Concept art for TDE - by Jeff Cram. This is likely a Martian patrol frigate (its def. a frigate, though not 100% sure this will stay with Mars or if it will shift over to one of the Hegemonic powers). Jeff did a great job - I had a number of changes from the original draft, and he made each one of them work.
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| When diplomacy fails... |
The goal was to have something that establishes its own aesthetic, but also stands on its own and is able to portray its mission by its look and weapons loadout.
I'll go into more discussion on how this particular ship came to be. For the time being, just enjoy.
Its nice to finally have some art.
I like a few features of the drawing, but not so much the turrets. If you want to separate your setting from Macross you might want to think less WW2 fleet navies and more 21st century undersea/submarine warfare.
ReplyDeleteStrategic Observations
1) Orbital transfer vessels (OTV) probably cannot land on any planetary surface, excepting possibly asteroidal gravity - which is more akin to docking really. All cargo must be offloaded either to orbital platforms or beanstalks (space elevator cables (towers) with height equal to geostationary orbit).
Either interface-capable aerospace vehicles or elevator cars must carry cargo to and from a surface, or some method of one way soft-reentry is required; most OTVs are unlikely to have either the volume, reaction mass, or delta-V to haul about their own cargo handling means.
2) Even large ships might be able to carry only 2-3 interface capable aerospace haulers; you don't need to cart about just the transport but also crew, back-up crew, maintenance crew, life support for all those bodies, parts, extra fuel, some way to break-bulk cargo if needs be, etc etc etc.
OTVs for transporting military units might then only be able to haul a single armored company or (maybe) a battalion/several companies of infantry.
This kind of transport ability & haul to surface constraints is going to impose an immediate limit on the size and mass of military ground vehicles such as MBTs.
The first two points are also why current wet navies require so many different kinds of transport ships. This may not be possible with OTVs.
The pictures in [ http://constructionloader.tpub.com/TM-55-607/index.htm ] might give you a good idea of transporting uncontainerized cargo and the use of equipment such as LASH (lighter-aboard-ship), and why everything on an OTV would have to be in some form of container - mass limited by what exists to receive siad cargo at the destination.
3) Logisitics & planning would be critical, because all the supplies, munitions, and parts you need to fight with aren't an easy air transport distance or sea voyage away.
Light forces needing to secure either an airhead or landing field require sufficient firepower to hold until reinforced while at the same time needing a low transport 'footprint' for maximum flexibility.
Aerospace gunships using stand-off weapons and some form of orbital fire support would be of critical necessity - artillery is heavy but low mass alternatives such as rockets lack the sustained fire capability and throw weight of ordinary shells.
In many respects you need the future version of air assault formations - only they can't be all that light and still face opposition at the other end based on heavier vehicles and forces.
Air transport outside of Earth's dense atmosphere isn't going to be extremely versatile either.
4) While it might be possible to monitor via OTVs & remote drones it probably isn't possible to completely blockade all orbits and approaches of a planetary body.
However, given orbital transfer velocities and most realistic reaction mass drives all space combat is going to take place in or near planetary orbits.
1) Skyhooks are going to be quite common. Earth and Mars will also each host a couple beanstalks. Its the only way to make the economics of off-planet commerce work.
ReplyDelete2) MBTs arent transported in any quantities by modern military ships today - so I dont think that would change in space. LSTs can carry one or two, but most MBTs travel on dedicated cargo vehicles (aircraft and bulk sea transports). I expect military ships like the one above will carry Jammers, armored infantry analogs, and drones.
3) That big hole on the front of the ship? Mobile artillery, I think. :)
4) Just like modern combat, a lot of the initiative is decided on who has air superiority. I expect that will extend out into low and high orbits.