# Your favorite sci-fi weapons
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-sci-fi-weapons/69999
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion
**Created:** [June 24, 2001, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-sci-fi-weapons/69999 "2001-06-24T20:40:20Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 3
### Author:  [@wevets](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wevets)
#### Post date: [June 26, 2001, 12:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-sci-fi-weapons/69999/41 "2001-06-26T00:29:40Z")
I dunno if this one is my ‘favorite,’ but it’s the one that gives me the most chills (big guns just give me a kind of “oooh, cooool” feeling):
The “varieties” from Philip K. Dick’s story “Second Variety.”
Robots that were mass-produced without any human intervention and developed (evolved?) better and better ways of killing people, and turned on their masters.
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### Author:  [@MaxTheVool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MaxTheVool)
#### Post date: [June 26, 2001, 12:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-sci-fi-weapons/69999/42 "2001-06-26T00:45:45Z")
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again:
_Obie_ from Jack L. Chalker’s _Well of Souls_ series.
Far more satisfying than destroying an enemy planet is remaking it with all of its inhabitants being your unquestioning slaves.
Other fun choices no one has mentioned:
The Ion Beamer and Meson Cannon from the PC game _Wasteland_
The really tiny gun from _Men in Black_
The gun from _The Fifth Element_ (the ultimate in it slices/it dices/it makes julienne fries versatility)
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### Author:  [@Balance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balance)
#### Post date: [June 26, 2001, 4:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-sci-fi-weapons/69999/43 "2001-06-26T04:47:15Z")
> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by wevets \*
> Robots that were mass-produced without any human intervention and developed (evolved?) better and better ways of killing people, and turned on their masters.
…and then maybe on each other–or at least they were developing weapons suited to the job. The “claw” that always creeped me out the most was ?“Little Billy”?–the little-kid androids that would trick people into letting them into bunkers and detonate the teddy-bear bombs.
Max, the little gun from Men In Black is the Noisy Cricket–in my LARP group, we sometimes refer to a big, nasty magic weapon with a cheesy prop by the term.
A quote from Saturday’s radio traffic: “GM1 to Producer, Team 1 has fired the Noisy Cricket. Repeat: Team 1 has fired the Noisy Cricket. Tell the dragon to fall.”
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### Author:  [@Max\_the\_Immortal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_the_Immortal)
#### Post date: [June 26, 2001, 7:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-sci-fi-weapons/69999/44 "2001-06-26T07:14:58Z")
The “Boom Gun” from the Rifts setting. Okay, so it has a lame name, but it’s an 867 lb RAIL-SHOTGUN; a shoulder-mounted weapon on a power armor suit. It can turn a squad of soldier in full body armor into red mist. How cool is that?
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### Author:  [@Chocobo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chocobo)
#### Post date: [June 26, 2001, 7:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-sci-fi-weapons/69999/45 "2001-06-26T07:44:29Z")
> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by SPOOFE \*
> \*\*
>
> > [@](#):
> >
> > TIE Interceptors. All the sound and menacing look of a TIE Fighter, all the guns of an X-Wing.
>
> And no shields, hyperdrive, or internal life support. Those things were flying cardboard boxes.
>
> You want a REAL Star Wars starfighter, you go with the TIE Defender. Or an E-wing.
>
> \*\*
Yeah, well TIE Interceptors may be flying death-traps, but I personally like to fly 'em better than any other craft on X-Wing Alliance…well…maybe the TIE Advanced too. TIE Defenders lack something…we’ll call it heart (Even if they were better in a fight). They also lack aesthetic taste. I mean, TIE Interceptors gave pilots something to be afraid of. They _look_ menacing. TIE Defenders look like rejects from a 1000 piece jigsaw puzzle.
So in conclusion: TIE Defenders, the better starfighter. TIE Interceptors, the cooler starfighter.
