Parsec VX3-A

The Parsec VX3-A is a sniper rifle available to the Vanu Sovereignty. It is unlocked upon completion of the Master Sniper Rifles directive.

Vanu Labs' Parsec VX3-A is an 'auraxium' variant of the Parallax VX3, although deviates in a number of ways from its parent gun's base stats. Aside from the unique name and special 'auraxium' camo, the Parsec features an in-built Supercooled Coil, an increase to its minimum damage, a slightly higher muzzle velocity, and the Vanu's signature heat-based ammunition mechanic.

In exchange, the Parsec also includes an in-built Compensator—with its reduction to hip accuracy present, as well as a harsher 50 meter penalty to the rifle's reveal range when fired—despite bolt-action rifles seeing little benefit from a reduction to vertical recoil. In addition, the Parsec's minimum damage range is 75 meters closer than that of the Parallax—though the increased minimum damage almost entirely offsets this downside.

Heat
The Parsec VX3-A uses a heat-based ammunition pool, in contrast to the standard magazine system most infantry weaponry use. Heat replaces the weapon's magazines with a meter that fills while the gun is firing, and dissipates passively when it is not.

The Parsec has a heat capacity of 1000, generates 250 heat per shot, giving it an effective no-breaks magazine size of 4 rounds. It has a recovery delay of 1.83 seconds, before dissipating 225 heat per second—the equivalent of 0.9 rounds per second.

If overheated, the weapon must be reloaded to cool it, incurring a forced reload time of 3.86 seconds.

Damage Fall-off
The two intermediate ranges listed are the ranges at which two bodyshots or one headshot, respectively, no longer kill a standard infantry target.
 * 700 before 10 meters
 * 500 at 262 meters
 * 477 at 292 meters
 * 450 after 325 meters

Ribbons and Medals
It is possible to get both Ribbons and Medals for using the Parsec VX3. Each Ribbon is a standard reward for achieving a set amount of kills with the Parsec. Medals relate to how many overall kills you have with the Parsec.

Trivia

 * The Parsec VX3 is named after the 'parsec'—a unit of distance used in astronomy, which measures approximately 3.26 light years. The word 'parsec' itself is a portmanteau of 'parallax', a mechanic used to help measure long distances after which the Parallax VX3 is named, and 'arcsecond.'

History

 * March 30, 2022 Update
 * Is now a heat-based weapon with manual reload.
 * Consecutive shots before overheat 4.
 * Overheat penalty set to 5.575sec.
 * Heat recovery delay set to 1.83sec.
 * Heat ammo recovers 0.9 rounds per second.
 * Max damage from 750@10m to 700@10m
 * Min damage from 400@325m to 450@325m Dev Note: Minimum damage is increased to further the one-shot kill range, on top of the heat mechanic addition.
 * March 30, 2022 Update (The Arsenal Update)
 * Anti-infantry sniper rifles now use a separate resistance (type 20).
 * Being struck by a sniper rifle now has more prominent audio.
 * Dev Note: The damage values for this new resistance are equivalent to small arms. This change will allow us to do is modify the bodyshot damage output from Nanoweave, as mentioned above.
 * Most Shotguns, Sniper Rifles, and Scout Rifles now use Comfort Grips, instead of Forward Grips.
 * Dev Note: Traditional Forward Grips offered no functional benefits to slow firing semi-auto weapons, so swapping them for Comfort Grips (which reduce the equip and unequip time of a weapon,) can be interpreted as a buff in almost all cases.
 * Is now a heat-based weapon with manual reload.
 * Consecutive shots before overheat 4.
 * Overheat penalty set to 5.575sec.
 * Heat recovery delay set to 1.83sec.
 * Heat ammo recovers 0.9 rounds per second.
 * Max damage from 750@10m to 700@10m
 * Min damage from 400@325m to 450@325m
 * Dev Note: Minimum damage is increased to further the one-shot kill range, on top of the heat mechanic addition.
 * Added Flash Suppressor, Darklight Flashlight and Weighted Receiver.
 * May 4, 2022 Update
 * Updates to usability here bridge the gap between what felt off about the first pass, and how we'd like these weapons to perform overall. Heat weapons don't use traditional short/long reloads, and only use their overheat value for a reload (this is an unresolved issue with all heat weapons with a manual reload,) and we've brought the directive weapon overheat values in line with those weapons' short reloads.
 * Reload/Overheat penalty from 5.575sec. to 3.86sec.