WC:CD Confed Transport

[JasonRocZ]

Alright well from another thread It was suggested I differentiate between the two so here's the start of the Confed Transport based mainly on the Bellaeu Wood Class Transport featured in Armada, to be used in the WC:CD project.

 

[Vinman]

I like it a lot! I really liked those Belleau Wood transports for some reason, even though you hardly ever see them.

what more do you want to do to your model?

 

[ELTEE]

One good upgrade would be some kind of point defense weapon - maybe a simple laser cannon or two. I don't think the 'wood was actually armed in Armada, but I can't see how that would realistically happen - most other transports in the WC universe have some sort of defense, however weak it may be.

 

[JasonRocZ]

well pretty much adding anything I guess.....

 

[Dundradal]

One good upgrade would be some kind of point defense weapon - maybe a simple laser cannon or two. I don't think the 'wood was actually armed in Armada, but I can't see how that would realistically happen - most other transports in the WC universe have some sort of defense, however weak it may be.

Yeah in Armada they are completely unarmed. Last year when ChrisReid and I were playing once he attacked one of my transports that had a fighter escort. I don't think there is a capship in WC that goes down as fast as the Belleau Wood. It's paper thin with no weapons to boot.


Just give it a little defensive firepower, other than that it looks really good.

 

[JasonRocZ]

Here's one that's a little longer....Dubbed the "Long Wood"....but basically I wish to steer away from that name...for obvious reasons

 

[jaeger]

Yeah it will need some firepower. at least if you have a few 'sports hangin out together, they stand a chance at irritating a fighter while they can pray for backup.

 

[Vinman]

Here's one that's a little longer....Dubbed the "Long Wood"....but basically I wish to steer away from that name...for obvious reasons

I just had an idea. How about you up the number of cargo sections to four and add a section between the first and last pairs, armed with laser turrets?

Here's a quick sketch. It aught to add some limited protection and make the ship a bit more substantial.

 

[JasonRocZ]

That's a pretty cool sketch and I'll work on it. Doesn't sound like a bad idea

 

[JasonRocZ]

Alright...Worked on it a little bit... If anyone has more things to add that would be great... I scaled down the engines a little bit...and also added a few details (Mainly decals and such) Also added the extra cargo holds and a few laser batteries.. Tell me what you think. I didn't totally stay true in regard to the mounting of Vinmans Turrets but similar

 

[Vinman]

Alright...Worked on it a little bit... If anyone has more things to add that would be great... I scaled down the engines a little bit...and also added a few details (Mainly decals and such) Also added the extra cargo holds and a few laser batteries.. Tell me what you think. I didn't totally stay true in regard to the mounting of Vinmans Turrets but similar

Thanks, that's pretty cool! How are the firing arcs? Can the turrets only target enemies above centerline or can they aim downwards a bit?

 

[JasonRocZ]

I'll probably make them aim a little bit down too. So that the arc is fairly realistic

 

[Dundradal]

Very nice! I like this rendition a lot!

 

[ELTEE]

That looks great - certainly appears to be an efficient and useful design.

 

[Bombadier]

How about splitting the turrets up? Keeping them at two to a side and in the center section but put one above the centerline and one below. Gives decent overall coverage, doesn't increase the number of weapons, and still leaves plenty of blind spots directly to the front, directly above, and directly behind. Enough coverage to keep fighters and bombers honest but not enough to be a real threat.

 

[Vinman]

How about splitting the turrets up? Keeping them at two to a side and in the center section but put one above the centerline and one below. Gives decent overall coverage, doesn't increase the number of weapons, and still leaves plenty of blind spots directly to the front, directly above, and directly behind. Enough coverage to keep fighters and bombers honest but not enough to be a real threat.

That would be cool, I was thinking that the turrets had almost laughably poor firing arcs.

Then again, my idea for the center section and its turrets' limited firing arcs is that the section is a crummy add-on that was dropped in as a stopgap measure, and wouldn't be particularly effective.

 

[JasonRocZ]

As far as the Fire arcs...I'm going to have to tinker with it when I get the model in the Vision engine, but more than likely it will have a poor fire arc anyways just based on where the turrets are ...Which adds to a difficulty level when facing the bugs

 

[Jason_Ryock]

As far as the Fire arcs...I'm going to have to tinker with it when I get the model in the Vision engine, but more than likely it will have a poor fire arc anyways just based on where the turrets are ...Which adds to a difficulty level when facing the bugs

The Bug Transports suffered this same flaw in WCP/SO. Their bow turrets - and their Aft turret too, now that I think about it, are both mounted on the topside of the ship, meaning an attack on their belly would avoid the fire. (Though in retrospect it's not really possible to hit the Engine with a torp if you're attacking the belly of the beast).

Another good example of this is the Star Destroyers in XVT/XWA. They have most of their weapons placed on the topside of the hull, making it possible to eliminate the turrets on one side of the ship and then constantly strafe it until it explodes. That was also somewhat irksome to me, as I had little difficulty stripping capital ships of their weapons, and then disabling them so they couldn't escape while I destroyed them.

I'm not sure if it's possible, but it would be nice to see the AI concentrate attacks from the bottom of the ship if the firing arc is so limited. You might not be able to script that into the AI, but you could always make sure the enemy ships spawn at a point below the plane of the transport, so they would be "Rising up" towards it as they engaged.

A relatively simple roll would do wonders to counter that tactic. Maybe we'll see some of that in your mod!

 

[JasonRocZ]

Yea you pretty much said what I was thinking , it's either that or adding more turrets, but hey this is a transport and should be escorted by some hotshot pilot right? that can think that the transport doesn't need turrets because I have weapons anyways

 

[Bob McDob]

Here's one that's a little longer....Dubbed the "Long Wood"....but basically I wish to steer away from that name...for obvious reasons

Belleau Wood is named after a World War I battle that has (at least for the U.S. Marines) become legendary. Maybe you could try another Marine battle name (Pusan?) or another WWI battle.

Yea you pretty much said what I was thinking , it's either that or adding more turrets, but hey this is a transport and should be escorted by some hotshot pilot right? that can think that the transport doesn't need turrets because I have weapons anyways

I guess it depends on who's intended to operate it. If it's a powerful military faction or cash-strapped border worlds splinter state it makes some sense (in the first case because overwhelming military might should ensure that local superiority is achieved wherever it's operating, in the second case because they can't afford any better.) If it's, say, a wealthy merchant league that operates where combat is unavoidable and fighter escort is limited, then it might make sense to turn merchantmen into mini-gunships. It also opens up some interesting mission ideas - escort the convoy with their gun turrets bristling like a box of B-17s!

Maybe you could make several variations on this theme; give the latter jobs welded-on turrets and armor look.