LaserKraftWerk

LaserKraftWerk
Weapon type	Prototype Energy Weapon
Ammunition type	Light
Magazine capacity	400 Unit Battery
Country of Origin	England (Presumably)
Fire type(s)	Semi-Automatic Full Automatic
Soldiers Issued	B.J. Blazkowicz (stolen) Twins (Stolen from Brother 1)
Appearance(s)	Wolfenstein: The New Order Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus Wolfenstein: Youngblood

"A weapon that is very efficient against heavily armored and mechanized units. The Laserkraftwerk fires high energy laser beams. It also has the ability to burn through thin sheets of metal."

―The description of the LaserKraftWerk in The New Colossus

The LaserKraftWerk, ger. Licht Amplifikation durch die stimulierte Emission von Radiation KraftWerk; (LKW for short; lit. "Laser Power Plant") is a powerful laser weapon prototype developed (possibly reverse-engineered from Da'at Yichud technology) by the Nazis in 1960.

The New Order

Location

B.J. finds this weapon in the London Nautica when he discovers a lab containing the parchment explaining Da'at Yichud. The weapon is in a test case where B.J. can cut down the subject material and have the weapon cut through the metal that encases it. After cutting through the case, B.J. can enter, take the weapon and ditch the Laser Cutter.

Function and use

"Woah. Take a look at this, Soph. Remember how daddy told us stories about melting Nazis and stuff with this gun?"
"Yeah. Oh, I really loved those stories of his."

―Jess and Soph upon collecting the LaserKraftWerk in Brother 1's prison.

The weapon has two functions, one similar to the laser cutter, and the other a pure laser weapon that can harm enemies. Functions can be swapped the same way that weapon ammunition is swapped. The energy attacks from the heavy robotic enemies act as an EMP and drain the battery from this weapon, making it useless unless B.J. recharges the weapon. Both laser cutter and laser rifle function can cut through chains, but the latter will attract attention from the enemy.

The weapon will become more and more useful after the upgrades are found - the LaserKraftWerk looks clumsy but it is an effective ranged backup weapon once the player runs short of ammo for other weapons. The LaserKraftWerk has 400 battery units, and once the battery has less than 60 units, the weapon will recharge itself to 60, giving the player two more shots (unless the player has the generator upgrade, which charges the weapon completely). After the generator upgrade is found, the weapon will recharge itself slowly, although finding a power station is generally a better idea, especially if you take an EMP attack from heavy robotic enemies that will drain the entire battery in an instant. However, if you have no time or cannot reach the power station, this upgrade can prove valuable as it will recharge itself even when you do not have it equipped.

While engaging Super Soldiers or heavy robotic enemies like it, the upgraded LaserKraftWerk is a rock-solid choice for the player. The scope will detect the enemy, let the laser find the target itself and the full-auto capability means it hits harder than dual AR Marksman's alt fire, releasing the maximum punch in an instant. However, this means the battery will run dry in an instant as well, even with the 7th Upgrade. If the player can find a power station nearby, a good approach is to use the LKW to unload on the target and then retreat quickly to recharge the weapon. Super Soldiers can be felled with one fully focused attack (with the scope) if all the shots land on any difficulty, so this approach is particularly attractive if one is in a safe position and must deal with Super Soldiers.

Upgrades

• Strobe: When firing the weapon, this attachment produces a blinding flash of light which temporarily disorients any target facing it.
• Tesla: This unit alters the beam's frequency to affect any mechanical targets close to its path.
• Targeting Scope: The Targeting Scope allows for the tracking, targeting and firing at several enemies simultaneously. Using the targeting scope depletes the LaserKraftWerk's battery power.
• Generator: The Generator allows for the slow regeneration of the LaserKraftWerks battery power (gained in the Da'at Yichud vault after the player presses a series of objects in the right order)
• Reflector: The Reflector upgrade allows laser beams to reflect off a surface once. Reflected beams do less damage.
• Automatic: The Automatic Upgrade allows the LaserKraftWerk to fire in full-auto. It was obtained from Set in the U boat mission and is unmissable.
• 7th Upgrade: The 7th Upgrade increases the ammo capacity by 25. It appears in Fergus timeline only. Has no official documentation.
• Perks: You may also get the perks(Battery +)and(Duel-wield expert)to increase your battery by 40 each.

