Approved Tech Beam Diffusion Smoke

[Milo Tyranne]

- Beam Diffusion Smoke -​

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[ Image Source ]​

Intent - To create a deflector shield analogue for use by the Miln.
Development Thread - N/A.
Manufacturer - Various Miln corporations.
Affiliation - Miln organizations and individuals.
Modularity - No.
Production - Limited.
Material - Chromium-plated diatium particles.

- Description -​

Beam diffusion smoke is the Miln equivalent to a deflector screen elsewhere in the Galaxy. Typically deployed in similar fashion to a smoke bomb, it forms a shimmering cloud anywhere from a few meters to several kilometers in diameter.
First developed by the Miln during the final stages of the apocalyptic Miln-Imperial War, beam diffusion smoke is composed of microscopic flecks of a conductive material, formulated to disrupt the cohesion of energy weapon bolts by sapping their magnetic containment field and/or refracting their beam, safely diffusing their energy as unfocused light and heat.

The effect of diffusion smoke is based on volume. Small clouds, a meter or so in diameter, can disperse bolts from only light weapons, such as hand blasters. The more smoke, the more protection; large clouds, kilometers in diameter, are capable of dispersing turbolaser fire. Each particle of smoke can absorb a certain amount of energy, and so the more particles, the greater the greater the charge that can be absorbed by the cloud.
A cloud capable of engulfing the average human adult can block standard blaster pistol bolts.

A major drawback of beam diffusion smoke, aside from its inability to stop solid munitions such as missiles or mass driver projectiles, is the short duration of its effect. After deployment, a cloud of diffusion smoke will immediately start to disperse, and will eventually become so thin as to no longer provide a barrier. This generally occurs over the course of a minute or two, with cloud strength dropping steadily during that time. The effect is made worse when the cloud absorbs fire; absorbing energy creates magnetic repulsion between particles, driving them apart more quickly. A major bombardment can reduce a cloud's useful effectiveness from a couple of minutes to a couple of seconds. Ion weapons have been noted as particularly useful in dispersing diffusion smoke, as their bolts contain a strong electrical charge.

Originally developed for use during space combat, diffusion smoke is imbued with a weak magnetic charge, intended to slow its rate of dispersal after deployment in a vacuum. The effective duration of these clouds in space is even shorter than for terrestrial use, however; the smoke will become too diffuse to function after only about one minute, compared to two in an atmosphere (without wind). It can thus only be counted on to block a handful of shots per cloud.

Despite its disadvantages, diffusion smoke is the closest thing to effective deflector screens available to the Miln. The smoke can be spread by aerosol, special grenades or other projectiles; due to its limited duration of effect, it is often used to screen retreats.

 

[Ellie Mors]

[member="Milo Tyranne"]
You're missing a field or two from the base technology template, and all fields need to be included. If they are not applicable, simply put N/A.

Image Source: (Please link to where you found the image, or to the original artist if possible. TinEye or Google Image Search can help.)
Intent: (Example: 'A personal weapon for Darth Scabious' or 'an advanced armored personnel carrier for the Republic')
Development Thread: (The main way people work for their toys, though most submissions don't require a development thread. Restricted items require specific development threads. Substantial development threads can help judges approve more powerful submissions. If in doubt, put 'If necessary,' and a judge may or may not ask you for one. Threads cited here must be at least 10 quality posts.)
Manufacturer: (Kuat Drive Yards, BlasTech Industries, [Character Name], etc.)
Model: (Example: E-11 Blaster Rifle. For submissions where a model wouldn't be appropriate, such as a custom walking stick, put 'N/A' for 'Not Applicable'.)
Affiliation: (Example: The E-11 Blaster Rifle was produced for the Galactic Empire and used almost exclusively by Imperial Stormtroopers. Do not put the company unless the product is only for your company's use. Common choices include 'Open market' or the name of a specific faction.)
Modularity: (Can components of this submission be swapped out for other components? Is it especially easy to modify? For most submissions, put 'No'.)
Production: Production: (The scale is Unique (Only One Character), Semi-Unique (Only A Handful of Characters), Limited (Only A Select Group Of NPCs/PCs), Minor (Any Character, Only Select Groups Of NPCs), Mass-Produced. (Anyone.))
Material: (What is it made out of? Certain materials are more resistant, or vulnerable, to certain weapons. Example: 'Durasteel, blaster components.')
Description: (Include some strengths and weaknesses here. Describe some of the history behind the submission. Give us some idea of how it might perform its function, what it excels against and what some limitations of it are. This is where you talk about your idea, flesh it out over at least a good-sized paragraph, and address some of the ways it might be used or abused. For especially powerful or ambitious submissions, a very thorough description is recommended.)
Primary Source: (Please link the source of another writer's submission that you are modifying for your use; only necessary for "Chaos Canon" submissions)

Material - Classified metal alloy.

