Eric asked:
See here y'all hit one of the classic SF memes the Gravity boat/barge
where contragravity vehicles are boat analogs instead of Automotive
analogs. This one of my prefered memes.
What if it is ruled there is a GEV effect for contragravity, with
double lift within X distance (say vehicle length?) It could be
handwaved due to design limitations (power efficiency?) that the
train's CG units only provide repelling force within that range.
That would keep the grav flyer low, but it could still be a single brick
rather than a train of carriages.
What is an Armored Train and why?
One that is armored against small arms fire where a civilian version
is not?
In the early 20th century armored trains were serious AFVs, with better
guns and armor than contemporary tanks. Then tanks got better and
armored trains got relegated to railway security. Finally they faded
into oblivion. Railway guns got replaced by aircraft and missiles in the
same way, until people considered trains to camouflage strategic missile
units. That plan got killed by the end of the cold war.
An armored train in the early sense means:
* Direct fire weapons comparable to a platoon of contemporary tanks.
Probably fewer but bigger guns.
* Indirect fire weapons like those of a contemporary artillery battery.
Possibly fewer guns, but more ready ammo.
* A company-sized dismounting party.
* Close-in weapons to defend against dismounted infantry.
* It makes use of existing civilian tracks to get superior strategic
mobility, at the expense of tactical mobility.
Except for the last point, in a way an armored train was a giant IFV --
it carried and supported infantry, with enough direct firepower to take
on tanks if it has to but not optimized to fight tanks. Translating that
into a (Traveller TL8-10?) grav vehicle makes me think of a SDB with
extra troops. Comnpletely different from a "train" concept.
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