Technological Inconsistancies

[Jeff Hopper]

OK, we have jumpbreaker missiles and gravimetric distorters, so where are the repulsor bays for missile defense? Can a gravimetric distorter diminish the effect of a jumpbreaker missile on a ship about to jump? If you start opening up the gravity control weaponry and defenses can of worms, you have got to explore it fully.

 

[Nerhesi]

Agreed. I do remember seeing references to repulsors in trillion credit squadron too.

 

[wbnc]

It's much easier to create random destructive pulses of any form of energy, than it is to use that technology in a precise, controlled manner.

A distorter, or Gravitic pulse bomb( aka jump breaker) would more than likely be fairly simple. If you compared it to the sort of precise control and long term stability needed to physically effect a reasonably sized missile.

Its the equivalent of kicking in a door rather than picking the lock..one is simple brute force..the other is finesse and control...at some point on the TL tree you get to a point where scientists and engineers can manage repulsion/tractor systems but at the average TL of Traveller they have to settle for a brick through window approach.

 

[Jeff Hopper]

It's much easier to create random destructive pulses of any form of energy, than it is to use that technology in a precise, controlled manner.

A distorter, or Gravitic pulse bomb( aka jump breaker) would more than likely be fairly simple. If you compared it to the sort of precise control and long term stability needed to physically effect a reasonably sized missile.

Its the equivalent of kicking in a door rather than picking the lock..one is simple brute force..the other is finesse and control...at some point on the TL tree you get to a point where scientists and engineers can manage repulsion/tractor systems but at the average TL of Traveller they have to settle for a brick through window approach.

So, you are saying that a device which just pushes away incoming missiles is too complex? That a device that only disrupts a ship's gravity plates/inertial compensation but not the gravitic maneuver drive is not too complicated?

 

[wbnc]

To disrupt a system is really easy. You just introduce a random short term burst of "noise" to through off calculations. Or introduce an overload....that takes a very short amount of time/precision.

To exert enough force to overcome a missiles drives, and throw off it's navigation/flight controls until the missile is plinked off by point defense, or runs out of fuel is a couple of orders higher. Now If the repulsors are around it's be a higher tech level device since it requires more precise control/longer duration....

another problem with the repulors is that the repulsor would have to be integrated into the drive system so that it can compensate for the reaction to the repulsor push...If it pushes the missile away it also generates thrust...not impossible, just more complex...

 

[FallingPhoenix]

To exert enough force to overcome a missiles drives, and throw off it's navigation/flight controls until the missile is plinked off by point defense, or runs out of fuel is a couple of orders higher. Now If the repulsors are around it's be a higher tech level device since it requires more precise control/longer duration....

So...a scaled-up grav belt?

 

[wbnc]

To exert enough force to overcome a missiles drives, and throw off it's navigation/flight controls until the missile is plinked off by point defense, or runs out of fuel is a couple of orders higher. Now If the repulsors are around it's be a higher tech level device since it requires more precise control/longer duration....

So...a scaled-up grav belt?

the difference is that a repulsor projects it's effects over many kilometers...a grav belt is a very localized effect...

 

[phavoc]

There are a number of ways to explain away the re-introduction of repulsors. One could argue that repulsors are the pre-cursor to anti-grav, and repulsors offer many of the same features, but with less finite control.

You don't need to integrate repulsors into the drive system at all. Just like the "hamster cage" - ugh... please fix that term! - you could have another counter repulsor firing. But really, the amount of force exerted from pushing away or holding a missile would be easily overcome by the amount of force required to move a ship.

 

[AndrewW]

Note tractor beams/repulsors where written up. They may make it into the High Technology chapter.

 

[wbnc]

There are a number of ways to explain away the re-introduction of repulsors. One could argue that repulsors are the pre-cursor to anti-grav, and repulsors offer many of the same features, but with less finite control.

You don't need to integrate repulsors into the drive system at all. Just like the "hamster cage" - ugh... please fix that term! - you could have another counter repulsor firing. But really, the amount of force exerted from pushing away or holding a missile would be easily overcome by the amount of force required to move a ship.

okay i can agree with he first part... it would be a plausible explanation. And according to urban legends it was invented by Stark industries on Terra before spaceflight.

the second part still has the same problem extra gear, software and expense...but feasible.