RAIL Weapon Systems
Reattivo Accelerazione con Induzione Lineare (Reactive Acceleration through Linear Induction, or RAIL) Weapon Systems are a human-portable linear induction weapon system technology developed by Luciana Testarossa. Their primary feature is to fire specially-designed shells via a magnetic induction coil. This allows for a high level of muzzle velocity with minimum recoil and kickback by the wielder.
Testarossa designed the weapon with both modularity and adaptability in mind. Rather than requiring the gun itself to contain the power cell, individual rounds are constructed with a miniature electrochemical fuel package. When the firing pin of the weapon strikes the bullet, the electrochemical reaction fires, charging the induction coil's capacitors and allowing the bullet to fire. Due to this design, the coil assembly can be retroactively fitted to standard handgun or rifle designs, allowing the system to be adapted to commonly-used and familiar handgun systems. Because the system relies on the standard firing-pin design, bullets can be loaded, fired, and ejected by the standard receiver system of a common handgun; as long as the barrel assembly can be removed and replaced, theoretically any handgun or rifle can be adapted into a RAIL-compatible weapon.
The payload component and electrochemical reaction component can be tailored for a variety of uses as well. By adjusting the chemical balance in the electrochemical reaction compound, a lower muzzle velocity can be achieved, allowing for bullets which can be fired at non-lethal velocities. So far, Lucy has developed five primary bullet types: "Blue" shots are non-lethal, non-damaging "practice shots" which can be used safely for training in otherwise live-fire situations; "White" shots are fully live, standard velocity bullets; "Red" shots include a high-potency explosive compound in the payload, causing extensive explosive damage on impact; "Yellow" shots contain a highly electroreactive compound which induces a very short range EMP pulse, effecting only the target; "Green" shots contain a concentrated compound which can knock out the target.
