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Blue Steel 2199: Arpeggio of Blue Steel/Space Battleship Yamato 2199 Crossover

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The Kongo shown in the picture is actually slightly longer considering it has a full cone instead of a bow gun. You're better off using the Shimayuki as it is basically the same as the standard Murasame-class.
 
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I forget, is there some in-universe rational for some of those ships to appear to have no forward firing arc? A few ships have a such a wide "bow cone" that the turreted main guns can only fire broadside arcs. Is it to be assumed that such ships have some kind of spinal weapon or chaser mount (WMG, torpedo tubes etc.)?

The upkeep of museum ships is in no way cheap, one does have to keep in mind. A great deal of work is needed to decomission them to make them "safe", they often have all kinds of nasty materials on board that wouldn't meet health/safety standards of the times (or at least present day), they have to be protected from corrosion constantly, and inspected for hull integrity/watertightness. That all costs a hefty amount, and then you need the personnel... No doubt more than a few politicians are glad to find any excuse to present the argument that a museum ship is too expensive.

Edit: because then you need revenue that could be for other projrcts. Or more revenue/taxes.

As an aside, there's currently a private effort to save the USS United States, one of the fastest passenger/cruise ships/troop transport built, that served as a symbol of American might and ingenuity on the trans-atlantic passenger routes, posf WWII until the advent of the jet age.
 
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GeshronTyler said:
I forget, is there some in-universe rational for some of those ships to appear to have no forward firing arc? A few ships have a such a wide "bow cone" that the turreted main guns can only fire broadside arcs. Is it to be assumed that such ships have some kind of spinal weapon (WMG, etc.)?
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Many have a large positron cannon in the bow. Too big for destroyers, this weapon can penetrate Gamilon armor and was the trump card in Okita's victory at Mars.

The upkeep of museum ships is in no way cheap, one does have to keep in mind. A great deal of work is needed to decomission them to make them "safe", they often have all kinds of nasty materials on board that wouldn't meet health/safety standards of the times (or at least present day), they have to be protected from corrosion constantly, and inspected for hull integrity/watertightness. That all costs a hefty amount, and then you need the personnel... No doubt more than a few politicians are glad to find any excuse to present the argument that a museum ship is too expensive.
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Such costs recently derailed plans to preserve USS Saratoga CV-60. They also made it prohibitive to even contemplate turning USS Enterprise CVN-65 into a museum, but battleships have tended to be economically self sustaining. Currently, battleships are preserved Two on the gulf coast: BB-35 Texas and BB-60 Alabama. BB-63 Missouri at Pearl Harbor. The East Coast currently supports four: BB-55 North Carolina, BB-64 Wisconsin (longest battleship ever built) at Norfolk, BB-62 New Jersey at Camden, New Jersey, and BB-59 Massachusetts in Fall River Massachusetts. Only BB-61 USS Iowa at San Pedro California is on the West Coast.

True that five aircraft carriers are preserved as museums: CV-11 Intrepid in New York City, CV-10 Yorktown at Mount Pleasant, South Carolina, CV-16 Lexington in Corpus Christi, CV-12 Hornet in Alameda, CV-41 Midway in San Diego. Also CV-67 USS John F. Kennedy may be headed for museum status, But in the critical time period for preserving BB-46 Maryland, BB-44 California, or BB-56 Washington, (OR CV-6 Enterprise,) The release of any pf the above carriers or the four Iowa class was anywhere from 15 years for CV-10. -11, to 30 or more years for the rest.

We CANNOT hope to save them all (In fact, Kennedy may well be the last), but that we no longer have Enterprise, Oregon, Washington, and at least ONE of the Pearl Harbor survivors (Either California or Maryland) is a tragic failure of will.

Sorry for the rant, but it's a sore spot with me.
 
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Kiyone4ever said:
Many have a large positron cannon in the bow. Too big for destroyers, this weapon can penetrate Gamilon armor and was the trump card in Okita's victory at Mars.



