BARD@MIT-XX.ARPA (09/23/85)
From: Bard Bloom <BARD@MIT-XX.ARPA> Re: Light-sabres and blasters Maybe light-sabres are more expensive than blasters? Or maybe it costs more (money, time, talent) to train people in light-sabre than in blaster? Or perhaps light-sabres are more sporting (you can run from them, sometimes) and not appropriate for the Empire to use. Or maybe you can learn to use the Force from light-sabre training, and the Empire doesn't want ten billion grunts running around with moderate skill in the Force. Who knows? Maybe one of them will be stronger than Darth Vader. Bard, whom the Force is not with. -------
hollombe@ttidcc.UUCP (The Polymath) (09/25/85)
In article <3748@topaz.RUTGERS.EDU> BARD@MIT-XX.ARPA writes: >From: Bard Bloom <BARD@MIT-XX.ARPA> >Maybe light-sabres are more expensive than blasters? Or maybe it >costs more (money, time, talent) to train people in light-sabre than >in blaster? > >Or perhaps light-sabres are more sporting (you can run from them, sometimes) >and not appropriate for the Empire to use. > >Or maybe you can learn to use the Force from light-sabre training, and >the Empire doesn't want ten billion grunts running around with >moderate skill in the Force. Who knows? Maybe one of them will be >stronger than Darth Vader. I'm jumping in blindfolded here because our news software was down for almost 2 weeks and I've missed a lot. This appears to be a discussion of why Jedi use light sabers and Imperial Storm Troopers don't. For a pretty good discussion of why modern soldiers aren't equipped with swords see Heinlein's _Glory Road_. The basic premise is that almost any moron can be taught to point and shoot a rifle in a matter of weeks. To be seriously good with a sword takes _years_ of loving practice. The sword is, in some ways, a superior weapon. It's better for close-in, hand to hand combat and it never jams or runs out of ammunition. The training factor is what makes it impractical for use by grunts. There is the problem that a blaster allows attack from a distance. The Jedi appear to get around this by being so good they can deflect blaster bolts with their sabers. Imagine trying to teach _that_ technique to a platoon of raw storm-trooper recruits (evolution in action? (-: ). -_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_ The Polymath (aka: Jerry Hollombe) Citicorp(+)TTI Common Sense is what tells you that a ten 3100 Ocean Park Blvd. pound weight falls ten times as fast as a Santa Monica, CA 90405 one pound weight. (213) 450-9111, ext. 2483 {philabs,randvax,trwrb,vortex}!ttidca!ttidcc!hollombe
oleg@birtch.UUCP (Oleg Kiselev x258) (10/01/85)
> From: Bard Bloom <BARD@MIT-XX.ARPA> > Re: Light-sabres and blasters > Maybe light-sabres are more expensive than blasters? Or maybe it > costs more (money, time, talent) to train people in light-sabre than > in blaster? > Or perhaps light-sabres are more sporting (you can run from them, sometimes) > and not appropriate for the Empire to use. > Or maybe you can learn to use the Force from light-sabre training, and > the Empire doesn't want ten billion grunts running around with > moderate skill in the Force. Who knows? Maybe one of them will be > stronger than Darth Vader. > > Bard, whom the Force is not with. > It is the same as with swords and cross-bows! Here light-sabre is the powerful weapon for hand-to-hand combat and blasters are the range weapons.