ST-v-SW.net update and a question

[Mr. Oragahn]

It's not that SW shields can't stop solid objects, think the corridor shields in RotS, it's just that they don't do it consistently. I do agree that rail guns or coil guns would make an excellent addition any SW ship's arsenal, and would greatly increase their combat range. Should it be assumed that the Empire's targeting capabilities are at least on par with our own? This would imply that there is something else preventing long range engagements, given that SW ships don't seem to maneuver much in combat. As watchdog pointed out the Visual Dictionary says that TLs are unstabble, and that they both disrupt accuracy and dicipate over distance. The most common rebuttle I've seen is to claim that there is so much interference due to jamming that space-time itself is distorted and that is why SW space combat seems rather pathetic.

Space time distorsion.

Because of sensor jamming.

Let me digest that.

So the method is to claim that there's a super magical and powerful effect in place, just to add more wank to the wank, to explain the crappyness of the tactics and the pathetic nature of certain battles?

Are brains jammed as well?

EDIT: as for the lack of missiles use, or their use at fairly close distances, either fired on linear trajectories (ROTJ, against globes or the DS's regulator), or homing but against a ship that may not be able to put a decent level of jamming, I think the solution really lies there.

The jamming. If X-wings computers can't even get a lock on their target, I suppose that non proprogrammed missiles won't stand a chance to hit their target unless it's a relatively sitting duck. At which point, turbolasers are somehow better.
But even then, the jamming could even toe the line with literal false readings and even moderate hijacking, literally making missiles change their trajectories for targets that don't exist. They may even simulate impact range, and have the missiles detonate in mid course.

As for ANH, there may have been a lot of residual dust and radiations in that zone. This may not be the best example to rely on.

However, the chase in AOTC is another deal. We can't even argue that the Jedi starfighter was jammin the Slave I's targetting controls, since Obi-Wan couldn't shrug off that missile.

The accuracy in the film is really lame. Really. Shields or not. Flak or not, the bounty hunter's ship should not need to rely on a barrage of near misses when most of the shots at this distance should strike.

So we are to expect some reasoning. It will be about gravitational influence, mysterious radiations and whatnots.

[Who is like God arbour]

The most common rebuttle I've seen is to claim that there is so much interference due to jamming that space-time itself is distorted and that is why SW space combat seems rather pathetic.

Would a space time distortion be able to jam sensors at all?

If a sensor is in a space time distortion, it shouldn't be able to perceive it. Every events in this space time distortion would be affected by the properties of the distorted space time too and therfore would appear completely normal for the sensor.

But if this doesn't apply, shouldn't we have seen the effects of the space time distortion in the same way, the sensors would have perceived it - at least the visual perceptible effects?

But I have never noticed a space time distortion watching Star Wars battles.

[GStone]

Visually, the best you could hope to get is the external shot of the Falcon on its way to Alderaan, from inside the cockpit of the Falcon on its way to Endor and the spinning of space when we've got the shots of behind the Falcon and the Naboo cruiser when they go to hyperspace. Outside of that, you might be able to say that the hard to see blinking of stars of the external shot of when the rebel fleet approaches Endor and they are passing over and on the sides of the camera is caused by the distortion they used to get there resetting back to normal space.

Oh, ep 3. Ben leaves the Acclimator and flies up to a hyperspace ring. He jumps to hyperspace and those flying things that floated where the ring was move around, as if they floated in the atmosphere of a planet and something with a rocket engine flew past it, but then corrected itself.

When the distortion is not being used for a cloak, you'd probably get sensor readings that make no sense for what's already known for that area or you only get a partial signal and it's taking longer to get full readings.

[Who is like God arbour]

I don't understand it.

If in a battle, they jam the sensors so much that there is a space time distorsion, one, who is outside of the distorted area, should see distortions. The surface of the Death Star or of an ISD or every other ship would waft. The light would be scattered and would have to cover different distances due to the distorted space and would need different times due to the distorted time. That would made sense. I wouldn't want fly a fighter through the trench of the death star, if its outlines are extremly wobbling.

But I haven't seen this. If the distorsions of space time are so weak, that they don't create visual perceptible effects, what use could it have?

And if the distorted area is so big, that one is inside of it, one would be influenced by the distortions in the same extent too and should therfore not be able to perceive the distortions itself. All should look completely normal. What use could this have in a battle?

[GStone]

Maybe it's the type of space-time distorting jamming that effects everything, except time, space and visible light. ::crazy eyes::

But, technically, this wouldn't be jamming, if there really is a distortion. This would be sensor dampening, which reduces the effectiveness of the signal's quality. Jamming is just putting out energy signals across the whole spectrum, so nothing is discernable.

[AnonymousRedShirtEnsign]

I think its crazy/ stupid too. From what I recall, the proponents of this try to use the fighters' inability to remain steady during the DS run to back up the claim. Though, that would more likely just be the fighters taking evasive action, which would bode well (or at least better) for TL accuracy if they aren't just flying strait.

[GStone]

You mean the run on the first DS? That could have been interference with the stability control caused by the magnetic field that was around the DS. That's why they deployed the stability foils in the first place. We saw they shake a little before they deployed them. They worked when they were further away from the DS and when they got into the trench, the strength of the field was enough at that distance from the DS to be more than the s-foils could handle.

We see them shake some inside the cockpit, while they're traveling down it. Plus, on the external shots of the x-wings (asterik fighters!!!) and the y-wings, they don't fly straight. Their elevation in comparrison to the bottom of the trench changes, as they fly along. It's like a boxer bobbing and weaving before the other guy throws a punch. You see where the punch is coming (pick up on the tl blasts with sensors) and change the way you move a little bit to miss the punch (make a very slight adjustment to your course) and you make an arcing path. TL accuracy is bad already before you reach the trench.