The laser RCW (rapid capacitor weapon)[1] is a weapon in Fallout: New Vegas.
Background
The unique feature of this "laser assault rifle" is the addition of a "drum", which gives this weapon its unique look, high rate of fire, and unusual name.
This drum contains a bank of 6 capacitors in a circle formation, centered around an electron charge pack (ECP). The capacitors in the drum are rotated as they fire in succession, producing a single continuous laser beam. While each capacitor is firing, the ECP is used to recharge the previously discharged capacitors.
This capacitor rotation allows the Laser RCW to operate like a multi-barreled ballistic weapon (for example, the minigun), and avoids the rate-of-fire limitations imposed by a single capacitor design. This high rate of fire restricts the Laser RCW to using only the ECP ammunition type.
Characteristics
- With adequate Energy Weapons skill and Strength, this weapon exhibits amazing accuracy due to a low weapons spread, making it useful for taking down enemies at almost any range. As a direct energy weapon, it has no recoil, allowing for continuous accurate fire. However, using it extensively on full-auto requires large amounts of ammunition (A partial solution to this problem is to apply the Laser RCW recycler modification, which recycles every fourth discharge). It also has the second lowest critical chance of any energy weapon in the entire game after the Gatling laser.
- Using true iron sights can become difficult with this weapon as the bright pulse emitted when this weapon fires can easily obscure the tiny field of vision that the iron sights allow. This effect is especially pronounced in low light conditions.
Durability
The laser RCW can fire a total of about 1995 times using standard packs, the equivalent of 34 reloads, or 25 reloads when modified with the recycler, from full condition before breaking.
| Ammunition type | Unmodified | W/ Recycler | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shots | Reloads | Shots | Reloads | |
| Standard | 1995 | 34 | 1995 | 25 |
| Bulk | 2348 | 40 | 2348 | 30 |
| Optimized | 1814 | 31 | 1814 | 23 |
| Over charge | 1329 | 23 | 1329 | 17 |
| Max charge | 795 | 14 | 795 | 10 |
Modifications
- Laser RCW recycler - recycles and replenishes 1 in 4 shots.
Comparison
| Legend | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | - Weapon name (melee or unarmed) |  | - Attacks in V.A.T.S. | |
 | - Weapon name (gun, energy or explosive) |  | - Action point cost | |
 | - Damage per attack (damage per projectile) |  | - Damage per action point | |
 | - Damage per second |  | - Weapon spread | |
 | - Area of effect damage |  | - Magazine capacity (shots per reload) | |
 | - Effect damage & duration |  | - Durability (number of attacks before breaking) | |
 | - Bonus effects |  | - Weight | |
 | - Attacks per second |  | - Value in caps | |
 | - Critical chance % multiplier |  | - Value to weight ratio | |
 | - Critical damage |  | - Skill required | |
 | - Critical effect damage & duration |  | - Strength required | |
 | - With all mods attached | |||
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Laser RCW | 15 | 135 | 9 | x0.05 | 15 | 3 | 20 | 2.3 | 0.08 | 60 | 1995 | 4 | 2150 | 537.5 | 50 | 4 |
| Laser RCW | 15 | 135 | 9 | x0.05 | 15 | 3 | 20 | 2.3 | 0.08 | 60(80) | 1995 | 4 | 4050 | 1012.5 | 50 | 4 |
Locations
- One can be bought or stolen from the Silver Rush in Freeside.
- Can be found on one of the corpses by the locked door in the lobby of REPCONN headquarters.
- Fiends occasionally carry them, more often around Vault 3.
- Brotherhood of Steel scribes often carry them, as well as Elder McNamara.
- Sometimes carried by Greasy Johnny.
- Can occasionally be found on Bright Brotherhood members.
Sometimes carried by Y-17 trauma override harnessses.- May also be carried by Cliff Briscoe in Novac.
- Ulysses' Temple - Behind a locked door in the very easy locked locker.
Notes
- The maximum attainable critical hit chance with this weapon (in V.A.T.S.) is 26%.
- The Laser RCW is one of few weapons that have their own unique reload animations.
- Just like the .45 Auto submachine gun, when in third person, the stock of the weapon will not be pressed against the player's shoulder.
Sounds
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Gallery
References
