Re: [VV] Gate Defense

Michael Llaneza wrote:
> John's right. The Starfire novels cover warp point assaults in 
> exhaustive detail. The technological assumptions are specific to that 
> universe, but some of the points are generally valid. Try, oh, "In
Death 
> Ground" and "The Shiva Option".

	There was another interesting warp point assault
	in ANTARES DAWN by Michael McCollum.
	The evil aliens used a dirty trick.

	They spent the better part of several years
	manufacturing antimatter. Then they sent a
	"fire-ship" through the warp point, which
	was of course surrounded by huge defensive
	orbital forts.

	The invading fleet went through
	about fifty microseconds after the
	antimatter detonated.

	Consider, since the antimatter explosion
	is mostly an energy explosion, all the
	deadly radiation and explosive force
	vacates the detonation point at the speed
	of light.  Microseconds later, the
	detonation point is totally empty
	and perfectly safe to enter.
	
	However, the orbital forts and space mines
	that were not outright destroyed by the
	blast would certainly be momentarily
	sensor blinded. The invading fleet
	has a chance to break out of the
	killing zone while the defenders are still
	seeing spots before their eyes.