[RFC] Weapon Tech: Boarding Torpedo

[Star Ranger4]

Split from: RFC for Tailed ones

In mid 2020 an unknown pirate group attacked Liberatrix. The Liberatrix Defense Force shot down many of the Pirates craft, the few ‘enter torpedos’ the asteroid was easily repulsed by the catgirls close to their docking point. Two days later an United Belt Alliance craft approached to advertise their new defense organization. But the catgirls were very agitated and not in a mood to discuss the topic and some of them had already asked for help from Jenga.

   

I believe Starcrash called them "boarding torpedoes"...

Yes, "boarding torpedos" was the right word... already fixed it in my internal document.

OK, so a small assault vehicle, with probably one to four troops onboard, small cross-section so it is more difficult to spot with sensors or target with weapons, and some (one shot?) method of penetrating any armour or hull so the troops can be inserted into the target.  All Freudian references to be avoided, of course. [grin]
Not the way most people would want to arrive at a tourist destination...
From the point of view of defenders, sound like a really good reason to invest in a force field rather than just depending on physical defences...

[quote='Ace Dreamer']I'd expect "drop pods" to be something for inserting troops into somewhere with a significant gravity well, and quite often an atmosphere.  For that you'd probably want heat shields, maybe a parachute, possibly fast decelleration tech just before landing.  No need for a means to penetrate defences, unless you are assaulting a bunker from orbit, and I really wouldn't recommend that.
So, I could argue rather different operational requirements.  Unless, maybe, you think your tech level is a lot better than the people you're attacking, so you can afford to use multi-role vehicles.

its a matter of applications.
"The Boarding Torpedo is as much terror weapon as anything else; at least when it was initally introducded by the Boskones. Loaded with 4-6 of their ($$retrieve name) troops, these were used to litterally shoot bording troups into secondary boarding locations. This forced either the defenders to weaken their main defenses to deal with the new threat or leave highly cybered insane thionite addicts rampaging their rear areas. These troops were also considered highly expendable; after insertion they would be expected to link back up with the main force for extraction.
They were also often shot off as a nasty 'parting gift' vs harder targets; with the full expectation that their 'payload' would NOT be recovered, but simply create as much devestation as possible before their termination by either thionite withdrawal or actuall 'friendly' action"

I would guess that pirate/mercenary used "Boarding Torpedos" are a little bit better armored and can be used to leave the ship again... because they lack the "throw away" troops. *G*

*nods* Or that if they are used it because the pirates are expecting to capture the ship and not NEED extraction. Your right that they wouln't consider any of their troops truely expendable. the DELIVERY platform, maybe. I think thats' where I was going with my vision for the boarding torps. they are ment to punch into the interior instead of forcing you to 'cut open' a lock or whatever. but maybe not so good for getting back home.

[quote='Rob Kelk']Yes... but waved assault robots can be risky in Fenspace... you never know if they do as told... or if they give you the ship afterwards.

*nods* Or that if they are used it because the pirates are expecting to capture the ship and not NEED extraction. Your right that they wouln't consider any of their troops truely expendable. the DELIVERY platform, maybe. I think thats' where I was going with my vision for the boarding torps. they are ment to punch into the interior instead of forcing you to 'cut open' a lock or whatever. but maybe not so good for getting back home.

Yes, might be. Did not wanted to go into details for the story of the company. *G*

I think the true horror of the Berserkers (or even just thionite doped troops) is the "This is what we do to you if you resist/fail/cheat me" aspect, rather than the fact that they're throwaway or expendable. That's what'll happen to you, or your family or your friends if you don't pay up your protection money, run from battle or just plain not do what you're told.
Terror, fear and horror are the Boskone's biggest weapons. And the 'comfy chair'

Hear that thunder rolling till it seems to split the sky?
That's every ship in Grayson's Navy taking up the cry-
NO QUARTER!!!
-- "No Quarter", by Echo's Children

[Rakhasa]

How could I miss this on the catgirl thread? The boarding torpedo looks like a miniature version of the Ariete boarding ram ships... It is the version built by people that do not have access to a big shipyard and a reinforced materials industry. Independent developments, or a Boskonian copy (which would piss the Belter Marines to no end...)?

(P.D. I really do need to start making wiki entries, because my backlog is getting embarrassing. I promise I will have a posting spree once I finally finish Marduk this week)

[Ace Dreamer]

So, this is the Fenspace equivalent of the marine assault team going in in a rubber dinghy? [grin]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inflatable_boat

I think Flash Gordon-style assault robots in bright metal with drills on the top of their heads might suit...
--
"It is the business of the future to be dangerous" - Hawkwind

[robkelk]

So, this is the Fenspace equivalent of the marine assault team going in in a rubber dinghy? [grin]

Pretty much, yes.

I think Flash Gordon-style assault robots in bright metal with drills on the top of their heads might suit...

They might, but there weren't very many robots in Starcrash.

Oh, and a "proper" boarding torpedo has to enter through a huge plate-glass window, shattering the window in the process (but not letting any air escape). Otherwise it's not true to Starcrash...
--
Rob Kelk
"Governments have no right to question the loyalty of those who oppose
them. Adversaries remain citizens of the same state, common subjects of
the same sovereign, servants of the same law."

- Michael Ignatieff, addressing Stanford University in 2012

[Ace Dreamer]

What I want to know is...

