67 replies to this topic

[CPT Hazel Murphy]

This may be explained in the lore, but are gauss rifles different in battletech than in real life? what exactly causes them to explode?

[Vassago Rain]

Magic science.

[QuantumButler]

CPT Hazel Murphy, on 06 December 2012 - 02:55 PM, said:

This may be explained in the lore, but are gauss rifles different in battletech than in real life? what exactly causes them to explode?

******* magnets, how do they work?

[CPT Hazel Murphy]

Vassago Rain, on 06 December 2012 - 02:56 PM, said:

Magic science.

My thoughts exactly. I expected the first post to be some troll flame.

QuantumButler, on 06 December 2012 - 02:59 PM, said:

******* magnets, how do they work?

How do gauss rifles work?

[Aegis Kleais]

CPT Hazel Murphy, on 06 December 2012 - 02:55 PM, said:

This may be explained in the lore, but are gauss rifles different in battletech than in real life? what exactly causes them to explode?

Game balancing mechanic.

Otherwise, they have too few cons to the excessive pros. Accurate, long range, no heat, high damage, ammo is non-explosive. With the fragility in them now, they cannot be used as close range brawlers as effectively and instead are better suited at sniping (counter snipers pose the highest risk to KO-ing their rifles).

[CPT Hazel Murphy]

Great point!

[madned]

at a guess high density energy storage insulation failure.
ala capacitor explosions
http://en.wikipedia....apacitor_plague

you didn't think those magnets were running straight off the reactor did you?

the ammo itself might be inert, but the gun must then become the energy nexus and therefore subject to explosion.

[Umbra8]

In order to fire the round electromagnetically you have to charge massive capacitors along the length of the weapon. While they are holding charge if they are destroyed they will dump their energy into the mech. While not necessarily explosive, the massive surge of energy will destroy components, warp metal and probably leave the limb burning.

Edited by Umbra8, 06 December 2012 - 03:14 PM.

[Mr Carter]

Not the magnetic coils, the capacitors.



And those are TINY ones. The capacitors for a gauss rifle are HUGE.

[MasterZ]

In the lore ballistic ammo explodes and gauss rifles explode. Because the gauss shoots slugs not rounds, the gauss rifle explodes.

On this note, i haven't seen an ammo explosion in awhile

[Bishop Steiner]

CPT Hazel Murphy, on 06 December 2012 - 02:55 PM, said:

This may be explained in the lore, but are gauss rifles different in battletech than in real life? what exactly causes them to explode?

Unicorn Farts. Very volatile stuff.

[CPT Hazel Murphy]

Umbra has more of a point than Mr. Carter I think. The damage would cut power to the caps, not overpower them. Short Circuits however, could cause destruction (melting or just general burn damage). Not at an explosive level though.

[SirLANsalot]

use C.A.S.E. problem solved.

[CPT Hazel Murphy]

MasterZ, on 06 December 2012 - 03:12 PM, said:

In the lore ballistic ammo explodes and gauss rifles explode. Because the gauss shoots slugs not rounds, the gauss rifle explodes.

On this note, i haven't seen an ammo explosion in awhile

Because of this, is why it wouldn't explode. A slug is just that, a slug of solid metal. AC ammo has an explosive charge and warhead and could very likely explode.

[Bishop Steiner]

Mr Carter, on 06 December 2012 - 03:09 PM, said:

Not the magnetic coils, the capacitors.



And those are TINY ones. The capacitors for a Gauss rifle are HUGE.

Of note, they SHOULD give us a toggle where one can power off the capacitors, ESPECIALLY if one is out of ammo. Makes no sense to charge the electro-magnets if you got nothing left to shoot. Also, should include an "Ammo Dump" feature, as used in the novels, to offload ammo from a destroyed weapon. I could also see a heads up pilot realizing he is about to get cored, shutting down power to his Gauss, specifically TO keep it from exploding.

CPT Hazel Murphy, on 06 December 2012 - 03:14 PM, said:

Umbra has more of a point than Mr. Carter I think. The damage would cut power to the caps, not overpower them. Short Circuits however, could cause destruction (melting or just general burn damage). Not at an explosive level though.

Unless, the Capacitors were already charged and ready to fire? In which case, a serious bit of damage to the capacitors would go POP. Of course, technically, lasers and PPCs use capacitors too, I believe......

[skullman86]

SirLANsalot, on 06 December 2012 - 03:15 PM, said:

use C.A.S.E. problem solved.

Unless the rifle is mounted in your arm

[Davers]

All weapons in BT (except energy) have an explosive component. The Gauss actually gets off quite easy compared to the ammo explosions of missiles and ACs/machine guns.

[CPT Hazel Murphy]

Davers, on 06 December 2012 - 03:19 PM, said:

All weapons in BT (except energy) have an explosive component. The Gauss actually gets off quite easy compared to the ammo explosions of missiles and ACs/machine guns.

Having been around a large gun in the navy for several years, i can tell you the the AC ammo has a VERY high risk of explosion.

[Pendraco]

Since the Gauss Rifle fires solid metal slugs, with neither propellant nor explosive, Gauss Rifle magazines are not susceptible to ammunition explosions. However, if the weapon itself is struck by enemy fire, the capacitors that power the electromagnets will release their stored energy, with an effect similar to an ammo explosion. (In game terms, a critical hit on a Gauss Rifle is equivalent to a 20-point ammo explosion.) Some 'Mechs employ CASE in the section containing the Gauss Rifle to protect internal components in the event the weapon explodes.

[Doommetal]

All energy weapons should explode then, period, a guess rifle is an energy weapon, that happens to use ammo, I think the rate of explosions is waaaay overboard.

So instead of doing the right thing, we should make all weapons explode and then we can try to kill each other by ramming and doing leg damage.

Then we can create an all powerful EDM module that can only be mounted by light mechs and atlas, which allows you to drop kick other mechs in the kneecaps. (it also renders them completly invisible, I mean why not!)

It will cost very little and nullify the 15 million creds you spent on upgrades and modules , on top of the exp to mount them.

And for the last time, CASE can only go in the torso, this will not help arm mounted Gauss from taking out the side torso also , and in the case of an XL, the entire mech.

Edited by Doommetal, 06 December 2012 - 03:33 PM.