Re: [UT] Plasma Torch vs. big metal door on a spaceship?
 

Looking at the hvy plasma torch in UT - 4d+1(5) - I think the problem is that you need a real industrial torch or water jet cutter for anything over an inch in steel. And that should have an AD(10) and a much larger damage.

Also are you attacking the whole surface (112 DR/inch) or the Cover DR (~70DR)? I would rule that these tools are continuously piercing the Cover DR in a very small space. RAW doesn't seem to include metals in the semi-ablative/ablative note so move onto a better tool.

Re: [UT] Plasma Torch vs. big metal door on a spaceship?
 

Not over the course of a single GURPS combat turn.

Re: [UT] Plasma Torch vs. big metal door on a spaceship?
 

I am not sure I understand your objection. Care to expound?

Re: [UT] Plasma Torch vs. big metal door on a spaceship?
 

You appear to be looking for something that will penetrate very high DRs in a single round i.e. as in normal combat.

We can definitely say that HT torches don't work that way though they can penetrate very high DRs over a longer period of time. Possibly much longer. It took the Mythbusters many minutes to burn into a safe with a TL 8 "plasma" torch. It is to be hoped that UT torches will do at least a little better on that time/DR relationship.

So, modeling TL8 performance we need some kind of cumulative damage paradigm such as making metallic DR ablative or semi-ablative v. Burning damage or treating Burning as Corrosive and that's what has made up the bulk of discussion in this thread.

Re: [UT] Plasma Torch vs. big metal door on a spaceship?
 

Ultratech is calling Laser and Plasma Torches tools. Those are the combat stats, not how it affects objects during work. I think that if a GM has you measuring work load by combat damage then something fell apart.

Now if you are looking for how long a plasma torch would take to cut though a bulkhead then that's more math than I can offer =) Maybe someone wants to jump in with physics on this one.

Re: [UT] Plasma Torch vs. big metal door on a spaceship?
 

All plasma torches have thickness limits generally tied to the amperage they can put into the arc but the relevant industries seem to like plasma up to the 6 inch range. They find it more economical to use oxy-fuel cutting torches for really thick material – up to 40 inches. With a plasma cutter properly matched to the task at hand you will see very fast initial piercing and high cutting rates – because that makes it profitable to use. Last night I watched an industrial demonstration of cutting a part out of 2 inch thick material. The pierce took all of 2 seconds and the linear run was better than 20 inches in a minute. Every second that torch moved through a third of an inch or more of material completely annihilating it. That is several times the amount of material the initial pierce dealt with and I think that definitely shows that the torch is not only dishing out enough damage to overcome the DR but it is doing it several times a second. I can't speak to Jamie and Adam's experience because my googlefu is failing me (Got a URL?) but it seems we have seen very different examples of plasma torches. I know that hand held torches are designed to cut their max thickness at no slower than 10" per minute and the thinner stock goes much faster. CNC rigs can do 80 or more IPM.

I think the line of thought on having to treat the DR as semi or fully ablative is misguided and based on the relatively weak stats of tools that are light duty and meant to be highly portable. Neither the HT nor UT plasma torches detail how thick of a material they should be used for and that is what should be noted as well as the cutting speed in that thickness. Those stats answer the important story questions “Can we breach it?” and “How long will it take?”.

Re: [UT] Plasma Torch vs. big metal door on a spaceship?
 

In GURPS, Maximum Rof is 20. A cutting torch is a continues beam, so it should deal damage at least 20 times the listen damage in HT/UT. Probably you should consider over penetration rules if you don't move the torch, or move it to slow.

Re: [UT] Plasma Torch vs. big metal door on a spaceship?
 

I realize that, and I am saying that I would apply that rule to tools (cutting torches, etc.) against metal, armor, etc. The saws, torches, etc. in all the GURPS tech books work that way; it's how metal cutting tools work in the real world. That table you reference is referring to much larger areas (SM 0) rather than very small areas (SM -14 or so), and for non-tool attacks (such as super powers). If you are asking if there is a more canonical opinion, I don't know of one.

Re: [UT] Plasma Torch vs. big metal door on a spaceship?
 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MythBu...on)#Water_Safe

Episode "Crimes and Mythdemenors 2", segment "Water Safe. I see that they are referring to the tool used as a "thermal lance" rather than a "plasma torch".

There may be a YouTube video of at least part but I suspect it'd just be the climactic explosion.

Re: [UT] Plasma Torch vs. big metal door on a spaceship?
 

So could vicky_molokh and safisher do worked examples of figuring out how long it takes to cut a 1'x3' hole in a 2" thick airlock door?