Hard Light Productions Forums
Modding, Mission Design, and Coding => The Modding Workshop => Topic started by: Jadehawk on May 14, 2016, 10:41:56 pm
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Hey Folks,
This is one of my long term projects.
Meet the GTCh Bismarck Sea. First-in-class of a Heavy Cruiser Ship. Follow-on ships will also be named after Earth Naval Battles.
https://p3d.in/9piYm
Ship class is designed for Convoy protection and control, Fleet Support and protection of Capital Assets such as Battle Groups and Space Installations. This version represents the initial configuration when the GTCh Bismarck Sea was commissioned into the GTVA. She currently has 28 turrets, both Secondary Gauss and Fusion torpedo turrets and Flak turrets as well. The primary fire power comes from the 8 Beam Cannons paired front, rear, port and starboard and are all of the same class. GTCh stands for Galactic Terran Cruiser Heavy. Dunno if there is such yet, but there you have it.
Now as some of you realize, this needs some serious poly reduction! I knew working on this it would be a bit too much poly wise. But most of it is in the turrets and I'll make some game versions based on what you see. This ship is actually my first one I am completely happy with design wise.
All the best,
Jadehawk
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The design appears to me to be somewhat un-Freespacy, what with the cylindrical, external engines, and the teardrop-shaped hull. It does bear some resemblance to a few user-made civilian designs such as the GTCVI Majestic (http://www.hard-light.net/wiki/index.php/GTCVl_Majestic). I'm thinking that in the Post-Capella period, the GTVA doesn't have the military forces to ensure protection for all its convoys, so some corporations re-purpose some of their liners with external boosted engines and turrets and turn them into escort cruisers.
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It also doesn't seem to have much in terms of really big guns, despite quite a bulky hull and large size (well, either it's pretty large or the gatling turrets are tiny). Not to mention the podded engines don't offer much protection, which would be undesirable for a warship. Either way, it does look more like a converted liner than a dedicated warship.
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Thanks for the replies fellas :)
The Gatling turrets are actually FLAK turrets. The GAUSS Rifle and the Fusion Torpedo turrets are the Secondary weapons and will see about enlarging them as well. Yes, this is Post Capella and I took a chance on the podded engines just because I liked the difference. I have an earlier design of this in standard engine setup inside the main hull. Might give that one a spin.
Thanks again :)
Jadehawk
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Gatlings are not a good choice for flak guns. Those look more like CIWS turrets, superfast plinkers meant to shot down bombs and annoy smaller fighters, not pose a serious threat. Flak guns should be larger and more beefy, fitting a large cannon firing explosive shells.
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Well they could be gattling flaks :eek2:
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Actually, the real CIWS can shoot down aircraft (or any flying object) as it's designated as the last line of defense for shipboard use. The one you see that looks like Robby the robot (honest, I didn't plan it that way!) has a four barreled rotary gun on each side. Shooting super dense metal at hyper speeds sure would cause the attacker to change course or risk destruction. I do have other Flak guns and might use them.
Here is the Flak gun in question:
https://p3d.in/cRlft
Jadehawk
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Yes, IRL they can, but RL aircraft are a lot more fragile than in ships FS. The archetypical flak cannon was 88mm (modern flak guns are smaller, but still around 50mm), while CIWS are 20-30mm. If a spacecraft can shrug off a flak cannon hit, then a CIWS would be reduced to an annoyance unless you get a full burst in the face. Of course, there are other ways of balancing this, but I feel that this one makes the most sense.
I'd keep the "plinker" turrets where they are and add a few beefy flaks to the mix. Flak guns tend to be quite deadly in FS (they still fire quickly, just not gatling-level quickly), so you don't really need many, unless you want a dedicated AA ship like the Aeolus.
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nice model however doesn't feel terran at all
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Thanks :) Ehhh...I was hoping it would be more acceptable with the idea the GTVA after 30 plus years would have made some advancements in design configuration. No worries as I still like the design regardless. :) Having said that, can anyone give me some parameters in what a GTVA Terran class ship should look like? Blocky type structure? I get the fact engines are in the hull and not in pods.
Comments?
Much thanks folks!
Jadehawk
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Freespace terran capital ships, regardless of their era seem to have certain distinguishing design elements... they are not broad and smooth. Great War era ships tend to be boxy with sharp edges, and linear in shape. Second incursion ships retain the linear configuration but smoother. Also, engines for second incursion designs are spread across the ship, in ventral protrusions as well as the main rear engine. Post Capellian designs are the more open to speculation. Blue Planet designs are still linear, but introduce broadness, where Second Incursion designs were a little taller. That said, the broad designs also make use of fairly hard edges.
Regardless of how post-capellian designs might be interpreted, my assessment of your design is still that the external podded engines look to much like additions to the hull rather than part of the original design. If you're looking to make it look like a purpose-designed warship, my advice is to delete the engines and make new ones that fit with the rest of the design, and make them a part of the hull itself.
BTW, is that trapezoidal recess on the aft ventral a fighterbay?
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Trivial Psychic, thanks for the information! it's truly welcomed!
"BTW, is that trapezoidal recess on the aft ventral a fighterbay?"
Good eye! That's the central receiving bay for Cargo ships, shuttles, bombers and YES fighters too if needed. If you look at each side, there are also a Fighter bay shown. I'd imagine this Heavy Cruiser would have a small, but effective group of Fighters...say about 8 to 12 total in a highly space optimized arrangement. While it's self has no Bombers, it can hold some in the main cargo bay in a pinch and would be no more than 6. Each door is armored which is what I was trying to show.
Jadehawk