| From: | One Ronin <ronin@*******.COM> |
|---|---|
| Subject: | Lasers and penetration (was:Re: Lasers and Ronin's combat |
| Date: | Wed, 11 Nov 1998 21:08:26 PST |
punching though the target" issue.
>About the laser "punching through" the target...
>
>I'd say no, and here's why. All of this is based on my admittedly
limited
>understanding of how laser weapons work, and I invite those who know
more to
>correct me.
>
>When a bullet hits a target, it causes damage by transfering its
kinetic
>energy to the target. That transfer of energy takes time, during which
the
>bullet is still moving, through the target. Under certain
circumstances, the
>bullet can shoot through. This is more likely to happen with high-power
>bullets, as they move faster.
True.
>With a laser, it causes damage by transferring the light energy. Light
is
>either absorbed or reflected, or a bit of both, by the target. If the
energy
>is absorbed, it causes the temperature of the target area to rise. The
>object of a laser weapon is to cause the temperature to rise
sufficently to
>cause a plasma to form, literally vaporising the target area. It is
this
>plasma that causes damage outside the area directly under the laser
beam,
>usually by explosively expanding. While this could explode through the
>target, it's not going to go very far... someone a couple of meters
behind
>the victim isn't going to be affected too much by it. The laser beam
itself
>won't make it through the hole it is creating, because the plasma
itself is
>going to absorb the beam, and won't have cleared by the time the last
of the
>short pulse reaches the target. This is desired, because this means all
the
>energy of the beam (except for what is reflected) is absorbed by the
victim.
>(NOTE: This is for PULSE lasers only. Long duration lasers may very
well be
>able to shoot through, as the plasma will clear sooner or later)
>
>So, shooting through barriers just don't work with lasers, unless the
>barrier is extremely thin (like a Japanese paper wall thingy). Any
barrier
>that's actually got a rating will probably stop a laser beam, but
anything
>nearby would be affected still. In other words, if the barrier is being
used
>as extra armour, you'll still be hurt. If the barrier is a distance
away,
>you won't be.
I dispute none of what you and the others have said about this subject.
In real life, I'm sure lasers work just like you have stated. I
however, am deriving my conclusions based upon the rules printed in the
SR books. Regardless of the weapon type, if it's power is 15 and it is
defended against by 1/2 impact armor, then yes, IT WILL PUNCH THROUGH
ALMOST ANY FREAKING WALL THAT YOU MAY FIND! If the rules about lasers
do not accurately depict their function and capability, then you as a GM
should adjust said rules. But, as they are presented in the books,
lasers can and will punch through walls and keep going beyond that.
Whew.....I hope I have clarified myself. Most of the comments I have
made on lasers are based upon the rules stated in the books. Maybe they
shouldn't have a power of 15 or whatever. But that is a GM call. Make
up your own mind, but please pay attention to what I'm saying when I
post stuff. I'm not always right (big surprise), but I hate when people
assume that I'm saying something that I am not. If anything that I post
is unclear, please let me know and I will do my best to clarify it.
BTW, this rant was not directed to any single individual on the list.
-Ronin
Mai mentsu konna mai kikyo.
ICQ #:11373195
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