Re: Fw: Weapons for Newtonian based FTIII

SNIP
>Won't work. Let me demonstrate:
>
>I arrive at 60" range of your station. 
>
>Turn 1: I launch, you launch. At the same time, my Thr8 ships execute a
>4-pt turn and thrust away. They will not get a single inch closer.  
>Missiles move 18".
>
>Turn 2: I thrust away. I'm now about 70" away from your station.
>Missiles move 18".
>
>Turn 3: I might as well stop here. Missiles move their last 18".
>My missiles are 6" from you station and attack. Your missiles are 
>something like 15" from my ships, and fail to attack anything. 
>
>I reload from my supply ships and repeat the procedure.

Aye, but this is clearly scenario-dependent, and controlled by house
rules.
You are therefore in a position to adjust the reloading times, and to
allow
defending (i.e. the side with the base) forces to follow the raiders and
try
to catch them during their resupply operation.	This doesn't require
anything much in the way of PSB to support it.	

>> not to mention that most bases are built around planets, the gound
based 
>> defenses might have something to say about all these ships taking pot

>> shots at the base. 
>
>Doesn't matter, unless you invent new weapons with greatly improved
ranges.
>If the base isn't in range, the planet most certainly won't be.
>
>Btw: Don't you think it's funny: A missile is TWICE the mass of a 
>fighter (at least), LESS maneuverable, yet point defenses are 
>considerably less effective against them? 

>maxxon@swob.dna.fi (Mikko Kurki-Suonio)	   | A pig who doesn't
fly

	This doesn't take much in the way of PSB.  I rationalize it as
follows:  the fighter groups' attack range of 6" represents in part the
range of their weapons and in part the vehicles themselves maneuvering
close
in to the target.  If missiles are representing nuke-pumped lasers, as
MT
says, then it's reasonable to suggest that they make their attack from
6"
out _because_ they're unmaneuvreable, and that they therefore have to be
massive to make an effective attack.  The PDAFs are less effective
because,
although they have a more predictable target, they have a much shorter
window in which to fire, before the missile detonates and makes its
attack.

	On the topic of using an accellerated rock to attack the
station:
as Joachim pointed out, getting the rock up to 1000" velocity takes at
least
125 turns.  Using a tug to change the velocity of the station by 1"
takes...
less than 125 turns.  Your rock is over an inch in diameter on the FT
"ground scale"?  Obviously, you are god and the defenders have already
lost.
If your divinity is in doubt, then it's going to take a pretty
significant
effort to accellerate it, and the defenders are going to notice.  You'll
need to have recce ships providing targeting data, if the defenders are
going to modify the orbit of the station at all, and the defenders can
attack them.  If you chuck a huge rock at the station, and it misses by
1"
(FT scale or real life scale!) then it's been a wasted effort.

Cheers,
Rob Paul

"Rob Paul
NERC Institute of Virology 
Mansfield Road, Oxford OX1 3SR	  Tel. (01865) 512361
rpaul@worf.molbiol.ox.ac.uk
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