Quote:If my numbers are right, about three miles long.
Yes, Global was a bigger wig than he let on, but I'd expect a clear chain of command to be laid out from the beginning, and as we've noted an ARMOR alone is bigger than any RL carrier.
Overall, I think that the point about Zentradi standard operating procedure is probably on target. I'll see how it works out when I try and write it out.
Quote:Hmm. What about a set of thrust reversal plates, like on the Swordfish from Cowboy Bebop? Mechanically simple, and relatively light. Either way, the more I think about it, the more I start to think that the Esperanzas won't have picked up much extra mass at all - as I said, reaction bunkerage can be allowed by ripping out their old reactors and drive machinery, and DKnight's got a point about a centrifuge's vulnerability to battle damage. What I'd do would be gank the SDF-1's spare RCS assemblies (remember, these subs are only about a fiftieth the Macross's length, let alone mass) and bolt one onto the hull on either side of the sub's center of mass - they'd be a little off of vertical centerline, because of the sails, but dead amidships, anyway - with thrust vector assemblies and a smaller-scale RCS cluster where the original ship's propeller used to be. Add your sensor masts and a docking collar directly in front of either drive pod, where the engine's mass will shield the fighter from any thruster blast, and there you are. Moderately maneuverable and highly thrifty.
Working on the sub redesign now. One reason I had forward thrusters on the drive ring was for maneuvering and retro-thrust reasons -- a single main bank of thrusters worked on Discovery because it wasn't expected to have to handle combat maneuvering, but you want something a bit more versatile for this system. And with the limitations of construction available in trans-Plutonian space... well, ya do what ya can with what ya got, at that point, and if we're going to keep the surface cap-ships as mobile combatants, they're DEFINITELY going to eat up any large enginery that can be produced at that point.
Engining the surface ships could probably be done quite easily, provided you're willing to sacrifice the option of operating your ARMOR platforms independantly.
Incidentally, I figure that those things are dead slow - so much so that, even carrying three of the things, the SDF-1 is far faster than they could ever manage - but putting them onto smaller ships works the scale equation in your favor.
I wonder how many of the surface ships were designed to be completely pressure sealed?
Well, more agile/better rate of acceleration, anyway.
I don't speak Chinese. ^_^;
Ja, -n
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"V, did you do something foolish?"
"Yes, and it was glorious."