Can I use War Rocket Ajax as a boarding torpedo? [grin]



http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flash_Gordon_%28film%29
--
"It is the business of the future to be dangerous" - Hawkwind

[HRogge]

So, this is the Fenspace equivalent of the marine assault team going in in a rubber dinghy? [grin]

http://fenspace.net/index.php5?title=Ciara#Jaguars *grin*

[Ace Dreamer]

So, this is the Fenspace equivalent of the marine assault team going in in a rubber dinghy? [grin]

http://fenspace.net/index.php5?title=Ciara#Jaguars *grin*

You can't reference those - those are rigid construction, not inflatable, flexible, rubber. [grin]
--
"It is the business of the future to be dangerous" - Hawkwind

[Star Ranger4]

So, this is the Fenspace equivalent of the marine assault team going in in a rubber dinghy? [grin]

more like shooting them in via a discarding sabot shell cruise missile than a RHIB
Hear that thunder rolling till it seems to split the sky?
That's every ship in Grayson's Navy taking up the cry-
NO QUARTER!!!
-- "No Quarter", by Echo's Children

[HRogge]

You can't reference those - those are rigid construction, not inflatable, flexible, rubber. [grin]

I admit that "rigid hull" and "inflatable boats" seems to be a contradiction in itself.

[Rakhasa]

You can't reference those - those are rigid construction, not inflatable, flexible, rubber. [grin]

I admit that "rigid hull" and "inflatable boats" seems to be a contradiction in itself.

So, exactly how many Mads have taken this as a challenge?
  

[Star Ranger4]

First Wikification Pass:

Boarding Torpedoes:

Its notthing like sneaking up on a ship in a RHIB.  You are being shot into a ship as the payload of a CRUISE MISSLE

While there have been other groups who have used it for various reasons the Boarding Torpedo has always been seen as a terror weapon; partly because it was first used by the Boskone during the height of their power during the war.

The BT is a basic cylinder of varying size; from small enough to hold a single standing person to six seated troops. At one end is a hardened Penetrating tip, the other a high thrust short duration Acceleration drive. An inertial dampening field to keep the passenger from turning to mush is, sadly, optional. Its pointed at the target and the accelleration drive triggered. The kinetic force generated is used to punch the torpedo through the hull of a ship or asteroid, allowing the carried 'human' payload to be deployed INSIDE the target's defenses instead of fighting their way in. Once inside the torpedo either opens, or more often, is pretty much destroyed by the 'penetration event' leaving its cargo (assuming it survives) free to engage in whatever its mission is.

And that is where the Terror part of the weapon comes in. Standard Boskonian tactics were to literally shoot boarding troops into secondary boarding locations. Said troops were Beserkers or some other poor Thionite addict in early stages of withdrawal. This forced either the defenders to weaken their main defenses to deal with the new threat or leave highly cybered insane thionite addicts rampaging their rear areas. These troops were also considered highly expendable; after insertion they would be expected to link back up with the main force for extraction. If they failed to arrive, it was no sweat off the mission commanders nose and they were simply left behind.

They were also often shot off as a nasty 'parting gift' with the full expectation that their 'payload' would NOT be recovered, but simply create as much devastation as possible before their termination by either thionite withdrawal or the defenders.

I think the true horror of the Berserkers (or even
just thionite doped troops) is the "This is what we do to you if you
resist/fail/cheat me" aspect, rather than the fact that they're
throwaway or expendable. That's what'll happen to you, or your family or
your friends if you don't pay up your protection money, run from battle
or just plain not do what you're told.

Terror, fear and horror are the Boskone's biggest weapons. And the 'comfy chair'

Their first confirmed deployment by Boskonian forces happened at the same time the first Ariette class APCs were committed to combat by Great Justice. While this caused some initial speculation of a chicken and egg nature; its now held that its a simple coincidence due to parallel development tracks on both sides of the war.

While this device also seems well suited for Pirate boarding actions; the all or nothing aspect of HAVING to capture the target or not having a way home does not appeal to the smart captain who considered a well trained and motivated crew his most valuable asset. There are rumors about craft like this in pirate service, but its much more likely that any such craft are actually minaturized versions of an Ariette class APC.
Hear that thunder rolling till it seems to split the sky?
That's every ship in Grayson's Navy taking up the cry-
NO QUARTER!!!
-- "No Quarter", by Echo's Children

[Ace Dreamer]

That sounds good. Boarding torpedo = abblative penetrative assault vehicle
--
"It is the business of the future to be dangerous" - Hawkwind

[HRogge]

Sounds fine... especially the comment that most "new/pirate" variants are more like miniature APCs...

[Star Ranger4]

posted to wiki.

http://www.fenspace.net/i...5?title=Boarding_Torpedo
Hear that thunder rolling till it seems to split the sky?
That's every ship in Grayson's Navy taking up the cry-
NO QUARTER!!!
-- "No Quarter", by Echo's Children

[Ace Dreamer]

posted to wiki.

http://www.fenspace.net/i...5?title=Boarding_Torpedo

You might want to throw-in that some have a self-sealing capability, so that they become part of whatever wall or window/porthole they penetrate, causing minimum atmosphere to be lost.
Mentioning that some infrequently maintained habitats still have the odd boarding torpedo solidly as part of their structure, years after the end of the Boskone War, might be another possibility.
--
"It is the business of the future to be dangerous" - Hawkwind