Re: FT: Missiles and Gas Tanks

On Thu, 17 Jul 1997, Gerald McVicker wrote:

> If you shot a missile out of say a " gravic propulsion
> launcher" or some other sci-fi equivalent..it would maintain its
velocity.
> All the engine would have to do is change its vector of movement.

Jerry, under newtonian physics the velocity _IS_ a vector. Changing the 
direction of travel is done in exactly the same way as increasing the 
speed, except for the direction you accelerate in. Changing the vector
of 
movement is another way to say that you change the velocity.

If you have something that excerts force on you from the "outside" (like

air or water), you can use fins or rudders to change the direction of 
travel - but you'll most likely lose momentum when you do this. The 
standard FT movement system assumes some sort of similar "friction"; by 
using this technique you can indeed let a missile keep its speed and 
still change its direction of travel without expending (very much) fuel.

Under the "Realistic Movement" rules (on The Page or elsewhere), you
can't.

Later,

Oerjan Ohlson

"Life is like a sewer.
 What you get out of it, depends on what you put into it."
 -Hen3ry