Energy Weapons VS Ballistic Weapons

[Ralts Bloodthorne]

Let's see, we have:

• Gyroscopic rounds, allowing a linear accellerator to shoot them around corners.
• Guided projectiles, acting like mini-cruise missiles.
• Ramjet rounds, to bring the speed up to astronomical levels.
• "Skip" rounds, that phase in and out, allowing them to pass through objects.
• "Seeker Rounds" which will follow a target that the scope locks onto.
• Nano-Rounds, a head full of nanites that automatically converts to what the user selects, ala Judge Dredd "Law Giver"
• Explosive Rounds, this also covers anti-matter pellets.

One reason that ballistic weapons would still exist side by side with energy weapons is: Payload Delivery.

There are a multitude of payloads, particularly in a science fiction setting, that can be delivered by projectile weapons. From the ability to deliver indirect fire to the ability to deliver specific munition types at a desired area.

This reason alone will keep projectile weapons around.

 

[Ralts Bloodthorne]

I just remembered...

Yes, a laser is great, absolutely fantastic...

BUT...

For shipboard fighting, against spacesuit clad foes, on a ship that has evacuated it's atmosphere to avoid decompression damage during combat, four weapons stand out:

A knife.
A sword.
A crossbow.
A pistol.

Picture fighting aboard a submarine. Do you want to risk using a laser rifle that will burn through the plating on a miss?

 

[Skrit]

Picture fighting aboard a submarine. Do you want to risk using a laser rifle that will burn through the plating on a miss?

I don't know.. It would depend if I had the screen door closed or not

 

[John Q. Mayhem]

I don't see how this is a big new development. It is the same as we have now only with more technical stuff fitted into the gun, but nothing revolutionary.

I was mostly thinking about the lack of moving parts, the vastly greater rate of fire, and the easier variable-magazines.

 

[Krieg]

LOL WR & I with near identical posts.

Believe me, if you gave me a choice between a gunshot wound and carrying a 40 lb steel plate, I'd drop the gear to carry the plate.

A descendent of Ned Kelly no doubt.

A .50 caliber round is not the death sentence it once was. There have been documented BATTLEFIELD cases of people surviving a hit that 20 years ago would have turned thier torso into hydrostatic shock jelly.

Personally I feel a hit from just about any round is survivable...depending upon location.

I was on guard duty at Camp 15 in Saudi when the Seabea took a .50 to the upper shoulder from a negligent discharge. Not only did he survive, but he eventually regained full use of his shoulder/arm.

The majority of deaths (I think it sits in the 80% bracket) are due to IED's, NOT torso shots, which now result in cracked ribs at worst, wind knocked out of you at best.

Of course that brings up the fact that historically direct small arms fire has always been "relatively" low down on the casualty pole. Shrapnel in it's various forms...whether it's from artillery, mines or man portable explosive devices (ie grenades) has always been the #1 killer.

My wife is alive due to a Desert Storm Era kevlar vest. My brother is alive due to a Interceptor Vest. I'm alive due to a Desert Storm Era kevlar vest and helmet.

Converseley we lost a Marine in SOI due to yet another negligent discharge from an AT-4 tracer trainer...the 9mm tracer round penetrated his PASGT jacket both front & back...and unfortunatley, everything inbetween.

Dear Lord,

Where do you people live that your drawing so much fire!?!

Jack

Why Detroit obviously!

 

[Krieg]

I'm a bit surprised that no one has mentioned that directed energy weapons are currently being fielded & used in combat by various forces around the world.

Granted thus far their primary use has been as "non-lethal" weapons/deterrents, but they have already been used successfully on the battlefield.

Sonic, microwave & laser weapons have all been used in various ways to disorient, disrupt & disperse human targets.

 

[Andor]

I'm a bit surprised that no one has mentioned that directed energy weapons are currently being fielded & used in combat by various forces around the world.

Granted thus far their primary use has been as "non-lethal" weapons/deterrents, but they have already been used successfully on the battlefield.

Sonic, microwave & laser weapons have all been used in various ways to disorient, disrupt & disperse human targets.

Sure, but they're big, bulky, and non-lethal.

The big problem with energy weapons is energy storage. Right now chemical energy is our most efficient means of energy storage, even the Air Forces anti-missle laser is chemically powered. If we had an efficient, light, and safe means of storing absurd amounts of energy and (as importantly) getting it out of the storage medium at combat speeds then you might start seeing lethal energy weapons. But for now a bullet is our best means of both storeing and delivering energy.

In the Lensman series they didn't switch to handheld energy weapons untill they found a material that can store 10% of its' mass in energy. (They routinely measure energy by mass in that series.) And even so they still use ballistic weapons where called for. If you consider a planet a ballistic weapon.

Now granted in a SF setting you take it as given that some means of storing weapon useful amounts of energy compactly has been invented but it doesn't automatically follow that ammunition has stopped being a concern. The amount of radiant energy needed to quickly kill a human being is immense. To be really effective you'd probably use a laser tuned for efficient absoption by water so you turn a cylinder in your target to steam causing burns and pressure damage. (IE: People go boom instead of cauterizing.) Of course that means you've got real issues in nasty weather.

Personally I find the physics we haven't invented yet weapons like Nivens 'digging tool' almost more plausible than infinitely firing laser pistols.

 

[Plane Sailing]

For shipboard fighting, against spacesuit clad foes, on a ship that has evacuated it's atmosphere to avoid decompression damage during combat, four weapons stand out:

A knife.
A sword.
A crossbow.
A pistol.

Original Traveller drew a lot of flak in the 70's for positing blades as part of a standard marines gear on board ship - until people realised the very point you're making here!

 

[Plane Sailing]

Personally I find the physics we haven't invented yet weapons like Nivens 'digging tool' almost more plausible than infinitely firing laser pistols.

I quite like the way that in the Known Space series Larry Niven has few actual 'weapons' and more high tech devices that turn out to be efficient as weapons (fusion drive, flashlight laser, digging tool etc). The only distinct weapon that I remember was 'the soft weapon' from the short story of the same name.

 

[Agemegos]

So, what do you think, should ballistic based weaponry still be included for PL 6 and higher, for vehicles, hand held weapons, and starships?

Big issue: indirect fire. The ability to lob grenades, mortar bombs, and howitzer shells out of trenches, over trees, and over hills is invaluable, so we are always going to want the equivalent capability for indirect fire of grenade launchers with each fireteam, mortars with each platoon, field guns with each battalion, and big gun-howitzers with each division, at least.

Big issue: area effect/interdition weapons. Shrapnel shells, machine-guns. Beam weapons are lousy at making an area unsafe to crawl through.

Big issue: fog, smoke, dust, light cover (eg. leaves, brush). Ballistic weapons will pierce this stuff, even though it makes for aiming difficulties. But anything that even scatters light will play merry hell with the effectiveness of beams weapons.

Big issue: shooting from concealment. Remember what your sergeant told you about tracer? The same is true of beam weapons.

Smaller issue: availablity of utility rounds. Beam weapons are likely to make dandy incendiaries, whether you want fire or not. They won't be so handy for delivering tear/retch gas, illumination flares, flashbangs, smoke, marker flares, chaff, line & grapnel rounds….

Small issue: sublethal munitions.