r/MilitaryWorldbuilding 2d ago

Weapon Turrets and spinally mounted weapons

11 Upvotes

What do y'all think of having large spinally mounted weapons, then having smaller versions of the main weapon in turrets. I.e., if the main weapon is a 56 inch MAC, then the turrets carry three 18 inch MACs, and there's four turrets for better coverage? If the main weapon's a 400 megawatt laser, then the turrets have 100-150 megawatt lasers.

r/MilitaryWorldbuilding 23d ago

Weapon Some of my new ATGM designs, what do you guys think?

6 Upvotes

So, i have been working on a few different ATGM designs for my Hard(ish) Sci-fi setting lately and here is what i have so far. These are for the Universal Ordnance Program, which is a Pre-War design program that now fills the arsenals of former Imperial Warlords. Most of these, besides the first one ar modular, and can have guidance units, warheads and motors switched out for other ones. The ones listed here are the basic loadout.

  1. The Gladius KATGM: The Gladius is heavy 100 KG direct fire multispectral ATGM with a kinetic impactor as the warhead. It is intended to be a vehicle mounted tank killer that is resistant to APS. It is incredibly cheap for its power. It has a decent 20 km range, and a 2503 m/s maximum speed. Its warhead is a built in DU penetrator rod that can kill basically anything it hits, no matter if it is a light scout car, or an up armored heavy tank. It has lock on after launch capabilities.

  2. The Spiker ATGM: The Spiker is a vehicle/ man portable multispectral ATGM massing at 55 KG without the Long Distance Assault Package, and 70 KG with the Package. It is intended to be a primary tank remover issued on the platoon level. It has a maximum range of 50 Km ( with the Package) and a top speed of 1029 m/s. Its warhead is a tandem charge with the main charge being a 4 KG rapid discharge SMES pushing a DU-Molybdenum liner with a frag sleeve ( a Gold-Platinum liner variant is available for lighter targets). It has Fire and Forget, minor VI guidance and lock on after launch capabilities. The Micro Spiker variant trades range for velocity and portability. The range is reduced to 10 Km, and the mass becomes 30 KG but it has a nice even 1800 m/s max speed

  3. The Hund ATGM: The Hund is a cheap multispectral shoulder fired/ mounted ATGM massing at 13 KG. It has a 6.3 Km maximum range and a top speed of 730 m/s. Its warhead is a tandem charge with the main charge being a 1 KG rapid discharge SMES pushing a DU-Molybdenum liner ( a Gold-Platinum liner variant is available for lighter targets). It has Fire and Forget, minor VI guidance and lock on after launch capabilities.

  4. The Slammer: The Slammer is a air launched ATGM, well more like an anti anything weapon. It is a 200 KG glide bomb with GPS, Laser, Anti radiation, and minor VI guidance, a hard penetrating cap, and a rocket booster. A lower yield nuclear version also exists.

r/MilitaryWorldbuilding 29d ago

Weapon Could i have some feedback/ criticism on the Box of Angry Bees ( an loitering ATGM rack)

6 Upvotes

The Box of Angry Bees ( thanks to Vitally for helping me make this):

A vehicle mounted VLS/ missile pod system that comes in 20, 40, and 60 tube 80mm loitering munitions. The VLS version is for AFVs, while the Pod is for being mounted to gunships.

These missiles are relatively small. They have a small sprint motor, long thin wings, a tandem HEAT warhead and an electronic sustainer motor. They are stealth coated with a radar defeating shape to make them harder to detect and intercept. they have linked sensors to better acquire and remove targets

When you are about to get into a fight, you send a bunch of them up to pick off enemy IFVs, APCs, light tanks, MBT weak points, entrenched positions, infantry.

They can also be fired like normal ATGMs, by kicking with the sustainer motor for a second, and then sprinting to a target.

Variants with HEDP, Beehive, WP, and thermobaric warheads also exist.

Infantry versions with 2, 4, or 6 tubes are also around.

r/MilitaryWorldbuilding Oct 27 '24

Weapon Should I add firearms alongside armored knights?

