|
Atmosphere Deprivation Weapon
| |
|---|---|
| |
| Ship Information | |
|
Classification
|
|
|
Purpose
|
Atmosphere Deprivation
Superweapon |
|
Ship Type
|
Fireship
|
| Technical Information | |
|
Mass
|
250 tons
|
|
Length
|
226 metres
|
|
Speed
|
250 m/s
|
|
Armaments
|
Self-Explosive Atmospheric Incinerator
|
| Usage | |
|
Eras
|
|
|
Affiliation
|
|
The Low Orbit Atmosphere Deprivation Weapon, sometimes abbreviated to ADW or LOADW, was a Frigate-sized weapon of mass destruction, originally developed by the Taiidan Empire. The weapon itself was forbidden to be used by anyone: because of the sheer cruelty implied by production and deployment of such devastating weapons, few sought to defy this ban.
Background[]
It saw its first use during the Taiidan attack on Hiigaran worlds when the Hiigaran navy struck their homeworld of Taiidan, destroying the Taiidan Imperial Palace and all of the military facilities on the surface.
The ADW was not used again (Pre-Exile history remains unclear concerning any deployments by the Taiidan military other than those against Hiigaran worlds) until 9510 GSY, when the Kushan, the descendants of the Hiigaran exiles, rediscovered and tested the Second Hyperspace Core. Emperor Riesstiu IV the Second, descendant of the self-proclaimed Emperor Riesstiu I, saw such reemergence as grounds to deploy the Atmosphere Deprivation Weapon on Kharak. It is assumed that the hyperspace test violated a non-aggression contract between the Exiles and the Taiidan Empire, as the use of hyperspace technology had enabled the Hiigaran people to strike at the Taiidan Empire's heart thousands of years before. It is unknown how many ADWs were deployed against Kharak, but at least 50% of the planet's surface was burning, and the Mothership's crew could not detect any survivors on the surface. The deployment of the ADW salvo against Kharak was ordered less than a few hours after the Mothership entered Hyperspace.
After the return of the Exiles to Hiigara, the ADW technology disappeared for a time – this logically could be contributed to the fall of the Empire. It reappeared a century later, however, in the possession of the Vaygr warlord Makaan who presumably acquired the devices when he allied with Taiidan Imperialist Faction. When Makaan died and Hiigaran forces returned to break the Siege of Hiigara, Vaygr forces deployed ADWs aboard Planet Killers to destroy all life on Hiigara. With the Hiigaran Navy's destruction of them using Sajuuk, it is unknown if any Atmosphere Deprivation warheads or schematics existed after 115 AHL. That was the only time LOADWs were physically seen in game, aside from their destruction effect which was seen before only when used against Kharak.