A Rail Rifle uses a series of super-conductive electrodes to electromagnetically accelerate small, solid and conductive projectiles to hypersonic speeds. The resulting high levels of kinetic force imparted to the weapon's projectile then allows it to penetrate and kill the most heavily armoured of enemy infantry at long ranges. Because the projectile is capable of achieving a velocity of anywhere between six and ten times the speed of sound, it strikes its target with such force that it produces more damage than what would be produced by an explosive charge of the same size. Such is the speed of the projectile that those near its ballistic path will often find the breath sucked from their lungs.