Re: [TML] A source for TL6/7 hand held weapons for use in space
Tim 26 Nov 2016 02:01 UTC
On Fri, Nov 25, 2016 at 11:02:44PM +0000, Bruce Johnson wrote:
> figuring out range and such in a vacuum in different gravity fields
> could produce a lot of fun times.
In almost all cases, the maximum range is going to be vastly greater
than the effective range. A rifle bullet on the Moon has a good
fraction of the speed needed to attain orbit, and unlike Earth it
won't slow down until it hits something. Calculating the maximum
range would take at least a little orbital mechanics.
The maximum range would be on the order of a few hundred kilometres,
far beyond the horizon. Even if they could see what they were aiming
at, it would be far beyond human ability to do so.
Even on a vacuum world with Earthlike gravity, the maximum range would
be tens of kilometres.
- Tim