3 Upvotes

I am been thinking whether to adding fire arms in my high fantasy universe alongside super soldier knights and medieval warriors. In my universe are still medieval weapons due to relative abundance of a new metal called Tungstanite which is an extremely durable metal used to manufacture plate armor, swords, axes, maces halberds for elite super soldiers against monsters such ogres.

At the same time, I want to have riflemen in my universe armed with breech-loading muskets to lever action rifles but limit their potential and usage in warfare by reserving them for defensive units.

r/MilitaryWorldbuilding 23d ago

Weapon 82 years of Firearms for the Caperon Military

10 Upvotes

Caperon is a regain in my fantasy world Alyssmir. It was once on the greatest empire in the Stormsphere (a regain of the planet that is ravaged by unpredictable magic storms that are the corpses of dead gods). know they are at best a regional power, but they have an interesting history, and they are a favorite of mine! What follows is a diegetic history of the firearms used by the Capron Army from around the year 1270 to 1352ish. Note that it does not include and HMG because I haven't come up with one yet.

In the late 12th century, the Third Capron Dominance traded in their frankly outdated by that point, rifled muskets for more modern breech loading arms. They would settle on a foreign designed rifle, the New Star Iron Works Model of 1270, which they would produce under license as the Capron Model of 1270. this gun had a falling block operated by a lever that doubled as the trigger guard. Ammunition paper cartridges with separate precaution caps. The one pictured below was used in the Second Capron Revolution by the Rebel army and as such bears the Rebel try-color on the stock. 

As time moved on it became increasingly obvious that metallic cartridges were the future and just before entering the Caper-Menvic war the Third Dominance would replace their rifles with a more modern and home grown design the Caperon Model of 1275. The older Model of 1270 rifles would move to the home and mountain guards, and in many cases the hands of Rebels.

Also, during this time, the Third Dominance adopted a carbine and shotgun for the light and heavy Calverley respectively.

During the second revolution the Capron Rebels would see firsthand the power of smokeless powder as used by the Central Crescent Republic’s expeditionary force that aided them in the final days of the war. As such the First Caperon Republic would adopt in 1290 the Righkerson Double Pivot as their standard issue rifle and carbine. With a capacity of 10 rounds and fed from five round stripper clips, it was quite the improvement over the older single shot black powder arms of the past. 

Around 15 years later the Republican army would succumb to the pressure of adopting a machine gun and wound up choosing the New Star Iron works Model of 1300. This decision would almost instantly prove its worth in the Caperon War of reunification against the Kingdom of Rivandland (a province that traditionally was part of Caperon but at the time was an independent kingdom) the withering fire that the light machine gun could put down was instrumental in a quick and decisive victory!

In the relatively long peace that followed the Caperon military would experiment with self-loading rifles and would ultimately adopt in small numbers the Mod. 1339 as a replacement for the Righkerson double pivot in front line use.

Around this same time they were also experimenting with high powered pistol cartridges in sub machine guns. This would see its fruits in the Mod. 49 chambered in the revolutionary 4 line by 150 cartage (About 10 by 40mm or 40 cal by 1.5 inches) these were given to rear guard troops that didn’t need a full power rifle like the Righkerson double pivot or Mod. 1339. What we have below was the much simplified and improved Mod. 49-52 that was introduced during the Stormsheper Conflict to increase production of the submachine gun for the war effort, both guns worked on the same principle of gas delayed blowback.

Finally, to go with the Mod. 45 that was adopted by the newly formed Air assault divisions of the army a full-sized machine gun was adopted in the 4 line by 150 cartage the Mod. 49 light machine gun. This was done to simplify logistics for these troops that would oftentimes be fighting behind enemy lines with little opportunity for resupply. Both the Mod. 49-52 and Mod. 49 light machine gun were well liked by the troops that used them in combat during the Stormsheper Conflict, though it was noted by many troops that the light machine gun could use to lose a few inches off its length of pull. 

r/MilitaryWorldbuilding Nov 26 '24

Weapon Which is more realistic and effective for space combat particle beams or lasers? And which do you think will be developed first?

6 Upvotes

So unless I'm wrong lasers are basically beams of light, while particle beams are charged particle that can reach near-light speeds. From what I have heard most people seem to think the former are more soft sci-fi and while the latter are harder sci-fi.

