[UT] Pulse Laser Explosions

[jacobmuller]

like 10mm HEMP... I'd never thought about it doing max damage, 48(5) imp inc?

[Fred Brackin]

Originally Posted by jacobmuller

like 10mm HEMP... I'd never thought about it doing max damage, 48(5) imp inc?

I'd probably just go with a thermobaric warhead for an anti-personnel landmine.

No real need to even make it a Bouncing Betty. The thermobaric could will envelope whoever stepped on it and probably some of his buddies too. It'd be a big problem for the cheapskates who didn't want to buy hardsuits for their groundpounders.

[vierasmarius]

Additionally, at TL9-10, compact electronics make smart proximity triggers more reliable. While some explosives may benefit from direct contact, a mine will be able to cause far more casualties if it can be triggered by nearby targets. Combine that with Thermobaric for massive concussion damage, or stick with fragmentation for a larger potential kill radius.

[wellspring]

Originally Posted by vierasmarius

Additionally, at TL9-10, compact electronics make smart proximity triggers more reliable. While some explosives may benefit from direct contact, a mine will be able to cause far more casualties if it can be triggered by nearby targets. Combine that with Thermobaric for massive concussion damage, or stick with fragmentation for a larger potential kill radius.

Combine also with enough on-board intelligence to resist detonation by mine sweeping gear. Maybe even a grenade that doesn't detonate for targets like power suits that it estimates will resist the explosion.

[jacobmuller]

it's the hard targets I'm thinking of. area effect is no effect for sealed armor with DR70+. If the US military are working on exoskeletons now, what'll they actually be using at TL10. Okay, it'll be autonomous drones that can detect and avoid anything other than laser and VRF gauss fire but that's no fun lol

[vierasmarius]

Originally Posted by wellspring

Combine also with enough on-board intelligence to resist detonation by mine sweeping gear. Maybe even a grenade that doesn't detonate for targets like power suits that it estimates will resist the explosion.

Right. Or a multi-purpose warhead that adjusts its detonation based on proximity and target type. For example, it bounces up and detonates as a fragmentation grenade if lightly-armored targets are in the vicinity, or detonates as a shaped charge directed straight up if a battlesuit or light vehicle passes directly over it.

[Kale]

Originally Posted by jacobmuller

I think you get double damage if you're in an enclosed space of radius less than the blast radius that the explosion cannot escape, eg a grenade inside an AFV.
If you drop on top of an explosive device you take max damage, B415, but that's very different from just "in contact".
Was that any help?

Yes! Thanks for clarifying the rule.

Originally Posted by vierasmarius

Right. The "contact explosion" rules seem to be intended for tamped or similarly contained explosions, such as when demolition charges are intentionally placed to destroy a structure's supports, or when a soldier throws himself on a grenade. They aren't the same as the rule that explosions in an enclosed area deal more damage, but they are similar in nature, so I wouldn't allow an explosive to claim both bonuses.

I see now; prepared tamped explosives get the bonus, but not something that just happens to be touching the target when it goes off.

Originally Posted by chandley

Well, and this is pretty clearly spelled out in that first section in the Explosions section. Pertinent line would be "In addition to doing the listed damage to whoever was struck directly, an explosion inflicts "collateral damage" on everything within..."

If you are struck directly by an attack with the notation "ex", you take the listed damage. To get the "Contact Explosions" rule to kick in, you would need to lay on the pulse layer and then fire it, thereby attempting to prevent the collateral damage from affecting anyone. I cant think of a way you could do that if you where shot normally by the laser, though Im sure now some player will make it happen..

And that sums it up nicely. Thanks guys!

[Kale]

Originally Posted by vierasmarius

Right. Or a multi-purpose warhead that adjusts its detonation based on proximity and target type. For example, it bounces up and detonates as a fragmentation grenade if lightly-armored targets are in the vicinity, or detonates as a shaped charge directed straight up if a battlesuit or light vehicle passes directly over it.

How about an explosively-forged projectile (EFP) option for targets a short distance away... That would make for a heck of a nasty multi-purpose minefield if combined with your additional attack modes.

[jacobmuller]

I've seen video of something like this being demonstrated, ie it'll soon be in use.
A light vehicle drops off a trio of sensor/ weapon packages that can identify targets from vibration and selectively attack personnel or vehicles. Or maybe it alerts the remote operator who presses the fire button.
If I could find the website where they show the demos...

re: getting your answer - I love this forum. Not only do you get your specific question answered, you get ideas and resolutions of those ideas and sidetracks and great info via cross-fertilisation from the other genres. Your answer often becomes irrelevant as the ideas negate the need for the question to arise.