From:	WILLIAM FRIERSON <will1am@*****.ASU.EDU>
Subject:	Re: TOW Weapon Focus
Date:	Thu, 8 Jun 1995 03:23:52 -0700

theobalt@*******.COM (Theobalt Nolasco) wrote:

> I can't see much point. Isn't it a "little" counter-productive
>considering that the mage or pysad (to bond himself to the missile) first
>has to have an adequate gunnery skill to fire such a thing, get your
>hands on a launcher, purchase a missile, AND spend a mess of karma to
>make it turn it into a weapon focus? Then have it go bye-bye just like

My thought exactly. Even acquiring the launcher is going to be a major
undertaking. Not to mention, getting the missile itself. And then you
have to learn how to fire it.

[SNIP]
>city limits. It might be useful however, if it was used against a hive
>full of insect spirits - and practically everything with it.
>Unfortuantely, most insect hives are indoors and exploding large warheads
>in enclosed areas risks him/herself to nasty shock waves from the
>blast, turning anything in that room to ground beef!

Actually, there isn't too much of a blast. The way the TOW works is with
a shaped charge, that forms a pencil-thin jet of plasma when detonated. This
burns it's way through the armor, and then the crew compartment. That's
why chobham armor, with ceramic layers, and reactive armor that explodes
outward, disrupting the plasma jet are effective against shaped charge
warheads.

So against a hive, it wouldn't be too effective.

> If I'm not mistaken, aren't TOW missiles primarily used against
>tanks and aircraft like the ones used in the Gulf War? I'm sure there is
>an anti-personel variation but it's mainly used to punch through a tank's
>hevay armor or blow Russian Hinds out of the sky.

Half right :). TOWs are not used against aircraft. You might be able to
hit a hovering Hind with one. You'd be better off dropping artillery
with VT fuses on the Hind (my bias as a forward observer is showing :) ).
And there are no anti-personnel warheads for TOWs, they're strictly anti-
tank weapons. The Canadians do have a weapons system called ADATS (Air-
Defense Anti-Tank System), but I don't know if it ever entered production.

> Weapon focus' are brought into astral space for astral combat,
>but the owner of that weapon has to be holding or be in contact with it
>in order for the magician to do any damage? In the Grimmy, they mention
>somewhere a mage/physad cannot bond such ranged weapons such as arrows or
>crossbow bolts because it leaves his hand or does not make contact with
>any part of his body. The same rules should apply in this case.

The wires that trail are hair thin and send electrical signals to steer
the missile. The Mage doesn't have direct contact with the missile. And
the signal is processed electronically, negating the physical contact.

I can't see lugging around a launcher and all the gear. It's more than a
one-man carry. And it's very conspicuous (sp). It's going to stand out,
no matter where they are.

Later


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William Frierson Internet: WILL1AM@*****.asu.edu