Phlegethon series Thermonuclear Device

[Amelia von Sorenn]

Device Name: Phlegethon (FLEG-uh-thon) is the fourth layer of Hell also known as "Hell's Forges", where souls are purified of weakness and crafted into true devils.

Intent: The creation of a Ship-to-Ship Thermonuclear Device

Image Source: Not Applicable

Canon Link: Nuclear Bomb

Primary Source:

• Nuclear Bomb
• Tsar Bomba

Manufacturer: The Hellknights

Affiliation:

• Confederacy of Independent Systems
• The Hellknights
• CIS Subfactions and Related Organizations

Model: Phlegethon

Modularity: No

Production:

• Minor

Material:

• Durasteel
• Missile Components
• Uranium - Specifically Uranium-238

Classification: Thermonuclear Device

Size: Very Large
Weight: Very Heavy

Ammunition Type: Not Applicable
Ammunition Capacity: One Device
Reload Speed: Very Slow

Effective Range: Battlefield

Rate of Fire: Very Low

Stopping Power: Very High
Recoil: High

• Detonation Timer: Each device produced includes a detonation timer, allowing those utilizing the weapon to set when the device will detonate after being fired. This is often used to time successive blasts, setting one device off before striking the target with a secondary device timed to detonate shortly after the first detonation.

• Optional Guidance System: These devices can be equipped with an optional guidance system permitting an individual to guide these weapons in for a more accurate strike on a target.

• Thermonuclear Device: There's no easier way to state its strengths. It is a thermonuclear device capable of producing a blast up to 100 megatons.

• Electromagnetic Pulse: The detonation of one of these devices causes the release of an electromagnetic pulse which is capable of knocking out unshielded technologies, as well as hindering sensors or causing severe damage to shields (if fired at a vessel - its intended purpose).

• Radioactive: If improperly handled an individual could potentially be exposed to the radioactive material inside of the warhead resulting in radiation poisoning which can potentially lead to a painful and severe death.

• Extensive Reloading Sequence: These devices require a steady hand and a careful eye with nerves of steal to load into their firing chambers. For this reason - the vessels that carry these weapons are equipped with a multiple redundant reloading system which increases the time required to reload a weapon. It can take a trained crew upwards of thirty minutes to an hour to reload.

• Radioactive Pollution: Should one of these weapons be turned against a planet, the resulting area would not only be devastated by the blast, it would be contaminated for the foreseeable future requiring extensive cleanup operations.

• Credit Guzzler: While capable of unleashing Hell into the Galaxy, they are prohibitively expensive to produce in any vast quantity.

• Target Lock: These devices are designed to only be utilized against enemy vessels and incorporate a target lock systems. Should the weapon be targeted at a planet the missile's safety would activate preventing it from leaving its launch tube. The only way to overcome this system is to deconstruct the entire device - potentially exposing those individuals tampering with the weapon to lethal doses of radiation or possible unwanted detonation.

• The Eshan Accord: After the full destructive capabilities of these weapons were witnessed above the world Eshan during a conflict with the Mandalorian Clans, these weapons were fitted with an additional device. These devices ensure that only one Phlegethon series Thermonuclear Device is capable of being launched at a time - as they active the safety device within the weapon and lock it in place when one has been activated for launch. The Eshan Accord only disengages the safety of the weapon after an hour (roughly 3-4 posts) has passed.

The Phlegethon series Thermonuclear Device is a weapon of War designed to be brought to bear against enemy fleets in order to devastate the enemy's shields and blind their sensors. Prohibitively expensive to produce, it ensures that only larger - system spanning - governments are capable of fielding these weapons of war. However; its designers foresaw the possibility of these weapons being turned against a planet and stepped in to prevent such an occurrence. This was achieved through the development and installation of a target locking feature in all devices; these systems prevent the device from being fired upon a world by causing the missile to miss-fire and jam within the missile tube.

While there is a means to circumvent this safety device, it would require an individual to deconstruct the weapon and expose themselves to lethal radiation as well as the potential of an unwanted detonation.

Due to the destructive nature of these devices as seen when a series of them were unleashed upon an enemy fleet above Eshan, additional precautions were added to ensure that these weapons could not be unleashed on such a scale in the future. An additional system ensures that these weapons are only able to be launched one at a time; and after a waiting period between salvos of these weapons. This is a means to limit the destructive capabilities of these weapons.

 

[Gir Quee]

Under Review.

 

[Gir Quee]

[member="Amelia von Sorenn"], this submission has been reported based on its use in the CIS-Mandalorian invasion.

Just looking at the submission itself without that context, it looks like it is bordering on being a superweapon. Nuclear devices can be kind of tricky in that while I wouldn't consider them to automatically be superweapons just by the nature of their design, great care must be exercised in how their effects are described. I think that in general, you've done a good job of avoiding falling into the pitfalls of describing immense amounts of damage or using it as a planetary bombardment weapon.

The actual use within the roleplay though leads to some concerns:

With a soft smirk upon her lips she kept watch, watching as in rapid succession each device was detonated and a combined One-Thousand Four-Hundred Megatons were delivered to the Mandalorian Fleets. In this moment she was Space Oprah, and every individual that was not part of the Confederacy of aligned with the Confederacy was getting a Nuke.

Whenever I see hard and high numbers like this, I get concerned, because it looks to me like browbeating an opponent into taking extreme amounts of damage. I do not like to see factory submissions being used like this. Perhaps more problematically, in my mind, this amount of megatons crosses the border into being a superweapon, much like how the canon Baradium Bombs or the missiles of the Shadow Arsenal are considered superweapons.

I think the solution here is to devise a way that we do not see these missiles being deployed en masse as they currently are in the invasion. I'm open to how you would like to go about that.

 

[Amelia von Sorenn]

I would like to state for the record, that I believe that section you have quoted is taken out of context, and that judging solely from that alone would be unfair. When you take into consideration the over all post including that section you've quoted, it should be noted that yes, it is a total of the combined blast of all fourteen weapons fired; however, it is not all focus on any singular group, rather it is - as mentioned in the entirety of both the post as well as noted in the fleet actions below within that post - as having been spread out among the various Mandalorian Vessels present (many of which seemingly had taken relatively little to no damage post after post).

Likewise, as you mentioned the Baradium Bombs, I feel that if we are going to judge the Phlegethon and compare them, personally I see the Baradium weaponry (Thermal Detonators, Baradium Missiles, etc etc) should also be looked at in the long run. This is more so due in part to the wookie article on Baradium stating that Baradium weaponry when detonated creates a Fusion Reaction (i.e. even a Thermal Detonator can be considered a nuclear device). Personally I feel that if there is to be a decision to otherwise remove the access of nuclear devices all together, that Baradium weaponry should also be included in that decision; however I would prefer, as you mentioned, to work with you to otherwise come to an amicable agreement on the further utilization of these weapons.

Additionally I would like to add that the inclusion of the 1,400 Megaton number in that post was not in an attempt to force such damage on the other writers as much as to denote just how much destructive force was being unleashed. After all, these were multiple nuclear devices being detonated one after another, and there's only so much you describe of such a weapon "exploding in a brilliant light" as a means to get across just how devastating the weapon actually is.

In regards to the solution, devising a way to prevent the weapons being deployed en masse - and disregarding my personal view that fourteen such weapons is not en masse as I can see how to others it is - I am open to any suggestions that may be brought up as to how to limit their utilization.

As such, I've even toyed with making it so they could only be fired by a specific vessel; perhaps even a vessel that is uniquely designed specifically to field these weapons as well as putting a limit on just how many it can carry or otherwise utilize in a given time. If you have any suggestions, I would also like to hear them so that we may work together to find a reasonable answer to this dilema.