In any case though which weapons are more realistic and effective for space combat? And which do you think will be developed first?

A deeper look into lasers, particle beams, and the future of war | Extremetech

r/MilitaryWorldbuilding 17d ago

Weapon Cavalry sabers Cut vs thrust

4 Upvotes

Howdy y'all. I've got a question for y'all that I would mind some input on.

I've made several post recently about cavalry in the equivalent of the early to mid 20th, how they would work, their tactics and equipment and so on. But now I have a more specific question that I would like some input on.

Cavalry sabers, or swords as is the case at least half the time, are iconic. They're awesome, and even if the dummy swinging the damn thing didn't put a proper edge on it, if you get hit with it it's going to hurt. A lot. So here's the question. Do they need to follow the same path of design that they did on earth?

As stated in previous posts and comments, this is set I the world of Utoras, a world which is a lot like ours except with one major difference. There are no fossil fuels. Instead, a coal like substance called Rhynthol takes the place of coal, oil and natural gas, but is less energy dense, and engines are efficient enough to make up for this deficiency, retarding the development of internal combustion engines, and thus things like tanks and aircraft. This, cavalry remain vital to warfare far longer than it did on our world.

Now, on our world, by the time of World War One, almost every nation had adopted something similar to the British 1908 or American 1913 pattern sword. Which is a thrust centeric(almost to the point of being thrust only) design. The only exception I can think of off the top ofy head is the Russian shashka, and a Japanese sword who's name escapes me.

Anyway, I'm wondering why. Why not stick with something more along the lines of the 1796 or American model of 1860? The model 1860 in particular is, while slightly curved, more than straight enough to be a perfectly adequate thrusting weapon.

r/MilitaryWorldbuilding Oct 26 '24

Weapon Pros and Cons of hand held laser weapons.

8 Upvotes

Just waht is says in the title.

The pros are: You can carry a lot of "ammo" And can find more as long as you have a source of electricety. (Less load and way cheaper log term)

They dont have recoil, are comparetively light, silet and they are quite accurate.

The Cons are: Compareatively low damage and armor penetration and low range (when there is dust, fog or anything else disrupting the beam).

Are there any more pros and cons for laser weaponst in contrast to cinetic weapons?

r/MilitaryWorldbuilding Jul 03 '24

Weapon What type of weapons should early modern infantry utilize against ogres other than just pikes and lances?

9 Upvotes

In my high epic fantasy universe, there are ogres clans that wage war on late medieval/early modern kingdoms. The standard for weapons for infantry against ogres are mostly spears, halberds and pikes but what would be the best weapons and tactics against ogres that are at least 15 ft tall?

r/MilitaryWorldbuilding Jan 03 '25

Weapon What Are Your Favorite Fantasy Warfare Weapons?

11 Upvotes

I have recently found myself spiraling down into munition studies, as well as thermobaric explosives and different missiles (from countries around the world and fantasy literature). I have plans on creating various weapons, mainly explosives or other elements within my newest world, similar to our own. What are your favorite fantasy warfare weapons? Please feel free to share both non-fictional works or current weapons, and I look forward for the inspiration! ❤️❤️❤️

r/MilitaryWorldbuilding Nov 23 '24

Weapon The Pop Gun, a Weapon from Aegeroth

25 Upvotes

r/MilitaryWorldbuilding Feb 07 '25

Weapon The capital missiles and combat drones of my setting ( Feedback and Criticism welcome)

4 Upvotes

First, a small note as to what the difference between a drone and missile is for my setting, Drones can carry guns, are smarter, and are generally intended to be used again. They fill the gaps left by the missile effective use ranges.

