[Mars]

Just curious. (Got curious after making a fool of myself on the Wiki but that is completely beside the point.)

[IceFire]

Its the Nahema.  It even looks similar. The story goes that the HoL built the Sekhmet based on Shivan technology from a captured Nahema bomber.  Also keep in mind that the Shivans didn't completely disappear after the original game.  In ST the Shivans were still around, just disorganized, and the Nahema probably showed up some time after the Seraphim did.

[Mars]

Yeah, I know the Shivans didn't disapear, but if the Nahema wasn't part of the first Shivan fleet, the HOL couldn't exactly capture one; the Nahema Freespace 2 tech description makes it pretty clear the GTVA has never (officaly) seen it before.

Either the SB Nahema class is a new Shivan bomber design, or the Shivans are finally taking the GTVA seriously and bringing in their best ships. The Nahema is considered to be the Shivan's most dangerous bomber. It has demonstrated the ability to outrun virtually every fighter in the GTVA fleet. Its powerful laser banks and high-capacity missile bays make it a threat to combat craft of all types, as well as to capital ships.

[NGTM-1R]

Probably the best theory is that there was some sort of less-capable precursor ship and the Hammer of Light got ahold of it. The great question is how. The HoL revered the Shivans as gods; they would not have attacked them. The Shivans really didn't care that HoL worshipped them and were equal-opportunity destroyers, so some sort of trade seems out of the question.

The only thing I can come up with that makes any sense is that these precursor Nahemas were in the custody of GTI, and the Hammer of Light "liberated" them.

[Trivial Psychic]

How about HoL coming across a dammaged and disabled Nahema or its predecessor.  They recovered the bomber and perhaps even the pilot, hoping to actually care for one of their gods.  Either the pilot was already dead, or it died from its injuries.  They then set about to analyze and reverse-engineer the bomber, hoping to make themselves more like their gods by incorporating its tech into their designs.

[Mars]

*sighs*
*Removes vote*

The Shivans would never have a prototype ship in what, for them, would be the front lines. Remember the Shivans have the whole galaxy to develop things (and in my opinion, they don't develop things, they're static) so they wouldn't do it on their enemies doorstep.

[NGTM-1R]

OpEval. Same as what you do with the Barracudas. Actual combat is the best testing.

And, furthermore, we don't actually KNOW the Shivans have anywhere to test anything, particularly the Lucifer fleet, which seemed to be totally self-contained. It's possible that the fleet had one or two prototypes, or simply poorly maintained, Nahemas.

[Charismatic]

****. Im the one vote for the Tavli (sp?).
 There is no such ship in FS2 as the "SB Taurvi", or the "Shaitan", IIRC. I dont reconize their names. Are they cannon?

[Mars]

SB Shaitan

SB Taurvi


The Shaitan is in Freespace 1, and yes there is a Taurvi in Freespace 2, it's on the Freespace 2 cover.
Even if the Nahema didn't exist, I don't think anyone would belive these two to be the basis for the Sekhmet

[aldo_14]

Was the Sekhmet ever used in the game?  I don't remember whether it was or not.

[karajorma]

They appear in Rebels and Renegades as enemy ships and also in Speaking in Tongues as a friendly wing. You never get to fly one in the main campaign though.

[Fury]

They appear in Rebels and Renegades as enemy ships and also in Speaking in Tongues as a friendly wing. You never get to fly one in the main campaign though.

To be honest, I haven't played the original FS2 campaign in years, but I vaguely recall that I was able to choose Sekhmet at least in one mission, albeit it wasn't the default ship. In any case, as far as bombers go, Sekhmet and Bakha were great.

[karajorma]

To be honest, I haven't played the original FS2 campaign in years, but I vaguely recall that I was able to choose Sekhmet at least in one mission, albeit it wasn't the default ship. In any case, as far as bombers go, Sekhmet and Bakha were great.

I would have sworn the same thing but when I made up this list I grepped the entire FS2 campaign for allow-ship so that I could note when you were granted access. The Sekhmet is not granted in any mission file nor is it available in the campaign file so it's completely impossible for you to ever see it on the team loadout screen.

Furthermore grep only turns up the name Sekhmet in the two campaign missions I mention so they can't even have shoe-horned it in like they did with the Bakha.

Like me you must have seen it in multi or another campaign and then later thought it was in the official one.