Amasov Prime
lensfare-induced epileptic shock
Member # 742
posted
Taldren has released a Nemesis pack for Starfleet Command 3, containing - besides a new mission where you fly the Scimitar - 10 pieces of concept art. Each comes in three different sizes (800x600, 1024x786 and 1600x1200, IIRC). The concept sketches include the positioning of the additional torpedo bays and design studies of the Scimitar, Valdore and Scorpion fighter. I'd upload them, but I have no idea if flare upload supports such an amount of files. If anyone can host them, let me know (or download the pack, but be warned: you can only access them by installling the pack if you have a SFC3-copy and the Activision-server is dead-slow).
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Registered: Nov 2001
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Amasov Prime
lensfare-induced epileptic shock
Member # 742
posted
Good grief, someone wasn't thinking when they patched in those new torpedo launchers. It does make sense to have a couple more launchers there -- it was even indirectly shown in "Insurrection" -- but the way they draw them there seems really haphazard and ill-conceived.
For one thing, that dual launcher at the top is sitting right on top of an airlock! "Mind the antimatter warheads as you pull on your boots, Captain!"
I've got my good old AMT 1/1400 model handy, and I think that the rear saucer launcher might have actually made sense -- if they replaced the aft-facing airlock with the launcher itself! By comparison, the two main dual-launchers mounted at the bottom of the secondary hull on the model are about the same size, so I guess they could fit in.
The second launcher back by the aft shuttlebay makes a little bit of sense, in that the launcher itself could fit in the gap... probably. But where the heck would they store the torpedoes themselves?
I suppose it's a reasonably good thing that they add a bit more weaponry to cover the often-neglected rear firing arc; even in "Insurrection" this problem caused some trouble. But I wish that if they were going to do modifications like this, to at least do them properly!
-------------------- “Those people who think they know everything are a great annoyance to those of us who do.” — Isaac Asimov Star Trek Minutiae | Memory Alpha
Registered: Nov 2000
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posted
Well, *I* like 'em. Eaves may be out to lunch with launching mechanisms compared to Sternbach - there is obviously no place for reactant injectors and magnetic hoohahs. I'm guessing he means to treat the torpedo launchers as independent weapons that need little more than an airlock to launch. I suppose it's entirely possible that the mechanism is just really small and efficient these days, if the microtorp launchers on DS9 are to be believed. As for the aft saucer launchers, there should be JUST enough room left in the deck below for a corridor, which is really all that places like the DS9 ring and TNG neck docking ports had. Assuming that torpedo launchers require minimal space for additional launch mechanisms for the TUBES THEMSELVES, I think it works. And why wouldn't it?
So... Sovereigns have five aft launchers, two forward, plus the BFL under the saucer. Akira-happy, indeed.
posted
Also, note that the warp nacelle pylons now sport phaser strips. Since these are mirrored on the ventral side a la E-D, they've accounted for another close-range blind spot.
Next time I see the film, I certainly will be on the lookout for the launchers & strips. I'd assume they were on the new model, as it was rebuilt from the ground up and adding different features like those odd arches flanking the shuttlebay.
posted
So these are microtorpedo lauchers? And that barrage [microtrops?],from the 5 min trailer, shot from the location above shuttlebay?
Registered: Mar 2001
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posted
Heh, I think its funny that Eaves actually wrote "Oh Baby, Look At All That Firepower!" on the third drawing. I think the most ideal location for rear firing torpedo launchers would be in the pseudo-"neck" immediatly behind the shuttlebay, since its raised a bit and could easily have a notch or two cut into it.
-------------------- "Lotta people go through life doing things badly. Racing's important to men who do it well. When you're racing, it's life. Anything that happens before or after is just waiting."
-Steve McQueen as Michael Delaney, LeMans
Registered: Mar 1999
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posted
He put lotsa stars and stuff around that text... Reminds me of girls' diaries.
Interestingly enough, all this close-range-blind-spot-coverage he's been adding has CREATED a blind spot - the forward dorsal of the saucer. One wonders if there's some unseen popup launcer somewhere at the front of deck 2...
capped
I WAS IN THE FUTURE, IT WAS TOO LATE TO RSVP
Member # 709
posted
i think i'm going to vomit. the worst part is is that the ship almost made sense at first, and now hes screwing it up.
i suppose the sensible explanation is that those torpedo launchers are set for a much lower payload/launch recharge time than the primary 'good' launchers. (this is my explanation for the Akira too)
posted
Is there any concept art of the shuttle Argo? It would be cool to see that. Thank you for the concept art on the rest of the vessels. John Eaves does a good job.
Registered: Oct 2002
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quote:Originally posted by Mark Nguyen: He put lotsa stars and stuff around that text... Reminds me of girls' diaries.
Interestingly enough, all this close-range-blind-spot-coverage he's been adding has CREATED a blind spot - the forward dorsal of the saucer. One wonders if there's some unseen popup launcer somewhere at the front of deck 2...
Mark
Yeah I know, and that's the reason why your not suppose to put torpedo launchers all over the ship in the trek universe like...like blasters or something.
Torpedoes are suppose to be used on targets that are at a nice safe distance away from the ship. Therefore making one or two launchers pointing forward and aft enough.
You don't really need a launcher above the shuttle bay on the saucer when you got one at the tail end already. Unless that launcher is suppose to fire straight up from the ship at targets far "above" the Ent-E.
[ December 17, 2002, 19:28: Message edited by: TheF0rce ]
Registered: Mar 2001
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posted
Perhaps these are short range launchers that fire standard photons through a much shorter magnetic accelerator and is intended to engage multiple targets that are to close for the primary launchers, like Jem'hadar fighters for instance.
While not necessarily a good idea it is certainly plausible that the flagship was refitted with extra armaments during the Dominion war and perhaps said armaments are scheduled to be removed at the next major overhaul, which would be at the end of Nemesis.
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