Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP
Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2 9/18/84; site peora.UUCP
Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!mhuxr!mhuxt!houxm!vax135!petsd!peora!joel
From: joel@peora.UUCP (Joel Upchurch)
Newsgroups: net.sf-lovers
Subject: Re: Empire Troops Uniforms (and Blasters)
Message-ID: <1574@peora.UUCP>
Date: Wed, 4-Sep-85 11:20:35 EDT
Article-I.D.: peora.1574
Posted: Wed Sep  4 11:20:35 1985
Date-Received: Thu, 5-Sep-85 20:07:55 EDT
References: <3497@topaz.RUTGERS.EDU>
Organization: Perkin-Elmer SDC, Orlando, Fl.
Lines: 32

>From: Alastair Milne <milne@uci-icse>
>  I  see  no  real  reason,  though,  to  assume  that  blasters  are
>  particularly  modern;  and  I'm  pretty  certain  that  the  use of
>  lightsabres  could  never  have  been  common,  since  using   them
>  effectively  required  training  with  the  Force.  For the average
>  fighter, the blaster has probably been the  weapon  of  choice  for
>  quite a while.

        I don't agree.  While a Jedi Knight can use a light saber much
        more  effectively  than  a  ordinary person, that doesn't mean
        that a ordinary soldier, with the  proper  training,  couldn't
        make good use of one.  In close combat, A light saber would be
        more useful than a blaster.  I will admit  that  only  a  Jedi
        could deflect blaster shots, like Luke did on Jabba the Hutt's
        barge, since that would seem to require prescience.

        On a related topic, are blasters projectile or energy weapons?
        I  had  assumed  that  they were energy weapons, but I noticed
        that when I was watching 'The Empire Strikes Back' on  tape  a
        couple  of  nights  ago,  that  the  results  were more like a
        explosive projectile.  I also noticed what  seemed  to  be  an
        ammo clip on one blaster.

        Since, I don't recall ever seeing anyone reload a  blaster,  I
        would  have to postulate a very small projectile, like a small
        needle, so that each blaster could fire a  hundred  rounds  or
        more  without reloading.  It would also have an extremely high
        muzzle velocity, since KE = 1/2MV**2.

        Also do you remember Darth Vader  deflecting  a  blaster  bolt
        with  his  hand  in  TESB?  What  kind of armor is he wearing?
        Also notice that it didn't stop a light saber!