X-ray lasers (Re: Descriptive design system idea)

Regarding nuclear-pumped x-ray laser detonation warheads (say that three
times
> fast <grin>), Oerjan Ohlson wrote:

> Yes and no. A laser warhead could (perhaps; I'm not entirely sure)

As examined in Real Life for the Strategic Defense Initative, the warhead part
of a det laser contains three basic components: 1) nuclear warhead; 2) laser
rods; 3) device to aim the laser rods at the target.

All the estimates I heard spoke of *hundreds* of laser rods per warhead.
 If
they are saturating an area like a shotgun blast (as opposed to being aimed at
many different widely dispersed targets, as envisioned for SDI), then the
average number of hits would be determined by the cross section of the target
and the density of the beams in the target space. Thus, even with such an
area effect weapon, targetting becomes crucial -- hundreds of rods
sounds like a lot, until you start talking about a target hundreds of square
meters in size in an area of thousands of square kilometers.