Re: Lunar combat (was: Re: [OT] Moon Dragon Review?)

Ground spake thusly upon matters weighty: 

> >> 2. Gravity on the lunar surface is like 1/6th of earth. It is
there,
> >> but won't have as much pull as earth, hence dives to build up
energy
> >> will be less effective, and energy loses as one climbs will be less
> >> pronounced.
> 
> AFAIK, diving in an airless environment will simply slam you into the
> surface harder! With no air to act on lifting surfaces (wings,
whatever),
> the only way to "pull out" of a dive is with raw thrust vectored
downwards.

What I was referring to was the jet fighter jock concept of 'energy' 
where people will dive (hence accelerate) to build up momentum 
(energy) or climb and shed same. With only 1/6th the downward 
acceleration, your buildup of energy will be significantly reduced. 
Correspondingly, so will your losses. But yes, your point about 
pulling out is quite valid too. 

> Combat over the lunar surface should (IMHO) be just like combat in
open
> space, except for a 1/6 gee vector (decreasing with altitude?)

As the square of radius, assuming you treat the body as a point mass, 
as all gravitational attraction does (AFAIK). 

 constantly
> pulling you "down" toward the surface - in other words, use a vector
> movement system with an automatic "gravity" vector applied to every
move in
> addition to whatever thrust you apply.....

Woohoo! Gravity vectors. I can just imagine the vectors involved if 
you include air drag (which increases in magnitude with your 
increased velocity or changes in surface area) and lift (produced by 
lift surfaces and it varies with a lot of things!). I don't think 
vectored movement for planes in-atmosphere is something you want to 
do without a computer.... (heh heh).  

:) Tom.  
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