Hi.


If one assumed, for whatever reason, that:

*the development of Lyran trimaran hulls took longer than expected,

and/or

*the Empire was thrust into a war before the GW-era trimaran DNs were ready,

and/or

*like the Romulans with the King Vulture, the Lyrans were strained to find as much use for the Royal Tiger hulls as they could (maybe as an interim flagship for the Far Stars Duchy, while the Duke waited for the Heartseeker DNL)

and/or

*perhaps they may even have wanted a (relatively expendable) flagship to lead a deep-range expedition into Delta Sector (where, like with the King Vultures which went 'east', the Lyrans didn't expect to find too much trouble),


if a Lyran EDN was being refitted to (try to) match GW-era DNs, or even GW-era BCs, what would such an SSD look like?



Aside from the addition of ESG capacitors and upgraded shields, what - if anything - can be fitted to the EDN design?

And would the resultant ship be able to at least serve as an equivalent to other lighter SC2 ships, such as the King Vulture and the Seltorian DNL?



Alternatively, since there are less heavy weapons on the hull as it is, might an option be to attempt conversion into a fast raider, for use with the Far Stars Duchy?

If few new weapons can be added, perhaps stripping out the engines and adding on more powerful ones could allow the hull to serve the kind of role that the Far Stars Duchy might get more use out of - at least until Heartseeker was built.

(Indeed, in a postulated 'no trimarans' scenario, such an upgrade would be the only means of giving the Far Stars Duchy a fast DN - if it could be made to work...)


I was thinking that if both kinds of ship upgrades are feasible, then the EDR Regal Tiger would be the regular-speed refitted ship (used by the Homeworld, Foremost, Enemy's Blood and/or Red Claw), while the EDL Crouching Tiger would be sent to Far Stars.



Also, if the Empire decided to sell one of their EDN hulls to the LDR (or, alternatively, the LDR figured that while they could not upgrade their CA to a DN, they might have been able to use their shipyard to create their own Royal Tiger) what if any kind of modifications could they cram in, and get away with? And would they use a name like Democratic Tiger, or Republican Tiger...

...or some other suitably LDR-ish name?

Indeed, given the LDR's inability to build or buy their own DN, perhaps a study was done to test the feasibility of using such a design?

To them, it might be a half-decent idea - in order to get the most out of the hull they have. Plus, they have never been shy of cramming as much as they could into any and all available hulls...



...and there are other potential homes for modified/upgraded Royal Tigers - one might have fled or been sold off to the WYNs for use in the defence of the cluster, and there is that convenient nexus by which a ship can be whisked over to the Federal Republic. Though in that case, the move would have to be post-Y173 (when a Lyran CL was brought over, and subsequently provided the first samples of ESG tech studied by the Aurorans).



This would be relevant for FC, too - the Vulture included in Communique 11 is based on the King Vulture design from R7, and presumably a representation of the Lyran early DN may be better served being based on what an EDR or EDL SSD might look like, rather than the SSD for the Royal Tiger already in R7...

...if, indeed, the Royal Tiger even can be given such upgrades.



Do any of these ideas seem somewhat feasible? Or have I gone crazy again?


Gary

By Michael C. Grafton (Mike_Grafton) on Saturday, September 22, 2007 - 07:12 pm: Edit

Converted to Tugs?

If they are in the Far Stars/ Delta sector they probably need some cargo spaces anyway?

By Gary Carney (Nerroth) on Saturday, September 22, 2007 - 07:52 pm: Edit

How much room under the hull would there be for tug pods, if the ship has that third engine in the way?

But, if they can be made fit, it's another possibility.


Also, maybe once Far Stars gets Heartseeker, it could convert an EDL into the equivalent of the ISC Blockade Runner - only instead of using it for rushing essential supplies to isolated cantonments, the Lyran ship would be used to transport dignitaries, precious materials, and so forth, on the Duke's behalf?


Gary