Autocannon

Lore & Background

In the vast expanse of the Frontier, where engagements can stretch across thousands of kilometres, the Autocannon has earned a reputation as the working pilot's weapon. Where beam lasers demand precise tracking and missiles punish a single miss, the Autocannon's spread of projectiles gives a forgiving window of opportunity. A well-aimed burst still lands rounds on target even as the enemy jinks, making it a favourite among those who prefer to close to medium range and simply outlast their opponent.

The weapon's design philosophy reflects a pragmatic engineering tradition: a rotary feed mechanism cycles small, dense projectiles through a multi-barrel assembly, producing a rapid, sustained stream. The trade-off is heat. Each round generates thermal load, and a pilot who fires without pause will quickly see the weapon overheat and shut down. Skilled gunners learn to pulse their fire, letting the barrels cool between bursts, and use that rhythm to keep pressure on a target without self-destructing.

Across the shipping lanes of the Frontier, from the crowded trade lanes of the Core to the lawless reaches of the Outer Terminus, the Autocannon is the weapon you see on the hulls of every kind of vessel. It is the default choice for many new pilots stepping into combat, and it remains a respected pick for veterans who value consistency over spectacle. In the hands of a disciplined gunner, a string of autocannon rounds is as lethal as any missile salvo.

In Their Own Story

The Krait's cockpit smelled of recycled air and the faint ozone tang of a half-charged capacitor. Vasquez kept the ship in a slow, lazy orbit around the derelict freighter, her eyes tracking the single red blip on the long-range scanner. The pirate in the Anaconda had been circling for six minutes, waiting for a trade convoy to pass, and she had been waiting for the pirate.

She dropped the Krait into a shallow dive, closing the distance to just under two thousand metres. The Light Autocannon hummed to life under her thumb, a low mechanical thrum that vibrated through the seat. She let the first stream loose—three seconds of tight, hissing fire that stitched a line of sparks across the Anaconda's forward hull. The enemy flinched, jinking hard to port.

Vasquez held her breath, watched the heat gauge tick down, and let the barrels cool. Then she fired again. And again. Each pulse was shorter, each one more accurate. The Anaconda's shields flickered, dimmed, and finally collapsed into a shower of blue sparks that drifted away into the starlight. The pirate's engine flare bloomed behind him as he broke for the jump point, but the Krait was already in pursuit, the autocannon singing its steady, relentless song across the dark.

Reader's Guide

Light Autocannon: The entry-level autocannon slot, available on nearly every combat-capable hull from small fighters through medium ships. It sits in the medium-range bracket and fires a tight stream of small projectiles. In the tech tree it is the first autocannon a pilot encounters and the one most frequently mounted on interceptors, fighters, and small corvettes. Its lower heat per shot makes it forgiving for new pilots learning to manage thermal load, and its moderate mass leaves room for additional equipment. Playstyle-wise it rewards a pulse-and-cool rhythm: fire in two-to-three-second bursts, let the heat drop, and repeat.

Medium Autocannon: A step up in damage per round and stream density, fitting medium and larger hulls such as corvettes, frigates, and some large ships. It generates more heat per shot than the Light variant, so sustained fire demands more discipline. In the tech tree it sits between the Light and Heavy tiers and is a popular choice for players who want more punch without sacrificing the forgiving multi-projectile hit window. It pairs well with a shield-heavy loadout because the extra heat means you cannot simply hold the trigger through a prolonged engagement.

Heavy Autocannon: The largest autocannon slot, available on larger hulls like corvettes, frigates, and capital ships. It delivers the highest per-round damage in the autocannon family and the densest projectile stream, but it also carries the highest heat generation and mass. In the tech tree it is the capstone of the autocannon line. Playstyle shifts from quick pulses to deliberate, shorter bursts; a Heavy Autocannon can melt a target at medium range if you manage the cooldown windows, but overheating it mid-fight leaves you vulnerable. Best suited to pilots who fight at the outer edge of medium range and commit to a kill rather than a skirmish.

Did You Know?

• The Autocannon's multi-projectile stream means that even a slightly off-aim shot can still land rounds on target, giving it a forgiving hit window compared to single-beam energy weapons.
• Because each projectile generates heat, the Autocannon is one of the more heat-sensitive weapon classes, making heat-management a core part of autocannon-focused combat doctrine.
• The Autocannon is available in all three sizes—Light, Medium, and Heavy—making it one of the most universally accessible weapon types across the full range of ship classes in the game.
• Many new pilots choose the Light Autocannon as their first combat weapon precisely because its lower per-shot heat makes the learning curve for thermal management gentler than heavier alternatives.