Laser weapons general thoughts

[Timerover51]

Most lasers are pulsed in the millisecond range. When target material begins to vaporize it becomes reflective, especially metals. The gasses can absorb quite a bit of energy and reflect another chunk of energy. So, military lasers shoot a stream of short pulses that allow the vaporizing material to disperse.


ABL was a little different, mainly because the beam was about a foot in diameter. It would superheat (but not completely melt) a larger patch of target material which would cause catastrophic structural failure. An airplane engine hit by it would structurally explode as the materials heated past their limits.

You do have the problem of accurately hitting an jet turbine with a one foot diameter beam at ranges in the miles category. The laser was being carried by a modified 747, which does make a nice big target for highly old-fashioned air-to-air missiles. For that matter, the 747 makes a really nice target for some horribly old-fashioned surface-to-air missiles as well.

Let's see. How many hundreds of kilometers away are we from that starship target we have to hit with our one foot/30 centimeter beam, aimed by a radar sensor with a few hundred meters of directional error at that range?

 

[mike wightman]

Modern laser weapons are a lot better than the 747 version. In a few years a laser will be standard on AB class destroyers, there will be UAVs airborne lasers, next generation fighters will have laser weapon systems. There will be vehicle mounted battlefield laser systems

They are aimed by optics and laser targeting, under computer control so their reaction times are much faster than a human.

 

[Jame]

Modern laser weapons are a lot better than the 747 version. In a few years a laser will be standard on AB class destroyers, there will be UAVs airborne lasers, next generation fighters will have laser weapon systems. There will be vehicle mounted battlefield laser systems

They are aimed by optics and laser targeting, under computer control so their reaction times are much faster than a human.

One thing I've noticed is that early Traveller tends to ignore vehicle-mounted laser weapons or support weapons, other than starships.

 

[coliver988]

As long as the weapons go pew-pew-pew with visible beams I am good :rofl:

I know I can't postulate what will happen with laser weapons and the inherent need of a power system. I was never convinced of the Traveller backpack laser carbine having read far too much SF before playing Traveller. I do believe as long as the rules are consistent, the "magic" of the underlying power system or whatever is okay. Basically as long as there is some sort of balance (no infinite number of shots or disintegrating the entire building with the handgun) I am good. And TL is most certainly a qualifier here: TL 9 - backpacks are okay, TL A, fanny packs...

But even current technology is moving really fast and has come a long way from that preliminary plane test.

For me, bottom line this is a game. I want to have fun, and I want my players to have fun. And laser guns are fun (as long as you don't put your eye out playing with it...)