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CRMcNeill
Director of Engineering
Joined: 05 Apr 2010
Posts: 16178
Location: Redding System, California Sector, on the I-5 Hyperspace Route.
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 Posted: Sat Jan 24, 2015 11:22 pm Post subject: AWACS Starship? |
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As I'm digging through my archives, I found an old stat for a Star Wars AWACS platform based on a modified YT-1300. For a variety of reasons, that visual just isn't working for me. Have any of you ever done a Star Wars AWACS starship, and if so, what ship did you use as a basis?
_________________
"No set of rules can cover every situation. It's expected that you will make up new rules to suit the needs of your game." - The Star Wars Roleplaying Game, 2R&E, pg. 69, WEG, 1996.
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Zarn
Force Spirit
Joined: 17 Jun 2014
Posts: 698
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| Posted: Sun Jan 25, 2015 1:59 pm Post subject: |
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EW (electronic warfare) ships haven't been discussed that much in the (old) EU, as far as I know. Though Cunningham's Law probably applies to that in my case. I did come across a [url="http://galactic-voyage.com/Dark%20Side-Starfighters-TIE%20Electronic%20Warfare%20Fighter.htm"]TIE bomber/ew variant[/url]. I'm unsure what the source is, but the relevant part of the capsule reads, "The TIE/ew is equipped with a communications scanner, full spectrum communications and sensor jammers, and a slightly improved sensor package. Crippling the planet-based forces' ability to see incoming craft, they were unable to target and destroy them before they reached the planet surface. When coupled with TIE/fr's in Hunter elements, these are a great danger to Rebel units. The TIE/ew has saved the lives of many Imperial soldiers."
Dragging EW-pods on some other tugboat notwithstanding, and slightly disregarding fighters and others, I think you're looking at a CEC blocade runner design or perhaps other big name business if you want a more 'believable' EW / AWACS platform. Perhaps a CC FR-5 might be appropriate, or a CR-70 Corvette? I also liked the Support Frigate, because of its unique bow.
For smaller ships, a SkyBlind is already halfway there, with sensor jammers and the cloaking thingy.
Imp side, I think the Lone Scout A should be an excellent candidate for an EW / AWACS platform, given the existence of the TIE bomber/ew variant. |
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CRMcNeill
Director of Engineering
Joined: 05 Apr 2010
Posts: 16178
Location: Redding System, California Sector, on the I-5 Hyperspace Route.
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| Posted: Sun Jan 25, 2015 8:33 pm Post subject: |
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| Zarn wrote: | | EW (electronic warfare) ships haven't been discussed that much in the (old) EU, as far as I know. |
No, you're right. Pretty much all EW starfighters in the SWU have been homebrew, like the TIE/ew. However, EW is considered separate from AWACS / AEW&C. Where EW is part comm/scan detection and jamming, AWACS is more about long range sensors and comms paired with flight controllers and such, basically a flying command post and sensor platform.
Considering how the Empire keeps a pretty tight grip on its fighters (basically slaving them to flight controllers on ships or surface bases), the closest I have come to an Imperial AWACS platform was a TIE Bomber variant that replaced the bomb pod with a powerful comm/scan package that served as a relay for the aforementioned flight controllers. The pilot himself was little more than a chauffeur, moving his ship around to expand the range of the flight controllers.
As part of cleaning out my old stat archives, I came across two different possibilities for the Alliance. The first was a Y-Wing variant that was little more than what I described above; a comm/scan relay that tied in with ground or ship based flight control. The second was a YT-1300 equipped with a dorsal-mounted sensor dish and a six-being sensor and flight control crew to run things. While the Y-Wing works for me as a first step, the YT-1300 just didn't catch my fancy.
What I'm considering instead is a modified version of the Mu-2 Class or the older Nu-Class. In either case, both ships would be modified with a dorsal mounted sensor array, as well as secondary sensors mounted on the underside of the wings, so as to cover the primary sensors' blind spots. They would lose almost all of their cargo and passenger capacity to mount the equipment and crew stations needed to serve as an AWACS. I'm leaning toward the Nu-Class, as it would be older than the Mu-2, and thus more likely to be available to the Alliance (and also because I just think it looks cooler).
This link will work if you take the quotes out.
_________________
"No set of rules can cover every situation. It's expected that you will make up new rules to suit the needs of your game." - The Star Wars Roleplaying Game, 2R&E, pg. 69, WEG, 1996.
