Sfdebris.net

Independent George wrote: ↑Tue Dec 08, 2020 3:20 am As Isaac Arthur often says, there is no such thing as an unarmed spaceship - and he's usually talking about ships traveling at a fraction of c. When you have warp drive, even an unarmed freighter is a planet killer. Genesis really isn't any more destructive than anything else in the arsenal, except maybe that it makes much more destructive tactics practical now that you can magic up a brand new ecosystem after sterilizing the surface.

The thing is, it also means you have less incentive to fight in the first place since you don't actually need to conquer territory to live in thanks to Genesis. Why bother taking somebody else's planet when you can mass produce a near infinite number of habitable worlds out of the barren rocks in your own backyard?

Independent George wrote: ↑Tue Dec 08, 2020 3:20 am As Isaac Arthur often says, there is no such thing as an unarmed spaceship - and he's usually talking about ships traveling at a fraction of c. When you have warp drive, even an unarmed freighter is a planet killer. Genesis really isn't any more destructive than anything else in the arsenal, except maybe that it makes much more destructive tactics practical now that you can magic up a brand new ecosystem after sterilizing the surface.

The thing is, it also means you have less incentive to fight in the first place since you don't actually need to conquer territory to live in thanks to Genesis. Why bother taking somebody else's planet when you can mass produce a near infinite number of habitable worlds out of the barren rocks in your own backyard?

CharlesPhipps wrote: ↑Tue Dec 08, 2020 7:00 am

Independent George wrote: ↑Tue Dec 08, 2020 3:20 am As Isaac Arthur often says, there is no such thing as an unarmed spaceship - and he's usually talking about ships traveling at a fraction of c. When you have warp drive, even an unarmed freighter is a planet killer. Genesis really isn't any more destructive than anything else in the arsenal, except maybe that it makes much more destructive tactics practical now that you can magic up a brand new ecosystem after sterilizing the surface.

The thing is, it also means you have less incentive to fight in the first place since you don't actually need to conquer territory to live in thanks to Genesis. Why bother taking somebody else's planet when you can mass produce a near infinite number of habitable worlds out of the barren rocks in your own backyard?

And Star Trek would very likely have, "Oh, no, our sensors can pick up any kinetic attack and deflect it with shields. You need Genesis to destroy a planet."

It's called the Handwavium Device.

Why they don't use transporters to defeat all intruders.

Beastro wrote: ↑Wed Dec 09, 2020 1:32 am

CharlesPhipps wrote: ↑Tue Dec 08, 2020 7:00 am

Independent George wrote: ↑Tue Dec 08, 2020 3:20 am As Isaac Arthur often says, there is no such thing as an unarmed spaceship - and he's usually talking about ships traveling at a fraction of c. When you have warp drive, even an unarmed freighter is a planet killer. Genesis really isn't any more destructive than anything else in the arsenal, except maybe that it makes much more destructive tactics practical now that you can magic up a brand new ecosystem after sterilizing the surface.

The thing is, it also means you have less incentive to fight in the first place since you don't actually need to conquer territory to live in thanks to Genesis. Why bother taking somebody else's planet when you can mass produce a near infinite number of habitable worlds out of the barren rocks in your own backyard?

And Star Trek would very likely have, "Oh, no, our sensors can pick up any kinetic attack and deflect it with shields. You need Genesis to destroy a planet."

It's called the Handwavium Device.

Why they don't use transporters to defeat all intruders.

It would need to otherwise the drama of the world would devolve into large scale obliteration of entire worlds.

It's why I feel people outright hate nuclear weapons, not because the large scale devastation they'd cause, but because they rob war of any fun. No more dog fights or tank battles and warships clashing, it's settled in a flash of nuclear exchanges.

That certainly was the anger the US Army had as they struggled to find a relevance in the 50s that would cease making them the 3rd rate branch of the military. That resulted in Flexible Response which led to how much Vietnam was handled.

clearspira wrote: ↑Wed Dec 09, 2020 6:55 pmGuns in general have made war boring to watch. I think that's why people love shows like Game of Thrones or Lord of the Rings. There is just something more impressive about a man with a sword.

BridgeConsoleMasher wrote: ↑Wed Dec 09, 2020 7:09 pm

clearspira wrote: ↑Wed Dec 09, 2020 6:55 pmGuns in general have made war boring to watch. I think that's why people love shows like Game of Thrones or Lord of the Rings. There is just something more impressive about a man with a sword.

I thought Predator was pretty good.

Beastro wrote: ↑Thu Dec 10, 2020 1:21 am

BridgeConsoleMasher wrote: ↑Wed Dec 09, 2020 7:09 pm

clearspira wrote: ↑Wed Dec 09, 2020 6:55 pmGuns in general have made war boring to watch. I think that's why people love shows like Game of Thrones or Lord of the Rings. There is just something more impressive about a man with a sword.

I thought Predator was pretty good.

He still has a point.

See the latest Mandolorian with people mixing in gunplay with melee combat as the plot armoured protagonist wade through Stormtroopers punching and shooting them point blank.