cthia wrote:If protecting the WH is the object of your argument, then those invisible weapons can be placed anywhere. They don't have to hang around the WH. It isn't like the MA has to worry about any arrogant flies actually transiting the WH -- into the nests of awaiting Spiders. The Silver Bullets can converge on the enemy anytime and as slow as it pleases. The enemy is trapped against the beachhead, er, WH.
When you reply to an old post, you need to look up the context. In that particular case, I was talking about defending the planet, not the WH, though the same applies.
In order to defend a fixed target, the defences must be somewhat close to it, so they can react in time to an attacker. If you park it 1 billion km away (1 light-hour), it can't do anything but cry over spilt milk once it gets to the scene.
How close is the question. The MAN is very well aware of how quickly their ships can move. Their biggest ships can sustain 250 gravities for a few minutes, 150 indefinitely. The smaller ones as well as the torpedoes have much lower acceleration. Let's say Darius has a 22 LM hyperlimit and Darius Gamma is at 8, just to have some numbers. An enemy arriving at any point on the hyperlimit is anywhere between 22-8 and 22+8 LM from the planet. At 550 gravities, that's a 228 to 333-minute transit time for a zero-zero with the planet. An LD could cover between 137 million to 293 million km in that period, but it would be flying past the target at up to 0.1c and would take another 5 hours to turn around to re-engage.
The discussions we've had are that the defending forces would like to intercept the attacking forces well short of the planet, at a shallow angle. The problem for the defending forces is generating that intercept, given that they don't know where the attackers would be coming from and what zig-zag course those will be taking. A smart attacker would begin moving in one direction, forcing the defenders to react, then double back and go on another direction. Now the defenders have to kill their velocity vector in one direction before going on the other. Please note the attackers don't need to know about the acceleration limits of the defenders nor do they have to see the defenders. What matters is that the MAN knows their own limits and knows how quickly they can get those defenders to an intercept position.
Which is why I am saying they can't be too far away. An LD force can cover 104 million km (barely 5.8 light-minutes) from standing start to zero-zero. Assuming it wants to intercept the attackers at 2 light-minutes from the planet (36 million km), that means the defending forces must be no farther than 68 million km.
And, GR drones don't grow on trees. They are going to begin to disappear in enormous numbers. Sure, that will alert the GA that the waters are infested, but what can be done? Space is big. Desperation launches that are shooting blind is just a waste of missiles. And the GA will not be operating in its own backyard. It will have to rely on Colliers that may be destroyed. That goes double for attacking Darius. The GA has to make sure it packs a lot of luggage for the trip. They have to make sure it brings along enough of the right equipment. After all, they will have to go the long way around to attack Darius.
GRs don't grow on trees, but neither do SDs. And GRs are FAR, FAR cheaper than an SD. So, yes, bring loads of them. Expend them as necessary. If it takes 100 lost GRs to save each SD, it's still a good trade-off. I'd do exactly what White Haven said after OB: "we'll immediately saturate the space around it with grav-pulse com-coordinated scout ships and deploy remote sensor platforms in a shell dense enough for someone to
walk across." (MoH, ch. 30)
But, what are these waters infested with? Silver Bullets? Sharks? Spiders? A plethora of invisible energy platforms that can be built in enormous numbers?
That's a good question. I suppose all of the above, with a number inversely proportional to their size and cost to build. So far more pre-deployed torpedoes like Silver Bullets, several squadrons of Sharks, a few squadrons of capital ships.
In 1930.
I'll go out on a limb and say that most navies would rather steer clear of a Fort of any kind. Imagine that you have just found out that you've managed to maneuver yourself right into a shell of invisible Forts. May heaven help you, cause hell sure ain't gonna.
See all of the above about placing assets close to where they are needed.
By definition, a
fort is a mostly fixed asset. It's not a mobile asset -- that would be called a capital ship. So I don't see the point of adding spider drive to a fort that isn't supposed to go much of anywhere.
A conventional fort with wedge down is as stealthy as a spider-driven fort. In both the case where they have their bubble walls down (very stealthy) and up (not stealthy at all). Therefore, don't spend your asset's surface in spider tractors, but on missile tubes.
And, 2500? This is the HV! That many missiles is simply the opening bid! And who says they have to be pre-deployed. The invisible Collier(s) could have been pre-deployed.
And there's more. The Silver Bullets might enjoy a very extended operating time way beyond weeks if they rendezvous with an invisible support ship.
Graser torpedoes are far more expensive than missiles. They brought 9 torpedoes (IIRC) to Manticore A.
As for pre-deploying, see the discussion above on being in range of your target. Besides, loading them onto an invisible collier that is in range is the same thing as pre-deploying for me.
R E
Take the terminus? You're a rather ambitious warmonger aren't you? You think taking on a WH whose fortification has been progressing for centuries will be possible? Against invisible - weapons and naval components? And I certainly hope you are not planning your attack through the WH itself? The Spiders in their nests will get you. 