[member="Gir Quee"]

 

[Gir Quee]

I would like to state for the record, that I believe that section you have quoted is taken out of context, and that judging solely from that alone would be unfair. When you take into consideration the over all post including that section you've quoted, it should be noted that yes, it is a total of the combined blast of all fourteen weapons fired; however, it is not all focus on any singular group, rather it is - as mentioned in the entirety of both the post as well as noted in the fleet actions below within that post - as having been spread out among the various Mandalorian Vessels present (many of which seemingly had taken relatively little to no damage post after post).

That's fair to point out that the detonation isn't aimed at a single particular ship, but I think that we still have the issue of this being a single, culminative damage stack, particularly because there is likely going to be some overlap of the weapon's effect if the targeted ships are close by each other.

If you feel like the mandalorian vessels haven't been taking as much damage as they should (which could well be a legitimate compliant), I would recommend talking to the opposing writers. I'll restate it again, I don't like seeing browbeating in roleplays, and while it may not have been your intent, it is coming across like that to other people.

Likewise, as you mentioned the Baradium Bombs, I feel that if we are going to judge the Phlegethon and compare them, personally I see the Baradium weaponry (Thermal Detonators, Baradium Missiles, etc etc) should also be looked at in the long run. This is more so due in part to the wookie article on Baradium stating that Baradium weaponry when detonated creates a Fusion Reaction (i.e. even a Thermal Detonator can be considered a nuclear device). Personally I feel that if there is to be a decision to otherwise remove the access of nuclear devices all together, that Baradium weaponry should also be included in that decision; however I would prefer, as you mentioned, to work with you to otherwise come to an amicable agreement on the further utilization of these weapons.

While we're at it, simple generic proton torpedoes are also technically nuclear weapons. Many common Star Wars explosives are going to fall under that umbrella. Because of that, I'm not interested in mechanism of action so much as I am in the intended end result. At the end of the day, the way it is currently being used in the roleplay, especially given the context of friendly craft retreating so that they avoid the damage as well as the confirmation orders that the device is being deployed, suggests that it is expected that to create large areas of extreme damage.

That is going to be a no-go.

If someone is using baradium devices in a similar manner, that is also going to be a no-go.

It's how you use and expect it to work, rather than the specific mechanism of action that becomes a problem.

Additionally I would like to add that the inclusion of the 1,400 Megaton number in that post was not in an attempt to force such damage on the other writers as much as to denote just how much destructive force was being unleashed. After all, these were multiple nuclear devices being detonated one after another, and there's only so much you describe of such a weapon "exploding in a brilliant light" as a means to get across just how devastating the weapon actually is.

I'd recommend staying away from specific numbers of megatons in the future. I don't mean this only within the roleplay, but within the submission itself. The exception to this would be if it was an extremely small number, which would rather act as a limiting factor in how much damage these weapons are expected to deal.

In regards to the solution, devising a way to prevent the weapons being deployed en masse - and disregarding my personal view that fourteen such weapons is not en masse as I can see how to others it is - I am open to any suggestions that may be brought up as to how to limit their utilization. As such, I've even toyed with making it so they could only be fired by a specific vessel; perhaps even a vessel that is uniquely designed specifically to field these weapons as well as putting a limit on just how many it can carry or otherwise utilize in a given time. If you have any suggestions, I would also like to hear them so that we may work together to find a reasonable answer to this dilema.

I think we have two basic conceptual options to figure out first before we go into specifics:

1) Keep each Phlegeton as a high-yield, powerful weapon that can only be used individually (deployed one at a time). This is more of a strategic role, much like nuclear bombs in real life.

2) Make Phlegetons specifically less powerful and have the ability to deploy them in groups. This is more of a tactical role, much like cruise missiles in real life.

 

[Amelia von Sorenn]

I've removed the megaton yield from the submission; as while it was only added to show the destructive force, the rest of the submission otherwise gets that across. Likewise, it is my bowing towards your suggestion of removing it due to its potentially causing problems (both from the current invasion thread) and from future uses of the weapon.

