Small Arms & Equipment

          The weapons and equipment of the Solar Empire were developed from both the technologies garnered from the alien weapons and equipment uncovered by the Cydonia R&D group on Mars, and through arms captured from the USSN forces during the 2060s.

LC-73

           The LC-73 laser carbine was an energy weapon developed at the same time as the LR-73.  The LC-73 was intended for use by Solar Empire spacenavy personnel, mecha pilots, and officers.  This carbine was a six-kilowatt, thirty-caliber selective fire (shoots single and tri-shot bursts) laser beam weapon with an energy-magazine capable of holding one hundred blasts.  The LC-73 was first put into production in 2073 AD and was used to replace the ailing RR-51 rail rifle and RP-55 rail pistol weapons still in use by many UNSC armed forces throughout the Solar System.  This weapon was also manufactured by the Ceres Regency and the Union of Solar Republics during and after the 1st Interplanetary War.


LR-73:

          The LR-73 laser rifle was the main infantry weapon of the Solar Empire ground and spacemarine forces.  This weapon was put into production at the same time as the LC-73 and was the replacement weapon for the RR-51 rail rifle and the EMG-01 Euro-machine gun used by UNSC exosuit soldiers up until the 2070s.  This 8-kilowatt, thirty-caliber select-fire (single and tri-burst) laser rifle was extremely popular with spacepirates and was the main weapon of both the Union of Solar Republics and Ceres Regency forces both during and after the 1st Interplanetary War.


PL-74:

          The PL-74 plasma rifle was a Solar Empire knockoff of the USSN PG-62 plasma rifle anti-armor infantry weapon.  This fifty-caliber plasma grenade rifle served as the main exosuit rifle and also as a crew-served light infantry assault weapon of the Empire.  The PL-74 was not produced in very large numbers by the Solar Empire.  However, the Ceres Regency and Union of Solar Republics mass produced this weapon and built millions of them for their space infantry and spacemarine forces.


ICA-62 (Imperial Combat Armor) :

         Built off the older UNSC ECA-45 Enhanced Combat Armor, the ICA-62 was essentially nothing more than the ECA-45 armor painted red with a bloodred imperial cape and the symbol of the Solar Empire emblazoned on its chest.  This armor was not used as actual combat armor for the infantry nor was it used by any other troops except for the Imperial Guards on Mars.  The imperial suit still retained all of the normal ability of the ECA-45 to withstand considerable punishment and be used in nearly any environment, including regions that had been contaminated by nuclear, biological, or chemical attacks.  The ICA-62 was used by the Solar Empire after the Great War ended and throughout the 1st Interplanetary War. After the war was over, the Ceres Regency reintroduced this armor for the Ceres Praetorian Guard.
           Troopers issued this armor under the Solar Empire were always armed with either an RR-51 rail rifle, or towards the end of the Solar Empire, the LC-73.  Ceres troopers who were issued this armor used the LC-73 exclusively.