Chapter 32: Alternative Solution
Joshua needed to determine the best projectile for his attacks, factoring in penetration power, speed, and energy efficiency.
The first priority was selecting the most efficient and lethal projectile. It had to be:
1. Fast enough to strike before an enemy could react.
2. Dense enough to pierce armor.
3. Energy efficient so he could sustain combat for longer periods.
Joshua reviewed the data. None of his attacks were both lethal and energy-efficient.
Piercing Strike was limited to melee, Shattering Impact wasted energy, and Spreadshot was weak against strong enemies.
He needed something fast, precise, and deadly with minimal energy loss.
Thus, Needle Shot was born. Theoretically, at least.
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Needle Shot – High-Velocity Armor-Piercing Projectile
Mechanism: Converts energy into kinetic force to accelerate a small, dense projectile at extreme speeds, maximizing penetration.
Joshua compared three potential projectiles for Needle Shot:
1. Steel Needles (0.5mm diameter, 25mm length)
Mass: 0.1g
Penetration Force: 20–30 Newtons
Pros: Extreme speed, low energy cost
Cons: Limited stopping power
2. BB Metal Balls (4.5mm diameter)
Mass: 0.35g
Impact Force at 150 m/s: 4 Joules
Pros: Good balance of speed and impact
Cons: May not pierce heavy armor
3. Tungsten Pellets (10mm diameter)
Mass: 5g
Kinetic Energy at 300 m/s: 225 Joules
Pros: High penetration, can pierce metal
Cons: High energy cost, slower rate of fire
Joshua ran quick calculations using the kinetic energy formula:
KE = \frac{1}{2} m v^2
For a BB Ball at 200 m/s:
KE = \frac{1}{2} (0.35 \times 10^{-3}) (200)^2 = 7 \text{ Joules}
For a Tungsten Pellet at 400 m/s:
KE = \frac{1}{2} (5 \times 10^{-3}) (400)^2 = 400 \text{ Joules}
The numbers were clear—small, high-speed tungsten projectiles provided the best balance of penetration and energy efficiency.
Concept: A tungsten micro-projectile attack, leveraging extreme velocity for deep penetration with minimal energy cost.
Energy Cost per Shot: 100 Joules (Estimated)
Penetration Depth: 50mm (5cm)
Speed: 1,200 m/s (Mach 3.5)
Total Uses Before Energy Depletion: 95 shots
Advantages:
Extremely high penetration due to sharpness and speed.
Low energy cost, making it far more efficient than Piercing Strike.
Near-instant travel speed, making it nearly impossible to dodge.
Disadvantages:
Small entry wound—it relies on precise targeting of vital points.
Ineffective against large creatures unless aimed at weak points.
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Joshua leans back in his chair, satisfied. Needle Shot outperforms his other attacks in terms of energy efficiency and lethality.
Joshua smirked. If he could fine-tune his control over velocity and density, he could make his Needle Shot using the concept of tungsten rounds incredibly lethal.
Looking over the data, Joshua then re-formulates everything about Needle Shot to suit his current needs and he came up with a finalized draft after double-checking all the computations as follows:
1. Fast Attack
For rapid attacks, Joshua needed the smallest viable projectile with extreme speed. He chose tungsten slivers weighing 0.5 grams each and calculated their energy at 1,500 m/s (Mach 4.4).
KE = \frac{1}{2} (0.5 \times 10^{-3}) (1500)^2
KE = 562.5 \text{ Joules}
Each shot required 562.5 Joules, meaning he could fire approximately 64 shots before reaching his safe energy limit.
This mode had distinct advantages:
1. The speed made it nearly impossible to dodge.
2. Low energy cost allowed for sustained fire over long battles.
However, it also had a weakness;
Individual shots lacked stopping power, requiring precise targeting of weak points.
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2. Balanced Attack
The balanced mode required more penetration while maintaining a reasonable energy cost. Joshua settled on 5-gram tungsten spikes with a velocity of 1,200 m/s (Mach 3.5).
