Second Imperium SuperBattleship

[deadlock]

Greetings and salutations,

Micka, Kafka, Liam, Mal, and others, as I see it, the 2I starships would have been heavy in Solomani designs. However, if Ziru Sirka designs looked Solomani enough or could be modified to look Solomani enough, I think they would have been put into use.

Case in point:
Had a PC whose character was a Naval Ship Designer in his career so he would do a few drawlings to give the rest a hint of what the ships looked like in MTU. When polities went to war against other polities, designs were taken by the victor. New designs not built by the loser were evaluated by the victor. Some were used as is, some were modified to look more like the victor's ships, and others were just trashed.

 

[kafka47]

Originally posted by Liam Devlin:
Ummm, but Kafka47, the Solomani 2nd Imperium, aka (Vilani) "Ramshackle Empire" did use Solomani designs.

Now, in all fairness--aside from the fact that Maladominus' pix is from another RPG and not an 'original' design, okay, I concede your point.

Liam, for sure, I don't mind seeing designs from the 1st Imperium and Terran Confederation. I agree that the 2nd Imperium would borrow a lot from its history.

But just to clarify what I am looking for the full expression of confidence (read: mega-monstrosities) during the ROM when for the most part older designs had fallen by the wayside...save ubiquitous Hero Class...and even then...look at M:0 Free Trader.

Hence the need for size, as the systems might tend toward miniaturization in a mature TL F society (one where there more than a scattering of TL F worlds) when the technology is just isolated, it tends toward being clunky.

Remember, ALSO, this is a contest in which I am the judge and have set out my critera. Discussion and theory might be fruitfully persued elsewhere but not on this thread. I would rather leave it open to the creative types.

 

[far-trader]

Originally posted by mickazoid:
Here is a layout of the various modules.

Each visible square is 1-2 decks...

Anyone care to do the math? I'm never clear on the formula.

I did a quick volume calc using 1deck per square (which btw was what I should have used the first time, thanks for the clarification Micki) and it came out to right around 20Ktons. A nice size for a cruiser, but a little small for a dreadnaught. I'm gonna run the numbers again using 2decks per square when I get a minute. It really needs to be more on the order of 200Ktons for dreadnaught class in MT.

 

[Liam Devlin]

1400kl, or 14 cubic meters (14 m3) = 1 displacement ton (1 dton).

And your scale is 1-2 decks (3m-6m high)?

Hmm Hangar is 26 'squares' long x 8 'squares' thick x 25 'squares' wide. ( at 1 deck/ 1 square: 78m x 24m x 75m = 146,249.99 divided by 14 m3 = +10,450dtons

at 2 deck/ 6m that section comes to + 80,228.571dtons.

Midsection17sq x 17sq x 7sq)

1deck/ 3m (51m x 51m x 21m) = +3,901.5dton
2deck/ 6m (102m x 102m x 42m) = +31,212dtons

Command section 16sq x 11sq x 8.5 sq

1deck/ 3m (48m x 33m x 25.5m) = +2,885.143dton
2deck/ 6m (96m x 66m x 51m) = +23,081.142dtons


Gun platform disc...I'll let a geometry-major do the other pieces as my eyesight isn't what to used to be, Ms Mickazoid

She's either VERY LARGE, or she's HUGE! x 14 m3

 

[Mickazoid]

That seems close to the 200k far-trader was looking for. I got the feeling she was a big one when I decided to make sure the hangar bay could be around 6 stories high.

 

[far-trader]

hmm, my quick and drity (lazy) numbers are close on some and not on others to Liam's.

My bumping to 2deck squares comes to around 160Ktons which will work.

At least the number is in the right ballpark so I may do a better set of numbers, or just use Liam's

 

[Liam Devlin]

Kafka47: You da judge.

I therefore serve myself a 200kton fresh steaming cup of 'Shut my mouth'.

 

[far-trader]

Oh, btw, I was using 1350kl per ton, this is s'posed to be MT after all

 

[Andrew Boulton]

[desperately tries not to ignite a "RoM never reached TL15" flame war...]

 

[Liam Devlin]

[Holds wet pack of matches over the ROM era Powder factory with Andrew Boulton just out of reach...]

 

[far-trader]

[Uses business card to fan the water-logged tinder while Liam strikes a soggy match, repeatedly without luck...]

