M-7 Lancer/M-8 Avenger
The M-7 Lancer Fully Automatic rapid-fire Microscale Mass Accelerator, commonly referred to as the M-7 Lancer Assault Rifle, is a scaled-down Infantry variant of a standard mass accelerator cannon produced by Hahne-Kedar Industries, and was the standard issue service rifle for Systems Alliance Military personnel from 2158 to 2184. Afterwards, it was swapped out with the current M-8 Avenger. Both the M-7 and M-8 are considered average for a military weapon, but are favored by Alliance personnel for their reliability and efficiency.
The primary components of the Lancer include two 50 cm long, 15 mm diameter coil gun barrels, a Micro Element Zero core, a small power cell, an ammunition block an air cooling system and an onboard computer microframe linked to an electronic scope and targeting sensors.
The Avenger's components are largely identical to that of it's predecessor, with the only differences being improved software and a thermal clip based cooling system.
Appearance wise, both weapons feature a double boom design with the second barrel housed in a separate arm below the first. Giving a two-pronged fork appearance. The upper boom houses the electric scope. The lower boom houses the computer and targeting systems, with a small antenna protruding beside the lower barrel. The lower boom can also hold a variety of attachments. including a flashlight and concussive grenade launcer.
In the main housing, behind the barrels is the Element Zero core and ventilation system. On the Avenger, the ventilation system is replaced with a thermal clip system.
Directly behind the lower barrel is the grip containing the ammo block made of a ferric titanium alloy, capable of proving 4000 rounds of ammunition. The sensors on the grip's exterior link it to the Combat Hardsuit of the wielder through the palm of their gauntlet. Displaying weapon and targeting information directly on the wielder's hud. behind the grip is the weapon's disposable power cell, wich powers all the systems of the gun.
Finally, the weapon has a triangular stock at the back.
The casing of the rifle is made of a lightweight ceramic composite, with no metallic components aside from the barrel and ammo block, which contribute to the bulk of the weapon's 1.2 kg weight. The lightweight weapon counters recoil through momentum dampeners.
When firing, in the split second between the trigger being pulled and the bullet leaving the chamber, the onboard computer calculates the trajectory of the bullet based on wind, gravity, atmospheric pressure and other environmental hazards. It then makes micro-adjustments to the shooter's aim and shaves off an appropriately sized slug from the ammo block(about the size of a grain of sand). The projectile is then coated in an electromagnetic, bose-einstein condensate or plasma field to give it a so called "ammo power". These effects can be added through modification of the weapon on the field using an omnitool. This projectile is then moved to one of the barrels, lightened by a mass effect field, before being accelerated to 30 km/s and impacting with the force of 56 kilojoules of kinetic energy. To prevent over penetration, the ammo block is designed with small imperfections. Ensuring that the round shatters on impact rather than passing directly through the target. Each barrel had a recharge rate of 0,14 seconds, giving a fire rate of 7 bullets per second. The double barrel design compensates for this low fire rate by having one barrel fire, while the other recharges. Effectively doubling the fire rate.
The heat generated by the gun is then transferred to the cooling system and removed.
In the M-7 Lancer, the weapon vented the heat directly, but it often couldn't vent heat faster than it was generated. If the Lancer fires a continuous stream of upto 30 shots without stopping, the weapon could burn out. The M-8 Avenger solved this issue with the implementation of Thermal clips. Disposable lithium heat sinks that capture the heat generated. Each sink can capture the heat of upto 40 rounds. A button on the grip snaps open a compartment just above the stock at the back of the rifle. Ejecting the spent thermal clip and allowing a new one to be installed.
When holstered, the Assault Rifle folds up. It's lower barrel rises up against the upper barrel, the grip folds into the gun and the stock retracts to a shorter length. Allowing for easier storage.
