Good point. I guess the first clue would be if a ‘puff’ of bird feathers suddenly appeared, eh?
Yes, The problem with lasers is that they are on, and when they move through a plain, they slice.
If you had a strong laser and thousands of people running right at you, a pass or two could kill them all, if the angle were optimal.
It’s a wicked weapon.
Standing behind a tree, too bad.
Standing behind the corner of a wall or building, too bad.
A phaser might rival it.