Oh, and from Colony Wars: Vengeance…the Ion Cannon. I love that thing! Blasts capitol ships right out of the sky. (Actually, it’s that powerful…but yes, you guessed it…it LOOKS COOL!!!)
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### Author:  [@Max\_the\_Immortal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_the_Immortal)
#### Post date: [June 26, 2001, 7:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-sci-fi-weapons/69999/46 "2001-06-26T07:49:54Z")
Slight hijack, please forgive me:
A while ago I thought of a neat idea for a sci-fi energy weapon. I need to know if somebody beat me to it. If this is an original idea, some opinions would be welcome.
According to simple mathematics, X-X=0, so X+(-X)=0, so 0=X+(-X); nothing equals a positive quantity plus an equal negative quantity.
The “split pistol” (or rifle) has two energy cells; one for positive energy, and one for negative energy. Using some sci-fi tech© and the above mentioned math principle, the cells can be charged simultaneously. The charges in the two cells balance with one another; the law of conservation of energy is maintained. Energy has been “isolated”, not created. The gun can then discharge (fire) the two cells independently of one another. It fires bolts of positive energy that burst on impact with a solid object, each releasing enough heat to turn someone into vapor. It also fires bolts of negative energy, and we can all imagine how that can’t be good for the target. Whenever the two cells balance one another (or are empty), they can be recharged at the push of a button; the weapon has an effectively unlimited payload.
Is this an original idea? If so, is it a good one?
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### Author:  [@SPOOFE](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SPOOFE)
#### Post date: [June 26, 2001, 7:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-sci-fi-weapons/69999/47 "2001-06-26T07:58:22Z")
> [@](#):
>
> Yeah, well TIE Interceptors may be flying death-traps, but I personally like to fly 'em better than any other craft on X-Wing Alliance
You ARE aware that the computer games are fatally flawed in terms of starfighter characteristics, right? Even when taken in context of a fictional series.
> [@](#):
>
> TIE Defenders lack something…we’ll call it heart (Even if they were better in a fight). They also lack aesthetic taste. I mean, TIE Interceptors gave pilots something to be afraid of. They look menacing. TIE Defenders look like rejects from a 1000 piece jigsaw puzzle.
Yeah, they may look like crap, but personally, I’m likely to be more afraid of something that WON’T be blown to smithereens by a single errant blaster shot.
Sorry, but a TIE Interceptor is fast. That’s about it. And they’re not even as fast as A-wings (which are much smaller, have shields, missiles, internal life support, AND hyperdrives). Personally, I’m fond of the TIE Stealth fighter (introduced in the otherwise-horrible _Rebel Assault II_). They looked FAR cooler than the Interceptors, AND they had shields, room for more than just a pilot… **and they could cloak**. Hellacool.
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### Author:  [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)
#### Post date: [June 26, 2001, 8:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-sci-fi-weapons/69999/48 "2001-06-26T08:45:23Z")
> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by Max the Immortal \*
> \*\*Slight hijack, please forgive me:
>
> A while ago I thought of a neat idea for a sci-fi energy weapon. I need to know if somebody beat me to it. If this is an original idea, some opinions would be welcome.
>
> According to simple mathematics, X-X=0, so X+(-X)=0, so 0=X+(-X); nothing equals a positive quantity plus an equal negative quantity.
>
> The “split pistol” (or rifle) has two energy cells; one for positive energy, and one for negative energy. Using some sci-fi tech© and the above mentioned math principle, the cells can be charged simultaneously. The charges in the two cells balance with one another; the law of conservation of energy is maintained. Energy has been “isolated”, not created. The gun can then discharge (fire) the two cells independently of one another. It fires bolts of positive energy that burst on impact with a solid object, each releasing enough heat to turn someone into vapor. It also fires bolts of negative energy, and we can all imagine how that can’t be good for the target. Whenever the two cells balance one another (or are empty), they can be recharged at the push of a button; the weapon has an effectively unlimited payload.
