hi hi

If you don't need to impart any initial velocity on your missile/torpedo with a launcher, whether because you don't need to hold it up against gravity while the projectile accelerates enough to overcome it, or some other consideration; I'd say there's some merit to being able to cut out heavy and complicated mechanisms and just open the door to the magazine and let them propel themselves.

Damage caused by exhaust gasses is why it is usually a bad idea to start the engine immediately. As such it is probably best to eject the missile from it containment tube with other means like for instance compressed air. It is however possible to launch with the engine active but it can be a good idea to avoid that. We have an ongoing scandal here in Sweden with our stupid politicians gotten into their minds to purchase patriot missiles despite those being an obsolete technology, and they cannot be launched from ships exactly of the reason mention above.

Damage caused by torpedo drive plume in this case. In universe, the Umiak must use some form of magnetic rail to launch the missile foward so it can start to accelerate.

The Rule Of Cool is definitely a thing and the missile barrage does look cool and sci-fi, but I agree that the tracks left by the missiles should be smoother and arching. Now it feels like the missiles don't have any mass or inertia, being able to make an almost 90-degree turn over a distance less than the length of the missile itself.

It may well be we don't see any real acceleration in the direction orthogonal away from the ship, just some "turning burn", and then the real burn kicks in, accelerating the missile at multiple g, whereas before there was no real acceleration. This could look like the missiles made a sharp bend.
Could be more visible in the image by a less clear blue line away from the ship, and the a rather bright blue line forward (indicating two different burn plume strengths).

Nice image, fredgiblet.

I totally agree and the way that the recoils rock the car tell me a bit of accuracy...

Well, cheap weapon systems installed on cheap chariots....
I like how the first one already set fire to the vehicle, and how each consecutive missile just adds...
The last one we see starting, starts with a slight delay. Did it start because of the fire (which ignited its fuel)? Or did it get launched to prevent it from exploding in situ?

Woof. Backblast area was NOT clear!

Guess they should have mounted the launcher on a tow (hue hue) trailer with cab controlled quick disconnect hitch, deployable braces, and radio remote control or one hell of a control by wire spool in the pickup bed. More expensive and complex than the bed mounted option, but cheaper than replacing pickups and crew all the time lol.

That's obviously an improvised weapon system, something terrorist organizations, rebels and various other flavors of middle eastern "freedom fighters" use. It's a single use throw-away weapon made from sewage pipes and angle iron, mounted on top of a requisitioned/abandoned/stolen truck and I wouldn't be surprised if it shoots soviet RPG rounds or something similar (dumb rockets). And no one there cares about any accuracy as long as it's pointed in the general direction of a city district you want to blow up.

Imagine the missile was catapulted out from launch shaft and slowly drifting out of ship. Then it rotates onto intercept course and go full thrust, almost instantly changing vector thanks to 60 g acceleration. In contrast to air missiles, space torpedo has no need to be oriented prograde, it can freely rotate independent of speed vector.
Like in this video, but imagine rocket reoriented itself before engine ignition.

More like the nuclear torpedos from the Rocinante:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-yCIdUSQv-A

Eh, they just started their separation burn from their launching ship. They don't have to start evasive maneuvers until they are approaching the expected range of the enemy's point defense systems. Until that point they'd just waste their fuel.

To be honest, I think following this comic so closely is starting to cause me more problems in enjoying it. Much of that comes from my (our) uber-scrutinizing it and Insider during Arioch's long hiatuses.

When I first found the comic, when most of Chapter 1 was already done, it was like picking up a comic book and just going through it. Not a lot of time worrying about the position of Tempo's hand, or if a torpedo barrage would really look the way it did. This dissecting of every frame of every page is entertainment in itself, sure - but I think I'd rather do that after reading through at least the chapter they are in first.

I'm going to back away from the forum for a bit and just read the pages as they come. Maybe after a chunk (I may not be disciplined enough to wait for whole chapters), I'll pop in and see what you all have been talking about. If the forum posts have gotten out of control by then, so be it. And I could always change my mind...

See you guys around. <3

CJSF

Click you soon! (And I fully understand you, but the resulting conclusion is simply different for me)

Looks like Talon has her game face on.

Yes, game is on!

Oh yeah, it's Go-Time alright

woah, not much heads up before the new page. I like it though

Tempest is going somewhere in a hurry...

"Attention fleet, I just remembered I left the iron on, brb lol"

I dare say it may have finished resupplying.

Then get the missile launch tube as hot as the curling iron left on at home.

Light lag is over. The sensor data was forwarded. Stillstorm exclaimed "my precious shuttle".