P-336 Type-21 Close Assault Weapon

"Wait 'till they get close and aim for center of mass, always double-tap. You'll almost certainly kill 'em with your first shot, but they run too damn fast to take any chances." - Anonymous Directorate Non-Commissioned Officer advising his men on the proper use of the P-336 Type-21 against Mortis Drones

The P-336 Type-21 Close Assault Weapon [336-21 CAW] is a Directorate infantry weapon, the 5th millenium equivalent to a combat shotgun. Unlike its ancestors, however, the CAW is an induction coil-gun in the same manner as most other Directorate personal firearms, and it is fully automatic - holding down the trigger will cause the weapon to fire continuously, albiet fairly slowly, until its magazine is exhausted.

Firing Mechanism & Ammunition
The 336-21 CAW has a calibre of 23mm - or 6.2 gauge - and as such has essentially twice the common bore diameter of a large-calibre 20th century shotgun. Being a magnetic accelerator weapon, however, it has no recoil. The weapon is fed by 10-round drum magazines and fires soft-jacketed metal slugs containing eight long tungsten-carbide spikes and a small bursting charge. These rounds break apart in flight at a pre-designated point, determined automatically by the gun's in-built computer, to scewer the target with hypervelocity needles. Typically, the spikes impale the target in a symmetrical cruciform pattern, but the weapon's user may alter this to create a variety of spread patterns, such as 'X's or 'O's.

Usage
The weapon is a favorite when combating the Mortis, because a single shot is virtually guarenteed to kill a Drone or other small Construct, since Mortis creatures have only moderate armor protection and [generally] lack energy screens. As added utility, the weapon may also fire small-diameter rockets, and is typically fitted with a pump-action 52mm under-barrel launcher capable of firing self-propelled grenades (essentially small homing missiles), similar to the ammunition fired by a Janissary exoskeleton's rifle.