diff --git a/OpenRA.Mods.Common/Effects/AreaBeam.cs b/OpenRA.Mods.Common/Effects/AreaBeam.cs
index 98d974da6d..ec0ddfcadb 100644
--- a/OpenRA.Mods.Common/Effects/AreaBeam.cs
+++ b/OpenRA.Mods.Common/Effects/AreaBeam.cs
@@ -35,6 +35,9 @@ namespace OpenRA.Mods.Common.Effects
 		[Desc("The width of the beam.")]
 		public readonly WDist Width = new WDist(512);
 
+		[Desc("The shape of the beam.  Accepts values Cylindrical or Flat.")]
+		public readonly BeamRenderableShape Shape = BeamRenderableShape.Cylindrical;
+
 		[Desc("How far beyond the target the projectile keeps on travelling.")]
 		public readonly WDist BeyondTargetRange = new WDist(0);
 
@@ -190,9 +193,7 @@ namespace OpenRA.Mods.Common.Effects
 		{
 			if (!IsBeamComplete && info.RenderBeam && !(wr.World.FogObscures(tailPos) && wr.World.FogObscures(headPos)))
 			{
-				float width, y, z;
-				wr.ScreenVectorComponents(new WVec(info.Width, WDist.Zero, WDist.Zero), out width, out y, out z);
-				var beamRender = new BeamRenderable(headPos, 0, tailPos - headPos, width, color);
+				var beamRender = new BeamRenderable(headPos, 0, tailPos - headPos, info.Shape, info.Width, color);
 				return new[] { (IRenderable)beamRender };
 			}
 
diff --git a/OpenRA.Mods.Common/Effects/LaserZap.cs b/OpenRA.Mods.Common/Effects/LaserZap.cs
index f59be66867..11d949be35 100644
--- a/OpenRA.Mods.Common/Effects/LaserZap.cs
+++ b/OpenRA.Mods.Common/Effects/LaserZap.cs
@@ -21,7 +21,11 @@ namespace OpenRA.Mods.Common.Effects
 	[Desc("Not a sprite, but an engine effect.")]
 	class LaserZapInfo : IProjectileInfo
 	{
-		public readonly int BeamWidth = 2;
+		[Desc("The width of the zap.")]
+		public readonly WDist Width = new WDist(86);
+
+		[Desc("The shape of the beam.  Accepts values Cylindrical or Flat.")]
+		public readonly BeamRenderableShape Shape = BeamRenderableShape.Cylindrical;
 
 		public readonly int BeamDuration = 10;
 
@@ -98,7 +102,7 @@ namespace OpenRA.Mods.Common.Effects
 			if (ticks < info.BeamDuration)
 			{
 				var rc = Color.FromArgb((info.BeamDuration - ticks) * 255 / info.BeamDuration, color);
-				yield return new BeamRenderable(args.Source, 0, target - args.Source, info.BeamWidth, rc);
+				yield return new BeamRenderable(args.Source, 0, target - args.Source, info.Shape, info.Width, rc);
 			}
 
 			if (hitanim != null)
diff --git a/OpenRA.Mods.Common/Graphics/BeamRenderable.cs b/OpenRA.Mods.Common/Graphics/BeamRenderable.cs
index faeb2a24d3..118119ab54 100644
--- a/OpenRA.Mods.Common/Graphics/BeamRenderable.cs
+++ b/OpenRA.Mods.Common/Graphics/BeamRenderable.cs
@@ -13,21 +13,24 @@ using OpenRA.Graphics;
 
 namespace OpenRA.Mods.Common.Graphics
 {
+	public enum BeamRenderableShape { Cylindrical, Flat }
 	public struct BeamRenderable : IRenderable, IFinalizedRenderable
 	{
 		readonly WPos pos;
 		readonly int zOffset;
 		readonly WVec length;
+		readonly BeamRenderableShape shape;
+		readonly WDist width;
 		readonly Color color;
-		readonly float width;
 
-		public BeamRenderable(WPos pos, int zOffset, WVec length, float width, Color color)
+		public BeamRenderable(WPos pos, int zOffset, WVec length, BeamRenderableShape shape, WDist width, Color color)
 		{
 			this.pos = pos;
 			this.zOffset = zOffset;
 			this.length = length;
-			this.color = color;
+			this.shape = shape;
 			this.width = width;
+			this.color = color;
 		}
 
 		public WPos Pos { get { return pos; } }
@@ -35,22 +38,35 @@ namespace OpenRA.Mods.Common.Graphics
 		public int ZOffset { get { return zOffset; } }
 		public bool IsDecoration { get { return true; } }
 
