Laser Weapon Operational

[Anomalocaris]

unless it too was shielded?

Since reflector is reflecting rather than absorbing most of the laser energy, I am sure it can survive a lot longer than a weapon which would end up absorbing the energy.

The principle by which most laser emitters work involve pumping the beam between pairs of internal mirrors. So any target which equips itself with a reflecting surface as good as the reflecting surface inside the laser emitter can in principle survive being illuminated by the beam for as long as the laser emitter can keep emitting without burning up.

So even if the emitter protects itself with a shielded turret, a reflective target can still in principle outlast the laser emitter itself, unless the laser weapon itself is designed to be a one shot thing that burns itself up in the process of firing its one shot.