A question re Xray laser warheads in missiles.

~~Lexx~~ · 10-09-2004, 07:32 PM

Starships introduces us to the idea of a missile with a mininuke pumped Xray laser warhead mounted on a missile. The concept is to have this beast fire from beyonf point defense range so the missile can damage the target ere it's whacked by the targets PD systems.

Ok, I can accept that. Now the question I have is what's the range on the xray laser warhead. I'm still suffering a touch of flu so may have missed it but I think I looked and couldn't find the range, just the damage values, for an xray laser warhead. ANyone know what it is?

tsykoduk · 10-10-2004, 12:03 AM

GT:Starships is over 12 feet from me.. and I am tired. But as I recall the range is same hex. it fires in the same hex, but before PD weapons start to engage (a hex being so big and all).

;)

~~Lexx~~ · 10-10-2004, 04:38 AM

So it would fire in the direct fire phase instead of hitting in the ramming phase, hmmm? Ok, that makes sense, thanks for the clarification.

Another point comes up now that missiles can have nuke warheads: I was wondering if any sort of scanner could detect a nuke on a missile? Guess what becomes a targeting priority if you can?

I was thinking of the scene in the new BSG miniseries where the bridge crew on the galactica suddenly yelled "radiological alert!" because they'd detected 50 kiloton tacnukes on an incoming cylon fighter.

I'd imagine that radscanners might be able to spot a nuclear warhead. Maybe densiometers could tell the warhead had extremely dense (I.E. fissile) material inside it.

tsykoduk · 10-10-2004, 10:18 AM

Just broke open 'the book' and can see no refrence to it, However in other versions of traveller (like, TNE, when the X-Ray Pumped weapons were developed) 90% of them would fire with in the hex. At ClassicTL 15 (as I recall) you could detonate them 1 hex out. IMHO I would ignore it. Make them all detonate within the same hex, and call it good.

Mark Caliber · 10-11-2004, 10:58 AM

Yeah, I'd agree with the laser heads going off within the same hex. I don't see a need for you to fire one of those warhead off farther than say, 5,000 miles away . . .

~~Lexx~~ · 10-11-2004, 02:41 PM

So again, the idea is they enter the target's hex and fire in the direct fire phase, before the ramming/point defense phase occurs.

10-09-2004, 07:32 PM	#1
~~Lexx~~ Banned Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: I no longer have a country.	A question re Xray laser warheads in missiles. Starships introduces us to the idea of a missile with a mininuke pumped Xray laser warhead mounted on a missile. The concept is to have this beast fire from beyonf point defense range so the missile can damage the target ere it's whacked by the targets PD systems. Ok, I can accept that. Now the question I have is what's the range on the xray laser warhead. I'm still suffering a touch of flu so may have missed it but I think I looked and couldn't find the range, just the damage values, for an xray laser warhead. ANyone know what it is?

10-10-2004, 12:03 AM	#2
tsykoduk MIB Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: I live in a house	Re: A question re Xray laser warheads in missiles. GT:Starships is over 12 feet from me.. and I am tired. But as I recall the range is same hex. it fires in the same hex, but before PD weapons start to engage (a hex being so big and all). ;)

10-10-2004, 04:38 AM	#3
~~Lexx~~ Banned Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: I no longer have a country.	Re: A question re Xray laser warheads in missiles. So it would fire in the direct fire phase instead of hitting in the ramming phase, hmmm? Ok, that makes sense, thanks for the clarification. Another point comes up now that missiles can have nuke warheads: I was wondering if any sort of scanner could detect a nuke on a missile? Guess what becomes a targeting priority if you can? I was thinking of the scene in the new BSG miniseries where the bridge crew on the galactica suddenly yelled "radiological alert!" because they'd detected 50 kiloton tacnukes on an incoming cylon fighter. I'd imagine that radscanners might be able to spot a nuclear warhead. Maybe densiometers could tell the warhead had extremely dense (I.E. fissile) material inside it.

10-10-2004, 10:18 AM	#4
tsykoduk MIB Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: I live in a house	Re: A question re Xray laser warheads in missiles. Just broke open 'the book' and can see no refrence to it, However in other versions of traveller (like, TNE, when the X-Ray Pumped weapons were developed) 90% of them would fire with in the hex. At ClassicTL 15 (as I recall) you could detonate them 1 hex out. IMHO I would ignore it. Make them all detonate within the same hex, and call it good.

10-11-2004, 10:58 AM	#5
Mark Caliber Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Central Florida	Re: A question re Xray laser warheads in missiles. Yeah, I'd agree with the laser heads going off within the same hex. I don't see a need for you to fire one of those warhead off farther than say, 5,000 miles away . . .

10-11-2004, 02:41 PM	#6
~~Lexx~~ Banned Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: I no longer have a country.	Re: A question re Xray laser warheads in missiles. So again, the idea is they enter the target's hex and fire in the direct fire phase, before the ramming/point defense phase occurs.