Sigtrygg
Emperor Mongoose
Moving on to TL9, which is where conjecture replaces projection.
Infantry - The more powerful and robust laser rifle replaces the laser carbine and has a much greater lethality. Most lasers are multi-color to defeat smoke and aerosol obscuration. Laser ablative clothing is available for infantry, although expense precludes universal use. Inhelmet AR, communications, light amplification, and passive IR detection equipment are universally in use.
Infantry support - RAM grenades are also equipped with follow-up sensors. Mortars and RAM grenades incorporate early ballistic adjustment to confuse counter-battery radar equipment.
Artillery - Heavy conventional artillery is gradually replaced by mass driver (MD) guns, large magnetic linear accelerators which, although requiring large amounts of power, are capable of long range, high muzzle velocities, and rapid rates of fire. All artillery munitions are capable of preprogrammed deviations in ballistic paths to confuse counter-battery radar. Course deviation programs are provided by more sophisticated computer fire control systems. Counter-battery radar itself is upgraded to allow multiple simultaneous tracks and graceful loadshedding
capabilities, making it virtually impossible to overload by massed fires. Improved sound and flash ranging arrays are available, and are supplemented by satellite surveillance, all integrated by the fire control system. Larger missile systems incorporate
AI, inertial, and televisual guidance. Ladar (laser based radar) is used in addition to phased array radar.
Vehicles - The main armament of all MBTs is now stabilized in all planes and incorporates automatic range-target adjustments from the ballistic computer. Main armament remains In the 12-15 cm range, mostly hyper-velocity smooth bores, with the capability of launching small nuclear warheads, although expense, round storage, and doctrine make this a non-standard round. All tanks use auto-loaders on the main armament providing a much higher rate of fire. MBT's generally mount improved cavity-B armor, while many light armored vehicles and armored personnel carriers are partially or wholly encased in cavity-A armor. Gun/launchers can deliver a large variety of rounds, but still cannot deliver hyper-velocity munitions of the giant 12-15 cm guns. Wider use is made of the air/raft, generally armed and armored and referred to in the military configuration as the grav sled. It is still primarily used as an airmobile personnel carrier. All vehicles incorporate ground surveillance radar. An improved laser tank mounts its armament in a fully rotating turret, the armament consisting of either a pulse gatling laser or beam laser, in either case multi-colored, enabling it to defeat most smoke and aerosol obscuration. Toward the end of the period the first grav tanks are introduced.
So we now have laser rifles, grav sleds, mass drivers, and grav tanks... so how does the battlefield change?
Infantry - The more powerful and robust laser rifle replaces the laser carbine and has a much greater lethality. Most lasers are multi-color to defeat smoke and aerosol obscuration. Laser ablative clothing is available for infantry, although expense precludes universal use. Inhelmet AR, communications, light amplification, and passive IR detection equipment are universally in use.
Infantry support - RAM grenades are also equipped with follow-up sensors. Mortars and RAM grenades incorporate early ballistic adjustment to confuse counter-battery radar equipment.
Artillery - Heavy conventional artillery is gradually replaced by mass driver (MD) guns, large magnetic linear accelerators which, although requiring large amounts of power, are capable of long range, high muzzle velocities, and rapid rates of fire. All artillery munitions are capable of preprogrammed deviations in ballistic paths to confuse counter-battery radar. Course deviation programs are provided by more sophisticated computer fire control systems. Counter-battery radar itself is upgraded to allow multiple simultaneous tracks and graceful loadshedding
capabilities, making it virtually impossible to overload by massed fires. Improved sound and flash ranging arrays are available, and are supplemented by satellite surveillance, all integrated by the fire control system. Larger missile systems incorporate
AI, inertial, and televisual guidance. Ladar (laser based radar) is used in addition to phased array radar.
Vehicles - The main armament of all MBTs is now stabilized in all planes and incorporates automatic range-target adjustments from the ballistic computer. Main armament remains In the 12-15 cm range, mostly hyper-velocity smooth bores, with the capability of launching small nuclear warheads, although expense, round storage, and doctrine make this a non-standard round. All tanks use auto-loaders on the main armament providing a much higher rate of fire. MBT's generally mount improved cavity-B armor, while many light armored vehicles and armored personnel carriers are partially or wholly encased in cavity-A armor. Gun/launchers can deliver a large variety of rounds, but still cannot deliver hyper-velocity munitions of the giant 12-15 cm guns. Wider use is made of the air/raft, generally armed and armored and referred to in the military configuration as the grav sled. It is still primarily used as an airmobile personnel carrier. All vehicles incorporate ground surveillance radar. An improved laser tank mounts its armament in a fully rotating turret, the armament consisting of either a pulse gatling laser or beam laser, in either case multi-colored, enabling it to defeat most smoke and aerosol obscuration. Toward the end of the period the first grav tanks are introduced.
So we now have laser rifles, grav sleds, mass drivers, and grav tanks... so how does the battlefield change?
