Handheld energy weapons

[rom65536]

I think this, and the rest of your post, touches upon the unspoken assumption of the thread that soldiers in OA exist as they do now and carry handweapons. In reality hand weapons in the setting are likely only used in sport, hunting or some kind of ritual combat. Combat bots with weapons grown into them (that can be repaired, modified or swapped out as needed) are going to be far more common.

This is true, too.

Although, there's nothing stopping such a combat bot from being the "hero" of the story.