Wrath of Khan discussion

[Thebestoftherest]

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?

Have you meet the Klingons, they probably be offended if they didn't conquer they own.

[CharlesPhipps]

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]

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]

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.

Guns 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]

Guns 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]

Guns 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.

[clearspira]

Guns 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.

Or Star Wars in general. Lightsabers are stupid weapons but we love them because its more entertaining to watch a guy charge fifty men with a laser sword than it is to watch someone gun them down at a distance.

[BridgeConsoleMasher]

Oh yeah? Was this boring? They're using guns, and the beings with the melee weapons are actually winning. Also notice that they're shooting them from a distance at the start, and it's hardly helping them in the matter.

[Independent George]

Ever watched a John Woo movie? Or, if you prefer more realism than choreography, the shootout in 'Heat'?

It's all about the 'how', and not the 'what'.

[BridgeConsoleMasher]

The train station scene in the Untouchables is my childhood favorite.