Tachyons may be theoretical in the "real" world --
whatever that is -- but they have a definite
physical existence in the WC universe. If you
don't believe me, just get in front of my Centurion
and have a taste of my 4 "theoretical" cannons
.
Someone asked: What are tachyons? They are a
postulated particle which INHERENTLY travels
faster than the speed of light.
WC universe postulates that they can be detected.
Thus, there are a number of uses for them:
1. If they can be detected, You can bounce them
off things and see them come back, making them
useful as radar, which sees using reflected
radio waves. A Tachyon radar would function
the same way, but would have much greater range.
(Radar travels at 3*10**8 m/s. Let us
say that tactically effective
radar is that which will be fired, bounce off a
target, and be noticed by the receiver in 1 second.
So 1 second after using my radar I see a target.
Thus, the maximum effective range for radar is
3*10**8 / 2 meters, or 150,000 km.
Now, let us say just for fun that a tachyon
travels at 10 times the speed of light. Thus,
in 1 second a tachyon radar would detect everything
in 3*10**8 * 10 / 2 = 3*10**9 /2 meters, or 1,500,000
kilometers. Thus, the tachyon radar has a greater
range than radar in direct proportion to its
greater speed.
2. If they can be modulated, you can send a signal
on them FTL. I believe this is how communications
work in WC: If the Victory in Torgo wants to
communicate with Confed HQ in Sol, it transmits
a message to the nearest jump buoy, which contains
transmitters on *both* sides of the jump. The
signal comes in and the transmitter on the other
side routs the signal to the next jump point, where
another buoy takes it until the Sol jump bouy
routs the message to Confed HQ. Tactical communications
are also tachyon-based, which is why you have no
delay when you are in a fighter communicating with your
carrier millions of klicks away.
3. The tachyon gun works by slowing down the tachyon
particles to just below C. C+ tachyons have no
effective mass but are subject to Special Relativity
when slowed to below C. Mass is effectively infinite
at C, so the tachyon particle just below C has a
very large effective. When it hits a target damage
is inflicted as K=1/2 MV**2 = 1/2 Mass * Velocity
squared = 1/2 REALLY BIG mass * REALLY FAST velocity =
lots and lots of damage.
Respectfully,
Brian P.