Lore: How does NC have more advanced weaponry than TR?

The New Conglomerate weapons are based on advanced Gauss technology. I say advanced because, although a Gauss weapon would be easy to make, with the technology we have today it would be impractical to implement a system for standard rifles. The wear and tear would be huge, the heat issues can't be overcome practically yet (at least in weapons small enough to be used as a rifle) and that's only the start of modern problems. In the fictional future created by the Planetside 2 universe, however, these problems have obviously been overcome and the NC uses these weapons as standard issue.

The first fleet that made it to Auraxis had Terran Republic soldiers as well as New Conglomerate people aboard (and yes, all the scientists that eventually became the Vanu Sovereignty). The New Conglomerate didn't apparently have any weapons though, because they had to steal them from an armory ship before the fleet ever landed on Auraxis. Apparently the Gauss weapons were developed by engineers working for the New Conglomerate AFTER they arrived on Auraxis. If I'm missing something, and the weapons were around before they ever went through the wormhole, why weren't the government's military (the Terran Republic) already using Gauss technology?

For those that don't yet know what "Gauss" is regarding weapon usage, it's a way of firing a projectile using a series electromagnetic coils that follow the barrel of a gun. The slugs fired have no bullet casing (because there is no gunpowder involved). The bullet/slug sits in the chamber, waiting to be pulled by the first coil being energized. As the slug is pulled to that coil, the first coil shuts off and the next one becomes energized to pull it further. This happens along the series of coils until the slug is expelled from the muzzle.



Gunpowder propelled bullets are limited to about 4000 feet per second of acceleration. Gauss propelled bullets can exceed that by more than 12 times. Clearly, if the technology could be shrunk down and the issues with it delt with, then this would be a much more powerful alternative to ancient gunpowder. In Planetside 2, the fictional universe HAS solved those problems and the NC uses them as standard issue.

So... what's up with that? Why aren't the TR using these? Is the technology just guarded by the NC like the plasma weapons are guarded by the VS?

Sad that the TR have the lowest-tech weapons.

NC was formed from corporations who developed coil technology for use in their weapons projects and split from TR due to their totalitarian nature.

We probably ransacked some VS factory lol

So the technology was perfected while still on Earth? Why wouldn't the TR be using it then? Are we to think the New Conglomerate kept it secret? How does the NC have them on Auraxis if they didn't bring them with them? DID they bring them with them?

I could accept that the New Conglomerate designed the technology to outfit their paramility organization with it. They planned on overthrowing the government anyway. I guess the engineers recreated the weapons after they broke away on Auraxis. It's almost certain, though, that they didn't bring any Gauss rifles along with them. It's written right in the history that after they came through the wormhole and were stranded for 6 months in space, a group of new conglomerate guys ransacked a military vessel and looted normal TR gun powder weapons. Wouldn't have had to do that if they had stashed gauss weapons.

Then again, the NC was never officially linked to the insurgancy that happened before landingon Auraxis. They could purposely have sent guys off to get the weapons just so that the attackers wouldn't be directly linked with the NC. If they NC had tried to take it over with guys emblazoned in the NC uniform and using NC weapons, well, they had better succeed or else. The fact that they failed to take control of the fleet means that they played their cards right by not decking their guys out in NC tech.

Just trying to understand the lore better.

Aliens

Superconductivity is the key.

The TR are an organised military operation and they believe that the firearms that human have been using for the longest time are the way to go.

I doubt it. You better believe that the TR would use Gauss technology for their weapons if they could get it. For instance, in lore, BOTH factions have been known to use the technology of downed Vanu Sovereignty soldiers after a skirmish with them. Better tech is better tech.

Further, the TR, NC and VS all happily embrace the Vanu rebirthing technology.

I don't think any faction thinks older technology is better and should be used "because that's what we've always used." Not at all.

What separates the factions are their ideals about politics. For instance, the NC doesn't want a totalitarian government. They want a free democracy (that also happens to be run by corporations who get to pick and choose legislature to ensure maximum profits for businesses). They would happily use Vanu technology just like the VS do. The reason they don't is because the Vanu Sovereignty snatch it up first (and the VS has all the top scientists).

