Due to the effectiveness of AL muni

Due to the effectiveness of AL munitions in crippling Laser range, any operation against the BETA will almost certainly begin with a barrage of AL shells.[1] These are not foolproof, however; heavy metal particles will disrupt communication, and sensor equipment once of a certain density, and as the cloud diffuses with time, the power and range of a fired laser will increase. Should a particle cloud prove to be of insufficient density, a laser can still burn through to hit a target behind with lethal force. The cloud is also susceptible to local weather conditions. Wind and precipitation can cause the cloud to shift or even disperse entirely, necessitating supporting artillery to go through their stocks of AL munitions much faster to keep the cloud at an acceptable density. This has the effect of reducing the feasible operational limit of a heavy metal cloud in an active laser environment. Long-term effects of the usage of AL munitions also concern the environment of Earth greatly.[1] In particular, some environmental groups in North/South America and Australia, as well as other locations, have raised the environment issue as a point of contention, as the world, in its current state, has no policy for restricting the usage of AL munitions, and many are of the view that such a restriction is, at best, an