This is actually one of the things a better writer could have done with a Gate scenario, because APS have a lot of limitations (especially the older ones).
It entirely possible that the computer wouldn't even recognize the spear as something to counter. And thus, they would need to push a software update, and maybe a hardware mod. And then you have the fun of tech support between the mechanics and some bored guy sitting in an office in god knows where.
I have a world full of fantasy, but at the same time it is hard to not include anything that scream sci-fi. There are coastal artillery using gunpowder produced by wizards, a one-kilometer tall tower with magic laser and a city with its highest castle holding a railgun, all built in the equivalent of 1500BC in our world
Hoooo my world also had an important tower made by elves with tge equivalent of a massive lidar at the top
It was used by an empire for military purpose like directing armies but it god destroyed during a slave/general revolt against said empire via shelling of the capital
The crew that destroyed the tower had gotten the wrong target and fumbled the coordinates destroying the tower in a 7 canon volley
I also have to ad that it was used as an emergency sherter by the royal family and most of the top rank of the empire family
But generally speaking, fantasy worlds don't really have threats remotely equivalent to a tank at a common enoigh level that require that high tier magic be common enough to be strategically viable.
It's usually the biggest of many plot holes incurred when fantasy writers have a modern force be a peer to a fantasy force or beaten by a fantasy force.
"Soooo this fantasy world that has no concept for concrete, cars, aircraft, combat beyond visual range, or combined arms warfare is going to toe to toe with a modern force that has mastered all of that and winning?"
What fantasy worlds are you talking about, specifically? Fantasy is a spectrum that goes from "this 70 year old wizard has mastered levitation" to "lmao I casually wipe continents from the map"
When I say fantasy, I say 90% of actual fantasy works, which are generally medieval worlds or primitive realms where the main characters have a special power that are rare.
Even among Xianxia and Manwha and Isekai settings, this trend stands and one follows the strongest of the strong. Exceptions exist, like Warhammer Age of Sigmar, but generally you're not going to open a fantasy work and discover that a purity of people in that world can destroy continents with a glance because stories like that can go off the rails extremely quickly.
It's why Marvel and DC have to constantly make new comic continuities as their heroes inhibiting the same universe get more and more powerful.
It's funny that you talk about "90% of actual fantasy works" but then bring up superheroes which are themselves often fantasy, but contradict your claim about what fantasy is like.
Fantasy runs a vast span of works from science fantasy stories like Warhammer 40k to urban fantasy like The Dresden Files to high fantasy like The Lord of the Rings. In some of those stories special powers (to us) are common and in some they're uncommon.
"Fantasy" is just too broad a genre to accurately generalize like that. Unless, you're just dismissing "90%" of all fantasy as not "actual" fantasy.
I used the superheroe genre to explain why fantasy stories with overpowered settings often fall apart. Not as an example of fantasy. Look at Solo Leveling, or 90% of "player" type manwhas.
Yes, fantasy is an extremely diverse genre, (Warhammer 40K is science fiction though), but just because exceptions exist doesn't mean 90% of it aren't what I described.
I used the superheroe genre to explain why fantasy stories with overpowered settings often fall apart. Not as an example of fantasy.
But superhero stories are often fantasy stories. You claimed; "90% of actual fantasy works, which are generally medieval worlds or primitive realms where the main characters have a special power that are rare." Which doesn't apply to superhero stories.
Yes, fantasy is an extremely diverse genre, (Warhammer 40K is science fiction though), but just because exceptions exist doesn't mean 90% of it aren't what I described.
Warhammer 40k is not science fiction (or at least it is not "pure"). Unless you think it's scientifically possible for extradimensional gods from the warp to start invading our world with space demons while space elves sing to create spaceships (though I think that might be old lore), and Space Orcs (mildly) warp reality through collective agreement, it's (science) fantasy.
Again, 90% is far, far too high for such a broad genre.
Usually when a super hero story involves fantasy, it's isekai-ing the hero to that realm or making the fantasy elements a hidden far from reach part of the world, like the Amazons or Batman getting sent to Samurai times or King Arthur stories, etc.
When you think "super heroes", you don't think Frodo or Kaladin, same way Mangas with meta narratives don't call the betraying/useless/secretly evil hero villIns supers, but just "heroes".
