So... what is the diameter of the beams? Millimeters? Centimeters?
What about heat, and for Fusion, radiation?
Just idle thoughts at 03:00.
What about heat, and for Fusion, radiation?
Just idle thoughts at 03:00.
An off the wall question about PGMPs/FGMPs
- Thread starter Spartan159
- Start date
GypsyComet
SOC-14 1K
Possible answers in CT Mercenary, Striker, and TNE's Regency Equipment Guide.
Dolphin in a Robot Suit
SOC-7
Mercenary LBB says the PGMP/FGMP guns have a 2cm diameter beam that "begins to dissipate immediately". Not sure how that would work out at any given range.
well it's held to have very serious recoil. on the other hand it's not held to be a nuke or a anti-armor artillery piece, it seems to be just a heavy-duty anti-personnel tool. so I'd say it's just a man-portable particle beam generator (effectively) of maybe 1mm able to penetrate any man-usable armor (and probably any armor at all). think of it as the LAW or Javelin of its setting - a company-level anti-fortificaation "heavy" weapon.
BlackBat242
SOC-14 1K
If you read the other answers in the thread, you will find that the "by the book" Original (Classic) Traveller answer of 2cm diameter was given by Dolphin in a Robot Suit 7 hours and 7 minutes before your post. It is the post immediately before yours.
Except it becomes the "standard" infantry weapon for TL 14-15, as far as I recall. It strikes me as a bit of overkill. It would make much more sense to me not as the standard weapon, but as a squad support weapon.
Condottiere
SOC-14 5K
Depends on whether they're taking on Spacemarines, or Orks.
This depends on the version you play...
So, it seems yes, it's a nuke in some ways, and about anti-armor artillery piece, well, maybe not artillery but quite effective in such role too...
sometimes the book rules sound cool, until you try to implement them in a game, then it's, "wait, what, how am I supposed to implement that, let's do something else here."
(laugh) oh come on, candied cherries get more than that when they're irradiated for packaging - 100krads if I recall. (100krad is the limit, at 120krad they fall apart into mush ....)
(looks at the floor, shuffles feet) I feel ... inadequate ... (sniffle) ....
mike wightman
SOC-14 10K
In LBB4 the PGMP and the FGMP are mentioned in several places, one of which is squad support weapons.
PGMP12 - squad support
PGMP13 - squad support requiring BD to use
PGMP14 - squad support replacing the pGMP12 - ie troops not in BD
FGMP14 - squad support requiring BD to use
FGMP15 - squad support
The confusion is in the overview of equipment that states:
PGMP12 - squad support
PGMP13 - squad support requiring BD to use
PGMP14 - squad support replacing the pGMP12 - ie troops not in BD
FGMP14 - squad support requiring BD to use
FGMP15 - squad support
The confusion is in the overview of equipment that states:
Condottiere
SOC-14 5K
It really depends on the threats you face, and the environment you're fighting in.
If a gauss rifle can incapacitate an enemy combatant discretely, through whatever form of protection they're wearing, that's probably the more rational option, than radiating and blowing up everything around you.
If a gauss rifle can incapacitate an enemy combatant discretely, through whatever form of protection they're wearing, that's probably the more rational option, than radiating and blowing up everything around you.
Exactly. Yet improving weapon technology tends (within a given weapon type) to reduce collateral damage. I'm projecting or postulating a theoretical point, but examples:
Rifles: calibers tend to go down (to reduce ammo weight, so more can be carried): Minnie rounds to 7-8mm to 5-6mm to gauss (4mm). Admittedly, auto weapons are introduced, but often with limits on how many rounds per burst.
Bombs: Area bombs to bombsights to precision (smart) weapons. Allows 500-1000kg bombs to be generally reduced to 200-250kg standard bombs.
OTOH, tank armament increases (2-5cm to 7-8cm to 10+cm to 12+cm). But better precision tends to reduce misses--and number of shots fired?
"New" types of weapons are introduced of horrifying size and damage: Napalm to Fuel-air bombs, cluster bombs, and of course nuclear bombs/warheads. Yet even in the last, as precision improves, yield tends to decrease.
Overall: lots of scatter in the projection or thesis, but also consider the focus (in some conflicts at least) on reducing civilian (collateral) casualties.
Condottiere
SOC-14 5K
I've felt for a long time that Pournelle got it correct, rifle calibre will increase for increased range and penetrating power.
An intermediate intermediate bullet.
An intermediate intermediate bullet.
Good point.
Gauss rifle remains in service as late as TL13-14, IIRC. That takes care of the "limited collateral damage" engagements. FGMP at TL 15 would be the most likely candidate to have reduced collateral damage features, possibly derived from the "grav assist" system that allows the FGMP to be used in non-powered Combat Armor.
mike wightman
SOC-14 10K
One of my favourite moments form the CT short Argon Gambit.
Condottiere
SOC-14 5K
A smart bullet with your name on it, would probably be the best minimization of collateral damage.
