Explosives

[GeorgeA7299]

The explosive TDX is listed as only exploding in the horizontall axis. Does anyone know what this means?

 

[Anstett]

The explosive TDX is listed as only exploding in the horizontall axis. Does anyone know what this means?

A shaped charge where the main thrust of the explosion expands outward along the horizontal axis rather than a ball explosion.

 

[Condottiere]

At the right height, it would be a decapitation strike.

 

[GeorgeA7299]

What exactly is the horizontal axis?

 

[Sigtrygg]

Parallel to the ground

or parallel to what you perceive to be the ground due to artificial gravity.

 

[GeorgeA7299]

Thanks so much guys. I get it now.

 

[Arkathan]

Yep. Determine down. The plane 90 degrees from that direction.

 

[CordwainerFish]

A shaped charge where the main thrust of the explosion expands outward along the horizontal axis rather than a ball explosion.

Specifically, the plane normal to local gravity, which is about as believable as a wicker spaceship hull. I'd just go with shaped charges and a Demolition roll.

(TDX was stolen borrowed from James Blish, if I recall.)

 

[Sigtrygg]

Not normal to, parallel with. A 90 degree plane to the horizontal or a plane normal to the ground is vertical, not horizontal.

____
____
parallel

__I__
at 90 degrees, in the plane of the normal

 

[Condottiere]

Slightly curved.

You might be wondering if microgravity has any influence on the direction.

 

[Sigtrygg]

Good question, I wonder what the threshold is?

 

[Geir]

Good question, I wonder what the threshold is?

It's plot-driven

 

[Arkathan]

It's plot-driven

So... if TDX is attached to the wall of a space ship, halfway up, and the intended victims disable artificial gravity prior to detonation, the blast would be parallel to the wall, as it is the closest and most relevant gravity source?

 

[Condottiere]

What is it, cube law?

You still have an explosion, but no longer forced to be sandwiched into a duoplanar direction, the dispersion into multi directional would drastically limit the damage area, though everything gets an equal dose within it's sphere.

 

[Arkathan]

A planar source is constant until you are far away enough for it to act like a line source, then it is linear until you are far enough away that it acts like a point source which decreases with the square of distance. Or are you talking about a spherical explosion?

 

[Condottiere]

Yes.

I figure that being really squeezed into directional, means less explosives needed, so if it loses direction, the area effect is going to shrink drastically.

 

[Limpin Legin]

Strange. I would have interpreted the rule as being "horizontal to the way the TDX device is drawn" (ie Landscape orientation). If the device were affixed in Portrait orientation, then I'd expect the explosion to be vertical.

Maybe that is just silly me. Still, it does say "gravity polarized". Interpret that the way you like, but gravity usually pulls objects towards the centre of gravity, wherever that may be; horizontal or vertical or somewhere in between

The answer really hinges on what you consider "horizontal" and what you consider "effect due to gravity." In normal physics, you might want something to fly horizontal, but, if gravity polarity overrides, then the trajectory is semi-elliptical towards the centre of gravity, regardless of the horizontal axis.

 

[Condottiere]

Gravitational fall off vertically would be too minuscule to be noted.

I don't know how they sandwich it horizontally, so I couldn't say why they couldn't do it vertically.

 

[Limpin Legin]

Maybe it actually works like a Thermobaric/Vacuum bomb?

Thermobaric weapon - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[Condottiere]

The blast follows the (physical) terrain, whereas with this explosive, it's two dimensional.

If it had to do with some form of (double) electromagnetic pulse that guides the horizontal blast?

That would be a force field effect, if only temporarily.

I don't think that would be the explanation.