Magneto Contraterrene Projector

[Rob]

The amount of antimatter contained in the ammunition would be quite low, certainly less than a gram, due to the method in which it is contained and the size of each casing. You're simply looking at something that acts like an explosive bullet on a slightly larger scale, and is quite obviously feasable as a weapon.

Incidentaly occam's razor just makes things less likely to go wrong. Complexity FTW.

 

[Kimura]

OK, that makes sense Sorry about taking so long to understand.
I especially like this new firing system.

Now all that needs to be done is a slight reworking of the figures...It seems like something like this could be relatively cheap to produce, since Emrys is already using antimatter buckyballs to power insects. Heck, this weapon could launch practically anything that can stand being spun around really fast - even one of those insects that they've been marketing.

The only suspension of disbelief that remains is whether antimatter containment that can handle centripetal accelerations upwards of 1440km/s^2 will actually react upon impact with someone.

 

[Zakalwe]

NovaCorp uses it to power insects.

Please get it right.

And NovaCorp is significantly more advanced.

I believe.

 

[Rob]

Actually, due to the nature of carbon "bucky-balls" (which act as a liquid), fluid dynamics comes into play when firing these bullets... compression, throwing the cases off their intended path, the whole dealie. It does, however, allow the carbon molecules to move independantly of the sphere, negating the spinning effect on the liquid inside. ever got a water balloon with coloured sparkly bits suspended in it? when you turn your wrist with it in your hand, the ballon moves but the liquid inside barely shivers until it stops moving. If you assume that the casings themselves will continue to spin on exiting the gun, the effect seen in the balloons will actually occur on impact, INCREASING the likelyhood that the antimatter will detonate as all that speed is applied to it

 

[Derran Tyler]

The amount of antimatter contained in the ammunition would be quite low, certainly less than a gram, due to the method in which it is contained and the size of each casing. You're simply looking at something that acts like an explosive bullet on a slightly larger scale, and is quite obviously feasable as a weapon.

Feasibility isn't an issue; it's whether or not there's a simpler way to create an effective explosive munition than going to great lengths to incorporate anti-matter in a round.

That's the crux of my entire argument. A military designer wouldn't create something like this because there are simpler ways of getting it done and that's the entire point that SaltedFish is missing.

There's more to being a designer than simply reading up on technology and various physics theories. You have to understand the concept of Occam's Razor and apply it.

 

[Fred]

That sort of sounds like the argument I had put up in the first place >_>;; It's a bit like using a cannon to kill a fly...

 

[Rob]

There's more to being a designer than simply reading up on technology and various physics theories. You have to understand the concept of Occam's Razor and apply it.

I don't, every single thing I've ever come up with and applied or said has been theorised on-the-fly, as it were. Thomas looks things up

Incidentaly, if nobody cares, Nova Corporation can produce this gun (with the author's permission, of course) and really won't care muw much of a fly-cannon thing there is going on.

Hell, you may even come up against a tank someday, and have a heavy weapons specialist with one of these on hand.

Lucky you.

 

[SaltedFish]

Feasibility isn't an issue; it's whether or not there's a simpler way to create an effective explosive munition than going to great lengths to incorporate anti-matter in a round.

Apparently, producing antimatter is a fairly simple task for the SARP technology, so that base is covered.

All the rest of the technology exists, it just isn't currently used in the way I'm proposing to use it.

Look at it this way, given the intended function of the weapon, and incorporating all the features described, the weapon is a simple as it's going to get.

I'm fine with NovaCorp making this weapon, put it to the test. I'll update the costs. Any other suggestions?

 

[Derran Tyler]

Producing anti-matter isn't a problem - however, incorporating it into a round is.

And it's simply not cost-effective to develop and miniturize anti-matter containment technology for a small-arms weapon when there are cheaper, more effective alternatives for an anti-armor weapon.

You have to take these things into account when designing things.

 

[Zakalwe]

Uhm ... I'm going to have to say that the difficulties of aranging anti-matter into the buckyballs, without them coming into contact with each other are going to be VERY hard, and not cost effective for a round.

NovaCorp uses a simmilar system for power generation, which is more economicly feasable.

I mean NovaCorp could make it without TOO much trouble, but the question is why it would?

You only need a certain amount of bang with a hand-held weapon before you bring in the heavy guns (ships, tanks, walkers, suits etc.).

