From: avatar (avatar@renegadeclothing.com.au)
Date: Sun Jan 19 2003 - 22:50:35 MST
Addendum to original message: Super Saddam can be seen by over the horizon radar, but still it doesn' t help the attacker much.
Seems like a defensive scenario more than an offensive one... Wonder if sturdy mirrors in orbit above mountain-top lasers could redirect beams into the vicinity below, or "pass the buck" around an orbital ring of mirrors before descending. There'd probably be a monumental loss of energy but perhaps less in near-vacuum.
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Original post by Avatar:
"No no no... if you want to do it this way, try to have your lasers powered in orbit, by solar power (probably inadequate) or nuclear power, or anti-matter engines; and try cameras in small disposable automated planes circling cities and countryside in vast numbers. Satellite search is always limited by the number of cameras. Strikes are limited by power sources, as mentioned above.
Of course, satellite lasers are exposed to ground lasers with greater power sources (at least until space towers come in). So they can be shot down by super Saddam. Super Saddam keeps his lasers and other beam weapons on mountain tops or towers on mountain tops, with a defensive circle of secondary lasers outside of line of sight. Super Saddam's laser is bigger on the mountaintop than any satellite laser (or combo) or any fast plane or missile's onboard laser system (and Super Saddam has a huge power source in situ and available). Giant speeding tanks with lasers are also of course still tiny compared to the mountain system. All lasers of course fire automatically via computing so none of this involves slow-plodding human beings who don't have time to blink while squillions of aiming decisions are made. Shells or showers of shells are of course are damn slow.
Super Saddam even shoots down your little automated planes. Oh no. Without them or satellites you can't see anything (at least without nanotech or MEMS, and even then its problematical unless advanced). How do you nuke Super Saddam? The missile gets shot down some distance away if the mountain is tall enough. Super Saddam is ruthless and zaps unlicensed trucks and personnel approaching the mountain. Super Saddam has armour and mirrors and shielding and can retract or protect his laser temporarilly if necessary. Guess the best you can hope for is to build that space tower real quick (and then outbuild Super Saddam in lasers or drop a rock on him) or use an anti-matter bomb whose kill zone is a bit stronger and wider than a fusion bomb so it still affects him despite being out of line of sight (this might be a bit problematic)."
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