But seriously, I was looking for the list of TL acheivements through history for this reason and couldn't find it. I know I have it and vaguely recall ROM being some TL14 but I'm not sure. So for the record Andrew and/or Liam what is the accepted TL ceiling? Without flames, it's just toooo hot today

 

[mike wightman]

The RoM definitely made TL12 - jump 3 drives are proof of that.
A couple of the T4 supplements suggest that the RoM achieved TL13, and one adventure has relic RoM TL14 laser pistols IIRC.
The RoM didn't manage to invent the meson screen, no matter what TL they reached in other areas.

 

[kafka47]

Translation from Sigg's excellent explaination, if the TL is between 13-14, you are safe...TL 15 systems would be highly unstable...perfect for my battleship...

So, ideally, I would want most compoients to be TL 13 but do not hesitate to insert prototype technology. It will not effect the adventure. As remember the other part, it is wedged in a comet (and art request) where it cannot escape and all systems are not fully functional...

 

[Mickazoid]

Needless to say, a sketch of the ship smashed into a comet is something I'll have to draw and scan (I'm a pretty good pencil/pen sketch artist)... so let me know if you like the design and I'll try to sketch one in and somehow scan...

 

[far-trader]

As for wedged into a comet I'd have to say it can't be the result of a crash with mickazoid's design at least, the thing would probably be badly broken up. Of course that may work for your idea kafka.

I'd suggest instead it be a landing on a small cometary body to refuel via melting and something went wrong. The ship never lifted off and over time much of it became embedded in new ice built up over it. But hey, it's just an idea

 

[Mickazoid]

I took a photo of a sketch I did (an intact, cometless version) yesterday, but my transfer cable is at the beach. I'll be able to transfer it and upload tomorrow.

Update: just did a sketch with the hangar section embedded in a crevasse at a severe angle, the turret platforms bent and split like broken wings, and the midsection and spine shattered as they sprawl down into the icy depths of the crevasse and under the semi-frozen surface. The command module may be submerged beneath the near-frozen broth of ice and organic chemicals.

 

[Mickazoid]

Check THIS out!

Far trader did a revision of the design and it's SWEET. Heavier, meatier, oomphier.

Well what you had as fuel scoops looked too fragile to me and screamed extendable boom sensor arms. I also dropped the one to aft, too much interference from the drives. And I moved them to behind the weapons dish.

I shrunk the hanger opening down a bit and made it inset into the weapons dish so the weapons have an improved firing arc (or some such BS )

I made the drives section much bigger as well as the midsection root though I shrunk that back a bit too, with more spinal rings (those are cool). Partly for more tonnage, partly to get more center of mass for the thrusters. I think the midsection root should probably have some slope to it in the side view rather than a blunt square corner but I didn't see that earlier.

I widened the business end of the spinal on the front of the command section (the gray area on the front view) and added a couple more big turrets on the lower command section, one port and one starboard. The two squares on the face of the upper command section above the spinal port are hangers for officers' and dignitaries' shuttles.

The forward view shows where I moved the fuel scoop to.

Oh, I also added a third structural rail for the neck and head running under the spinal rings. I figure there are three rails. One under and center, and two higher on each side. Each rail would be an open track for a monorail for quick access between the command section and the crew section.

 

[Pickles]

Um and ah ... I suppose Dan's revision does fit the 'super dreadnought' label better, but from a aesthetic viewpoint I'm still hung up on the lithe looks of the original.

Originally posted by mickazoid:
... but my transfer cable is at the beach.

Ok, no need to rub it in. Just make sure you get the sand out first.

 

[Liam Devlin]

Ominous...yeah. That's the ticket. Nice work Far Trader & Ms Mickazoid!

Sand? Beach?

Uh huh.

[Me gets soggy cardboard box and fans Far Trader working up sweat without AC]

 

[far-trader]

Originally posted by mickazoid:
Check THIS out!

Far trader did a revision of the design and it's SWEET. Heavier, meatier, oomphier.

You're kind

I thank you.

And as you didn't seem to mind too much, and I did get the AC cranking cold Liam I fixed the oversight of the non-angled bit on the midsection. It does look better I think. I also included a light gray line to show the outline of the drives and midsection hull behind the weapon disc.

A note on those "turrets", they're BIG. I'd say Bay Weapons for sure, probably 100ton each, which is cool, very cool I think.

For a sense of scale I added an escort of two T20 Scouts above the Ominous, somehow I thought they'd look smaller

I changed the opening on the hanger a bit too, should be around 30Ktons volume now, BIG, my like

I also doodled in the Bay Weapons on the front view just because.

Here it is for your comments. I may end up just going with Micki's final sketch though since she's the artist. These are just my doodles on her work, and in reality still her work in every real way.