Sci-fi Shields

[Sayonara]

Given my earlier posts regarding the suitability of shields to different weapons, and those that dealt with projectile weapons and evasion of the same (read: not shields), I can only assume that neither of you can read.

 

Edward, you are confusing method of deployment with mode of action.

[Edward]

Your right about the fact that moving out of the way has little to do with schields but thats all I think i'm wrng about.

Edward, you are confusing method of deployment with mode of action.

 

And WTH is mode of action

[Sayonara]

Your right about the fact that moving out of the way has little to do with schields but thats all I think i'm wrng about.

Did I say you were off-topic, or did I say the thread was off-topic?

 

 

And WTH is mode of action

The mode of action is the way in which the weapon (whether it be a projectile, concussive force or energy) actually does its damage. The method of deployment is simply how the weapon is delivered to the field of battle (e.g. passive drop, directed thrust, computer-guided flight etc.)

[TWJian]

Strictly speaking,a strong enough electro-magnetic field could repel almost anything(including photons).Electro-magnetic field could even be used to outset the geometrical distortion(gravity) of mass applied on the universe.Picture the universe as a thin sheet of rubber with infinite elasticity. If you place an object on it,it will cause an indention on it(geometrical distortion)A strong enough electro-magnetic field could therefore bend space and cause anything which is directed to it to be deflected away.

The main problem is that they are severe side-effects if the shields aren't directed well and you have to deal with massive energy requirements for your shields.

 

A suggestion:Place strong metal plates coated with reflective materials.The metal plating would block conventional weapons while the reflective sueface would block lasers.Perhaps nanobots could be implemented to repair the reflective surface.

A simple electro-magnetic shield would be raised to block heavy weaponry(ie:missles)

 

Another suggestion: It would be better to absorb the lasers(photochemicals anyone?) instead of deflecting it if it could be changed to usable energy.The energy would be used to repair and maintain the ship(haha, bye bye puny lasers).

[Rasori]

How about using the enemies weapons to defend against them? Or move or anything else?

 

Absorb the energy of the laser, as you just suggested, and use it to power an electromagnetic shield that could then block their weapons. Or else take the energy and put it into engines that didn't have a power source earlier.

 

This goes off-topic, but couldn't this allow extremely close to light speeds? If you don't need to store the fuel on-ship, then you have much less mass. Depending on the number of lasers powering you, you could get extremely fast speeds, no? I mean, if you were to have lasers positioned in 'space highways' then you could then power the ship along on its flight.

 

I'll try to look into that a bit more.

[iglak]

This goes off-topic, but couldn't this allow extremely close to light speeds? If you don't need to store the fuel on-ship, then you have much less mass. Depending on the number of lasers powering you, you could get extremely fast speeds, no? I mean, if you were to have lasers positioned in 'space highways' then you could then power the ship along on its flight.

we don't currently have a way to gain propulsion purely from stored electricity. it still requires some mass as fuel. ion engines are the closest thing we have (that i am aware of), using a very small amount of fuel extremely efficiently. and i suppose light sails are very close as well.

[YT2095]

ALL of it`s important, the mode of deployment, what it seeks (does it seek?), travel media, warhead?, disposition, stealth etc... there`s plenty more (

 

but although a suit of tin may help you against a Sword if someone comes at you with a tech 9 or AR15, you may kiss yer butt goodnight!

[Rasori]

That, my dear YT, is exactly why we're talking about having at least three layers of shielding--anti-projectile, anti-laser, and the hull (however little it may end up helping).

[MadScientist]

That, my dear YT, is exactly why we're talking about having at least three layers of shielding--anti-projectile, anti-laser, and the hull (however little it may end up helping).

 

Just to prove the point of why weapons used against us is important, if the other side had discovered matter teleportation they could teleport a virus or a raiding party on board our ship. So we need a layer of defence against transporter signals too, some for of teleportation signal disruption energy field.

 

Then what if they're psychic and have some level of telekenisis or other esoteric forms of attack??

[JaKiri]

Just to prove the point of why weapons used against us is important, if the other side had discovered matter teleportation they could teleport a virus or a raiding party on board our ship. So we need a layer of defence against transporter signals too, some for of teleportation signal disruption energy field.

 

If the other side had discovered teleportation and we hadn't, then it would nigh on impossible to design something to stop it.

[TWJian]

How about using the enemies weapons to defend against them? Or move or anything else?

 

Absorb the energy of the laser' date=' as you just suggested, and use it to power an electromagnetic shield that could then block their weapons. Or else take the energy and put it into engines that didn't have a power source earlier.

 

This goes off-topic, but couldn't this allow extremely close to light speeds? If you don't need to store the fuel on-ship, then you have much less mass. Depending on the number of lasers powering you, you could get extremely fast speeds, no? I mean, if you were to have lasers positioned in 'space highways' then you could then power the ship along on its flight.

