Stark wrote:I think its helpful to talk about what the frustrations or roadblocks you've had around your setting are. In my experience if you keep in mind the events, themes, vignettes or people you want to see in the stories you want to tell, you can start connecting things together until the answers you need emerge by themselves.
So with the idea of 20th century in space, what are the frustrations you're having around how you want to explore that?
Right now it's two key words "social interaction", without going into needless descriptions or drawn out stories, everything I know about the modern world I've taught my self, religious home schooling tends to leave out most everything important unless it's conforms to a particular point of view, but that's neither here nor there and not important right now.
I'm having problems with simple interactions, I know what I want to happen, I know how I want it to happen, but I'm having trouble pulling the pieces together, oh and may I add, before I started working on this story I had dabbled in writing several times but nothing ever came of it, partly because, to be blunt, I didn't know what the hell I was talking about. after several failed attempts and lots of stupid/nonsensical technobable I decided it might be best if I "learn my self some facts" (I'm from Texas by the way) and at least try to sound like I know what I'm talking about.
Any ways, (sorry, some times I can a bit ADHD) at one point there's an interaction between two men, this is just before a briefing on an invasion that is about to take place, but in this particular scene/line of dialog, the two men are talking privately, I'll see if I can setup the scenario for you.
A large invasion force, without going into details, is about to jump to within a short distance (in space "a short distance" is relative) of a heavily fortified world and, well, invade.
They know what they have to do as officers, but this does not hide the fact that both men have long time friends and close family both in the ships above, and in the army corps that are about to be landing on the surface on this world, they understand why this world is important as well.
First of all the planet is extremely important in this setting meaning the usage of ship to ship weapons or any other weapon for that matter that would able to bring down the planets protective theater shield would also damage the planet, the planet's landmasses consist on large groups of islands meaning any surface campaign to knock out the shield and therefore take the world is going to be long bloody affair, which creates a setting very similar to WWII in the pacific, hell to even put boots on the ground their going to have to use unorthodox methods to get through the damn shield.
How do I convey, to you the reader, the fear, the sadness, the pre-battle euphoria or anxiety that these two men are feeling right now, and how do I, in story, maintain their professionalism to the rest of the crew, seeing as they are both leaders of men.
This is just one example by the way, there are others where the interactions are much more personal and in one case is nothing more than a battle hardened general being reduced to a shy 16 year
old by his daughter because he almost stood up his first date in twenty damn years, never mind the irony that she is going down the same road he did and may be in the same place twenty years from now.
Sorry if that was to descriptive.
Well, to get back to way back and your missiles. I think you neglected point defense. Unless your missiles are faster than light, and even if they are, over ranges of several AU you are still looking at minutes of flight time. Minutes the enemy would spend best just chucking flak in front of your shells. It does not even have to hit it right away, just make what is essentially a mine field. A field of debris would probably be the best possible shield in such a setting unless your missiles are really smart or really well armored.
More food for thought, I think I was looking at them being used in manner very similar to modern anti ship missiles, fired from a long way off, in an effort to prevent detection, travels at very high speeds (ie FTL, but just barely) also in an effort to prevent detection, however, if as you've said the enemy is able to see the incoming weapons and put up a defensive barrier, ala NBSG and their flak fields which would make for some great eye candy, but now rather useless pieces wreckage... yeah might have to think that one through some more... however, seeing as if at least one of the missiles does get through, the targeted ship is toast as the warhead which the missile carries is powerful enough to destroy the ship, depending on it's size, out right.
I'm going back to the drawing board on this one, maybe make a couple of tweaks.
And as always I'm all ears for any more tips or suggestions.