The elixir

[TazManiac]

But if McGiver be our Saint of Operational Mechanisms then sooner or later those tasks just recently mentioned will require a trip to or through your local Chinatown.

Don't reinvent stuff, just repurpose it...

[Atomic]

I wonder if there is a way to mess with the air itself with heat enough to screw up how planes fly. It's been theorized that methane bubbles from the bottom of the Bermuda triangle are what cause boats and planes to sink or crash for no obvious reason. The way it works is how methane is lighter than air. Planes are built to fly in air, but the wings don't work right in gasses with lower densities. The less dense the gas, the less lift it provides, and bam, Poseidon's your uncle.
(Totally different mechanism for boats)
It might also choke the engines, if the methane is so prevalent that there isn't enough oxygen. Or it could be mixed, and the engines spark it, causing several acres of ocean to suddenly violently catch fire. And that would make pretty much any plane crash, I think. Possibly by freaking out the pilot so much he loses control. I know I'd lose control of several things if that happened to me.

Yes on both counts -- Bubbly water is less bouyant, so things can sink. And, adding fuel to the air (Methane) can stop an engine because it runs too rich (Mythbusters again, but can't find the link). It would take truly enormous methane cloud to disrupt aircraft lift though -- more likely the engines would stop and the pilot pass out through asphyxia.

[Sgt. Howard]

six pages of thread- two pages plus of BOOM, FLASH, FOOF and other rude and flashy chemistry... yes, this is the over-age juvenile delinquents' forum right here. Personally, I have found that a common July 4th sparkler will start thermite every time. Fill a dry soda can with the stuff, poke in the sparkler, light and throw onto the back deck of one of those mine-resistant armored vehicles that police are suddenly acquiring... it will melt through and render said rig inhospitable. It will do the same to a tank. Love the stuff. Shame we can't get C-4, however- I've seen recipes for it, but I'm not sure I trust them. I used to get artistic with it.

[DinkyInky]

six pages of thread- two pages plus of BOOM, FLASH, FOOF and other rude and flashy chemistry... yes, this is the over-age juvenile delinquents' forum right here. Personally, I have found that a common July 4th sparkler will start thermite every time. Fill a dry soda can with the stuff, poke in the sparkler, light and throw onto the back deck of one of those mine-resistant armored vehicles that police are suddenly acquiring... it will melt through and render said rig inhospitable. It will do the same to a tank. Love the stuff. Shame we can't get C-4, however- I've seen recipes for it, but I'm not sure I trust them. I used to get artistic with it.

https://i.warosu.org/data/tg/img/0385/4 ... 885881.jpg

[GlytchMeister]

You can also take out tanks with Molotov cocktails. The alcohol screws with the seals that are only designed to handle gas, oil, and water. And then there's the whole bit about it being on fire. Chuck one into the radiator grille of a tank (I think they tend to be on the back end, but I haven't really had reason to try) and it'll disable the engine. Not sure about the gun. Probably just make it so it can't aim.

[Sgt. Howard]

You can also take out tanks with Molotov cocktails. The alcohol screws with the seals that are only designed to handle gas, oil, and water. And then there's the whole bit about it being on fire. Chuck one into the radiator grille of a tank (I think they tend to be on the back end, but I haven't really had reason to try) and it'll disable the engine. Not sure about the gun. Probably just make it so it can't aim.

Back deck- either triggers the anti-fire mechanism or catches the engine on fire- either way, the engines quits. Main gun can go manual, but now is slow to operate. Now you can run up to it and use satchel charges, assuming infantry support has been neutralized.

[GlytchMeister]

Back deck- either triggers the anti-fire mechanism or catches the engine on fire- either way, the engines quits. Main gun can go manual, but now is slow to operate. Now you can run up to it and use satchel charges, assuming infantry support has been neutralized.

Suddenly I'm asking myself how do I know this? And the answer is, unsettlingly, I don't know!

