Mass-driver cannon/Legends

A mass driver was a type of projectile cannon.

They inflicted damage by hurling projectiles at high velocities, which imparted kinetic energy and forced to the target upon impact. Damage was thus a result of the mass of the projectile and its velocity.

The velocity the projectile could achieve is limited by the method by which it is initially propelled. For a chemical explosion (how a conventional slugthrower works), the peak velocity was ~1.8 km/s. For a plasma driven round from an electrothermal cannon (an electrical shock vaporizes the propellant to plasma levels to create the requisite pressure to propel the slug), the peak was ~2.5 km/s. For a gauss/coil gun (where the mass is accelerated by passing through sequenced electromagnetic fields) the limit was ~2 km/s due to the rate at which the fields can be created and collapse.

For a rail gun (where the slug is accelerated by magnets along two parallel rails) there was no real limit, only a practical one based off rail erosion and, when in atmosphere, ablation of the projectile. Typically this speed was 6 km/s.

Mass drivers were used to launch missile weapons carried internally, projectiles, and explosive shells. They could be found on a variety of craft from the missile launchers on the LAAT/i, the siege weapons on Dreadnought battle tank, the flak guns on most capital ships, or serving as artillery on the AT-AP or the  SPHA mass driver.

Appearances

 * Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones
 * Star Wars: The Clone Wars
 * Star Wars: Clone Wars
 * Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith