My interpretation of why there is no self guided missles in the TNE universe
is simple. Virus. if a missle has any comm potential at all it is
susceptible to virus. meaning at the least it can be controlled, and at
worst, a weapon of contagion. Thus, in the TNE virus universe, by necessity,
all missles will be controlled with auto self destruct if control is
interfered with. after all, isn't a basic flight control computer pretty
much included with a missle guidance system? Translation, missles are fire
and don't forget till they explode, and if they don't, hunt them down and
MAKE them go boom! Misssles, in a virus universe, are a simply bad choice if
other options are available. sandcasters take on additional meaning as well.
If they interfere with targetting lasers, they interfere with comm lasers
and ladar as well!
Here is a thought, a dedicated missle that controls enough "sand" to
interfere with comm / targetting lasers? at T12 I believe, sand is
gravitically controlled, so the sand missle leads a pack of warheads in to
prevent virus / comm interference.
On Mon, Aug 10, 2009 at 11:03 PM, Tim O'Reilly <> wrote:
>
>
> I'd modify your missile to passive-active sensor suite ... they would be
> passive until certain things happened
> 1. they approach 'attack' range of the target
> 2. they lose their control link
> 3. they receive command to go active, either from the data link or
> preprogrammed
> If a guided missile loses it's target it will attempt to reacquire another
> target within the designated target area
> if the missile fails to reacquire a target and attack it, and after a
> preset time goes by it will self destruct to prevent capture by hostile
> forces
> passive-active sensors use a digital array that provides 180 degrees
> coverage to the front of the missile (90 degrees from 000/000 or the 12
> oclock position if you prefer) ... telemetry link arrays to the rear ...
> Tim
>
> ------------------------------
> *From:* Rupert Boleyn <>
> *To:*
> *Sent:* Tuesday, August 11, 2009 12:52:47 AM
> *Subject:* Re: [Traveller_TNE] TNE Rule fixes (plus some personal
> thoughts!)
>
>
>
> Roger Malmstein wrote:
> > One of them is that there is actually nowhere to hide in space. No
> > horizon to hide behind or other "terrain" features. And the launching
> > platforms sensors will be far better than the sensor suite carried
> > onboard a missile. Missiles has a limited field of view, so if they
> > loose their target ther may be little chance for them to regain the
> > target.
> >
> The correct solution to this is self-guided missiles with onboard
> sensors (passive, for power reasons, most likely), with long-range
> guidance by the mother ship until the missile is close.
>
> The primary reason for self-guiding is light-speed lag. Over the ranges
> TNE assumes, a remote guided missile has a major problem with
> communication and sensor lag.
>
>
>
>
--
"Here at Ortillery Command we have at our disposal one hundred megawatt
laser beams, mach 20 titanium rods and guided thermonuclear bombs. Some
people say we think that we're God. We're not God. We just borrowed his
SMITE button for our fire control system"