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CRMcNeill
Director of Engineering
Joined: 05 Apr 2010
Posts: 16178
Location: Redding System, California Sector, on the I-5 Hyperspace Route.
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| Posted: Tue Jan 27, 2015 9:08 pm Post subject: |
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Here's what I'm thinking...
Nu/sc-Class Scout / Control Starship
Craft: Cygnus Spaceworks Nu/sc-Class
Type: Space Early Warning & Control Starship
Scale: Starfighter
Length: 19 meters
Skill: Space Transports: Nu-Class Shuttle
Crew: 1 & 2 gunners
Crew Skill:
Astrogation 5D
Space Transports 4D
Starship Gunnery 3D+1
Shields 4D+2
Sensors 5D+1
Passengers: 6 (Control & Comm/Scan Staff)
Cargo Capacity: 1 metric ton
Consumables: 2 weeks
Hyperdrive Multiplier: x1
Hyperdrive Backup: x12
Nav Computer: Yes
Maneuverability: 1D
Space: 5
Atmosphere: 295; 850 kph
Hull: 3D+2
Shields: 2D
Sensors:
Passive 60/2D
Scan 100/3D
Search 150/4D
Focus 6/5D
Weapons:
2 Dual Light Laser Cannon
Fire Arc: 1 Front/Left, 1 Front/Right
Crew: 1 (controls both)
Skill: Starship Gunnery
Fire Control: 2D+1
Space Range: 1-3/12/25
Atmosphere Range: 100m-300m/1.2km/2.5km
Damage: 4D (5D if Fire-Linked in Front Arc)
1 Dual Laser Cannon
Fire Arc: Rear
Crew: 1
Skill: Starship Gunnery
Fire Control: 2D+1
Space Range: 1-3/12/25
Atmosphere Range: 100m-300m/1.2km/2.5km
Damage: 5D
Special Equipment:
Command & Control Suite
Effect:
-Adds 2D to any Command, Tactics and Communications skill rolls made aboard the ship.
Capsule:
The Nu/sc is a dedicated command and control platform that operates in support of Alliance starfighter groups. Based on the Clone Wars-era Nu-Class Attack Shuttle, the Nu/sc sacrifices its troop transport capacity to carry a powerful comm/scan suite that allows it to provide long range sensor and communications support, as well as tactical assistance and flight control to starfighter groups operating independently of capital ships. In addition, the Nu/sc can be deployed on its own as a scout / patrol platform.
Visually, the Nu/sc is distinguished from the original Nu-Class by the addition of a saucer-shaped sensor array mounted on top of the vessel, as well as the under-wing sensor pods that cover the blind spots of the primary sensor array. The standard medium laser cannon have been deleted, and a rear-mounted dual laser cannon has been added to provide defensive fire in the ship's aft arc.
What was once the ship's main cargo bay is almost entirely filled by a mass of computer systems and six work stations. The Control & Comm/Scan Staff manning those stations consist of 1 Coordinator, 1 Intelligence Specialist, 2 Sensor Operators and 2 Flight Controllers. There is also a small crew rest area to the rear, with crew rest bunks, a small galley and a fresher booth.
Introduced shortly before the Battle of Yavin, the Nu/sc has proven a great success when paired with independent starfighter wings, greatly increasing their operational efficiency. The Empire is attempting to develop tactics and weapons that can counter the Nu/sc, but has met with little success so far, as the ship's powerful sensors provide plenty of warning of incoming attacks, allowing the Nu/sc to evade interception with relative ease.
_________________
"No set of rules can cover every situation. It's expected that you will make up new rules to suit the needs of your game." - The Star Wars Roleplaying Game, 2R&E, pg. 69, WEG, 1996.
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CRMcNeill
Director of Engineering
Joined: 05 Apr 2010
Posts: 16178
Location: Redding System, California Sector, on the I-5 Hyperspace Route.
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| Posted: Tue Jan 27, 2015 9:10 pm Post subject: |
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As for the visual, picture this with an E-3 Sentry-style radome on the back between the wings...
_________________
"No set of rules can cover every situation. It's expected that you will make up new rules to suit the needs of your game." - The Star Wars Roleplaying Game, 2R&E, pg. 69, WEG, 1996.
The CRMcNeill Stat/Rule Index
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