[TazManiac]

Two words -

'sticky'

'bomb'

Oh, and in more of the original theme of this thread to begin with:

http://gargwiki.net/Tanna_Leaves

http://help.lockergnome.com/movies/Tann ... 05013.html

[Sgt. Howard]

Back deck- either triggers the anti-fire mechanism or catches the engine on fire- either way, the engines quits. Main gun can go manual, but now is slow to operate. Now you can run up to it and use satchel charges, assuming infantry support has been neutralized.

Suddenly I'm asking myself how do I know this? And the answer is, unsettlingly, I don't know!

... the important thing is to REMEMBER this when martial law is declaired

[GlytchMeister]

... the important thing is to REMEMBER this when martial law is declaired

Oh, heck yeah. I've already got an apocalypse dream team, and they're all friends/family of mine already. I've got a pharmacist/kendo-trained fighter/Eagle Scout, a nurse, a kendo-trained fighter/Eagle Scout/IT guy/big-time christian (to help deal with any scripture-spouting nuts), a kick boxer/massage-therapist (for non-traditional medicine)/big-time christian, a redneck lumberjack, an EMT/Eagle Scout (I recognize the importance of Medics), several veterans (to teach us all how to use guns), a mechanic (to fix our vehicles) whose neck is almost as red as the lumberjack, a former illegal street fighter - turned semi-professional cook, and me.
I've also got a fallout shelter-certified hideout/fortress ready-made. Oh, and a secondary hideout where I can install a hillbilly hydroelectric generator with minimal effort. Aaaand I know the location of a national guard base, if it's the sort of apocalypse where the army is the good guys.

And this was not done on purpose. I just... Pick this stuff up. I make friends who just so happen to be perfect for a post-apocalyptic team, and I sub-consciously file away information that could be useful.

I'm an accidental doomsday prepper.

[Sgt. Howard]

... the important thing is to REMEMBER this when martial law is declaired

Oh, heck yeah. I've already got an apocalypse dream team, and they're all friends/family of mine already. I've got a pharmacist/kendo-trained fighter/Eagle Scout, a nurse, a kendo-trained fighter/Eagle Scout/IT guy/big-time christian (to help deal with any scripture-spouting nuts), a kick boxer/massage-therapist (for non-traditional medicine)/big-time christian, a redneck lumberjack, an EMT/Eagle Scout (I recognize the importance of Medics), several veterans (to teach us all how to use guns), a mechanic (to fix our vehicles) whose neck is almost as red as the lumberjack, a former illegal street fighter - turned semi-professional cook, and me.
I've also got a fallout shelter-certified hideout/fortress ready-made. Oh, and a secondary hideout where I can install a hillbilly hydroelectric generator with minimal effort. Aaaand I know the location of a national guard base, if it's the sort of apocalypse where the army is the good guys.

And this was not done on purpose. I just... Pick this stuff up. I make friends who just so happen to be perfect for a post-apocalyptic team, and I sub-consciously file away information that could be useful.

I'm an accidental doomsday prepper.

The LORD is watching over you for a reason- be virgilant for his word, he will instruct you

[GlytchMeister]

I'm talking about the nutters who latch onto some part of the bible. They're bad, but they use some religious nonsense to justify their actions. Nasty crusaders, crazies, people who think the apocalypse is a Flood-type cleansing event, stuff like that. The religious members of my team might be able to use their knowledge of scripture and such to maybe find non-lethal solutions to confrontations with these sorts.
If humanity is circling the drain, Prime Directive becomes "preserve the species." Don't kill unless absolutely necessary, we don't want a major genetic bottleneck.
Note that two of my team are highly religious, several others are moderately so. Not all those who believe in a god are nuts to me.

[Sgt. Howard]

I'm talking about the nutters who latch onto some part of the bible. They're bad, but they use some religious nonsense to justify their actions. Nasty crusaders, crazies, people who think the apocalypse is a Flood-type cleansing event, stuff like that. The religious members of my team might be able to use their knowledge of scripture and such to maybe find non-lethal solutions to confrontations with these sorts.
If humanity is circling the drain, Prime Directive becomes "preserve the species." Don't kill unless absolutely necessary, we don't want a major genetic bottleneck.
Note that two of my team are highly religious, several others are moderately so. Not all those who believe in a god are nuts to me.

