What if one had gotten through?

Just some speculation. Since RFC occasionally comments on these sorts of things perhaps we might get a tidbit.

I recall from, both textev and IIRC RFC posts that the Eridani Edict carries some sort of "all reasonable measures" clause to basically mean that if a planet is hit by a c-fractional strike it automatically means that all reasonable measures have *not* been taken. For example the various times in the stories where fleets avoid letting their missile trajectories get too close to a planet.

So what if one of Filareta's missiles had somehow gotten past the GA fleet and hit Sphinx? It would be expecting too much to believe the Mandarins would accept responsibility but I wonder what would change in the political calculus even if the strike was in an unpopulated area.

ericth wrote:I recall from, both textev and IIRC RFC posts that the Eridani Edict carries some sort of "all reasonable measures" clause to basically mean that if a planet is hit by a c-fractional strike it automatically means that all reasonable measures have *not* been taken. For example the various times in the stories where fleets avoid letting their missile trajectories get too close to a planet.

So what if one of Filareta's missiles had somehow gotten past the GA fleet and hit Sphinx? It would be expecting too much to believe the Mandarins would accept responsibility but I wonder what would change in the political calculus even if the strike was in an unpopulated area.

You ensure that your trajectory will NEVER intersect an inhabited planet.

A multi-gigaton impact will have effects no matter where on the planet it hits. Though what the Edict is about is avoiding large-scale loss of life, so if you don't get that then it probably is not a huge deal.

ericth wrote:Just some speculation. Since RFC occasionally comments on these sorts of things perhaps we might get a tidbit.

I recall from, both textev and IIRC RFC posts that the Eridani Edict carries some sort of "all reasonable measures" clause to basically mean that if a planet is hit by a c-fractional strike it automatically means that all reasonable measures have *not* been taken. For example the various times in the stories where fleets avoid letting their missile trajectories get too close to a planet.

So what if one of Filareta's missiles had somehow gotten past the GA fleet and hit Sphinx? It would be expecting too much to believe the Mandarins would accept responsibility but I wonder what would change in the political calculus even if the strike was in an unpopulated area.

We don't know exactly how far from Sphinx 11th Fleets salvo was let off, but...
a) There is pearls-ev (admittedly, old pearls-ev) that missiles do have an overrun self destruct feature, specifically to avoid them becoming nav hazards at a future date, OR making an unintended impact on infrastructure or an inhabited body.
b) Even if they don't self-destruct, at high c-fractional, missiles will not last forever. The main capacitors will burn-out then not to much later the internal systems power sources will give out, at which time the particle shielding will fail. Particle friction will begin to slow the spaceframe rather significantly, plus particle friction and erosion is going to eat the missile fairly quickly. Think of all the special efforts that MAlign had to go to to ensure the survival of those pods cruising ballistic at merely .2c
c) For a missile with filed self destruct, which melts down to a lump due to particle friction but is coincidentally on a collision course for the planet: A non-maneuvering c-fractional lump cruising in from anything over a few million km distance is not going to be an issue for any space faring planet of the HV. The signature will be identified and intercept will be planned. Even a conventional LAC could probably take the kill shot on what is now essentially a very fast meteor on a set and calculable course.

There are probably some other reasons that this is Not A Problem, unless a battle is fought very close to a planet, but I think those above should suffice.

dreamrider

How many particles do you think there are in space. This isn't a cloud filled sky. It is rather empty space. For the few minutes that a missile is flying through it it has a very high percentage chance of not hitting anything until it gets to the atmosphere. At which point all bets are off.

Second the MA supplied missiles, with the MA supplied targeting sensors, fired by the MA programmed nano-virus. Could have had one or more missiles programmed to hit the planet. The League gets blamed, the League denies it did anything, he said she said politics takes over and even if Mesa gets blamed in the end, the MA has shed the M and is now the post Houdini, A only.

A win, subtle pun intended, for the bad guys. Might even take out a few tree cats.

One wonders if Albrecht is a dog person?

As has been discussed many, many times before in this forum, in Baen's Bar, and in various pearls...

At .2c and above, you don't NEED more than the native stray molecular grit, hydrogen atom, or proton.

It is well established canon. Without powered particle screening, at c-fractional speeds, ships and missiles die. Maybe not immeadiately, especially missiles which don't have biologic components to cook, but soon.

dreamrider

PS - this is also a reason, along with a confusing guidance environment, why missile combat is impractical in the generally denser medium of hyperspace.

Actually I think that one getting through is a genuine possibility.

It would have to be a perfect storm type situation with multiple failures combined with a heavy dose of Murphy's law.

1. The missile's fail safes would need to fail - design flaws in a new variation or construction defects etc
2. The tactical officer would have to accidentally aim at the planet - tunnel vision in the midst of battle, inexperience or some such thing
3. Computer overrides on the ship to prevent missiles aimed at planets would need to fail - battle damage, software design errors etc
4. Nothing would intercept the missile first - space stations, ships etc
5. Every other preventative measure would need to fail

All of which would have to occur simultaneously.

While the probability of this occurring in any individual battle is so slim as to be nonexistent. As the wars drag on and on, the probability that it will happen somewhere, someplace gets higher.

It might be cannon, but it is crap.

At one atom per CC average particle density, missileswill survive transiting a few AUs at a high fraction of Cee. Their sensors might be fried, but they are still a big KE threat.

dreamrider wrote:As has been discussed many, many times before in this forum, in Baen's Bar, and in various pearls...

At .2c and above, you don't NEED more than the native stray molecular grit, hydrogen atom, or proton.

It is well established canon. Without powered particle screening, at c-fractional speeds, ships and missiles die. Maybe not immeadiately, especially missiles which don't have biologic components to cook, but soon.

dreamrider

PS - this is also a reason, along with a confusing guidance environment, why missile combat is impractical in the generally denser medium of hyperspace.

Let us refresh their memory on the math.

Assume missile velocity is only 1/3 Cee

KE = 1/2 x 1eex5 Kg x (3eex8)^2

Ke = 4.5eex21 Joules or about one million megaton.

Lethal radius from prompt effects would be about 500 miles!

Secondary effects on the ecosystem are serious.

kzt wrote:

ericth wrote:I recall from, both textev and IIRC RFC posts that the Eridani Edict carries some sort of "all reasonable measures" clause to basically mean that if a planet is hit by a c-fractional strike it automatically means that all reasonable measures have *not* been taken. For example the various times in the stories where fleets avoid letting their missile trajectories get too close to a planet.

So what if one of Filareta's missiles had somehow gotten past the GA fleet and hit Sphinx? It would be expecting too much to believe the Mandarins would accept responsibility but I wonder what would change in the political calculus even if the strike was in an unpopulated area.

You ensure that your trajectory will NEVER intersect an inhabited planet.

A multi-gigaton impact will have effects no matter where on the planet it hits. Though what the Edict is about is avoiding large-scale loss of life, so if you don't get that then it probably is not a huge deal.