Re: Dirtside Question: Zero or low G combat

G'day guys,

 >If you are thinking about an un-terraformed Mars, the thin athmosphere
 >would be the main difference to an Earth-type planet. Some
suggestions:
 >- use only power-armoured infantry
 >- if you use 'normal' infantry treat them as being under gas attack

They'd also be pretty cold unless they were very well rugged up so they
may 
actually find it harder to get around (not that their BMF is huge to
start 
with).

 >- reduce aircraft capabilities (less payload, higher vulnerability or
 >cost), ditto for hovercraft.

First up, is the atmosphere thick enough for aircraft to work OK? I
don't 
know that much about aircraft, but I assumed that the reason people 
suggested the use of airships on Mars (something picked up upon by Kim 
Stanley Robinson in his Mars trilogy) was that the atmosphere wasn't
thick 
enough for more conventional aircraft.
Secondly (just to show my complete ignorance), with a lower gravity 
wouldn't the aircraft (whatever they ended up being) be able to carry
more 
as they don't have to fight their own mass as much??

 >- Appropriate terrain - no water features or vegetation

Make things steep and sharp, the way you'd imagine the world looks
before 
erosion, and then multiply everything by 10x size wise ;)

Cheers

Beth

------------------------------------------------------------------------
---- 
------------------------------------------------------------------------
----
Elizabeth Fulton
c/o CSIRO Division of Marine Research
GPO Box 1538
HOBART
TASMANIA 7001
AUSTRALIA
Phone (03) 6232 5018 International +61 3 6232 5018
Fax 03 6232 5053 International +61 3 6232 5053

email: beth.fulton@marine.csiro.au