Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.1 6/24/83; site ttidcc.UUCP Path: utzoo!linus!philabs!ttidca!ttidcc!hollombe From: hollombe@ttidcc.UUCP (The Polymath) Newsgroups: net.sf-lovers Subject: Re: SF-LOVERS Digest V10 #374 Message-ID: <733@ttidcc.UUCP> Date: Tue, 24-Sep-85 18:45:42 EDT Article-I.D.: ttidcc.733 Posted: Tue Sep 24 18:45:42 1985 Date-Received: Fri, 27-Sep-85 06:40:14 EDT References: <3748@topaz.RUTGERS.EDU> Reply-To: hollombe@ttidcb.UUCP (The Polymath) Organization: The Cat Factory Lines: 41 Summary: In article <3748@topaz.RUTGERS.EDU> BARD@MIT-XX.ARPA writes: >From: Bard Bloom >Maybe light-sabres are more expensive than blasters? Or maybe it >costs more (money, time, talent) to train people in light-sabre than >in blaster? > >Or perhaps light-sabres are more sporting (you can run from them, sometimes) >and not appropriate for the Empire to use. > >Or maybe you can learn to use the Force from light-sabre training, and >the Empire doesn't want ten billion grunts running around with >moderate skill in the Force. Who knows? Maybe one of them will be >stronger than Darth Vader. I'm jumping in blindfolded here because our news software was down for almost 2 weeks and I've missed a lot. This appears to be a discussion of why Jedi use light sabers and Imperial Storm Troopers don't. For a pretty good discussion of why modern soldiers aren't equipped with swords see Heinlein's _Glory Road_. The basic premise is that almost any moron can be taught to point and shoot a rifle in a matter of weeks. To be seriously good with a sword takes _years_ of loving practice. The sword is, in some ways, a superior weapon. It's better for close-in, hand to hand combat and it never jams or runs out of ammunition. The training factor is what makes it impractical for use by grunts. There is the problem that a blaster allows attack from a distance. The Jedi appear to get around this by being so good they can deflect blaster bolts with their sabers. Imagine trying to teach _that_ technique to a platoon of raw storm-trooper recruits (evolution in action? (-: ). -_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_ The Polymath (aka: Jerry Hollombe) Citicorp(+)TTI Common Sense is what tells you that a ten 3100 Ocean Park Blvd. pound weight falls ten times as fast as a Santa Monica, CA 90405 one pound weight. (213) 450-9111, ext. 2483 {philabs,randvax,trwrb,vortex}!ttidca!ttidcc!hollombe Brought to you by Super Global Mega Corp .com