Weapons
Mass Accelerator weapon technology has been stagnant in the past few millennia. It is generally considered that manipulation of Mass Effect fields for military use has evolved to its peak. The current Citadel species have had time to refine every weapon design, from howitzers to pistols, to peak efficiency. Any upgrades that become available is marginal at best. New species that come up into the galactic community tend to adopt ubiquitous designs that are commonplace in the galaxy, and make it standard issue. The most notable weapon developments in recent history took place in 34 CE, when salarians introduced weapon Vis to ensure precise shot placements and maintenance of weapons; in 1680 CE, when quarians developed modified ammunition blocks during the Morning War, and in 2183 CE, when geth introduced thermal clips during the Geth War.
Heavy infantry weapons are more or less similar in every military force, with every race utilizing some variant of standard howitzers, medium guns, autocannons, chain guns, mortars, GARDIAN batteries, multi-launch rocket launchers and heavy machine guns. For example, ML-77 and ML-94 rocket launchers (both Armax designs), various types of grenade launchers ranging from emplaced automatic ones to handheld smaller ones, Tsunami and Triumverate miniguns (general-purpose battlesuit weapons) are used by Council militaries, rogue states and pirate nations all alike. Scalpel and Arrow tactical missiles, along with precision-kill rockets see similar widespread usage. Most of these designs go back to the Krogan Rebellions era, or even before. It is generally considered that unit-size weapons technology matured during the thousand-year period between the turian Unification Wars and the fall of Tuchanka. Aside from implementing an efficiency patch in GARDIAN lasers or issuing next-gen guided sabot rounds for guns, no radical change has been seen for the last millennia in this category.
Small arms and missiles are the exceptions to this trend. Missiles, being top-secret weapons, are developed individually, and thus vary in design among each races. Major militaries use missiles of various types, but the usage and variety is too numerous to list. Missiles vary from Hierarchy Thanix missiles to human Javelin dark-energy ones. Often a single military shall be employing hundreds of missile systems; since all missiles are controlled with universal targeting systems, logistics is not a problem.
By our own categorization system (which has been adopted by pretty much all the galaxy), small arms fall into three categories:
Mass-Assisted weapons are standard mass accelerators, naval weapons shrunk down for man-portable use. Rifles, shotguns, machine guns, pistols etc. all fall under this umbrella term. All races use common designs of these mass-assisted weapons to equip their rank-and-file troops, but the small arms doctrine varies amongst each race. Weapons themselves are categorized based on range and function:
Rifle category includes precision rifles, combat rifles and light machine guns; useful in every scenario. These are the primary battlefield weapons, usable from point blank to extremely long ranges of 4/5 kilometers. Assault rifles and light machine guns are normally chambered in 4mm to 6.5mm, have high fire-rate and decent accuracy. Battle/Marksman rifles go from 6.8mm to 8.5mm, high-velocity rounds, commonly burst or tap-fire, boasting very good accuracy. Precision rifles can be chambered anywhere upto 30mm, common calibers range from 12mm to 15mm; they are focused in delivering extreme-range accurate fire. Usually a mass accelerator does not have the 'rifling' inside a barrel, so the definition is more traditional than actual.
Close Combat Weapons (CCW) include compact carbines, submachine guns, tactical shotguns and offensive handguns; effective in mid-to-close range. SMGs are generally used to deal with multiple opponents in close range, and to strip shields/barriers in mid-range. Tactical (slug) shotguns are designed for armor-piercing at mid-range. Offensive handguns are high-caliber accurized match pistols, a concealable heavy-hitting weapon. Compact carbines, which are scaled-down ARs or SMGs; are preferred by urban-warfare specialist units, for better damage projection in a small form.
Sidearms include concealed handguns, breaching shotguns, machine pistols, shot pistols and melee weapons; effective in point blank ranges. All of these weapons are designed to be small, concealable, easy to carry; and excel in close range.
Gyrojet weapons, also known as 'smart' guns or 'homing' guns; are based on jet-propelled gyro-stabilized rounds. The gyrojet technology is utilized in almost all the grenade launcher, rocket launcher, kinetic sabot and other explosive weapons. Launcher technology has advanced leaps after the initiation of the gyrojet technology; in earlier eras, these weapons used arcing trajectories using gravity which were often inaccurate and not usable in all environments (i.e. space, underwater, low-grav or high-grav bodies). Current-gen explosive weapons use a small jet propulsion along with a VI-based guidance system that can reach any target, even behind cover. Two notable exception to this trend exist; the short-lived M-37 Falcon grenade rifle, which used a mass-assisted system to fire its projectiles, and the krogan Striker, which uses chemprop tech described below.