Such costs recently derailed plans to preserve USS Saratoga CV-60. They also made it prohibitive to even contemplate turning USS Enterprise CVN-65 into a museum, but battleships have tended to be economically self sustaining. Currently, battleships are preserved Two on the gulf coast: BB-35 Texas and BB-60 Alabama. BB-63 Missouri at Pearl Harbor. The East Coast currently supports four: BB-55 North Carolina, BB-64 Wisconsin (longest battleship ever built) at Norfolk, BB-62 New Jersey at Camden, New Jersey, and BB-59 Massachusetts in Fall River Massachusetts. Only BB-61 USS Iowa at San Pedro California is on the West Coast.

True that five aircraft carriers are preserved as museums: CV-11 Intrepid in New York City, CV-10 Yorktown at Mount Pleasant, South Carolina, CV-16 Lexington in Corpus Christi, CV-12 Hornet in Alameda, CV-41 Midway in San Diego. Also CV-67 USS John F. Kennedy may be headed for museum status, But in the critical time period for preserving BB-46 Maryland, BB-44 California, or BB-56 Washington, (OR CV-6 Enterprise,) The release of any pf the above carriers or the four Iowa class was anywhere from 15 years for CV-10. -11, to 30 or more years for the rest.

We CANNOT hope to save them all (In fact, Kennedy may well be the last), but that we no longer have Enterprise, Oregon, Washington, and at least ONE of the Pearl Harbor survivors (Either California or Maryland) is a tragic failure of will.

Sorry for the rant, but it's a sore spot with me.
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Amen.
 
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Chapter 24
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    • Blue Steel 2199: Chapter 24. Arise Yamato!


    Gamilas Destroyer Number 1305...


    The destroyer captain watched the sphere of the ruined red planet grow rapidly on screen. It made absolutely no sense! Did these people not know they were beaten? Fleet after fleet smashed, their world bombed into a wasteland, and still they fought on.


    If they don't have the sense to surrender, then all we can do is pound them until they finally see reason or they simply die. I don't even care which right now. The sooner this is over, the sooner we can all go home and see our families... Terrons have families don't they? Why would they wish this on their children? Terrons must truly be mad!


    Enough of this... we have a job to do.


    "Remember." He ordered his crew. "Our primary job is to screen our strike planes from Terron fighters. Terron ships may be junk but their fighters are no laughing matter. We will also screen the rest of the fleet from enemy strike planes. If their heavy ships sortie, they will probably try to flank around us, but either flanking or straight in, that's for the Kelkapias and Destrias. If they get right in our way, fine... kill them, but our job is to screen. Understood?"


    "Yes sir!" The bridge crew responded. Satisfied, the Captain turned to the tactical plot and watched as the first wave of bombers accelerate ahead of the formation.


    ***


    "Enemy planes closing fast!" Yuki Mori reported from her post.


    "Point defenses still offline!" Nanbu cried. "No power to weapons!"


    "We'll be okay won't we?" Keniro Ota exclaimed as Executive Officer Sanada hurried over to check the power flow from the main power grid to the wave motion engine.


    "Power levels to forty five percent!"


    "We can't just sit here!" Shima exclaimed in frustration.


    "Calm down!" Admiral Okita barked as his command seat locked into its frame. "Time to main engine start?"


    "Two minutes." Engineer Tokugawa reported.


    ***


    Down in Damage Control Central, Murusame and Ensign Maiko Kitigawa monitored the dogging of hatches and securing of piping and conduits.


    "Engineering... I'm reading an unsecured deuterium feed on deck three..." Maiko reported into her mic as Murusame pumped inert gas into void spaces surrounding the main magazines and other vital areas.


    "The board is green Lieutenant." Kitigawa reported, noting that engineering had; indeed, locked down that deuterium feed.


    Murusame nodded. "Damage Control reports all systems nominal..."


    ***


    "Terron ships.... Forty in number approaching one-one-three degrees, elevation minus two-three degrees."