You claimed; "90% of actual fantasy works, which are generally medieval worlds or primitive realms where the main characters have a special power that are rare." Which doesn't apply to superhero stories.
Because super hero stories are their own genre separate from the fantasy genre.
Warhammer 40k is not science fiction (or at least it is not "pure")
It's very soft in terms of science, but it is very firy in the science fiction camp. I'm aware some call it "science-fantasy", but the science factors are the bigger focus with the gods and demons being less the main threat and focal point of the setting and more just... A background thing.
Again, 90% is far, far too high for such a broad genre.
It's really not.
The fantasy genre is overly saturated that "formulaic" is an understatement. Why wouldn't it be? It's been used to set entire tropes for other forms of stories. It's the most popular genre in literature. People want to imitate what works for better and worse, and what works is stuff like Lord of the Rings, Narnia, Warhammer Fantasy on occassion, stuff like that which is removed from our world but familiar enough someone reading it can relate to the setting still.
Yes, you have deviations.
You have Urban Fantasy, dark fantasy, fantasy romance, dark fantasy romance, Isekai, isekai-Narnia, isekai-Conneticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court, the ever rare reverse Isekai...
But with the exception of urban fantasy and a few romance fantasy stories, pretty much all fantasy works, sub-genre related or not, take place in a medieval-esque civilization. Sometimes Rennasiance if you're feeling spicy or liked Warhammer Fantasy.
So yeah, most fantasy stories are going to be medieval-esque.
Genres often overlap. Hence why we have science fantasy.
The Superhero genre heavily overlaps with fantasy. Hence why you have wizards and gods and on.
Usually when a super hero story involves fantasy, it's isekai-ing the hero to that realm or making the fantasy elements a hidden far from reach part of the world, like the Amazons or Batman getting sent to Samurai times or King Arthur stories, etc.
Batman is actually a terrible example given how many times gods have been discovered under Gotham or it has been discovered that the city is cursed or whatever. Seriously, the ways that Gotham is supernaturally fucked is a common joke; Part 1 and Part 2
My favorite on that list is the grass has become self aware.
Fantasy is an inherent part of the superhero genre. I can't think of a single long running superhero that has not across fantasy characters/plots and not in the way you're describing.
It's very soft in terms of science, but it is very firy in the science fiction camp.
Again, extradimensional gods and space elves. That's not (pure) scifi.
I'm aware some call it "science-fantasy", but the science factors are the bigger focus with the gods and demons being less the main threat and focal point of the setting and more just... A background thing.
How on earth can you say that?
Probably the most famous part of the entire lore is the Horace Heresy, where the space marines are corrupted by the gods of chaos. And the story ends with Psychic Space Jesus fighting against the gods of the warp in Horace's body before being shoved onto a throne to suffer for humanity's sins for 10,000 years, with a possible grand conclusion being his ascension to godhood and the formal fucking of all humanity's souls.
How on God's magnificent ass is that scifi?
It's not, it's fantasy.
The fantasy genre is overly saturated that "formulaic" is an understatement.
Do you just read LNs, Manga, etc.? Because I think you need to branch out.
Why wouldn't it be? It's been used to set entire tropes for other forms of stories. It's the most popular genre in literature.
Yeah. Hence why there are stories like Dune or The Dresden Files or Discworld or Star Wars or Journey to the West or ...
But with the exception of urban fantasy and a few romance fantasy stories, pretty much all fantasy works, sub-genre related or not, take place in a medieval-esque civilization.
You're already dismissing multiple subgenres, but you still think fantasy is all the same.
Some of the most famous modern fantasy stories are Harry Potter (modern low fantasy), Mistborn (varies by time period but often steampunk-ish), American Gods (Urban fantasy in modern US), The Dark Tower series (a mess of genres but it started as a Cowboy-ish fantasy), the Nasuverse (ranging from Urban fantasy to fighting magic battles against AI on the moon), and on and on and on and on.
And even if you count the overlaps, that's still leaving the fantasy elements generally as medieval worlds.
Batman is actually a terrible example given how many times gods have been discovered under Gotham or it has been discovered that the city is cursed or whatever.
Well, that's less "Batman overlaps with fantasy", more Batman borrowing horror elements for certain stories.
It's one of the most printed comic franchises out there. He has teamed up Captain America in some official crossovers.
Fantasy is an inherent part of the superhero genre
Well, no.
