Questions tagged [weapons]
For questions about existing weapons or designing new ones.
1,285
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Weapons that are highly impractical for infantry use IRL but more practical if wielded by something stronger or larger than a human
TL;DR: what normally crew-served or heavy weapons could be used as infantry weapons by something larger and/or stronger than a human?
Let's take the M2 Browning, or, rather the .50 Browning round it ...
5
votes
5answers
393 views
How effective would a scythe be in a one-on-one, sword-versus-scythe fight?
In one-on-one combat, with one combatant using a sword, the other the aforementioned false Death, how effective would a scythe be in combat? What tactics could be utilized with it, and what tactics ...
2
votes
1answer
124 views
What would a magnetic field do to a particle weapon?
In my sci-fi universe, there are two types of energy weapons: plasma cannons, and particle beam weapons. The way things currently are is that energy weapons are space-based, because they don't work in ...
13
votes
7answers
4k views
Any realistic ideas for a suction-based weapon?
I’ve been looking for real-life examples of suction-based weapons or weapons that work like a vacuum, violently sucking up the surrounding matter, but my search hasn’t generated any decent results. ...
4
votes
1answer
78 views
Cryogenic Hydrogen Powered Fighter Jets Design [closed]
A possible future power source for passenger airline aircraft is liquid hydrogen, and assuming we solve the safety and infrastructure issues, it's doable and much less sci-fi, as for example, a Martin ...
4
votes
2answers
160 views
What kind of charged rifles could exist in a hard sci-fi future? [closed]
Right so for a worldbuilding server I am part of I am making some weaponry. But now I got some test models done, I am unknown to what kindof weapons they are. The rp is set in 2150-2250. Not a solid ...
7
votes
8answers
4k views
Usefulness of a weapon based on throwing hot water
The people of my flat medieval fantasy world have found a rune that generates infinite boiling water, and they want to use it to kill each other. Sadly the water cannot be made with momentum included, ...
3
votes
3answers
734 views
How can an armed group travel to and attack a rival group in another country?
I have a world where the different countries feature various types of organized groups, some are criminal groups (mafia type organizations) and others are non-criminal but they are both armed and ...
4
votes
2answers
276 views
What sort of weapons manufacturing could be supported by a post-apocalyptic world?
I've just been working on this post-apocalyptic setting and was wondering what level of weapons technology it would be able to support. Essentially a combination of land degradation, global warming (...
3
votes
4answers
165 views
Crewed polearms
In ancient and late medieval combat, the pike emerged as a supreme weapon, an evolution of the spear. The pike being longer than any other melee weapon, a phalanx of pikemen would skewer the front ...
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vote
2answers
102 views
Gunpowder is delayed until around the industrial revolution, what are the results? [closed]
So gunpowder is one of those inventions that could have easily been delayed, because there was no logical reason to mix those ingredients together for an intended purpose. It thus seems reasonable ...
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1answer
111 views
Utility of Shard Spells
Background:
In my world, people can gain Enchantments (explained here) by killing a monster with their own self, and since magic is an extension of self, it counts as a simple way to gain Enchantments ...
1
vote
1answer
79 views
Uses for dragons in combat in a Renaissance-level setting with cannons, muskets, and magic? [closed]
My fantasy setting has late Renaissance-level technology with cannons and muskets, along with a moderate level of magic (i.e. Wizards and other spellcasters are well-known, but pretty uncommon). How ...
5
votes
3answers
269 views
What weapons would fossorial people use?
The fossorial people are similar to humans. They are around 3ft tall as adults. Their limbs are far stronger, and their hands and feet are larger, with the fingers being shorter and more robust, and ...
5
votes
3answers
189 views
How to kill people with blaster weapons
Recently, the R&D team found an exiting, yet unfortunately nonlethal weapon; Blaster technology. Blaster technology fires a projectile that moves at the speed of light, strikes the target, and ...
25
votes
6answers
7k views
Effect of Modern Firearms on Dinosaurs
Man vs Dinosaur. It is a relatively common trope in various Sci fi settings, most famously done in Jurassic Park. These depictions have always fascinated me. I have always been bothered, however, by ...
15
votes
11answers
3k views
Can these golems be weaponised?