Chemprop weapons, which are similar to previous-era gunpowder weapons; use some type of chemical propellant, ignited by a primer device or and ignition device, to fire its projectile. Although the quality of both propellant and primer have developed far more than gunpowder weapons, it is still an inferior choice compared to mass-assisted weapons; the projectiles generally cannot match the velocity required to penetrate shields and armor. As such, there are only twofold usages of these weapons - one is to fire a large, shaped projectile, like the Kishock or the Graal; and the other is on suit-mounted or handheld "tech mine launchers"; recoilless launchers that are used to fire the myriad types of tech mines used in current information warfare and tech warfare scenarios.
As such, regular infantry from the Hierarchy would find commonality with asari huntresses and human marines; their weapons a bit different but the general principle common enough that one may use the other's weapons. The most common weapon designs have been around for at least two millennia. The Elcoss Combine Avenger, which has equipped (and continues to) galactic militaries for the most part of Citadel history, was developed in 700 CE. The Paratus Armory Vylemtix, which once filled the battle rifle/DMR role in the Hierarchy military, was created during the Krogan Rebellions, and still sees use in the form of the ERCS Vindicator. The Predator handgun platform was created by a now-defunct salarian firm during the Rachni Wars, the Carnifex platform during the Unification Wars, the Revenant during the golden age of Omega and the Phaeston platform about four hundred years ago. The oldest human design in service, the M-96 Mattock, considered outdated by Alliance military, was created in 2096 CE, although it takes inspiration from the older M-68 combat rifle used by former US military. Avenger, Vindicator, Mattock, Argus and Phaeston rifles have spawned thousands of variants all across the galaxy; some licensed, some not; and these generally equip regular troops. This is the main reason why most weapons in the galaxy look the same; they are in fact the same basic platforms from centuries ago, with a few different components that vary from brand to brand.
A standard mass accelerator weapon is extremely light; made from modern polymers and lightweight alloys. Since the firing mechanism does not contain complex mechanicals, most weapons can be collapsed to fractions of their full size. This feature, along with modern magnetic holsters, allow a regular soldier to carry three or four weapons without any weight penalties; regular hardsuits with pneumatic assists let the grunt barely register any weight difference. However, most regular troops will not be issued several weapons; and elite troopers generally customize a single weapon to perform several roles.
Generally, combat specialists like riflemen, grenadiers, shock troopers or marksmen will utilize a primary rifle with various mods to engage enemies at all ranges; and a backup weapon should the primary fail for some reason. Snipers and anti-armor rocketeers will also carry a sidearm along with their primary. Cross-trained specialists like cloaking infiltrators, biotic vanguards and anti-armor engineers tend to carry two primary weapons; since their engagement parameters are very specific. Skillset specialists like infowar/techwar engineers, biotic adepts and drone/battlesuit pilots tend to only keep a sidearm for personal defense.
Weapon Attachments and Upgrades
The penchant for higher quality weapons is what brings us to the subject of weapon attachments.
Weapon attachments for modern mass accelerators have existed ever since salarians introduced weapon VIs about two thousand years ago, and they have since been integral parts of combat. As good as modern weapons are, they still have substantial drawbacks from their designs, mostly from friction heat, EZ radiation and overall mechanical difficulties. Previous-gen shavers and rails were notoriously difficult to modify; tuning a weapon to be select-fire or changing its burst settings required armorer-level assistance. Also, the generic 'Weapon Rank' system discouraged weapon modifications in order to standardize the weapon settings over all militaries; this procedure fell aside when Citadel militaries took heavy losses to the geth due to their weapons not being able to adapt to the mission. This rank system was tossed soon after; plugin mods, scram rails and thermal clips became the new norm. After the geth war, the market became saturated with human and quarian weapon attachments, and after the Reaper War, there are very few guns that use previous-era stock, overheat guns with built-in combat sensors.