-		public IRenderable WithPalette(PaletteReference newPalette) { return new BeamRenderable(pos, zOffset, length, width, color); }
-		public IRenderable WithZOffset(int newOffset) { return new BeamRenderable(pos, zOffset, length, width, color); }
-		public IRenderable OffsetBy(WVec vec) { return new BeamRenderable(pos + vec, zOffset, length, width, color); }
+		public IRenderable WithPalette(PaletteReference newPalette) { return new BeamRenderable(pos, zOffset, length, shape, width, color); }
+		public IRenderable WithZOffset(int newOffset) { return new BeamRenderable(pos, zOffset, length, shape, width, color); }
+		public IRenderable OffsetBy(WVec vec) { return new BeamRenderable(pos + vec, zOffset, length, shape, width, color); }
 		public IRenderable AsDecoration() { return this; }
 
 		public IFinalizedRenderable PrepareRender(WorldRenderer wr) { return this; }
 		public void Render(WorldRenderer wr)
 		{
-			var wlr = Game.Renderer.WorldLineRenderer;
-			var src = wr.ScreenPosition(pos);
-			var dest = wr.ScreenPosition(pos + length);
+			var vecLength = length.Length;
+			if (vecLength == 0)
+				return;
 
-			var oldWidth = wlr.LineWidth;
-			wlr.LineWidth = wr.Viewport.Zoom * width;
-			wlr.DrawLine(src, dest, color);
-			wlr.LineWidth = oldWidth;
+			if (shape == BeamRenderableShape.Flat)
+			{
+				var delta = length * width.Length / (2 * vecLength);
+				var corner = new WVec(-delta.Y, delta.X, delta.Z);
+				var a = wr.ScreenPosition(pos - corner);
+				var b = wr.ScreenPosition(pos + corner);
+				var c = wr.ScreenPosition(pos + corner + length);
+				var d = wr.ScreenPosition(pos - corner + length);
+				Game.Renderer.WorldRgbaColorRenderer.FillRect(a, b, c, d, color);
+			}
+			else
+			{
+				var start = wr.ScreenPosition(pos);
+				var end = wr.ScreenPosition(pos + length);
+				var screenWidth = wr.ScreenVector(new WVec(width, WDist.Zero, WDist.Zero))[0];
+				Game.Renderer.WorldRgbaColorRenderer.DrawLine(start, end, screenWidth, color);
+			}
 		}
 
 		public void RenderDebugGeometry(WorldRenderer wr) { }
diff --git a/OpenRA.Mods.Common/UtilityCommands/UpgradeRules.cs b/OpenRA.Mods.Common/UtilityCommands/UpgradeRules.cs
index 2fe4617c25..f89b879feb 100644
--- a/OpenRA.Mods.Common/UtilityCommands/UpgradeRules.cs
+++ b/OpenRA.Mods.Common/UtilityCommands/UpgradeRules.cs
@@ -3178,6 +3178,15 @@ namespace OpenRA.Mods.Common.UtilityCommands
 						TryUpdateColor(ref node.Value.Value);
 				}
 
+				if (engineVersion < 20151129)
+				{
+					if (node.Key == "BeamWidth" && parent.Value.Value == "LaserZap")
+					{
+						node.Key = "Width";
+						ConvertPxToRange(ref node.Value.Value);
+					}
+				}
+
 				UpgradeWeaponRules(engineVersion, ref node.Value.Nodes, node, depth + 1);
 			}
 		}
diff --git a/mods/cnc/weapons/other.yaml b/mods/cnc/weapons/other.yaml
index 864d51311e..4476e9a170 100644
--- a/mods/cnc/weapons/other.yaml
+++ b/mods/cnc/weapons/other.yaml
@@ -123,7 +123,7 @@ Laser:
 	Charges: true
 	Report: OBELRAY1.AUD
 	Projectile: LaserZap
-		BeamWidth: 2
+		Width: 85
 		HitAnim: laserfire
 	Warhead@1Dam: SpreadDamage
 		Spread: 42
diff --git a/mods/d2k/weapons.yaml b/mods/d2k/weapons.yaml
index 0c6bdcb0fc..b3a4edb9d9 100644
--- a/mods/d2k/weapons.yaml
+++ b/mods/d2k/weapons.yaml
@@ -535,6 +535,7 @@ Sound:
 		Duration: 4 # Has a length of 0c512
 		DamageInterval: 3 # Travels 0c384 between impacts, will hit a target roughly three times
 		Width: 0c512
+		Shape: Flat
 		Falloff: 100, 100, 50
 		Range: 0, 6c0, 11c0
 		BeyondTargetRange: 1c0
diff --git a/mods/ts/weapons/energyweapons.yaml b/mods/ts/weapons/energyweapons.yaml
index 494974e11d..dfba483513 100644
--- a/mods/ts/weapons/energyweapons.yaml
+++ b/mods/ts/weapons/energyweapons.yaml
@@ -74,6 +74,7 @@ SonicZap:
 		Duration: 90
 		DamageInterval: 5 # Roughly 18 impacts.
 		Width: 0c384
+		Shape: Flat
 		BeyondTargetRange: 0c256
 		Blockable: true
 		Color: 00FFFFC8
@@ -174,7 +175,7 @@ ObeliskLaserFire:
 	Charges: true
 	Report: OBELRAY1.AUD
 	Projectile: LaserZap
-		BeamWidth: 4
+		Width: 170
 	Warhead@1Dam: SpreadDamage
 		Spread: 42
 		Damage: 250
@@ -185,7 +186,7 @@ TurretLaserFire:
 	Range: 5c512
 	Report: LASTUR1.AUD
 	Projectile: LaserZap
-		BeamWidth: 2
+		Width: 85
 		BeamDuration: 5
 	Warhead@1Dam: SpreadDamage
 		Spread: 42