    Captain Molke nodded as the first reports of enemy ships were announced. It appeared the Terrons were taking the sensible approach trying to get around his flank. There was a definite, but manageable time limit on his mission.


    "Several large ships coming up from the planet on a direct intercept bearing!"


    "Stand by main batteries. Prepare to remove them from my sky!" Molke ordered.


    "Picking up a transmission from one of the enemy vessels." The communications tech announced.


    "On speakers."


    "It's Carnival Time!"


    "Oh Frek!" The sensor tech exclaimed in shock as a tidal wave of missiles erupted from the oncoming ships ahead of them.


    At first, Molke thought these were targeted on his strike planes. Despite the surprise, his strike leaders had responded calmly and quickly to clear the fire lanes for his destroyers to begin launching counter missiles. Then as he watched in horror, he realized his mistake as the Terron Missiles completely ignored the bombers and swarmed down on his destroyers. lasers and missiles shot down dozens of Terron missiles, but soon his ships began taking hits... one, two, four and more slamming home on his lead destroyers. Within less than a minute, a dozen destroyers had been all but obliterated. A couple remained in condition that they could charitably be described as 'ships', but the rest had been reduced to glowing shards at best. The incoming Gamilon planes were scattered as EDF command scrambled every fighter available.


    Molke swore. "All ships! General attack! Fire at will!" Around him the universe went mad.


    ***


    Kongo smirked as second squadron's missile storm crashed down on the enemy. Well done Maya! ~Maya. Follow me. Takao, take the port flank. Repulse to starboard. It is time to pen in the sheep.~ She ordered the battlecruisers of second squadron. Now it was the turn of the Battleships... ~Haruna! Kirishima! Ready Super Graviton Cannons. Now we crush them.~


    ***

    Repulse looked to Captain Komaki with a shy, apologetic look and relayed Kongo's orders.


    Komaki sighed and smiled at Repulse as he hit his com. "Komaki to Kongo. Repulse acknowledges."


    "My apologies Captain. Force of habit."


    "Come back here you ******!" Vampire swore as she locked Repulse's main guns on a Kripitera that was trying to break away from the pack, its captain seeing the unfolding trap. The eight photon cannons loaded with standard munitions opened up, spearing the hapless Gamilon ship which dipped nose down and exploded.


    "Vampire!" Repulse chided.


    "Sorry... little ******...." The mental model 'apologized'.


    Komaki sighed again. Does anyone actually remember when I was in command?


    ***


    "Power levels at One hundred percent!" Engineer Tokugawa called out from his station. "Starting Wave Motion Engine!" Yamato began to stir.


    ***


    Molke groaned as he watched one of the new Terron ships use some sort of rapid fire pulse cannons to decimate his strike planes. Then his eyes widened as three even larger ships opened a hellfire from some huge weapon mounted in their bows and the core of his van, three of his four Destoria class ships simply disintegrated. They didn't explode, they just weren't there any more...


    "Terron ships closing from astern!"


    ***


    Admiral Nye was in a good mood. Even at Second Mars, Earth forces could never have dreamed of the curb stomping the Gamilons were getting. And now it's OUR turn.


    "Hijikata to all ships, Commence attack!"


    Nye turned to his Flag Captain. "You heard the order. Fire when ready, Gridley!" Maryland shuddered as her bow mounted shock cannon fired. In his plot, Nye noticed the icon of Ars Nova sliding up under the Gamilon carrier force. the birds were about to get scattered.


    ***

    "Target the nearest carrier with two corrosive torpedoes and stand by to fire." Gunzou Chihaya instructed. Iona?"


    "Hai?"


    "Reinforce your Klein shields forward and prepare to adjust course, positive angle up ninety."


    Iona smiled in understanding. She had seen this in a movie once. It was called 'Jaws' she recalled.


    ***

    At helm, Daisuke Shima monitored the output of the Wave Motion Engine. "Engine RPMs look good. Here we go!"


