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    Would alien invaders really need to be that advanced?

    Just how advanced would a civilization have to be to attempt an invasion of Earth? In most sci fi the aliens are light-years ahead of us in technology, but would they really need to be?

    I believe the answer to be, no, not really, they actually would only have to be about as advanced as us, at least when they left their home. They wouldn't need a fancy hyperspace engine, they could use something like Project Orion to get here. 10% light speed might take awhile but you'll get here just the same, and if they had anti-matter powered drives they could possibly travel at 80% light speed. There are Sol-like stars within 20 light-years of Earth, if they came from one of these they could make it within 200 years.

    Once they were here they could easily assault Earth with impunity. All they'd have to do is stay out of range of our weapons, and let gravity assist theirs (nuclear weapons or meteors). If they had point defense lasers they'd be even more safe from us. A good example of this type of invasion can be seen in the novel Footfall.
    All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing-Edmund Burke

    The question which once haunted my being has been answered. The future is not fixed, and my choices are my own... and yet, how ironic! For I now find, I have no choice at all! I am warrior... let the battle be joined.-Dinobot-Code of Hero

    Don't blame me, I voted Cthulhu

    #2
    Well....for space travel....I mean they'd probably be a little more advanced than us....
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      #3
      Originally posted by mappalazarou View Post
      Well....for space travel....I mean they'd probably be a little more advanced than us....
      Ah but see Project Orion was proposed in 1947, if we had focused on making it work, we probably could have explored most of the solar system and sent probes to other stars by now. What I'm saying is that with today's tech we could build an interstellar spacecraft. Sure it would be a generation ship, but it's a cool thought. We might actually do it in a few decades.
      All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing-Edmund Burke

      The question which once haunted my being has been answered. The future is not fixed, and my choices are my own... and yet, how ironic! For I now find, I have no choice at all! I am warrior... let the battle be joined.-Dinobot-Code of Hero

      Don't blame me, I voted Cthulhu

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        #4
        as mapp said in space ships they'd have to be more advanced however there's no reason why they couldn't use projectile weaponry, missiles, nukes...same as us. it's all a matter of numbers. but then again cavemen could take over america if there was enough of them.
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          #5
          The only thing I think they'd have to be more advanced in is life support. An Orion type ship could have been built in the 60's or 70's, but wasn't for political reasons, and because it would kill about 10 people with fallout when it launched. If you didn't care about that you could easily construct and launch from a planetary surface.
          All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing-Edmund Burke

          The question which once haunted my being has been answered. The future is not fixed, and my choices are my own... and yet, how ironic! For I now find, I have no choice at all! I am warrior... let the battle be joined.-Dinobot-Code of Hero

          Don't blame me, I voted Cthulhu

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            #6
            did you know kennedy actually supported project orion, and when he was killed project apollo took over
            info http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Project..._propulsion%29
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              #7
              Originally posted by AvatarIII View Post
              did you know kennedy actually supported project orion, and when he was killed project apollo took over
              info http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Project..._propulsion%29
              I heard it was the other way around.

              Some authorities say that President Kennedy initiated the Apollo program to buy off the technical enthusiasts backing the Orion program[citation needed]. The recent book by George Dyson says that one design proposal presented to Kennedy was a space-going nuclear battleship, which so offended him that he decided to end the program.
              Last edited by jds1982; 29 June 2007, 10:35 AM.
              All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing-Edmund Burke

              The question which once haunted my being has been answered. The future is not fixed, and my choices are my own... and yet, how ironic! For I now find, I have no choice at all! I am warrior... let the battle be joined.-Dinobot-Code of Hero

              Don't blame me, I voted Cthulhu

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                #8
                why is it the phrase 'space going nuclear battleship' brings up images of that ship from space above and beyond for me???...........i didn't even watch that show.
                Please do me a huge favour and help me be with the love of my life.

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                  #9
                  The only thing they'd really need would be orbital supremacy, something they'll automatically get if they come here in spaceships.

                  With that they can launch missiles and land armies all over the world and we have no way to really retaliate against their base of operations, at least not in any sort of short term.

                  Another thing they'll also need though will be numbers, very large numbers. Taking over an entire planet through military invasion is no small affair.

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                    #10
                    I imagine they'd need a sizeable force, but they could easily wipe out population centers, and military assets using orbital bombardment. They could use nukes, directed asteroids, and possibly neutron bombs to eliminate a significant portion of humanity within days if not hours. I imagine any organized resistance would be crushed swiftly. So while they'd need numbers, it wouldn't need to be that massive. It's a little frightening to think how easy we would fall to technology on the same basic level as ours, simply because we've ignored space development.
                    All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing-Edmund Burke

                    The question which once haunted my being has been answered. The future is not fixed, and my choices are my own... and yet, how ironic! For I now find, I have no choice at all! I am warrior... let the battle be joined.-Dinobot-Code of Hero

                    Don't blame me, I voted Cthulhu

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                      #11
                      Click:We could always make the earth look like it was already invaded.

                      From Google Maps
                      Last edited by Doze; 29 June 2007, 11:26 AM.
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                        #12
                        ^^ See they wouldn't need to be that advanced after all.
                        All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing-Edmund Burke

                        The question which once haunted my being has been answered. The future is not fixed, and my choices are my own... and yet, how ironic! For I now find, I have no choice at all! I am warrior... let the battle be joined.-Dinobot-Code of Hero

                        Don't blame me, I voted Cthulhu

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                          #13
                          To get here from at least 5 light years away and not dy you would have to be a lot more advance than us.

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                            #14
                            Originally posted by jds1982 View Post
                            I imagine they'd need a sizeable force, but they could easily wipe out population centers, and military assets using orbital bombardment. They could use nukes, directed asteroids, and possibly neutron bombs to eliminate a significant portion of humanity within days if not hours. I imagine any organized resistance would be crushed swiftly. So while they'd need numbers, it wouldn't need to be that massive. It's a little frightening to think how easy we would fall to technology on the same basic level as ours, simply because we've ignored space development.
                            Indeed, if their goal was simply to exterminate most of us and not conquer the planet mostly intact, it would be a great deal easier for them.

                            They'd just need to launch 2 ships from their homeworld. One that decelerates upon reaching Earth and one that doesn't

                            If they just wanted us gone they could just fire the relativistic missile from their homeworld in the same fashion and cause an instant planet-wide catastrophe on Earth without ever leaving the comfort of their homes.

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                              #15
                              It doesn't really matter how advanced they are because all we would have to do is upload a virus to the mothership.
                              Secretary-General of GATO ¤ Defender of F.O.R.D.

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