[spoiler] The future of missile combat

Theemile wrote:

Nimitz1923PD wrote::ugeek: If I had to guess look for
multi warhead versions of all current versions including cm's

Nimtz

How? - CMs use their wedges to kill missiles, they have no warhead per say.

The largest part of all shipkiller munitions is the multiple lasing rods (3-10m long depending on the class of the missile.) Current missiles carry 3 (DD/CL), 6 (CA/BC) or 10 (Capital) lasing rods per missile to aim the power from the nuclear warhead. Having more nukes is pointless unless you are advocating returning to the use of contact nukes, which the laser head has pretty much placed in the grave.

Flak or kenetic strikes do not require lasers Just like trying to dodge raindrops

Nimitz

Nimitz1923PD wrote:

Theemile wrote:
How? - CMs use their wedges to kill missiles, they have no warhead per say.

The largest part of all shipkiller munitions is the multiple lasing rods (3-10m long depending on the class of the missile.) Current missiles carry 3 (DD/CL), 6 (CA/BC) or 10 (Capital) lasing rods per missile to aim the power from the nuclear warhead. Having more nukes is pointless unless you are advocating returning to the use of contact nukes, which the laser head has pretty much placed in the grave.

Flak or kenetic strikes do not require lasers Just like trying to dodge raindrops

Nimitz

Both of those left Honorverse combat before the events in the Mantcore Ascendant series. Sidewalls just eat kinetic and material attacks without a burp. I recommend you read the Armoring appendix in In Fire Forged.

There's always the posibility of a box launcher mdm.

One or two missiles would be all a pirate needs.

Though needs might be too strong a word.

Annachie wrote:There's always the posibility of a box launcher mdm.

One or two missiles would be all a pirate needs.

Though needs might be too strong a word.

That would be ten or twenty times as much firepower as would be desirable for a pirate. Pirates don't need enough power to vaporize a merchant ship, and one or two missiles wouldn't be enough to defeat a true warship -- even obsolete SLN trash.

Theemile wrote:
Flak or kenetic strikes do not require lasers Just like trying to dodge raindrops

Both of those left Honorverse combat before the events in the Mantcore Ascendant series. Sidewalls just eat kinetic and material attacks without a burp. I recommend you read the Armoring appendix in In Fire Forged.

[/quote]

LAC Carriers went to the grave with wet navies

Balistic flight missles ( ala Baracade) have no sidewalls - Remote Drones/ Platforms meet MY FTL Targeted Pet Rock

Nimitz

Theemile wrote:

Nimitz1923PD wrote::ugeek: If I had to guess look for
multi warhead versions of all current versions including cm's

Nimtz

How? - CMs use their wedges to kill missiles, they have no warhead per say.

The largest part of all shipkiller munitions is the multiple lasing rods (3-10m long depending on the class of the missile.) Current missiles carry 3 (DD/CL), 6 (CA/BC) or 10 (Capital) lasing rods per missile to aim the power from the nuclear warhead. Having more nukes is pointless unless you are advocating returning to the use of contact nukes, which the laser head has pretty much placed in the grave.

The Viper CM carries a single lasing rod. It's intended to be used against LACs.

Aren't all laserheads capable of operating as contact nukes anyway? The missile just has to fly closer and trigger its warhead without bothering with rod deployment.

munroburton wrote:Aren't all laserheads capable of operating as contact nukes anyway? The missile just has to fly closer and trigger its warhead without bothering with rod deployment.

They require a sidewall penetrator, which is part of the drive system of the missile.

kzt wrote:

munroburton wrote:Aren't all laserheads capable of operating as contact nukes anyway? The missile just has to fly closer and trigger its warhead without bothering with rod deployment.

They require a sidewall penetrator, which is part of the drive system of the missile.

Yes. But that does not prevent the Viper from being used for warning shots. I imagine a nuclear explosion 1,000km in front of the target's wedge perimeter is psychologically scarier than a nuclear explosion pumping an invisible laser across that bow from 50,000km out.

And since most freighters do not mount sidewalls, the lack of a sidewall penetrator isn't an issue there.

munroburton wrote:
Yes. But that does not prevent the Viper from being used for warning shots. I imagine a nuclear explosion 1,000km in front of the target's wedge perimeter is psychologically scarier than a nuclear explosion pumping an invisible laser across that bow from 50,000km out.

And since most freighters do not mount sidewalls, the lack of a sidewall penetrator isn't an issue there.

All modern laserhead missiles have the ability to be have boom or burn settings, with a sidewall penetrator built in.

I didn't include the viper because it is not a universal classification, they are expensive and only the GA has them.

Nimitz1923PD wrote:

Theemile wrote:
Flak or kenetic strikes do not require lasers Just like trying to dodge raindrops

Both of those left Honorverse combat before the events in the Mantcore Ascendant series. Sidewalls just eat kinetic and material attacks without a burp. I recommend you read the Armoring appendix in In Fire Forged.

LAC Carriers went to the grave with wet navies

Balistic flight missles ( ala Baracade) have no sidewalls - Remote Drones/ Platforms meet MY FTL Targeted Pet Rock

Nimitz[/quote]

The last I checked, The RMN, GSN and the RHN built over 500 LAC carriers in the last 5 years of the series, I'd hardly call that going to the grave. we saw LACS from 2 carrier rip apart the Ajax raid....without loses.

missiles on a ballistic flight path are dozens of kilometers from each other, it would take innumerable unguided kinetic interceptors to cover that volume effectively. That is why 10-20 km wide wedges are used guided by FTL com drones. Space is HUGE....