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

Well, the threat of enemies having Kuat ships is certainly a good incentive to buy Kuat ships of your own, isn't it?

 

I like how the ShaShore and also the Scythe(s) look like the classic Mon Cal cruiser mixed with the jutting superstructure at the bow. A bit more streamlined on the main body, but still recognizably Mon Cal. Still, never really liked what appeared to be the command tower placed at the far stern of the ShaShore, just looked a bit silly, imho.

Overall, I think the ShaShore-class being an intermediary placed between the MC80B/MC90-era designs and the more radically different Scythe-class makes sense. We'd basically go from the MC number-era to the beginning of the named classes-eras of the NJO and Legacy, with three known classes instead of just two.

The insidious threat of the military?industrial complex!!!

 

The top profile of the ShaShore is undoubtedly influenced by the MC80B. The similarity in the shapes are very apparent. I wish we had some insight into why the artist decided to include the design in this issue. Considering how he picked other capital ships that fit the era, I still think it was an easter egg, considering that Wilson was the first to drawn the frigate in a comic.

Speaking of Invasion, I finally got my issue today. In addition to the cool Mon Cal warship and the "egg shaped" cruiser, I am now very interested in knowing more about the pirate frigate. It appears that several are part of that fleet over Shramar. Is there a common class of figate that we are missing any image for?

--Adm. Nick

 

ChaseMaster frigates (FOTJ)
Nargi pursuit frigate (FOTJ)
Bothan frigates (LOTF)
Scimitar frigates (LOTF)
MedStar frigates (Clone wars)
Wavecrest frigate (Clone wars)
Centax heavy frigates (Clone wars)
Hutt patrol ship / Ubrikkian frigates (Tempest Feud)
Imperial frigates (Cold war)
various unspecified custom frigates

I would favor the Hutt ship, because the Old Republic/New Republic/GFFA simply can?t build such cool looking ships as the Invasion pirate ship. ;P

 

Another bit of possible design lineage- the Shashore may be partially influenced by Rendilli as well, especially the Assault Frigate MkII and Republic Star Destroyer.

 

I like the idea of it being the Scimitar-class frigate. The curved stern is the perfect tie in to that name.

Good points, Wes. In general, I am leaning more and more towards a close partnership between Dac and Rendili on starship designs. I also like the idea of Rendili deciding in the early New Republic years to "hitch its wagon" to the Mon Calamari Shipyards in an effort to reclaim the stature it lost to KDY during the Clone Wars. Rendili sees that the Mon Calamari are becoming the primary shipbuilder for the new government, so they form a partnership. It would also tie in why Rendili inspired design influences like the "blade" structure on the Scythe worked their way into Mon Calamari engineering.

--Adm. Nick

 

What's up, gents? Anything fun and exciting happening around here these days?

Also, I understand that Thrawn McEwok will be co-writing The Essential Guide to Warfare; I'm assuming I'm late to the party on that, but still--congrats to him!

 

Brett! Good to see you old buddy! How have you been?

Thrawn McEwok is indeed the co-writer on the EGTW. So far, the signs are that is guide will be a masterpiece, as well as a Fleet Junkies dream come true.

--Adm. Nick

 

I've been well, overall! I'm presently deployed to Kuwait with MARCENT. The work load isn't terrible most of the time, and the pay is better than I make on the civilian side, so I can't really complain. I'll most likely be headed to Afghan next winter, which should be a grand life experience.

Or something.


I've not been as up-to-date on the publication cycle of TEGtW, so it came as a surprise to me that it a) hadn't died after Karen Traviss left the franchise, and b) was being partly put together by one of the founding Fleet Junkies. Kind of made my day.


I don't suppose there are any previews of the book out yet, are there? I can't view many images on my work computer, but I should be able to check 'em out when I get back to my room.

 

Well, it is good to hear that you are still in the Marine Corps. Happy Thanksgiving, BTW. I know I speak for alot of us when I say that I am thankful for the men and women in uniform, especially those deployed overseas.

