Editing Plasma (section)

===Burst Cannon===
[[File:Burst_Cannon.jpg|200px|right|thumb|Burst Cannon]]
Developed during their steamrolling through the tech tree, application of the Burst Cannon is quite prolific among the armies of the Tau. That is to say, these things are EVERYWHERE.

Shortly after the Tau perfected their Pulse induction technology which is what makes Pulse weapons work, the Fire caste was provided with early prototypes of Pulse Rifles; though excellent weapons, they lacked the rate of fire to be repurposed as a support weapon apart from the Sniper Drones that use a variant with increased range. The [[Ethereal]]s tasked the Earth caste with developing a weapon that would enable Tau warriors to engage with foes many times their number. The result was the creation of the Burst Cannon, which produced impressive results in combat trials where the subjects on the receiving end might have been Orks green with jealously of the amount of Dakka the gun spews out, tearing apart enemy infantry and light armor with equal ease. Now, almost every Tau vehicle has a mounting for a Burst Cannon, and it remains a favored weapon system for all marks of [[Stealthsuit Team|Stealth]] and [[Battlesuit|Crisis Battlesuits]]. Appearance-wise, it is that of a quad-barreled Gatling gun – XV9 Hazard Battlesuits as well as Ghostkeel Battlesuits over the shoulders may carry double that number since they use a variant with two barrels. Burst Cannons may also have an armored sheathing over the barrels as shown on the picture. This extra bit in particular is widely attached with Stealth Battlesuits.

Enemies of the Tau have developed a healthy proportion of respect and fear for the Burst Cannon. The weapon makes a distinctive sound when fired, the induction chamber crackling with energy as a stream of charged particles hisses across the battlefield. Imperial Guardsmen that come under fire from Burst Cannons often speak of the sound, each shot cleaving the air with a distinctive whiz-hum, not unlike the sound of solid bullets buzzing past their ear, but multiplied hundredfold as dozens of bursts are fired each second just like our Minigun. Unlike the [[Heavy Bolter]]s and [[Heavy Stubber|Stubbers]] of the Imperium with their rhythmic thumping fire, a Burst Cannon makes a continuous tearing wail, with individual shots nearly indistinguishable from each other. With heavy mountings and large plasma coils powering them, Burst Cannons are a degree more deadly than smaller Pulse weapons. Like these smaller weapons, a Burst Cannon can punch straight through most infantry armor as if it wasn’t there. Given that a Burst Cannon fires a great many of these shots each minute, it is fully capable of clearing an area of infantry in the space of a few bloody seconds. Stealth suits especially favor this weapon, its sudden storm of fire making it an ideal weapon for short ranged ambushes. The XV86 Coldstar Battlesuits used by Tau Commanders have access to a High-output variant which has double the firepower just like there's another Burst Cannon next to it.

Burst Cannons are also well suited to combating light armor, which cannot defend against the powerful hail of high-speed plasma. Walkers, armored transports and recon vehicles all stray within range of a burst cannon at the risk of having their thin armor plating torn from them bit by bit. Even Imperial battle tanks are not immune to the burst cannon: a sustained burst directed at weaker rear armor is capable of rupturing an engine or setting off ammunition stores. Burst Cannons are found on many Tau vehicles, from the [[Devilfish|Devilfish APC]] to the [[Hammerhead Gunship]]. Often slaved to Drone control, a Burst Cannon makes for an ideal point-defense weapon, keeping infantry and light vehicles away from a tank hunter like the Hammerhead, or giving a squad of [[Fire Warrior]]s cover as they deploy from their transport. This is where the Burst Cannon trades the range and accuracy of weapons like the pulse rifle for the ability to saturate an area with Plasma fire. For this reason, Burst Cannons are used extensively as part of established defenses. When guided by Drones, they make effective sentry guns, silently tracking back and forth, scanning for threats. Again, this thing is everywhere, sometimes in conjunction with a variant with two extra barrels below.
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{|class="wikitable mw-collapsible mw-collapsed" style="background: white;"
|+ class="nowrap" style="white-space: nowrap"|'''Profile'''
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{|class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed wikitable" style="background: white;"
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|<gallery class="center">
BurstCannonXV25Stealth.jpg|<center>XV25 Stealth</center>
BurstCannonXV8Crisis.jpg|<center>XV8 Crisis</center>
BurstCannonXV9Hazard.jpg|<center>XV9 Hazard</center>
BurstCannonXV8586EnforcerColdstar.jpg|<center>XV86 Coldstar</center>
BurstCannonXV95Ghostkeel.jpg|<center>XV95 Ghostkeel</center>
BurstCannonKV128Stormsurge.jpg|<center>KV128 Stormsurge</center>
BurstCannonTX4Piranha.jpg|<center>TX4 Piranha</center>
BurstCannonTY7Devilfish.jpg|<center>TY7 Devilfish</center>
BurstCannonHammerhead.jpg|<center>Hammerhead</center>
BurstCannonTX78Skyray.jpg|<center>TX78 Skyray</center>
BurstCannonAX3Razorshark.jpg|<center>AX3 Razorshark</center>
High Output BC.JPG|<center>High-output Variant</center>
High_Output_Burst_Cannon.PNG|<center>High-output Variant</center>
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{|class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed wikitable" style="background: white;"
|+style="white-space: nowrap;" | Stats
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{|class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed wikitable" style="background: white;"
|+style="white-space: nowrap;" | Burst Cannon
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{{40k-Ranged-Weapon-Profile-7-8|r7=18"|s7=5|ap7=5|type7=Assault 4|r8=18"|s8=5|ap8=0|d8=1|type8=Assault 4}}
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{|class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed wikitable" style="background: white;"
|+style="white-space: nowrap;" | Double-barrelled Burst Cannon
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{{40k-Ranged-Weapon-Profile-7-8|r7=18"|s7=5|ap7=5|type7=Assault 4, Twin-linked|r8=18"|s8=5|ap8=0|d8=1|type8=Assault 8}}
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{|class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed wikitable" style="background: white;"
|+style="white-space: nowrap;" | High-output Burst Cannon
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