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Can Merlin build a base off planet?

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Re: Can Merlin build a base off planet?
Post by Joat42   » Fri Apr 04, 2014 4:50 pm

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AClone wrote:My thought would be the issue of getting a modern manufactory into space...and the only one Merlin has is in use right now, in his cave.


OWL can always build a new one that can be assembled offworld if he has the right materials on hand.

IF Merlin can build a base in space he also can take out the OBS, a simple fractional c-strike should take care of it. But I guess the story would end quite quickly if that was the case.

(Like Gandalf summoning the eagles in the beginning of LOTR and fly the hobbits to mt doom so they can destroy the ring directly).

---
Jack of all trades and destructive tinkerer.


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Re: Can Merlin build a base off planet?
Post by kbus888   » Fri Apr 04, 2014 5:17 pm

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=2014/04/04=

Guys

From OAR,

And it’s got six loaded cells, each capable of covering half a continent at need, by Owl’s best estimate.

Weber, David (2010-08-24). Off Armageddon Reef (p. 135). Tor Books. Kindle Edition.

Just say'n

R
.
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(/(..^..)\)
.._/'*'\_
.(,,,)^(,,,)

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the happiness of another
is essential to your own. - R Heinlein
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Re: Can Merlin build a base off planet?
Post by lyonheart   » Fri Apr 04, 2014 7:13 pm

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Hi KBuss888,

OWL's SNARC was destroyed because it was approaching or on an intercept or collision course with the Rakurai.

I think the assault shuttle ought to have the volume to carry whatever is needed for the project, ans well as the range or fuel etc.

If a stealthed shuttle, which it identified as friendly like the recon skimmers, did not have an intercept vector the OBS might ignore it, unless all escape trajectories vehicles are to be destroyed.

We don't know whether the assault shuttle would be seen as friend or foe by the Rakurai, since it might have been told all of the 'good' ones had been destroyed, so any it sees are to be destroyed.

Since there's only one in the cave, losing it could be catastrophic for any future operations where it might come in handy, so if exposing it without knowing it's safe, the odds of any use becomes remote.

Granted the OBS seeing the shuttle as hostile is unlikely, given the recon skimmers are seen as friendly NTM the air bus, but such a twist from RFC is quite possible. ;)

L


kbus888 wrote:=2014/04/04=

Guys

From OAR,

And it’s got six loaded cells, each capable of covering half a continent at need, by Owl’s best estimate.

Weber, David (2010-08-24). Off Armageddon Reef (p. 135). Tor Books. Kindle Edition.

Just say'n

R
.
Any snippet or post from RFC is good if not great!
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Re: Can Merlin build a base off planet?
Post by BarryKirk   » Fri Apr 04, 2014 10:25 pm

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There are two recon skimmers. He could use one on Owl control to test it out.
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Re: Can Merlin build a base off planet?
Post by Michael Everett   » Sat Apr 05, 2014 2:24 am

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Can Merlin build a base off-planet?
Yes.

Will its usefulness outweigh the costs and effort involved in creating/maintaining it?
Probably not at this time.
~~~~~~

I can't write anywhere near as well as Weber
But I try nonetheless, And even do my own artwork.

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Re: Can Merlin build a base off planet?
Post by Alistair   » Sat Apr 05, 2014 3:01 am

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With angels return a base off planet would give the inner circle a "bolt hole" if the angels win and turn back the clocks on Safehold.

A self sustaining habitat with a small number of people based on it would give the inner circle options if Charis was reduced to rubble.

eventually the off planet base would be able to use the advantages of it being away to come back to safehold to kick but.

My question is do the inner circle have the resources to make it fly?

I suspect not :(
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Re: Can Merlin build a base off planet?
Post by PalmerSperry   » Sat Apr 05, 2014 5:54 pm

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n7axw wrote:To cover the planet, the OBS wouldn't need to surround Safehold. All that would be needed would be to place it in stationary orbit and the planet would pass underneath it.

Don


Wouldn't that necessitate a powered orbit, with the consequent need for refuelling and making the whole system more noticeable to any Gbada that come into the general area? A polar orbit would let you cover the entire planet, albeit with some delay before you can target certain areas - but if we assume an "expert system" level of AI that can recognise below-threashold events, then it could adjust it's orbit if necessary to get back to suspect areas as soon as practicable?
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Re: Can Merlin build a base off planet?
Post by n7axw   » Sat Apr 05, 2014 6:09 pm

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PalmerSperry wrote:
n7axw wrote:To cover the planet, the OBS wouldn't need to surround Safehold. All that would be needed would be to place it in stationary orbit and the planet would pass underneath it.

Don


Wouldn't that necessitate a powered orbit, with the consequent need for refuelling and making the whole system more noticeable to any Gbada that come into the general area? A polar orbit would let you cover the entire planet, albeit with some delay before you can target certain areas - but if we assume an "expert system" level of AI that can recognise below-threashold events, then it could adjust it's orbit if necessary to get back to suspect areas as soon as practicable?


Probably. I admit to ignorance as to how stationery orbits are maintained. As for your other comment, at the moment I wonder if the OBS is reacting to anything at all except direct threat to itself. If the theshhold is violation of the proscriptions, it should have reacted to steam.

Don
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Re: Can Merlin build a base off planet?
Post by AirTech   » Sun Apr 06, 2014 3:22 am

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n7axw wrote:To cover the planet, the OBS wouldn't need to surround Safehold. All that would be needed would be to place it in stationary orbit and the planet would pass underneath it.

Don


There aint no such thing as a stationary orbit (in spite of what you may have seen on Star Trek).
If you are orbiting you are moving, to cover the whole planet you need a polar orbit (typical of surveillance and GPS satellites), down side of this is communication to the ground is only available for about a third of the orbit). This puts most of the planet in view at least once per day in a 90 minute orbit (which is about as low as you can go without continuous drive power being applied. Communications relays are normally geostationary and kept in very fixed positions so you don't have to keep adjusting the dish orientations on a second by second basis.
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Re: Can Merlin build a base off planet?
Post by AirTech   » Sun Apr 06, 2014 3:47 am

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BarryKirk wrote:There are two recon skimmers. He could use one on Owl control to test it out.


Or just build a simple ICBM class launcher, tow it out to the middle of the ocean and launch a stealthy probe to the asteroid belt. If it gets killed then no catastrophic loss, if not, a small package of self replication nanites gets to work building a big rock thrower (or just move a really really big asteroid into Safehold orbit, this leave the OBS with two options, empty its magazine to eliminate the threat or burn power to move away from the arriving rocks).
A departure orbit that has the planet between the departing ship and the OBS should be possible until the ship is out of range of the OBS (this will require significant power and the ship will be moving very fast indeed at the far end of the curve).
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