In this setting, people have developed magi-tech, humanoid golems that they use for tasks such as cleaning, helping with construction, carrying heavy stuff around, etc. They are common/cheap enough ...
33
votes
4answers
2k views
How Would the Square-Cube Law change Medieval/Ancient Warfare Between Tiny Humanoids
My story has a battle between two tiny races of humanoids. Assume that both of these races have developed in relative isolation from one another so they have not had a lot of time to develop ...
2
votes
3answers
192 views
Ancient artillery, throwing bombs with slings [closed]
a sling can throw a projectile up to 400 meters or further, in some cultures children grow up training with slings and in adulthood it develops into an extension of their arm, developing the ability ...
0
votes
4answers
208 views
Damage caused by a bomb capable of deleting everything within a 20 meter radius
What kind of damage could a bomb that cause everything within a 20 meter radius to just vanish have within the Earth atmosphere?
I would imagine that it would create an implosion and inflict immediate ...
4
votes
4answers
201 views
Utility of Cherry Bomb
I had a weird idea for my fantasy setting: cherry bombs!
1-3 Cherry Bombs are Dropped by Cherry Brutes (Sakurage may be a better name for them, I'm open to suggestions) upon their death and/or ...
1
vote
2answers
122 views
Are electron particle beams effective against robots?
Electron particle beams are quite interesting weapons. What they shoot would look like a lightning bolt, and the beam keeps itself focused in an atmosphere. However the bremsstrahlung the weapons ...
6
votes
11answers
609 views
ETCs, macron accelerators, and plasma cannons! Viable alternatives to the same old space weapons?
The other day I wrote this post, asking about the possibility of an electricity based weapon. Sadly, no real feasible or possible weapon was available that could work in a vacuum with some actual ...
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2answers
144 views
Alternative Methods to Penetrating Body Armor?
This is a follow up to this question I asked a few days about methods to penetrate advanced body armor. That post primarily focused on possible methods of penetration, but this post will primarily ...
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10answers
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Are AP slugs for shotguns possible?
When writing stories I usually use war as a simple and understandable way to introduce a conflict that needs to be resolved or sweeps the character away.
To keep it interesting I need to build ...
4
votes
4answers
228 views
Methods of Conducting Electricity through a Vacuum?
The title sums up most of what I'm asking, but I'll give a bit of background. Recently I've been reading mortal engines (minor spoiler alert, so skip to the next paragraph if you'd like), and in the ...
2
votes
1answer
58 views
What is the best way to explain a weapon that create a vacuum storm pillar?
I'd like to make an explanation for scientific phenomenon that has been use in this kind of technology without accidentally suggesting that the technologies in my world are advanced enough for space ...
3
votes
4answers
152 views
What would have been required for rockets to have dominated instead of cannons?
What would have been required for rockets to have dominated historically instead of cannons as the standard artillery weapon? There was enough of an overlap that this feels like it could have been ...
9
votes
22answers
3k views
What would be needed to have melee in a near future setting alongside ranged weapons?
How possible would it be to have guns & melee co-exist in a near future setting? In this setting genetic modification is possible but difficult to do to currently alive humans. Humans have spread ...
3
votes
6answers
247 views
Realistic Rounds for Penetrating advanced body armor? A round for standard infantry against nano-machined ceramics
Ed: This is my first post here so sorry for any mistakes I made. I realize my question was kinda stupid thinking about it.
Here's the gist, I'm having issue coming up with a round for standard ...
33
votes
7answers
11k views
Can archers on the ground shoot down a hot air balloon?
As a scenario, let's say that a group of heroes is traveling in a hot air balloon as a proof-of-concept for bandit-proof travel. Some particularly well-armed bandits naturally have taken an issue with ...
3
votes
1answer
602 views
What temperature should a beam of light be at to burn through a person in a couple of seconds? [closed]
A magical technician who creates weapons with lenses, LEDs, and mirrors.
What temperature should a beam of light be at to burn through a person in a couple of seconds? Cut a bone in a couple of ...
2
votes
1answer
90 views
Optimal tracks/treads for Desert based tank
This questions sounds fairly simple but i just want to be sure.
