A Brief Encyclopedia of the Chronicles of Sacrifice

Weaponry and Warfighting Technologies

War has always been a major source of technological advancement and development. Few things will drive a society to create new technologies and systems stronger than a need to survive in the face of an aggressive enemy. These technologies often use the other technologies mentioned previously, but they were first used in this field, and so merit a special classification.

Explosives: Many different kinds of explosive devices have been developed over the years, varying in power, weight, detonation method, and usable conditions. Plastic explosives, a preferred method for sabotage, are primarily used in covert operations and secret plans. Trinitrotoluene (TNT) is a powerful explosive, often used to breach siege walls or hold back an enemy fighting force. It has also been used as a crossbow tip, with a fuse through the shaft that lights when the bolt is fired and detonates after a short time, often seconds. 

The oldest explosive still used is known as Black Powder. This is a cheap, easy-to-produce explosive often used in artillery guns. While fast to generate, this powder burns extremely dirty and gunky, and weapons using it must be cleaned frequently and often magically for efficiency. Because magic has such wide arrays of use on the battlefield for ranged defenses, the dynamics of this combat rendered reloading black powder personal weapons mostly unfeasible.

Explosive powders are used frequently for siege purposes and border defense to keep opposing armies at bay while the host nation begins a response. The largest of these enormous cannons is the 145mm Superbore, a type of cannon that fires either high-explosive or gas-canister rounds for area denial and infantry-destruction purposes. Artillery larger than standard 35mm mortars is extremely non-portable compared to other explosive weapons systems, and artillery requires constant cleaning for continued use, so "guns", as they are called, are mainly crew-served or stationary weapons.

Armor (Specialized Material Use): Most personnel armor is made from the various types of Aramid fibers available, thanks to its cut resistance and low weight, allowing warfighters to customize their armor plating in plate carriers based on their personal needs. Special steel and titanium alloys are also often used in armor, either for individuals or siege-related machinery.

Armor (Specialized Design): Armor design in walls and machinery has advanced significantly over time as well. While vertical walls are easier to build, for nations that wish to be prepared, sloped walls offer greater protection with the same amount of material used, and siege engines often have sloped armor for added protection for breaking into a city. Some other types of designs are able to spread the force of an explosion better too, even capable of mitigating shape charges' abilities to break through a wall or door. Crumple zones allow the absorption of force without losing the entire structure, and spaced out supports keep one area of damage from compromising the entire system.

Weaponry and Gear (Specialized material use): Weaponry, individual, crew-served, or machine-based, has advanced to a terrifying degree. Many weapons have some sort of built-in tip, often made of tungsten-carbide or other very hard materials, for piercing, and blade edges on axes or swords designed to be resistant to dulling for greater use over time. Titanium sees great use due to its resistance to corrosion and high strength-to-weight ratio, making it ideal for speed and carrying weapons over distance.

Weaponry and Gear (Specialized Design): As mentioned, most weapons are designed to pierce in some way on top of whatever cutting or crushing function they primarily perform. Axes have pointed tips above the axe blade, hammers will typically have a pick side, and swords are, well, swords, though they are not as commonly seen in warfare. Most piercing weapons are able to go through just about any personal armor not made of thick metal, but in modern warfare, simply stabbing someone can be difficult in the heat of battle as they move around with speed and agility. 

Gas: One of the most heinous weapons classes ever developed, most nations agreed to never use them. Those who refused were typically invaded as dangerous, and after being forced into submission, a new government rose up that agreed to the terms of war, among other things. Mustard Gas and Chlorine are commonly seen as home-made gas weapons for rogue groups or individuals, though the world did see the development of several "Nerve Gases" at one point. When a response was called upon, the invasion was thorough and brutal, and though the rogue nation was defeated, many of the gas canisters were simply lost. To this day, it is unknown where they are.

Flight: Gliders were developed by military forces around the world, later seeing commercial use, though their military uses are very different. They cannot generally be used for reconnaissance, as they cannot see the ground from a point high enough to evade detection and destruction. Rather, gliders, after launching from a magnetic rail system and spinning a propeller until at the desired height (due to battery or fuel limitations, it must be shut off at inefficient heights), they can be used to either airdrop weapons or soldiers onto enemy forces. The soldiers will use nylon and aramid fibers in the forms of parachutes or hang-gliders, stealthily gliding into enemy territory to accomplish a mission. This process is highly costly, and is only reserved for a small number of specialized soldiers.