Mass Driver

[Antony]

I designed a TL8 30cm mass driver for use as a shipboard weapon using FF&S1. It has a muzzle velocity of 3,000m/s. Can some one who has this book check the penetration ratings for APFSDS and APFSDSDU, here is what I got;
APFSDS 45814/45804/45794/45774
APFSDSDU 57266/57256/57246/57226

As far as I can tell, assuming you could hit a ship with this weapon it will auto penetrate anything built.

Here is my worksheet for the weapon

Description: TL8 30cm/30 Mass Driver
Tech Level: 8
Bore Size: 30 cm
Number of Barrels: 1
Muzzle Velocity: 3,000 ms-1
Mass of Projectile: 1060.2875 kg
Fire Control Categories: Direct
Mount: Vehicle
Muzzle Energy: 4,771.2938 Mj
Required Energy: 21,470.8223 Mj
Gun Tube(s) Mass: 18.00 tons
Gun Tube(s) Volume: 18.00 m3
Gun Tube(s) Price: 900,000 Credits
Capacitor/HPG Mass: 5,367.7056 tons
Capacitor/HPG Volume: 2,683.8528 m3
Capacitor/HPG Price: 26,838,528 Credits
Fire Control: Beam Pointer
-Effective Range: 30,000 km
-Mass: 3.0 tons
-Volume: 3.0 m3
-Price: 300,000 Credits
Autoloader: Fitted
-Mass: 31.8087 tons
-Volume: 31.8087 m3
-Price: 318,087 Credits
Gun Crew: 1
Reloading Time: 159 rounds
Set Up Time: 60 (Indirect)
Rate of Fire: 1/160 (1 per 800 seconds)
Power Input: 26.8386 Mw
Total Weapon Mass: 5,420.5143tons
Total Weapon Volume: 2,736.6615 m3
Total Weapon Price: 28,356,615 Credits

 

[HG_B]

Cool design. But, as you suspected, @ 3km/sec you would only hit a ship that can't maneuver unless you are right next to them.

 

[Antony]

Mind you if the combat was between TL8 vessels the odds are that the ships would be very close to each other. The principal long range weapon would be relatively slow missiles, TL8 energy weapons are not going to have much range. MD penetrators of this size look like they will ignore armour.

For the standard 30 minute combat rounds the weapon system would add a vector of 5400 km (0.18 hex) to the launching vessels. So I would allow an attack if the combined vectors would reach the target (basically it would be like a missile that ran out of fuel). Probably need a successful piloting roll since this is large enough to be a 'spinal' weapon to go with a gunnery roll.

Prpbably best for defending low tech orbital stations - don't park your Tigress alongside the platforms armed with this.

 

[shield]

Yes, agreed a low probability of hitting anything, dropping off rapidly with distance. The problem might be previously fired rounds, They would continue going and be very difficult to detect (cold metal after all). If you forget where the previous shots were and which direction they were travelling, you could fly into a old stream of slugs.

Cheers
Richard

 

[HG_B]

Yes, agreed a low probability of hitting anything, dropping off rapidly with distance. The problem might be previously fired rounds, They would continue going and be very difficult to detect (cold metal after all). If you forget where the previous shots were and which direction they were travelling, you could fly into a old stream of slugs.

Cheers
Richard

Ouch!

 

[JLockett]

Anybody else remember the short story "Deadly Litter," by James White of Sector General fame?