Neutron Beams

Neutron Beams are powerful anti-personnel energy weapons usually fired from high orbit on a planetary target, releasing high intensity neutron radiation which can penetrate shielding and inorganic constructions, disintegrating the organic targets inside.

Uses

Neutron flux is deadly in a manner similar to gamma radiation. However, neutrons do not lose energy when they ionize atoms; they are chargeless, thus can pass through most sorts of electromagnetic fields (energy shielding) and armor materials with relative ease. The only exception would be exceptionally thick and atomically heavy materials, like starship hulls.

Anti-personnel

Neutron beams are typically used to wipe military installations or high-density population areas clean of life. Any personnel caught in the maximum effective range of a neutron weapon will be immediately and permanently incapacitated by delirium, disorientation, hemorrhaging, and coma. This effect will often last until a total nervous system collapse within hours of exposure.

Electronics disruption

Neutron flux can damage electrical components not unlike EMP weapons but are much harder to shield against.

Discomposition effect

Intense levels of neutron bombardment will cause atomic displacement; making materials to swell, embrittle, and creep. These defects may cause an exponential loss of integrity and reduce material strength by over 90%, usually in the case of armors that rely on complex molecular structures or almost any material that uses high precision engineering. However, steel and other relatively simple materials have such a high resistance that the damage caused by neutron bombardment is negligible.