Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[~Neri]

"The railgus are on fixed paths in orbit. Seperate from the station makes it even better. Are you implying your ships aren't capable of cross system Kinetic Mass Bombardment? How far behind KX9 tech are you people? This is an extremely basic form of weapon and an extremely basic form of targeting. It's not like the planet can deviate from its course or anything. It's literally a big chunk of metal launched at a fraction of lightspeed at a target. This is twenty first century tech for peet's sakes. Minor course corrections prevent them from being effective vs mobile combatants like ships since a slight fraction of a degree's deviance from the path at that distance makes a miss. Fixed orbit or ground targets qualify as mincemeat for KMB BFR's.. It doesn't matter if they shoot back. Ships can dodge and stations cannot. It's simple math who will win. If the rail platforms aren't even attached to the station as I thought they were, then civilian casualties decrease to zero as the rail platforms can be taken down in short order by firing chunks of metal at them from the other side of the system."

"That will have to do for now Bartender. I advise getting a hydroponics bay installed at a later date." ((This really is current day tech. The part of the reason behind the Outer Space Treaty irl is because nobody wants unblockable hunks of metal being dropped on them.))

Valrak relays the data to Den 63 as he gets back to Nerin.

[_DivideByZero_]

"The railgus are on fixed paths in orbit. Seperate from the station makes it even better. Are you implying your ships aren't capable of cross system Kinetic Mass Bombardment? How far behind KX9 tech are you people? This is an extremely basic form of weapon and an extremely basic form of targeting. It's not like the planet can deviate from its course or anything. It's literally a big chunk of metal launched at a fraction of lightspeed at a target. This is twenty first century tech for peet's sakes. Minor course corrections prevent them from being effective vs mobile combatants like ships since a slight fraction of a degree's deviance from the path at that distance makes a miss. Fixed orbit or ground targets qualify as mincemeat for KMB BFR's.. It doesn't matter if they shoot back. Ships can dodge and stations cannot. It's simple math who will win. If the rail platforms aren't even attached to the station as I thought they were, then civilian casualties decrease to zero as the rail platforms can be taken down in short order by firing chunks of metal at them from the other side of the system."

"That will have to do for now Bartender. I advise getting a hydroponics bay installed at a later date." ((This really is current day tech. The part of the reason behind the Outer Space Treaty irl is because nobody wants unblockable hunks of metal being dropped on them.))

Valrak relays the data to Den 63 as he gets back to Nerin.

"You talk pretty tough for a guy with no idea what he's talking about. Do you really believe someone's going to spend megatons on sitting ducks? Stations can maneuver just fine... have you ever looked at the mass distribution of a dedicated battlestation? Fair amount of fuel, and it's not just for show. We have thirteen long range gun platforms capable of sustained fire. They have hundreds, and an entire supply line with the station to keep them stocked with coolant, ammo, fuel, and repairs.

We don't stand a chance. They've got enough guns to sterilize a planet up there. The only reason they haven't is because nobody poked the bear. And we don't intend to."

The bartender looks like he has something to say, but he opts to back away from Jaina, whose temper is showing.

[Toaster]

((Damn it, I wanted to headbutt him.))


"Damn straight.  He threatened my buddy here."  Deuce nodded toward Valrak.  "Move and I might still catch him."

[~Neri]

Can they even see the projectiles coming? The only way to track a dark projectile is to see it firing. And they don't normally make light when firing. They stay sitting ducks if they don't have time to react before impact. One impact is all it needs to knock it out of orbit and effectively destroy it. Long range means nothing if the target just goes and hides behind a planet after firing. Kinetics take a while to get places. I'm aware of how space based defenses work. I'm a Logiform. I'm also aware of the capabilities of standard KX9 ships. I'm just surprised at the tech gap here.

[_DivideByZero_]

Can they even see the projectiles coming? The only way to track a dark projectile is to see it firing. And they don't normally make light when firing. They stay sitting ducks if they don't have time to react before impact. One impact is all it needs to knock it out of orbit and effectively destroy it. Long range means nothing if the target just goes and hides behind a planet after firing. Kinetics take a while to get places. I'm aware of how space based defenses work. I'm a Logiform. I'm also aware of the capabilities of standard KX9 ships. I'm just surprised at the tech gap here.

"I suspect the tech gap actually works the other way. Your sensors must be pretty awful if they can't detect the giant plasma plume created by massed railgun fire, or the white-hot projectiles heated by barrel friction, or the secondary explosions if you're using shrapnel munitions, or the reflections off the projectiles that can come from literally anywhere between the sun and a nearby spacecraft's engine flare. The truth is that big guns don't win battles. Logistics do. And our enemy is in a logistically superior position. Basic command school stuff."

[~Neri]

Plasma is only produced if the railgun has an atmosphere internally or if the conductors are of inferior quality or heavily corroded or heated from previous recent shots. A spinal mount railgun can preform all that heat production inside the ship, functional recyclers and coolant systems reduce heat output from the weapon to almost null to be radiated later. Projectiles with ridges allow heat dispersion rapidly. Several layers of multispectrum dampening coatings prevent reflection from the sun or nearby ships. Thirteen ships and thirteen rail platforms. One shot per platform. One shot from each ship. Massed fire is stupid if you intend to be quiet.

[WillowLuman]

(ninja'd!)
(What is the format for personal thoughts again?)