The current system of producing generic attachment for rank-and-file troopers require only a mechanical workbench, a microframe computer (although nanoframe omni-tools or even datapads would suffice), and some basic components (circuits, haptic interfaces, augmented reality projectors). This type of upgrade benches can be found in company headquarters of any competent military, or a ship's armory. For higher-grade and premium attachments, factory assistance becomes necessary. The Alliance program known as SOPMOD (Special Operations Purpose Modification) and the Hierarchy program known as 'Sharpened Claws' are accessory packages for SF, providing them with custom off-the-shelf modifications packages to transform standard-issue weapons.
Weapon attachments or upgrades focus on improving upon a specific lacking of a weapon. In our categorization system mentioned above, weapon upgrades focus on seven aspects of a firearm: Optics, Barrel, Receiver, Clip, Ammunition, Amplifiers and Materials.
Optics are the most important part of a gun - if the gun cannot shoot straight, it is not much use except as a clawsharper. Historically, built-in 'iron' sights were used on weapons, the tendency has been extinct for the last few centuries. Standard issue weapons have the onboard VI provide auto-targeting solutions, with a haptic projector displaying a "crosshair" on the user's HUD, or their eyes directly. Advanced users forego auto-targeting and instead use digital-electrical rifle sights with its own software; the software can automatically switch zoom and adjust the display, featuring inbuilt day/night/thermal/sonar systems, auto-tagging, detailed HUDs, ballistic calculators, and lots of other features. Smaller CQB sights normally engage targets within 100 metres or so, they tend to only have zoom capabilities from 1x to 3x. Variable-power scopes can go from 1x to 16x by the touch of a button; these scopes have built-in scanners in X-Ray and thermal bands, target finder autotag, HUDs detailing the target's armor, kinetic barriers, and weapon types, and a dedicated VI to calculate weapon ballistics. Sniper scopes generally start from 4x and can go to 100x and will have any type of facility available, including smart-linked spotter drones. Laser sights are not very popular amongst high-end users, but see usage in civilian weapons.
Barrel upgrades mostly concern the damage of the weapon. Either extending the barrel with compensators (for reducing friction) or installing extra rails (for increasing efficiency) are the common upgrades.
Receiver upgrades, which modify the mechanism and barrel receiver of a gun, can provide varied results. Tuned capacitors can provide more penetration and damage, recoil dampeners results in reduced recoil, overclocking the kinetic coil produces higher firing rates etc. Receiver upgrades are tricky to perform - tampering with the EZ chamber may result in the weapon blowing up; thus it is generally performed by gunsmiths only.
Clip and melee upgrades are simple - using better quality synthdiamond heat sinks can provide more shots per clip; capacities vary between brands, weapon models, and the weapon's capacitor setup.
Ammunition upgrades can vary wildly. Usually, in a mass accelerator, rounds are shaved from an ammo block; a small fleck or shard fired at high sublight speeds. The block can be pre-made for special purposes (anti-armor, anti-personnel), modified by the use of dark energy/electromagnetic effects (disruptor, warp), or coated with specific materials (incendiary, chemical, cryo). Ammunition upgrades are usually mission-specific, and regular soldiers generally do not have the amenities to mod their ammo. Special forces and elite operatives, on the other hand, will carry several separate ammo blocks for different enemies.
Amplifiers are weapon-mounted generators that focus on increasing biotic or tech outputs - for biotics a secondary amp is fixed atop the gun, for tech a small nanoframe computer is installed to provide tactical omni-tools with more processing power.
Materials upgrades focus on using next-gen polymers and myomers to replace any redundant metal or plastic, resulting in decreased weight and sturdiness. Advanced materials are not cost-effective, but they are often implemented in high-end weapons.
Standard Weapons
The Turian Hierarchy prefers high-capacity, high-fire-rate, reasonably accurate weapons which correspond with the enfilading fire doctrines of infantry legions. Regular Hierarchy forces favor tungsten-based armor-piercing ammunition blocks, which puncture armor easily and do not overheat weapons like disruptor or warp ammo does. Special forces utilize high-impact ammunition (sledgehammer rounds) and explosive ammunition.
