Deus Ex Machina

Admiral Valdemar · Post by **Admiral Valdemar** » 2003-08-31 02:16pm

What in your mind is the most lethal weapon ever devised by mankind?

My current favourite is Project Pluto (also known as Bolo and "The Flying Crowbar") which spawned S.L.A.M. or Supersonic Low-Altitude Missile.

http://www.merkle.com/pluto/pluto.html

I seriously would love to have seen this thing fly, even if it wiped out whole nations and started wars as it flewby.

So, anything else? VX gas perhaps? Genetically specific diseases? Stealth vehicles? Nuclear subterrenes? Satellite based lasers?

Xenophobe3691 · Post by **Xenophobe3691** » 2003-08-31 02:45pm

The most lethal weapon invented by mankind?

The Vasectomy/Hysterectomy.

You never said how it was supposed to reduce the population...

DPDarkPrimus · Post by **DPDarkPrimus** » 2003-08-31 03:00pm

Religion.

Xenophobe3691 · Post by **Xenophobe3691** » 2003-08-31 03:06pm

DPDarkPrimus wrote:Religion.

Damn, I've been beat.

kojikun · Post by **kojikun** » 2003-08-31 03:07pm

Independent thought and the ability to override instinct. The irony is that its also the most helpful weapon in combating death. A two edged sword, so to speak.

Jadeite · Post by **Jadeite** » 2003-08-31 04:26pm

Pluto is the greatest weapon ever.

Admiral Valdemar · Post by **Admiral Valdemar** » 2003-08-31 08:25pm

Not the answers I expected but they all qualify.

Post by **Sea Skimmer** » 2003-08-31 08:28pm

The metallic cartridge

Admiral Valdemar · Post by **Admiral Valdemar** » 2003-08-31 08:50pm

Bah, what can a simple piece of metal do? I can't see it changing warfare, no siree.

*Grabs crossbow*

Post by **Sea Skimmer** » 2003-08-31 08:57pm

Admiral Valdemar wrote:Bah, what can a simple piece of metal do? I can't see it changing warfare, no siree.

*Grabs crossbow*

*Readies almost every rifle, machine gun and artillery piece used in WW1, WW2, Korea and Vietnam for firing at Admiral Valdemar*

Admiral Valdemar · Post by **Admiral Valdemar** » 2003-08-31 09:04pm

*Raises Wile E. Coyote placard reading "Yipe!"*

Arrow · Post by **Arrow** » 2003-08-31 09:11pm

Particle Cannons! I love the idea of shooting high energy particles at a target.

Xenophobe3691 · Post by **Xenophobe3691** » 2003-08-31 10:09pm

Arrow Mk84 wrote:Particle Cannons! I love the idea of shooting high energy particles at a target.

Then use a shotgun!

EmperorMing · Post by **EmperorMing** » 2003-08-31 11:17pm

The Manchurian Candidate...

Imagine doing this to entire cities or populations...

Raoul Duke, Jr. · Post by **Raoul Duke, Jr.** » 2003-08-31 11:21pm

Vorlon1701 wrote:
Arrow Mk84 wrote:Particle Cannons! I love the idea of shooting high energy particles at a target.
Then use a shotgun!

LMFAO!!! Maybe it's the Vicodan I just took for my tooth, but that's hilarious!

phongn · Post by **phongn** » 2003-09-01 01:04am

Pluto was a fun weapon, and that's my two cents about it.

Post by **The Yosemite Bear** » 2003-09-01 03:21am

*readies Lump tebuchet*

Now are me, Dalton, Aron, Lord Dice, Mr. Poe & Ancaris the ammo or the counterwieght?

Companion Cube · Post by **Companion Cube** » 2003-09-01 06:25am

Admiral Valdemar wrote:What in your mind is the most lethal weapon ever devised by mankind?

My current favourite is Project Pluto (also known as Bolo and "The Flying Crowbar") which spawned S.L.A.M. or Supersonic Low-Altitude Missile.

Bloody Hell.

Not a nice idea.

Still, at least they never used the thing....

Arrow · Post by **Arrow** » 2003-09-01 08:08am

Vorlon1701 wrote:
Arrow Mk84 wrote:Particle Cannons! I love the idea of shooting high energy particles at a target.
Then use a shotgun!

This is going O/T, but why does a shot gun always seem to work in Scifi!?!

Raoul Duke, Jr. · Post by **Raoul Duke, Jr.** » 2003-09-08 05:16pm

Arrow Mk84 wrote:
Vorlon1701 wrote:
Arrow Mk84 wrote:Particle Cannons! I love the idea of shooting high energy particles at a target.
Then use a shotgun!
This is going O/T, but why does a shot gun always seem to work in Scifi!?!

It's a dramatic device. When all the fancy shmancy gadgets fall short, leave it to the Good Ol' Amer'kin Dubble-barrel 12-gauge to git the job done!

Apparently, it's a "Country boy can sur-vive" kinda riff, and just hasn't run out of gas yet.

EmperorChrostas the Cruel · Post by **EmperorChrostas the Cruel** » 2003-09-08 06:07pm

Why does a club still work in sci fi?
Why does martial arts still work in sci fi?
How many are killed per year with ROCKS?
No weapon is obsolete to either the man being killed, or doing the killing.
The sheer raw firepower, that's why!
Shotguns are about the only easily portable one man Giantkillers.
They have the advantage of not needing a dead on shot to hit with, and multiple targets can be hit at once.

The belching fire and roaring boom are intimidating, to say the least!
This is a weapon that can litteraly blow you in half!
The tradeoff in range is well worth it in it's chosen use, namely breaching doors, and clearing rooms without bringing the walls down, or killing the next door neighbors after going through 5 walls!
Not to mention the anti-mob effect. When causualties come in groups of 3-10, the "invincibility" of the mob evapourates into screaming panic.
Nothing like 20 people spilling their blood and guts on the tarmac to let the mob get a reality check about consequences.
The odds of getting hit grow disproportionatly larger in the minds of the mob.
The barrel swings your way, and....

Nathan F · Post by **Nathan F** » 2003-09-08 07:35pm

DPDarkPrimus wrote:Religion.

Asst. Asst. Lt. Cmdr. Smi · Post by **Asst. Asst. Lt. Cmdr. Smi** » 2003-09-08 08:34pm

Nuclear weapons. That 21,000-pound MOAB that was recently detonated is nowhere near as powerful as the nuke dropped on Hiroshima 58 years earlier.

I also like the various methods of riot control out there. When I hear of a new, pain-inflicting device, I actually start to look forward to the next G8 summit.

Jadeite · Post by **Jadeite** » 2003-09-08 09:20pm

I also like the various methods of riot control out there. When I hear of a new, pain-inflicting device, I actually start to look forward to the next G8 summit.

Heh, I always look forward to watching the rioting, its like todays equivalent of a blood sport.

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