Ortillery - Shouldn't be used to engage targets in space

[phavoc]

I've been seeing a few posts referencing using or tiller rounds for space combat, but I think a line should be drawn in regards to this. By its very name ortillery is "orbital artillery" and the rounds are optimized for dropping on terrestrial targets from orbit. Their electronics and fuses are also set to operate against planetary targets. Ortillery rounds should be restricted to engaging planetary based targets only. It is arguable that they would be used to attack planetoid monitors, or space stations, but really, there are enough other missiles and torpedoes that can be chosen to do the attacks without bogging down using ortillery missiles to do so.

In theory you could fill a barrel full if explosives and toss it at a target, but tracking and fuses and such make irregular weapons of this type not well suited to combat. They are the weapons of irregular and the desperate, and really don't belong with formal naval weapons. Can we please have the description changed so ortillery rounds remain in their proper realm?

(edited to fix phone auto-correct)

 

[PsiTraveller]

Fun science fiction author fact. Kinetic bombardment was called Project Thor as it was being developed. basically it was tungsten rods dropped from space. It was developed by Jerry Pournelle the sci fi author.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kinetic_bombardment

 

[AndrewW]

Fun science fiction author fact. Kinetic bombardment was called Project Thor as it was being developed. basically it was tungsten rods dropped from space. It was developed by Jerry Pournelle the sci fi author.

That was used in the movie: G.I. Joe: Retaliation.

 

[cavebear]

I really liked David Weber's use of "Rods from God" in his latest Honor Harrington book.

 

[phavoc]

Fun science fiction author fact. Kinetic bombardment was called Project Thor as it was being developed. basically it was tungsten rods dropped from space. It was developed by Jerry Pournelle the sci fi author.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kinetic_bombardment

Indeed. Reading Pournelle's writings about those days, and when he was pals with H. Beam Piper and others. I found it interesting to read his Chaos Manor writings over time as he became more, err, conservative in his opinions. Ah Byte and the days of actual magazines.

 

[AndrewW]

Ah Byte and the days of actual magazines.

I never did get the rest of my subscription...