Uploaded October 2015 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
STAR WARS The Empire Strikes Back
The Battle of Hoth
Several clips taken from the Battle of Hoth showing the "Mark II medium blaster cannon" in action. The clips are first shown in real time, and then shown again but slowed by 200%.
This blasters highest observed fire rate at the Battle of Hoth was ~12 shots per second. The weapons peak fire rate per minute would therefore approach 720, during battlefield conditions. For comparison, "the rate at which the typical rifleman can effectively engage targets in a combat situation", is usually 12-15 RMP according to the Wikipedia.
In many of the clips, the rate of fire was closer to only 6 shots per second, or 480 shots per minute; but this rate of fire is rather low for a heavy tripod mounted gun, especially when contrasted with real life counterparts on Earth, such as heavy machine guns. The rebel gunners may have deliberately lowered the rate of fire in return for more energetic and powerful shots, since they were target firing AT ST and AT AT walkers. It would make sense that less energetic bolts could be fired more rapidly than more energetic bolts. Regardless, much higher fire rates as high as 12 shots per second were also observed during the battle.
Wikipedia wrote: "Typical cyclic rates of fire are 600–900 RPM for assault rifles, 1,000-1,100 RPM in some cases, 900-1,200 RPM for submachine guns and machine pistols, and 600-1,200 RPM for machine guns. M134 Miniguns mounted on attack helicopters and other combat vehicles can achieve rates of fire of over 100 rounds per second (6,000 RPM)."
Clip 1: fires six shots in three two shot bursts in less than 1 second
RPM: 360
Clip 2: fires 4 shots in just under 1 second
RPM: 240
Clip 2 (second blaster, moving) also fires 4 shots less than a second
RPM 240
Clip 3: fires 6 shots in less than a second
RPM 360
Clip 4: fires 4 shots in half a one second
RPM: 480
Clip 5: fires 4 shots in 1 third of a second
RPM 720
Clip 6: fires 4 shots in half a second, and 5 shots over just over two thirds of a second
RPM: 409 - 480
Clip 7: fires 4 shots in less than 1 second
RPM: 480
Fair Use and None Profit
STAR WARS The Empire Strikes Back
The Battle of Hoth
Several clips taken from the Battle of Hoth showing the "Mark II medium blaster cannon" in action. The clips are first shown in real time, and then shown again but slowed by 200%.
This blasters highest observed fire rate at the Battle of Hoth was ~12 shots per second. The weapons peak fire rate per minute would therefore approach 720, during battlefield conditions. For comparison, "the rate at which the typical rifleman can effectively engage targets in a combat situation", is usually 12-15 RMP according to the Wikipedia.
In many of the clips, the rate of fire was closer to only 6 shots per second, or 480 shots per minute; but this rate of fire is rather low for a heavy tripod mounted gun, especially when contrasted with real life counterparts on Earth, such as heavy machine guns. The rebel gunners may have deliberately lowered the rate of fire in return for more energetic and powerful shots, since they were target firing AT ST and AT AT walkers. It would make sense that less energetic bolts could be fired more rapidly than more energetic bolts. Regardless, much higher fire rates as high as 12 shots per second were also observed during the battle.
Wikipedia wrote: "Typical cyclic rates of fire are 600–900 RPM for assault rifles, 1,000-1,100 RPM in some cases, 900-1,200 RPM for submachine guns and machine pistols, and 600-1,200 RPM for machine guns. M134 Miniguns mounted on attack helicopters and other combat vehicles can achieve rates of fire of over 100 rounds per second (6,000 RPM)."
Clip 1: fires six shots in three two shot bursts in less than 1 second
RPM: 360
Clip 2: fires 4 shots in just under 1 second
RPM: 240
Clip 2 (second blaster, moving) also fires 4 shots less than a second
RPM 240
Clip 3: fires 6 shots in less than a second
RPM 360
Clip 4: fires 4 shots in half a one second
RPM: 480
Clip 5: fires 4 shots in 1 third of a second
RPM 720
Clip 6: fires 4 shots in half a second, and 5 shots over just over two thirds of a second
RPM: 409 - 480
Clip 7: fires 4 shots in less than 1 second
RPM: 480
Fair Use and None Profit
