It has been a while, but I’m pretty sure the bladed weapons are needed because the shields specifically block objects with high kinetic energy. I also recall one of the houses on arakis getting bombed, but only after they were able to turn off the protective barrier. I might be mixing up Sci fi books, though.
You’re not - it’s pretty explicitly the point. The technological arms race has gotten so advanced that everyone has devolved into fighting with knives.
Specifically it causes the explosion at both ends, so firing a laser at something you aren’t 100% absolutely positively sure is unshielded is suicidal.
There are cultural implications. For the same reason that thermonuclear warheads are stockpiled but not used these days, they avoid using lazguns because you simultaneously blow up more than you would need and turn everyone against you. There are laws in the empire that prevent a military power from intentionally triggering one of these reactions for obvious reasons.
It has been a while, but I’m pretty sure the bladed weapons are needed because the shields specifically block objects with high kinetic energy. I also recall one of the houses on arakis getting bombed, but only after they were able to turn off the protective barrier. I might be mixing up Sci fi books, though.
You’re not - it’s pretty explicitly the point. The technological arms race has gotten so advanced that everyone has devolved into fighting with knives.
And even then, the training focuses on slow, deliberate moves, as even a fast knife can be deflected.
The shields don’t just protect against kinetic weapons, they also tend to cause energy weapons to blow up in a thermonuclear explosions iirc
Specifically it causes the explosion at both ends, so firing a laser at something you aren’t 100% absolutely positively sure is unshielded is suicidal.
Isn’t the thermonuclear bomb a Foundation thing, not a Dune thing?
Is it both? I can see why op said he may be mixing them up lol.
Usually whenever I ask myself “is it X or Dune?” I default to Dune, since it is just that old and has inspired so many things in sci fi.
Sounds like a drone dropping an energy weapon on a shield users head would do the trick then.
Anyone who does that is getting immediately dog piled by the rest of the houses.
There are cultural implications. For the same reason that thermonuclear warheads are stockpiled but not used these days, they avoid using lazguns because you simultaneously blow up more than you would need and turn everyone against you. There are laws in the empire that prevent a military power from intentionally triggering one of these reactions for obvious reasons.
Yes it is because of shields. Laser fire on shields makes a nuclear explosion and I think most fast projectiles are reflected.
Also don’t personal shields attract the worm?
Yes, correct