HighComedy's Ships

[Himura.Kenshin]

I'm not a huge fan of all the open space inside the boundaries of the ship, but other than that, its great.

[HighComedy]

Too bad it will be the default design style for this series of ships.

After a review process that briefly returned the Passchendaele prototype to the drawing board, the battlecruiser is now finally ready for release. It is also the first ship class that HC-Tech has under mass production!

Passchendaele-Class Battlecruiser


A ship designed for tactical response and fleet-level firepower support, the Passchendaele is a firepower-heavy vessel mounted with many weapon systems first deployed on the larger dreadnoughts. This include the single nova beamer and cluster muon accelerators, both proven to be devastating weapon systems. However, power output issues mean that its weapons tend to be fairly limited compared to their dreadnought versions, including the triple muon accelerators which can only be mounted on external fixed mounts. Relatively fast and mobile compared to its cousins, the Passchendaele is also fairly underprotected. Its Extended-Range flak batteries are often caught up intercepting projectiles headed towards nearby friendlies and its frontal mounts are exposed and vulnerable, protected only by 8 deflectors and a relatively flimsy bubble shield.

Armaments
1X Nova Beamer in a 360-degree mount, increased cooldown
3X Cluster Muon Accelerators
2X 'Tunguska' Cannons
2X Heavy Grasers
8X Repeater Cannons
6X Intermediate-range Point Defense Batteries
1X Tactical Hyperspace Device

Verdun-Class Battleship


A sister class of the Passchendaele, the Verdun built on the same keel and engine section. The ship is also designed to be an out-and-out slugger, with significantly better shield and armor coverage all around. And like its sister, the Verdun's main armament are scaled-down versions of the Stalingrad's plasma accelerators and strangelet torpedoes, capable of delivering enormous amounts of damage from both the front and side. However, all of the Verdun's weapons are projectile-based; they are not very efficient against opponents with extensive point defense. A little slower and less maneuverable than the Passchendale, it has equivalent point defenses, although their range is only long enough for protecting the vessel. However, the Verdun compensates with a number of passive defenses.

Armaments
2X Strangelet Torpedo Batteries
9X Plasma Accelerators
10X Gatling Cannons
6X Short-range Point Defense Batteries
1X Counter-Guidance Emitter
1X Enhanced-range Repair Nanomatrix

Action shots pending the completion of the Somme-Class.

[TormakSaber]

Very nice stuff.

[Natch]

=O

That's Natch's Sound Wave Beam!

No, it ain't.

Mine can't be seen. His can.

[HighComedy]

In fact, one can say that the Supernova Device is the opposite of the Sound Wave Beam, considering its very intention is to produce a blinding flash that whites out the whole screen. But hey, both are based off wide-angle shock beamers...

[Zeron]

These all rock! i really would like to see you desighn some small fighter class though, I've created quite a few good ones.

[HighComedy]

Firstly, combat testing has revealed the severe underperformance of the Verdun-class against its sister vessels. While some disadvantage was anticipated due to its pure projectile loadout and its sisters' powerful point defense, it was decided by the Director that the new Somme-class being able to defeat TWO Verduns practically unharmed was ridiculous. Therefore, the Verdun has been significantly upgunned and its profile above has been modified. Secondly, the Somme-class Battleship is complete.

Somme-Class Battleship


The last of the first series of HC-Tech capital ships, the Somme fills the last corner of the triangle by functioning as a long-range fire support vessel, ideally kept behind a screen of its sturdier cousins. In terms of protection, it falls somewhere between the Passchendaele and the Verdun, with a few mechanically vulnerable sections defended by bubble shielding. Its heavy beamers are not collectively as powerful as the nova beamer, but their amazingly long range and wide arc of fire compensates for this. It is also mounted with two enlarged Demeter pod launchers for the long-range harassment of enemy ships. The Somme's MFS system does not impede the functioning of its beam armament, and it can also provide some fleet-level support if necessary.

Armaments
8X Heavy Beamers
1X Cluster Muon Accelerator
2X Large Demeter Pod Launchers
5X Gatling Cannons
4X Intermediate-range Point Defense Batteries
2X Short-range Point Defense Batteries
1X Counter-Guidance Drone Bay

Grab the most up-to-date versions of the Passchendaele, Verdun and Somme HERE

Whew, I'm going to take a break now.

[HighComedy]

Damn, I forgot about the action shots, didn't I? This will have to do for now:

A visual capture of Battlegroup 'B' in formation, consisting of 3 Verduns as the vanguard, 2 Passchendaeles flanking the formation and 2 Sommes bringing up the rear. The flagship is, of course, the HCS Stalingrad.

[Arcalane]

Are those beamers on the Somme back to front on purpose?

[Cerebrus]

If I had to guess, I'd say so that even if the side of the ship takes damage, the broadside will maintain full firepower on that vector.

[HighComedy]

If I had to guess, I'd say so that even if the side of the ship takes damage, the broadside will maintain full firepower on that vector.

Exactly. It's also a good way to improve firing arc coverage.

[Atrum]

You GOTTA teach me how you get that "Technological" look.

If you don't, I'll cry!