============ OGREverse list, Jan 24th (Last: Jan 20th) =============

===== BPC Armor
    From: Thomas_Jones-Low@idx.com

------------------------------

From: Thomas_Jones-Low@idx.com
Subject: BPC Armor

>From Garth Getgen:
The only way I, personally, can buy the idea of "tac-nukes" in every round
is if they are more akin to shaped-charge HEAT rounds with a
well-below-sub-critical-mass of highly radioactive material (more potent
than what we use today in ICBMs).  In my mind, the kinetic and thermal
energy of the warhead impacting on a very hard substance ie, armor
plating) would transfer to the radioactive element, forcing it momentarily
to near-critical density and there would be a FLASH of energy directed (by
means of the shaped-charge design of the warhead) into the target.  I
would further envision that there would be minimum blast/shockwave, and no
significant crater, from such a warhead.  Any collateral damage would be
limited to between 100 and 1,000 meters from the point of impact; this is
assumed by the spillover rules and the game scale of 1,500 meters per hex.
Assuming such a warhead could be invented (and I have no idea whether or
not it can!!), I see it as much safer for the user than standard nuclear
devices because it can't be detonated (as a nuke) without a high volicity
impact -- it can't go off in your hands!

     Yes, these collapsing round nukes would work almost exactly as
described. Most atomic bombs from the Fat Man (of Nagasaki fame) on are
built using this principal, but using a quantity of conventional explosive
to generate the compression required. There are three difficulties to
overcome to make this a reality. One is being able to launch the shells are
sufficent
velocity to generate the kinetic energy on impact to cause it to go
critical. The Magnetic Linear accelerators (aka railguns) address this
problem. Second is the armor it strikes. The shell has to strike the armor
at the proper angle to compress it properly. A little smarts and a set of
moveable fins may make this work. Third is the radioactive elements used in
the shell. They are required to have energetic decay byproducts, and a
short half life. So the reactors scattered about the battlefields are not
power generators, but breeder reactors for ammunition manufacture.
     On the other hand, the US Army has built and tested an atomic bomb
which fits into a 155MM howitzer shell. The effective yeild on either of
these weapons is not great, but it doesn't have to be.

     Thom

-----

    [Uh, do we need a lecture here on what "prompt critical" means and why
nuclear reactors meltdown instead of exploding like nuclear bombs?

    I always figured that half of an OGREs defense comes from active
measures.  -HJC]

	Henry J. Cobb	hcobb@io.com          http://www.io.com/~hcobb
All OGRE-related items Copyright (c) 1998, by Steve Jackson Games.