 

[Rob]

The general idea is to have lots of infantry that cant die and can kill everything. Introducing anything larger, except for hazardous environment combat such as in space, is not prudent. The selecting of a mobile infantry unit that can overcome all and any reasonable obstacle in their paths, the equiping of that unit and the training is the most difficult thing any military can do, and if the most rewarding. Why introduce tanks when you can have one soldier carry this around on his back and act as a heavy weapons specialist? Personally I believe well trained and equipped infantry can overcome any obstacle but impassable terrain (you can't swim the atlantic too easily without help), and as such should be the unit type of choice for any sufficiently advanced military.

The Lamia power armors, and power armors in general, are extensions of this. You do not need large, clunky mecha and tanks when you have infantry sized starship killers. They're more mobile, can be built faster, are more diverse and can handle nigh on any problem thrown at them, from all out war to simple peacekeeping or heavy lifting.

THIS is where occams razor applies. Not the equipping of such troops, but the type of troops to be equipped.

 

[Zakalwe]

You KNOW a Neko could swim it.

But yes, infantry are good, much better when in suits. Versatility rocks, and infantry is very versatlie. Power armour suits are much simpler to use than most else, are smaller (and more agile), and are less cliche than "Giant Robots which you pilot from the head", which only exists in accursed Anime.

And the suits have weapons that beat this. It's too heavy for infantry, not heavy enough for suits.

 

[SaltedFish]

You have to take these things into account when designing things.

Uhm ... I'm going to have to say that the difficulties of aranging anti-matter into the buckyballs, without them coming into contact with each other are going to be VERY hard, and not cost effective for a round.

So *now* I'm told that it isn't cost effective.

Okay. The point I'm trying to make is as follows:

I was under the impression that antimatter would be an explosive with a high energy to mass ratios. that is, a high energy-released to how much there is of it ratio. Example: one gram of explosive x preduces less energy than one gram of antimatter. THAT was my reasoning. This way, you could have tiny bullets that do shitloads of damage.

But now that I'm have been told that produving antimatter-filled buckyballs is not feasable, then what the hell, might as well jsut use some other explosive.

I know I'm not following Occum's Razor. The reason for that was that I had a specific goal in mind. And in order to achieve that goal, I had to use design features that, at first glance, looked overly complex. I hope that clears things up.

 

[Zack]

Anti-matter in a carbon bucyball suspention that holds the anti-matter safely though mutual repultion so that it can be used and even handled bare handed is pheasable and could be easily made with modern technology (Sci-fi universe modern, not present day modern).

I didn't check the numbers but the only technical problem with the weapon is your recoil discription and fireing rate. You are basicly using a centrifuge to propell your ammunition meaning with every shot you fire recoil is absorbed into the centrifuge, slowing it down. This means you probably couldn't fire all of your ammunition in a second or at least if you did you would suffer from a loss of velocity for each projectile after each shot. Because recoil is absorbed into the centrifuge you also would not be able to feel any recoil when you fire the gun.

 

[Rob]

But now that I'm have been told that produving antimatter-filled buckyballs is not feasable, then what the hell, might as well jsut use some other explosive.

Actually, producing antimatter within a carbon buckyball structure by stararmy standards is simple. Thomas is talking from a modern (IE now) viewpoint, and as such should be whipped for not being open minded

 

[Zakalwe]

How are you going to get the anti-matter within the buckyball?

 

[Zack]

That falls under suspention of disbelief but you could concevably do it with electromagnetic containment of the anti-matter before sandwhiching it between two carbon half-buckys.

There is also the option of forming anti-matter within a suspention of carbon buckyballs, it would effectively be radioactive but oh well.

 

[Rob]

How does emrys industries produce it's smaller product's like custom-made proteins with quarternary structures et al?

The carbon structure is formed AROUND an antimatter atom or small molecule, which is held in place with either an energy sapping field or a precision gravitic/magnetic manipulator.

 

[Zakalwe]

Feasible yes, but certainly not easy, since it requires carefull manipulation a molecules at a very delicate scale, and micro-magnetic fields.

Just not very easy.

 

[Rob]

Simple. VERY simple. If novacorp can create atoms from energy and custom-made molecule structures, a producer can easily find, develop or buy the technology required to mass produce these. Again, you're thinking by terran standards.