elukka
Junior Member
Posts: 73
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Post by elukka on Jul 15, 2017 20:52:37 GMT
I still build my spacecraft in this fashion, even though I do not seem to be in the majority in doing so. Building asymmetrically allows you to have your radiators completely covered. Putting radiators edge-on to the enemy is nice, but they are still exposed and precise weapons or lucky shots would be able to take them out. Admittedly, I've fantasized about a knife-shaped spacecraft with steeply sloped armor that broadsides enemies with kinetics and possibly has lasers for backup. All of the radiators would be on the reversed side of the spacecraft. It would have trade offs with the traditional cylindrical CDE designs (poor mass ratio) but would probably have its own benefits (small cross section, sloped armor.) I have also considered what benefit saucer-shaped craft might have. You don't need a broadside design to hide the radiators. Just make your ship thicker in the middle, tapering towards both the nose and the engines, and then put the radiators behind the bulge. Like so.
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Post by srbrant on Jul 15, 2017 23:43:56 GMT
I still build my spacecraft in this fashion, even though I do not seem to be in the majority in doing so. Building asymmetrically allows you to have your radiators completely covered. Putting radiators edge-on to the enemy is nice, but they are still exposed and precise weapons or lucky shots would be able to take them out. Admittedly, I've fantasized about a knife-shaped spacecraft with steeply sloped armor that broadsides enemies with kinetics and possibly has lasers for backup. All of the radiators would be on the reversed side of the spacecraft. It would have trade offs with the traditional cylindrical CDE designs (poor mass ratio) but would probably have its own benefits (small cross section, sloped armor.) I have also considered what benefit saucer-shaped craft might have. You don't need a broadside design to hide the radiators. Just make your ship thicker in the middle, tapering towards both the nose and the engines, and then put the radiators behind the bulge. Like so. The ships in my story have a similar design theory, with the radiators arranged at the end of its "tail", giving it the profile of an aquatic predator. A large "crest" on both sides of the ship block it from view when attacking head-on. Their asymmetrical design also lends it the impression of an old sailing ship while at the same time remaining appropriate for 3D space: on "top" is the heavy armor that is solar-painted to absorb power. The "bottom" has lighter armor and houses docking harnesses, shuttlebays and vulnerable external components like astrogation domes or escape shuttles.
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Post by Enderminion on Jul 16, 2017 1:44:44 GMT
You don't need a broadside design to hide the radiators. Just make your ship thicker in the middle, tapering towards both the nose and the engines, and then put the radiators behind the bulge. Like so. The ships in my story have a similar design theory, with the radiators arranged at the end of its "tail", giving it the profile of an aquatic predator. A large "crest" on both sides of the ship block it from view when attacking head-on. Their asymmetrical design also lends it the impression of an old sailing ship while at the same time remaining appropriate for 3D space: on "top" is the heavy armor that is solar-painted to absorb power. The "bottom" has lighter armor and houses docking harnesses, shuttlebays and vulnerable external components like astrogation domes or escape shuttles. if you try hard enough you can make anything look like what you want it to look like with technobabble reasons
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Post by srbrant on Jul 16, 2017 1:58:26 GMT
The ships in my story have a similar design theory, with the radiators arranged at the end of its "tail", giving it the profile of an aquatic predator. A large "crest" on both sides of the ship block it from view when attacking head-on. Their asymmetrical design also lends it the impression of an old sailing ship while at the same time remaining appropriate for 3D space: on "top" is the heavy armor that is solar-painted to absorb power. The "bottom" has lighter armor and houses docking harnesses, shuttlebays and vulnerable external components like astrogation domes or escape shuttles. if you try hard enough you can make anything look like what you want it to look like with technobabble reasons Gee, that's encouraging feedback.
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elukka
Junior Member
Posts: 73
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Post by elukka on Jul 16, 2017 9:03:11 GMT
One way to take it is that many design constraints in space are "soft" (like being symmetric - simplifies things, but it's by no means mandatory) so that it's possible to override their advantages by some other factor.
