RE: [FT] Railgun Goals II

Tim spake thusly upon matters weighty: 

> >Because, rather than discharging my capacitors once to accelerate one
> >mass and then wait to charge, etc. for subsequent shots, I've gone to
> >a rapid fire mode where I still burn the same amount or maybe only
> >25% more spread across a lot of projectiles
> 
> OK - but what you describe isn't 'Raking'. Raking is firing down
> the long axis of the target. This (above) is a variable pulse railgun
> which is certainly a viable alternative system, if you (the gamer)
> want that sort of thing.

I call this raking or volume mode. Mainly because it would be the 
mode you go to at close range when you wanted to rake.	

> Given a turn may be 20mins or so though, I get the feeling the weapon
> effects are an abstraction anyway. With a big fusion power plant a
> coil/railgun could probably pump a large amount of projectiles out
> in 20 mins at max power/accel. So I don't think the variable pulse
> idea is moot to the level of abstraction for the game I want to play
> YMMV.

I wished to support two mechanics. One a short range 'rapid fire' 
mode, and one a longer range 'hard hitting' mode. That was just one 
possible PSB. Even as an abstraction, one can conceive that, whatever 
your firing window is, you can choose to throw more projectiles with 
less energy, or fewer with more - thus supporting the two mechanics. 
PSBs notwithstanding.  I just thought it made for interesting 
tactical options. 

> tim jones
>
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Thomas Barclay		     
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 "C makes it easy to shoot yourself in the foot.  C++ makes
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