Editing Particle Projector Cannon

{{Update Needed|[[Shrapnel (magazine)#Issue 4|Shrapnel #4]]}}
{{Otheruses|the powerful energy weapon|the infamous alcoholic drink|PPC (beverage)}}
{{InfoBoxWeapon
| image = [[File:Inverted PPC.jpg|191px]]
| name = PPC
| Type = Energy (Direct Fire)
| Tech Base = [[Inner Sphere]] (IS)
| Year Availability = [[2460]] [[Terran Hegemony|TH]]<ref name="IOp118">''Interstellar Operations'', p. 118: "Prototype Dates For Basic Weapons Table"</ref>
| Year Introduced =  [[2439]] [[Terran Hegemony|TH]]<ref name="IOp118"/>
| Tech Rating = [[Technology Rating#(Choose One A - F)|(Choose One A - F)]]
| Availability Rating = [[Availability Rating#(Choose One A - F, X)|(Choose One A - F, X)]]
| Age of War–Star League = [[Availability Rating#(Choose One A - F, X)|(Choose One A - F, X)]]
| Succession Wars = [[Availability Rating#(Choose One A - F, X)|(Choose One A - F, X)]]
| Clan Invasion – Present = [[Availability Rating#(Choose One A - F, X)|(Choose One A - F, X)]]
| Legality Rating = [[Legality Rating#(Choose One A - F)|(Choose One A - F)]]
| Heat = 10
| Damage = 10
| Minimum Range = 3
| Short Range = 1-6
| Medium Range = 7-12
| Long Range = 13-18
| Tons = 7
| Critical Slots = 3
| Cost (unloaded) = 200,000<ref>''TechManual'' p. 289</ref>
| BV (1.0) = 176
| BV (2.0) = 176<ref>''TechManual'', p. 317: "Inner Sphere Weapons and Equipment BV Table"</ref>
}}

==Description==
The '''Particle Projector Cannon''' (or '''PPC''') is an energy weapon, firing a concentrated stream of protons or ions at a target with damage resulting from both thermal and kinetic energy.<ref name=TM_233>''TechManual'', p. 233: "Particle Projector Cannon (PPC)"</ref>  Despite being an energy weapon, it does produce recoil. The lethality of the weapon rivals that of higher-caliber [[autocannon]]s; just three shots from a PPC will vaporize nearly two tons of [[standard armor|standard military-grade armor]].<ref>''TechManual'' p. 234</ref> During the Star League era, multiple hits from certain PPC models were known to scramble electronics, until the SLDF introduced dampers. These proliferated to the armies of the Great Houses and beyond during the outbreak of the Succession Wars.<ref>''Technical Readout: 3050 Revised'', Burke combat vehicle</ref> The ion beam also extends to much farther ranges than autocannon fire, though PPCs generate large amounts of waste heat, the earlier prototype versions (produced between [[2439]] and [[2460]]) even more so.

PPCs are equipped with a [[field inhibitor]] to prevent feedback that could damage the firing unit's electronic systems.<ref>''TechManual'' p. 233</ref>  This inhibitor degrades the performance of the weapon at close ranges of less than 90 meters.  Particularly daring warriors have been known to disengage the inhibitor and risk damage to their own machine when a target is at close range.

==Models==

===Anderson Armaments Particle Cannon PPC 12===
Considered by some observers as the best weapon produced by [[Anderson Armaments]], when linked to the [[Garret GRNDTRK 9]] [[targeting and tracking system]] the weapon would prove to be particularly deadly.<ref name=TRO3025p68/>
{|class="wikitable" style="background: #gray; text-align:center; border: 2px solid black;"
|'''Manufactured on'''  
|'''Manufactured by'''
|'''Typically used in'''
|'''References'''
|----
| [[Oliver ]]
| [[Brigadier Corporation]]
| [[Scorpion (BattleMech)|Scorpion]]
| <ref name=TRO3025p68>''Technical Readout: 3025'', p. 68: "SCP-1N ''Scorpion''"</ref>
|}

===Chalker Model 25===
{|class="wikitable" style="background: #gray; text-align:center; border: 2px solid black;"
|'''Manufactured on'''  
|'''Manufactured by'''
|'''Typically used in'''
|'''References'''
|----
| [[Terra]]
| [[Leopard Armor]]
| [[Burke (Combat Vehicle)|Burke]]
| <ref name=TRO3050p176>''Technical Readout: 3050 RUpgrade'', p. 176</ref>
|}

===Ceres Arms Smasher===
When mounted in the right arm of the [[Vindicator]] the weapon features an innovative cooling jacket which possesses water intake ports around the muzzle, allowing the pilot to dip the PPC into a body of water and quickly cool it, with steam exiting via a nozzle at the opposite end.
{|class="wikitable" style="background: #gray; text-align:center; border: 2px solid black;"
|'''Manufactured on'''  
|'''Manufactured by'''
|'''Typically used in'''
|'''References'''
|----
| [[Capella]]
| [[Ceres Metals Industries]]
| [[Vindicator]]
| <ref name=TROSWp74>''Technical Readout: Succession Wars'', p. 74</ref>
|}

