but the plasma cannot effectively travel above a certain distance.
The HF military saw the HPBC to be a highly effective area denial weapon. The plasma balls it fires are obvious to the enemy, so they will typically try to avoid them. This can allow the HF military to create chokepoints or positional advantages. However, despite this, it has been deemed largely unethical by the Hyperion Ethics Committee due to its potential in causing mass deaths. The military was not using it to cause mass deaths, so continued to use it. This has caused a small civil war as individuals of the federation had to rise up to remind the HF military to not do the same thing as the Rih’kiel Remnant before them has done. Billions have perished during these wars, which was enough to convince the military to stop usage of HPBCs. These wars, as well as the vehicle itself, have become a reminder of the importance of the ethics committee.

Owning Organization

Hyperion Federation

Length

2 km