> Is this an original idea? If so, is it a good one? \*\*
Hmmm
I’ve not seen it before exactly as you describe, but we’re really just talking about ionisation here aren’t we? - some sort of process will have to take place to split the charges, and that process will require energy.
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### Author:  [@slortar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/slortar)
#### Post date: [June 26, 2001, 12:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-sci-fi-weapons/69999/49 "2001-06-26T12:49:09Z")
> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by SPOOFE \*
> \*\*
>
> > [@](#):
> >
> > Yeah, well TIE Interceptors may be flying death-traps, but I personally like to fly 'em better than any other craft on X-Wing Alliance
>
> You ARE aware that the computer games are fatally flawed in terms of starfighter characteristics, right? Even when taken in context of a fictional series.
>
> > [@](#):
> >
> > TIE Defenders lack something…we’ll call it heart (Even if they were better in a fight). They also lack aesthetic taste. I mean, TIE Interceptors gave pilots something to be afraid of. They look menacing. TIE Defenders look like rejects from a 1000 piece jigsaw puzzle.
>
> Yeah, they may look like crap, but personally, I’m likely to be more afraid of something that WON’T be blown to smithereens by a single errant blaster shot.
>
> Sorry, but a TIE Interceptor is fast. That’s about it. And they’re not even as fast as A-wings (which are much smaller, have shields, missiles, internal life support, AND hyperdrives). Personally, I’m fond of the TIE Stealth fighter (introduced in the otherwise-horrible _Rebel Assault II_). They looked FAR cooler than the Interceptors, AND they had shields, room for more than just a pilot… **and they could cloak**. Hellacool. \*\*
My vote’s with the Interceptor, too. The Defender just was unfair and dorky-looking. The Advanced was almost a good compromise, but I didn’t like the Hud (plus it was a little too squat for my taste). In fact, I liked the Interceptor so much when playing Tie Fighter, that I’d actually edit down later missions so I could keep playing it. 🙂
I liked the speed, maneuverability and firepower and the lack of shielding gave the game more of a challenge. Dogfights were just more fun when you didn’t have the easy out of shielding.
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### Author:  [@False\_God](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/False_God)
#### Post date: [June 26, 2001, 1:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-sci-fi-weapons/69999/50 "2001-06-26T13:03:17Z")
> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by Max the Immortal \*
> \*\*Slight hijack, please forgive me:
>
> A while ago I thought of a neat idea for a sci-fi energy weapon. I need to know if somebody beat me to it. If this is an original idea, some opinions would be welcome.
>
> According to simple mathematics, X-X=0, so X+(-X)=0, so 0=X+(-X); nothing equals a positive quantity plus an equal negative quantity.
>
> The “split pistol” (or rifle) has two energy cells; one for positive energy, and one for negative energy. Using some sci-fi tech© and the above mentioned math principle, the cells can be charged simultaneously. The charges in the two cells balance with one another; the law of conservation of energy is maintained. Energy has been “isolated”, not created. The gun can then discharge (fire) the two cells independently of one another. It fires bolts of positive energy that burst on impact with a solid object, each releasing enough heat to turn someone into vapor. It also fires bolts of negative energy, and we can all imagine how that can’t be good for the target. Whenever the two cells balance one another (or are empty), they can be recharged at the push of a button; the weapon has an effectively unlimited payload.
> Is this an original idea? If so, is it a good one? \*\*
Not exactly original, but useful. Niven described something extremely similar, if not exactly the same, in Ringworld.
It was called a “Slaver digging tool” or “disintegrator” and fired one positive and one negative beam. Anything so fired upon would “violently rend itself into monatomic dust”. You could fire barrels independently or at the same time.
