hvb wrote:
It is not clear however from Spartans the text that the superlaser is supposed to achieve this result in one shot, and if we use the '3,5 frames of survival for Alderaan' calc of 7e37 J again by mr. big, the Eclipse type superlaser would need 8 shots to bring it down, then a shot at less then half-power to take out the rest of the shield + 1 continent.
(this assumes that the shield did not recharge/dissipate the energy/whatever of course, which SW shields seem to do)
Excellent observations but let's clear a few things up:
1. Controlling the output of the superlaser in not really an issue. We see the DS2 down scale it shots from a minimum on 1E38 J to at most 1E25J. Mon Cals have shielding roughly equivalent to an ISD. In the film the explosion is just enough to consume the liberty. Ie its not E13 times more powerful, there would have been no rebel or imperial fleet after such a discharge.
Controlling the output is actually very easy; the ESD needs time to charge the superlaser. So the reactors are running at peak and topping off the power cells. We know that this must be so because the ESD’s hypermatter reactor is many time smaller that the DS reactors (this also indicates that despite their advances the recharge rate can‘t be anywhere near DS level). The answer then is Simple; don't tap all the power cells when you fire.
2. Determining the shield output is not a problem either. Here is a quote from the EGW&T on Torpedo Spheres:
The Sphere enters orbit around the world and uses its thousands of DERs (Dedicated Energy Receptors) designed to analysis shield emissions to find weak points in the shield. These weak points rarely exceed a 20% power drop, but that is sufficient enough for the Sphere to bring down the planetary shields.
The proton torpedo tubes are arranged in an inverted conical formation. Surrounding these torpedo tubes are 10 turbolaser batteries. It takes nearly one hundred heavy weapon technicians to co-ordinate the torpedo tubes. The target area rarely exceeds 6 meters square. The hole is a power surge that only lasts for a few microseconds. If the turbolasers have not made their shots in time, if there is a mistake in calculations or the gunnery crews are even slightly off, the process of analysis, bombardment and targeting must be repeated all over again.
The most difficult step of the process is exactly determining where the shield generators are located. Unfortunately sensors cannot penetrate the full planetary shields, so the crew of the Torpedo Sphere must study the power waves within the shield to determine where the initial power is coming from, once found the Sphere will launch a volley of torpedoes at the target area causing a hole for a brief period, where the turbolaser shots will pass through and destroy the shield generator to bring down the planetary shields.
So we know that dedicated sensors exist solely for the purpose of determining planetary shield capacities, and that these sensors study the power waves within the shield. Further they are so sensitive that they can locate individual shield generator by there output and target them.
3. Watch ANH again the chain leading up to the firing of the superlaser.; passes through many technicians and officers all the way up to the vessels captain, who needs Grand Moff level authorization to discharge the weapon. Think about how strategic missiles are handled, and how many checks and authentications are required to launch. Further the gunners who work the superlaser are describe in the Deathstar sourcebook as the finest in the galaxy, I'm sure that reps not just from pointing and clicking.
4. It’s possible but unlikely that the ESD might need to two shot at a planetary shield. The recharge rate can't be anywhere near that of DS2, which recharged at minimum 8 times faster than DS1 did. Even if the ESD recharged in one hour (doubtful there are tremendous amount of waste heat that need to be radiated, and a low surface area to do it from), I doubt that the ships systems could fire eight consecutive shot. The ESD might not have enough fuel for that many shots; we're talking about a strategic weapon after all.
Finally, from the torpedo sphere quote that you can locally breach a planetary shield if you hit a 6-meter area with enough power and strike the planets surface. I haven't measured the diameter of the ESD superlaser iris; but it should be able to concentrate its fire on a small enough area to breach the shield, without resorting to planet killer level firepower.
5. Lastly the quote I reference is From the Dark Empire Sourcebook p 88.
"The enemy outnumbers us a paltry three to one. Good odds for any Greek...."
"Spartans. Ready your breakfast and eat hearty--For tonight we dine in hell!" ~ King Leonidas of Sparta.
) beams in the main weapon.
. One minuscule calc/programming error by a lowly fire tech, and the planet dosn't loose a continent (and learn a lesson) it blows up in sloooow motion 
.
