Coalition Energetic Ballistics

In response to the development of ECA Shields, the Coalition of Intelligent Organisms is renowned for developing a very unique and very effective method of merging energy weapons with traditional kinetic weapons. Most of the ammunition used in military-grade weapons by the Coalition have the added benefit of being able to support a thin cone of ultra-hot ionized gas that sticks to the round as it travels through the air. Though not always practical, these types of weapons are frequently used by the Coalition during conflicts against criminals or those that use similar technology, as these energetic rounds, in addition to dealing more direct damage, have the added benefit of being able to pierce through ECA shields with acceptable efficiency.

History and Development
Since ECA shields were first developed sometime during the late 4200's, energetic ballistics were invented right near the end of the First Coalition Golden Age as a direct response. It was a project the Coalition government officially commissioned from the Department of Experimental Warfare, as the new ECA shields were allowing criminals to thwart law enforcement thanks to the near-immunity they gave them against both physical and energy weapons. Penetrating the adaptive defenses of ECA shields proved a challenge for Coalition engineers, but they eventually made a breakthrough when they discovered that such shields could be "tricked" and broken through by encasing physical munitions in high-energy plasma. The first energetic ballistics were very short-ranged and inefficient, as the cohesion of the plasma surrounding each shot couldn't be maintained for long. Even as they were refined, these types of weapons were only used in the most dire of situations against major internal threats, which, even then, were becoming more prevalent as large criminal organizations such as the Steel Syndicate and Havoc started to assert their power during the Coalition Dark Age.

Of course, as energized munitions became more popular, the effectiveness of ECA shielding diminished considerably. Better ECA shields were invented over time, but they were almost always followed by further development of energized rounds. This, like many Coalition technological developments, resulted in a vicious cycle in which energized munitions constantly became stronger in response to stronger ECA shields, and vice versa. This cycle, which was almost a permanent fixture of Coalition research, ensured that neither technology could trump the other, but, like most Coalition inventions that were subject to similar processes, both ended up becoming needlessly powerful and complex.

Mechanics and Usage
At the base level, the mechanics by which the Coalition enhances its ammunition are really quite simple. Most Coalition weapons, including handheld and mounted guns used on vehicles, have room for an "energizer" attachment that adds a coating of plasma to all rounds fired by the weapon. These attachments are usually weapon-specific, so, for example, an energizer designed for a Coalition assault rifle won't work for a sniper rifle, and a tank cannon's energizer won't fit a heavy machine gun. Regardless of the design or size, most energizers work the same way. They are typically affixed to the end of the weapon barrel, with tanks of Hydrogen or Helium gas attached to the sides, the size and shape of which depend on the design of the weapon and energizer attachment. Whenever a round is fired by the weapon, the energizer ejects a small package of Hydrogen or Helium gas, which is then ionized and super-heated by the energizer using superconductors. When the round impacts the ionized gas, it carries it along while exiting the gun, holding onto it using small, but powerful magnets located inside the shell casing. To prevent being destroyed or misshapen by the plasma field, most Coalition ammunition is sheathed in nuclear-forged Osmium, which is almost impossible to melt under normal conditions. This process of fixing a coating of hot plasma to each outgoing round can happen hundreds of times per second, depending on the design of the gun/energizer attachment.

As stated before, energizers vary widely in the way they operate depending on the type of weapon they are intended to be used with. Most small arms, such as handguns and rifles, have simple energizer attachments that apply thin coatings of plasma to outgoing rounds, just enough to bypass most ECA shielding. As the caliber of weapons increases, however, so does the power and complexity of their energizer attachments. Coalition sniper rifles are a good example. Over 10 ft (3.048 m) long when fully extended and requiring superhuman strength to wield effectively, the energizer attachments for most Coalition snipers make their rounds even more deadly by adding a sharp, conical plasma coating (as opposed to the unshaped coating used on simpler rounds) that is thick enough to remain partially intact after breaking through an ECA shield, giving sniper shells unparalleled piercing capability. Coalition rocket launchers are also unique, as they actually have two plasma layers applied to them by their energizers. The first envelops the entire projectile, as usual, while the second is "injected" underneath a thin layer of solid material that surrounds the rocket, opening up near the bottom of the projectile. In addition to having a welcome tendency to violently burst out of the rocket upon impact, the extra plasma also increases its velocity by acting as an auxiliary jet for the rocket, thereby improving its range.

Although they are very effective in penetrating ECA shields, energized munitions aren't always used by the Coalition. Energizer attachments are often expensive to manufacture, especially for larger and more complex weapons, and they aren't always necessary in a conflict. Often, soldiers or ship gunners will fire ordinary "naked rounds" without their energizer attachment if they aren't attacking an enemy they know has ECA shielding. Sometimes, they will affix their energizers simply for the additional impact it can give their weaponry. Energizers are the default equipment for Coalition military forces tasked with fighting newly encountered alien threats, as well, since energized munitions have proven to be effective against most foreign defensive technologies.