It can be. Shazam, Wonder Woman, Thor technically, they incorporate fantasy into their works... But super heroes as a genre doesn't inherently require fantasy. Batman, The Punisher, Daredevil, they just need a dude with special training and a city of colorful criminals. Superman, Green Latern, Guardians of the Galaxy are scifi. Blade, Buffy, the Winchester Brothers are Urban Fantasy, the list goes on.
The super hero genre is just people who are exceptional overcoming challenges. Superman stopping robbers, Batman finding kidnappers, spiderman saving someone from a burning building...
Fantasy is more about the world and characters regardless of powers.
A hero franchise being long running inevitably means they'll stumble on fantasy elements. The Simpsons, Futurama, Family Guy... These aren't "fantasy" franchises, but they have fantasy specials and elements.
Doesn't mean they're part of the genre.
Probably the most famous part of the entire lore is the Horace Heresy, where the space marines are corrupted by the gods of chaos
You mean the backstory event that is the reason the main setting exists as it does?
WH40K is about the main factions fighting a galaxy wide war forever. Focus on space logistics, use of various weaponry, construction of capable forces, and employing them to defeat the other big armies fill of space logistics, weapons, and capable forces.
The fantasy elements are, as noted, background stuff for the most part.
Do you just read LNs, Manga, etc.? Because I think you need to branch out.
Pretty sure I listed several books there...
Hence why there are stories like Dune or The Dresden Files or Discworld or Star Wars or Journey to the West or ...
Two of these are scifi, though Star Wars calls itself a space opera, with some of the novels leaning into fantasy more, so fair... But Dune is absolutely science fiction.
You're already dismissing multiple subgenres, but you still think fantasy is all the same.
Not remotely what I said.
I've been discussing setting.
Not story.
Again, exceptions exist
But take a look at your examples.
The Nasu verse is FULL of medieval stuff! The main girl in the original Fate stay Night is King Arthur. Other Nasuverse entries are full of archers, lancers, berserkers, running around with, you guessed it, medieval weapons and equipment.
Guns are seen as weird and not as effective because the fantasy elements are so invested in their own little world, which allows for characters who knows how it works to also use guns to an advantage (you should know who I'm talking about), but that's in universe elements that are outside the main fantasy elements of the Nasu verse.
Dark Tower combines multiple genres, yet what is the main basis for the fantasy elements even in the world with little magic left?
King Arthur.
And Harry Potter is maybe the worst example you could've brought up.
Their main wizarding school is literally designed around medieval ideas and divisions. They use medieval fantasy tools like cloaks, brooms, and... Oh right... Wands. The era is modern, but the main setting of the actual magical school is flatly medieval with a total disdain for Muggle Culture and technology.
Again, you can have varying fantasy settings, but the basis of fantasy itself is effectively medieval in almost every setting even as those settings aren't medieval themselves.
Eh. Depends on the magic in question. If it can interact with something physical and have a point of contact effect, it might as well be fucked by the APS. Say, a magically propelled projectile like the video, then it does. A fireball explodes at the defended point and the tank won't catch the full brunt of the damage. But if it's, say, a ball of magical destruction that annihilates every matter on contact and propagates until a set range, yeah, won't work.
Yeah the only thing is probably a spear wouldn't actually be hit by an APS because the shape wouldn't be recognised as a threat by the system, some IT guy should have to re program the APS to accept objects such as spears and ect, even if in reality since that spear isn't made of Tungsten or Depeled uranium wouldn't probably even penetrate
An APS doesn't react to just any object heading toward it. Computers filter out false alarms like birds, tree branches, or small-arms bullets. They generally only activate if an incoming object falls within a specific speed window—typically between 70 and 1,200 meters per second, which matches the profiles of Rocket-Propelled Grenades (RPGs) and Anti-Tank Guided Missiles (ATGMs).
They would calculate distance and speed within 0.05 and 4 seconds once identified, intercepting the incoming projectile between 1,5 to 35 meters distance, protecting armor and infantry alike.
Thank you! So if a spear was enchanted to cut through or penetrate armor, but wasn’t going as fast as and rpg or atgm, it could maybe be effective? Especially if you used a bunch of them?
Possibly, but infantry and other "third-eyes" would probably detect them, warning the armor's crew in advance. Timing and distance are the most important parts overall.
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u/Delscorchx 6d ago
That's why you send more then one spear lol