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Old 12-20-2014, 03:15 PM   #6
BraselC5048
 
Join Date: Oct 2012
Default Re: Linear shaped charge to cut through DR 1900?

Quote:
Originally Posted by The_Ryujin View Post
Assuming that the linear shape-charge in High-Tech uses C4 as it's explosive filler, then even if you use meta-stable hydrogen (REF6) it'll just up the damage to 6d but I would agree that it wouldn't be far off to say that advances had been made that give it an AD of 10.

So in this case, assuming an REF of 6 (which is about as good as it's gonna to get barring super science or nukes), you'd need a cord that weighed about 14lbs per foot so I think that some kind of energy weapon based cutter might be a better idea at this point. DR 1900 is pretty beefy.
Assuming the cord in High Tech had REF of 1.4, than going to 1.7 cuts the weight down to about 33 lbs for a rigid 1ft long section. Which is light enough for the job it has to do.

And that's thing - it's only going to be used cut through starship airlock armor from the airlock of another starship or boat. Likely get several guys to move a pile of them maybe the 50-100 feet at most from the storeroom (where they will always be, sitting in a box, right up until the time to use them comes), to the airlock or boat deck, not remotely under fire, then spend a minute or two setting the charges, set a time fuze and back the ship off several meters, then board the enemy ship.

It's not designed to be something carried by soldiers, or anybody else, on a daily basis. As long as it weighs 33 pounds, a crewman or marine can carry two of them at a time to where they're needed, and several guys will be running them, and they won't be carrying other equipment at the same time, they can just set it down for they're doing it. It'll take a bunch of them, 20 sections for a 4ft x 6ft hole, but there's room for them on a starship. There would also be on maybe a second's longer delay a big plain HE charge in the middle of the armored plug door to knock it over. I wonder if you would need corner sections, or just initially blow a single charge extending past where you want it, then the main charges would extend past that.

The downside is that the time required generally is enough time set up a hot reception on the other side. The defenders have the option of whether the inner airlock door (several feet past what we just blew up) is going to be open or closed. Open gives you a clear field of fire for the MG positions you've set up, but also exposes them to fire from heavy weapons from the attacker's ship.

Also likely is another set of smaller charges for less well armored ships like frigates, cruisers and destroyers. The advantage would be being able to get through it faster, with fewer, longer and lighter sections.

Also, going back to the 105mm recoilless rifle, 6dx7 shell impact damage will actually punch through a DR 70 bulkhead without needing an armor divisor at all. Maybe just a strengthened shell with no armor divisor, slightly less powerful blast and fragmentation, and a base fuze? Also an actual AP shell in case they armored the target, but that would have far less effect on the other side.
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