[TML] Space Traffic Control (was Re: War rules)

[Knapp]

>
> Besides. getting ships to collide in space is *hard*. And if they do,
> unless they have nearly the same vector, the pieces will be small
> enough to burn up.


You missed the type of ship. Sure the ship might burn up the the boxes might
not, they are mounted on the outside of the ship and can come off in one
piece.



>
> > > But planets are big. And unless it's got an insane population density
> > > the odds of hitting anywhere important are low.
> >
> > A nice big wave could do a lot of damage to coastal areas.
>
> Raising a significant wave takes a *lot* of energy. Many, many
> megatons, probably even gigatons.


Depending on the gravity and also how close the crash is to the area in
question.

Seriously, yes, you'll want to avoid ships hitting the planet. But
> even if they do, the damage in peacetime is apt to be strictly local.
> Hurricanes will do more damage. So will earthquakes.


Depending on the vector sure, it could be.


> Added note. No reasonable or even *unreasonable* ship impact is going
> to "harm the planet". It may cause a lot of damage even cause some
> long term problems with the ecosystem, but the planet is not going to
> be appreciably damaged.


If by that you mean make a rock no longer a rock sure but if we are talking
change the biosphere, it could.


> Any ship that's close enough to the planet to be defending it against
> ships attacking after jumping in at the 100 diameter limit *cannot*
> have a vector that might intercept the planet *and* won't won't do so
> in less than 3 weeks.


What?


>
> You have to keep in mind that at typical Traveller velocities the
> ships *aren't* going to get pulled into the planet unless their
> course is already pointing almost directly at it. They are *far*
> above escape velocity.


We are not talking about vectors that can't harm the planet.


> And saying that the defenders can't use vectors that might intercept
> the planet means that they are crippled in both defense and offense.


Not vectors that can't intercept the planet but vectors that if they do
intercept the planet will do great harm.


>
> Nobody will abide by rules that will make them lose. Esecially if the
> other side may start orbital bombardment to force the planet to
> surrender once they've gained control of the space around it.


Winner writes the history as always.


>
>
> Consider the fact that various military targets (not military
> *installations*, but legitimate military targets) are *still* close
> enough to major population centers to cause major civilian casualties
> if there was a nuclear attack. And this is after 50+ years.


I can't say that I think nuclear warfare is sane or not a war crime but the
users so far have been the enforces thus all is deemed OK.

>
>
> Heck, many of them started out *away* from cities and the cities
> expanded towards them.
>

People do endless stupid things. I wonder how long we will get away with it?


>
> --
> Leonard Erickson (aka shadow)
> shadow at shadowgard dot com
>
>
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-- 
Douglas E Knapp

1. Sun Tzu said: Raising a host of a hundred thousand
men and marching them great distances entails heavy loss
on the people and a drain on the resources of the State.
The daily expenditure will amount to a thousand ounces
of silver. There will be commotion at home and abroad,
and men will drop down exhausted on the highways.
As many as seven hundred thousand families will be impeded
in their labor.

2. Hostile armies may face each other for years,
striving for the victory which is decided in a single day.
This being so, to remain in ignorance of the enemy's
condition simply because one grudges the outlay of a hundred
ounces of silver in honors and emoluments, is the height
of inhumanity.