Re: [GZG][FH] Planet types (was Re: Locations of Stars)

On Mon, 30 Nov 1998, Tony Wilkinson wrote:
>	Firstly I have a nasty streak so effects should hurt. I like
being a bastard.

fair enough!

>	Second I have done no science since High School so forgive me if
some
> ideas are based on incorrect assumptions.

no worries; science is a straightjacket which helps to solve certain
problems. perhaps not this one.

> 1) Planets without magnetic fields.
> Also if your on the dark side of a planet then the planet should
> be shielding you from the worst of the radiation

my reading was that things got worse at night; oops ...

> 2) Planets without Atmosphere. 
>	You could have rocket hover type craft but then the would really
be
> spacecraft, no?

ah, but on an airless planet, where does space start? at the surface?

these rocket fliers could be too small to reach escape velocity, and so
would not really qualify as spacecraft. also, if there is no atmosphere,
does this mean i can bring down my destroyer to provide close-range fire
support? it would cross the table in one go, much like aerospace
strikes.

> 3) Planets with thick atmosphere.
>	I assumed that a fan or prop in a thick atmosphere would be
moving a
> greater amount of air for a give amount of power

pass! i really have no idea here; i could well be wrong.

> 4) Planets with low gravity.
>	Artillery is ballistic and with little or no gravity its going
to be a
> long way off (increased range) if it doesn't make escape velocity

well, if you can use a smaller charge in your gun or aim on a
low trajectory rather than a high one, you can use arty on low-g worlds.
low g and thin atmosphere would give huge ranges -  the rifles in Edgar
Rice Burroughs' mars books had immense ranges.

> which is
> more likely once you get below half a G (maths anyone?). Didn't think
of
> making them anti-shipping weapons. Perhaps they do damage as per
railguns
> with light artillery rated as class 1's, medium class 2, heavy class
3.

good idea. however, that might be too powerful; maybe a battery should 
count as a scatterpack?

Tom