Re: Sand

In message <9705081821.AA07691@nps.navy.mil> "Phillip E. Pournelle"
writes:
>	  Sand causes 1d3 Damage per inch per 12 inches of velocity of
ships
> travelling through it, minus shields and armor.  

Since the damage part of the sand cloud concept has caused such
controversy, I feel moved to question the wisdom of having sand
cause any damage at all. Your basic sand launcher has a mass of 1.
In FT a 2 mass ship ramming an enemy has an absolute limit of 6 
damage points inflicted, with it's mass highly concentrated. A 
sand cloud represents half the mass, spread liberally over, well, 
the scale of FT is nebulous, but I'm sure we all think of 1" as 
well over 10km. Orders of magnitude greater.

I really don't understand how a sand clound would impact on a 
space vessel as anything more than would a gentle rain alighting 
upon one's head.

Just my thruppence ha'penny.

-- 
David Brewer