Latest real-world weaponry

[BTAxis]

Well, like I said I really didn't think about them all that much. It's just that I'm trying to justify the headgear slot to myself, and so far nothing has really managed to do that. I'm not impressed with the suggestions given in this thread, considering we also plan on doing implants AND weapon modifications. There's only so many bonuses you can give, and simply stacking them seems like a bad idea to me.

[Frungy]

I had an idea for a new weapon/item. I don't know precisely how to categorise it, but it would probably fall under "miscellaneous". From the discussion about stealth and sight ranges it struck me that one of the most perceptive alien races also has highly developed hearing,
Ortnok - "The eyes are covered with surgically-implanted lenses that improve the Ortnok's already excellent vision, stretching it into the infrared spectrum. The ears consist of a series of small cavities, three on either side of the head, which are surprisingly large and well-developed. Given the evidence we must conclude that Ortnoks have acute hearing..." (http://ufoai.ninex.info/wiki/index.php/Aliens/Ortnok)

It struck me that they might be sensitive to some sort of sonics. Now I'm not talking about "sonic guns" or anything, but rather a much simpler (and arguably more effective) device that would emit sounds in a frequency inaudible to humans, but at least very distracting to the aliens, and at best actually painful and disorienting. The Sheevar, with unusually large quantities of bone in their skulls might also be vulnerable to similar frequencies.

This "weapon" could take the form of an add-on to the drop-ship (e.g. a large transmitter that screams these frequencies across the battlefield), or perhaps a series of transmitters on poles that soldiers plant into the ground as they go. Hell, if you want to be slightly tongue-in-cheek about it you could even have soldiers trotting into battle with boom-boxes playing, "Yodelling Hits 2030", or "The Best of Bagpipes". I'd call the item a "screamer", because that is basically the effect its trying to achieve. It's difficult to concentrate in battle with someone screaming in your ears all the time.

This could even develop into a whole tech branch with sonic staves (although I'd prefer to visualise this as a sonic naginata) - a weapon that emits a pulse of sound designed to resonate with alien physiology to bypass their natural defenses, new flash-bangs - designed to emit frequencies that are more effective against a wider range of aliens, and eventually possibly even crystalline rounds designed to penetrate skin and then emit a sound pulse that is amplified and damages internal organs, before shattering and inflicting a little damage (the plus with this round is that bone could also carry the sound to the auditory nerves and have a stunning effect).

This sort of idea has been around for a while, I think the military investigated the idea back in the 60's, Kate Bush wrote a song about it. ... oh, and there's also, "Day of the Killer Tomotoes", but I don't think we want to go there.

[Captain Bipto]

I think the headgear slot is going to become deadweight. After all, once powered armor becomes available why wouldn't it already have headgear items built into it's own helmet? Spending time working on something that ultimately is going to be marginalized seems like a waste of your time.

I think the headgear slot should be reserved for head based implants which would be useful throughout the mid to late game instead of head items whose use tapers off mid to late game. The goggles are a cool idea man, it just seems it would eb hard to justify continued use of head hardware once those powered armor suits roll out.

Of course none of this really matters if powered armor is to be an extreme end game item.

@Frungy: heh thats a clever idea. I have not used flashbangs against Ortnoks, are they effective? If not then perhaps sonic devices could be an improved flashbang. 

[BigFan]

G'day all..

Just wondering if there is/or will be added some kind of ranged stunning weapon..

A researchable tranq that will be available after doin a set amount of autopsy's to test effectiveness.
A short ranged tazer like weapon, could work just like stun-rod with 2 settings with varying TU usage, make these TU's higher than the stun-rod to balance the fact that it can be used a short range.. 2-4 squares..

just pondering while waiting on reply to posts..

[Captain Bipto]

There are gas grenades in the game already. Also I *think* the electrolaser may be another ranged stun weapon which is being developed.

[keybounce]

It struck me that they might be sensitive to some sort of sonics. Now I'm not talking about "sonic guns" or anything, but rather a much simpler (and arguably more effective) device that would emit sounds in a frequency inaudible to humans, but at least very distracting to the aliens, and at best actually painful and disorienting.... oh, and there's also, "Day of the Killer Tomotoes", but I don't think we want to go there.

"Teen-age cell phone ring tones!". Inaudible to adults, painful to aliens.

And what's wrong with "Puberty Love" from "Attack of the Killer Tomatoes"? We can always use sheet music if they get earmuffs later on to invalidate our sonic weapons.

[Valis]

Speaking of latest real-world weaponry and sonic weapons please watch this presentation: http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/woody_norris_invents_amazing_things.html

Maybe sonic weapons are not that far away as we think :>

[keybounce]

And what's wrong with "Puberty Love" from "Attack of the Killer Tomatoes"? We can always use sheet music if they get earmuffs later on to invalidate our sonic weapons.

My trolling skills are going down. No one responded.

Alright, why are the alien techs FIXED? We've got aliens that are vulnerable to sonic weapons. We design and deploy sonic weapons; apparently these aliens have never had anyone do this to them yet.

So why don't they develop earplugs/earmuffs/something else just as simple?

Very serious: Why not have the aliens tech increase in response to our tech increases?

Sure, we can do a better second generation that relies on vibrations that bypass the ear and target the internet sensor organs; imagine a sonic weapon that has the natural resonance frequency of the earbones. Ear plugs won't help at all.

The next weapon war might be noise cancellation; we can do that with modern earmuffs now. Maybe the aliens have a noise cancellation emitter in the middle of their UFO's after a while, so that while it is intact (not destroyed; not crashed) then no sonic weapon is effective inside the UFO but is effective outside the UFO.

Etc.

[Darkpriest667]

Speaking of latest real-world weaponry and sonic weapons please watch this presentation: http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/woody_norris_invents_amazing_things.html

Maybe sonic weapons are not that far away as we think :>

The israelis have been using them for at least 2  years...


the non lethal versions anyway... the US DOD has several lethal sonic weapons... still classified... youd be amazed at the goodies that never hit the market or the mainstream military... all in the name of ethics and morals.... Really i thought when it came to killing people morality was one of those optional things.. apparently not...