In star by star...

it makes several metions of magma missles. So I want to know are they the ongs equivilent to proton torps?

 

My guess is that it is just super heated rocks.

 

I'd think that these magma-plasma missles were the Vongs primary weapon on all their ships. They can get to be pretty big, and go pretty far too, so they work good in long range.

The Vong ships can also shoot out grutchins, which I guess are like big preying mantises that eat through a ships hull.

 

Didnt they mention that the missiles cooled turning into meteorites in SxS? That indicated to me that it was just molten rock being flung at top rates of speed.

 

So if they traveled at long distances that would mean they got cooler and less effective?

 

"Didnt they mention that the missiles cooled turning into meteorites in SxS? That indicated to me that it was just molten rock being flung at top rates of speed."

That's how I always understood it...

 

I noticed that too. They mentioned that the missles cooled down in to rock, making me think that they were shooting out molten rock of some work. But they also mentioned plasma weapons on the OVng ships...
So it could just be a mistake and they're using the terms interchangeably, or there could be two different things. I would think plasma balls would be better than molten rock...

Here's another question, how would plasma react in space? woulld it solidify or varporize?

 

BFC...
"I would think plasma balls would be better than molten rock.."

It actually depends on the defense. We know SW uses two completely different defense systems - particle shielding and ray/energy shielding. Particle shielding is good against physical attack and energy shielding is good against energy attack.

For the most part, particle shielding is kept up constantly on ships, essentially creating a stronger hull and it's energy shielding which is shifted around to wherever its needed the most.

However, if a ship had weaker particle shielding and stronger energy shielding, then the magma missiles would be devastating against it.

If a ship had stronger particle shielding and weaker energy shielding, then the magma missiles wouldn't be as destructive.

Plasma balls would be up in the air - being charged particles, it offers the best of both worlds in terms of balanced devastation. However, whether there's a trade-off in terms of effectiveness of component parts is unknown.

 

how would plasma react in space? woulld it solidify or varporize?

Plasma is a high-energy, superheated, ionized form of gas. The atoms of the gas have been heated and energized to such a point that they have been stripped of some or all of their electrons. As it cools, plasma recaptures its electrons and reverts to a normal gas. It can then cool farther and become a liquid or a solid, depending on what materials it was made from.

There are only two known ways to contain plasma. One is through an intense gravitaional fied (like the Sun). The other is through a magnetic botle. Because the plasma is ionized (charged), it can be forced to move in a circular fashion through a magnetic field. This is how a fusion (plasma based) reactor would be contained.

Uncontained in space, plasma would react just like gas, spreading out and cooling according to the basic laws of Thermodynamics and Gas theory.

Kimball Kinnison

 

Thanks that makes sense.

But if Plasma is ionized, superheated gas, it would be particles and hence should be deflected by particle shields only, so how can it it also hurt ray sheilding? Unless the ray sheilds are required to absorb and dissapte heat form the plasma itself....

 

"But if Plasma is ionized, superheated gas, it would be particles and hence should be deflected by particle shields only, so how can it it also hurt ray sheilding? Unless the ray sheilds are required to absorb and dissapte heat form the plasma itself...."

Because it's Star Wars...

 

"But its Star Wars...."

Even so.....

It may not be real, but there should be some reason.....

 

As a superheated gas, plasma also emits various wavelengths of radiation (depending on the elements in the plasma). Remember, it also has a higher energy level, so it could contribute to overloading the shields (much like an ion cannon would).

Kimball Kinnison