In the factory all materials need to be named and listed, it is not an IC submission zone.

Lanas Metallurgical Corporation

I need this to be hyperlinked.

Beam diffusion smoke is the Miln equivalent to a deflector screen elsewhere in the Galaxy. Typically deployed in similar fashion to a smoke bomb, it forms a shimmering cloud anywhere from a few meters to several kilometers in diameter. First developed by the Miln during the final stages of the apocalyptic Miln-Imperial War, beam diffusion smoke is composed of microscopic flecks of a special alloy, formulated to disrupt the cohesion of energy weapon bolts by sapping their magnetic containment field and/or refracting their beam, safely scattering their thermal and electrical energy. Depending on the size and density of the dispersal, the smoke can be used to fend off anything from hand blasters to heavy turbolasers, though the latter requires a particularly large and dense cloud. Of note, clouds of any size are particularly effective at blocking ion weapons. The main disadvantage of beam diffusion smoke is its inability to stop solid munitions, such as missiles or mass driver projectiles. The smoke's protective effect also only has a limited duration; after dispersal, a cloud will slowly start to spread out, gradually becoming more and more diffuse until it completely loses effectiveness, this usually occurring after a few minutes. Heavy bombardment will also speed up a cloud's degradation, electromagnetic effects creating repulsion between individual particles. Beam diffusion smoke can be spread by aerosol, special grenades or other projectiles, often by missiles during ship-to-ship engagements. The smoke is most effective in a zero gravity environment, though it can be used anywhere. Due to its limited effective duration, it is often spread to screen retreats.

The closest analogue to this is Dampener Aerosol, which is far less effective than described here. The mention of turbolaser resistance will need to go right away, and I'm going to need at least 30 posts of development to go into this before it is acceptable. I also notice you mention use of this in space - space is a vacuum, all of these particles will immediately be spread apart within moments of exposure to the vacuum of space as any dispersal will provide energy to keep it moving in the direction it is dispersed indefinitely at the same rate as it was dispersed at originally.

 

[Milo Tyranne]

[member="B.I.A.N.C.A MK VII"]

Alright, I've done some editing, but there are a few points I'm not going to let go:

Firstly, this is meant to be the equivalent of a deflector shield, not beefed up dispersal gas; it's not even a very good shield, to be honest. I'm sorry I didn't make it clear initially, but the effects are based on volume; the more smoke particles you have, the more powerful the shots you can block; if you only have a little, it's not going to do much good, but if you have a really big cloud, it's going to do proportionately more.
TL;DR: Small cloud, a few meters in diameter, disperses hand blaster shots. Large cloud, a few kilometers in diameter, disperses turbolaser bolts.
I'm not going to get rid of turbolasers, because I think it's perfectly reasonable, for the reasons just mentioned.
If a strong enough deflector shield can turn a turbolaser bolt, this can too, and it can't even do it as well. Unlike a shield, the cloud only lasts for a few minutes on its own, and grows progressively weaker over time; and that's with nothing happening to it. Every shot it absorbs speeds up the process, and unlike a shield, it can't just be recharged.

I seriously don't think this warrants a whole 30 posts of development, at any rate.

 

[Ellie Mors]

this is meant to be the equivalent of a deflector shield,

The issue here is that deflector shields are a blanketed term. It is the category in which all types of shields lay. If we're talking about the starship-grade deflector shields, found on capital ships or even on starfighters, this is going to need development to justify that kind of a defense. If we're talking about Personal Energy Shields, then I'm perfectly okay with passing this through once everything else is settled. Clarify the proportionate effectiveness as compared between a cloud of this that, by volume, completely covers an average human being with a little elbow room and a personal energy shield - is it equivalent to that or not?

And how many turbolasers could this, potentially (and roughly, I don't need an exact number), keep at bay when there's a 1 KM cloud of this, assuming it isn't blown away by wind on a planet's surface.

I also need specific clarification that this cannot be used effectively, if at all, in the vacuum of space.

And to clarify, the request for a development thread was for the notion that this would be used in space conflicts between ships to block turbolaser fire.

 

[Milo Tyranne]

[member="B.I.A.N.C.A MK VII"]

...which is kind of a problem, because that's one of the main applications I envision for this stuff.

I've included a section detailing its effectiveness in a vacuum. What do you think of it now?

 

[Ellie Mors]

[member="Milo Tyranne"]
You've noted its weakness, and that is fine. Approved, pending secondary.

 

[Allyson Locke]

Approved.