Rifle
pistol
The Visitors in the original series were armed with directed-energy weapons known generically (though somewhat inaccurately) as 'lasers'; these weapons were also captured and used in large numbers by the human Resistance.
Overview[]
Visitor laser weapons used an unknown mechanism involving cobalt to generate 'bolts' of energy which were characterized by a bluish-white color, and accompanied by a distinctive, clearly audible hissing 'report'. The bolts travelled at a velocity which was well below the speed of light and appeared to inflict some thermal damage on their targets, typically leaving a black scorch mark at the impact point.
Smaller weapons, such as pistols and rifles, could be adjusted to deliver either a full-strength blast which was capable of killing or severly injuring a human/Visitor target with a single shot, or a lower-intensity blast which could incapacitate or 'stun' its target while minimizing long-term damage. It is unclear whether the yield of the larger weapons mounted on vehicles or used by skyfighters and aboard motherships could be similarly adjusted, as such capabilities were never demonstrated or referenced. All laser weapons, regardless of size, appeared to be limited to semi-automatic fire; the reason for this is unknown.
Types[]
Small Arms[]
Vehicle/Ship Mounted[]
- Skyfighter Cannons
- Mothership Cannons
- Vehicle-mounted/Fixed-mount Cannons
Trivia[]
- As is the case with many other science-fiction franchises, the term 'laser' is somewhat of a misnomer when applied to Visitor guns, as they exhibit characteristics which are inconsistent with real-life lasers. It is, in fact, more akin to a plasma discharge weapon, though even this is not 100% accurate, as plasma simply burns; it cannot "stun."