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I was wondering would you need to calulate for drift with a energy rifle?

With a normal gun you have to compensate for elements such as wind and gravity. So often times you are shooting at a spot higher or to the right of the target and you have to make adjustments on your rifle as well.

Would there be something similar for energy weapons such as lasers? I was thinking you you might need to deal with refraction based on the amount of condenstion in the air or something similar.

Its just a thought that has been bugging me so I want'ed to see what you guys thought.

HYPOTHETICAL:
In high wind you may have a problem with debris and heavy dust blowing, causeing you to miss your shot. Even the UE Rifts book talks about the shot stoping as soon as they hit somthing, (hence no blow through). Heavy condensation such as rain or snow may cause a miss at long ranges due to this.
I'd imagine you'd still have to account for the earths curvature and spin. (Gravity will bend light). But only at very extreame ranges, like a mile or more.
Altitude may effect your shot also. Lower altitude tend to have higher air preasure which could effect the laser, while high altitudes have much lower air preasure.

The reality though is with the reletivly low ranges of lasers in Rifts all shots are gonna be pretty much straight on, with no curvature at all. And md lasers wouldn't be hampered by such things as a little dust or moisture in the air. Thier way too powerful.

Now this brings up another thought though: An md laser is capable of doing md damage at it's listed range, which is considered the maximum "effective" range. So what happens to the laser after that range. Could you miraculously hit someone 3 miles away with the laser rifle and have it do SDC damage? Or does it disapate and become no more harmfull than a flashlight?

that is something that has made me curious as well. Example the maximum effective range for a M16 is 550 metres on a point target but 800 meters for an area target.

So are those laser ranges in rifts the result of low targeting ranges or attenuation in the actual strenghth of the beam? If the later then your hypthies most be correct and you could "paint" a target from miles a way with a C-12. If the former is true the actually effectivness in large pitched battles is greater with enmasse fire on enmasse forces where accuracy would not be as important.

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