Bigger railguns and gauss?

[photomankc]

But can someone please tell me where the railgun slugs go after 1.5km?

You engineer reverse thrusters into the slugs so they stop after 1.5km or they become singularities and wink out of existence.

 

[Kamiyoda]

But can someone please tell me where the railgun slugs go after 1.5km?

Railgun slug heaven

 

[photomankc]

They fire slugs that are spun at extreme speeds to maintain stability down the firing rail. After 1.5km, small instabilities in the slug cause increasing wobbles, which begin a process of deformation that quickly tears the slug apart. Over the next 1.5km the slug disintegrates , spraying out into a fine spray of particles that hit a wider area, thereby dealing less damage to the target. Past 3km, they have dissipated far enough it does no appreciable damage to modern armor.

Actually a decent go at an explanation I have to say.

Generally though if it's spun at a rate that exceeds the materials ability to remain cohesive then it happens the moment it exits any supporting material. Small light rifle bullets fired from barrels that have twist rates meant for longer heavier rounds can start to simply vanish as they exit the barrel if the velocity and RPM become extreme enough. The spin exceeds the bullet's ability to remain cohesive and once there is no barrel to hold the jacket in place the bullet sorta poofs into a mist of lead. It's a sorta binary process. It happens or does not. If it does, rifle bullet splatters right out of the gate. If not, It's just a bullet that flies like a bullet.

 

[tolm]

Actually a decent go at an explanation I have to say.

Generally though if it's spun at a rate that exceeds the materials ability to remain cohesive then it happens the moment it exits any supporting material. Small light rifle bullets fired from barrels that have twist rates meant for longer heavier rounds can start to simply vanish as they exit the barrel if the velocity and RPM become extreme enough. The spin exceeds the bullet's ability to remain cohesive and once there is no barrel to hold the jacket in place the bullet sorta poofs into a mist of lead. It's a sorta binary process. It happens or does not. If it does, rifle bullet splatters right out of the gate. If not, It's just a bullet that flies like a bullet.

Presumably in a vacuum with no friction the projectiles continue to accelerate - both in forward velocity and rotation speed - meaning they would become more unstable over time?

 

[Cmdr Nimineza]

I would buy several of them

I might be alone in thinking this but I feel like gauss cannons and railguns need more love, AKA size 3&4 variants.

Instead of scaling up the heat generated, maybe increase the charge time for each shot, so that way they won't melt your ship whenever you use them but they won't be too overpowered.

I don't know, do others have thoughts as to how larger railguns/Gauss could be implemented in a way that's balanced gameplay wise?

 

[Kamiyoda]

Presumably in a vacuum with no friction the projectiles continue to accelerate

Why would they continue to acclerate when the gun isn't around to accelerate them?

 

[tolm]

Why would they continue to acclerate when the gun isn't around to accelerate them?

I dunno - there were no physics involved in that answer it was just a “handwavium” attempt to explain “elite universe”.

 

[Kamiyoda]

I dunno - there were no physics involved in that answer it was just a “handwavium” attempt to explain “elite universe”.

They disappear into hyperspace and thats why the Thargs are mad all the time

 

[Sensei Jacksama]

I might be alone in thinking this but I feel like gauss cannons and railguns need more love, AKA size 3&4 variants.

Instead of scaling up the heat generated, maybe increase the charge time for each shot, so that way they won't melt your ship whenever you use them but they won't be too overpowered.

It seems counterintuitive; but having a charge up time might actually make them more effective. The newly engineered plasma charger on paper puts out more more heat than the gauss cannons but the charge up time allows it to dissipate whereas the gauss are being continuously fired and heat builds up quick.