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How exactly does Ion damage affect starships?
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Bren
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PostPosted: Sun Jul 03, 2011 9:28 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

crmcneill wrote:
So, ESB is showing on Spike TV right now, and it just hit the scene where the ion cannon takes out the star destroyer. It shows the ISD exhibiting zero forward movement and drifting to one side as the transport flies past. Assuming the screen shot is from a fixed point in space, it's a reasonable assumption that the ion cannon disabled the ISD's engines.
And killed the SD's forward momentum. Shocked Clearly in a galaxy far, far away the laws of physics are a bit different. Rolling Eyes As physics often are in space opera. I guess in Star Wars space is filled with ether, not vaccuum. And ether, despite being a rarefied element, somehow impedes motion. Laughing It does explain why X-wings have an etheric rudder.
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CRMcNeill
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PostPosted: Sun Jul 03, 2011 9:39 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Bren wrote:
And killed the SD's forward momentum. :shock: Clearly in a galaxy far, far away the laws of physics are a bit different. :roll: As physics often are in space opera. I guess in Star Wars space is filled with ether, not vaccuum. And ether, despite being a rarefied element, somehow impedes motion. :lol:


Actually, IIRC, the working theory on that is that what we see as forward motion is actually acceleration. If ship A and ship B are moving forward at a Space of 8, and ship B is hit by an ion cannon, its drives cut out. It is still moving forward at a Space of 8 (objects in motion and all that), but ship A is continuing to accelerate forward at Space 8, putting 8 units between it and ship B, which appears to have come to a complete halt, depending on the POV. In ESB, the ISD is accelerating forward at a constant rate, but is then hit by an ion cannon shot and disabled. The ISD's engines fail, and to an observer, it appears that the ship is slowing down, when it is actually just no longer accelerating.
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Bren
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PostPosted: Sun Jul 03, 2011 10:00 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

crmcneill wrote:
Actually, IIRC, the working theory on that is that what we see as forward motion is actually acceleration. If ship A and ship B are moving forward at a Space of 8, and ship B is hit by an ion cannon, its drives cut out. It is still moving forward at a Space of 8 (objects in motion and all that), but ship A is continuing to accelerate forward at Space 8, putting 8 units between it and ship B, which appears to have come to a complete halt, depending on the POV. In ESB, the ISD is accelerating forward at a constant rate, but is then hit by an ion cannon shot and disabled. The ISD's engines fail, and to an observer, it appears that the ship is slowing down, when it is actually just no longer accelerating.
That only works if A and B are moving in the same direction. Otherwise if A is actually an observer on the planet Hoth (effectively stationary with respect to Ship B's starting position). Ship B (the ISD) will not appear to stop moving. It will just move forward at the same accumulated velocity (First Law and all). But then I am of the opinion that spending much time attempting to rationalize the behavior of ships in Star Wars with real physics is time that could be better spent rewatching the movies, playing the RPG, drinking beer, or doing any number of other things. Wink

Also, having ion weapons effect the engines makes sense to me and to my mind requires no justification other than a cursory reasonableness test.
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CRMcNeill
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PostPosted: Sun Jul 03, 2011 10:15 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Bren wrote:
But then I am of the opinion that spending much time attempting to rationalize the behavior of ships in Star Wars with real physics is time that could be better spent rewatching the movies, playing the RPG, drinking beer, or doing any number of other things. Wink


I can agree with that. 8)
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