While there is a minor problem with the suggestion that it be more tactical and firing one at a time (in real world terms it wouldn't be utilized the same way as there are multiple arsenals ready to deploy ever nuke that they have at the push of a button), I understand the point that you are putting across. I personally feel that if it were downgraded to a cruise missile style, it would require a more extensive rewrite than if it were to be kept at the current level and as you suggested, deployed in limited uses.

At this moment I am having a difficult time coming up with a means or otherwise a weakness that would otherwise denote this usage; specifically a way to describe just how they can only be deployed one at a time. As this would also require an extensive rewrite of the invasion post that was made should the weapon - which was already being used in the thread - would more or less be retroactively changed. I believe that a limiter or a weakness that would otherwise ensure they could only be utilized one at a time, in regards to the story, would make sense as having been established or otherwise developed after the invasion as a direct response to its mass use in that conflict to prevent a future situation. This though I'll leave to your discretion.

I do however kept coming back to the potential idea of creating a vessel that is specifically designed to carry and launch these weapons; with such a vessel having the appropriate systems that would ensure only one Phlegethon at a time is fired.

[member="Gir Quee"]

 

[Gir Quee]

At this moment I am having a difficult time coming up with a means or otherwise a weakness that would otherwise denote this usage; specifically a way to describe just how they can only be deployed one at a time. As

This could be justified in-character as an exorbitant cost or safety concern. You may find that there are other in-character rationalizations for this, such as internal politics or abiding by some obscure international treaty.

As this would also require an extensive rewrite of the invasion post that was made should the weapon - which was already being used in the thread - would more or less be retroactively changed. I believe that a limiter or a weakness that would otherwise ensure they could only be utilized one at a time, in regards to the story, would make sense as having been established or otherwise developed after the invasion as a direct response to its mass use in that conflict to prevent a future situation. This though I'll leave to your discretion.

A rewrite or edits are probably going to be needed (that is why this got reported after all). There is no avoiding this.

I do however kept coming back to the potential idea of creating a vessel that is specifically designed to carry and launch these weapons; with such a vessel having the appropriate systems that would ensure only one Phlegethon at a time is fired.

I don't have any objections to this idea, if that's something you want to pursue.

 

[Amelia von Sorenn]

My apologies for the edit taking this long after returning from my LOA.

I've added the following to the submission to further cut back and ensure that they can only be utilized one at a time.

The Eshan Accord: After the full destructive capabilities of these weapons were witnessed above the world Eshan during a conflict with the Mandalorian Clans, these weapons were fitted with an additional device. These devices ensure that only one Phlegethon series Thermonuclear Device is capable of being launched at a time - as they active the safety device within the weapon and lock it in place when one has been activated for launch. The Eshan Accord only disengages the safety of the weapon after an hour (roughly 3-4 posts) has passed.

Due to the destructive nature of these devices as seen when a series of them were unleashed upon an enemy fleet above Eshan, additional precautions were added to ensure that these weapons could not be unleashed on such a scale in the future. An additional system ensures that these weapons are only able to be launched one at a time; and after a waiting period between salvos of these weapons. This is a means to limit the destructive capabilities of these weapons.

[member="Gir Quee"]

 

[Gir Quee]

Approved.

 

[Ravenfire]

FACTORY ARCHIVAL TEMPLATE
Submission Name: Project Sigma | Jormungandr-series Naval Composite Beam Siege Cannon
Link to Submission: [HERE]
Reason for Archival Request: Created for a faction that is now defunct

FACTORY ARCHIVAL TEMPLATE
Submission Name: Project Rho | Phlegethon II-series Thermonuclear Device
Link to Submission: [HERE]
Reason for Archival Request: Created for a faction that is now defunct

FACTORY ARCHIVAL TEMPLATE
Submission Name: Phlegethon series Thermonuclear Device
Link to Submission: [HERE]
Reason for Archival Request: Created for a faction that is now defunct