Description/ use

The Kugelblitz projector (and the Kugelblitz formation) is a massive weapon, designed to create a small black hole at a target location, by precisely targeting a large number of high powered lasers.  A black hole generated by light concentrated in a small space is known to science as a Kugelblitz (from the German, meaning "Ball Lightning").  The Kugelblitz is a real black hole,(meaning that it has gravity so intense that light can not escape it), although in almost all recorded uses of the Kugelblitz projector/formation it lasted only a fraction of a second, due to Hawking Radiation.   Hawking Radiation is also the main lethal force of the Kugelblitz Projector, as the black hole generated by it is too small to have far-reaching gravitational effects, and the Hawking Radiation of such a black hole is colossally explosive.

The Kugelblitz Projector/ Formation is a large-scale weapon, generally deployed against capital ships, cities, or space-colonies.  The higher-power versions could destroy the biosphere of an inhabited planet, or even break up small planets.

The Kugelblitz projector is a single-unit weapon, usually installed on large capital ships, consisting of a large number of high-powered lasers with a centralized controller to aim them at a certain location, and to time the beams to arrive there at the same instant.  Sometimes (especially with lower-tech versions), the projector will operate with the assistance of a targeting drone, similar to the Kugelblitz formation.

The Kugelblitz formation follows the same concept, except the lasers are distributed among a number of smaller craft.  This makes the precise targeting essential to the operation of the weapon more difficult.  For this reason, a Kugelblitz formation generally uses a targeting drone (usually a torpedo modified with special reflectors and a reaction chamber where the Kugelblitz forms) fired from a command ship in order to coordinate the attack.

The technology that enables the Kugelblitz Formation is derived from the older Sunflower Formation, which used reflectors mounted on small craft to concentrate sunlight on a target, in order to super-heat it.

History

In the Empire of 1,000,000 Suns, the first known designs for a Kugelblitz projector were created by Kroah Dashan as a speculative project.  Eventually, it was built for use in combating the dreaded Nomad Armies that frequently raided the Empire.  Both the projector and the formation found a substantial amount by both sides during the 1,000 Years War.  After that conflict it was used only sporadically, during the long, relatively peaceful period until the War of the Empires, when it again became a main weapon in large battles.

In the Holy Empire of Man, the Kugelblitz Projector was developed during the Great Reckoning, for use by the Purification Fleet, destroying cities and sterilizing planets.  During the War of the Empires, the Kugelblitz Formation was also developed in order to counter the E1MS, and was used heavily by both sides in that conflict.