Aaron Fox
Well-known member
Unlike a bullet, it'll cause significant blood loss. I'm not kidding about the exploding part.
What if a Man Portable Laser Rifle
- Thread starter Sailor.X
- Start date
White phosphorus, depleted Uranium, Napalm, Agent Orange...
The full list of the the US Military's war crimes and atrocities is a long and grisly one, Zach. I believe that yours is one of the few countries that refuse to stop using weapons that are otherwise banned by international treaty, because they go on indiscriminately killing people long after the war in question is officially over. Landmines and cluster munitions, for example.
Happily, lasers powerful enough to permanently blind anyone in the vicinity of their use are something the USA has already signed a treaty against using.
UNTC
This is the United Nations Treaty Collection homepage. Here you will find related information and links.
treaties.un.org
ShieldWife
Marchioness
Yes, in fact, I imagine that a laser weapon capable of killing a human through any known body armor could in fact blind them if it struck them in the eyes. The laser would likely already be considered illegal.
US has to use Mines and cluster munitons that go dead after awhile
PsihoKekec
Swashbuckling Accountant
Land mines don't and self destruct mechanisms in cluster munitions proved to be rather unreliable.
We at least try. We also aren't allowed to land mine unless we are going to disarm them. In our doctrine
Shipmaster Sane
You have been weighed
As long as you dont compare us to... everyone else.
Duke Nukem
Hail to the king baby
Atomic Rockets has some interesting information on this kind of stuff.
www.projectrho.com
Energy Weapon Sidearms - Atomic Rockets
Shipmaster Sane
You have been weighed
"Struck in the eyes" actually gets more and more broad as you get into the range we're talking about. I doubt a 5KW laser would reliably penetrate body armor, but it would be a blinding hazard to everyone within miles, as even reflections of it off of matte surfaces like concrete or stone, even scattered and diffused reflections, could instantly permanently blind someone. If you pulled the trigger on this thing, someone standing a mile to your left and behind you would be in danger.
Doomsought
Well-known member
It is based mainly on who looses. War crimes is just an excuse to kill prisoners of war. It is a legitimate excuse in many cases, but they aren't real crimes in the criminal justice sort of way. All acts of war fall under the same principle as sovereign immunity, because war is what creates jurisdiction all war is above the law.
A nation is not a hivemind, and different nations are not in a state of total sociopathy towards each other. Not normally, anyway.
Doomsought
Well-known member
It is precisely because a state is not a hivemind that all states are effectively socipahtic. States are machines made out of bureaucracy and force. They do not have feelings or empathy. That is why we call the moral axioms we use to judge states (Rights) a different name than those we use to judge people.
Navarro
Well-known member
The person hit wouldn't need to worry about blindness.
Aaron Fox
Well-known member
If anything, they're more worried about bits and pieces of themselves being all over the place as their everything exploded.
ShieldWife
Marchioness
Just about any weapon can clip someone and cause nonlethal wounds. Though if that is too improbable to consider, people could also be blinded by being near something else that is struck by the laser. Of course, people can also be blinded by a bullet or explosion, but blinding lasers are banned, not blinding bullets.
Wouldn't you just die from septic shock or blood loss?
Your stump is basically an overcooked skirt steak..
Aaron Fox
Well-known member
Thing is, with lasers, there aren't really close misses, just getting struck by a laser. The moment you pull that trigger, you'll need precog to even hope to doge.
You'll die from blood loss, the entire 'lasers burn things' is over-exaggerated, I'm afraid. Lasers don't really cut at military energies, they cause things to quite literally explode, and with humans and organics via steam, not pure heat.
ShieldWife
Marchioness
Not necessarily. Septic shock is caused by an infection, you wouldn't necessarily get an infection, especially with quick medical treatment. Blood loss would certainly be an issue too, but could also be prevented by rapid treatment. I'm not sure if the stump would be like an overcooked steak, it might not even resemble a burn. The area hit might explode so energetically that the wound might just look like something caused by an explosion rather than something super hot. There might be burns from the superheated flesh that explodes out though, which might cover the rest of the body of the victim, potentially inflicting additional injuries.
People survive getting maimed by explosions, losing limbs, being blinded, getting disfigured, etc. I'm sure that there are plenty of possibilities for getting shot at by a laser weapons between instant death and being missed.
Of course people won't dodge lasers, then again, people can't dodge bullets either and yet lots of people still get grazed by bullets or hit in extremities.
Well I was thinking more "explode" and have burnt beef for a stump then "lol laser BBQ". More like what supposedly happened a lot during early cannon fights.
I wonder if aspirating on your own bits or those of your squad mate would be a common problem?
ShieldWife
Marchioness
I think it could be theoretically possible. People can be killed or terribly injured by hot gas, steam, or particles that are released by heat or fire. If someone near you is hit by one of these lasers and a substantial portion of their body is turned into a cloud of superheated steam, that steam could cause burns, blind people, be inhaled and cause burns to lungs. This isn't unique to lasers of course: explosions, fire, or heat can already cause those kinds of injuries.