Lit Fleet Junkie Flagship- The technical discussions of the GFFA (Capital Ships thread Mk. II)

Could be a nod to the H-60 Tempest:

http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/H-60_Tempest_bomber

 

Sorry, they haven't been so far.

 

I like this Q&A with the developers of Commander, over at Disney's Playdom forum:

http://i.imgur.com/OUPiPFR.png

They were considering a large amount of EU designs, like the IF-120, but the Theta-class and CR20/25 were considered more mainstream dropships, that's why they were used in the game.

 

I've been thinking a bit about Mon Cala battle cruisers (yes, I've decided to adopt this phrase for MC80's, it is just too cool!) and how FFG is developing stats differently for them.

In the Age of Rebellion Core Rulebook, we get stats specifically for the MC80 Liberty-type Star Cruiser. It's "type" is described as a Heavy Star Cruiser and it's "class" listed as Liberty. According to FFG, the MC80 Liberty-type more or less follows the standards we are familiar with, armed with 48 turbolasers and 20 ion cannons. The main difference seems to be the reference to 10 fighter squadrons, plus the implication that FFG views the MC80 to be basically in the same size range & power range of an ISD.

Strongholds of Resistance introduces stats for the Independence, which is has it's "type" also as Heavy Star Cruiser but it's "class" is listed as Home One. This cruiser class also holds 10 fighter squadrons, but it armed with 36 heavy turbolasers and 36 heavy ion cannons. I forget if the vessel is referred to as an MC80 or an MC80A.

I bring this up because in the next AoR supplement, Lead by Example, apparently we are going to get stats for Home One, which is described in the preview on the FFG website as an "MC80A heavy star cruiser".

FFG seems to be trying to use multiple names for the MC80, including MC-class cruiser & Mon Cala battle cruiser. Plus they appear to be bringing back the MC80A type. Interesting stuff to say the least, plus I love that they provided stats for the MC30c frigate and MC40 light cruiser. Mon Cala's naval forces are getting some good love!

--Adm. Nick

 

Didn't tEGtW establish the MC80a as being new production model ships rather than being refitted civilian vessels? I thought that Home One was a refitted exploration vessel.

 

Holy crap that's awesome. Just found one of my son's Xmas gifts! Takes me back....

 

Remember, this book (as well as the EGTW) are non-canon, so technically all of that is thrown out the window. Yes, the EGTW made the MC80A series a purpose built cruiser (it was supposed to be the wingless cruiser), but it is looking like FFG is going a different direction.

I just double checked the Independence entry and it isn't called an MC80 or MC80A, so that definitely leaves the possibility open to the next AoR sourcebook making the MC80A series the vessels of the Home One-type.

Glancing in the book, I realized that the MC40 light cruiser is the MC40A light cruiser. I can't recall if there was always an "A" or not, but the vessel described as a "fleet support vessel" that typically accompanied MC80A cruisers into battle. The image in the book is based (very closely) off the model from the X-wing games, which is very cool.

Stats for the MC30c frigate and MC40 light cruiser below:

MC30c frigate
x2 forward mounted heavy proton torpedo lauchers
x16 medium turbolaser turrets (8 port, 8 starboard)
x16 medium twin laser cannons (5 port, 5 starboard, 3 fore, 3 aft)
x6 cluster bomb launchers (2 port, 2 starboard, 1 fore, 1 aft)

MC40a light cruiser
x14 medium turbolaser turrets (7 port, 7 starboard)
x2 concussion missile launchers (2 fore)
x18 medium ion cannons (5 port, 5 starboard, 4 fore, 4, aft)
x6 heavy tractor beams (2 port, 2 starboard, 1 fore, 1 aft)
Carries a squadron of 12 fighters

Despite their smaller size, these Mon Cala escorts pack a surprising amount of firepower, especially when you consider their larger siblings carry only 48 heavy turbolasers and 20 heavy ion cannons.

Also, there is a reference in the Mon Calamari Shipwright character type that says the shipbuilders "work from similar schematics to mass produce certain starship models" though it notes that "no two ships are quite alike". Basically, FFG's concept of the MC80 cruiser is that there are more easily modified and mass produced than WEG implied, plus the overall number of these cruisers sounds to be pretty substantial (at least in Rebel standards).

