[email removed] wrote:
[snip]
>Here is a TL15 X-ray laser barbette design. It isn't manned.
>Energy 1400MJ. Input energy 1650MJ.
>Focal Array22.4 tons22.4 kl4.48 MCr
>HPG 15.5 tons57.75 kl.5775 MCr
>Beam Pointer (10 Hex) 3 tons3 kl.3 MCr
>This totals 140.9 tons, 83.15 kl, 5.3575 MCr. At 100 shots per turn it
>92 MW. Combat performance is as follows:
>10: 94-1/3020: 70-1/2240: 35-1/1180: 18-1/6
>This has better performance at short and medium range than Roger Myhre'
>(6/11, message 7956) of a 423 MJ TL15 gravitically focused, unmanned ba
>which had 51-1/16 out to 80 hexes. It has much better performance at t
>ranges than the Brilliant Lances designs. If you are willing to sacrif
>range performance, leave out the gravitic focusing and use X-ray lasers
[oops sorry for the missing text, but my offliner doesn't seem to wrap
properly]
Interesting. Maybe we can come up with some doctrine where this kind of
lasers will fill their function.
>the order of a megaton (1 megaton = 4.2e15 Joules). This requires abou
>grams of antimatter, and it still has no hope of penetrating armor. it
>damage surface features, but the energy would probably be too diffuse t
>much. if a spot on a surface feature can withstand a 1 MJ laser easily
>1 megaton blast is going to do is lightly toast the outside of the ship
>Either a much bigger warhead is needed, or the missile needs to get clo
>The consensus seems to be that impact missiles would be shot down easil
>Signifcant damage might be done by a warhead in the tens or hundreds of
>megatons, but that would require more than a kg of antimatter. manufac
>the stuff isn't exactly easy... Well the warhead is pretty small, if y
>to waste all that antimatter in a marginal weapon.
Hmmmm someone know the science it seems. Ok it maybe wasn't that great
idea after all. But there are a few things that may make it useful. And
that is expanding gasses from the explotion. Will the gasses have any
effect on the ship? And what about electromagnetic pulses. If they are
present, they may blind out the sensors, and much of the other
electronics in a ship, making it effectively blind for combat purposes.
This is my Mcr .000000002 worth.
StarWolf