Check out this link to Facebook. There have been eight images posted by Del Rey that are either concept or final art for the Guide. Pretty damned cool stuff, IMO.

http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150411766083713.378495.67519418712&type=1

All in all, I have a feeling that this Guide will probably been the best thing we have gotten since the first Essential Guide to Vehicles and Vessels.

--Adm. Nick

 

Thanks, Nick!

Oh, and should I search for TF.N on Facebook, or...? Regardless, that'll have to wait until I get back to my room: Can't access social media on the gov't. computers.
:/

EDIT:

Gotcha, thanks.

 

Its too bad the Shashore didn't get more time during Legacy, but then by the end most fleet shots came down to just Pellaeon-class Star Destroyers and Scythes. But all the Galactic Alliance ships we saw all had that nice Mon Calamari pseudo-organic aesthetic, but they looked like mass produced design too, which makes sense with the Mon Calamari being one of the principal ship builders for the Galactic Alliance (if not the main one, especially once Kuat was building Star Destroyers for the Remnant). It does seem slightly odd for the Shashore to be in service that long, but its not like that wouldn't be the first long serving ship we've seen. Even in Legacy we still see the occasional Imperial-class Star Destroyer (although that was in the GA Remnant fleet so they might've just been grabbing every capital ship, no matter how old, they could get).

The idea of a Rendili and Mon Calamari partnership does sound like it has a lot of potential. The later New Republic-designed and built classes could be associated with Rendili, and I think Walex Blissex's Victory-class was a Rendili ship too, right? Although Rendili seemed pretty big during the Old Republic era, which is part of what makes the Scythe design such a great homage, being a Mon Calamari ship but incorporating the Old Republic Hammerhead design, but making it look so much better (with all those turbolasers on the fin).

By the way, over in the TOR thread the main capital ships have gotten names, based on sites posting up the Codex for the game. Its that level of background and depth that always makes Bioware games so appealing. Don't think this counts as spoilers, as they're just class names, right? Anyway, the big Republic ship is the Valor-class while the Sith Imperial dreadnaught is the Harrower class. I like their choices, both sound cool and appropriate for the heroes and villains. While I still wish their Harrower-class was a bit more original, its hard to turn down a Bioware Star War game. About to try out the beta tomorrow, and the game is finally launching in another few weeks, hope there are lots of cool cinematics (partially got into Mass Effect just for that big fleet battle at the end).

 

So, in the Codex, we have:

Imperial
Harrower-class dreadnaught
Terminus-class destroyer
Gage-class transport (smaller version of the Terminus)

Republic
Valor-class cruiser
Thranta-class corvette
Wanderer-class transport

This is the previously unnamed military ships in the TOR-era. I notice the wrong image being attributed different classes, unless the Valor is suddenly a larger version of the Thranta.

Also, those two troop transports in the Alderaan flashpoint don't get names in the Codex.

 

There are some interesting ship tidbits in other sections of the Databank.

For example, the Republic flagship Pride of Coursicant was classified as a "super dreadnaught", and the goal of the "hundreds strong" Republic fleet at Hoth was to invade Drommund Kaas. From the Hoth data bank entry, the destruction of the Hoth fleet is why the Sth really won the war.

We also get to see the fully completed Gauntlet, and get some technobabel on how it works.

But what I really found interesting is that the Republic's top weapon designer was actually a Sith spy who hid the fact that all the super weapons he built for the Republic could be turned into an even more devastating weapon.

It also appears that despite cloaking crytals being more common at the time, it is still impractical to cloak entire fleets, and stealth ships are reversed for special assignments. Except that Malgus and the Anomids have perfected the technology and created a stealth fleet

Finally, the republic Navy originated as a rag tag collection of modified Duros scouts and Human merchant ships.

 

Interesting stuff from the TOR codex.

