The Q-Acceleration Driver is the primary large-scale projectile weapon used by Republic of Sol Navy warships during the latter half of the Swarm War. Utilising the principles of gravity as first described by Albert Einstein in 1915, the cannon makes use of human spacetime curving technology to create an extremely strong, highly constrained artificial gravitational field, which, with the help of quantum-level interactions and assisting magnetic rails allows the Driver to accelerate its antimatter-based projectile to nigh-relativistic speeds. Upon impact, the vast majority of shields not anchored in higher dimensions dissipate completely due to matter-antimatter interactions, thus paving the way for the projectile to hit the enemy hull proper, usually vaporizing the entire vessel in an instant.

Sounds like something we humans would make. Now how small can they be made. I could see someone using them on a wrist launcher.

7932058
This is a matter of miniaturization, really. At the time the story takes place (~6200 AD), the Q-Acceleration Driver can only really be mounted on warships since even despite the incredible forces affecting the projectile, it needs some space to properly accelerate and some rails to direct its course. This can probably be nullified as technology progresses in the future, though.

Another problem with this weapon would be aiming it; since the projectile travels at velocities close to the speed of light, it's not really possible to correct its course midway through; in the case of warships, this isn't really needed because military AI's can aim accurately enough to hit the target 99.9% of the time, especially since evading such a fast projecile is... well, difficult, unless the combat is taking place on extreme distances. But on the ground, all this would be somewhat of a problem. It's not like soldiers cannot aim, far from it, naturally, but every missed shot would cause massive collateral damage.

That said, though, I could easily see a weapon based on the same technology being utilised the way you mentioned in the future, with the necessary adjustments made.

7932074
Think of it like a .50 cal sniper rifle. That is the most likely use on the ground. The micro missile for the wrist launcher is mostly used like a grenade launcher. If they get small enough to fit in a cigarette pack then it will most likely be a reduced in power, speed, and range. Still micro missiles would mostly be used as door busters.

7932107
Huh, I haven't thought of it that way, but yeah, you're probably right. A miniature weapon like that, based on the same technology as the Driver, just with reduced capabilities, would probably be the next step. Or maybe a couple steps away, but either way, something to come in the future.

Something to think about for me when, after finishing Deos ex Caellis, I get to writing the OSaGA sequels.

7932157
Glad to to help. I have seen and handled a fue interesting things before. One was a gas powered nail gun that shot big 12" spike nails like it was shooting bbs. The funniest thing about it was the fact the gas it used was the same butane can that is used to refill lighters.