===Donal===
{|class="wikitable" style="background: #gray; text-align:center; border: 2px solid black;"
|'''Manufactured on'''  
|'''Manufactured by'''
|'''Typically used in'''
|'''References'''
|----
| [[Crofton]]
| [[StarCorps Industries]]
| [[Warhammer]]
| <ref name=TRO3025p91>''Technical Readout: 3025'', p. 91</ref>
|----
| [[Keystone]]
| [[Earthwerks Incorporated]]
| [[Battlemaster]]
| <ref name=TROSWp158>:''Technical Readout: Succession Wars'', p. 158</ref>
|----
| [[Pandora]]
| [[Red Devil Industries]]
| [[Battlemaster]]
| <ref name=TROSWp158>:''Technical Readout: Succession Wars'', p. 158</ref>
|----
| [[Keystone]]
| [[Earthwerks Incorporated]]
| [[Thug]]
| <ref name=TROSWp158>:''Technical Readout: Succession Wars'', p. 158</ref>
|----
| [[Hesperus II]]
| [[Defiance Industries]]
| [[Banshee]]
| <ref name=TROSWp176>''Technical Readout: Succession Wars'', p. 176</ref>
|----
| [[Loxley]]
| [[Norse-Storm Technologies Incorporated]]
| [[Devastator]]
| <ref name=TRO3058p148>''Technical Readout: 3058'', p. 148</ref>
|}

===Fusigon===
{|class="wikitable" style="background: #gray; text-align:center; border: 2px solid black;"
|'''Manufactured on'''  
|'''Manufactured by'''
|'''Typically used in'''
|'''References'''
|----
| [[Keystone]]
| [[Earthwerks Incorporated]]
| [[Griffin]]
| <ref name=TROSWp74/>
|}

===Hellstar===
{|class="wikitable" style="background: #gray; text-align:center; border: 2px solid black;"
|'''Manufactured on'''  
|'''Manufactured by'''
|'''Typically used in'''
|'''References'''
|----
| [[Terra]]
| [[Aldis Industries]]
| [[Schrek]]
| <ref name=TRO3026p78>''Technical Readout: 3026 Revised'', p. 78</ref>
|----
| 
| [[Stormvanger Assemblies, Unlimited]]
| [[Striker]]
| <ref name=TRO3058p222>''Technical Readout: 3058'', p. 222</ref>
|----
| 
| 
| [[Bug-Eye]]
| <ref name=TRO2750p124>''Technical Readout: 2750'', pp. 124–125: "Bug-Eye Ship Profile"</ref>
|----
|}

===Johnston Parti-Cannon===
{|class="wikitable" style="background: #gray; text-align:center; border: 2px solid black;"
|'''Manufactured on'''  
|'''Manufactured by'''
|'''Typically used in'''
|'''References'''
|----
| [[Talon]]
| [[Kallon Industries]]
| [[JagerMech III]]
| <ref name=TRO3060p110>''Technical Readout: 3060 Revised'', p. 110</ref>
|----
| [[Quentin]]
| [[Independence Weaponry]]
| [[JagerMech III]]
| <ref name=TRO3060p110>''Technical Readout: 3060 Revised'', p. 110</ref>
|}

===Kinslaughter===
The Kinslaughter PPC has a well-known reputation for difficulties with its insulation, generating additional heat if not properly maintained and making preventive maintenance more of a priority than other weapons of the type.<ref name=TR2750p36>''Technical Readout: 2750'', p. 36</ref>

{|class="wikitable" style="background: #gray; text-align:center; border: 2px solid black;"
|'''Manufactured on'''  
|'''Manufactured by'''
|'''Typically used in'''
|'''References'''
|----
| [[Terra#Terra_IV_.28Mars.29|Mars]]
| [[Krupp Stellar Technologies Inc.]] 
| [[Lancelot|LNC 25-01 ''Lancelot'']]
| <ref name=TR2750p36>''Technical Readout: 2750'', p. 36</ref> <ref name=TROSWp110>:''Technical Readout: Succession Wars'', p. 110</ref>
|}

===Kreuss===
{|class="wikitable" style="background: #gray; text-align:center; border: 2px solid black;"
|'''Manufactured on'''  
|'''Manufactured by'''
|'''Typically used in'''
|'''References'''
|----
| [[Savannah]]
| [[Technicron Manufacturing]]
| [[Awesome]]
| <ref name=TRO3025p105>''Technical Readout: 3025'', p. 105</ref>
|}

