Laser Rifle (Fallout 3)

The AER9 is a military-grade Laser Rifle used by the Brotherhood of Steel and the Enclave in Fallout 3 instead of the Wattz 2000 Laser Rifle used in previous Fallout games. Talon Company mercenaries may also be armed with them. Its Pistol-sized counterpart is the AEP7 Laser Pistol.

Characteristics
The AER9 was not considered cutting-edge technology before the war, being an older model than the state-of-the-art AER 12, used in a handful of specialty units. The redeeming feature of the AER9 was its reliability - the focusing crystal array was housed in a titanium casing, rather than the gold alloys used in later models, which allowed it to withstand years of exposure to the environment without loss in array focus.

As with all energy weapons, the AER9 can suffer from poor performance if not properly maintained. The crystal arrays and non-mechanical components are delicate and if not properly serviced can lead to a loss of beam intensity, overheating, and energy regulation failure. Given that laser weapons were still in their infancy as regular military weapons, parts can be hard to come by in the wasteland. However, its lack of moving parts (aside from the MF cell holding latch) means it is resilient against extended use.

Locations
There are a number of Laser Rifles that can be found from an early level:


 * Laying next to a dead Brotherhood Initiate in the north office building off of Falls Church (the one without Initiate Pek).


 * In a cabinet in the Talon Company Camp
 * On a shelf in the Overseer's Office of Vault 92


 * In a tent near a wrecked army truck north east of Smith Casey's Garage (guarded by a level adjusted robot which can be a tough fight).


 * In a cage with a dead mercenary on the lower floor of Farragut West Metro Station; just northeast of the entrance. There should be some ghouls around him. Note: Only found 1/1 times. Hint: Near the sign that says "Northbound" and then something erased underneath, near the train with the number 5870; room with signs "Friendship Station".


 * On the corpse of a mercenary located in a radiated crater to the west of Jury Street Metro Station. There are usually one or more Radscorpions in the immediate vicinity.


 * One in a cabinet in The Family's home. (Hard lock)

These Laser Rifles aren't usually in the best shape and getting them repaired by merchants can be quite expensive.

Custom versions
There are two custom laser rifles available in Fallout 3:


 * Wazer Wifle: This version of the Laser Rifle has higher damage and durability, as well as a larger magazine. For detailed information and how to get it, visit the weapon's article.


 * Metal Blaster: This version of the Laser Rifle has a shotgun effect, as well as a higher damage. It can be obtained by bringing Steel Ingots to Everett in The Pitt.

Trivia
On the barrel, there is a warning: "Caution: laser radiation". It's also rated as a "Class 6" laser, which may be a subtle nod to the internationally used laser class rating system, which currently rates the strongest industrial lasers as "Class 4".

During the Anchorage Reclamation, US Army Power Armored Soldiers made use of these weapons.

Interestingly, shooting a laser beam at the water produces surface waves. While in theory there should be little or no interaction between the photons of the beam and the (transparent) water, it seems likely that particles of dirt and other impurities are being heated, causing some of the water to flash into steam and produce waves.