I have some broadsiding, asymmetric ships in my setting. They're long range laser combatants, which means two things: They need a gigantic laser optic that eats up a significant portion of ship volume, and they benefit from maneuverability. (the better you can jink at multi-lightsecond ranges, the closer the enemy has to get to reliably hit you) By putting the laser on the side rather than the front they can use the high power main engine to maneuver perpendicular to the target. The downside is the ship is far more exposed to fire than one that engages frontally, but the idea is to not get hit in the first place.
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Post by treptoplax on Jul 16, 2017 14:00:45 GMT
I still build my spacecraft in this fashion, even though I do not seem to be in the majority in doing so. Building asymmetrically allows you to have your radiators completely covered. Putting radiators edge-on to the enemy is nice, but they are still exposed and precise weapons or lucky shots would be able to take them out. Admittedly, I've fantasized about a knife-shaped spacecraft with steeply sloped armor that broadsides enemies with kinetics and possibly has lasers for backup. All of the radiators would be on the reversed side of the spacecraft. It would have trade offs with the traditional cylindrical CDE designs (poor mass ratio) but would probably have its own benefits (small cross section, sloped armor.) I have also considered what benefit saucer-shaped craft might have. You don't need a broadside design to hide the radiators. Just make your ship thicker in the middle, tapering towards both the nose and the engines, and then put the radiators behind the bulge. Like so. Sensible IMAO, but only suitable for ships with moderate power requirements. I doubt you could fit all the radiators on a ship with serious lasers as primary weapons in that style.
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Post by Argopeilacos on Jul 17, 2017 12:26:20 GMT
I resorted to "classical" asymmetry in the Unofficial Tournament because of its efficiency and cost-effectiveness.
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Post by Easy on Jul 17, 2017 12:35:50 GMT
If you can choose preferred defense vectors you can concentrate armor, increase slope and minimize silhouette. I prefer a decent nose profile with the option to broadside with only one side. Why armor that underbelly if it is never exposed to enemy fire? Another question is if enemy fire scatters to near misses, do you want those off-target shots to scatter into another useful part of your spaceship?
Also if your combat ship lacks droptanks you are missing out, it is pretty much free delta v with zero drawbacks. For a thought experiment, build a ship that has zero internal fuel tanks.
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Post by Enderminion on Jul 17, 2017 15:11:25 GMT
thats asking for them to be shot off, and then the thrust from escapeing gas will throw your aim and might kill your crew, even then the enemy has an extra 1-2 seconds where you can't shoot back, more if you have a smaller ship
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Post by Durandal on Jul 17, 2017 15:27:07 GMT
thats asking for them to be shot off, and then the thrust from escapeing gas will throw your aim and might kill your crew, even then the enemy has an extra 1-2 seconds where you can't shoot back, more if you have a smaller ship If you're engaging the enemy properly from at at least 1Mm and they manage to get close enough to shoot the radiators I'd say you've lost already, broadside or not.
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Post by Enderminion on Jul 17, 2017 19:14:24 GMT
thats asking for them to be shot off, and then the thrust from escapeing gas will throw your aim and might kill your crew, even then the enemy has an extra 1-2 seconds where you can't shoot back, more if you have a smaller ship If you're engaging the enemy properly from at at least 1Mm and they manage to get close enough to shoot the radiators I'd say you've lost already, broadside or not. how fast can a laser pop a drop tank?
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Post by Durandal on Jul 17, 2017 20:16:16 GMT
If you're engaging the enemy properly from at at least 1Mm and they manage to get close enough to shoot the radiators I'd say you've lost already, broadside or not. how fast can a laser pop a drop tank? If it's outside the amror it's meant to be shot off.
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Post by treptoplax on Jul 17, 2017 20:41:10 GMT
how fast can a laser pop a drop tank? If it's outside the amror it's meant to be shot off. May as well stuff your Whipple shields with fuel.
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Post by Durandal on Jul 17, 2017 23:03:18 GMT
If it's outside the amror it's meant to be shot off. May as well stuff your Whipple shields with fuel. Something something heavy water Habbabuk
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Post by srbrant on Nov 17, 2017 5:33:54 GMT
A late reply, I know, but here's a WIP of the various ship designs I've had in mind. In the novel, this style of ship is referred to as the "Foss-Gaughan Pattern." Attachments:
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