CT space station defense

[Maladominus]

Originally posted by Fritz88:

I would think lightly armed, but usually surrounded by defense boats on alert. You really want to fight the battle away from whatever world the highport is orbiting....

I agree as well. IMTU, a 'typical' orbital highport would be lightly armed and armored as well. It certainly will not be entitled to 1 hardpoint for every 100 tons.

If it was HEAVILY ARMED TO THE TEETH with 50 bazillion hardpoints and meson guns.... uhhh then it would no longer be called a "Starport". It would then be only called a Death Star.

 

[Maladominus]

Originally posted by Fritz88:

I would think lightly armed, but usually surrounded by defense boats on alert. You really want to fight the battle away from whatever world the highport is orbiting....

I agree as well. IMTU, a 'typical' orbital highport would be lightly armed and armored as well. It certainly will not be entitled to 1 hardpoint for every 100 tons.

If it was HEAVILY ARMED TO THE TEETH with 50 bazillion hardpoints and meson guns.... uhhh then it would no longer be called a "Starport". It would then be only called a Death Star.

 

[Fritz_Brown]

And, we know how defensible Death Stars are!

 

[Fritz_Brown]

And, we know how defensible Death Stars are!

 

[Bob Weaver]

I haven't dealt with any space-stations IMTU yet, but I have an observation as to the question of defending them. Sure, under HG2, with usually no Agility they are easy targets, but what about a situation in which the attacker's goal is to capture it rather than destroy it? The only analogous situation that comes to mind is the old 80's Japanamation cartoon Robotech. The evil aliens wanted the ship with the humans intact (because of what it had inside) and so couldn't open up with all batteries and vaporize it.
Remember, if it's out there, it's there because somebody thought it important/useful to put it there. Mega-ton space habitats are expensive. It's much cheaper to capture it from your enemy than build one yourself. So how could this be accomplished? Remember the defenders have no compuntion about vaporizing the attackers if they can.

 

[Bob Weaver]

I haven't dealt with any space-stations IMTU yet, but I have an observation as to the question of defending them. Sure, under HG2, with usually no Agility they are easy targets, but what about a situation in which the attacker's goal is to capture it rather than destroy it? The only analogous situation that comes to mind is the old 80's Japanamation cartoon Robotech. The evil aliens wanted the ship with the humans intact (because of what it had inside) and so couldn't open up with all batteries and vaporize it.
Remember, if it's out there, it's there because somebody thought it important/useful to put it there. Mega-ton space habitats are expensive. It's much cheaper to capture it from your enemy than build one yourself. So how could this be accomplished? Remember the defenders have no compuntion about vaporizing the attackers if they can.

 

[Piper]

Two ideas, and both require being able to scrub off all offensive weaponry first.

Use large numbers of marines. If you can demonstrate a credible threat, you may get the station to surrender without having to actually put in an assault.
Actually assaulting a station would depend on a number of variables; tech level differences, station layout, number and quality of defending troops, etc.

The second option requires time, possibly lots of time. Scrub off the weaponry and wait.
Maintain a ship near the station to conduct harrassing fire and launch raids with marines to damage or destroy any facilities that enable the station to hold out; like food production and atmosphere control.

If the station uses sun shields to block excess radiation, you could damage or destroy those. Repairing them afterwards should be simple and the threat of being cooked in their can might get them to give up.

Eventually, they may give in, but sieges can last a long time, especially if the defenders are well-prepared.

Alternatively, threaten to destroy large population centers on the planet. It's messy, has no guarantee of success, and you might be opening your own worlds to the same threat.

edit: This was suggested to me by a friend:
Pre-invasion commando assault. Send in marines on a Trojan Horse, like a large freighter. If they can dock or get close enough for an EVA assault, they might be able to disrupt the station and hold out until the fleet arrives from jump and clears the opposition away. Something like Pegasus bridge.
In order to work, this would require some fairly lax security on the station, but it's certainly more interesting as a game than a long siege would be.

 

[Piper]

Two ideas, and both require being able to scrub off all offensive weaponry first.

Use large numbers of marines. If you can demonstrate a credible threat, you may get the station to surrender without having to actually put in an assault.
Actually assaulting a station would depend on a number of variables; tech level differences, station layout, number and quality of defending troops, etc.

The second option requires time, possibly lots of time. Scrub off the weaponry and wait.
Maintain a ship near the station to conduct harrassing fire and launch raids with marines to damage or destroy any facilities that enable the station to hold out; like food production and atmosphere control.

If the station uses sun shields to block excess radiation, you could damage or destroy those. Repairing them afterwards should be simple and the threat of being cooked in their can might get them to give up.

Eventually, they may give in, but sieges can last a long time, especially if the defenders are well-prepared.

