Re: COLONIAL WEAPONS

----- Original Message -----
From: "Brian Bilderback" <bbilderback@hotmail.com>
>
> Depends on how gritty you're playing your future.  The problem I've
always
> had with lasers as personal weapons is the issue of what happens if
the
> optic get jarred.  maintenance and service issues tend to lessen it's
> effectiveness as a frontier weapon.  As a military weapon, the problem
is
> mitigated by the presence of support units to service weapons.  But
even
> then... I'd rather have my soldiers/colonists carry somethinmg around
that
> won't break from the get-go.

Would depend on how rugged you PSB your laser weapon to be and how easy
you
assume it is to maintain. Solid state lasers and electronics with armour
glass optics should be pretty rugged. It may have fewer moving parts
than a
conventional weapon nd thus possible be more reliable. Certainly most
electrnic equipment is more reliable than an equivalent mechanical
system.

Adjusting it may not be that hard. Assume the weapon has a low-power
setting. Then it should be easy to check whether the spot you aim at is
the
same that the weapon hits.

And don't forget, other kinds of weapons can break or get misaligned,
too.

Greetings