Star Destroyers

[Redic Scott]

As most of you know, during the Battle at Endor, the Rebel Alliance captured two Imperial Star Destroyers. I just wanted to ask if we have them or not, cuz I already started and am finishing an RP with one of them, but its damaged and will be taken to the Calamari Shipyard to get repaired.

If these destroyers are with us, what do you think we should do when we repair them. Should we add weapons, make the states different, or keep them the same as they were, just repaired?

I prepose that we change the stats and add weapons like laser cannons and warhead launchers to make the ship well rounded at hangling different threats, not just other capital ships.

[Lion El' Jonson]

I agree that they shouldn't just be "vanilla" Star Destroyers. I propose removing a number of the ion cannons and heavy turbolaser batteries, and installing heavy- or quad-laser cannons and octets of torpedo launchers, such as the ones aboard Admiral Pellaeon's flagship, the Chimera.

[Redic Scott]

Rebel-class Star Destroyer (Modified Imperial Class)

Combat Designation : Capital Starship

Mission Profile : Heavy Assault

Scale : Capital

Length : 1,600 Meters


Nav Computer : Yes

Sublight Speed : 12 MGLTs

Hyperdrive Rating : 1.0

Hyperdrive Backup : 8.0

Maneuverability : Hull Placed Thrusters (more agile than standard Imperial Class)

Cargo Capacity : 20,600 Metric Tons

Consumables : 3 Years

Weapons :
40 Heavy Turbolaser Batteries
30 Dual Turbolaser Cannons
20 Ion Cannon Batteries
25 Quad Laser Cannons (w/fast track turrets and 2nd Generation Targeting Systems)
8 Octete Warhead Batteries (w/ new Magnetic Launch system, can fire any missile and torpedo in service)
2 Cluster Bombs

Shield rating (Shields no longer in Domes): 3840 SBD
Backup Shield Rating: 3,600 SBD

Hull: 2,670 RU (Slightly Reinforced Hull)

Starfighter Squadrons :
4 X-Wing Squadrons
2 B-wing Squadron
2 A-Wing Squadrons
1 Y-wing Squadron

Troop Capacity : Full Standard Rebel Alliance Brigade (2,560 Troops)

Extra's: While in Repair, the Mon Cal engineers decided to add backups of most system as well as add shield generators from MC-80b cruisers. The domes were instead replaced with look alike cluster bombs and the shields themselves moved into the ships interior. All older system were upgraded to bring the Star Destroyer upto date. The Bridge was also redesigned for easier use.

[Constantine Miltiadis]

Looks good to me.

[Arthur Phellan]

I agree that they should be modified.

However I think that we should figure what we want them to be first. I'm still trying to figure everything out (it's taking a while since I don't do much during the week because I'm so beat after work) however I've gathered that a VSD is still a powerful force in this reality, unlike some where a VSD has been relegated to a second class ship.

So given that, they are obviously valuable. But why not use one or both to get other ships. For example, strip one, but instead of adding more laser cannons, add more ion cannons and use it as a platfrom to disable other ships for us to take over.

Obviously that's only one option.but if we're going to modify them anyway, giving them a specific tasking.

[Redic Scott]

hmm, that's not that bad of an idea, these ships are ISDs though, not VSDs, however, we have make one powerful against ships and the other Ion Cannon heavy. That way both can sometimes hunt together, one can use ion cannons one a ship, while the other keeps it protected and helps disable other ships.

[Arthur Phellan]

My bad. I was being distracted so somehow I lost the fact that it said ISD and not VSD, so replace VSD everywhere in my other post with with ISD.

It's actually even better with it being ISD because they are obviously more powerful. There really isn't much that could stand up to an ISD.

Even go one step further and make the starfighter squadrons heavy with Y- and B-wings, due to their firepower and ion cannons, with X- and A-wings to be anti-fighter.

Another option is a "liberation" variant, that is modified to assist in liberation of systems and planets from imperial tyranny.

[Redic Scott]

What we could do is make the SDs modular. Meaning we can reconfigure them in a short amount of time for different missions.

[Constantine Miltiadis]

Wouldn't that require significant structural alterations to the initial design?

Meh, I always envisioned the Rebs using smaller, faster vessels--much like the Brits against the Spanish.

[Arthur Phellan]

I also like the idea of smaller faster vessels, but sometimes you need to be able to pull out that big stick.

I also agree that making them modular would require some major retrofitting.

I'm just throwing out ideas, I'm perfectly happy with two ISDs modded the way those stats above reflect, however if we are going to make modifications why not explore other possibilites.

[Redic Scott]

Exectly, that's why I'm taking some ideas. One of the destroyers is badly damaged anyways, so it would need a lot of repair, while this is happening we can modify it. It's not like the ships are just hull damaged, one of the ISDs suffered heavy damage.

Also, the allianced does use small and fast ships, but if you notice, they also have fleets of MC-80s and in the books also had some Star Destroyers that they took over. So while using small ships, they still rely on heavy ones to fight against the larger imperial ships.

[Constantine Miltiadis]

Yeah, and the books look for dramatic, huge fleet combat to excite the readers.

In truth, the Empire has more large vessels than the Rebellion can ever hope to cope with. The Alliance should not look to go toe-to-toe with capital ships. It’s just silly.