 

I'll try to look into that a bit more.[/quote']

 

That's what I meant.The main problem is that if the enemy realised you are absorbing their lasers,it will not attack with them.

 

Here's a suggestion:Divide the ships (weaponry,armour and shields) into classes and subclasses:Frigates,battleships,missile/torpedo ships,support ships,etc.The spaceships could resemble current navy ships.(classes i meant)

 

Btw, a simple transmission jammer could block the signals of the matter transmitter.

[TWJian]

AHA!I got it.Use drones and planes to protect the ship.Drones can intercept projectiles and help scouting.An outer electro-magnetic shield could deflect homing weapons,jam signals,convey stealth,etc. An outer plating of the laser-absorbing material I mentioned earlier could be used to defend against lasers.A strong enough hull armour is also important.In case an enemy raid party penetrates,you got marines,security system,etc.The reactor core,bridge,and other important parts of the ship needs to be shielded internally as well.

[TWJian]

I got another suggestion.One guy posts his shielding and defence technology here.Then other people post their weaponry here.Then more advanced shielding technologies are discussed.his goes on and on and the ideas we get get better and better.

[TWJian]

AHA!I got it.Use drones and planes to protect the ship.Drones can intercept projectiles and help scouting.An outer electro-magnetic shield could deflect homing weapons,jam signals,convey stealth,etc. An outer plating of the laser-absorbing material I mentioned earlier could be used to defend against lasers.A strong enough hull armour is also important.In case an enemy raid party penetrates,you got marines,security system,etc.The reactor core,bridge,and other important parts of the ship needs to be shielded internally as well.

 

Oops,I forgot to mention that the electro-magnetic shield equipped could be rather variable and even,consists of two layers.(Ie: and outer one taht's activates automatically or manually to deflect projectiles precisely,and a low powered, constantly changing and fluxating one that's jams signals and such.

[Sayonara]

Again:

 

Cost versus benefit.

[JaKiri]

Again:

 

Cost versus benefit.

 

Frankly, the only likely space warfare will be with some sort of autonomous drone/minefield. Having stationary, AI controlled, defenses removes all the problems.

[Cap'n Refsmmat]

Are we planning on attacking an alien civilization sometime?

If we aren't, what's the point of space weapons?

[YT2095]

Frankly, the only likely space warfare will be with some sort of autonomous drone/minefield. Having stationary, AI controlled, defenses removes all the problems.

I agree, that would be the logical choice entirely!

 

you also said: "If the other side had discovered teleportation and we hadn't, then it would nigh on impossible to design something to stop it."

 

I dissagree with you there, from the standpiont of if we Knew the method but hadn`t perfected it, we could still sheild against it, all you need to know is the "Rules" )

 

ie:/ Line of Sight, Conditions, Who, When (and a few other criteria) etc...

the rest becomes redundant with enough intel, the How (part known), the Where is WHEN dependant, and so it continues...

there`s only a few basics of intel required, the rest is common sense/taken as read/trivia.

[Gilded]

"Are we planning on attacking an alien civilization sometime?

If we aren't, what's the point of space weapons?"

 

Don't know about "we", but U.S. is probably wanting to attack everything it can with every possibly suitable weapon. )

[JaKiri]

Are we planning on attacking an alien civilization sometime?

If we aren't' date=' what's the point of space weapons?[/quote']

 

For fighting a war in space? Whether we're referring to off-earth colonies or earth itself? Whether we're actually requiring the existance of off earth colonies (ballistic missiles can travel through space to their target, for example)

[Sayonara]

Let's not forget NEO-deflection.

[YT2095]

Let's not forget NEO-deflection.

 

OMG! all the "Matrix" subject style post have finaly gotten to the poor chap (

 

Nurse!... NURSE!!!!!!

[Sayonara]

Near Earth Object.

 

Come on, at least try.

[YT2095]

Oh dear!

 

So it`s not The One I was thinking of then? <hangs head in shame>

[MadScientist]

Again:

 

Cost versus benefit.

 

I'm not sure about this one Sayonara.

 

It'll eventually come to telling the dead peoples relatives that they died because the research or manufacture of improved shield defences wasn't cost effective enough.

That's pretty bad but there's another more important benefit to having better shield defences.

 

If your ships aren't as well shielded as they could have been, like you only spent 50 billion instead of 250 billion and we lose the war because all our ships have these crap shields then you lose more than the 200 billion you saved anyway along with far more...

 

And, there's not much point in spending 500 billion on a single ship if it's going to be destroyed when it runs into the first AI controlled alien garbage scow that has a weak automated defence system because its owners are involved in a war with another alien species.

It would be better to just be over shielded against such weak attacks then you can decide to ignore the attack and find the owners of the garbage scow to see why their ship attacked or go and blindly start a war against them.