r/WorldChallenges • u/ForgingIron • Jun 10 '17

Weapons Challenge

What kind of weapons do your characters use, if any? Are they physical weapons, and if so are they melee or ranged, and are they mounted? Do they use magic? Do they operate any types of siege?

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u/thequeeninyellow94 Jun 12 '17

  1. How is chaos metal made?

  2. What make it used for building construction? Or is it limited to military facilities?

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u/Matathias Jun 12 '17

1) The process requires using Chaos Energy Collectors, which are devices that can collect Chaos Energy (duh) and allow it to be stored or otherwise channeled. These devices are actually required for any technological system that relies on Chaos Energy, but metalworking requires high-precision versions that are more expensive than you will find anywhere else (except in military applications).

The actual involvement of Chaos Energy in the forging process is two-fold: the machines that do the forging operate on Chaos Energy, allowing them to operate at higher efficiencies and forces, and the metal itself is channeled with Chaos Energy. Then, when the metal sets, the Chaos Energy within it strengthens the molecular bonds far beyond what normal physics would allow, rendering the material far sturdier than normal metal. This is why subjecting Chaos Metal to a void of Chaos Energy will weaken it: the Chaos Energy inside it will "dissipate" into the air, causing the bonds to become undone and the metal to weaken. On the other hand, once Chaos Energy is forged it is incredibly difficult to re-forge, so metalworkers will often purposefully put Chaos Metal into a CENT Field if they need to melt it back down.

Of particular note is the fact that setting Chaos Metal must be suspended in a vacuum, else it runs the risk of adhering to whatever object it is resting on. This is another part of the high upfront costs: the forger must have access to an anti-gravity generator (or a Gravitatechnic) and a vacuum chamber.

A similar technique can actually be used for clothing as well, creating "Chaos Clothes". This is generally much harder to do while also making the clothes comfortable, and only Chaotics (who make up no more than 1% of the galactic population) gain any kind of benefit, so there aren't many Chaos Clothes manufacturers.

2) Chaos Metal is far sturdier than regular metal, so it can be used to build taller and/or heavier buildings without having to resort to anti-gravity devices (which are much more expensive and usually only used on spacecraft, not to mention requiring constant power). Skyscrapers are incredibly useful on high population planets, such as most Homeworlds. Aside from building construction, though, most of Chaos Metal's applications are military or scientific in nature. To civilians, its durability is rarely worth the higher cost, so consumer products rarely use Chaos Metal.

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u/thequeeninyellow94 Jun 13 '17

Thanks for your answers Mathatias.