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Post by boxholder on Oct 4, 2017 21:01:32 GMT
Evolving? Hardly. Read the story carefully. Their medical staff have developed vaccines that delay -not stop- the progress of terrestrial infections. True development of resistance takes millennia, otherwise we would be resistant to anthrax, plague, whooping cough, measles, smallpox, diphtheria... even after 5,000+ years of recorded history.
Nobody (or creature) evolves resistance to the chemical burns from the mustards. Nobody evolves resistance to lung damage from phosgene or chlorine. Nobody evolves resistance to cellular suffocation from blood agents. These are attacks on the basic structures and processes of living things.
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Post by scottwashburn on Oct 4, 2017 21:09:05 GMT
Well, part of the original All Quiet fluff (which I have retained to a certain degree) was that the Martians CAN adapt to new conditions and very rapidly. They definitely become more resistant to Earthly diseases, higher air pressure and gravity, etc. and in just a couple of generations (which are only a year or so in length). I agree that resistance to chemical weapons is far less likely.
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Post by boxholder on Oct 4, 2017 21:27:05 GMT
There is a major problem for them: The asexual reproduction of budding makes genetic diversity and mixing, which can accelerate adaptation, impossible since each line of descendents must develop the adaptation independently. A favorable mutation that enhances survival will not be transferred to another line.
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Post by scarapis on Oct 5, 2017 4:45:40 GMT
The problem you keep forgetting is you do not know how they will be effected by Earth Chemicals, as far as you know Mustard gas might be an aphrodesiac to them, or you could make them stronger, remember their physiology is not the same as ours, what could hurt or kill us might tickle them as far as we know.
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Post by hardlec on Oct 5, 2017 16:36:34 GMT
It seems that Martians have a way to alter their genetic makeup which makes them superior to humans in certain respects. They can adapt but only so much.
Humans have not tried gas warfare against the Martians, but the Martians seem to know how to kill humans or turn them into ragers with Gas.
We do know Martians can be zapped with electricity, burnt with flamers, crushed under tank tracks, impaled by lances, blown up by explosives, knocked down by tow cables, and shot. It might be very lethal for Martians to be exposed to the after effects (gas) from Texas BBQ with chili and beans. They may find poison ivy is a blam while aloe vera is toxic.
I'll stick to shooting them.
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Post by scarapis on Oct 6, 2017 2:36:41 GMT
It seems that Martians have a way to alter their genetic makeup which makes them superior to humans in certain respects. They can adapt but only so much. Humans have not tried gas warfare against the Martians, but the Martians seem to know how to kill humans or turn them into ragers with Gas. We do know Martians can be zapped with electricity, burnt with flamers, crushed under tank tracks, impaled by lances, blown up by explosives, knocked down by tow cables, and shot. It might be very lethal for Martians to be exposed to the after effects (gas) from Texas BBQ with chili and beans. They may find poison ivy is a blam while aloe vera is toxic. I'll stick to shooting them. Problem is we don't know if they haven't tried gas attacks against the Martians, the gas existed during the time period and mankind has been using biological warfare for a long time. So you would think they would have tried some chemical warfare against the Martians but maybe due to the lack of any effect it is not even mentioned at all.
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Post by hardlec on Oct 8, 2017 12:28:50 GMT
Using gas on the Martins would be difficult. Tripods are both tall and fast. Hard target's for gas. Gas can come back at you if the wind changes. The Martians seem unconcerned about this happening to them. If humans have tried gas against the Martians, the instances have been anecdotal. In game turns, two sides with gas weapons makes for a table crowded with gas clouds. I doubt this will add to the appeal of the game. I'll shot 'em. If that doesn't work, I'll shoot 'em twice.
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Post by scarapis on Oct 8, 2017 12:54:16 GMT
Using gas on the Martins would be difficult. Tripods are both tall and fast. Hard target's for gas. Gas can come back at you if the wind changes. The Martians seem unconcerned about this happening to them. If humans have tried gas against the Martians, the instances have been anecdotal. In game turns, two sides with gas weapons makes for a table crowded with gas clouds. I doubt this will add to the appeal of the game. I'll shot 'em. If that doesn't work, I'll shoot 'em twice. I say call in the Ewoks
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Post by hardlec on Oct 9, 2017 9:14:07 GMT
Think of the drum they could make out of a Tripod!
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Post by boxholder on Oct 13, 2017 23:30:05 GMT
Those problems with gas are largely eliminated if used to bombard a holdfast. The bowl shape will tend to hold it in and serve as a windbreak. Plus the holdfast is a BIG target for artillery or aerial bombs. You contaminate the interior and may enter the underground areas.
I agree that the use in open field battles is probably not a real good idea. Plus, tripods on the attack are probably sealed up and filtered. They can walk through green gas and black dust with impunity.
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Post by terrance on Oct 14, 2017 5:24:46 GMT
There is a major problem for them: The asexual reproduction of budding makes genetic diversity and mixing, which can accelerate adaptation, impossible since each line of descendents must develop the adaptation independently. A favorable mutation that enhances survival will not be transferred to another line. On earth a great many organisms are able to reproduce both sexually and asexually, especially among bacteria and some molds. This is a factor often overlooked in contributing to antibiotic resistance. This ability is (as far as I know) not referenced in any of the story lines for the Martians, but it does suggest interesting possibilities.
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Post by scarapis on Oct 14, 2017 15:52:21 GMT
There is a major problem for them: The asexual reproduction of budding makes genetic diversity and mixing, which can accelerate adaptation, impossible since each line of descendents must develop the adaptation independently. A favorable mutation that enhances survival will not be transferred to another line. Problem with that is the Book even states the Martians are adapting to our climate and such more with each generation, so that just shot your theory out the door, furthermore we do not know if they are sexual or asexual and you keep associating their biology with ours, they are of not this planet so their biology is different then ours and unknown at this time, furthermore Guess you never heard of Super bug Infections like in Hospitals, where asexual germs evolved with a super germ strain?
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Post by scarapis on Oct 14, 2017 15:54:11 GMT
Evolving? Hardly. Read the story carefully. Their medical staff have developed vaccines that delay -not stop- the progress of terrestrial infections. True development of resistance takes millennia, otherwise we would be resistant to anthrax, plague, whooping cough, measles, smallpox, diphtheria... even after 5,000+ years of recorded history. Nobody (or creature) evolves resistance to the chemical burns from the mustards. Nobody evolves resistance to lung damage from phosgene or chlorine. Nobody evolves resistance to cellular suffocation from blood agents. These are attacks on the basic structures and processes of living things. and yet the Martians managed to get immunity from the bacteria that killed them last time in a couple of their generations or a few of our years.
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Post by hardlec on Oct 24, 2017 21:24:56 GMT
IIRC: Martians must get permission to create new buds as opposed to replacing a worn out body. Asexual reproduction is not cloning. There is genetic diversity with asexual reproduction, but it's not as fast. That's part of the reason sexual reproduction has been more successful than asexual reproduction. (On earth, anyway.)
There must be some way for Martians to select for certain traits, and they are probably very good at manipulating their own gene pool.
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Post by boxholder on Oct 24, 2017 23:41:55 GMT
SInce the AQMF story arc is totally fiction, one can assume any "technology" or "facts" that you want to rationalize your preferences. Game is the thing!! All else is secondary to having some fun.
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