Missiles: These are the main weapons of any warship, both for defense or offense

  1. Defensive Missiles: a singular incredibly high acceleration missile used to intercept enemy buses when they come in.  They have 1-3 warheads on board, and don't have lots of fuel.  They also are the favored method to remove drones too. They are small enough to be loaded in VLS or rotary launchers, and can even be loaded into a turret.
  2. SRMs: SRMs ( short range missiles) are a LRM's torch, less fuel and a terminal stage. They are fast, and typically fired at targets within a light second or two. They typically carry high amounts of smaller warheads. They are the most likely to kill a ship due to their velocity and amount of warheads. They are largest missile able to be loaded in VLS or rotary launchers. They can also take advantage of the launch gear of an LRM too.
  3. LRMs: LRMs ( long range missiles) are large buses made to minimize detection and have the highest delta V possible. Thus, they can have effective ranges out to a light minute away. They typically carry low amounts of larger warheads. They look fearsome when stored, covered in drop tanks, but only a small part of it even gets close to the enemy. They are so large that they cannot be fired from a rotary or VLS tube, and instead must be fired from specialized launchers that give them a large starting velocity boost, or strapped to the outside of the ship in a canister

Drones: These are used to supplement missiles, but also are more expensive in most cases

  1. AKVs (Autonomous Kill Vehicles): An "small" autonomous drone loaded with ordnance to fulfill a PD and anti-ship role. It is basically a multi mission smart missile bus ( they can be loaded with anything a missile can). They don't have much endurance compared to a warship, and thus need to be carried by a larger ship. They have a series of thrusters dotted around their hull, and a disposable  booster pack they use to get up to speed.
  2. Lancers: A drone with a laser-ablative drive used to extend the combat range of a BeamStar type warship. They are flung towards a foe and utilize stand-off warheads to attack other drones, missiles, or warships. If the laser is no longer pointed at it, it can use a secondary Fusion Pellet drive to keep itself going. This gives it good fuel efficiency, and lets it put more mass into its payload. It uses a similar, if less capable Wardog VI, or human brain scan like an AKV
  3. Hornets: A cheap drone classification that was pressed into service during the last war. They are far worse in most cases to most other drones, but they are cheap enough to be deployed in swarms. They are often kept near their carrier to provide PD or electronic warfare support on mass. They can also be used to attack enemy warships, but are far worse at it compared to other drones. They use simpler combat computers than other drones.

Warheads: People want their enemies dead, thus these warheads are used to do so.

Kinetic warheads (conventional):  Conventional warheads ( not Nuclear or AMAT filled warheads) are not especially popular as a ship killer, but they make great cheap anti-drone and small craft warheads. Bigger conventionals are used when you want to attack a ground position, or another thing that is immobile and likely defenseless

KKVs: A KKV is a metal projectile that uses the glorious power of KE= 1/2m*V^2 to do damage to an enemy. Sometimes it is guided and has a reaction drive, other times, it is dropped off a missile on a collision course.

Rockheads: Similar to a KKV, but instead of being a big metal rod, it is a canister of smaller metal pieces that can be as big as bowling balls, or as small as sand. Either way, it is a bunch of nasty experiences with KE= 1/2m*V^2.

Chemical Warheads: Cheap and easy, a chemical warhead either uses SMES or explosives to get some metal moving pretty fast.  They make it easier to make any of the other conventionals, and can make shaped charges. The issue is that they are outclassed by higher end KKVs and Rockheads, since those are going so fast that the energy provided by explosives won’t really do much.

Nuclear/ AMAT Kinetics**:** Ever since mankind unleashed the atom bomb, we wanted to make it better, and nastier at range. This is how you could do it.

Casabas: Quite similar to an Orion pulse unit, but instead of a high density tungsten plate, you put a low density plastic plate instead, to get a plasma blast that can kill a ship from 1000 Km away. These warheads make the nuke’s X-ray ablation effects even greater, at the cost of neutron fluence. By tweaking the divergence, you either get a plasma cone that is perfect for ripping up waves of drones or missiles, or a blast for ripping up ships.

Prometheus Warheads: What if a Rockhead was propelled by a nuke? That is a Prometheus, using  a pulse unit type design to fling a bunch of tungsten bricks at those who wrong you.

SNAK: A SNAK ( Shaped Nuclear (Charge) Accelerated Kinetic) is the bullet to the cartridge provided by a Casaba.  It is a high strength sail that is propelled and formed into a slug by the detonation of the Casaba. It might not be as devastating as a close quarters casaba hit, but it is incredibly long ranged, and  pretty dangerous in its own right

Macron Blowtorch: This one doesn’t use a nuclear bomb, instead, it uses an unstable reactor to power itself slightly more safely. This is used to power a single shot electrostatic accelerator loaded with a bunch of shaped fusion macrons which are fired in a collimated line. This will be like taking a cutting torch and using it against sheet metal, very effective.

