Most gun manufacturers are diversifying their activities. A&R makes reactors, GreyCat produces buggies and even Behring, considered the quintessential high-end manufacturer of laser weapons, also designs shield generators. But this is not the case with Klaus & Werner. They only make weapons, and they do it well.
This simple philosophy comes from Hector Klaus, a talented weapons maker who believed above all that simplicity of design would win out in any combat situation. He therefore advocated for a very long time the creation of weapons with as few moving parts as possible, thus reducing the supply chain and reconsidering the role of a weapon when possible. He began his career in Behring's famous laboratory on Terra, where his designs met with great success, but his philosophy was ignored. Military contracts were most profitable when it meant that a company would continue to manufacture spare parts, upgrade modules, and other maintenance supplies. The chance meeting with Jassica Werner, the widow of a wealthy industrialist, led Klaus to resign from Behring and found a new company based on his own principles.
Over the following years, Klaus & Werner became a well-known brand. Civilian pilots of all stripes adopted their affordable and efficient weapon systems, and their personal weapons department proved to be a great success. However, the company did not meet with much success in the military field. The repeated offers for lucrative military contracts resulted only in requests for minor productions, the Army and Navy preferring to do business with Behring and other well-established firms to supply them with their weaponry.
CF Series
The main disadvantage of laser weapons is the low potential damage they can inflict. Lasers quickly run out of energy, they are effective against a wide variety of energy fields as well as shielding and cause "net" impacts, but despite attempts to improve battery capacity and energy regeneration. , no one has yet come up with a laser capable of inflicting damage equivalent to that of a neutron or kinetic energy weapon. Most designers get around this limitation by increasing the range and surgical precision of their lasers, but Klaus & Werner do not. The CF repeating laser series is based on a completely different principle: delivering maximum shots over a large area as quickly as possible. Currently, the majority of Klaus & Werner's Voyager Direct sales are based on three CF series models: the Bulldog, Badger and Panther.
Klaus & Werner defines the Bulldog CF-007 repeating laser as its “basic laser” with a low price tag to allow new pilots to experience the concept of the repeating laser, in the hope that a pilot who uses a Bulldog as a first weapon will get used to their style and choose a different Klaus & Werner weapon when upgrading their ship instead of upgrading to a Behring weapon which will function completely differently. The Bulldog's design is based on a three-barreled device allowing a high rate of fire while maintaining a good degree of accuracy. The relatively low damage is offset by low power consumption. Testing rated the Bulldog as satisfactory, but many users recommend that those with enough credits go for a higher quality weapon.
The Badger CF-117 repeating laser is a mid-range repeating weapon intended as the logical evolution of the Bulldog. Technically speaking, this is a slightly improved Bulldog (with a few visual additions to appeal to affluent consumers). The Badger retains the Bulldog's energy weaknesses, namely a relatively low consumption / damage ratio. Proponents of repeating lasers generally avoid purchasing the Badger model when looking to upgrade their device, unless their ship is configured in such a way that a more power-hungry Panther model would not fit.
The Panther CF-227 represents the pinnacle of the Klaus & Werner line of repeating lasers for smaller vessels. The Panther surpasses the limitations of the Bulldog and Badger and proves to be a true “shoot and forget” weapon with a respectable energy consumption / damage ratio. Pilots who can afford to outfit their ship with a Panther model rarely regret this decision, either in terms of energy capacity or budget. The biggest drawback of this weapon is its impact on fuel efficiency.
Solid ammunition accelerators
Klaus & Werner's second (less famous) weapon line is none other than solid ammunition accelerators. These weapons are capable of firing multiple types of projectiles and generally offer better armor penetration in exchange for the need to reload. The low power requirements are ideal for pilots looking to conserve power and reduce their electromagnetic signature. Klaus & Werner currently manufactures 60mm caliber solid ammunition accelerators for the civilian market, as well as several other calibers manufactured under regulated contracts. The main criticism of these guns is their limited magazine, although there are some upgrades available on the aftermarket that partially address this issue.
Although the accelerator line has been slow to start, the last few years have seen sales quadruple annually. This is likely due to the fact that Vanduul attacks have intensified along the rim and the general impression that weapons based on the accelerator principle do more damage to a Scythe than a simple laser. Even if military studies do not necessarily support this perception, it has spread within popular consciousness and the worlds of the border have equipped their militia ships in large numbers with ammunition accelerators. solid.
Small arms
Of all the guns produced by Klaus & Werner, the one that is probably the most famous is the Arclight Model II, a hand-held laser that became famous thanks to Kyle Fenris who used it as a handgun in the popular video series "The Frontier". . Fenris's ever-reliable Arclight became so associated with the character that the show's producers were once forced to end a partnership with VOLT following fan reactions to the weapon change. this one having triggered a wave of discontent so important that the audience collapsed. Thus, the Arclight Model II has become very popular in the civilian market; it is probably the gun most often hidden under a pillow or that can be found as a plastic toy in a children's game of "Vanduul and Heroes of Space".
The flip side is that the Arclight has become both a new fad and a weapon, a fact that is criticized by enthusiasts. Despite this, the Arclight is a premium laser gun featuring what is arguably the best handgun / Optiglas connection in the industry. Arclight models are strong and the absence of moving parts, following Klaus' philosophy, means they can withstand different extreme environments that would damage or completely neutralize many other weapons of the same type.
