Laser (Technology)

Technology Name	Laser
Short Description	A very basic beam weapon.
Technology Type	Beam Weapon
Research Cost	75
Prerequisites	Beam Weapon Theory
Tech Leads to	Laser II
Tech Provides	Laser, Laser Equalizer
Long Description	Don't get your hopes up. Lasers are actually not very effective weapons. They are beam weapons which are useful in space where ships are firing great distances, but they aren't very powerful. Still, something is better than nothing. The Laser series of weapons works through a series of weaponized mirror technology. Rushed into service in order to deal with the hostility of the galaxy, the energy (i.e., light) is refracted from the mirrors into a single "beam". Our technology in this area is currently quite limited as the mirrors tend to burn out readily. The challenge for us is to find better materials for the mirrors so that more energy can be directed and combined. Since beam weapons are effectively instantaneous, the other issue that determines weapon effectiveness is the duration. Right now, lasers have a very short duration due to the fragility of the mirrors used.