Re: Near Future Rules Draft is up!

In message <Pine.OSF.3.91.970225121128.24017A-100000@alpha1.csd.uwm.edu>
" writes:
> On Tue, 25 Feb 1997, Ludo Toen wrote:
> > Just one thought, why would autocannon rounds have an explosive
filler?
> > A massive
> > object that strikes the target will do a lot more damage than a
similar
> > one that
> > gets broken into small fragments. Not to mention that some of these
> > fragments will come back at you.
> > (exactly why aircraft don't fire self destroying cannon rounds, they
> > would suck the fragments into their own air intakes)
> 
>	Your probably right about the warhead.	I'm thinking more of the

> delivery system.  Because conventional firearms woundn't operate in a 
> vaccum, these cannon rounds are designed to be more like mini-rockets 
> than gun-powdered driven bullets.  The cannon is kind of a launch tube

> with a rapid fire action.  Since the fuel and oxygen source for the 
> autocannon round if very volitile, it can blow up real good if you hit
them 
> jjjuuuusssssttt right.  
>	Besides, I want near future space combat to be really dangerous.

A reasonable design object, but work out how much free oxygen is in a 
typical cartridge case -- the oxidiser is in the propellant charge and, 
apart from little mechanical problems like lubricants boiling off in 
vacuum, there is no fundamental reason why conventional guns wouldn't 
work.

-- 
David G. Bell -- Farmer, SF Fan, Filker, Furry, and Punslinger..