Atlos mentally noted: military posturing in arbitrary situations seems common in even closely related species. Next time I see her, compare notes with Jvalos on the Hev-Mak Genus. Addendum: might these kind of thoughts be just as condescending as the aliens' behavior?

[Gamerlord]

Nidoma nods to the other guy.
Let me know when he's done, aye?
She heads off to look around. Maybe 'appropriate' something useful/valuable.

[~Neri]

((Format for thoughts is italics. Telepathy or mind to mind is italics with quotations.))

[_DivideByZero_]

Plasma is only produced if the railgun has an atmosphere internally or if the conductors are of inferior quality or heavily corroded or heated from previous recent shots. A spinal mount railgun can preform all that heat production inside the ship, functional recyclers and coolant systems reduce heat output from the weapon to almost null to be radiated later. Projectiles with ridges allow heat dispersion rapidly. Several layers of multispectrum dampening coatings prevent reflection from the sun or nearby ships. Thirteen ships and thirteen rail platforms. One shot per platform. One shot from each ship. Massed fire is stupid if you intend to be quiet.

"We have 13 guns. Ulysses has exactly 384 orbital stations twice the size of our dedicated warships, half of which are within line of sight at any given moment. Our interplanetary guns take an hour to charge, which is the time between volleys. After the first few impacts, every platform is going to start maneuvering off its previous course and focusing their sensors on the incoming vector. That marks the the breakup of the Askarian ice sheet, as well as our reputation, and the loss of our privileges to use the worldgate.

If we somehow had an entire defense network's worth of guns with perfect accuracy and megaton yields, we'd just fire and get the hell out through the worldgate. But we don't like in a fantasy world where our weapons use rails made of unicorn horn and projectiles coated in pixie dust. These things are expensive for a mercenary company to maintain, especially since we hardly ever use them. Hiveminds suck at accounting."

((I'm just going to say that you need to keep your race's technology within acceptable limits. If you can justify something without pure fantasy materials, feel free to PM me.))

(ninja'd!)
(What is the format for personal thoughts again?)

((Italics at least. I tend to set mine to the character color as well.))

[~Neri]

((That kind of stuff is theoretically possible now in irl~ The materials are just expensive as shit to synthesize and we need better computers for targeting irl~ Although I was under the assumption of them having 13 guns,not 384. Don't actually recall 384 being used in relation to anything earlier.))

Everything would work so much smoother for humanity if you go rid of the material representation of the abstract concept of work. We don't even need to be good at accounting. Money is only useful for external dealing. Also I ceed the point. I was under the impression that there were only 13 orbital defense platforms. Not 384. 384 projectiles is a waste of materials. Too much energy needed to dig the materials out of the ocean for reuse compared to only 13.

[WillowLuman]

"Sounds like infiltration is still the best option, then. Shall we spread out and find our pilot?"

[_DivideByZero_]

((That kind of stuff is theoretically possible now in irl~ The materials are just expensive as shit to synthesize and we need better computers for targeting irl~ Although I was under the assumption of them having 13 guns,not 384. Don't actually recall 384 being used in relation to anything earlier.))

((You can't 'theoretical' away friction, although if you have some article or paper that describes a low friction railgun with extreme velocities please PM it to me.

Superconducting rails and projectiles are plausible, although they'd be most interesting if they have some restrictions on how they could function. Which could explain them having a massive plasma plume, by the way, if their barrels are flooded with liquid nitrogen or something before firing. But physical contact with the rails is kind of necessary.))

Also:

We have thirteen long range gun platforms capable of sustained fire. They have hundreds, and an entire supply line with the station to keep them stocked with coolant, ammo, fuel, and repairs.

Everything would work so much smoother for humanity if you go rid of the material representation of the abstract concept of work. We don't even need to be good at accounting. Money is only useful for external dealing. Also I ceed the point. I was under the impression that there were only 13 orbital defense platforms. Not 384. 384 projectiles is a waste of materials. Too much energy needed to dig the materials out of the ocean for reuse compared to only 13.

"Things would be a lot better if we could all just get along and work together out of good will and mutual love... although I think our recent tangent demonstrates why that's not possible outside specific circumstances."

Nidoma nods to the other guy.
Let me know when he's done, aye?
She heads off to look around. Maybe 'appropriate' something useful/valuable.

Just outside the hall you encounter a person in a purple and white uniform, and hear hasted footsteps coming from the other side of the hall. One of the doors to the bar has been unhinged, presumably by one of your associates who seems to be recovering from some sort of impact. Another one of your associates runs right past you through the hall, after the footsteps in the distance.

If you wish to go somewhere else you can return to the bar, continue on to the warehouse, or take the elevator to the dockyard and fish market. You might be able to get some exotic fish there at discount prices!

"Damn straight.  He threatened my buddy here."  Deuce nodded toward Valrak.  "Move and I might still catch him."

((Is your character going to chase Orion along with Hal?))

"Sounds like infiltration is still the best option, then. Shall we spread out and find our pilot?"

The new figure interrupts your conversation.

"Excuse me, what's going on here? Has there been a robbery?"

[Gamerlord]

To the warehouse!

[Toaster]

"Damn straight.  He threatened my buddy here."  Deuce nodded toward Valrak.  "Move and I might still catch him."

((Is your character going to chase Orion along with Hal?))

Yeah, sure.  I picked up a "she's in your way" vibe, but if the way is open, go for it.