Aircraft Carriers in Space? AdmiralNick22's analysis of the starships of Empire's End

I remember the first time I read Empire's End. I was a young kid looking at comics while on a trip to Universal Studios. While I was but a young Calamarian, I was already the proud owner of Dark Empire and Dark Empire II. Yet, as I glanced at it with my young eyes, I put the issues back on the shelf. Normally, I would of asked mom and dad to buy it for me. However, underwhelmed by the issues, I left the comic shop and headed back to the park.

Flashforward nearly 15 years, were suddenly I find myself purchasing Empire's End as an adult. And let me tell you, I am quite suprised by what I discovered in it. Now that I have gone through my winded introduction, I will get to the meat of my post.

1. Fleet Transport Vindicator

My title is not a trick- a freaking WWII-inspired aircraft carrier in space. Apparently the New Republic had "fleet transports", equipped with starfighter squadrons. The freaking art even shows four X-wings on the flight deck, exposed to space. And Chewbacca is apparently coming in for a landing with the Millenium Falcon. Besides the obvious rectangluar flight deck of WWII carriers, the thing even has some twin barreled turrets that minic the 5 inch cannons found on the United States Navy's Essex-class fleet carriers.

What more, this craft is apparently one of the "Alliance command ships" scattered throughout the galaxy after the fleet's scattering in the aftermath of the destruction of Nespis VIII. It is from this carrier that a attack force of Rebel fighters (X-wings, E-wings, Y-wings, and A-9's) launches to engage the Eclipse II. And it is escorted by the Ganathan steam battleship!

I am suprised that the Vindicator has never discussed by JC poster and Fleet Junkies. It also shares many desing characteristics with the New Republic troopship Pelagia.

[image=http://images3.wikia.nocookie.net/starwars/images/4/49/Vindicator.jpg]

2. Two more Alliance Star Destroyers

At a time when we all though the New Republic only had two captured Star Destroyers (this was the early 1990's, afterall), EE shows two Imperial-class Star Destroyers escaping the destruction of the Nepsis space city. Various EU sources in subsequent years showed that the NR had numerous Star Destroyers (possibily one was the Freedom?), but it was a fun little piece of eye candy.

3. Various Rebel Capital Ships

Like DE and DEII, there were numerous new ships shown, most of them looking like a bad kitbash. However, the artist did show some old Rebel favorites, including Mon Cal cruisers, Corellian Corvettes, Corellian Gunships, and others. Most suprising of all, there are no Neb-B escort frigates in the entire issue. Which was suprising, considering how ubiquitous they were in DE and DE II.

Anyways, this issue, while still a bit underwhelming, ended up having some interesting little bits.

--Adm. Nick

 

Good lord, that's silly.

 

Of all the crap drawn in those comics, I cannot imagine a desing more ridiculous and as unimaginative as the Vindicator.

Yet, strangly that makes me love it.

But hell, it was escorted by a "steam powered battlesship", so I guess I shouldn't be suprised by the art.

--Adm. Nick

 

Is it every explained how the Ganathan steam-powered spaceship, the Robida Colossus or a sister ship, joins the Alliance/New Republic? It randomly shows up with the fleet in Empire's End, though I suppose it could be explained by Ganath joining the New Republic in between DEII and EE.

 

Not to my knowledge. The most likely explanation is that after King Empatojayos joins Luke and Co.'s fight against the Empire that Ganath joined the New Republic.

And, unwieldy as the Ganathan battleships are, the NR was in dire enough straights they probably used whatever ships they could get their hands on.

--Adm. Nick

 

yeah, but those have been retconned to having some sort of shielding, right? i know in jk2 you can kill a hanger full of imps by turning of the shielding, thus jettisonning the imps to the deep black cosmos.

i'm still waiting for the fix on this carrier though.

 

A dome shaped shield?

 

Anyone here played Homeworld? This looks a good deal like the Taiidan Support Frigate =P

 

Somebody please relocate the lift, it interferes with flight operations...

 

Only if you ignore the fact that that NR fighters are all VTOL, and have skids instead of wheeled landing gear. A central lift isn't going to cause a problem.

 

In regards to the open-to-space spacecraft carrier from the DE comics-

Though not drawn in by the artist I imagined the 'flat-top' spacecraft carriers had elevating landing pads that could descend into the mother ship. Those X-wings are waiting to launch or have just landed onto the imagined airlock landing pads. I also speculate these 'flat-top' spacecraft carriers are later replaced with the Defender Program - Endurance Class Fleet Carrier.

 

Wow...a discussion of EE...it's been ages!

Clearly by EE we've got people smoking a little too much, knowing they can't live up to the hype of DE...EVER...they go nuts.

Given examples like Homeworld, or even something like Wing Commander...this concept of a flight deck ship isn't totally nuts...Even the Venator had something of a flight deck...however, rolling take offs and landings are not the mainstay of star wars...In space, friction is not your friend like it is on earth...and while the design is reminiscent...it's application would be nothing like our sea-faring bird's nests.

As much as I adore DE, enjoy DE2, and laugh hysterically at EE...I always take the visuals from all 3 with a certain level of "ok, they were high" mentality...I don't feel the compulsion to make all the insane stuff fit the fleet molds...and I certainly take ideas like "steam ships" in directions other then the absurdly archaic.

Sometimes...it's just best not to dwell.

 

On the other hand, it's nice to see a level of diversity in the NR fleet, considering, you know, it is a galaxy spanning organization.

 

The use of such a vessel could also show the desperate sitution the Rebel-Alliance is in.

Instead of a more robust vessel with a landing-deck inside a protected hangar they have to do with an open landing-deck only protected by force-fields (side-note: such a flight-deck on top of regular hangars within the vessels would also allow to carry more fighters, than a carrier of comparable size with all the fighters within). Limited resources and a need to get the hulls out of the shipyards as soon as possible could be an explenation for this.

Another explenation might be that a vessel like this isn't a real carrier, but more of a flying supply- and refuel-depot during combat-missions with the fighters usually sheltered elsewhere.

 

This, I like.

 

Excellent idea, FTeik.

It would also tie in nicely with the designation of "Fleet Transport" as opposed to "Fleet Carrier". The real question in my mind is who designed this craft. And the Pelagia, for that matter, which has the same design style.

Such as heck ain't Mon Calamarian. Doesn't appear Kuati either. I like the idea of it being a REC design produced at Fondor, but thats just me.

--Adm. Nick

 

Let's remember that umbilicals have been used to connect fighters to other ships (including the falcon, I believe).

I could see it being a ship with lots of umbilical connectors.

 

+

or ships land on it using magnetic clamps in their landing gear.

 

Oooo! Good call. I've just been working my way through the Homeworld games (with the intention of getting the SW mods) and you're right.

 

Still need to get the pilot from ship to ship, though. Yes, flight suits are apparently capable of sealing for EVA, but you still don't want to make a pilot go EVA every time she wants to go from fighter to carrier or vice versa.

 

Just realized something, the reason why it may resemble an "airborne aircraft carrier" is because that is exactly what it is. Either a refitted atmospheric mobile snubfighter platform, or (more likely) a dual-purpose planetary carrier designed to ferry craft and then act as a floating airfield/air superiority fortress on worlds.

 

Um...umbilicals were usually atmospheric...they literally capped over a hatch or cockpit to provide access.

 

that thought had occurred to me.... which is why i think that particular ship is the dumbest design in all of sw.