What truly separates the NC from the VS is their ideals about what humans should be. The VS see humans as a constantly evolving thing. Where we are now in terms of evolution isn't special. It's just one point along a long linear line of progression. Wanting to stay the way we are now is like Neanderthals wanting to stay they way they were. If they can evolve humans faster, say by genetically engineering them to be more like the Vanu, then it's the way human evolution should go. They also have no qualms with incorporating technology into the human being in terms of implants (or, arguably... more than implants).

I personally would agree with the Vanu reasoning about human evolution, if it weren't for some weeeeeird ways they act. For one, they can't objectively look at the Vanu and see what makes them special. They'd want to turn humans into the Vanu including even the bad aspects of the Vanu (provided there are any). There's also the issue with Henry Briggs, who first saw the visions the Vanu gave him after touching some old Vanu relics. He *killed* himself after seeing the visions. There had to be a reason for that.

probably because the TR follow the Russian combat doctrine that your tactics are what changes your weaponry not the other way around. simply because you have a rail gun doesn't mean you have to use it.

Sometimes, in rare cases, war breeds ingenuity. Thats where the NC have made a mistake, they should be using their business and marketing to sell inferior weapons to the TR and release cool but pointless attachments that drain the batteries of VS weapons. This is where the NC fail to play to their strengths imo.

Funny and interesting at the same time. There are too many problems with that though.

1) That would mean the NC would have to remain friendly/neutral to the other parties. How can the NC rule if they do that?
2) Due to #1, they'd have to eventually attack in order to gain control. That puts them where they are now.
3) The TR and VS are too egocentric to ever accept things from another faction. The VS especially. They'd rather develop everything in-house, after all, they have almost all the scientists. You would never get faulty equipment past the eyes of the VS scientists; Maybe the TR.

Im happy to swap firearms with TR's super guns that have no recoil and lots of bullets

1) marketing/business ie shell corps, they dont have to know its from the NC
2) let them think they are in control, puppet rulers
3) the leaders/scientists perhaps, but the grunts? "I know our military regulations say no unauthorised attachments, but check this out, its so cool, just dont tell sarge"... "what does it do?"... "it shows me my KDR right there on the scope and it glows, it lights my face up so my friends can see me all the time"... "it glows? thats badass where do i get one?"... "this company called 'Neutral Company A', weird name but meh, glows!"

It's supposed to be because they are backed by various corporations that are making all this experimental stuff. Nanite Systems for example makes all the neutral vehicles like the Sunderer that is used by all Empires. NS is a neutral corporation though. All the other corporations sided with the NC including whichever one developed Gauss weaponry.

As for why the TR doesn't use it. It's cause it's experimental, and they prefer to keep using what they know works. Where as if your NC you take what you can get I imagine.

Very helpful reply. I forgot about Nanite Systems. I forgot entirely about non-faction stuff in general.

1. Planetside lore is terrible.

2. Genetic engineering is not evolution.

Well the VS were the last group to go full on independent so its likely NC had better relations with the VS before things fell apart as funds and luxury is more appealing than the TR do it for the nation or your a traitor. Not to mention NC probably attracts more of the intellectuals who don't support the VS.

I think I read somewhere that the NC guns use normal explosive rounds, but then up the velocity with an electromagnet. Seems more practical than propelling the projectile entirely with electromagnets.

I'm thinking if we can manage interstellar travel, the Human race could manage hand held gauss technology. The issue might be more in line with costs. The Terran Republic is a government funded military, ergo, their weapons are made by the lowest bidder, and they've been doing business for hundreds of years. You'll also note that cycler rounds explode on impact, where as gauss rounds simply send sparks flying. Explosive tipped rounds vs spikes. Expensive gauss rail technology additionally might not mix well with explosive tipped rounds.

You're right, it's not evolution. Evolution and genetic engineering are both means to an end, and possibly, the same end. Genetic engineering is just the much faster means, of the two.