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Archive for the ‘Cannons’ Category

The heavily mechanized Terran forces in StarCraft II have some brutal units that can smash through heavy enemy defenses, especially in Terran vs Protoss matches. The Thor and the Battlecruiser are both extremely expensive to produce, but if used correctly, are well worth it. Both units have anti-air and anti-ground offensive attacks, and have gratuitous amounts of armor to extend their lives and the amount of value a player can get from each unit. Throw in some devastating special abilities, and these units can turn the tide of a lengthy battle in the blink of an eye.

The Battlecruiser is the most expensive Terran unit to create, costing 400 minerals and 300 vespene gas. Such a large investment should be properly protected, and this should always be kept in mind. Though Battlecruisers are incredibly tough, they are weak to masses of light air units, like Phoenixes. Battlecruisers should always be accompanied by a contingent of Vikings, to ensure that masses of resources aren’t wasted due to carelessness. Against all other types of units, the Battlecruiser is superior. Its lasers hit ground targets harder than air targets, and chew through defenses very quickly when they come in packs. They also serve as good cover fire against advancing enemy ground units, like Zealots or Stalkers, making it easier for a force of Marines and Marauders to break through. A concentrated Battlecruiser attack can put Colossi out of commission quickly, which is also vital for a Terran ground force to advance into enemy territory.

The Yamato Cannon, a holdover from StarCraft I, returns in StarCraft II, and still packs a massive punch. Thanks to the large range of the Yamato, Battlecruisers can comfortably blast a matrix of Photon Cannons to bits without taking any damage from those cannons. Battlecruisers can be used to take quick strikes on enemy Colossi and Carriers, as well. A couple of Yamato blasts on one of those units will severely cripple it in a matter of seconds, rendering it almost unusable. Each blast does 300 points of damage, so a few Battlecruisers together can join forces to knock out critical enemy buildings to disrupt tech trees, costing the enemy significant amounts of time and resources.

The Terran Thor is new to StarCraft II, and is built in a factory with a tech lab add-on, after an armory has been built. These giant, mechanical walkers cost 300 minerals and 200 vespene gas to produce, so again, protecting them is a top priority. The Thor can hammer large, heavily armored units, but is at a loss when dealing with hordes of smaller units, like Zealots or Stalkers. Some Banshee cover would probably help out the Thor the most. One unit that the Thor definitely needs to watch out for is the Protoss Immortal, whose shields are resistant to heavy artillery attacks like those of the Thor. It may not look it at first, but the Thor is very well equipped to handle aerial threats. Each one is outfitted with anti-air missiles that are particularly effective against groups of phoenixes or void rays, although the void ray is equally well equipped to dispose of the Thor. Against Void Rays, some Viking cover might be a good idea.

Researching the Thor’s 250 mm cannons ability is an absolute must. Dealing 500 points of damage, this attack has the power of nuclear missile, but is engaged instantly, though it does last six seconds, during which the Thor is completely defenseless to enemy assault. A group of four or five Thors, all with full energy, can almost instantly reduce an enemy base to rubble using these cannons and the Thor’s natural attacks. If this strategy is used, watch out for High Templars lurking. If the enemy is able to cast feedback on all of a player’s Thors, those Thors are going to be crippled and unable to use the 250 mm cannons. These cannons are particularly useful against pylons, knocking them out quickly and powering down neighboring buildings. With any luck, this strategy will disrupt the Protoss player’s tech tree, and limit his or her options in countering the Thor.

?Like all high-cost units in StarCraft II, the Thor and the Battlecruiser both have significant weaknesses that make sending them out alone a surefire way to meet with defeat very quickly. These two are best used in leading the way for a more varied force to continue the assault. The Thor and the Battlecruiser excel at softening up defenses to make way for an all out invasion; Thors and Battlecruisers aren’t terribly reliable at being the all out invasion themselves, despite their formidable appearances.

There are two types of zooms used with digital cameras: optical and digital.

Optical Zoom

An optical zoom changes magnification by moving glass in the lens, changing the image falling on the sensor. Using an optical zoom maintains picture quality.

Zoom Ranges and 35mm Equivalents

Optical zoom lenses usually have a specification called “equivalent in 35mm.” This tells you the zoom range of the digital camera compared to a 35mm film camera. Typical 35mm equivalent zoom ranges you will see listed are 35mm-70mm or 35mm-105mm.

For example:

Wide-angle means a lens takes in more than normal viewing perspective. Telephoto lenses magnify the subject, bring it closer. Using these numbers as a guide, you can get an idea of the range of zoom lenses and what they will do for you.

