Ground-based planetary defense missile site
An old maxim of naval warfare states that a shore battery always has the advantage over an attacking ship because the shore battery cannot be sunk. it follows that any weapon that can be placed aboard a ship becomes much more dangerous when built larger and placed on a planet. These weapons are known as Planetary Defenses
All Frontier planets with a population rating of Moderate or Heavy, or those lightly populated planets with Industrial potential [1] have planetary defenses.
Description
Planetary defenses are networks of coordinated weapons emplacements placed on or near planets that someone feels are worth defending A typical planetary defense network usually consists of laser or other energy cannons and missiles, that are much larger than those carried by ships.[2] Some planetary defenses include orbiting weapons satellites and/or ground and space-based fighter squadrons.
Opeerations Room for a planetary defense network
Planetary defenses are directed from one or more central locations[3] that select weapons to be deployed and assign targets as needed. Some networks are controlled from a purpose built space station.
Proton beam battery
Planetary defense weapons can destroy a ship at the fringe of the planet's atmosphere. If the ship tries to bombard the planet, incoming torpedoes and missiles will be neutralized easily by the planet's laser anti-missile defenses. Laser weapons fired from space cannot cause much damage on a planet's surface because the weapon's area of effect is so small.
Notes and References
- Star Frontiers: Knight Hawks Expansion Rulebook pp. 51-2
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