---
### Author:  [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)
#### Post date: [June 26, 2001, 1:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-sci-fi-weapons/69999/51 "2001-06-26T13:14:42Z")
While we’re on about Larry Niven, the superthermal solar laser in **Ringworld** was pretty good; the sun’s corona is manipulated by a magnetic field, causing a prominence to emerge in a straight line, this propogates a huge gas laser effect/
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### Author:  [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)
#### Post date: [June 26, 2001, 1:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-sci-fi-weapons/69999/52 "2001-06-26T13:25:24Z")
While we’re on about Larry Niven, the superthermal solar laser in **Ringworld** was pretty good; the sun’s corona is manipulated by a magnetic field, causing a prominence to emerge in a straight line, this propogates a huge gas laser effect.
---
### Author:  [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)
#### Post date: [June 26, 2001, 1:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-sci-fi-weapons/69999/53 "2001-06-26T13:30:41Z")
While we’re on about Larry Niven, the superthermal solar laser in **Ringworld** was pretty good; the sun’s corona is manipulated by a magnetic field, causing a prominence to emerge in a straight line, this propogates a huge gas laser effect.
---
### Author:  [@False\_God](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/False_God)
#### Post date: [June 26, 2001, 1:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-sci-fi-weapons/69999/54 "2001-06-26T13:32:52Z")
With such a weapon, I could boil the Earth into vapor.
Niven also had the right idea about passive defence systems-the impact armor that was pliable, but then hardened on impact, the stasis fields on the ships and on the flycycles , etc.
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### Author:  [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)
#### Post date: [June 26, 2001, 1:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-sci-fi-weapons/69999/55 "2001-06-26T13:34:57Z")
Sorry, sorry, sorry, bleddy network connection.
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### Author:  [@Balance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balance)
#### Post date: [June 26, 2001, 2:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-sci-fi-weapons/69999/56 "2001-06-26T14:34:08Z")
YABNW (yet another bloody Niven weapon :D)
The drive on the Angel’s Pencil, the ship that made first contact with the Kzinti. There were no weapons on the ship, as far as the crew was concerned, but they cut the Kzinti ship in half with the photon (read: “laser”) drive.
There was also the network of comm lasers and mirrors that the defense conspiracy turned into a defense net–pretty cool.
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### Author:  [@Tranquilis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tranquilis)
#### Post date: [June 26, 2001, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-sci-fi-weapons/69999/57 "2001-06-26T17:11:19Z")
> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by Balance \*
> **…they cut the Kzinti ship in half with the photon (read: “laser”) drive.**
D\*mn! Beat me to it. But wasn’t it a _fusion_ drive on the Angel’s Pencil? Read: Nuclear blow-torch with a really long flame.
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### Author:  [@Balance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balance)
#### Post date: [June 26, 2001, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-sci-fi-weapons/69999/58 "2001-06-26T19:04:38Z")
I’ll have to check the story when I get home, Tranq. I think they used fusion power, but I had the impression that the drive itself was a rather high-powered laser. The acceleration was low, and I don’t remember anything about the reaction mass. I’ll follow up later.
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### Author:  [@Balance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balance)
#### Post date: [June 27, 2001, 2:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-sci-fi-weapons/69999/59 "2001-06-27T14:35:17Z")
I hate to bump this, but I said I would follow up. I dug through my Niven stacks until I found the short story in question, “The Warriors”. The Kzinti Alien Technologies officer conclusively identified it as a photon drive and later, when the drive of the _Angel’s Pencil_ was activated,
Kzinti captain: “What happens if the light hits us?”
A-T officer: “Just a bright light, I think.”
Then it occurred to one of them (forgot to bring the book with me, and I don’t remember the exact quote) that the drive might be a laser, and the captain started to tell the Weapons officer to fire, but was cut off–literally.
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### Author:  [@Tranquilis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tranquilis)
#### Post date: [June 27, 2001, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-sci-fi-weapons/69999/60 "2001-06-27T18:09:36Z")
> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by Balance \*
> **Kzinti captain: “What happens if the light hits us?”
> A-T officer: "Just a bright light, I think."**
Ah! I stand corrected. Thanks!
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