Re: Fw: Weapons for Newtonian based FTIII

On Mon, 5 May 97 14:10:55 PDT, you wrote:

>At 07:33 PM 5/5/97 GMT, Sandy Goh wrote:
>>On Mon, 5 May 97 11:32:01 PDT, Phil Pournelle wrote:
>>
>>>Newtonian Missiles use their thrust ratings for the two or three 
>>>turns they are active and then effectively become mines with
momentum.  
>>>Therefore, it became clear that counter Measures like Sand Clouds
would
>>> become important.
>>
>>My take on this is that the computer is smart enough to save the last
>>burn of fuel for the terminal part of the flight, in case the target
>>tried to evade. Of course, you could shoot the missiles out of a mass
>>driver cannon to give them a speed boost, and also chuck slugs at
>>people at close range with the same gun.
>
>	 The terminal phase aspect of the missile weapon occurs during
the
>attack.  Since Missiles have been defined as Spurt Bombs then the AI
directs
>the nuclear pumped laser at the target.  However, the missile has
already
>spent its Delta V during the first three turns (two for miniature
missiles).

I'm sorry for being so clueless but how on earth does the missile
actually hit anything? If this were indeed how they worked then the
hit chance ought to be less than that for ramming.

Let's assume the target is 5 turns flight away. Your missile burns for
3 and then drifts towards the target's position. The target manoeuvres
in turn 4 and the laser misses. Are the laser emitter rods steerable?

Sandy Goh (sandy@artica.demon.co.uk)