Imagine if you have an army who's main force comprises Tanks and who have to operate mainly in a desert (think the Great Sand Sea area ...
15
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12answers
5k views
We don't use our super-weapon against strong targets. Why?
The Union (it was the only name that would translate for so many species) has found a really nice super-weapon/life-form: intelligent grey goo. It's a massive swarm of drones each about 8 feet by 4 ...
5
votes
8answers
1k views
Advanced Tech beats Combined Arms [closed]
TL;DR: If I am insistent on a nation having a single weapons system spread throughout all of its troops, how much of a technological advantage is necessary to conquer the benefits of the enemy having ...
19
votes
13answers
5k views
How would a group of elemental mages defend against guns and artillery of late WW1?
How would a group of elemental mages defend against guns and artillery of late WW1?
War rages between two nations. Both have basically the same tech level, but one doesn't use hand held guns. This is ...
16
votes
3answers
406 views
Is there a type of poison that is safe when injected but deadly if eaten?
I am writing a plot for a project I am working on, and I need to know if there is a poison that kills/incapacitates quickly (within 1 hour) when eaten, but has little effect upon injection. It needs ...
5
votes
3answers
185 views
Greatbow Utility
I know giant bows aren't a novel concept on this site, but since I am trying to figure out a good ranged option for high-level Rangers, and I have a very specific concept, I will venture.
The bow ...
2
votes
5answers
659 views
Black hole minefields
A civilization has developed black hole guns and Hawking Radiation stabilizers while warring with other civilizations in their stellar neighborhood. Currently, they can create black holes up to 1000 ...
2
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2answers
82 views
How much weaponry would a space carrier have? [closed]
By carrier I mean people
This is in the distant future so we can ignore the materials and the time it would take to make it. Lets just say the government have the required materials to make it.
The ...
27
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5answers
3k views
Bow types and their pros and cons
What bows are used for different situations and what makes them the best choice?
In my story a village is only easily accessible in one direction (Tall mountains around it and a fast river behind) ...
8
votes
22answers
5k views
How to prevent guns from working?
I'm writing a story where some agents are sent to a small town in the 80s and must work out what is going on there. However, there are no guns in the town and to prevent the agents from having an ...
24
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26answers
4k views
Logical in-universe reason for humans to continue using conventional firearms while other species use exotic weaponry?
In my world, I planned for humanity’s soldiers and civilians to use conventional, chemical-propelled firearms. There are changes of course (ETC ignition became common, more lightweight materials, ...
5
votes
2answers
421 views
Is there a weaker alternative to gunpowder?
How plausible is it to have zinc-sulfur as the main propellant of a gun in the absence of better ones, like gunpowder and smokeless powder?
If it isn't possible, is there a weaker, less effective ...
4
votes
2answers
313 views
Could missiles replace guns at the personal level?
Could small guided missiles become a practical replacement for conventional guns at the personal level?
I was thinking about the evolution of aerial warfare, and the nature of how missiles have almost ...
4
votes
4answers
222 views
Feasibility of foot launched projectile weapons
So, one of the species in a fantasy world I'm working on is a lemur like species that stands around 3-4 feet tall, or about the size and weight of baboons.
They have very strong legs with opposable ...
12
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13answers
2k views
What's the safest way to carry and throw marble sized high-explosive grenades?
Pull the context and count to three sentences
Let's imagine an army has created a kind of explosive similar to grenades, but much smaller in size while maintaining a good chunk of offensive output.
...
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1answer
75 views
More power, more plasma?
So in looking into plasma tech for a book, I looked at plasma cutters. Multiple articles I read suggested that after inverting, the input power requires around 13.4kw at around 80 amps to turn an ...
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0answers
61 views
To what extent can mania or depression be reliably pharmacologically induced with current technology? [closed]
Let's say in this world there was a nefarious government agency that had zero legal oversight wanted to induce psychological problems into a potential dissident via drugs.
To what degree could that be ...
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votes
1answer
122 views
Trying to make cavemen and dinosaur battle [closed]
I'm trying to make a world with dinosaurs but with cavemen to fight them.
Which prehistoric weapons or ways to hunt are capable to slay the beast, like T-Rex
The most complete specimen measures up to ...