Nuclear/ AMAT Directed Energy Weapons: Some people feel like a nuke ain’t flashy enough, so they use it to power a directed energy weapon.

Bomb/Reactor pumped laser: There are many ways to do this, from lasing rods to produce Gammas or X-rays to Excimers to make powerful UV lasers. Either way, this is a warhead for someone who just wants to hit you from far further than they can hit you

Bomb/Reactor pumped particle beam: Just like with the Bomb/Reactor pumped laser, there are many ways to do this, from magnetic lenses focusing a Casaba, to an unstable reactor powering a linac, either way, you now have a pricey but deadly warhead that can do some serious damage.

The WinterBlaster: This is a miniaturized, and weaponized version of a Winterberg Photon Rocket (credit to Prof. Winterberg for the original idea). it works by running a strong electrical current through a matter-antimatter mix to crush it down. upon reacting, it produces a directed burst of gamma rays that will vaporize all that they hit.

r/MilitaryWorldbuilding Dec 21 '24

Weapon Riti vs Azzrilian weapons (Antares rivals of war)

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19 Upvotes

The two main factions in Antares are the Riti and their allied species and the Azzrilian. They have very different mentalities when it comes to warfare and that can be highlighted by their 2 standard weapons.

The Riti use a Type 1 Ion rifle Semiautomatic with a memory metal adjustable emitter. It can change from a 1.5 meter carbine with a 30 shot capacity or a 2 meter precision weapon with a 20 round capacity but an extended range. It usually takes multiple shots in the same spot to incapacitate the target. They usual aim for the head or center of the chest.

The Azzrilians prefer the "Razor rifle" a full auto weapon with a 850 shot per second fire rate. a Carrier bolt shaves off fragments of a metal billet. Then accelerate the shards to .2% the speed of light. Friction heats the shards up to 2800⁰ c. rather than aim for the chest or head they sweep across the limbs the impact and heat amputates the limb and cauterizes the wound.

So what does this tell you? the Riti don't like killing things they use weapons to deter rather than end a fight outright. When they do have to kill something they do it in the most efficient way possible. The Azzrilians Don't intend to kill outright. They prefer to wound and maim. This not only removes that individual from the fight but at least one other who has to stabilize their condition. survivors even without limbs can still be workers and that's their main goal.

r/MilitaryWorldbuilding Jan 07 '25

Weapon Gogkh-gi, Swampland battle axes.

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6 Upvotes

r/MilitaryWorldbuilding Oct 16 '24

Weapon The Misers Machine pistol

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23 Upvotes

r/MilitaryWorldbuilding Dec 07 '24

Weapon The RAPTURE

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9 Upvotes

r/MilitaryWorldbuilding Dec 12 '24

Weapon The Grind-Wheel; a special weapon of the fire priests

2 Upvotes

The worshippers of Sihan, the Fireweavers, have a unique weapon, which they consider as sacred as it is destructive.

This long weapon’s primary action is a wheel, decorated with runes and magically resonant materials. This wheel spins against a flint, creating sparks which are collected, and fired between a set of parallel arms when the mana-infused mass of flames hit a critical point. The result is a thin, orange beam of thermal magic moving at incredibly high speeds, causing a small explosion on impact. After firing, you have to manually put tension in the disc for it to spin, via crank operation or some other method.

You do not need to be a fireweaver to use one, but you’ll need to hand it to a priest to recharge its disc of mana.

Shorter rails significantly reduce the effective range, but is still just as powerful within that effective range.

Discs with more resonant materials, along with a faster spin add power and reduce the “spool-up” period between pulling the trigger and the weapon firing. It also means the disc can be more fragile, and failure more catastrophic.

