Explosives: Lethality of 1 pount of TNT

[Luther]

Have you any reference about the lethality radius of 1 pound of TNT?

One pound of TNT does 6dx2 in GURPS, which averages 42 HPs in the center hex, 14 HPs at one meter range, 4 HPs at 2 meters, and so on. The concussion damage from such explosive have a lethality radius of one yard. This seems low to me, but I'm no expert.

I'm looking for some real world figure to use as benchmark. It doesn't need to be 1 pound, or 1 kilogram, or even TNT. I just need some accurate data about the killing and or incapacitating power of explosives (just concussion damage).

This page (and the site) has some useful information. However I would avoid specific weapons, because they are not yet fully statted in 4e and it would be better to benchmark the raw explosives.

[zorg]

Remember to add in fragmentation and shrapnel damage. Most explosives have some kind of packaging, and exploding cars should give a ready supply of flying metal chunks with sharp edges.

[Luther]

Originally Posted by zorg

Remember to add in fragmentation and shrapnel damage.

Please no, this thread is only about concussion damage. Just the damage from the blast. That's why I prefer to benchmark raw explosives, rather than weapons, less confusion.

[kure]

Originally Posted by Luther

Have you any reference about the lethality radius of 1 pound of TNT?

On pound of TNT does 6dx2 in GURPS, which averages 42 HPs in the center hex, 14 HPs at one meter range, 4 HPs at 2 meters, and so on. The concussion damage from such explosive have a lethality radius of one yard. This seems low to me, but I'm no expert.

I'm looking for some real world figure to use as benchmark. It doesn't need to be 1 pound, or 1 kilogram, or even TNT. I just need some accurate data about the killing and or incapacitating power of explosives (just concussion damage).

This page (and the site) has some useful information. However I would avoid specific weapons, because they are not yet fully statted in 4e and it would be better to benchmark the raw explosives.

p415 said blast is 6d x sqrt(lbs) x 4 x relative exp. force.

So 1lb of TNT do 6dx4. or?

[Luther]

Originally Posted by kure

p415 said blast is 6d x sqrt(lbs) x 4 x relative exp. force.

So 1lb of TNT do 6dx4. or?

Nope, it is 6d x sqrt(lbs x 4 x REF)

Note parenthesis.

[kure]

Originally Posted by Luther

Nope, it is 6d x sqrt(lbs x 4 x REF)

Note parenthesis.

Ah, thats why I always have trouble with math :o( Mea culpa.

[kure]

And again, This is whats my excel said:

range damage
0 42
1 14
2 7
3 4,666666667
4 3,5
5 2,8
6 2,333333333
7 2
8 1,75
9 1,555555556
10 1,4


This is realy bit low, at range 3+ there is no real danger. At range 2, this is a major wound.

Iam not a explosive expert, but what I know is that fragment kills and if you are face to explosion your lungs can be damaged.
And exlosive force vanish realy quickly thats true.

e.g. here in Czech republic, old airplanes was disasembled by explosives. It takes ~400lbs of Semtex (some plastic like C4, only better ;o)
to cut airplane like 737, to pieces.

So may be it is right.

[Staten]

Indoors, concussion kills by shock; The explosion instantly over-pressurizes the room. Thud!
So, even if the room isn't blow up per se, the people in it might die.

Maybe one could say that every character in a closed room takes aditional damage equal to what hits each wall+roof.
So if 1 pound of tnt went of on the floor of a in a 4x4x4 cube, preasure damage would be 7+7+7+7+3=31 points. Quite a lot, but then, it is supposed to hurt.

[schnuersi]

Originally Posted by kure

range damage
0 42
1 14
2 7
3 4,666666667
4 3,5
...
This is realy bit low, at range 3+ there is no real danger. At range 2, this is a major wound.

I really doubt someone who takes 5 or 4 points of damage (rounded up) in reality will call this "no real danger". It won't take out a badass Char who doesn't feel pain and isn't alive. So because GURPS is "just" a game explosives don't hurt as much as they do in real life.

Explosions in confined spaces create more concussion effect not because the shockwave travels back and forth and does damag everytime it passes. While this effect exists it only contributes a little. More importat is the dissipation speed of the presurised gas. While it will dissipate allmost instantly in the open it will take time if it has just a small door or window to dissipate thru. While this time is only measured in fractions of a second it means beeing hit by a shockwave in the open or beeing exposed to several (maybe dozens or hunderets) atmospheres of presure for a short time. And this is quite dangerous.
Furthermore you have to look a the hit locations. The concussion ignore armor unless completly sealed (today no armor in common use qualifies). It attacks eyes ears and the lungs - wich qualyfies for an attack against the vitals. It will deafen the victims and possibly blind them - maybe even permanatly. Adittionally they will be stunned and/or disoriented for some time. So i think it isn't really nessesarry to reflect the shockwave back and forth.
If an explosion occures in the open use the regular rules. If it occures in a small room (wich isn't blown appart) double the distance at wich damage decreases. So if a pound of TNT is placed in the middle of an average flat room (5m by 5m and 2,5m high) everyone will take 14 points of damage unless he is standing right next to a wall (someone right in the middle will take the full 42 dam) . Furthermore everyone standing in front of the door will either be hit by the door or if there is no door take regular damage with distance calculated from door step.
While this is not a siencific proven formular i think it is acurate and simple enough to be usefull in a game.