Alternatively, threaten to destroy large population centers on the planet. It's messy, has no guarantee of success, and you might be opening your own worlds to the same threat.

edit: This was suggested to me by a friend:
Pre-invasion commando assault. Send in marines on a Trojan Horse, like a large freighter. If they can dock or get close enough for an EVA assault, they might be able to disrupt the station and hold out until the fleet arrives from jump and clears the opposition away. Something like Pegasus bridge.
In order to work, this would require some fairly lax security on the station, but it's certainly more interesting as a game than a long siege would be.

 

[parmasson]

agree as well. IMTU, a 'typical' orbital highport would be lightly armed and armored as well. It certainly will not be entitled to 1 hardpoint for every 100 tons.

A multi-megacredit facility will need some protection. The insurance company might insist that you install a certain number of weapons. In a small ship universe a 100kt space station would need 10 triple turrets (1 per 10,000 tons) or a few SDBs otherwise a single patrol cruiser becomes a threat.

 

[parmasson]

agree as well. IMTU, a 'typical' orbital highport would be lightly armed and armored as well. It certainly will not be entitled to 1 hardpoint for every 100 tons.

A multi-megacredit facility will need some protection. The insurance company might insist that you install a certain number of weapons. In a small ship universe a 100kt space station would need 10 triple turrets (1 per 10,000 tons) or a few SDBs otherwise a single patrol cruiser becomes a threat.

 

[Fritz_Brown]

Hey, Piper, who needs a boatload of Marines? Juat a small free trader full of properly equipped/skilled PCs should be able to bring down the highport defenses.

Kurega, I don't think anybody would just hang a highport out there with NO system defense. And, there probably are some defensive weapons. But, defense of a starport is going to primarily rely on keeping the battle at AUs distant. It's not really hard to hit one of those things, and you really only need one good hit with a decent KE weapon....

 

[Fritz_Brown]

Hey, Piper, who needs a boatload of Marines? Juat a small free trader full of properly equipped/skilled PCs should be able to bring down the highport defenses.

Kurega, I don't think anybody would just hang a highport out there with NO system defense. And, there probably are some defensive weapons. But, defense of a starport is going to primarily rely on keeping the battle at AUs distant. It's not really hard to hit one of those things, and you really only need one good hit with a decent KE weapon....

 

[mike wightman]

Read C.J.Cherryh's "Downbelow Station" for some good ideas about how to take down a space station.

 

[mike wightman]

Read C.J.Cherryh's "Downbelow Station" for some good ideas about how to take down a space station.

 

[Pickles]

Originally posted by Bob Weaver:
... The only analogous situation that comes to mind is the old 80's Japanamation cartoon Robotech. The evil aliens wanted the ship with the humans intact (because of what it had inside) and so couldn't open up with all batteries and vaporize it.

"Row-boat heck"? Surely you mean the one and only Super-Dimensional Fortress: Macross!

 

[Pickles]

Originally posted by Bob Weaver:
... The only analogous situation that comes to mind is the old 80's Japanamation cartoon Robotech. The evil aliens wanted the ship with the humans intact (because of what it had inside) and so couldn't open up with all batteries and vaporize it.

"Row-boat heck"? Surely you mean the one and only Super-Dimensional Fortress: Macross!

 

[aramis]

WHy meson bays?

Anti-civilian and anti-escort roles. Being able to hit many targets with meson weapons rather than one is good if the targets are small and/or weak, and outnummber one.

Plus, from a rules mechanic standpoint: it's 8 system hits rather than 2: 4 each internal and radiation.

 

[aramis]

WHy meson bays?

Anti-civilian and anti-escort roles. Being able to hit many targets with meson weapons rather than one is good if the targets are small and/or weak, and outnummber one.

Plus, from a rules mechanic standpoint: it's 8 system hits rather than 2: 4 each internal and radiation.

 

[Pickles]

IMTU, I almost never have armed stations (and when I do, it's only for variety). As a stationer, I would feel that I want to avoid being shot at at all costs, and that includes attackers trying to "scrub" weaponry of my hull. Too much chance of them missing their target and hitting something vital instead (everyone please watch Blakes 7 Series 1 Episode 10: Breakdown at this point).

Far safer to rely on SDBs to repel the enemy, and surrender if they fail. And for those that watched B7, yes, do ask your SDBs not to get too close to your station when they're under fire ...

 

[Pickles]

IMTU, I almost never have armed stations (and when I do, it's only for variety). As a stationer, I would feel that I want to avoid being shot at at all costs, and that includes attackers trying to "scrub" weaponry of my hull. Too much chance of them missing their target and hitting something vital instead (everyone please watch Blakes 7 Series 1 Episode 10: Breakdown at this point).

Far safer to rely on SDBs to repel the enemy, and surrender if they fail. And for those that watched B7, yes, do ask your SDBs not to get too close to your station when they're under fire ...