Re: COLONIAL WEAPONS

At 6:58 PM +0100 1/29/02, K.H.Ranitzsch wrote:

>
>I am not easily convinced that an industrial SF infrastructure able to
>produce modern/SF conventional firearms (as opposed to a blck-powder
weapon,
>which is rather easier) would not also be able to produce a Laser
rifle.

Of what quantity? Clearly given the weapons available to troops in 
the SG rules, such weapons are available. However, usually snipers 
get the newer lasers (says so in the rules) based on their accuracy, 
however some troops still prefer the gauss sniper rifles. The 
majority of troops use gauss rifles, colonist and back water militia 
forces use older technology. If everyone can make a laser rifle why 
did St. John even bother with the older weapons types?

Sure your back water world could get 15 people making a really nice 
laser sniper rifle and they'd probably spend a month working on the 
process to get one rifle. Or they could spend that same amount of 
time making older style powder type weapons with the same tools they 
use to fabricate parts for their tractors and make propellant with 
the same tools they use to make their fertillizer.

One has to realize, this colony isn't there as a place to put data 
processing experts that have hobbies in things like precision 
manufacturing and lens grinding. They are there for raw materials. 
They have people that mine. They have people that grow food. They 
didn't send people out there to those colonies to make high end 
computer and laser components. I question whether the knowledge, 
materials and hardware will even be in system.

But then hey, maybe you are right and every farmer has a self 
adjusting self repairing laser cutting wheat thresher that they can 
build in their garage with  their Gerber phase multiplying multi-tool.

--
Ryan Gill	  |	   |	     rmgill@mindspring.com
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