The standard issue is the Cipritine Armory Phaeston, an all-purpose combat rifle containing a DMR mode, burst mode and full auto mode. The Ziron is a compact variant of the Phaeston, which lacks the DMR and burst modes but is in turn better suited for CQB and vehicle crews. Reservists are equipped with the C-101 variant of the Vindicator, a household item for every turian family. Marksmen are issued the Incisor/Indra as DMRs and the Krysae as the standard sniper rifle. Heavy Infantry soldiers are issued Cyclone light machine guns. Officers and other special personnel are issued a handgun, commonly one of the Carnifex or Executioner variants. Handguns, along with the Tornado shotgun, are extensively used by specialist vanguards, sentinels, adepts and engineers. Lanius-Raptor battle rifles and Indra autosniper rifles, along with other specialized weapons, are used by SOF. Melee weapons like combat knives, battle-axes and others are used sparingly.
The Asari Republics prefer accurate, powerful long-range weapons combined with area-effect close-range weapons. The standing army, also known as the Republican Guard, utilize standard assault rifles and machine guns along with antipersonnel Shredder ammunition blocks. The commandos on the other hand prefer shotguns, PDWs, handguns and sniper rifles, with warp ammo blocks.
The standard issue AR is the AX-5 Avenger Mk. III, the fifteenth-generation third-upgrade version of the longstanding Elcoss rifle. CCWs like Locust, Hurricane and Punisher are used by non-combat troops of the Guards. Commandos utilize the Disciple shotgun, Acolyte handgun, Adherent battle rifle and the Apostle sniper rifle. Specially augmented soldiers carry the M-98 Widow. Commandos also utilize various "warp blades" – blade weapons infused with EZ creating a contained warp field within.
The Salarian Union utilizes explosive and chemical ammunition blocks designed to inflict maximum damage, as well as gyrojet-based "smart" munitions. Their weapons mostly focus on either long-range, target-seeking accurate fire, or area denial abilities like explosion or radiation. The regular infantry uses Raptor and Argus variants, while STG and Action Division operatives utilize the Scorpion, Venom, Poison and Observer explosive weapons.
The Systems Alliance use a plethora of weapons for various purposes. Not following a single doctrine for combat missions, they instead use whatever weapon fits their criteria. This is the reason their arsenal is more varied than other races. Alliance soldiers use an equal mix of Phasic rounds to use against shields, tungsten rounds against armor, incendiary ammo against other targets, and various grenades.
The standard issue rifle is the Hoplite, a human take on the Gen-15 AX-5 Avenger; inspired by our own Phaeston, it has a higher capacity and different firing modes. Squad marksmen use the Longbow Mattock battle rifle, while snipers use Viper and Valiant precision rifles. Support gunners tend to carry Typhoon machine guns. The standard backup sidearm is the Phalanx handgun and the Martyr shotgun. Specialist marines like the vanguards and sentinels use the Crossfire - a licensed, select-fire variant of the turian Vindicator; and 'shorty' Hurricane carbines. SOF operators use SOPMOD-upgraded rifles, handguns and shotguns, as well as various specialized NSWDG created weapons. Melee weapons like axes, swords and knives are carried by all personnel.
The Rannoch Conclave has the unique complication of having two species working together, who have spent a better part of their histories fighting one another. Their doctrines benefit from using each other's strengths – the quarian marines bring anti-synthetic weapons while the geth corps use shredder and incendiary antipersonnel ammunition.
Standard quarian rifle is the Adas, and the geth issue is the Pulse rifle. Specialists use Plasma shotguns, Reegar carbines, Widow rifles, Arc pistols and plasma SMGs. Prime and Juggernaut units utilize the Spitfire minigun. Melee weapons are not commonplace in the Conclave forces.
The Batarian Hegemony had long depended on the nationalized Batarian State Arms, but after the Reaper War, they have lost that vast corporation as well as most other resources. Their ammunition is mostly dart or harpoon-like; amplified with shredder rounds, incendiary rounds and toxic rounds to ensure maximum damage and agony.
The standard issue is the Mashok Terminator rifle, an old full-auto rifle firing darts, or mini-spears. Snipers use the Kishok harpoon gun, while specialist enforcers utilize AC-22 Ripper carbines and AT-12 Raider shotguns. Standard sidearm is the Judgement pistol. Melee weapons are a specialty of batarians, and their enforcers have been seen using tridents, harpoons, spiked maces and serrated sawtooth blades. Gauntlets amplified with electric charges, mass effect fields and other kinds have a cultural and psychological importance in batarian warfare.