--Adm. Nick

 

Having a standardized design with modular components does make for a much more fitting "no two ships are identical" statement that also fits with the movies 3 distinct classes. Sourcing parts from different locations, occasional upgrades, experimental loadouts, mission specific modules, all would make for a unique ship that is still relatively standardized.

I still subscribe to the theory that the MC-# designation has nothing to do with the physical appearance of the ship, but refers to a powerplant/reactor that the ship is built around, with the a,b,c perhaps covering engine layouts attached to that reactor.

 

I thought the MC90's were the new builds and the MC80's & MC80a's were modified hulls.

 

I might accept that- if they have a good reason for the change. Otherwise all their doing is adding to the confusion that tEGtW tried to fix. Also as far as I'm concerned the fact that the FFG Roleplaying Game and tEGtW are both based on Legends is reason for more consistency not less, even if I admit that is not likely to be the case.

 

Why no one is discussing the inside of an ImpStar or Corvette from the perspective of xkcd is mind-blowing.

http://xkcd.com/1608/

 

Going by the Databank, the Interdictor seen in Rebels is "an experimental craft".

Which makes me wonder if it's a newer design than the Immobilizer.

 

From the episode's trivia gallery: "The Interdictor design in this episode is much larger than what was originally posited in the Legends description of this vehicle, suggesting this is a more powerfull model than previous depictions."

 

It better be, since they seemed to contradict Tarkin in this ep. The Empire can't operate three different Interdictor designs ten years before the episode and claim it's an experimental technology that hasn't been deployed yet. Which is what Sabine did.

Also, we have a rough estimate for the Arquitens, it's at least bigger than a CR90 corvette.

 

Yeah, I'm trying to get a sense of the sizing for the Arquitens-class light cruiser and the Interdictor cruiser. The light cruiser seems to be in the 200-250 meter range, but definitely smaller than the Nebulon-B escort frigate. I'm guessing the Interdictor in last nights episode was probably more VSD-ish in size, under a kilometer but definitely larger than 600 meters.

I was a bit bummed how this contradicted Tarkin, but I honestly am a fan of this tech being much newer ala what we see in Rebels. Though I suppose we can always retcon this by saying that the gravity well technology in the Rebels interdictor is brand new and more powerful, making it "new" compared to the interdictors seen in Tarkin.

--Adm. Nick

 

According to this week's Official Fact File - the Arquitens's engines are the same as the Consular's - which I think was the going assumption when its size was estimated on the Wookieepedia Talk page for the ship.

 

As people pointed out in the thread, Heir to the Jedi features an Interdictor that is indicated to be larger than an Immobilizer-418 and indicates that class has been retired. Presumably the one in the episode was the/a prototype for the HTTJ Interdictor class.

 

And I did some roundabout calcs for hangars that I assume are similar, since they both can fit a CR90 (even with the lower number for the CR90 we now have: 126,68 m). It can't be smaller than 1300 m, at least.

 

HTTJ's ship was an Immobilizer 418 - however, that book also mentions that the design is no longer in production - even if some (the one that Luke encounters) are still in service - and that the Empire's in the process of installing gravity well generators in Star Destroyers - even if none are actually shown.

 

Yay! I was right that it was a variation of the good old immobaliser. I think its supposed to be roughly ISD sized though slightly smaller.
Mind you, this works better as I did always find the 418 looked closer to the size of a Victory class, but the stats made it much smaller.

 

So it's larger than the canon Home One.

 

My canon Home One is 2.2km. Bigger than an SD, big enough for a shuttle, and 2.2 is similar to "22", so I've got some attachment to the number.

--Adm. Nick

 

If by "canon", you mean the "irrational number they keep assigning to the HO, despite creating an implausible hangar-space", then, yeah.

I need to sit down and look at the Gallofree Transport now that we see one landing inside the hangar. I'm sure it'll make the situation worse.

Edit: I used the old BTM sideview of the HO, calculated the height of the GR-75, made that the smallest opening possible (bottom of cargo area to top of command pod) and, voila: 1644 meters long.

 

Here's some cool concept art of the Interdictor: http://i.imgur.com/NLqg6Vp.jpg