From: nuny@bid.nes   
      
   On Friday, February 24, 2017 at 4:04:13 PM UTC-8, MrAnderson wrote:   
   > On Tech level:    
      
   > As for personal weapons, I imagine chemical kinetic weapons being used most   
   > commonly, just because how simple and reliable they are in comparison to   
   > lasers and other electricity using ones. But they are starting to be better,   
   > and some of special forces use them, and also they are used by some   
   civilians.   
   > I imagine mining lasers used as improvised weapons by some insurgents, what   
   do   
   > you think?    
      
     Depends on their tech level and how easy it is to "misuse" common components.   
      
     I always thought of lightsabers similarly- they're built by a Jedi from   
   [arts intended for handling high energy plasma, just not the same way the were   
   originally intended.   
      
     So yeah, stuff like industrial or mining lasers could convert easily to   
   weapons.   
      
   > On the ChemRail, I always imagined it uses some form of Explosively Pumped   
   > Compression Flux Generator (I hope I remember this thing's name correctly),   
   > the explosion drives bullet with gasses and then electricity from that   
   propels   
   > it further,but I am unsure if that would work :p   
      
     That was what my handwave about the propellant gases being conductive and   
   passing between supermagnets was about, more of a pulsed MHD type thing. Also   
   no moving parts and would actually work better in vacuum with no atmospheric   
   back pressure to work    
   against.   
      
   > Also, I think that something is off with its muzzle energy, wouldn't it brake   
   > your arm?   
      
     Nah, not if the exhausted gases are directed properly to counteract it (and   
   not burn the shooter). Plus, the recoil in a railgun is... weird. look it up.   
      
   > Also, 18 kJ is like energy of .50 BMG, so not in tank-hurting range, at least   
   > not on modern ones, but really powerful.   
      
     Chemrail is 18Kj, .50BMG heavy tops out there too, and that is used to   
   disable vehicles by destroying their engines (originally cast iron block type.   
   That means it can defeat light armor and as I said, annoy a tank. Plus the   
   chemrail rate of fire is    
   much higher than the .50 BMG's- a single shot is one thing but a constant   
   stream is another.   
      
     Anyway.   
      
   > So ChemRail is weapon that fires bullets smaller than .50 cal, but with high   
   > velocity, so energy is around the same.   
      
     The chemrail slug diameter is 8.75mm (and damn near two inches long),   
   smaller than .50 so same force on a smaller area on target, hence much better   
   penetration. Hey, titanium-jacketed depleted uranium slugs?   
      
   > I will write some of my next thoughts tomorrow, and also what do you think   
   > about posting details of my fictonal universe in new thread? I could use some   
   > help in building it and making it work.   
      
     I'm more a tech geek than an administrative type but I'll give it a shot.   
   The Atomic Rockets page on Space Navies is a really good resource and I plan   
   on relying on it a lot.   
      
      
     Mark L. Fergerson   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)