TNE: Lasers

Has anyone else noticed that X-ray lasers are even deadlier for their size if
gravitic focusing is not used.  The effective range on a TL13+ X-ray laser
barbette is 15 hexes, without using gravitic focusing.  This isn't all that
bad.  The big advantage is that it has an 85% efficiency (at TL15), instead
of 20%.  The biggest thing in the turret is the HPG, so a much higher energy
can be reached with the higher efficiency.

Here is a TL15 X-ray laser barbette design.  It isn't manned.

Energy 1400MJ.  Input energy 1650MJ.

Focal Array     22.4 tons   22.4 kl     4.48 MCr
HPG         15.5 tons   57.75 kl    .5775 MCr
Beam Pointer (10 Hex)   3 tons      3 kl        .3 MCr

This totals 140.9 tons, 83.15 kl, 5.3575 MCr.  At 100 shots per turn it draws
92 MW. Combat performance is as follows:

10: 94-1/30 20: 70-1/22 40: 35-1/11 80: 18-1/6

This has better performance at short and medium range than Roger Myhre's design
(6/11, message 7956) of a 423 MJ TL15 gravitically focused, unmanned barbette,
which had 51-1/16 out to 80 hexes.  It has much better performance at these
ranges than the Brilliant Lances designs.  If you are willing to sacrifice long
range performance, leave out the gravitic focusing and use X-ray lasers.


Ted Baltz
[email removed]