[TML] 20mm cannons and bulky aliens

[Joseph Paul]

 >
 >Damn, real numbers!  Now this is the kind of derivation I can get
 >behind.  :D  Thank you Mr. Paul!

You are very welcome.


Now how do you think carrying
 >capacity would be effected for a centaur shape like the K'kree?  I can
 >see their supporting portion being very powerful and commensurate with
 >a horse or better but the vertical torso seems like it should be *at
 >best* the same strength as a human.

I don't see a lot of animals who have very much difference in the robustness
of their various parts. That upper baody has tobe able to take what the
lower body can give out in things like falls, tumbling, fighting with others
etc.


 How does their inside work?  Is
 >it worth armouring the vertical torso or is all the vital equipment in
 >the (heavily armoured now) hind portion?

Isn't there some canon on this? Vitals can't all be in the caboose. They
ingest food up front so it has to go through at least some of the uper body.

 >
 >Cool stuff to chew on; thanks all!
 >
 >Oh and regarding the value of high calibre ordinance for the
 >individual infantryman, I'm thinking that very strong infantrymen (our
 >hypothetical rhino warrior) should find some value in automatic 20mm
 >cannon firing discarding sabot ammunition -- that is, equipment that
 >maximizes KE and ROF as a use of strength rather than just hurling
 >bigger shot.  As far as payload goes, increasing payload decreases the
 >need for velocity, reducing recoil, and placing the higher calibre
 >weapon in the realm of something a human can carry anyway: consider
 >the 40mm grenade launcher, for example.

The limit here may very well be the volume (not weight) of shot. Beyond a
certain point it gets too cumbersome to take enough rounds into a firefight.

 >
 >--
 >Brad Murray (halfjack)

Joseph Paul