After the player beats the game once, the LaserKraftWerk upgrades that are found will carry over into the next playthrough. This also means if the player got the generator upgrade already, next time the sequence in the Da'at Yichud vault cannot be triggered for that upgrade again.

The New Colossus

"Yingele, hey. Look to me. Use this. Fergus came to me with some thoughts for improvement. I tinkered with it a little."
"Thanks. I missed the old girl."

―Set Roth and B.J. on the LaserKraftWerk.

The LaserKraftWerk in The New Colossus

The LaserKraftWerk returns in the Reid timeline with a much more compact and conventional design, due to Set having time to tinker with it. Unlike the previous game, it only has three upgrades available; however, what it lacks in versatility compared to the older form it more than makes up for in sheer power. An uncharged shot from the base LaserKraftWerk will vaporize standard infantry, and a single charged shot will down a Super Soldier. Even on higher difficulties, a couple of well-placed charged shots can potentially take down the powerful Zerstörer units. Unlike its predecessor, it is able to melt down metal sheets with ease. The more compact design also allows it to be dual-wielded with other weapons.

The Laserkraftwerk now recharges by means of plugging an electric cable directly into the gun, akin to the heavier contemporary Lasergewehr, as opposed to the wireless charging stations used with its predecessor. In the Wyatt timeline its absence is not explained; though it may be possible that the weapon itself was damaged or destroyed from Deathhead's suicide, its place as B.J's signature weapon is taken by the Dieselkraftwerk.

Upgrades

• Scope: A removable telescopic sight is added which allows for more accurate shooting at a distance.
• Battery upgrade: Doubles the battery capacity.
• Supercharge: Hold the trigger to charge up a more powerful shot using more battery capacity.

Rather than locating specific Laserkraftwerk upgrades, these are unlocked by spending the same upgrade kits used for other weapons.

Youngblood

"The LaserKraftWerk is a very powerful and devastating weapon that is extra effective against heavily armored enemies. It fires high energy laser beams that can disintegrate enemies and melt metal. Surfaces marked with yellow stripes indicate that the metal can be disintegrated by the LaserKraftWerk."

―Description from the tutorial for Youngblood.

In this game, the LaserKraftWerk is an extremely powerful weapon. With Automatic Transformer, it has about 4 time damage per second compared to Laserhammer (in similar situation), and with the Automatic Trasformer and other three using Siter set, it has the highest DPS in this game and far more powerful than any other weapons except Uberhammer.

And if you dont upgrade the Overcharge, it would have no delay before fire. It can take down Super Soldier, Panzerhund and Laserhund with only a few hits, and is also very effective against heavily armored foes like the Zitadelle and the Zerstörer. The only problem is that its ammo is quite limited, and as such this weapon should be used primarily on heavily armored targets.

The best effective group is Automatic Transformer and other three using Stier Set. Then you would have a perfect weapon (though you should save your ammo, and should use the Laserhammer if you have the inventory upgrade).

Upgrades

Nadel Set

• Overcharge Transformer: Holding the trigger will charge up an extremely powerful charge.
• Magnifying Scope: Adds a telescopic scope to the weapon.
• Quick Charge Battery: Increases the battery size to 120. Improves delay time for the Overcharge Transformer (when equipped)
• Quick Charge Coil: Improves delay time for the Overcharge Transformer.