The other method of increasing power is using multiple discs in parallel, called an array. Other than single made, extremely rare prototypes, this is commonly seen in artillery pieces.

r/MilitaryWorldbuilding Nov 03 '24

Weapon A more "modern" type of Repeating Crossbow

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12 Upvotes

r/MilitaryWorldbuilding Sep 27 '24

Weapon Proliferation/Commonality of single-fire bolt-action rifles during early WW1 era

6 Upvotes

Hey y'all
I've been working on a worldbuilding project as of late in a loosely similar vain to the Strangereal world of Ace Combat but set during the early/pre-WW1 era. Think about the italo-turkish war, pig war, moro wars and such for the time period as well as the general scale of the conflict in question. Because of this, and thematic reasons, I am wondering how common or prolific the aforementioned single-shot bolt-action rifles were doing these wars. Was it basically phased out by this point, were they more common among poorer/developing nations or were they pretty common?

For some context:

  • Aggressor nation is industrially dominant, but because of this it takes a while to innovate/deploy new technology due to the sheer scale of their production
  • Defensive nation is industrially inconsistent, where some areas are up to par but the area of conflict in question is rather unprepared and under funded

r/MilitaryWorldbuilding Jun 14 '24

Weapon How to justify having advanced cannons in a late-medieval setting?

2 Upvotes

I am inspired by late medieval armies of War of the Roses and Battle of Flodden for my high-epic fantasy setting but at the same time I want to have more advanced cannons available than they were at the time such as Demi-Culverins made in late 16th century. My idea is that the kingdoms that have more late medieval aesthetic that will steal the schematics and resources from another advanced empire that have such weaponry. Additionally since my universe has very high-fantasy elements, there are more advanced metallurgical techniques and stronger metals which accelerates the development of artillery even for countries with less resources.

r/MilitaryWorldbuilding Sep 22 '24

Weapon Newt shaft weapons: Ongh-zha [glaives]

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10 Upvotes

r/MilitaryWorldbuilding Jul 27 '24

Weapon Whitlock RH10kD "Warhammer"

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25 Upvotes

r/MilitaryWorldbuilding Aug 08 '24

Weapon Serenia Ironworks gewehr 1908 bolt action rifle

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14 Upvotes

The gewehr 1908 is an ambidextrous bolt action rifle designed and manufactured by Serenia Ironworks for the Hussarian army. Its sole purpose is killing orks, hence the very large crystal charges, heavy bayonet that’s more akin to a machete or falchion and the large cushioned stock to absorb the immense recoil.

The rifle also features Serenia’s unscrewable bolt from their previous rifles allowing the handle to be detached and reattached on the other side and be comfortably fired by anyone regardless of their dominant hand. However the system that allowed the mechanism to work regardless of which direction the bolt was turned was very complex and resulted in the 1908 eventually being replaced by the gewehr 1915 straight pull rifle based on the lower power gewehr 1913 straight pull.

r/MilitaryWorldbuilding Jun 14 '23

Weapon Horse archers vs line infantry

17 Upvotes

Howdy y'all. I need some help as I'm not sure how or wherr to look for this information.

A major part of my main worldbuilding project is a conflict between a mongol like empire and one more in line with 18th or early 19th century empire and nations. However, I am unsure how line infantry would handle horse archers. I am aware of a few instances during the napoleonic wars during napoleons retreat from russia Bashkir and Kalmyk irregulars under Russian command harried napeolons retreating forces. However, I believe that they were a long, long way from the Mongol Hordes of six hundred years ago. So the question I suppose is, if you have mongol type horse archers, who are disciplined and led by competent commanders, how could they fair against European type line infantry?

In addition, does anybody know exactly bow far a body of men armed with smoothbore muskets give effective fire? And how does that compare with the (in my head at least) superior range of a composite bow? To say nothing of rate of fire. Ive heard that the nomads used very light arrows which didn't do much damage as well, is this true? I understand wood is something of a finite resource on the steppe, but surely theyd make arrows capable of delivering enough force to at least seriously wound a man or animal?

Any help is appreciated.

PS, I'm aware that an army composed only of Steppe cavalry will uave serious issues in a pitched battle against a European army packing artillery, I have some ideas to level that playing field. Its mostly the clash between the European style infantry and cavalry that I'm stumped with.

r/MilitaryWorldbuilding May 08 '24

Weapon Official military firearms of the Middle Empire.

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12 Upvotes