From:	Duke Diener <DukeDragon@***.COM>
Subject:	Re: How to handle missiles?
Date:	Thu, 31 Aug 1995 18:23:51 -0400

-Bryan wrote:

>Average rocket speed, say about 400 mph.
>Average missile speed, say about 2500 mph (ATA/SAM), 250-400 mph
> (Smart infantry cruise missile, the ones that weave around
buildings)

I think your rocket speeds are a bit low. A rocket travels faster than a
missile since there is nothing to a rocket but fuel, explosive, and casing,
whereas a missile also has to have guidance equipment and control surfaces.

This brings up an interesting point...how do you dodge a missile?

You defeat a missile by forcing it to track beyond it's gimble limits. That
is, you either move outside the seeker heads ability to see you or you force
the missile to put on such a hard turn that it will overshot and fly right
past you. Now missiles today can put on some amazing turns (sorry can't tell
you the numbers) but suffice it to say that with the improvements in
materials in 205X you can not maneuver a vehicle aggressively enough to
defeat a missile and still have a living human inside that vehicle (the human
body could not withstand the G-forces required). So I hope you have damn
good ECM equipment onboard.

Duke