Tempo Set

• Automatic Transformer: Enables a full-auto mode for the weapon.
• X-Ray Scope: Allows the ability to detect enemies in the environment.
• Rapid Fire Battery:
• Rapid Fire Coil:

Stier Set

• Rail Gun Transformer: Fires a small tungsten projectile at a high velocity.
• Red Dot and Light:
• Larger Battery: Increases the battery size to 120. Also increases damage.
• Heavy Coil:

Strategy

The New Order

• A fully-charged shot with the scope can destroy a Super Soldier, but will cost an entire battery.
• If you prefer to use this weapon, keep an eye out for charging stations and collect the upgrades.
• The reflective upgrade is useful, as you can hit enemies, and possibly kill one with enough shots.

The New Colossus

• The LaserKraftWerk is essential for a Mein Leben run, as a charged shot can destroy enemies faster than the DieselKraftWerk.
• A charged shot can eliminate Super Soldiers and Laserhunds, and it will take more shots to destroy Panzerhunds, Zitadelles, and Zerstörers.
• Zitadelles and Zerstörers can be destroyed with a single fully charged shot to the eye.

Youngblood

• Like in the previous installment, the weapon can be charged, and can destroy Super Soldiers, Zitadelles, Laserhunds, and Zerstörers from the back.
• Ammo is very scarce and limited, making it a weapon to only use for certain enemies. That being said, the player can go to all the districts to get ammo, get larger battery attachments, or get the Kraftwerk Ammo Optimizer and Ballistic Ammo Pack upgrade.
• If you want to open a door that needs the laser, it's best to use the Laserhammer and save ammo for the LaserKraftWerk.

Gallery

'The New Order

Concept Art of the original LaserKraftWerk.

Fully Upgraded LaserKraftWerk by Nicholas Cort

The LaserKraftWerk in the London Nautica testing area.

BJ uses the LaserKraftWerk to cut through a steel door.

B.J. readying the LaserKraftWerk.

LaserKraftWerk weapon upgrade crate.

'The New Colossus

The LaserKraftWerk in action in the trailer for The New Colossus.

Schematic of the redesigned LaserKraftWerk, sans upgrades, in the weapon upgrade screen.

Schematic again, this time with upgrades.

LaserKraftWerk fires its overcharged beam.

Concept art of the fully upgraded LaserKraftWerk.

The fully upgraded LaserKraftWerk.

Youngblood

The LaserKraftWerk is used by one of the twins (left corner).

The LaserKraftWerk in Youngblood, equipped with the Heavy Coil, Magnifying Scope, Automatic Transformer, and Larger Battery.

Pick up for the LaserKraftWerk.

All set upgrades

Trivia

• The LaserKraftWerk is B.J.'s signature weapon in The New Order.
• When fully upgraded, the LKW fires in a way similar to the Unmaker demon laser in DOOM 64/Absolution.
• Strangely, despite the LKW being a directed energy weapon, it appears to use a toggle-lock action, similar to the Handguns and the Automatic Shotgun.
• The New Order's version of the LaserKraftWerk somewhat resembles the Railgun from the Quake franchise, both in functionality and shape; in particular, it resembles the Railgun found in Quake 4.
• Even though Set claims that he and Fergus have improved the weapon in The New Colossus, most of the versatile functions from the previous version are removed to make the weapon more compact and more powerful, making this more of a rework than a straight upgrade. Notably the laser cutter mode is no longer present and the new scope is a traditional telescopic sight as opposed to the advanced targeting scope.
• Like the Dieselkraftwerk, the LKW can be used to recharge the Project Whisper helicopters.
• If the scope upgrade is missed in the U-Boat, it can be found again in the moon base.
• You don't have to get an upgrade in order for it to appear in cutscenes.
• Unlike most other weapons in The New Colossus, the LKW cannot be dual wielded along with the Dieselkraftwerk.
• By 1980 the LaserKraftWerk is no longer a unique weapon to B.J or his kin. It seems that the weapon has been mass produced by the regime. This seems even more possible by the fact that the original LaserKraftWerk was stolen from London Nautica as a prototype, which makes possible that, despite the only prototype disappearance, the engineers decided to keep the project going.