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"Long-range prototype rifle that fires super-heated blasts of plasma; highly effective at long range."
―Overview of the Armat Phased Plasma Pulse Rifle (from Aliens: Colonial Marines)

The Armat Battlefield Systems XM99A Phased Plasma Pulse Rifle was a long–range prototype charged–fired plasma–based rifle used by the United States Colonial Marine Corps.

Overview[]

Considered to be the more potent prototype developed by the USCMC, the XM99A was a plasma-based weapon. Unlike most ballistic weapons, the XM99A was powered by a battery located below the barrel. The weapon required a full charge before it could be fired, delivering a powerful charge of overheated plasma capable of killing living targets with a single shot. Users unfamiliar with the XM99A were discouraged from checking the barrel afterward.[2] It could be fitted with a 2x Telescopic Zoom Sight, providing more precision to its operator.[3]

However, the XM99A's firing mechanism was also a major drawback, making it almost useless in close–quarters combat and hard to use against faster targets due to the charge build-up delay requiring the operator to be permanently aligned with the target during the charge. [3] Moreover, the XM99A was a power hog and could only be fired four times before its battery was depleted. [3]

Several years later, all of these problems were resolved with a new and improved version, the XM99A1 Phased Plasma Pulse Rifle.[4] As of 2183, the XM99A was worth 20,000 United American dollars.[5]

Notable users[]

As an experimental weapon, the XM99A saw limited use within the USCM.[3] In 2187, during a Biodrone outbreak on the USCM vessel USS Alexiares, Blackguard members Nakha and Tekko were armed with XM99A rifles and posted on the ship's hull to prevent any Marines from escaping.[6] Sergeant Frank Mueller killed a Yautja with an XM99A during an incident on XK-93.[7]

Behind the scenes[]

The XM99A is only available if the corresponding DLC (Collector's Edition Pack) was bought. This weapon, like the other DLC weapons featured in the game, cannot be customized or upgraded in the Marine Loadout menu. Because of this, its Telescopic Sight cannot be removed or replaced by another sight. Its designation was alternatively spelled as "XM-99A", which can be seen in the game's concept arts.

The rifle's concept art features a unique scope (similar to the Smart Targeting Scope of the M4RA), a bipod, an alternative fire mode which fires high velocity ammo and an optional carrying handle, but all of those features are absent in the final game's rendition of the weapon.

If the weapon is seen using a model viewer, the XM99A can be seen without any scope. This also applies to some previews in the out-of-game renditions (see below).

Trivia[]

  • The XM99A Phased Plasma Pulse Rifle is based on boasts made by Hudson in the extended Special Edition of Aliens. The dialogue in question ("phased plasma pulse rifles") is itself a reference to the gun shop scene in James Cameron's earlier film The Terminator, where the Terminator (Arnold Schwarzenegger) asks for a "phased plasma rifle in the 40-watt range".
  • "ARMAT XM99A" can be seen on the weapon's stock when sprinting with it.
  • Although the XM99A is always equipped with a 2x Telescopic Zoom Sight in-game, the photo of the XM99A in the Aliens: Colonial Marines Brady Games guide and the Steam page regarding the weapon (seen in the infobox picture) lacks the scope. This error is reversed with the P9 Sonic Harpoon Artillery Remote Projectile Rifle, where it is shown with the scope. Despite the weapon lacking any optics ingame.
  • Oddly, despite using a charge mechanism to fire, the XM99A features a selector switch that can switch to safe, fire or 3-burst fire mode, which is impossible to perform in game as its fire mode is restricted in the Marine Loadout menu, of which is inaccessible due to the weapon's nature of being a DLC weapon.[8]

Appearances[]

Gallery[]

References[]


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