Federation CDW

TheRowan · Post by **TheRowan** » Mon Jul 09, 2012 8:37 pm

Hi all,

I'm planning a conversion of a Starline 2500 into a Commando War Destroyer Long story short, I liked the names...). My question is, does anyone know of any official/canon/generally accepted design for how this ship looks? My plan is to use an Ortega-Class, file off or fill in the heavy weapons that aren't found in the Commando version and extend the shuttle bay (The CDW has almost double the shuttlebay space of the standard DW)- but if anyone's done a design before, I'd be interested to see how it looks!

mjwest · Post by **mjwest** » Mon Jul 09, 2012 9:28 pm

Really, if you want, you don't even need to make any modifications, other than filing off the weapons. Even though the shuttle bay was expanded, the external portion was apparently not changed (normal sized single door). So, most likely, the expansion was purely done internally, not externally.

That said, that is fairly boring, so have fun making any modifications you want. I don't think there is anything currently set in stone on what external modifications a CDW would have over a standard DW.

djdood · Post by **djdood** » Mon Jul 09, 2012 10:18 pm

Lots of the specialist-variants of ship classes also start their careers as the "vanilla" version and are converted to minesweepers, carriers, escorts, commando ships, etc., later.

If you wanted to, you can use the name of a commando ship for a stock DW and no one would bat an eye.

Scoutdad · Post by **Scoutdad** » Mon Jul 09, 2012 11:30 pm

I would blink an eye.
I think he should convert the CDE (and when I did the D6G Abomination, I did the same - file off extra weapons and extend the shuttle bay) and then purchase a set of custom decals from someone to reflect the new role played by the now-CDW!

djdood · Post by **djdood** » Tue Jul 10, 2012 12:20 am

You capitalist, you.

TheRowan · Post by **TheRowan** » Tue Jul 10, 2012 7:18 am

Thanks for the quick replies

I know I could just use a standard DW with the CDW's name, but I decided against it for a couple of reasons:

1. I was inspired by the plans of the Burke-Class frigate in one of the Prime Directive modules (Prime Alpha maybe?) that included the commando variant with an extended shuttlebay

2. As far as I can tell from the background and the Ship Registry, CDWs were built as new ships rather than converted from DWs so there's no need for them to be identical.

3. I always imagined the shuttlebays on the standard War-era ships as being something of an afterthought, enough to give a small shuttle capability but not as efficient as the pre-war ships' version. Now, not only does the CDW have a shuttle complement the size of most cruisers', it's also designed to be flying shuttles into combat and recovering them quickly, mustering and loading marines and their heavy equipment, and providing quick repairs to shuttles damaged by ground combat. All of that suggests to me that it would need more space than would fit into the DW's current shuttlebay area.

4. I thought it'd look cool!

Oh - sorry to disappoint you, Scoutdad, but the decals for this ship are in the order you already have! I've never been a fan of decorating assault ships differently to other vessels...

TheRowan · Post by **TheRowan** » Thu Sep 13, 2012 3:49 pm

Still working on the USS Beharry herself... but I finally got round to painting up the specialist shuttles for her!

From left to right, a GAS, a HTS and another GAS (or rather, my interpretations of them). I gave them green pennants on the side based on the theory they'd be SFMC craft, in the same way that Federation Police ships have the blue pennants.

I'll try and get some better (ie. non-phone camera) pics when I find my camera. I know it's in my black rucksack, but we've just moved house and I have no idea where the rucksack is...

Darkwing · Post by **Darkwing** » Fri Sep 14, 2012 1:11 am

Those shuttles are excellent and I REALLY like that Marine emblem on the front.

djdood · Post by **djdood** » Fri Sep 14, 2012 3:31 am

Indeed. That marine emblem is very cool - especially for hand painted. Quite impressive.

TheRowan · Post by **TheRowan** » Fri Sep 14, 2012 6:00 am

djdood wrote:Indeed. That marine emblem is very cool - especially for hand painted. Quite impressive.

I know, I should have found someone that made custom decals to get it neater... :p

TheRowan · Post by **TheRowan** » Mon Sep 24, 2012 3:19 pm

And finally got her finished! May I present the CDW U.S.S. Private Johnson Beharry

(seen from ahead, note the windows showing where the torpedo tubes have been replaced by EMF accommodation)

(View from Starboard quarter, showing the "roof-box" extension to the shuttle bay)

(View from astern, showing shuttle bay doors)

(View from ahead and below, note the additional Transporter sensors)

Darkwing · Post by **Darkwing** » Mon Sep 24, 2012 8:51 pm

Excellent work!