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Takes time to get used to, but the Firelighter can dish out some serious punishment.
—Kassandra Wheeler praising the FL-5.
The Firelighter interchangeable heavy blaster rifle, known internally as Project Firelighter and later the FL-5 heavy blaster rifle, was a blaster rifle designed and manufactured by BlasTech Industries during the Third Galactic War. Initially designed for the Galactic Republic, the rifle's unusual specifications led to it becoming the signature weapon of the Advanced Strategic Operations Service, specifically their commandos, whose exploits while wielding the weapon led to the Firelighter enjoying a surprise renaissance due to its infamous reputation.
Description[]
The BlasTech Firelighter interchangeable heavy blaster rifle. This rifle is your whole world as far as offense goes. You need to put down enemy troops quickly and decisively? This is your weapon. You need to take the head off an Imp general while he's still on Kaas kissin' his wife goodbye? This is your weapon. You need to blow a hole in a Houk's gut, punch through a wall, crack open a walker or shatter some cocky street punk's nose? This. Is. Your. Weapon.
—Iden Lambert, during an introductory training session with new ASOS graduates.
Featuring a tri-function firing system, a sturdy electronic scope and a sleek, simplistic body, the Firelighter was designed primarily for use by the Galactic Republic in their efforts to eradicate the rising factions of the fracturing Sith Empire, with a higher emphasis on quality and power over affordability due to the widespread reduction in fighting. In its standard configuration, the Firelighter functioned as a high-powered blaster rifle, while the weapon's secondary barrel allowed it to be utilized as a shotgun capable of punching through body armor and droid chassis and damaging armored vehicles such as light tanks and walkers, though with significantly higher power draw and considerable recoil.
A tertiary sniper configuration also existed, though the installation of a specialized barrel attachment was required to activate it which – while relatively simple and designed for use in the field – made it more awkward to utilize in combat scenarios. Subsequently, analytics showed it was the least commonly used of the three configurations, although this was not unexpected and, in the hands of a skilled sniper, it remained a deadly weapon that could deliver powerful shots at a maximum range of 700 meters. Similarly, a less frequently used grenade launcher attachment was available for the purposes of crowd control, penetrating armored vehicles and breaching enemy fortifications. It required the weapon's user to replace the secondary barrel, however, so was rarely used unless a situation demanded it. The Firelighter's scope – which could be disconnected and used independently for reconnaissance purposes – featured several modes including motion tracking, electronic current detection and thermal imaging, as well as an independent power supply that could last up to seventy-six hours if disconnected from the rifle's primary power cell.
In addition to its considerable firepower, one of the Firelighter's main selling points was its durability, owing to the addition of protective casings around the sensitive internal components, preventing dirt and liquids from compromising them, making it incredibly reliable during extended deployments. Unfortunately, this additional material increased the size and weight of the weapon, leading to the final model being unusually heavy. Another notable drawback of the Firelighter was its reduced ammo capacity; the weapon drew more power than other blaster rifles of similar caliber and the power cell had to be replaced regularly, especially if used in its secondary configuration. Finally, those chosen to test the weapon all reported the same discomfort regarding the Firelighter's mechanism for switching between its three modes of fire, which was deemed to be too complicated for regular infantry to make reliable use of. Given the recoil of the secondary configuration and the general awkwardness of switching at all, it was speculated that most troops would either not make use of the various features or panic under fire and forget about the heavy recoil, inevitably leading to injuries.
Despite its virtues, the Firelighter was discontinued before reaching mass production after it was rejected by delegations from the Republic Army, multiple planetary governments and two private military organizations, all of whom criticized the weapon's excessive weight, awkward handling, low ammo capacity and steep learning curve, which were deemed particularly unacceptable given the Firelighter's expense. Although seemingly doomed to never see use outside of the BlasTech firing ranges, the Firelighter eventually received interest from representatives of the newly founded colony of Shimka's Well, who were looking for specialized equipment with which to arm their budding defense force. As the former Bureau Chief in charge of the Republic Strategic Information Service's Strategic Asset Reassignment Bureau, Carth Waverunner was aware of the Firelighter and brought it to the attention of his allies on Shimka's Well, who inquired and found that the weapon was well-suited to their needs.
1,000 Firelighter interchangeable heavy blaster rifles were manufactured in a limited production run, with 500 being purchased by the government of Shimka's Well while the remaining 500 were made available to civilian buyers through BlasTech's surplus store in 56 ATC. Initially only a handful of the rifles were sold, but as the activities of the Shimkan Advanced Strategic Operations Service attracted more and more media attention over the years, interest in the Firelighter picked up and BlasTech's remaining stock of rifles was quickly depleted. Taking a calculated risk, BlasTech executives decided to capitalize on the surge in the weapon's popularity and authorize the manufacture of 20,000 additional Firelighter rifles for the civilian market, further improving the weapon's reputation when steady sales led to it becoming an increasingly common sight among Mandalorians, bounty hunters and mercenaries, all of whom valued the weapon's stopping power and unusual versatility.
It became common practice among the ASOS commandos to secure a personalized weapon charm to one side of their rifle. Iden Lambert's Firelighter featured a small graul figurine, to represent her strength and resilience. Similarly, by 63 ATC, Josie Gharva of Clan Gharva was in possession of a heavily customized Firelighter rifle which she had painted to match her clan's colors. In spite of the weapon's unexpected renaissance, it continued to be passed over by military organizations such as the Republic Army in favor of more conventional and accessible equipment, remaining a niche product up until it was replaced by a new F-series line and permanently discontinued in 94 ATC.
Behind the Scenes[]
The physical appearance of the Firelighter interchangeable heavy blaster rifle is heavily inspired by the E-11D blaster carbine used by Imperial death troopers, while the reconfigurable nature of the weapon is inspired by the DC-17m Interchangeable Weapon System used by the clone commandos.