Re: Real Space Combat Help:

** Reply to note from "Mark A. Siefert" <cthulhu@csd.uwm.edu> Wed, 09
Apr 1997 01:06:05 -0500 
>    
> Hello Everyone: 
>	I'm writing a sci-fi space combat story for my creative writing
class.	
> So far I've got most of the story fleshed out.  However, I want to be
as 
> plausable and scientific as possible. (The only place where I want to
be 
> technically vauge is hyperdrive.)  I have some general questions for
all 
> of you armchair physicists out there in GZG Mailing List land. 
>	1.  Which would be better suited for space combat: lasers or
particle 
> beam weapons? 
 
No expert myself, but in terms of story telling, use lasers. You dont
have to justify them 
technically as much as partical weapons (everyone knows what a laser
is). 
 
Remember that lasers are invisable in space (no ionisation of
astmoshere) 
 
 
 
>	2.  How does a directed energy beam weapon damage a target? 
 
Melting the metal. All weapons that penitrate metal do this in one way
or the other (except 
microwaves). In layman terms, the energy hits the hull, and causes the
metal to boil.	
 
>	3.  Which sort of missile warhead would be better suited for
space 
> combat?  Nuke or kinetic kill? 
 
Bomb pumped lasers. Nukes are not as efective in space (no air to carry
shockwaves) and KKK 
need damn good targetting. 
 
>	4.  I've heard that it would be a good idea to depressurize a
warship 
> before going into combat (the crew would be in space suits).	Why
would 
> that help? 
 
As the hull is punctures, air presure would escape outwards. Anyone
caught in this would have 
a fun day. 
 
>	5.  How would one target a enemy ship in space (realistically
that is)? 
 
Passive or active sensors. Radar, Lasar Radar (LADAR), heat dissapation,
light sources, radio 
transmission, light obscuration (blocking out a star,planet)...... 
 
>	6.  There would happen to be a "Theoretical Space Combat FAQ"
somewhere 
> on the net?  If there isn't there should be. 
 
 
>    
> I'd love to hear your responses. 
> Later, 
> Mark S. 
>    
>    


Darryl Adams		dadams@tig.com.au