- Fully understood- but all indications of your situation point to an intelligent plan. I have a hard time believing in 'accidents', I have seen too many where the outcome was poetic. Your situation follows such a pattern.
When he speaks to you, you will know. There will be no question.

[GlytchMeister]

- Fully understood-

(Phew. I thought I was gonna have to point at my signature and apologize for any offense made.)

...but all indications of your situation point to an intelligent plan. I have a hard time believing in 'accidents', I have seen too many where the outcome was poetic. Your situation follows such a pattern.
When he speaks to you, you will know. There will be no question.

Well, if he does decide to finally pipe up one day, I'm certainly gonna have a lot of questions for him.

[Sgt. Howard]

- Fully understood-

(Phew. I thought I was gonna have to point at my signature and apologize for any offense made.)

...but all indications of your situation point to an intelligent plan. I have a hard time believing in 'accidents', I have seen too many where the outcome was poetic. Your situation follows such a pattern.
When he speaks to you, you will know. There will be no question.

Well, if he does decide to finally pipe up one day, I'm certainly gonna have a lot of questions for him.

... heh... no doubt...

[MerchManDan]

OOH! OOH! What about THERMITE?

The problem with thermite is that you need to get it quite hot to start the combustion process... the traditional mix needs something as hot as burning magnesium ribbon to touch it off. I'm not sure that a fine dispersion of thermite would "catch" at all easily, or that the flame front would move through it the way you'd like.

A recent mission in Fallout: New Vegas has instructed me that thermite can combust with a sufficiently high electrical charge - in this case, some light fixtures in a room were rigged to set off sparks when switched on, activating the thermite & melting some weapon crates to slag. I'm not sure about how feasible this method is, but I just wanted to contribute to the chemical carnage.

[Sgt. Howard]

OOH! OOH! What about THERMITE?

The problem with thermite is that you need to get it quite hot to start the combustion process... the traditional mix needs something as hot as burning magnesium ribbon to touch it off. I'm not sure that a fine dispersion of thermite would "catch" at all easily, or that the flame front would move through it the way you'd like.

A recent mission in Fallout: New Vegas has instructed me that thermite can combust with a sufficiently high electrical charge - in this case, some light fixtures in a room were rigged to set off sparks when switched on, activating the thermite & melting some weapon crates to slag. I'm not sure about how feasible this method is, but I just wanted to contribute to the chemical carnage.

Stuff a light socket with shredded magnesium and you will have the ignition you are looking for... or steel wool, for that matter.

[GlytchMeister]

Steel wool burns hot enough to ignite thermite? Well, geeze. That's way easier for me to get my hands on than magnesium strips or out-of-season sparklers.
...
Which means now I have a complete design for a thermite satchel charge, using a 9v battery, steel wool, thermite, and a couple paper bags. Add that to the list of things I know that will only be useful if something has gone horribly wrong.

[GlytchMeister]

>_>
:crickets:
<_<
:crickets:
...
Oh, no. Did I kill another thread? I seem to have a knack for that. Sorry, Sarge.
...you mentioned you were going to get into Niel's backstory?

(Should I even be posting here? I don't think this is a dead thread yet, it's still on the front page. But I know resurrecting threads is a universal forum no-no... Sooo...)

[Sgt. Howard]

>_>
:crickets:
<_<
:crickets:
...
Oh, no. Did I kill another thread? I seem to have a knack for that. Sorry, Sarge.
...you mentioned you were going to get into Niel's backstory?

(Should I even be posting here? I don't think this is a dead thread yet, it's still on the front page. But I know resurrecting threads is a universal forum no-no... Sooo...)

Not too worried- I actually have the beginnings of Neil's military carreer on a tablet... once I get the fool thing working again... batteries' dead (toast) and the charger is magionally functional because of the connection.