EMP in the TU

[far-trader]

Oh well, too much work to figure out real or even FF&S numbers for some EMPG stats, easier to just wing it like I usually do

I'd say for a not too unbalanced game mechanic you could use the stats for a PGMP or FGMP (and other Plasma and Fusion guns for vehicle and craft) to model an EMPG for cost, weight, ammo and range. Instead of nasty damage the effect is electronic circuit damage only. You could probably knock the TL down 1 or 2. I'd still recommend Combat Armor as a minimum protection from possible heat and shock effects but I'm not sure what kind of signature the thing would have. I don't think the EMP testing rig the military uses makes any noise or light when fired. It looked like some capacitors hooked into a high power grid and a discharge coil strung between a couple towers. It was kind of spooky watching it on the Future Weapons (iirc) episode. The host drove his car under the rig to see what the effect would be, no noise no flash, just the car suddenly dies. Wouldn't start after but not all the electronics were fried. Electric windows still worked iirc (no chips) but not the ignition (which was chip based).

For a conventional explosive EMP bomb just use any conventional explosive but ignore physical damage (if properly built to absorb the explosion to channel it into the coils to generate the EMP) and use the blast radius as the effective EMP range and again just electronic circuit damage and no physical damage.

EMP mines would be a good way to disable vehicles without lethal force. Perhaps even using TDX so the blast is in the horizontal plane, and have a focus dish to redirect the generated EMP up into the vehicle.

But again, it doesn't take much to shield items, so I'd say any military gear is shielded, as well as all space craft. Civilian gear not destined for routine space use would probably not be shielded as it would add some expense and bulk for no good consumer reason.

So EMP weapons would be something I'd expect used chiefly by law enforcement to non-lethally disable civilian equiment being used in the (suspected or probable) commission of crime. The military and para-military may also have it available for dealing with civilians.

Hmm, guess it should have a law level rating

I'd say prohibited at LL2, allowed at LL1. In T20 (Traveller's Aide #1) terms it'd probably be a Category 3 item.

 

[far-trader]

Oh well, too much work to figure out real or even FF&S numbers for some EMPG stats, easier to just wing it like I usually do

I'd say for a not too unbalanced game mechanic you could use the stats for a PGMP or FGMP (and other Plasma and Fusion guns for vehicle and craft) to model an EMPG for cost, weight, ammo and range. Instead of nasty damage the effect is electronic circuit damage only. You could probably knock the TL down 1 or 2. I'd still recommend Combat Armor as a minimum protection from possible heat and shock effects but I'm not sure what kind of signature the thing would have. I don't think the EMP testing rig the military uses makes any noise or light when fired. It looked like some capacitors hooked into a high power grid and a discharge coil strung between a couple towers. It was kind of spooky watching it on the Future Weapons (iirc) episode. The host drove his car under the rig to see what the effect would be, no noise no flash, just the car suddenly dies. Wouldn't start after but not all the electronics were fried. Electric windows still worked iirc (no chips) but not the ignition (which was chip based).

For a conventional explosive EMP bomb just use any conventional explosive but ignore physical damage (if properly built to absorb the explosion to channel it into the coils to generate the EMP) and use the blast radius as the effective EMP range and again just electronic circuit damage and no physical damage.

EMP mines would be a good way to disable vehicles without lethal force. Perhaps even using TDX so the blast is in the horizontal plane, and have a focus dish to redirect the generated EMP up into the vehicle.

But again, it doesn't take much to shield items, so I'd say any military gear is shielded, as well as all space craft. Civilian gear not destined for routine space use would probably not be shielded as it would add some expense and bulk for no good consumer reason.

So EMP weapons would be something I'd expect used chiefly by law enforcement to non-lethally disable civilian equiment being used in the (suspected or probable) commission of crime. The military and para-military may also have it available for dealing with civilians.

Hmm, guess it should have a law level rating

I'd say prohibited at LL2, allowed at LL1. In T20 (Traveller's Aide #1) terms it'd probably be a Category 3 item.

 

[Golan2072]

Originally posted by far-trader:
About the only place EMP weapons would be of great use would be against a high tech civilian population, or a blindly stupid military one.

This would be the perfect weapon against most TL7 or TL6 civilizations - quite reliant on electronics (especially in TL7) but very unlikely to be hardened enough to stop a TL8+ EMP bomb from frying their electronics.

On a side note, this seems to me like the perfect tool for a cutthroat corporation near the frontier (like the ones described in A4: Leviathan). First, they'll hire deniable pirates to fry a TL7 world's electroics with relatively cheap EMP bombs, then the corp will show up with replacements available to sell at "discounted prices due to humanitarian concerns" (i.e. inflated far above normal Imperial prices).

 

[Golan2072]

Originally posted by far-trader:
About the only place EMP weapons would be of great use would be against a high tech civilian population, or a blindly stupid military one.

This would be the perfect weapon against most TL7 or TL6 civilizations - quite reliant on electronics (especially in TL7) but very unlikely to be hardened enough to stop a TL8+ EMP bomb from frying their electronics.

On a side note, this seems to me like the perfect tool for a cutthroat corporation near the frontier (like the ones described in A4: Leviathan). First, they'll hire deniable pirates to fry a TL7 world's electroics with relatively cheap EMP bombs, then the corp will show up with replacements available to sell at "discounted prices due to humanitarian concerns" (i.e. inflated far above normal Imperial prices).

 

[Liam Devlin]

Gotta concur with Employee 2-4601 here, TL7 and lower worlds are very vulnerable to this form of attack with the lack of fiber-optic technology (Comes along TL8). Makes a good terror plot hook for sure.

IMTU, I have used EMP Bombs, and grenades [small radius, with a 10-meter affect]. Wiped out a major banking institution with the EMP blast from a Tactical nuclear device [Robbers weren't there for the money--just to ruin the Noble who owned the bank].

Players have used EMP bombs and grenades to disable Civilian starships--sorry Far Trader, on IN & IISS vessels and computers IMTU have fib. computers generally speaking.

But, I do agree with ya Dan, they are Milspec weapons, and fall under Law level 2 prohibitions (purchasable at Law 0 & Law 1 Worlds). The Bombs come in at TL9+, Grenade sized EMP devices TL10+.

For MTU, their the choice weapon of Merc units wishing to tackle an enemy's commlink infrastructure in a hurry.

great topic, movin' onwards...

 

[Liam Devlin]

Gotta concur with Employee 2-4601 here, TL7 and lower worlds are very vulnerable to this form of attack with the lack of fiber-optic technology (Comes along TL8). Makes a good terror plot hook for sure.

IMTU, I have used EMP Bombs, and grenades [small radius, with a 10-meter affect]. Wiped out a major banking institution with the EMP blast from a Tactical nuclear device [Robbers weren't there for the money--just to ruin the Noble who owned the bank].

Players have used EMP bombs and grenades to disable Civilian starships--sorry Far Trader, on IN & IISS vessels and computers IMTU have fib. computers generally speaking.

But, I do agree with ya Dan, they are Milspec weapons, and fall under Law level 2 prohibitions (purchasable at Law 0 & Law 1 Worlds). The Bombs come in at TL9+, Grenade sized EMP devices TL10+.

For MTU, their the choice weapon of Merc units wishing to tackle an enemy's commlink infrastructure in a hurry.

great topic, movin' onwards...