Hi there. I'm still trying to work out why it has to face the camera all the time. Wouldn't that just make it appear 2D like a sprite

Wouldn't say your attempt was pathetic , You could use a gldisc at the "base" of the laser which always faces the camera to give it a sort of glare and then draw the plane as you have. You could also use a couple of glshaders to give it a glow effect.