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Orbital Ion Cannon Turret
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Classification
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Purpose
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To destroy ground units on Kharak
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Ship Type
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Weapons Platform
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Armaments
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1 Large Ion Cannon
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Eras
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Affiliation
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The Orbital Weapon is a Taiidan Empire satellite deployed in orbit around Kharak. This weapon was built in the Exile Era by the Taiidani to keep an eye on the Kushan. At least one was still operational by 1110 KDS.
Usage[]
The weapons platform orbited around Kharak's equator and was fired with a manual trigger. Before it could fire, it had to be armed first. It sent a recognition code to a Taiidani ID transponder inside the carrier, which would return the signal and confirm the order. The weapon functioned similarly to the Pulsar weapons used by the Hiigarans over 200 years later but on a much larger scale, firing a short-lived stream of ions that was potent enough to penetrate a planetary atmosphere with minimal effectiveness loss. Anything within a blast radius of around 1000 meters of the target area will be severely damaged.
It was presumably meant to be used for ground area denial, in case a Hiigaran expedition tried to retrieve the Second Core from the ruins of Khar-Toba and violated the treaty that ensured their continued survival.
History[]
A Taiidan Carrier known by the Kushan as Taiidan built and deployed the platform above Kharak. Fortunately, before the crew could activate it, the ship's engines and hyperdrive malfunctioned due to the Second Core's interference and the carrier deorbited, crashed with the planet's surface and exploded, creating the Torin Crater. Years later, in 1110 KDS, Jacob S'jet escaped from a Kiith Gaalsien base on foot, located the Taiidan and armed the weapon. He then fired it at the K'Had Sajuuk's fleet as it headed to Khar-Toba, destroying at least one carrier and unleashing a massive explosion. After his death, his sister Rachel S'jet traveled to the Taiidan's wreck and retrieved the transponder and trigger. However, due to a flaw in its targeting and alignment, it was too risky to use it without a ground-based targeting matrix.
After deploying the scanner network at the Khar-Toba site, Rachel and the Kapisi's fleet used the weapon against the K'Had Sajuuk, his flagship the Hand of Sajuuk and the rest of its escort fleet. It played a key role in the supercarrier's destruction and the success of Operation Khadiim.
It is clear that the Taiidan didn't use it in the Homeworld War, as it was probably not designed for space combat.
Appearances[]
References[]
- ↑ Homeworld: Deserts of Kharak Mission 11 "Khashar Plateau"