"Decapitator"

Module C3A has a good number of Intelligence failures. We also have the Conqueror class (R10.60) that only existed in simulators. What other failures could the Intelligence people have had regarding the mysterious invaders?

When the class name of "Decapitator" crossed my (alleged) mind, the thoughts of something that, when compared to a Dominator, came across as how a DNL compares to a standard DN, started taking shape.

Of course, with Andromedans having the speed and strategic mobility we've all come to know, all of their motherships can probably be thought of as "Fast Raiders" and the chances of anything like this existing outside of simulators is probably nil.

Still, when the class name hit me, I couldn't help it and started trying to "Crayon-and-Graph-paper" an SSD. Some of the ideas I ruined some otherwise good paper with are...

... Eliminating the center bank of FH PA panels and expanding the two remaining FH PA panel banks to six panels each

... Reducing the LS/RS TRH to TRL (or I removed them altogether on some)

... Reducing Hangar from six boxes to three

... Eliminating RH Ph-2s

... Reducing FH Ph-2s from five to four (or three or two on some)

Naturally, since most REAL DNLs have less HULL boxes, those would also probably be reduced.

Anyway, those are some basic thoughts for yet another screwball idea that I wanted to share with you all.

By Steve Petrick (Petrick) on Monday, October 21, 2019 - 03:37 pm: Edit

Jeffrey George Anderson:

While on the RTN the Andromedans were faster than the non-Andromedan forces, off the RTN they were slower. One of, if not the principle, reason the disruption of the RTN lead to their invasion failing.

By Jeffrey George Anderson (Jeff) on Monday, October 21, 2019 - 10:42 pm: Edit

SPP, I apologize for not being clear, and yes, the extra speed as a result of the RTN, AND the poorer speed off of it, was something that had slipped my mind.

With my intentions behind this proposal, though, I think the people responsible for having this mistake... uhhm, this SHIP in the simulators... Would have been unaware of the existence of the RTN when they came up with it.

Dominators were first encountered in Y184 and the first bases in the RTN, according to section (R10.1B) were discovered in Y195, so I don't think it unreasonable that there were several years where Dominators were encountered but the RTN was still unknown. It's during this time frame when I'd imagine a mistake like this hypothetical design might find its way into the simulators.