Special Weapons: Military Innovations
Special weapons are generally found in the hands of elite units, often becoming signature issues and telltale signs. Some are produced by high-end corporations and are a class apart from regular weapons; others are purpose-built by in-house facilities like Armali Council or NSWDG, often for a specific use. The latter type is the most common in military hands; when mass-accelerators won't do the job, it becomes necessary to deploy weapons like kinetic sabots, antimatter weapons, and missiles loaded with black nano or tanglewire. The most common instance for such weapons would be heavy weapons, unique concepts from major races.
Common heavy weapons include gyrojet-based automatic grenade launchers, multi-barreled rocket launcher, kinetic sabot launchers, flamethrowers, gravity-disruption weapons, and recently included, the particle beam weapon. Unique weapons are species-specific; only the elite units tend to have these. The unique Hierarchy heavy weapon, used only by Black Talon battlesuit pilots and Final Line warfighters, is the M-459 Lance Cannon, a launcher firing antimatter harpoons - this is a area denial weapon, used for specific targets and 'scorched earth' scenarios. The Alliance unique heavy weapon is the M-920 Cain, a portable particle accelerator used for multiple purposes, but mostly used for hard target interdiction. The salarian counterpart is the Breaker Rail Gun, a man-portable gauss launcher that fires a 30mm slug at Mach 40, used by the famed Shieldbreakers. The asari answer to these juggernauts is the Lunarch Warp Cannon, a gravitational singularity launcher capable of rewriting reality in the molecular level, and leaving extreme destruction behind. It is used only by the best of commandos.
Except heavy weapons, special forces carry some weapons which are a class above than standard issues. The Lanius Raptor assault/marksman rifle used by Hierarchy elite legions is a good example. The Mexta heavy rifle used by BlackWatch, is an evolution of the Raptor. A cross between the Raptor and a light machine gun, it combines accuracy with high-damage firepower in one. Other BlackWatch mainstays like the Sunfire plasma pistol - the most powerful handgun in the galaxy, the Indra autosniper rifle and the Impactor dual-mode sniper rifle are also good instances of special weapons. We should feel grateful that the unwavering loyalty of Palavanus Smiths at Armax Arsenal has till now kept these weapons Hierarchy-exclusive, because these are the tools that allow our best warriors to surpass biotic sorceresses of the asari and hulking tanks of the krogan.
Asari and Salarian top firms are by no means behind the Hierarchy when it comes to premium craftsmanship. The asari had long kept the justicar-issue Acolyte and Disciple weapons under wraps, but post-war these weapons are seen in the hands of many other units. The Acolyte has simply no equal against barriers and shields, except maybe quarian weapons; and the Disciple packs surprising punch for its size. The salarians have been using the Manur Observer for a long time, a mainstay for the STG Action Force operatives. It is by far and wide the best low calibre sniper rifle in production - a pity that the design only fits salarian hands. The Manur is as accurate as a Widow or Krysae, providing lasting damage up to four kilometers, but weighs similar to assault rifles, along with a magazine capacity close to them. The pride of STG, the Manur has never been used by alien combatants, and Aegohr Munitions would never release its schematics.
But humans, perhaps, take the crown in creating exceptional quality guns. They create modular platforms that are adaptable like none other. Based on the Mattock, the Harrier model developed by Cerberus provides pinpoint accuracy with probably the most controllable autofire in the category; the accurized Longbow model developed for Alliance marksmen gives serious competition with Raptor and Manur Observer rifles, and the Halberd variant (a C-SEC Argus mechanism slapped into a Mattock shell) is a very popular law-enforcement weapon for asari, salarians and drell. The array of accessories make a good civilian Mattock variant almost as effective as a SF one, and it is perhaps the reason Mattocks see usage from civilian hunters to marine commandos.
The Valkyrie platform, flatteringly inspired by own Raptor and Incisor - is the standard issue rifle for Alliance Special Ops; and a popular combat rifle amongst human and non-human alike. Arising from the failure of the SABRE superheavy rifle, the Valkyrie was designed from the ground up as a highly crafted combat rifle; meeting both marksman and assaulter roles for human commandos. Valued for controllable autofire and a deadly two-round burst; the Valkyrie is even deadlier in SOPMOD-modified 'tactical' setup with higher capacity and better autofire controls, and the 'recon' setup with overcharged coils and a bleeding-edge optic package. The "Valk" is a mainstay for the N6s and N7s, and several civilian and unlicenced variants are highly sought after in the black market. Asari commandos from Serrice and Armali swear by the "FireLady" variant of this weapon; they will spend as much as a new aircar to get their hands on that gun.
