RE: [FT] Kra'Vak Changes

On Wed, 2 Dec 1998, Robertson, Brendan wrote:
> With nuclear or fusion missiles, the extra mass
> can 'feul' the reaction

erm ... only if the armour was made of plutonium. to get things to fuse,
you need to crush them from all sides, something which the warhead would
not to do the target. also, elements heavier than iron do not release
energy when they fuse, but rather absorb it, so that wouldn't help.

> whereas PTs could be a mini-fusion
> reaction/plasma reaction

see above comment. plasma is actually a very poor weapon, as, although
its
is very hot, it is not very dense and so has a tiny heat capacity - the
plasma would condense to gas and the target would warm up a few
millikelvin.

> or matter/antimatter shot

ah, now this is a better idea! the energy released depends on the mass;
antimatter allows your enemy to supply half of that mass, doubling your
damage potential. however, antimatter is going to be tought to make,
store
and work with. still, it can safely be handled after the application of
enough PSB. even so, the armour would protect the target; it's not as if
the armour  was supplying any mass the target's hull wouldn't anyway.
armour is still useful in this situation.

Tom