Aktinobolos is an umbrella term for (usually smaller) ranged Thermal Ray weapon for the Hellenophones. It is most frequently used to refer to the Aktinobolos Kanonikos, the standard service weapon for Arche Hellenike forces. The heaviest of the Aktinoboloi weapons are classified into a subcategory dubbed the Aktinoxyston, although this is reserved for weapons the scale of ship guns. While ray weapons are also used by other factions, such as the Lagikanthropoi, Aktinoboloi are most often associated with the Arche Hellenike as the other primary Hellenophone civilization, the Lagikoi, haven't developed its own thermal ray weapons yet.
The Aktinobolos has several advantages over ballistic weapons, and these boil down to logistics, superior range, accuracy and firepower. As the Aktinobolos emits a burst of concentrated radiation which moves at the speed of light, the Aktinobolos' firepower is far less stifled by distance and is much easier to aim at long distances as gravity's effect on the beam is negligible at the scale of distances at which the Aktinobolos is used. Likewise, as the Aktinobolos is a powered weapon and does not use normal ammunition, it is far easier to provide logistical support for the Aktinobolos and cheaper as well: not needing to constantly make unsalvageable ammunition greatly supports the Aktinobolos on the economic side, and advancements in field recharging technologies also makes Aktinobolos readily used in places where supplies are difficult to come by.
However, the Aktinobolos' mechanism requires the weapon to charge for a brief moment before firing. While the charging is short, it is noticeable enough that there is a difference in response time compared to most ballistic weapons. This drawback is negated at longer range, where the Aktinobolos' advantages in superior range, accuracy and power per shot can be exploited over the ballistic rifles. However, the Aktinobolos is disadvantaged in close range combat for this reason. As such, the Asdiqa of Arabia Euxeine prefers the usage of more traditional ballstic weapons to emphasize their nimbleness, and specialized infantry in particular also supplement their gear with more responsive weapons.
Variants[]
Infantry Weapons[]
Aktinobolos Kanonikos[]
Aktinobolos Kanonikos is the service weapon for Arche Hellenike infantry, used primarily by Akrobolistai and the Grenadieroi. Aktinoboloi Kanonikoi guns have longer range and better accuracy than a standard ballistic rifle, and it is also effective against softer targets like infantry.
Aktinobolos Akribes[]
Aktinobolos Akribes take the principles of the Aktinobolos to the extreme. The Akribes take even longer to charge making them useless in close quarter combat, but packs even more of a punch and have longer ranges. Thus, the Akribes works much like an DMR. Its higher firepower also makes them somewhat effective against lighter vehicles, although the Akribes remains powerless against heavier vehicle plating, for which either an Ektekos or Aktinoballistra is needed.
Aktinobolos Ektekos[]
The Aktinobolos Ektekos is one of the many variants of heavy Aktinobolos weapons. It is in essence a weaponised cutter, shooting a powerful beam effective against infantry and vehicle alike. However, these require significant amount of power to operate and has a shorter range, and such Polyaktinoboloi are the preferred support weapon of choice if only infantry are considered. The Ektekos is also popular weapon of choice for Philhellenikoi Kosmonautai, as these are not only effective against infantry but also can be used to a great effect against heavier vehicles, something that the Bolos Patagikos is not so effective against.
Polyktinobolos[]
The standard problem of a Aktinobolos comes from the weapon mechanism: The Aktinobolos must charge for a brief time before it can fire a deadly beam: whereas such beams are in general stronger than a standard ballistic bullet and much more accurate at range, it causes the weapon to have a brief delay, and also much less effective when rapidly fired. The Polyktinobolos is a rotary variant of the Aktinobolos aimed at resolving the firing rate issue of the Aktinobolos. Such weapons are used mostly in entrenched position, as the power consumption of such weapons is much higher than a standard Aktinobolos to the point where heavy power packs are required. As Aktinobolos, these are of some use against light vehicles much more so than a standard ballistic weapon. As the Polyktinobolos is essentially the analogue to a machine gun, it is often also used as secondary weapons for vehicles as well.
Aktinoballistra[]
The Aktinobolos' advantage over the regular ballistic rifle is its accuracy and power at long range, although it has a limited rate of fire. Given the aktinobolos' inherent properties, the Aktinoballistra was also developed as a specialty weapon. The Aktinoballistra is in a sense a laser-based arbalest: its large power requirement and cooldown even when compared to other aktinoboloi variants is compensated for its vastly magnified stopping power and range strong enough to attack heavy armor. While the Ektekos is a cutter making them better in short range and making them marginally more effective against infantry and other surprise elements while also having a lighter weight, the Aktinoballistra makes up for it with range, making such weapon valued by tankbusters who prefer to pick tanks from a distance.
Vehicle Weapons[]
Megaktinobolos[]
Megaktionbolos is the enlarged version of the Aktinobolos, and the characteristics of the Aktinobolos such as high accuracy, range and power in exchange for low rate of fire is maximized. As such, the Megaktinobolos is treated as an anti-tank weapon, able to pierce thick armor but its rate of fire too low to be of use against swarms of infantry.
Pleistaktinobolos[]
Ship Weapons[]
Megistaktinobolos[]
The Megistaktinobolos is to ships what the Megaktinobolos is to vehicles. It is a large yet reliable weapon and preserves much of the advantage of the Aktinobolos but in space. It is the primary "cannon" of an Imperial ship.
Xyston Alexandrou[]
The most powerful weapon in the Arche Hellenike's disposal, the Xyston Alexandrou is the ace in the hole of the Imperial navy. Capable of serving as both orbital fire support and capital ship killer, its firepower is more than a match for any armor sported by any ship in Tmere Asia, although would-be enemies of the Arche save for the subdued Shuranon eschew larger ships, either because they don't have the means to manufacture and maintain them (as is the case with the Infantids), or because they prefer nimbler ships in part due to the Xyston (as is the case with Tropas Libre).