Humans also have the very impressive Phalanx handgun platform - while the base gun is mediocre, upgraded variants like the Eagle select-fire pistol, the Gaston low-vis handgun and the Seeker smart handgun sees service with Alliance SF all the time. The Crusader shotgun, Valiant sniper rifle, Hurricane carbine and some other NSWDG weapons are par for the best.
Special Weapons: Civilian Brands
Except species-based gunsmithing, there are some other great brands in premium special weapons manufacturing. Foremost of these is the Special Tactics and Recon RD - obviously, the Spectres need to tackle the worst galactic outlaws in in their highly risky missions, and they need the very best weapons to succeed. The Spectre RD attempts to provide just that. Their mainstays, used by most Spectres, will never be seen or touched by civilian users or regular soldiers, and thus have a mythic reputation around them. Very rarely, these weapons come up to the black market, and when they do, they will sell for more than an apartment in the Wards. The common Spectre Master Gear - also called the 'HMWA' gear, are built from the scratch by Spectre gunsmiths, often improvements of other weapon designs. These include the R-57 Falx - a variant of the Mexta, used by turian Spectres (who tend to be mostly ex-BlackWatch), the R-88 Glaive - an improved Harrier rifle used by asari, human and salarian Spectres alike, the R-11 Wraith, an overhauled variant of the Lieberschaft 2180 shotgun, the R-77 Paladin, a concealable variant of the Carnifex, and most famous of them all, the Black Widow - a lighter, higher-capacity Widow sniper rifle, considered the best bar none in the entire galaxy. Other than these high-quality guns, Spectre RD is also credited with creating the Argus patrol rifle for C-SEC.
Smaller companies like the Bradford Engineering Group, Legion Rifleworks, Oracal Forge and Ama-Lur strive to create excellent variants of commonly found weapons. Bradford created the innovative designed Piranha shotgun, but no military picked it up for regular issue. The engineers and gunsmiths at BEG thus converted the rotary-style shotgun to fire 25mm airburst grenades; the resulting weapon was the M-54 Shrike, which now has a monopoly in crew-served payload launchers in the galaxy. BEG has seen further success in the ML-94 Archer, a reusable rocket launcher far less complicated than the ML-77; utilizing old Soviet doctrines of Earth by pairing a simple launcher tube with multiple types of rocket warheads. One other thing Bradford specializes in, is sound-moderated or 'silenced' weapons; the most popular of these is the Gaston low-visibility handgun, they also produce several other models based on Phalanx and Acolyte frames, as well as the Ranger and Locust CCW frames, in an integrally suppressed frame.
Legion Rifleworks, owned by Jon Shepard and Garrus Vakarian; took some of the most popular SOF weapons and pushed them even further. Shepard's personal creation - the Mjolnir rifle, is based on the Valkyrie; using avant-garde Prothean and Reaper tech to push the already formidable weapon to unbelievable levels by firing nano-thanix rounds along with a secondary barrel for Prothean particle fire. The Impactor sniper rifle, created by Garrus Vakarian, takes the best of both worlds - the Indra autosniper and the Valiant precision rifle; and joins them in one weapon with a double barrel. It is rumored that the firm is working on a variant of the Sunfire pistol, too.
Ama-Lur took the poor-performing batarian guns like the Ripper and the Mashok and improved upon it, fixing capacitor and EZ overflowing issues; as well as adding modern rails and optics to it. The result was the Chakram, a Mashok variant firing disc-shaped rounds with fragmentation capabilities; and the Bellatrix, an close-quarters carbine based on the Ripper that now sees high demand in mercenary markets.
Oracal Forge is the most interesting entry in this list, a firm which seemingly specializes in creating legal versions of banned weapons. Their first achievement was creating a Citadel-legal, slug-firing version of the Lieberschaft 2180 Eviscerator, which they named 'Vanquisher'; this was followed by yet another shotgun innovation in the form of the Martyr, an improved variant of the Ariake Scimitar. These weapons were followed by the Legacy, a variant of the drell Skara-Ve machine pistol; and their latest product - the Super Sabre, an even larger version of the discontinued Alliance Sabre rifle.