KE = \frac{1}{2} (5 \times 10^{-3}) (1200)^2
KE = 3,600 \text{ Joules}
Each shot used 3,600 Joules, allowing for 10 shots before reaching depletion.
This mode had distinct advantages:
1. It balanced speed, penetration, and energy efficiency.
2. It was strong enough to pierce armor and internal organs.
However, it was less effective for prolonged fights compared to Needle Storm Mode.
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3. Heavy Attack
For sheer destructive power, Joshua needed a 50-gram tungsten rod fired at 900 m/s (Mach 2.6). The energy calculations were intense:
KE = \frac{1}{2} (50 \times 10^{-3}) (900)^2
KE = 20,250 \text{ Joules}
Each shot consumed 20,250 Joules, meaning he could only fire one shot safely before needing to conserve energy.
This mode had devastating power:
It could punch through metal, stone, and heavily armored enemies.
A single hit could cripple or outright kill most targets.
However, it had severe limitations:
It required a significant amount of energy, making it a last-resort option.
Joshua scratched his head. This seems to be too much of an overkill.
After much thought, he decides to reduce the amount of energy per shot while maintaining the lethality and he came up with this:
1. Fast Attack (Energy: 400 Joules)
Projectile: 0.4g tungsten needle
Velocity: 1,414 m/s (Mach 4.15)
Total Shots Before Exhaustion: 90
Purpose: High-speed, armor-piercing precision shots with minimal energy cost.
2. Balanced Attack (Energy: 2,000 Joules)
Projectile: 4g tungsten slug
Velocity: 1,000 m/s (Mach 2.94)
Total Shots Before Exhaustion: 18
Purpose: Stronger impact, capable of piercing heavy armor.
3. Heavy Attack (Energy: 15,000 Joules)
Projectile: 40g tungsten spear
Velocity: 866 m/s (Mach 2.54)
Total Shots Before Exhaustion: 2 (with some remaining energy)
Purpose: Devastating power, capable of breaching fortified defenses.
Joshua laughed out loud and looked at his other notes to compare.
Joshua compared his finalized Needle Shot variants to his previous attack methods, analyzing their energy efficiency, penetration, and versatility.
Piercing Strike was his baseline—a rapid, sustained attack resembling a 9mm full metal jacket bullet. Each shot consumed around 500 Joules, allowing for 70 total shots before energy depletion. While reliable, its penetration was limited against armor.
Shattering Impact, modeled after a 5.56 NATO armor-piercing round, had better penetration but a much higher energy cost of 1,800 Joules per shot. This meant only 15 total shots, making it inefficient for prolonged combat.
Spreadshot, a shotgun-like attack using 12-gauge buckshot, packed serious force at 3,000 Joules per shot. However, with a limit of 12 total shots, it was energy-hungry and best suited for close-range engagements.
Sniper Shot, designed after a .50 BMG anti-materiel round, was devastating but impractical. Each shot required 18,000 Joules, meaning only one before full exhaustion, with a possible second shot pushing him beyond his safe limits.
Now, Needle Shot changed everything.
The Fast Attack, consuming only 400 Joules per shot, surpassed Piercing Strike in both energy efficiency and speed. With a 1,414 m/s velocity, it was more penetrative than a 9mm bullet, and at 90 shots per full energy pool, it was his most sustainable attack.
The Balanced Attack, requiring 2,000 Joules per shot, outperformed Shattering Impact and rivaled Sniper Shot in armor-piercing ability. The 4g tungsten slug traveled at 1,000 m/s, delivering more force than a 5.56 NATO AP round while maintaining nearly the same energy efficiency.
The Heavy Attack, consuming 15,000 Joules, was superior to Sniper Shot in both penetration and efficiency. Though slightly lower in velocity at 866 m/s, the 40g tungsten spear hit with enough force to breach even the toughest defenses. Unlike Sniper Shot, which left no room for sustained combat, Joshua could fire this devastating attack twice before hitting his absolute limit.
Looking at the numbers, it was clear—Needle Shot outclassed every previous attack. It was faster, stronger, and more energy-efficient. Joshua smirked. He had finally created the perfect weapon.
Next up: Shields