Particle Projection Cannon

A Particle Projection Cannon (PPC) is a particle beam weapon in the fictional universe of BattleTech, a wargaming and science fiction franchise created by FASA and owned by WizKids. It debuted in the design of military units included in the first edition of BattleTech in 1984 and has remained a common and iconic piece of BattleTech technology.

History
In the fictional history of the BattleTech universe, the PPC was developed in 2460 by the Terran Hegemony and in following centuries was integrated into numerous battlefield units, particularly tanks and BattleMechs. Large-scale versions of the weapon, known as naval or capital PPCs, were adapted for use on space-borne warships, while smaller models were developed for use by infantry. An improved model of the weapon known as the Extended Range PPC (ER-PPC) emerged several centuries later, first among the Clans around 2800 and in the Inner Sphere in the early to mid 31st century.

Iconic BattleTech units that use PPCs include the Marauder and Warhammer BattleMechs, each of which mounts two.

The term PPC is also applied to an extremely strong intoxicating drink, the contents of which vary between houses.

Principles
PPCs fire lightning-like bolts of plasma that inflict damage through kinetic energy, superheating and electrical interference. The typical effective range of such weapons is approximately 540 meters, extended to 690 in extended range models. At ranges under 90 meters, a PPC's particle fields are deliberately inhibited to protect the beam's unfocused static from adversely affecting the unit's electronics.

Depiction
PPC fire is commonly depicted in BattleTech art and fiction as a lightning-like bluish-white beam. In the MechAssault and Mechwarrior 2 PC games, however, it's rendered as a slow-moving, glowing sphere. Later MechWarrior and MechCommander games display it as a direct-fire beam.