Submunition Doomsday

[rgrove0172]

The deployment of a submunition, and its subsequent detonation is a nuclear event. We arent told just how big, but the rules state that ships triggering one in the close range band (300,000km) is essentially suicidal. Thats a pretty big event.

Do we then count these weapons as doomsday, autokills if they are released in orbit? Essentially frying anything within a light second? Or is the effect more electromagnetic, frying systems, blocking communications etc. "Suicidal" seems to indicate destruction but perhaps it wasnt intended as direct destruction but simply rendering the craft unfit for combat and a sitting duck.

Im trying to imagine a ship approaching the .1G threshold of a world, releasing 3 or 4 submunitions with a given trajectory, then waiting as they close. They drift in and "boom". No need to pump the lasers on the submunitions, just let the explosion do the work. They are essentially a bomb arent they?

 

[McPerth]

In TBM, when a mission with a ground component was given (after all that's why they carry Marines), it is specified that the submunitions may be used as nuclear demo charges, but no rules are given for its use as such (not even in the very abstract ground combat system given there).

In any case, I guess the kind of submunition would also be dependent on the nuke it carries, and using a 1x1 grape shot will be a smaller nuke than a 5x2 Big Clip.

 

[shaunhilburn]

The deployment of a submunition, and its subsequent detonation is a nuclear event. We arent told just how big, but the rules state that ships triggering one in the close range band (300,000km) is essentially suicidal. Thats a pretty big event.

Nuclear explosions in vacuum have little blast effect, aside from the vaporized device itself. There is no expansive fireball, since there's no atmosphere to interact with. The detonation and release of energy is very brief, much like a photographic flash. The primary danger is the dose of prompt gamma and neutron radiation.

The reality is a brief flash and tiny fireball. Afterward, only the expanding cloud of the vaporized weapon, just like a tiny supernova.

The nuclear pulse drive proposed by Project Orion called for the devices to be detonated a few tens of meters behind the pusher plate.

 

[rgrove0172]

Nuclear explosions in vacuum have little blast effect, aside from the vaporized device itself. There is no expansive fireball, since there's no atmosphere to interact with. The detonation and release of energy is very brief, much like a photographic flash. The primary danger is the dose of prompt gamma and neutron radiation.

The reality is a brief flash and tiny fireball. Afterward, only the expanding cloud of the vaporized weapon, just like a tiny supernova.

The nuclear pulse drive proposed by Project Orion called for the devices to be detonated a few tens of meters behind the pusher plate.

Yes, thats my understanding as well, after a little reading... but then why the "Suicidal" line in the rules? Radiation? One has to assume that the pusher plate is a very effective screen, otherwise...ouch.

Still one has to wonder then why, if nuclear explosions are lethal in any regard, why they arent thrown out there in the expected path of enemy ships in stutterwarp, in the hopes of forcing the vessel to fly through the cloud. From everything else Ive read, it seems they are just a communications hindrance in space unless at very close range. That remark about suicide has thrown a big wrench in the works.

 

[shaunhilburn]

Yes, thats my understanding as well, after a little reading... but then why the "Suicidal" line in the rules? Radiation? One has to assume that the pusher plate is a very effective screen, otherwise...ouch.

As I recall, it was a thick disk of ordinary steel with a graphite coating. It was to be exposed to shock wave temperatures tens of thousands of degrees, for a few milliseconds during each pulse. The problem was toughening it against possible shrapnel. The designers considered fiberglass or plywood armor to absorb and cushion fragments.

Still one has to wonder then why, if nuclear explosions are lethal in any regard, why they arent thrown out there in the expected path of enemy ships in stutterwarp, in the hopes of forcing the vessel to fly through the cloud.

They're more efficient pumping a laser barrage, I suppose.

From everything else Ive read, it seems they are just a communications hindrance in space unless at very close range. That remark about suicide has thrown a big wrench in the works.

Cinema plays a big part in creating and perpetuating these sorts of misconceptions. Even game designers fall into them.

Further reading: http://history.nasa.gov/conghand/nuclear.htm
http://www.wwheaton.com/waw/mad/mad12.html