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Post by charleybourne on Apr 8, 2016 20:26:15 GMT
On the previous forum I speculated about the possible military uses of Cavorite: www.technovelgy.com/ct/content.asp?Bnum=717This was more for fun and modelling opportunities than any serious rules additions but it could be fun. My original idea was to use Cavorite in spaced armour. In a nutshell, a Martian heat ray hits the shield, the heat activates the Cavorite and is nullified due to the lack of gravity and the effect this would have on the ray. Not the most scientific explanation but I’m sure you get the gist! This would of course destroy the armour plate but may well save the tank. In terms of rules I saw it as something like a D8 save, 1 it works perfectly and saves the tank, 8 it destroys the tank in a catastrophic whirlwind and hits everything within a certain distance, 2-7 it works but damages the tank / has some other less than desirable outcome. Mostly however, I’m just looking forward to modelling some spaced armour on a Kitchener!! This also got me thinking about the potential for weaponizing Cavorite. A thermally activated bomb with a Cavorite core, dropped from a Zeppelin even some distance over a redoubt would cause quite a mess. |
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Post by leecptinf on Apr 10, 2016 19:50:05 GMT
I kicked around an idea of Infantry armor being dusted with Cavorite. This gives a soldier a much thicker armored suit while not burdening him with 800 lbs of weight.
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Post by skibble on Apr 10, 2016 22:32:17 GMT
We know that the lunarians were planed.so that holds the original story true to some extent (other hives?)
Maybe the 2nd generation landships?
On a slightly diffrent note Anyone else read Armageddon 2145? Original buck Rodgers with 'cavonite with the trademark removed' anti grab metal.
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Post by hardlec on Apr 10, 2016 22:57:05 GMT
Isn't the only source of Cavorite on Mars?
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Post by charleybourne on Apr 11, 2016 6:06:29 GMT
Isn't the only source of Cavorite on Mars? If you're talking about the original Cavorite sphere, when Bedford escaped from the Moon and landed back in England a young boy got in it and off it went, never to be seen again. To justify its inclusion in the AQ world I look at one of the following outcomes (or a combination of them all): - a second sphere was made. Cavor managed to get more details out from the moon, Bedford approaches the military in light of the Martian invasion and the original sight of construction is searched for Cavors notes and other useful material. - the original sphere returns by a freak stroke of luck. It's located with the skeletal remains of the boy wedged up against a control panel (or maybe it's only a month later and the kid is crazed!) A rescue mission is launched and Cavor rescued, cue a fleet of Cavorite spheres. Next stop Mars, BTW this is as far as the Moon goes in my AQ world. Selenites stay on the moon lacking the will or ability to bring any fight to Earth and as far as Venusians and Underdwellers go; no thank you. Martians are quite enough. In the meantime Cavorite (or it's variations as the process is perfected in the absence of the original method) is used in various forms; spaced tank armour, bombs, leecptinfs' infantry armour. |
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Post by leecptinf on Apr 11, 2016 12:48:43 GMT
Isn't the only source of Cavorite on Mars? I believe you are confusing Cavorite, which arrived by meteor, with liftwood. Liftwood provides a gravitational repulsion in a handy, dandy plant based form. |
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Post by boxholder on Apr 11, 2016 12:57:51 GMT
Yes. Liftwood is from trees that grow on Mars highlands in the SPACE 1889 universe timeline. I was under the impression that Cavor perfected the chemical process for making Cavorite. But I would need to re-read the book. It has been a long time.
I am having a problem visualizing or conceptualizing how Cavorite's anti-gravity properties would augment armor. Enlighten me?
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Post by charleybourne on Apr 11, 2016 16:10:39 GMT
Heat waves / light waves etc are effected by mass (or complete lack thereof).
If an armour plate had a Cavorite centre, a metal/Cavorite/metal sandwich then when hit by a heat ray the outer shell is burnt through revealing / activating the central Cavorite plate. I envisage this acting in a similar manner to the Cavorite blinds being opened and closed in Cavor and Bedfords sphere.
With gravity displaced at the point of impact the heat ray would be dissipated or redirected away. At least that's how it works in my head.
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Post by skibble on Apr 11, 2016 21:24:27 GMT
I hate to say it but nullifying grav won't affect a heat ray in any perceptible way. It's not a repulsor . You would make the tank weight shift but not reflect anything useful. I guess it would make any smoke in the affected area not 'fall' but that impact would be marginal at best.
Cavorite was manufactured earthside. Not meteroric.
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Post by charleybourne on Apr 11, 2016 21:30:35 GMT
I'm not so sure. No gravity = no wave. I'm thinking of a reaction more akin to when Cavorite was first discovered. An instantaneous lack of gravity at the point of activation and in the near vicinity.
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Post by boxholder on Apr 11, 2016 23:45:32 GMT
Instead of Cavorite as envisioned in a spaced armor, I would propose a reactive filler in the space. Name TBD. This reactive fill would be an ablative-reactive compound which would evaporate almost explosively into a large, dense smoke cloud when a heat ray penetrated the armor face sheet. This boiling/evaporating smoke would absorb considerable heat while the cloud would absorb more of the heat ray energy.
Much easier for me to visualize this than try to force Cavorite into this role.
Unfortunately, gravitational anomalies weaker than a star or a black hole will hardly affect light. Nice creative thought, though.
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Post by madmorgan on Apr 14, 2016 9:46:43 GMT
Hmmm, looks like a 'new' substance is needed for spaced armor - maybe a mix of something like titanium and Martian metal?? I'm sure the Brits are researching for any improvement in crew survivor tech. Thus far, the Wosley tank seems to have the best (a 7+ save is pretty fair).
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