Tim Atkinson wrote:
> In effect the Cziltang Brone in itself becomes a Weapon of Mass
> Destruction – you point it at the floor underneath your enemies HQ and
> presumably he (and the material covering the scrith) gets sucked into
> space either by air movement or by the Ringworld’s rotation or both....

But only if the brone has sufficient power (area of effect) and range to
be usable as a sort of field artillery.

Frankly, I think anyone who would use such a unique, (apparently)
unreproducible, priceless device in the field of battle is an idiot.
What if your enemies capture it?

> It would only work presumably when there is clear scrith between the
> victim and space – then again getting stuck in the superconductor mesh
> part way through would do the job just as well.

Just de-tune the brone so that it will affect *everything*-- including
living beings.

~~~~~~~~~~~
There was an accident during that time. An osmosis beam, modified by bad
calibration, went through the Pioneer. Two crewmen died waist-deep in a
metal floor, and seventeen others suffered permanent brain damage in
addition to other injuries when certain permeable membranes became too
permeable.
~~~~~~~~~~~
--/Ringworld/ chapter 21 (p. 287)

> Floating Cities would probably be immune to or at least protected from
> this kind of weapon because they are not anchored to the ground.

And thus out of range? But not if you mount the brone on a flying
vehicle. But again, it's foolish to risk a unique device in a battle.

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Clear ether!
Lensman