Gravity as a weapon

Since there is much to be put in orbit in Planetary Annihilation, along with planets to colonize and asteroids to smash into each other/other planets, we are ultimately speaking about gravity. Well, much simplified.

Which reminded me of a cute documentary I've seen months ago, while I had nothing else to do. It is about War in Space, and it anticipates the use of gravity as a weapon. In the sense of kinetic energy.

In fact, even a small mass let fallen on a planet may accelerate at the point to impact with an energy able to match a nuclear detonation. Well, we know that in PA...

So, what about having Moon Rock Launcher, capable to launch small rocks and send them to crash on the planet they're orbiting around. Or what about satellites composed by two parts, guidance and gravity shell - the shell simply detaches and falls from orbit, to deliver massive damage due to the acceleration it is subject during the free fall.

Or massive astroships with gauss cannon able to shot massive shells from orbit to smash settlements on rebel Moons... Well, I guess one's imagination is the limit

Anyway, here you go with the documentary (on YouTube)



Hopefully it will inspire. Or at least give you a good time/laugh. Enjoy!

Kinetic weapons is a common suggestion, but functionally it's not that different from other weapons to me.

Mike

My problem with this is balance. Its either weak or too cheap. I would hate if its too weak as its very unrealistic. I would hate if its too expensive as its very unrealistic.

The best solution to me is to leave it in a dark room and pretend it doesn't exist.

A kinetic energy bombardment Weapon is sort of like a splash upgrade to the current laser satellite. I wouldn't mind having more Space weaponry actually caused more explosions.

There is already a satellite-based kinetic weapon.

What is that? I think I missed to notice.

Apart that's not true. But even so, so what?

Guys of the Vanguards, you have an institutional role of some form on this forum, therefore you should ponder wisely your words, otherwise it sounds like you think to have more dignity than any other backers who joined the game in alpha or beta. And that doesn't sound pretty, let me tell you that.

Also, it sounds like you're not much older than seventeen

I am not sure what you're trying to get at. KNight is one of the better speaker in the vanguard. He thinks before he posts and he is clear with what he says.

Are you suggesting that because we have a title, we should hold back on our personal opinions and suggestions due to the risk of disagreeing or offending others?

I may have misunderstood, that's fine. I don't know you guys in person. I read what you write, and I assume you meant it.

How small you talking??? Ever heard of terminal velocity???

Also as knight said we have Kew already, making this redundant. If your argue smaller scale or nuclear as your op, we have interplanetary nukes and orbital lasers. So...... um.... yea pointless, sorry dude.

You just a little overreacted. Kinetic weapons are really not that different from the regular ones. Existing laser satellite could be remade into rod-throwing satellite and that wouldn't change anything really.

Through, that probably would make it just a little bit more awesome.

When you think about it and break it down, anything that isn't self propelled and doesn't have some form of 'warhead' is technically a kinetic weapon, A Cop's Pistol? Kinetic Weapon.

Mike

Ok, guy, I think I own you all an apology, then

Sorry Mike. I misunderstood your feedback.

Here is a thought, how about replacing the interplanetary nukes with a MAC? It would have to have different game play features, such as this; it would be very expensive and large, but once built it would take only a small amount of metal to create a 'slug' and a large amount of power to launch it, you could even use the orbital mechanics (orbiting and gravitational slingshots) to ensure maximum destruction.

Like an Interplanetary Gauss Cannon? Interesting.

Exactly, I was thinking that it would only be buildable on moons, and that it would be used mostly like a Interplanetary nuke

http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/KineticWeaponsAreJustBetter

Basically, exactly. Different weapon effect, same result.

The thing is that nukes are boring. The most destructive effect against robots is the emp. It doesn't really make sense to use a nuke without emp. Radiation sickness doesn't effect robots. If you are just going for destructive power you may as well have loaded the missile with many smaller ballistic warheads, like the Hornets bombs.

The international space station travels at 17500 mph. A 200 ft asteroid impacting earth would have the same destructive energy as today's nukes.



I guess you could have a really really big nuke instead of halleys and planets. But there is something that appears to the cave man in all of us to give up on technology, and just hit the other person's stuff with a really big rock.

It kind of would add something to setting. Why are we stuck in the cold war when we can just drop any random rock on the opponent

Besides, laser satellite's irritate me. Why don't they 'glass' the planet's surface?

Or you could go the other way and use gravity itself as a weapon.

Indeed, gravity is fascinating. It wouldn't hurt to exploit it more.

Well, anyway. Check this out.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tunguska_event

Or just remind what happened in Russia just one year ago.