Niche Weapons
Rare and niche weapons are different from the high-end products. Not necessarily known for their high quality or extreme destructive potential, these weapons are noticed because although they did not find use as standard issues, a certain cult following have grown for these weapons among certain demographics and niches, who pretty much swear by these weapons and remain foremost users of them.
The foremost example would be the Revenant - a light machine gun designed in the Terminus about five hundred years ago; this weapon was not fit for standard issue due to the lack of accuracy, immense recoil and the extravagant procuring price, yet slavers and pirates took to this gun for the intimidation factor it possessed, and even now it is seen as a prestige item with major criminal leaders and enforcers. A similar reverie surrounds the human Sabre rifle - essentially an uncontrollable cannon, it was quickly phased out of Alliance service, but outlaw gunmen with a fixation of large-bore rifles quickly created a legendary reputation for the rifle, claiming 'the big iron' was better than anything anyone deployed, even the Spectres. Krogan shotguns like the Graal and Claymore and the human Piranha shotgun are hilariously overhyped - they are inaccurate and lack in range, but their users are blind to these effects. Executioner pistol, Talon shot pistol, Kishock harpoon gun, Sandstorm rifle, Striker blast rifle etc. are also prime examples of niche weapons. Although these weapons perform very well in specific scenarios, they are exorbitantly pricey, and almost always outclassed in the aspects of modularity and effectiveness by modern weapons; yet their users think these are galaxy-devouring giants capable of unbelievable destruction. In more than one instance, overconfidence in the capabilities of such weapons have caused the death of its owners.
Bespoke and Custom-made Weapons
Custom made and tailrd weapns are as rare as they are troublesome. Generally, these types of weapons tend to have a problematic history and past attached with them; civilian and military users do not have any usage for such weapons, the ones who do normally have an occupation of a criminal nature. Still, due to the advent of microfabrication and flash-forging printers, there are lots of custom-made weapons floating around in the galaxy.
These weapons are either very cheaply made with a 3D printer; or very, very high-tech, made by master gunsmiths for a sizable remuneration. The markets are threefold - firstly, civilians and petty criminals who cannot even afford the cheapest variant of the Predator or Katana in the market; secondly, the rich connoisseurs (read: weapon collectors, top mercs or criminals) of firearms technology; and lastly, criminal enterprises who have very specific jobs and require specific tools to solve them (read: assassins).
The first market tends to settle for cheap 3D-printed pistols and shotguns. Popular models include the Predator and the Kessler line of pistols and Katana shotguns; these are easy enough to be printed out with microfabricators, foregoing weapon VIs and thermal clips, utilizing old tech like laser and holo sights; overheat mechanisms, and sometimes even old gunpowder tech. They can cost as low as 50 credits - in a legitimate market, 50 credits won't even buy a set of thermal clips.
The second category focuses on customizing off-the-shelf guns to their needs. Most popular weapons to customize are the Vindicator rifle, and the Striker grenande machine gun. The Vindicator is generally rigged to full auto or have its burst settings changed (usually 2-round bursts for ammo conservation or 5-round bursts for close-range work), and sometimes has a select-fire mode installed by top gunsmiths (like the human X-15c Crossfire). The Striker is refitted with gyrojet tech for firing seeking grenades. Top mercenary captains, such as Blood Pack Warlords and Blue Suns Centurions will often require gunsmiths to make them heavily customized variants of commonplace weapons. Most of these weapons are based on knockoffs of certain special ops weapons; the demand for a light and controllable Revenant LMG, automatic Sabre rifles, stabilized krogan shotguns like the Graal and Claymore, and noise-moderated Carnifex pistols are highly in-demand in the Terminus. Updating old chemprop weapons like a Graal or a Kishock to mass-assisted technology is also a popular customization.
The said last category are the ones who require 'bespoke' weapons. These weapons are unique; not in any kind of mass-production and generally custom-made for each user. Also, often due to the obvious nature of their usage, they are used only once and then destroyed. These types of weapons include highly concealable weapons (like the Locust SMG used to kill two human presidents), tech-based unique weapons, mounted weapons, both on hardpoints of a vehicle and of a power armor; popular with collectors, and lastly, weapons hidden within prosthetic limbs.