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Re: Wire Obstacles

From: Thomas Barclay <Thomas.Barclay@s...>
Date: Fri, 8 May 1998 12:49:42 -0500
Subject: Re: Wire Obstacles

Peter spake thusly upon matters weighty: 

> Now then, the problem with MF is that is is sharp enough that it can
cut
> through a steel pole, but unless it is perfectly efficient, which it
won't
> be because it is manufactured and there are bound to be imperfections,
some
> of the energy is going to go back into the wire. The wire isn't very
thick
> so you are relying on the strength between the molocules to hold it
> together. this means that if you repeatedly beat on it it will break.
(You
> might end up with a pile of neatly cut steel pipe, but eventually it
will
> break.)

Assuming of course that the monofilaments atomic bonds are week 
enough to permit such stretching.  If it was a 'powered' obstacle, it 
might be harder to stretch, as the field strengthened the integrity 
(a la star trek - Cap'n, the structural integrity field is 
weakening!) but then that would make it detectable with EM scanners 
I'd guess. 

> The best way to clear it would be to roll a big steam roller over it
that
> had a sticky surface. Perhaps you could have a glue dispenser over the
> roller as it went across.

Which of course wouldn't stick to the ground surface or suck it up? 
Hmm. Or are you thinking of a giant lint roller?

 You could even use a hand pushed roller.

Ah... you are thinking of a giant lint roller.... (grin). 

> Alternatively you could just dig it up with a front end loader or
bulldozer
> or apply fire to it (remember it is very thin and will melt and burn
> easily)

Sorry, if it also happens to be nearly thermally superconductive for 
example, it may well merely transfer the heat and radiate it. 
Disipation of heat in an object is a funciton of its thermal 
resistance. If the wire does not exhibit a large thermal resistance, 
not much heat will be internally disipated. Hence it may not melt and 
burn very easily (you may end up needing a plasma torch). 

 and render it a non-military obstacle. (hell, the first rain you
> get will ruin a good portion of it and if there is wind involved and
you
> haven't anchored it properly there is probably a court martial
involved.)

Which brings to mind the assumption that it isn't anchored correctly. 
Maybe your dispenser is something that lets you run it from pre-layed 
post to post. Or you have a vehicle dispenser which sets the posts 
and wires to them. Maybe the posts are something resistant to 
monofilament. If the monofilament is anchored, it will be a deadly 
obstacle, but perhaps easier to detect (you can see the anchors). And 
the anchors may be the part you target in removal operations. And The 
method of laying from a vehicle above requires expensive high tech 
gear.  

> OK, so it is easy to remove if you have the right equipment. The major
> advantage it has is it is relatively invisible if laced into bushes
and
> underbrush. Talk about slowing an advance - just use the spray
dispenser to
> cover your retreat.  I'd be scared shitless about going into any sort
of
> wooded cover if I even thought someone might have placed that wire in
> there!

Except it might cut through trees as easily (or more easily) than PA. 
Let's also consider the possibility that PA plates have a molecular 
alignment and bonding process that makes the atoms align and pack 
really tightly ... it might well make it immune to (except for 
entanglement) the effects of monofilament. Or if I have this stuff in 
trees, and either burn down the trees or plow through them with some 
sort of standoff device like a bushbar made of a superdense metal on 
my vehicle, that may be sufficient to push the stuff out of the way 
(since it'll go through trees like butter).  

This does introduce many interesting issues about monofilament. I 
think I'd make it 
1. Hard to lay by hand, expensive to lay by machine
2. Expensive on a per foot basis
3. Hard to detect by infantry, not too hard by PA with enhanced 
vision systems or by engineers
4. Dangeorus to unshielded infantry (deadly) but only moderately 
dangerous to PA and not dangerous to vehicles (based on my arguments 
about the types of armours in play on the vehicles and PA). 
5. If anchored, easier to detect, but hard to clear. If not anchored, 
not too hard to clear. Especially by engineers (doubly so if they 
have CEVs). 

Tom.  
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