Conversion beam projector
A conversion beam projector, often called a "conversion beamer" or simply a "beamer", is a heavy energy weapon.
Contents
Overview
The conversion beamer fires a high intensity energy beam which transforms matter into pure energy. A heavily armoured target or dense material will be rent apart as its matter explodes. The denser the material of the target the more matter is hit and hence the more energy is produced, making conversion beamers particularly good against heavily armoured troops, vehicles, and buildings. The intensity of the beam typically increases as it extends further from the weapon due to converting any surrounding atmosphere along the way, becoming increasingly dangerous until it reaches an inflection point where the beam is so intense that the energy has to be released in a violent explosion.[1][8]
Smaller versions were once known to be occasionally carried by Terminator Marines for cutting through bulkheads when exploring Space Hulks, but this practice is no longer prevalent[Needs Citation].
An unfortunate downside to conversion beamers is that they are incredibly large and heavy (as they require a number of massive capacitors that line the projection tube) and must remain absolutely motionless when operated, or the intensity of the beam will be negated, rendering the shot useless.[8] Because of this, conversion beamers are usually fitted to self-propelled, wheeled carriages or anti-gravity platforms (the operators will often remain at a safe distance using some form of remote control).[Needs Citation] Users of the smaller hand-held versions are forced to wear boots with special claws to provide more stable purchase. Another problem with the conversion beamer is the length of time they need build up the energy that is released in the beam. Although it is only a second or so, it is easily long enough for potential targets to have moved or escape the field of fire.[8]
Variants
Heavy Conversion Beamer
A more powerful version of the "regular" beamer - is an ancient relic-weapon of incredible and poorly-understood power[6]. It is sometimes found on Contemptor Pattern Dreadnoughts[3], Decimator Daemon Engines[4] and Deimos pattern Predators Executioner.[5]
Contemptor Pattern Dreadnought's Heavy Conversion Beamer[6]
Imperial Fists Contemptor Pattern Dreadnought with Heavy Conversion beam projector and Close Combat Arm (Claw)[7]
Conversion Beam Cannon
Among the largest known surviving examples of the rare and delicate conversion beam technology, Conversion Beam Cannons are mounted on Knight Asterius vehicles. They are rightly feared as siege weapons and fortress breakers. These gigantic weapons, when tied to the complex systems concealed within the Acastus Knight Asterius’ carapace, are focused on a target point while the beams are calibrated and aligned, causing a sub-atomic implosion that literally tears all matter in the target zone apart.[9]
Conversion Beam Cannon[11]
Conversion Beam Dissolutor
The Conversion Beam Dissolutor is a massive Titan-class conversion beam weapon mounted on the arm of a Warhound Titan or the carapace of a Reaver Titan. The weapon is tremendously powerful but puts intense strain on the Titan's Plasma Reactor.[14]
Conversion Beam Dissolutor[14]
Extirpator Cannon
The Extirpator Cannon is a massive Titan-class conversion beam weapon mounted on the arm of a Warlord Titan and is thus far the largest known example of Conversion Beam technology. The weapon is tremendously powerful but puts intense strain on the Titan's Plasma Reactor. When charged to its maximum settings, its power surpasses even that of a Warlord's Volcano Cannon.[14]
Conversion Beam Dissolutor[14]
SP Conversion Beamer
Conversion Beamer used by the Leagues of Votann.[10]
SP Heavy Conversion Beamer
Larger version of the SP Conversion Beamer used on vehicles of the Leagues of Votann, such as the Hekaton Land Fortress.[12] The weapon is a Brokhyr-enhanced STC-based design that the Imperium especially covets.[13]
Sources
- 1: Codex: Space Marines (5th Edition), pg. 70
- 2: Codex: Grey Knights (5th Edition), pg. 59
- 3: Forge World — Contempator Pattern Dreadnought (PDF) (accessed 2011.07.01)
- 4: Decimator
- 5: Deimos Pattern Predator
- 6: http://www.forgeworld.co.uk/Warhammer-40000/Space_Marines/Space-Marine-Dreadnoughts/CONTEMPTOR_HEAVY_CONVERSION_BEAMER.html (last accessed 10 April 2015)
- 7: White Dwarf 2 (2014), Reader's Model of the Week
- 8: Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Trader, pg. 82
- 9: Warhammer Community
- 10: Warhammer Community: Lore of the Votann – Ancient Quasi-divine Machine Intellects Make for Decent Gunsmiths, it Turns Out (posted 20/5/2022) (last accessed 20/5/2022)
- 11: Liber Mechanicum, pg. 129
- 12: Warhammer Community: The Leagues of Votann Bring Brutal New Weapon Profiles to Warhammer 40,000 (posted 12/9/2022) (last accessed 2/10/2022)
- 13: Warhammer Community: This Ain’t Your Ancestor’s Land Train – Take a Closer Look at the Hekaton Land Fortress (posted 18/10/2022) (last accessed 18/10/2022)
- 14: Warhammer Community: Speedrun Engine Kills With Massive Adeptus Titanicus Conversion Beam Weapons (posted 13/3/2023) (last accessed 13/3/2023)
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