- last post: 01.01.0001 12:00 AM PDT
Posted by: Recon Number 54
The problem with a defense system that is not in Earth orbit would be a matter of scale and range.
A system in the asteroid belt would need to have millions of platforms to saturate the belt and have no "open spots" and would still be easily defeated by the opposing force coming in from above or below the orbital plane of the system.
A defense system for Earth would need to be near Earth, distance-wise.
Even if it were at lunar distances, the amount of platforms needed to give a complete sphere of coverage would be monumental just due to the increase in the surface area of the "sphere". Plus, even MAC rounds or missiles are not traveling at luminal or near-light speed. If fired from too far away, the missile or projectile could be dodged or avoided.
An orbital grid is a very practical solution.
Practical, but not wise considering the fate of your race is at stake here, and while I'm at it, what about the lack of human desperation in the Halo series, not to insult it, great games, great story, but it has sort of this epic feel without any showing of the desperation of a race on its last legs, even a bug backed into a corner will (figuratively) whimper and scratch with everything it has (the latter Halo has plenty of). I did mention that this anti-dropship defense would be closer to Earth than the MAC grid, and would form a grid as well, and there are other effective weapons against Covenant dropships, one would assume. I thought that MAC guns were the only defense against larger or capital ships...
[Edited on 7/20/2006]