Star Wars, Lightsabers, and submachine guns

[Random berk]

It could work, but how many troopers are going to burn up their blaster in the process, and if they don't kill him, then the Jedi is unopposed.

An energy based weapon must build heat much faster than a kinetic weapon, and have you ever seen what happens to an M16 when you fire it continuously for a minute straight? There is an episode of Sons of Guns where they water cool an M16 to be mounted on a boat, and the effect of just thirty seconds of continuous fire on the unmodified rifle is amazing. The effect on a blaster rifle has to be way worse.

That is what everyone keeps forgetting. Yeah, I could go all Rambo on him with an M60, but if the Jedi avoids it for long enough, I burn up the barrel and then I am defenseless. M60s are designed for that type of fighting, and they still only get about a minute of continuous fire before the barrel is destroyed.

If you build a faulty lightsaber, the blade will eat through the hilt and explode, causing you to lose an arm, if you are lucky. (*Cough*Tenel Ka*Cough*) If we all agree that Blasters and lightsabers are similar technology, obviously you have the same limitations as far as building the barrel and firing chamber, and overheating either of those ends catastrophically.

But if a properly made lightsaber can produce a continuous beam of energy without melting, or even getting too hot to hold, then who's to say that they don't have similarly effective cooling technology for a blaster or blaster rifle? And yeah, even if they don't and the troopers burn out a few guns, the whole point is that the Jedi isn't going to be able to block all those rounds for more than a second or two. They may be able to see the future, but they can't slow down time. A wave of blaster bolts coming in faster the jedi is able to move has to be able to take him down (assuming he doesn't just run.) Even if he could hold off that fire for the few seconds that the weapon was capable of maintaining it, it would give the other troops in a squad time to widen their firing line and set up a much wider angle to keep pressuring him as soon as the MG goes. It seems like having one or two of them in a squad that expects to have to fight a Jedi would be a much better tactic than sending waves of repeater-blaster carrying, easily dismantled stormtroopers.

 

[Spade Lead]

But if a properly made lightsaber can produce a continuous beam of energy without melting, or even getting too hot to hold, then who's to say that they don't have similarly effective cooling technology for a blaster or blaster rifle? And yeah, even if they don't and the troopers burn out a few guns, the whole point is that the Jedi isn't going to be able to block all those rounds for more than a second or two. They may be able to see the future, but they can't slow down time. A wave of blaster bolts coming in faster the jedi is able to move has to be able to take him down (assuming he doesn't just run.) Even if he could hold off that fire for the few seconds that the weapon was capable of maintaining it, it would give the other troops in a squad time to widen their firing line and set up a much wider angle to keep pressuring him as soon as the MG goes. It seems like having one or two of them in a squad that expects to have to fight a Jedi would be a much better tactic than sending waves of repeater-blaster carrying, easily dismantled stormtroopers.

What about the laser-Gatling guns wielded by the Clone Commanders? Those should have been even more effective, and yet the were never used that way.

 

[Lazy Kitty]

Jedi's reflexes are too fast.
And bullets are way too expensive.
Not to mention, energy cells for blasters rarely run out.

Except that one time when you're a Mandalorean, stuck in a jungle on some moon, making you climb on a rock to be safe from the animals until some asshole comes along to blow you up with the explosives you placed yourself.

 

[Random berk]

But if a properly made lightsaber can produce a continuous beam of energy without melting, or even getting too hot to hold, then who's to say that they don't have similarly effective cooling technology for a blaster or blaster rifle? And yeah, even if they don't and the troopers burn out a few guns, the whole point is that the Jedi isn't going to be able to block all those rounds for more than a second or two. They may be able to see the future, but they can't slow down time. A wave of blaster bolts coming in faster the jedi is able to move has to be able to take him down (assuming he doesn't just run.) Even if he could hold off that fire for the few seconds that the weapon was capable of maintaining it, it would give the other troops in a squad time to widen their firing line and set up a much wider angle to keep pressuring him as soon as the MG goes. It seems like having one or two of them in a squad that expects to have to fight a Jedi would be a much better tactic than sending waves of repeater-blaster carrying, easily dismantled stormtroopers.

