l33telboi wrote:The reason I brought up the issue of cover (yes, cover, not concealment, but I'll go into more detail on that later) was because it's quite telling on how the weapons are used and/or how powerful they are. If someone during a combat situation comes under fire and decides to jump behind a rock for protection, then quite obviously he's assuming that rock will offer some protection, and in addition to this we also
see that rock offering protection. If dialing up the weapon to rock-blasting was possible or prudent, then quite naturally the enemy would've blasted the rock the second the guy decided to use it for cover. But this doesn't happen.
The above demonstrates that these high settings are either used extremely sparingly, or they simply don't exist on certain rifles, or the firepower claims are exaggerated. I tend to think all three of those are correct. The reason for using the higher settings sparingly could be, as already suggested, that it drains the energy cell too quickly. But if that's the case, then we're literally talking about only being able to squeeze off a few such shots before running dry, otherwise they would've been used.
And to remind people, here are the incidents I'm talking about when I'm talking about cover:
1. The TCW episode
Ambush, where a number of clones take cover behind a boulder from a large number of approaching super battledroids. The droids know they're there, but decide to lay down suppressive fire rather then simply blasting the boulder apart. There has to be a reason why.
2. The TCW episode
Innocents of Ryloth, where a number of clones take cover behind trees from a position that's fortified by battle droids with support weapons. The droids know they're there, but decide to lay down suppressive fire rather then simply blasting the trees apart.
3. Same
episode as above. A number of clones take cover behind rocks from a number of various droids. The droids know they're there, but ultimately decide to pound the position with tanks rather then blowing it apart with their normal weapons.
4. The TCW episode
Rookies, where Rex and Cody take cover behind packing crates from a large number of commando droids. The droids know they're there, but decide to actually throw a large number thermal detonators at them rather then blasting the crates apart.
5. The TCW episode
Duel of the Droids, where a group of clones, Anakin and R2-D2 take cover behind packing crates from a large number of various droid types. The droids know they're there, but decide to lay down suppressive fire rather then blowing the crates apart.
6. The TCW episode
Cloak of Darkness, where a group of clones decide to take cover from a large number of super battledroids behind packing crates. The droids know they're there, but decide to actually bring in a super droid outfitted with a rocket launcher to destroy the cover and take out the clones.
7. The TCW episode
Defenders of the Peace, where a group of clones build a barricade made out of... huge coconuts? I any case, the droids shoot at it, but the normal weapons do nothing, so they decide to blast the thing with a rocket launcher instead.
If we were talking about just one incident where this would've happened, I could chalk it up too whatever, but it's not just one incident, it's
seven, and they all establish a clear method of operation on the battlefied, if someone's behind cover, then you blast them with rocket launchers, throw thermal detonators at them, or lay down suppressive fire, even though the most effective an easiest way to deal with the enemy would be to simply crank up the firepower and blast them to hell.
As for cover and concealment, I'm guessing the pictures and description already said this; but we're talking about cover, not concealment. In every example above, the clones are clearly using the objects they hide behind to deflect incoming fire, not to stay hidden from the enemy. And the objects actually do deflect the incoming attacks.
Now don't get me wrong, I agree that there are power settings on these weapons, I'm just not quite convinced that they go quite as high as advertised in this thread. Similarly there seems to be an assumption that all the weapons are capable of similar levels of firepower, but that's not indicated anywhere, indeed, if Han Solo's blaster is any evidence, then some weapons are clearly more powerful then others.
