Recoil in zero-G: Part 1

Adrian Hurt [email removed] writes:

> Mark F. Cook [email removed] writes:
> >
> > Yes AND no, Paul.  You're right that gyros don't absorb any recoil (you'll
> > still get kicked in the shoulder just as hard).  But that's not the point.
> > >From both a real-life military standpoint AND a RPG standpoint, the
> > detrimental effect recoil has on accuracy is barrel climb.  Virtually
> > nothing else matters.
>
> I have to disagree again, Mark! :-)
>
> One of the reasons Traveller classes weapons as low, medium and high recoil
> is that some people fight in zero-G.  A low recoil weapon (e.g. snub pistol)
> is better for use in zero-G than a high-recoil weapon (e.g. PGMP) because
> it doesn't send you backwards at great speed into the wall behind you.
> There's also the matter of the strength of the person holding the gun, and
> the effect the recoil will have on someone who isn't holding it properly.

You're right, recoil does have a VERY strong effect on a combatant in
zero-G.  My comments (above) were strictly addressing combatants on
a planetary surface, or some other "gravitized" location.  Within
that limitation, I still stand by those statements.  And I still maintain
that gyros do nothing to reduce recoil; they only damp the rotational
effect it has on a weapon.  A weapon that isn't already "Low Recoil"
won't be helped by gyros, if used in zero-G.  The combatant will still
get thrown all over the place.

As for a weak person holding the weapon, or someone holding it improperly,
I doubt that gyros would help either of those folks, either.  A weak
person needs gravitics to reduce the weight of the weapon AND it's
recoil (ala PGMPs).  A person holding the weapon improperly deserves
the broken fingers and/or shoulder-blade. :-)  Again, I suppose
gravitics would help there also.

        Mark F. Cook

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