===Lord's Light===
The most common PPC produced in the [[Draconis Combine]], the Lord's Light is an exceptional model noted for its compactness and flexibility, allowing it to be mounted on the right arm of 35-ton ''Panther'' while still retaining the hand.<ref name=TRO3025-30>''Technical Readout: 3025'', p. 30: "PNT-9R Panther"</ref>

{|class="wikitable" style="background: #gray; text-align:center; border: 2px solid black;"
|'''Manufactured on'''  
|'''Manufactured by'''
|'''Typically used in'''
|'''References'''
|----
| [[Alshain]] [[New Oslo]]
| [[Alshain Weapons]]
| [[Panther]]
| <ref name=TROSWp42>:''Technical Readout: Succession Wars'', p. 42</ref>
|----
| [[Luthien]]
| [[Luthien Armor Works]]
| [[Lancelot]]
| <ref name=TRO3039p264>''Technical Readout: 3039 Revised'', p. 264</ref>
|}

===Magna Hellstar===
{|class="wikitable" style="background: #gray; text-align:center; border: 2px solid black;"
|'''Manufactured on'''  
|'''Manufactured by'''
|'''Typically used in'''
|'''References'''
|----
| [[Quentin]]
| [[General Motors]]
| [[Marauder]]
| <ref name=TRO3025p99>''Technical Readout: 3025'', p. 99</ref>
|-
| [[Graham IV]]
| [[Mitchell Vehicles]]
| [[Galahad]]
| <ref name=TROSWp84>:''Technical Readout: Succession Wars'', p. 84</ref>
|----
| [[Hesperus II]]
| [[Defiance Industries]]
| [[Banshee (BattleMech)|Banshee]]
| <ref name=TROSWp177>:''Technical Readout: Succession Wars'', p. 177</ref>
|----
| [[Connaught]]
| [[Kong Interstellar Corporation]]
| [[Black Knight]]
| <ref name=TROSWp138>:''Technical Readout: Succession Wars'', p. 138</ref>
|----
| [[Alpheratz]]
| [[Mountain Wolf BattleMechs]]
| [[Merlin (BattleMech)|Merlin]]
| <ref name=TRO3058p120>''Technical Readout: 3058'', p. 120</ref>
|}

===Parti-Kill Heavy Cannon===
Unlike other PPCs, the Parti-Kill Heavy Cannon does not use an energy collection capacitor or similar chamber, instead using a series of magnetic collection bottles that gather plasma straight from the 'Mech or vehicle's [[fusion reactor]]. The resulting energies are then channeled through a larger magnetic bottle and released from the cannon as an energy "shell" that is unstable at ranges of less than ninety meters and loses cohesion and disintegrates at 540 meters.<ref name=TRO3026>''Technical Readout: 3026'', pp. 64–65</ref><ref name=TRO3026R>''Technical Readout: 3026 Revised'', pp. 68–69</ref><ref name=TRO3039>''Technical Readout: 3039'', pp. 74–75</ref>

{|class="wikitable" style="background: #gray; text-align:center; border: 2px solid black;"
|'''Manufactured on'''  
|'''Manufactured by'''
|'''Typically used in'''
|'''References'''
|----
| [[Panpour]]
| [[Jalastar Aerospace]]
| [[Manticore]]
| <ref name=TRO3039p74>''Technical Readout: 3039'', p. 74</ref>
|----
| [[Hesperus II]] 
| [[Defiance Industries]] 
| [[Manticore]]
| <ref name=TRO3039p74/>
|----
| [[New Earth]] 
| [[New Earth Trading Company]] 
| [[Myrmidon (Combat Vehicle)|Myrmidon]]
| <ref name=TRO3060p24>''Technical Readout: 3060 Revised'', p. 24</ref>
|----
| [[Robinson]] 
| [[Robinson Standard BattleWorks]] 
| [[Sentry]]
| <ref name=TRO3060p24/>
|}

===Rand===
{|class="wikitable" style="background: #gray; text-align:center; border: 2px solid black;"
|'''Manufactured on'''  
|'''Manufactured by'''
|'''Typically used in'''
|'''References'''
|----
| [[Oliver]]
| [[Brigadier Corporation]]
| [[Goliath]]
| <ref name=TRO3025p109>''Technical Readout: 3025'', p. 109</ref>
|}

===Stolz Harbringer===
{|class="wikitable" style="background: #gray; text-align:center; border: 2px solid black;"
|'''Manufactured on'''  
|'''Manufactured by'''
|'''Typically used in'''
|'''References'''
|----
| [[Wotan]]
| [[Krauss-Liemann Incorporated]]
| [[Phoenix (BattleMech)|Phoenix]]
| <ref name=TROSWp88>:''Technical Readout: Succession Wars'', p. 88</ref>
|}

