Plasma rifle

Plasma rifles or plasma casters are energy based weapons that appear in Fallout, Fallout 2, Fallout 3, Fallout: New Vegas, Fallout Tactics and Fallout: Brotherhood of Steel.

Background
 Plasma rifles or plasma casters are high tech weapons firing superheated bolts of plasma, powered by microfusion cells and heavy energy cells, which found applications in military and industrial fields. The bolt forms in a special chamber, which is then sent down a superconducting barrel and, in the most common models, stabilized by electromagnetic claws upon exiting it.

Initially, the weapon was a bulky, industrial plasma caster, manufactured by Winchester Arms, however, later developments by the US Army would lead to a more compact design, perfectly suited for urban warfare.

Regardless, all types of plasma rifles have a common feature - when a critical hit is delivered, they can literally melt down enemies. While industrial casters weren't powerful enough to dissolve bones too, later ones had no problem converting the target into a puddle of goo. 

Winchester P94


 The Winchester Model P94 is a bulky, industrial-grade energy caster, firing superheated bolts of plasma down a superconducting barrel ending in electromagnetic claws helping to form the plasma bolt.

The P94 can be modified by attaching an HS electrode to the plasma bolt chamber in order to accelerate the bolt formation process, which results in the turbo plasma rifle variant.

Interestingly, in an interview for Future Weapons Today, US Army Colonel Moretti slammed the design, likely for being bulky and outdated. 

Urban plasma rifle


 Created for the US Army shortly before the Great War, this variant is a lightweight urban warfare weapon. In contrast with the P94, it does not have a superconducting barrel nor the electromagnetic claws - just the plasma bolt chamber and a discharge coil.

It was developed by REPCONN for the pre-War Enclave sometime between 2076 and 2077; it was intended to replace the P94 Plasma Caster. REPCONN was bought-out by RobCo in the same years; RobCo used REPCONN's rocket related plasma technology and repurposed it into energy weapon research, the project took off because Poseidon Energy's similar research into plasma weapons, Project SEMELE, failed.

As of 2277, plasma rifles can usually be found on Enclave soldiers wearing Tesla power armor. Plasma rifles are among the only pieces of technology to still be produced post-War, along with Enclave power armor and the Vertibird. 
 * For the unique plasma rifle in Fallout 3, see: A3-21's plasma rifle.
 * For the unique plasma rifle in Fallout: New Vegas, see: Van Graff plasma rifle.
 * For the cut content plasma rifle in Fallout: New Vegas, see: Plasma rifle always crit and Plasma rifle weak.

Q-35 quantum plasma modulation matter injection rifle


 The Q-35 was created by REPCONN Aerospace engineers as part of a research programme initiated by Colonel Moretti of the US Army, who was looking for a replacement for the aging plasma rifle designs, most importantly the Winchester P94. The prototype was created by a team of engineers under the lead of Xuan Duong, using design documents for the cancelled Project Semele stolen from Poseidon Energy and data from a REPCONN rocket launch, sabotaged by their competitors.

This data allowed REPCONN to create a functional prototype after 34 failures. While prototype materials make it unsuitable for prolonged field use, the Q-35 has (on average) a longer refire rate, but the time between shots is more consistent, an increase in active bolt charge time, accurate at longer ranges and a a 30% increase in bolt energy.

Unsurprisingly, Poseidon Energy was none too happy about other companies benefiting from their research. When the prototype was completed, they requested their deep undercover agent to intercept and secure the prototype while it was transported to the Department of Defense. 

Multiplas rifle


 Based on the urban version of the plasma rifle, the multiplas rifle is a sort of plasma shotgun ('multiplas' being a portmanteau of 'multiple' and 'plasma'), firing a volley of plasma torroids at the cost of a massive drain on the microfusion cell. 

Electric plasma rifle


 The electric plasma rifle appears only in the city of Los and the Secret Vault. It's to be manufactured using technology contained in the Secret Vault. It's equipped by the most important ghouls of the Church of the Lost and some super mutants of Attis army. 

Turbo electric plasma rifle


 The turbo electric plasma rifle is a upgraded version of the electric plasma rifle, and is found only in the Secret Vault. It's to be manufactured using technology contained in the Secret Vault. It's equipped by the most important super mutants of Attis army and by the champion of the Gladiator Pit in Los, the Wasteland Stranger. 