The Run Away Gun

[ravells]

This looks interesting:

Here

 

[Arthur Denger]

Reflec would nullify the effect of this weapon system altogether. I prefer to see tranq gas used for crowd control. Calms 'em down quicker, and many of the malcontents actually seem to enjoy its lasting effects. The residual floral aroma also makes public venues very pleasant places to stroll about in, afterwards.

 

[Border Reiver]

I remember reading about this system last year when it was licensed for US testing on US civilians before being approved for a foreign deployment. Calling this less than lethal is a bit of a misnomer as the situation it creates (stampeding humans) is likely to cause as much death and injury as shots fired above the crowd.

 

[atpollard]

Originally posted by Border Reiver:
Calling this less than lethal is a bit of a misnomer as the situation it creates (stampeding humans) is likely to cause as much death and injury as shots fired above the crowd.

Just for the record, this is a bad thing, right?

 

[Scott Martin]

I recall a comic (Erma Felna) where the main character is asked for her opinion on riot control. She suggests machine guns and frag grenades since they are most likely to stop recurrences of civil disorder, and then remembers she's on a world that allows riots...

Crowd control will vary depending on local laws, but most dictatorships don't worry as much about "breakage" as most democracies.

something to consider before accepting a contract for "crowd control" IYTU

Scott Martin

 

[Border Reiver]

Just for the record, this is a bad thing, right?

It is when used on unarmed civilians in peaceful protest.

 

[Fritz_Brown]

Actually, reflec wouldn't help much with this. One of the subjects tried wrapping himself in aluminum foil and it only helped for a bit. (IIRC warmth was a factor.) Turning yourself continuously (like you're in a rotisserie) helps for a bit, too - of course, you get nowhere fast and look really stupid.

And, Border Reiver, I don't envision the US military using this on peaceful protests.... This is for a riot. Shots fired above the crowd have a nasty habit of falling somewhere unintended. And, as the effect ceases when you leave the zone, you don't get a real stampede - everyone just gets out of "range" and mills about, looking at their skin and expectingto see burn spots.

 

[Lochlaber]

Any shot fired by anybody in less than a 100% straight up and down line is going to be deadly, somewhere.

They did a Mythbuster's episode where they discovered that if you did fire a gun straight up, it's ammunition was not dangerous when it returned to earth. However, if it had any of it's ballistic arc intact, it retained it's lethality and since most humans can't fire straight up, somebody might be dead. (I know their science is sometimes a bit flaky but not this time.)

While a running crowd can be dangerous, a couple of semi-auto rifles with plenty of ammo, grenades, etc., is going to be a lot more lethal. I pick the less lethal system.

 

[Pickles]

Actually, reflec wouldn't help much with this. One of the subjects tried wrapping himself in aluminum foil and it only helped for a bit.

Ah, but reflec is magic tin foil ...

I don't envision the US military using this on peaceful protests....

...as the effect ceases when you leave the zone, you don't get a real stampede - everyone just gets out of "range"...

Which is pretty much what happens in a stampede. The trigger doesn't normally travel with the stampede.

I pick the less lethal system.

The key word here being "less".

Anyway, to get this back on a Traveller footin: CT predates the use of many of the modern 'non-lethal' crowd control measures. Introducing these kinds of weapons would make MTU (basically early CT with a dark imperium)even more casually oppressive. The only thing to stop governments from routinely using armed coercion is the danger of harming people and making the situation worse (you're not likely to get a 100% non-lethal tranq gas because anything which causes unconciousness can also have lasting effects).

 

[Fritz_Brown]

Originally posted by the Bromgrev:
Ah, but reflec is magic tin foil ...

Well, there is that....

As for the stampede, though, what I've seen shows a fairly short run to get out of range. If you use it to clear a bridge, everyone backs up off the bridge. You want to clear the road on the other side? Just aim it a little further along, and folks move 20 feet further on.

There was a guy trying to shoot from a building window. He couldn't even stick his arm out to fire blindly, as he would jerk his arm back - he almost dropped the weapon. I think he managed one or two blind shots in a dozen attempts.

 

[Malenfant]

So when can we expect the US military to mount this on a large spindly tripod with an "Oooola!" warning klaxon?

 

[Andrew Boulton]

 

[mbrinkhues]

When I first read "Run Away Gun" I wondered wether:

+ It was about a "walking" gun platform
+ Or about the M60 maschine gun

Oh and Lochlaber, IIRC you also need a rugged stadium (Build by Bronson Inc.) and a megaphone for that type of crowd control, don't you?