[Thaeris]

I was looking through the appendix of "Dune" again when I noted one of the more interesting ship concepts for a combat vessel I've seen science fiction: The Crusher...

From Dune:

"CRUSHERS: military space vessels composed of many smaller vessels locked together and designed to fall on an enemy position, crushing it."

Essentially, I see it as a reusable bomb. It breaks apart in orbit, lands on its target, and, if it survives, takes off again to rejoin as a whole or land on another nearby target.

Smash-tastic.

[NGTM-1R]

The repair bills make me wince.

I've always admired the design of the ISD/VSD, personally. It actually makes sense as an assault vessel, because you can direct all or nearly all guns forward.

[General Battuta]

Why not just drop a few kinetic kill vehicles? Not reusable, but a hell of a lot cheaper than some kind of smash-and-take-off drone.

[The E]

While rocks are not free, citizen, they are definitely more practical than that.

[mxlm]

I've always admired the design of the ISD/VSD, personally. It actually makes sense as an assault vessel, because you can direct all or nearly all guns forward.

While that's true, aren't they meant to be the primary capital ships in the navy? In which case...maybe something more versatile was called for? I dunno, I guess you could always conduct fleet actions in such such a way that you're always charging the enemy, but...

[Dilmah G]

I was looking through the appendix of "Dune" again when I noted one of the more interesting ship concepts for a combat vessel I've seen science fiction: The Crusher...

From Dune:

"CRUSHERS: military space vessels composed of many smaller vessels locked together and designed to fall on an enemy position, crushing it."

Essentially, I see it as a reusable bomb. It breaks apart in orbit, lands on its target, and, if it survives, takes off again to rejoin as a whole or land on another nearby target.

Smash-tastic.

There's gravity in space now?

(Forgive me, I'm not familiar with Dune)

[General Battuta]

It's an orbit-to-ground weapon.

In the Duniverse it may have to actually be fairly slow in order to get past shields.

[Thaeris]

It's an orbit-to-ground weapon.

In the Duniverse it may have to actually be fairly slow in order to get past shields.

Good point! It's actually been quite a while since I read the novel, but that's probably exactly why a vessel like the crusher would exist.

[lostllama]

I assumed crushers were one-shot weapons, not reusable, but I'm probably wrong. I don't recall them being used in the story.

[Thaeris]

I don't believe they were. They were mentioned in the final battle on Dune in the first novel, though.

The only space battles Frank Herbert actually engages the reader in are (as far as I can remember) (a.) the strike on Harkonnen Spice reserves by Atreides warships and (b.) in the latter books (5 & 6) where no-ship combat ensues.

[IronBeer]

There's gravity in space now?

Always has been.

[General Battuta]

It's an orbit-to-ground weapon.

In the Duniverse it may have to actually be fairly slow in order to get past shields.

Good point! It's actually been quite a while since I read the novel, but that's probably exactly why a vessel like the crusher would exist.

Yeah, when thinking about it, that's the only reason to prefer a crusher over kinetic kill vehicles. You can gently settle on top of the target at just below shield threshold velocities.

Although a drone lasgun platform firing from orbit sounds even better. That part of Dune never made much sense.

[NGTM-1R]

While that's true, aren't they meant to be the primary capital ships in the navy? In which case...maybe something more versatile was called for? I dunno, I guess you could always conduct fleet actions in such such a way that you're always charging the enemy, but...

You can still direct half your available gunpower in any direction with a slightly roll on the long axis. It would be hard to top that.

[Nuke]

It's an orbit-to-ground weapon.

In the Duniverse it may have to actually be fairly slow in order to get past shields.

Good point! It's actually been quite a while since I read the novel, but that's probably exactly why a vessel like the crusher would exist.

Yeah, when thinking about it, that's the only reason to prefer a crusher over kinetic kill vehicles. You can gently settle on top of the target at just below shield threshold velocities.

Although a drone lasgun platform firing from orbit sounds even better. That part of Dune never made much sense.

the forms must be obeyed

since a majority of the fighters in the imperium use shields and sharp things in combat, mainly because guns wont go through shields. now if you fire a lasgun at a shield you get a nuclear explosion. and since such devices are against the great convention, you cant do that. even setting one off accidently could get your house stripped and your planet obliterated.

also drones are out of the question, since your not allowed to use computers. you could have remote guided drones. the hunter-seeker is a good example. war in general is frowned upon, and disputes between houses should be fought with a war of assassins, to reduce collateral damage.

[mxlm]

You can still direct half your available gunpower in any direction with a slightly roll on the long axis. It would be hard to top that.

Good point.