[Snail]

Too much griders and the ships stop looking solid and ends up looking more like a unfinished construction project. I prefer it to be closer to hte original - solid armored block, but with interesting greebling stuff.

Well, the Hippocrates is already really weird shaped. It looks like a few random hits anywhere could break it into pieces. I like this look to it, it strengthens that feeling of uselessness.

[Mars]

It always appeared to be several blocks held together with supports.

This emphasizes that feeling.

[Mobius]

Snail, that design isn't random. It's meant to help...with that design it's pretty easy to contain virus/bacteria propagation...an infected medical ship would be good for nothing.

Too bad this aspect of the Hippocrates has never been exploited(as far as I know).

[Snail]

Snail, that design isn't random. It's meant to help...with that design it's pretty easy to contain virus/bacteria propagation...an infected medical ship would be good for nothing.

What I meant is that a few stray shots would break it apart. Which is partially true given it has only 10,000 HP...

[Mobius]

It's correct, but keep in mind that the Hippocrates isn't supposed to be attacked in a hostile environment. To be honest I fail tu understand why armed it, I would have left it as a pure civilian vessel - it's not a military transport like the Argo.

A weak structure is the price the Hippocrates needs to pay for its exceptional performances as hospital ship.

[Snail]

It's correct, but keep in mind that the Hippocrates isn't supposed to be attacked in a hostile environment. To be honest I fail tu understand why armed it, I would have left it as a pure civilian vessel - it's not a military transport like the Argo.

A weak structure is the price the Hippocrates needs to pay for its exceptional performances as hospital ship.

What I fail to understand is why a hospital has a LTerSlash and an AAA beam.

[Topgun]

too protect them from drug addicts?

[Snail]

too protect them from drug addicts?

Well, shouldn't the Argo, which needs to protect itself from high-tech rebels and Shivans, have BGreens, then?

[Mobius]

Yeah, not only armed the Hippocrates but they also exaggerated in doing it...

It may be a table entry glitch...like the Mentu having no beams, the Moloch having only SReds or the Orion having 3 BGreens...

[Topgun]

too protect them from drug addicts?

Well, shouldn't the Argo, which needs to protect itself from high-tech rebels and Shivans, have BGreens, then?

well, the argo is kinda dainty... I mean, can you fit a bgreen on it?
besides, I was kinda joking

BTW I guess it was for balance.

[Snail]

besides, I was kinda joking

So was I.

It may be a table entry glitch...like the Mentu having no beams, the Moloch having only SReds or the Orion having 3 BGreens...

Well, mistake or not, it's canon.

[Mobius]

So...the Mentu's table entry overwrites the Mentu's tech description?

[Snail]

So...the Mentu's table entry overwrites the Mentu's tech description?

Well, doesn't stop you from changing it yourself.

[Hellstryker]

It's correct, but keep in mind that the Hippocrates isn't supposed to be attacked in a hostile environment. To be honest I fail tu understand why armed it, I would have left it as a pure civilian vessel - it's not a military transport like the Argo.

A weak structure is the price the Hippocrates needs to pay for its exceptional performances as hospital ship.

I'm finding myself agreeing with of people I don't normally agree with in this thread 

[Snail]

I think everyone is in agreement that giving a hospital heavy weaponry was a weird thing...

[Topgun]

At the first sign of trouble the ships captain's first instinct should be to run.

No, this is FreeSpace, you fight it out until you get to that node, Solider!

[Titan]

yeah. In freespace, a ship as hottrodded as the millenium falcon is perfectly legal. 

[Mars]

I think it probably has the beam to fend off pirates in the like. Undefended military transports are unlikely to be carrying anything important. An aircraft carrier sized hospital would be an attractive target.

[Droid803]

Heh? The Hippocrates? Weakly armored?
Its got more HP than a Fenris which is basically an armored block.
The hippo is tough.

But I still like the exposed look - it's awesome.

Its LTerSlash is probably there because it was also designed to evacuate civilians and treat wounded military personnel, often near the field of battle where a stray cruiser may come around. The Hippocrates we see in the game are probably all owned by the military. A civilian one (if there are any) probably wouldn't have the anti-warship beam cannon.
The Argo doesn't have heavy armament because part of its role is as a marine boarding craft. Its only going to dock with a ship which is pretty much disabled and disarmed, meaning it doesn't need heavy armament at all.

I think it probably has the beam to fend off pirates in the like. Undefended military transports are unlikely to be carrying anything important. An aircraft carrier sized hospital would be an attractive target.

And that.

[TrashMan]

A weak structure is the price the Hippocrates needs to pay for its exceptional performances as hospital ship.

We all know that structural design and Hit point don't have a sane relation in FS2.
Any thing having a thin neck/connector is a bad design for a warship (realisticly speaking). Heck, a stray shot could sever the Sobek or Hatsheput or Hecate in half.