Zerg Carapace

[Draco97]

I think the mangas/comics show the Impaler spikes being able to penetrate Zerg carapace easily because each panel has to be as dramatic/cool as it can, and spikes tearing through Zerg is a lot cooler than the bullets just bouncing off. Whereas in cinematics, it doesn't need that kind of dramatic flair because it's showing several minutes of continuous fighting.

As far as modern assault rifles penetrating even Zergling carapace, I have to agree with Perfecttear. I don't see modern rifles doing a lot of damage, unless they have Armor Penetration rounds. Granted I only know very (very) basic stuff about guns, so I could be wrong about the heavier assault rifle calibers.

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[Pandonetho]

And it says on the wiki that the gauss rifle fires "spikes", something around 9 times the speed of the sound, capable of penetrating 5 cm of neosteel or a few meters of flesh or rock. And there was also that comic, where a gauss "pistol" fired goes through a reinforced walls and still hits it's taget.

First of all let's get some facts straight. The Gauss rifle fires rounds similar to an AK47, except at mach 5, not mach 9. They use 8mm rounds, an AK47 uses 7.62mm rounds, it's pretty much just the speed that makes the difference.

Second of all, SC1 cinematics should not be taken seriously. You give the Zerg way too much credit. If a Zergling could withstand the same amount or even slightly less the bullets that the Hydralisk in "Battle of Amerigo" withstood, then the Terrans might as well have given up the fight long time ago. In no way should a Battlecruiser, especially something like the Norad, be taken down by 1 scourge. That's just unbelievable and stupid. How does a flying fortress get taken down by a single tiny bug that crashes into it? You know, if the Terrans were this weak the Overmind would have won a LONG time ago.

SC: Ghost is much more up to date than SC1 and depicted a much more realistic fight scene where Captain Bok's Gauss Magnum thing (w/e it was) was owning Zergling with 1-2 shots each, that's the way it should be done. Zerg overwhelm their enemies, they don't have the armour that a Terran marine has. Ultralisks and stuff do but they're a different case.

[Perfecttear]

Interesting, i looked up all the wikis and this is the first time i see what rounds the gauss rifle has. Btw you forgot to list that the material of the round also makes a big difference in it's penetration capabilities, sometimes even more than speed

Another thing, i've heard than a marines armor ofers almost no protection against an military gauss rifle. So by this logic it wouldn't mean that the zerg carapace is weak, it would be safe to compare it to neo steel ( i think marines also have neo steel), but it would mean that almost all factions weapons are very deadly, and not that their armors are veak.

One last questions. If you would increase al ingame units damage by a factor of ten, would that maybe make it lorevise acurate?

[Kimera757]

Interesting, i looked up all the wikis and this is the first time i see what rounds the gauss rifle has.

Maybe you weren't looking hard enough? It's been in the wiki in my signature for years.

Another thing, i've heard than a marines armor ofers almost no protection against an military gauss rifle. So by this logic it wouldn't mean that the zerg carapace is weak, it would be safe to compare it to neo steel ( i think marines also have neo steel), but it would mean that almost all factions weapons are very deadly, and not that their armors are veak.

All weapons in the setting seem to have great penetration abilities. For instance, zerglings have at least twice in the manga stabbed a marine through their armor, through their body, then out the armor on the other side. Zealots chop stuff up and even reaper pistols shoot right through walls.

One last questions. If you would increase al ingame units damage by a factor of ten, would that maybe make it lorevise acurate?

No. Marines would deal 60 damage a hit, which would insta-kill other marines. It probably takes a few shots. When Valerian Mengsk found himself going up against marines (he wasn't wearing CMC armor, note) he sprayed his opponents with bullets, trying to hit weak points in their armor. Otherwise single shots would have done the job.

Also, vehicle hit points are out of scale with infantry hit points, and while marauders are tough, they're probably not three times as tough as marines

[Perfecttear]

I just remembered about the Zer'atai Dark templar tribe, who wears dead zerg carapace and bones on themself?
So looking at them, could you conclude that the zerg carapace is on pair with the other races armors? Or else it wouldn't make any sense why the Zer'atai would wear them, instead of the regular protoss armor.

[Norfindel]

Most Zerg strains have a lot of unprotected areas. There is soft tissue in the Hydralisk, where a bullet can easily pass-thru. They have armor, but the armor cannot cover them completely, and i doubt it's bulletproof, or the Terrans would be as good as defeated.



As a note, a Kinetic Energy Penetrator fired from a Battle Tank can travel at speeds of mach 5, and are rods made of Tungsten or Depleted Uranium, with 2 or 3 cm diameter and 50-60 cm long, weighting 18 Kg. Tank manufacturers had to resort to reactive armor to try to keep the Tank "safe" from this and other nasty stuff. No tank would survive a shot from those things on the sides or back without reactive armor.

A comparison of that vs the DU 8mm penetrator of the gauss rifles should make it obvious that a current tank shell would easily destroy most Zerg units.

[Eligor]

I'd imagine it being not quite bulletproof but at the same time tough enough to make a difference. Something that would protect from pistol and shotgun rounds but would not withstand concenctrated fire from a gatling gun.

[Kacaier]

First of all let's get some facts straight. The Gauss rifle fires rounds similar to an AK47, except at mach 5, not mach 9.

I'm not trying to discredit you, but I could never find the source for the gauss rifle shooting bullets at the speed of mach 5. I've only seen the term 'hypersonic' used, which means a minimum of mach 5 with an upper limit mach 10.

Did a novel or manga specifically outline the "spikes" to travel at exactly mach 5?

[Pandonetho]

I'm not trying to discredit you, but I could never find the source for the gauss rifle shooting bullets at the speed of mach 5. I've only seen the term 'hypersonic' used, which means a minimum of mach 5 with an upper limit mach 10.

Did a novel or manga specifically outline the "spikes" to travel at exactly mach 5?

No there haven't been any specific sources that I'm aware of. My bad, I always thought that Hypersonic speed referred specifically to mach 5 (and not above).

[Perfecttear]

Yeah, i also wondered where you got mach 5 from. I said mach 9, since i read that there exist a coilgun capable of theoreticaly fireing at mach 9 alredy today.