Shot Lancer's Effectiveness

[LuciansShadow]

Im on this RP board and I have Den'an Zons rushing up behind a group of G-Cannons with them opening fire with their Lancers, and Im being told that the Heavy Machine Guns from a Zons Lancers would do little if any damage to the Cannons BackSides, I wouldn't think a force would design a weapon that would do little to no damage to their enemies, so if I could get some help with this deal that would be great. Thanks

Mod Edit (Red): Title changed to something more appropriate.

[mcred23]

The shot lancers used by all Crossbone Vanguard machines only have small machine guns, so unless you are at very close range, they aren't going to to much against anything. It's not that the weapons do little damage, but the CV MS and the weapons they used are intended for close combat (Often in and around space colonies).

[Wingnut]

Yeah, you'd have to be really close for them to be effective. A Jegan shield can stop them with little difficulty. The only time it didn't was when the bullets set off the rockets inside one and made them explode.

If they are coming up from the rear there, the worst they would do is knock out a main thruster or two, but that would be about all they could hope to do, and when they got close enough to be really effective, one might as well keep going and try and stab the opponent with the lance anyway.

[LuciansShadow]

Thanks and I was in pretty close since my suits dropped down on them and fired as they fell, next step was to impale XD just didn't like the idea of a weapon that really can't do any damage at all lol

[lalahsghost]

The shot lancers were also intended for incapacitating a ms, not so much as destroying it, right?

[EZero8]

Pretty much. Seeing that CV wanted to keep the colonies intact, they made a weapon that wouldnt set off the reactors once they "destroy" a mobile suit inside the colony.

[HalfDemonInuyasha]

Wouldn't machineguns also be a lot more effective at the time given the movable frame concept and having relatively thinner armor compared to past MS? Even vulcans have been shown to be able to do good damage to enemy MS, assuming they get a clear shot.

[mcred23]

The shot lancers were also intended for incapacitating a ms, not so much as destroying it, right?

As EZero8 noted, they were more to avoid reactors going off, as we see CV pilots use them quite a few times on the cockpits of EFSF mobile suits.

Wouldn't machineguns also be a lot more effective at the time given the movable frame concept and having relatively thinner armor compared to past MS? Even vulcans have been shown to be able to do good damage to enemy MS, assuming they get a clear shot.

Not really. Dispite armor being thinner, they're still using some fairly strong alloys (And don't use the Jegan as an example, it was designed to have painfully thin armor) and, unless one is at very close range, machine guns are largely useless. Besides, you also have the chance you may miss, and that could cause damage to the space colonies they were fighting in/around (And the CV were very concerned about that).

[razgriz]

okay ive never seen one in action so im curious, does a shot lancer actually fire that pointed projectile into its target from range or is it stationary mounted and used to deliver a joust-like pierce to the enemy ms?

[HalfDemonInuyasha]

It's used like a joust.

You can see a good example of its use early in F91 when a Jegan gets impaled with it.

[razgriz]

ah thanks for the answer HDI
boy i hope they strengthened the arm joints for that kind of abuse.

[mcred23]

It is used like a joust at times, however, we do know that the pointed end can be fired off at targets a shot distance away (The lancer had some thrusters on it, making it basically a rocket-launched spear). This was shown a few times, the time I remember best when one was fired at Seabook in the Guntank R-44.

Now, after that, I'm a bit hazy on if the thing returns to it, or if they're simply stuck without the lance or what. IIRC, it remains connected to the launcher with wires or something like that so it can return, but it's been a while since I've watched F91, so I honestly don't remember if we ever see it return or not.

[Dark Duel]

We're never shown a mobile suit retrieving its launched lance, but we know Dorel obviously retrieved his, as when Zabine and Berah returned to the Guntank later, it was gone.
I think it has to be retrieved manually, as I don't ever recall seeing a tether linking the actual lance to the base...As silly as that sounds.

[Wingnut]

Actually someone else had to have grabbed it as Dorel had his hands full (literally) with taking Cecily back with him.

[HalfDemonInuyasha]

Or maybe they have spares somewhere?

Heck, maybe some of them could've been taken by the Federation to examine and integrate onto the Javelin. IIRC, the early Javelin's were similar to the Jamesgun and weren't equipped with Shot Lancers until later.

[Zeonic Glory]

Of course, you also have the Feddie Shotlancers which look quite awkward and silly to use in combat. I mean, they launch the whole Shotlancer at a target. While thats useful for taking out a ship, those things look like they wouldn't really be used for attacking MS more than a ship. (Sure the MAHQ Profile says it can be hand-operated, but still...)

[mcred23]

Heck, maybe some of them could've been taken by the Federation to examine and integrate onto the Javelin. IIRC, the early Javelin's were similar to the Jamesgun and weren't equipped with Shot Lancers until later.

I'm not sure about that. The early Javelin's have the shotlancers, but given how long it took the Federation to develop that and the Jamesgun, who knows when that thing was actually used...

Of course, you also have the Feddie Shotlancers which look quite awkward and silly to use in combat. I mean, they launch the whole Shotlancer at a target. While thats useful for taking out a ship, those things look like they wouldn't really be used for attacking MS more than a ship. (Sure the MAHQ Profile says it can be hand-operated, but still...)

Huh? From what I've seen of the Javelin's shotlancer, it works in basically the same way as those used by the Crossbone Vanguard, only the RGM-122's is mounted on the backpack (But still fired/used by hand) as opposed to the Crossbones' type, which is only a handhled weapon.

[razgriz]

were those things hardy enough to parry a beam saber shot? or is it more hot sliced metal?

[mcred23]

were those things hardy enough to parry a beam saber shot? or is it more hot sliced metal?

It's not heated, so your latter suggestion is right out. As for the former, I honestly can't recall if we ever see them deflect beam sabers in F91 or not, but I want to say they could...