On 31May2022 1242, Jim Vassilakos - jim.vassilakos at gmail.com (via tml
list) wrote:
> I realize this is getting a little off-topic, but I'm now curious as to the
> type of damage one might expect from a spinal mount particle accellertor.
> Is there any defense other than an hull armor? If it breaks through (seems
> likely, given the ratings of those spinal mounts) what would it be like to
> be in a compartment that gets breached by one?
> https://wiki.travellerrpg.com/Particle_Accelerator talks about explosions
> and radiation. Is it fair to assume that the hull material would flash
> vaporize, shards and splinters of superdense crystaliron flying everywhere
> like shrapnel from a dozen radioactive grenades? Or does that seem like
> overkill?
Underkill. Some of the stuff would go right to plasma, some would
vapourise, and some would melt. Even without atmosphere there would be
shockwaves from the hit travelling along the solid plating of the hull
and frame, causing spalling in compartments and shock damage to
components some distance away, as well as the splinters, chunks of
molten metals, etc. from the impact itself. Spinal PAWS are ridiculously
powerful weapons, and the only defences in most versions of Traveller
are 'don't get hit' and armour (TNE allows sand casters to defend
against them as well as against lasers). In High Guard, MegaTraveller,
and Battle Rider (TNE's 'big ship'/fleet wargame) the question one
should ask of spinal mount hits on a ship is "How many criticals did it
take?" - often there's no point rolling for normal hits unless it's a
PAWS hit on a battleship (and Battle Rider only really tracks criticals
for this reason).

--
Rupert Boleyn <xxxxxx@gmail.com>