system
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:
human
[Dune] Holtzman shields explode with an almost nuclear force if they come into contact with lasers, so why aren't they an enormous liability? Shouldn't it be common for laser-equipped hunter-seekers and suicide assassins to wipe out entire armies and strongholds by shooting one laser?
gpt
The laser explodes as well.

The problem is that the entire point of war is ruined by nuclear explosions. War is about territory and control. If you go around ruining shit the Emperor is going to get involved, and pre Muadib that was some bad mojo right there.

For instance, if you were to shoot a lazer at someone in Arrakeen, you might level the city or breach the shield wall. Both would end the spice production or at least make it really much, much harder to make the imperial quota.

It's basically the same reason that nobody's deployed a nuke on earth since the first two were used in combat. Both the real and the political fallout would be huge.

Moreso in the Dune universe where the spacers guild might just decide to stop carrying you and your cargo, or the emperor and/or all the other houses might just come to your home world and deploy their "family atomics" all over your goods and chattel.

Many things that are technically possible are otherwise unthinkable because of the follow-on nonsense.