I am a big fan of the idea that the original Republic Navy was bascially a mixture of Duros and Human starships. It helps further cement the role that the Duros played in the founding of the Republic, plus it also shows that the early Republic, while human dominated, wasn't anti-alien. Next to the Mon Calamari, the Duros are probably my favorite alien species, so it is cool to see their prominence in the Old Republic.

Valor-class is an excellent name for the Republic's main capital ship. The reference to them being kept in the Core Worlds reminds me of the descriptions in SOTG that said the MC90 Star Cruiser and Defender-class Star Destroyer were typically kept in reserve in the Core as well. I really wish that the Thranta-class would of been redesignated as a light cruiser or frigate, as she appears to be about the same size as it's older cousin the Hammerhead-class.

The Mon Calamari entry was rather interesting as well. It mentions that despite their relative "newcomer" status in the Republic, the Mon Calamari have quickly become solid supporters of the Republic, with many serving as inventors, artists, military leaders, and Jedi. Unlike the Sullustan reference (a Republic member, though currently occupied by the Sith Empire), there is no reference to Dac being occupied. Either way, it looks uncomfortably close to Sith Space. I loved the reference that "when a Mon Calamari joins a cause, its eventual victory is assured." Looks like they had that solid reputation a longtime prior to the Rebellion.

--Adm. Nick

 

Interesting, wonder if that superdreadnaught was a different design from the Valor-class or a souped-up version, like the Founder.

Is there any word on Mon Calamari ships?

 

I think the superdreadnaught is a different design...the entry that mentions it has a picture of crashed Republic vessel that looks different from the Thranta and Valor ships.

 

Nope. I have a hunch that those Mon Cal ships we saw in that concept art ended up being just that, concept art.

One other cool note to mention. In a section called "Republic Alien Allies", it mentions that member species like the Wookiees, Duros, and Talz all responded to a call for additional units during some campaigns. Sounds like some Planetary Security Forces to me!

This era, despite the relative weakness of the Republic post-Treaty of Coruscant, seems to have a nice balance between federal forces (Republic Navy, Army, SIS, etc) and planetary forces like the ones listed above. In reality, the "key" to being a stable galactic government is trying to strike the right balance between federal and local forces. I am not sure if any government got it right yet.

EDIT:

Check out the datacrons section. It has an 80+ history section from the start of the galaxy to the current TOR timeframe. HEAVILY researched EU sources. Not a ton of new info, but great to see that they used the EU is such a good way. Topics include the "Mon Calamari-Quarren War", the "Alsakan Conflicts", and the "Pius Dea Crusades".

--Adm. Nick

 

Yeah, I like it when they do cross-media references. Some of the things in TCW, for instance, seem to be referencing TOR. Especially the Darksaber and "the fall of the Old Republic". Is there an item like the Darksaber in the game? I see a lot of weapons and items.

 

http://www.torhead.com/codex/5jQ9jM8

The Codex even mentions Privateers and the basic problem of galactic governments when waging wars


And of course this

http://www.torhead.com/codex/8xFjVFN

Gree tech used by the Sith seems to become some kind of tradition

 

Ships that appear to be a variation on that design appear in some of the space combat missions.

 

Sweet, must be them contributing allied forces to the Republic's cause.

 

So, is The Old Republic still 'borrowing' designs from other eras? I recall the Pellaeon turning up with a different coat of paint in some of the early production art. Seems like this has been adjusted in the game's recent trailers.

 

Not sure if this has been mentioned but caught something for Fleet Junkie attention maybe. From the Codex on Port Nowhere, it was originally an Azalus-class Hutt dreadnaught.

 

Do you have any screen caps? Are you sure they are not the Valor-class cruisers?

Fortunatly, the Pellaeon-class and other obvious rips from other eras didn't make it into the final game. The Sith Empire has the Harrower-class dreadnaught and Terminus-class destroyer (both ISD-looking designs), while the Republic has the Valor-class cruiser and theThranta-class warship (looks to be a new version of the Hammerhead-class cruiser).

--Adm. Nick