28mm…..wide angle

35mm……slight wide angle

50mm…..normal perspective

70mm…..slight telephoto

105mm…..moderate telephoto

135mm…..strong telephoto

200mm+…..extreme telephoto So, a 35mm-105mm equivalent zoom lens changes from a slight wide angle to a moderate telephoto. A 28mm-200mm equivalent lens changes from a wide angle to an extreme telephoto.

A 35mm-105mm equivalent zoom is adequate for most users. If you plan on doing landscapes or picture taking in small, confined areas, consider a camera that can zoom to a 28mm equivalent.

Optical Zoom as 2x, 3x, 5x…

Taking the 35mm-105mm example above, we divide 105 by 35 to get a 3x zoom. A 28mm-105mm would be approximately a 4x zoom, and a 35mm-350mm would be a 10x zoom.

Digital Zoom

A digital zoom does not change, magnification. It simply crops the image on the sensor to magnify the image. Because less sensor is used, you use fewer pixels. This decreases picture quality. When comparing cameras, always use the optical number as this is much more important. You can get the same effect as a digital zoom by using software to crop the photos.

Note About Digital Zoom

As digital cameras become more sophisticated and powerful they are becoming capable of delivering “optical tricks” that render pictures that are remarkably stable and good looking. Only recently, cameras “digital zooms” are getting much better. Like all things though some companies are better than others. Do your research.

The addition of gunpowder and its ever advancing effective use led to the first handheld weapon to use gunpowder…. the harquebus.

The harquebus is also known as the arquebus or the hackbut. This is a very primitive firearm used between the fifteenth and seventeenth centuries. The musket is a successor of the harquebus. It was a smooth bore long firearm.

A matchlock is used to fire the harquebus. The matchlock is a device used to “cock” the weapon and have it ready to fire. It had a long barrel with end flared to make it easier to load. The fighter with the harquebus was the harquebusier. The harquebusier would brace the barrel of the gun onto a pole with a forked end when firing.

The use of the harquebus during the battle of Pravia in 1525 where the French knights were defeated by heavy fire from harquebusiers provided incentive for others to acquire the harquebus.

During the sixteenth century the harquebus began being replaced by the lighter and more accurate musket.

With large cannons and the lighter harquebus the old aristocracy castles were no longer sufficient defenses. The role of the medieval cavalry had been fading during the late middle ages and the power of the aristocracies began to fade too.

Large armies could be devastated by with the use of the English longbow and the Swiss pike. A long bowman could fire 12 arrows per minute which is much faster than a crossbow. The Swiss pike is a long pole weapon whose primary use was against cavalry assaults. These pikes had the resemblance of a spear and were typically between 10 and 14 feet long. Steel tips were added to the end to increase its effectiveness. These pikes would be used in a large square formation (called a “hedgehog formation) to protect archers and harquebusiers from cavalry assaults.

Although both of these weapons were effective it was very difficult to amass large armies with the skills necessary for their effective use. The longbow took years to learn to use effectively and the Swiss pike required large groups of very well disciplined fighters moving in complex formations.

This is in stark contrast to a soldier who could be trained to effectively use a firearm in weeks instead of the years of training needed for the longbow and pike. There was no need to learn marksmanship skills because these early firearms were extremely inaccurate.

Firearms did not take great physical strength and could still annihilate armored cavalry forces. The harquebus (explained above) was the first relatively light weight firearm. Even though it had to be placed on a stand for firing, it could be operated by only one soldier.

The advantage for firearms was that they could inflict a lot of damage over a great distance, but at close distances the cavalry could annihilate the firearm carrying soldier. The use of pikes to protect the soldiers with firearms was used for years. Interestingly enough, the bayonet combined the effective use of the two weapons.

The harquebus gave way to the muskets which were expensive to make and required a designated infrastructure to produce. The wealth and industrial capacity of a country became the most important factor in determining its military success. This meant that the trading nations of Western Europe had a significant advantage over the more agricultural nations.

The aristocrats who had routinely put down revolts in the past with their cavalry and armies could now be threatened. These new armies cost a lot of money and required a great deal of infrastructure to maintain so the countries became more dependent on taxation in order to maintain their armies.

The inaccuracy of the firearms meant that the armies had to be very large in order to be effective. Since any man could be trained in a very short period of time in the use of a musket it became easier for a country to rely on the population to enter combat on its behalf.

By today’s standards, these wars were not especially deadly. The lack of good roads meant the armies moved very slowly. The most common battle tactic was the siege.

The changes and advancements in weaponry made the use of mercenary forces like those used during the Renaissance obsolete. As the Renaissance era ended, the mercenaries were, for a short time, used for training and administration of the armies and the infrastructure. These tasks were eventually taken over by the state with centralized administration. Some people believe the bureaucracy of today is an outgrowth of the centralized administration of the huge armies and the required infrastructure necessary for its support started during the Renaissance.