===Tiegart===
The Tiegart Particle Projection Cannon provides similar performance to the Donal PPC while being ten percent smaller. Unlike the more common Donal however, even during the Star League era Tiegart replacement parts were more scarce with fire control suffering greatly without a steady supply of parts, even with several redundancy circuits providing backup if needed.<ref name=TRO2750>''Technical Readout: 2750'', pp. 48–49</ref> Production of the Tiegart PPC ended during the destruction of the early Succession War with designs utlizing the more compact PPC being reworked to use the more common Donal PPCs. <ref name=TRO3025r>''Technical Readout: 3025 Revised'', pp. 102–103</ref>

{|class="wikitable" style="background: #gray; text-align:center; border: 2px solid black;"
|'''Manufactured on'''  
|'''Manufactured by'''
|'''Typically used in'''
|'''References'''
|-----
| [[Errai]]
| [[Maltex Corporation]]
| [[Thug]] [[Hatamoto-Chi]] [[Manticore]] [[Pegasus (Combat Vehicle - Hovertank)|Pegasus]] [[Maxim]] [[Behemoth (Combat Vehicle)|Behemoth]] [[Lucifer II]] [[Riever]]
| <ref name=TRO3050p216>''Technical Readout: 3050 Upgrade'', p. 216</ref> | <ref name=OR104>''Objective Raids'', p. 104</ref>
|-----
| [[Keystone]]
| [[Earthwerks Incorporated]]
| [[Thug]]
| <ref name=TRO3050p216/>
|}
[[File:Madcat PPC fire.jpg|thumb|300px|A PPC being fired by a ''[[Timber Wolf (Mad Cat)|Timber Wolf]]''; notice the characteristic helix around the stream of particles]]<br>

==Variants==
* '''Prototype''': The [[Mackie]] used an older prototype for the Particle Projector Cannon, seeing as it was equipped with one before the weapon is even introduced. According to the rules in ''[[Interstellar Operations]]'' regarding prototype energy weapons, the primary difference between the prototype and the mass production models is a considerably increased heat output (around 50% higher).<ref>''Interstellar Operations'', pp. 120–124: "Primitive Units and RetroTech"</ref>
* '''Improved PPC''': Developed by the [[Clans]] shortly after the [[Operation EXODUS|Exodus]], the only differences between the Improved PPC and a normal PPC would be that the mass is only 6000 kilograms, and that the weapon only occupies 2 Critical Slots. All other performance characteristics remain same, and it would  go on to become obsolete when the Clans perfected the [[Extended Range Particle Projector Cannon|ER-PPC]]. This weapon was also described in ''Interstellar Operations.''<ref>''Interstellar Operations'', pp. 95–97: "Early Clan Improved Equipment"</ref>
* '''Light and Heavy PPCs''': Developed by the [[Draconis Combine]] in [[3067]], the [[Light PPC|Light]] model significantly cut down on the size and weight of the weapon at the expense of damage output, and the [[Heavy PPC|Heavy]] model increased the damage output at the expense of increased heat and mass.
* '''Snub-Nose PPC''': By modifying the PPC to have a much shorter barrel and plasma focus, the [[Snub-Nose PPC]] sacrifices its maximum effective range (especially since damage starts to drop significantly as distance increases), but makes up for it by lacking a minimum range and being much better suited for close-quarters engagements. Additionally, it is actually easier for some mechs to carry these things when a regular PPC wouldn't fit.
* '''ER PPC''': The [[Extended Range Particle Projector Cannon]] has a much further maximum range than its ancestor, along with the additional benefit of not having a minimum range. The downside to this, however, is the increased heat output. Though the weapon became Lostech for use in the Inner Sphere, the Clans never lost the technology, and managed to make improvements.

==See Also==
* [[PPC Capacitor]]: This piece of equipment can be added to PPCs in order to increase the damage output, but on top of being slow to charge, this capacitor is prone to causing explosions. Some 'Mechs that are desperate to save weight will drop their full-sized PPC for a Light PPC and an added Capacitor.
* [[Blue Shield Particle Field Dampener]] (BSPFD): A system that was developed in order to reduce the damage output from incoming PPCs, the BSPFD isn't useful for much else and can occupy vital space in a 'Mech.

==References==
<references/>

==Bibliography==
{{div col|colwidth=25em}}
* ''[[BattleTech Master Rules]]''
* ''[[TechManual]]''
* ''[[Technical Readout: 2750]]''
* ''[[Technical Readout: 3025]]''
* ''[[Technical Readout: 3025 Revised]]''
* ''[[Technical Readout: 3026]]''
* ''[[Technical Readout: 3026 Revised]]''
* ''[[Technical Readout: 3050]]''
* ''[[Technical Readout: 3050 Revised]]''
* ''[[Technical Readout: 3050 Upgrade]]''
* ''[[Total Warfare]]''
{{div col end}}

[[Category:Weapons]]
[[Category:Energy Weapons]]
[[Category:PPC]]