Any capital ships we have should be used against the Empire’s smaller vessels or should be used to draw the Imperial fleets into traps.

Telan and his cronies will look for a major fleet battle to cripple our forces. Why give it to them? Becoming centralized is a threat to our forces. Oh, yes, this is SWF where neither side can actually win. Yet, do we want to act like there are limitations present due to the nature of the boards, or do we wish to RP as a true Rebellion would?

Sleight of hand is our advantage. We can be like liquid and fill whatever shape needed. Unlike the Empire, there are no planets that require large fleets and garrisons to hold. However, larger craft require more support—in the form of planets willing to provide soldiers, supplies, money for repairs and creation, etc.

As such, to fight large fleet battles would cost us more and allow the Empire to gain from it—we’d have to have supporting planets that could easily become targets and require our precious resources to defend, etc. I don’t care what the books say, most of them use fleeting as a means of supporting a character or a story without thinking about actual impact on the militaries involved. The NR used an SSD as a battering ram in one of the EU books! For the writers it’s not about tactics, it’s about drama.

A good book is filled with drama. Yes, we can RP like this. Yet, shouldn’t it also be relevant and logical? We can see the big picture, one of the advantages of having a community of writers verse a single mind.

Of course, if you just want spectacular, huge battles without relevant, epic, moving plots… that’s your prerogatives. I’m here for interesting, real (believable), human storytelling.

That's my perspective.

[Redic Scott]

you seem to have done a little too far out there. I never even suggested having huge battles only that some big ships could be used to our advantage, that's all and nothing more, if you wish to interprate that as me wanting to fight on all fronts with huge fleets, that's your call, but it wasn't what I ment.

All I'm saying is that the alliance had big ships, that's a fact and they used them. So there, I said my piece. We'll fix the ships up and use them how we see fit. And no, we aren't going to go all out to hunt down imperial fleets. We'll find a good use for the ISDs.

[Arthur Phellan]

Each type of ship has their niche. Yeah in terms of the rebellion smaller faster ships are the more common for several reasons, of which I think, availabilty of large ships and crews, and the ability to operate with hit and run attacks, are the two biggest reasons there are less bigger ships.

But that being said. There are times when you just have to break out the big guns and slug it out, because it would simply take too many smaller ships to do the same job.

Anyway I think the make up of the fleet is slightly off the topic. I mean we're talking about 2 ISDs that we already have, not what to build or how we should progress in the future.

[Constantine Miltiadis]

Ah, my comment was more geared towards annoyance with the books :) Sorry, tangents are very easy for me.

[Lion El' Jonson]

I agree that we should be focusing on making these vehicles geared towards a specific role, but that role should be decided immediately. Making the vessels modular would require far too much structural refitting.

The one true advantage that a large capital ship has over smaller vessels is presence. It is a visible icon of Imperial power, and if two Rebel-owned destroyers show up in a neutral system, it says that "the Empire is weakening". There is nothing more impressive than a squadron of Star Destroyers patrolling a sector. In the same way that modern-day aircraft carriers are used for force-projection, and to represent American interests in international territories, a Star Destroyer demonstrates a great deal of power, and signifies that somebody "is watching you".

There are also some things that large vessels are better suited for than small vessels. As previously mentioned, there is the rare but critical fleet engagements, such as the Battle of Endor. A capital ship can soak up damage that would overwhelm smaller vessels, and its sheer mass means that it can take a lot of fire, even if the shields are down. Large ships usually have impressive amounts of cargo space, meaning they can transport large divisions of troops, serve as testbeds for experimental technologies, or carry valuable cargos under heavy protection. They can also base numerous starfighters from their hangars, moreso than a lesser vessel can.

The disadvantages are obvious. As mentioned before, they are very visible. We will have a hard time hiding their movements from the Imperial Fleet. They also require tremendous maintenance, most of which can be handled on-board the vessel, but if they are heavily battle-damaged or need to be refit, there are only a few Alliance shipyards capable of handling such huge ships, which means that the Imperial fleet will have an easy time intercepting them on their way to a shipyard. Thirdly, a fleet of smaller ships can accomplish most of the same missions as an ImpStar Deuce, although at this point I have to bring up a counterpoint: While a fleet of smaller ships can bring the same amount of firepower to bear, from multiple angles, none of these small vessels have the survivability of an ImpStar Deuce. A single targeted salvo from a Star Destroyer can crack the spine of a Nebulon-B, or vaporize most of a Corellian Corvette.

That said, we need to determine a role for these vessels. I think the biggest move should be to remove most of the troop-carrying capacity. The Alliance Army doesn't usually invade planets and get into prolonged engagements with Imperial troops, but rather focuses on inciting Rebellion on those planets by supplying strategic advice, small companies to assist, and supplies. To that end, if we downsize the troop-carrying capacity to perhaps a brigade, we can justify any variation to the weapons loadout.

[Arthur Phellan]

I agree that a reduction in troops is probably the easiest way to create space. However it doesn't really add surface area to add weapons to. If anything it adds storage. Be it for more warheads, more power generators, more fighter capacity, etc.

I think that fighters might be an idea, since our fighters take up more space then Imp fighters do.

[Redic Scott]

I removed some troops and added 2 fighter squads.