With all of the thoughts/posts about tournament ships. The fact that the Jindarian tourney ship is just lousy. I thought about this proposal.

A small solid Rock. The same size as a CA. (at least as the main bulk.) Internal bracing is used, and Warp drives attached to the rock. Not hidden inside are disguised. (that would include weapons) It could not use asteroid disengage. Acts like a metal hull ship. It of course could be a class of metal hull only as well. I do kind of like the idea of a hybrid.

Power:
Three ten box warp engines. (30 warp) Six Imp, two APR and four BTTY.(38 power) Turn Mode-C as the Metal hull ships have that as well as the LC asteroid ship.

Weapons:
Three MRG one each RF, R LF, L and RA. Two LRG one each RF, R and LF, L. Eight phaser 1. As this is partial rock. The 360 used in metal hulls not practical. Two phaser-1 RS. Two phaser-1 LS. Four phaser-1 one each FA, R, FA, L. RA, R and RA, L.
(like a Gorn CA)

Sheilds:
Should be even all around. I am thinking 24 should be sufficient.

Armour:
As it partly a rock Some armor would be present. However, being so small one bank of 6 or 8 as in the Old Roms. (there could be 2 banks FH and RH)

Control:
two bridge, two AUX and one EMR.

Other things:
Four lab, two tran, two Trac and a probe.

Shuttles:
Both metal hull cruisers carry 8 shuttles. Two being prospecting shuttle. So 8 shuttles?

Hull, fabrication, works and option boxes:
Jindarian ships tend to have a lot of hull boxes. Twenty center hull for the LC. The LCS has 9 F-hull boxes and 9-AFT hull boxes. The HCS as 12 each. The Gorn CA has 4 F-hull, 4 AFT hull and 8 C-hull. The JIndarian metal hull ships do not have cargo, FAB or works. They do have option boxes that can be used for that.

I am really not sure what and how much Hull and such to use.

Also this ship would be too small for bombers.

Tourney ship:
As a tourney ship 3 med rail guns (traditional arcs) 2 LRG to bolster the attack and soak up rail gun losses. 8 Phaser-1 good arcs. (much like a Gorn CA) Should add 2 Phaser-3 one LS one RS. Sheilds plus armor should be good as well. Power curve should work well.

So, everyone what do you think and be honest.

By Kenneth Humpherys (Pmthecat) on Saturday, September 14, 2024 - 11:24 am: Edit

As a tourney ship, the first thing I noted is that it must have 5 batteries so that it can do a HET off reserve warp.

By Jeff Anderson (Jga) on Saturday, September 14, 2024 - 01:57 pm: Edit

Rock hulls give the ability to hide in asteroid fields. Metal exterior would throw that away.

Metal hulls give the advantage of certain maneuvers (HETs, among others, IIRC). Rock would throw that away.

Much as I want to like this idea, it feels like it would be a design with more problems than it might "Solve."

Sorry.

By Gregory S Flusche (Vandar) on Monday, September 16, 2024 - 08:47 pm: Edit

Well, I was hoping for a better response to this.

My problem was trying to find a reason for such a ship. The metal hull would of course be great. There are already 2 excellent metal hull ships of that size class. The HCS and LCS.

As a pure asteroid design, it would lack power and would be too small for a livable rock ship. As the LC is about as small as such ships get.

I could call such a Rock Ship a Sentinel. Most caravans would not want such a pure combat design. The ship would be at the mercy of the Caravan just like the metal hulled ships. It could have some works and fabrication. With prospecting shuttles. I am sure however it could not sustain itself.

A use for such a ship is to place it in a rich asteroid field or to protect a shipyard cruiser. Such a ship can use all asteroid ship abilities to hide and so forth.

The LC is so power deficient. That even with a 1/2 move cost it cannot arm the railguns and move. Even with MRG a sentinel would need more warp power then the LC. The Jindo would also need to find a small solid asteroid for this purpose.

The metal hull ships can dock to the asteroid ships and hide there. They can be spotted by tac intel, and they cannot hide like an asteroid ship. A plus for a Sentinel as it can hide like the ship it is protecting. The Shipyard cruiser could bring the metal hull ship inside. Unless they are building ships inside.

A sentinel could also be useful during transit. It also could be built in the Jindarian free hold in Omega.

Would this be a viable ship to be built are just something that sounds good.

By Jeff Anderson (Jga) on Tuesday, September 17, 2024 - 05:44 pm: Edit

Sorry I was such a downer for you, Vandar. I know what it's like to put forth a proposal only to get a "Meh..." response to it.

While I can't see it as truly "Working," maybe it's just me.

I'd say, "Keep at it!" Remember that Billy Mitchell had to deal with a lot of skepticism when he proposed that air power would eclipse battleships, but in the end, he was proven right.

Maybe you'll have the same success with this concept because of your seeing something in it that the rest of us don't.

By Gregory S Flusche (Vandar) on Tuesday, September 17, 2024 - 07:26 pm: Edit

one can hope can we not

By John L Stiff (Tarkin22180) on Thursday, September 19, 2024 - 07:37 am: Edit

Gregory,

I like the proposal!
Yes, for tournament play, it would need 5xBattery.
The max centerline damage at range 5 would be 2x17(Rail guns), 2x12(MRG), 6xP1(30). That gives 88 damage. This is approaching Federation max damage. A potential 58 internals will hurt the opponent. The range 15 strategy is playable.

John

By Steve Cole (Stevecole) on Thursday, September 19, 2024 - 12:50 pm: Edit

As a tournament ship, sure, as a real ship, no, I mean, what good is the rock part if it cannot hide.

And I did NOT just approve it for the tournament. There is a way to get a ship approved, and I am not part of it.