05-23-2014, 11:04 PM
So, how would regular folks (especially law enforcement and military) deal with Channelers in the modern age? We've access to a bewildering array of lethal and non-lethal options, and has been pointed out a time or twenty in the novels, an arrow to the back works just as well on a Channeler as on any person.
Channelers are, at the end of the day, human, with all the same weaknesses and susceptibilities. If caught unawares, they die just as easily as anyone else. So what works on a person can work just as well on a Channeler, given the right opportunity. So to rule out the easy stuff...
Swords and knives and daggers and bows and guns and bullets and poison and...etc...
But what sort of weapons exist in 2045 that would be especially effective at dealing with a Channeler that is, perhaps, aware of the danger? When they can throw up walls of Air or toss a fireball in their own defense?
Modern militaries and law enforcement agencies are developing and employing all sorts of non-lethal weapon systems.
LRADs (long range acoustic devices) use directed, high-pitch sound waves to disable people. The sounds can drive people to their knees or force the to retreat, and has proven effective at dispersing crowds. In 2045, who knows what it could do? There's scientific evidence that if you have a dream that contains sound, the muscles of your inner ear respond as if receiving actual noise, and that sound can effect emotions. Is it possible that by 2045 they've isolated certain sound waves that can stimulate emotions in people? Or at the least, have they isolates certain pitches that can disable a person? (ie: Southpark's 'Brown Noise')
- It is known in the novels that Channelers can create Wards against sound, usually intended to keep sound from within the Ward from getting out, but surely would work just as well the other way around, meaning a prepared Channeler could protect themselves against an LRAD system.
Microwave weapons, similar to LRADs, use microwaves to disorientate the target, making them physically ill. These styles of weapons have shown up in threads already, but were indicated to be 'outdated' models. What can the microwave weapons of 2045 do?
- Can Channeling stop microwaves? It can stop sound waves, sure, but microwaves are very different. However, they can also effect light, creating illusions or making themselves invisible (again, a Ward used in the novel series that hid the main characters from view). If they can stop or influence light waves, can they similarly effect other types of energy wave?
Dazzlers, basically just very painfully bright flashlights that blind and disorientate in a strobe effect. These are often mounted to firearms or are employed as flash-bang like weapons (in this case, flash rather then bang). Something to this effect is seen in the movie 'Kick-Ass' employed by Hit Girl when rescuing Kick Ass and her father).
- Again, there is evidence that Channelers can effect light, so would a Dazzler do much in this case?
Gas. Tear gas, nerve gas, blister agents, knock out gas, etc. Channelers need to breath just like everyone else. Gas is a difficult weapon to employ, as generally effects a wide area, but is most effective in buildings.
- Channelers can create gusts of wind. They can also create domes of hardened air, with convenient chimneys that can reach fairly high into the air. They could create such a dome around themselves after pushing the gas away, and be fine.
Tasers and darts. Both effective against humans in general. However, the act of darting a person with drugs is a dicey one; you cannot be sure how much of a dose is needed to drop a person, and it could prove just as deadly as a bullet in the right circumstances.
- Again, walls of Hardened air could render these sorts of weapons useless. If you can't hit your target, you can't drop them, after all.
Explosives. A rather extreme measure, but unexpected explosions should have no trouble taking out a Channeler. Things like missiles or tank shells are pretty bloody fast moving, and would be, at best, exceptionally difficult to stop.
- Exceptionally difficult to stop, unless you were aware it was coming or already had a wall of Air or some such similar defense up.
So what else can folks think of? What would they have in 2045 that could defeat a Channeler that's prepared? And what sort of defenses could regular folks have against a Channeler?
Channelers are, at the end of the day, human, with all the same weaknesses and susceptibilities. If caught unawares, they die just as easily as anyone else. So what works on a person can work just as well on a Channeler, given the right opportunity. So to rule out the easy stuff...
Swords and knives and daggers and bows and guns and bullets and poison and...etc...
But what sort of weapons exist in 2045 that would be especially effective at dealing with a Channeler that is, perhaps, aware of the danger? When they can throw up walls of Air or toss a fireball in their own defense?
Modern militaries and law enforcement agencies are developing and employing all sorts of non-lethal weapon systems.
LRADs (long range acoustic devices) use directed, high-pitch sound waves to disable people. The sounds can drive people to their knees or force the to retreat, and has proven effective at dispersing crowds. In 2045, who knows what it could do? There's scientific evidence that if you have a dream that contains sound, the muscles of your inner ear respond as if receiving actual noise, and that sound can effect emotions. Is it possible that by 2045 they've isolated certain sound waves that can stimulate emotions in people? Or at the least, have they isolates certain pitches that can disable a person? (ie: Southpark's 'Brown Noise')
- It is known in the novels that Channelers can create Wards against sound, usually intended to keep sound from within the Ward from getting out, but surely would work just as well the other way around, meaning a prepared Channeler could protect themselves against an LRAD system.
Microwave weapons, similar to LRADs, use microwaves to disorientate the target, making them physically ill. These styles of weapons have shown up in threads already, but were indicated to be 'outdated' models. What can the microwave weapons of 2045 do?
- Can Channeling stop microwaves? It can stop sound waves, sure, but microwaves are very different. However, they can also effect light, creating illusions or making themselves invisible (again, a Ward used in the novel series that hid the main characters from view). If they can stop or influence light waves, can they similarly effect other types of energy wave?
Dazzlers, basically just very painfully bright flashlights that blind and disorientate in a strobe effect. These are often mounted to firearms or are employed as flash-bang like weapons (in this case, flash rather then bang). Something to this effect is seen in the movie 'Kick-Ass' employed by Hit Girl when rescuing Kick Ass and her father).
- Again, there is evidence that Channelers can effect light, so would a Dazzler do much in this case?
Gas. Tear gas, nerve gas, blister agents, knock out gas, etc. Channelers need to breath just like everyone else. Gas is a difficult weapon to employ, as generally effects a wide area, but is most effective in buildings.
- Channelers can create gusts of wind. They can also create domes of hardened air, with convenient chimneys that can reach fairly high into the air. They could create such a dome around themselves after pushing the gas away, and be fine.
Tasers and darts. Both effective against humans in general. However, the act of darting a person with drugs is a dicey one; you cannot be sure how much of a dose is needed to drop a person, and it could prove just as deadly as a bullet in the right circumstances.
- Again, walls of Hardened air could render these sorts of weapons useless. If you can't hit your target, you can't drop them, after all.
Explosives. A rather extreme measure, but unexpected explosions should have no trouble taking out a Channeler. Things like missiles or tank shells are pretty bloody fast moving, and would be, at best, exceptionally difficult to stop.
- Exceptionally difficult to stop, unless you were aware it was coming or already had a wall of Air or some such similar defense up.
So what else can folks think of? What would they have in 2045 that could defeat a Channeler that's prepared? And what sort of defenses could regular folks have against a Channeler?