Re: SG questions

<snip>

This topic in game terms was discussed at some length recently.  Check
out
the list archives.

>	A little explanation on these two items:  The specific job of
the
>missile system is to destroy an armored target.  To do that the missile
>must first penetrate the armor using it's impact force to bore a tiny
>hole in the armor before the 'real' warhead enters though that little
>hole.

<snip>

Well..... not to be picky, but this is mostly wrong.  Antitank rounds
from
a tank gun penetrate using impact force (kinetic energy) - saboted
tungsten
or depleted uranium hypersonic penetrators literally punch through
armour,
causing damage by impact and because of the superheated molten metal
that
sprays into the interior of the vehicle.

Some missiles may be able to kill an armoured vehicle with impact force
alone, but they are not usually designed to.  I've heard stories of the
Israeli Airforce taking the warheads out of their Maveric antitank
missiles
to save money after discovering that a hit on the top armour of typical
soviet tanks with a dud missile would kill the tank anyway.  But if
you're
talking killing a modern armoured vehicle (in the SG universe, anyway)
with
a side or front hit, ie from an infantry fired missile system, you won't
be
able to do it with kinetic energy alone - unless there are some BIG
changes
in propulsion technology.

"Shaped Charge" warheads do use high explosive, and the warhead is not
designed to penetrate the armour and then explode.  This is simplifying
it
a bit, but the warhead is composed of high explosive that is shaped in
such
a way that the majority of the force of the explosion is directed at a
small area at the point of impact with the armour - think of it like a
parabolic mirror reflecting light onto a small spot.  The superhot jet
of
metal and gas punches a small hole through the armour, and kills the
vehicle by cooking off the ammo, fuel, crew, equipment, or destroying
the
engine, etc.  I've left out some of the details, but that's basically
how
it works.

Noice that I said "the majority" of the explosive force is directed at
the
armour.  Not all of it, however.  There is going to be some force,
shrapnel, etc (shockwaves even) that will spread out from the explosion.
If there are infantry in close proximity to this, they could very well
be
injured.

Hence, in game terms, my group allows GMS shots against dispersed
targets,
but they don't do very much.  FP same as guidance, Impact d8, and that's
it.

Adrian