Re: Retrograde gimmickry

>BDShatswell@aol.com wrote:
>>
>> Strong planetary defenses would be a likely alternative.

Nyrath said:
> Depends on the weapon technology you postulate.
>
> Start manufacturing "Pop goes the Weasel!" missiles.
> Said missile has :
> [1] an FTL drive
> [2] a 1000 megaton warhead.
>
> Missile emerges from FTL space at orbital height and
> instantly detonates.	The planetary defense do not have
> any time to react.

Depends on your FTL limits, but here's a nastier version that
would also work:

Pop out of FTL

Launch a barrage of electromagnetically accelerated crowbars at
the planet.  They'll come in with no power, no active sensors,
no real obvious way to detect them.  Doesn't especially have to
be high acceleration.  Put a layer of silicon on them if you
like--or RAM--or use a mix of stealthed and camo'd.  Pack them
in methane snow or something to reduce the IR signature.

When the crowbars ablate in atmosphere, they expose their
antimatter core--*boom*

I'm afraid I haven't yet come up with a really convincing reason
why Alarish hasn't already done this.