Phantom Hammer

Phantom Hammer is an annihilation-based superweapon developed by Metatron. The weapon penetrates any known form of shielding technology, even forcefields. Its only direct counter is dimensional phasing technology. The systems are commonly mounted on orbital weapons arrays operated by Raven, assisting in global anomaly suppression. They also exist as surface-to-air planetary defence systems. As a Category X classed weapon, it is illegal to be possessed by governments or private corporations unless provided special approval by the Coalition.

Mechanism

The Phantom Hammer weapon system holds antiprotons in the cylindrical base of the weapon using a Dynamic Containment Array (DCA)-based containment field. This section of the weapon is known as the fuel cell, and is slowly recharged via the use of an onboard linear accelerator that collides protons against an iridium target. Each firing of the weapon drains the fuel cell, but it is automatically kept charged even when not in active combat for optimal readiness.

In the firing sequence, containment coils spin up around the barrel of the weapon, which serve to focus the antimatter stream downrange. When these reach optimal speed, a pinhole window is opened in the DCA field in the centre of the barrel and the stream is released at near-relativistic speeds. Near-instantly, all matter in the path of the beam converts to pions, which rapidly decay into gamma rays and neutrinos. An intense flash of light and burst of neutron radiation is released, blinding nearby observers. The beam can then be observed quickly "fading" from a white glow back to empty space. When fired in a normal atmosphere, an supersonic shock front is released by the rapid heating of atmospheric gases by the beam.