Re: Real Space Combat Help:

At 01:50 PM 4/10/97 -0400, you wrote:
>Black is the best color for a near perfect absorber of energy.

Are you sure about that? Even black holes aren't perfect absorbers of
energy. They absorb a lot but give off x-rays. Black paint and fabrics
(such
as my car!) absorb visible light, but that energy is radiated off as
infrared (heat). I think if you paint your ship black, you'll have to
channel that heat out somewhere. Mind you, if your ship was all black
and
you could channel the heat behind you then your opponent in front of you
still won't see you coming. If he gets behind you, you'll light up the
sky
on his infrared detector.

>I like an idea presented in the MegaTraveller's Starship Operator's
Manual.
>They described a chameleon exterior hull coating that could be
programmed to
>display various paint colors and schemes from an onboard interface at
any time.

Probably of more use in a ground warfare (i.e. DS2) environment than in
space.

Allan Goodall:	agoodall@sympatico.ca 
"You'll want to hear about my new obsession.
 I'm riding high upon a deep depression. 
 I'm only happy when it rains."    - Garbage