What about the laser-Gatling guns wielded by the Clone Commanders? Those should have been even more effective, and yet the were never used that way.

I remember using those on Battlefront 2, but I don't remember seeing them in the movies. Are you talking about Extended Universe media? Was it just a case that they were never shown being used that way, or were they specifically held back while clones were fighting Jedi? (And was the Jedi killed? Because if they were supposed to survive, then plot armour. The enemy can't use tactics that would be effective.)

 

[Spade Lead]

I remember using those on Battlefront 2, but I don't remember seeing them in the movies. Are you talking about Extended Universe media? Was it just a case that they were never shown being used that way, or were they specifically held back while clones were fighting Jedi? (And was the Jedi killed? Because if they were supposed to survive, then plot armour. The enemy can't use tactics that would be effective.)

They were in Episode 3, I believe.

 

[Random berk]

I remember using those on Battlefront 2, but I don't remember seeing them in the movies. Are you talking about Extended Universe media? Was it just a case that they were never shown being used that way, or were they specifically held back while clones were fighting Jedi? (And was the Jedi killed? Because if they were supposed to survive, then plot armour. The enemy can't use tactics that would be effective.)

They were in Episode 3, I believe.

Ah. Like I say, I don't remember, its years since I last saw it.

 

[Sacman]

So, I have just one small thing that really bugged me about the star wars series...
Why is it always plasma weapons or lightsabers (Which can reflect Blaster Fire), and never, oh, lets say... Ballistic weapons, like a Submachine gun!? I mean, honestly, it seems to make sense, and it'll probably go faster then Blaster Fire it'll probably fire more then Blasters, leaving no time to respond, and can't be blocked! Why the hell does nobody REALIZE that!?

Just something that really bugged me.

Well actually it's because they're basically useless against the vast majority of armies in star wars... considering droids would be unaffected, and most organized armies have armor capabilities that are more than capable of protection against ballistic weapons... Jedi are really the only people in the universe that ballistic weapons would preferable for... and they're typically not on top of anyone's priority list, considering there's not many of them and are rather non confrontational... especially after the clone wars...<.<

and actually they do make an appearance in Republic Commando... among Trandoshan slavers, where it makes sense considering they're a mercenary group and A) don;t have much money and B) usually don't go up against droids or anyone with armor...<.<

Not to mention blasters are more versatile, not needing ammo and not restricted by the strength of a planets gravitation or any planetary forces and say wouldn't cause massive explosions in environments that would typically facilitate such things, since blasters aren't actually laser weapons and don;t work through combustion... <.<

 

[Thaluikhain]

So, I have just one small thing that really bugged me about the star wars series...
Why is it always plasma weapons or lightsabers (Which can reflect Blaster Fire), and never, oh, lets say... Ballistic weapons, like a Submachine gun!? I mean, honestly, it seems to make sense, and it'll probably go faster then Blaster Fire it'll probably fire more then Blasters, leaving no time to respond, and can't be blocked! Why the hell does nobody REALIZE that!?

Just something that really bugged me.

Well actually it's because they're basically useless against the vast majority of armies in star wars... considering droids would be unaffected, and most organized armies have armor capabilities that are more than capable of protection against ballistic weapons... Jedi are really the only people in the universe that ballistic weapons would preferable for... and they're typically not on top of anyone's priority list, considering there's not many of them and are rather non confrontational... especially after the clone wars...<.<

Except, of course, Ewoks throwing rocks are a serious threat.

(BTW, modern firearms are quite good at penetrating things that seem like they should be bullet-proof, I don't see body armour and droid shells automatically stopping them.)

Blasters would be affected by gravity same as anything else, they just throw something noticeably slow moving at the target. Dunno about their ammunition capacity and what planetary forces would affect bullets that would'nt affect slow red things.