    "Blow the outer shell!" Raise the ship!" Okita ordered.


    "Blowing camouflage." Commander Sanada reported.


    "Raising ship!" Shima announced as he pulled back on the control yoke and Yamato shook as she began to break free from the dried up sea floor.


    "Prepare main guns to fire."


    ***


    Ars Nova swam upward toward its target. Gunzhou watching the range close as enemy fire flared off their Klein field. Almost... Now!


    "Fire!" Chihaya ordered and Kyouhei sent two torpedoes slamming into the center of the nearest carrier. At detonation, the ship seemed to collapse like a broken bridge. Then Ars Nova erupted into the midst of the Gamilon carrier group.


    Dun dun...dun dun... dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun! Iona smiled.


    ***


    Molke stared in shock. The battle wasn't expected to be simple, but this was unthinkable!


    "All ships disengage!" He ordered as EDF Kirishima fired its bow cannon and everything went black.


    ***


    Aboard the Destoria class ship Memut, the Captain pulled the helmsman... already dead... from his station and sat down. Ignoring the pain in his right shoulder, he locked course onto the huge battleship coming up from the surface and accelerated.


    Today we both die Terron!"


    ***

    "Enemy ship closing on a collision course!" Nanbu reported. "Captain?"


    "Raise shock cannon plus three degrees." Kodai ordered. "Correct, starboard two degrees... Fire!"


    Yamato's main guns fired. The on rushing Destoria proving as resilient as butter to the incoming fire and shattering in a million tiny fragments.


    By this point, the battle was mainly over as Takao snared one of the wrecked destroyers in a tractor beam.


    "Consider yourself fortunate. We kill... but we don't murder." Takao informed them over their com links.


    ***


    Above the Earth, Space Battleship Yamato sailed in orbit with the assembled fleets of Earth behind her.


    Aboard EDF Kirishima, Admiral Hijikata turned to the com tech who nodded. "Open mic Admiral."


    "To Space Battleship Yamato and all who sail in her, we wish you godspeed on your journey. We will keep the Earth safe in your absence. May Heaven watch over you all."


    ***


    Kongo watched as EDF Yamato broke orbit. Return safe my Captain. We will not fail you in your absence. This I swear.


    ***


    Several hours later, a single, wounded carrier, escorted by three surviving destroyers limped past Jupiter. All that remained of Captain Molke's force.


    On Plat, Brigadier Shulz sat stunned at the scale of the disaster.


    "What do we do now sir?" Major Ganz asked quietly.


    "What can we do? We wait."


    "Shall we order the Kemera to Balun? Her Captain reports damage beyond our ability to repair here."


    "No. Order her home. Send her back to Gamilas."


    "Yes sir..."


    ***


    On the far side of the moon, Zordan Stark watched as Yamato accelerated toward Mars.


    Lead on Yamato... Let's see where your path takes us...
     
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    • ... Little sad it wasn't Gunzou ordering the carnival, noticeably, but satisfied nonetheless.
     
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    And now, the journey begins in earnest.

    BTW, is Iona in her Ars Nova form without co-processor help from neither Hyuga nor Takao? (As the latter was shown with Kongou's forces.)
    I suppose Fog-derived technology has progressed to the point that they can remodel the I-401 to its larger form.

    Stark, I've got my eyes on you...
     
    meganeshounen said:
    And now, the journey begins in earnest.

    BTW, is Iona in her Ars Nova form without co-processor help from neither Hyuga nor Takao? (As the latter was shown with Kongou's forces.)
    I suppose Fog-derived technology has progressed to the point that they can remodel the I-401 to its larger form.

    Stark, I've got my eyes on you...
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    I should have noted that Hyuga was; infact, aboard Ars Nova. Takao; however, has her new Battlecruiser form and was last shown bringing down the first Gamilon prisoners of war.
     
    ... Ars Nova got an upgrade? Cause I can't help but believe going from the other half being a cruiser to a fast battleship was an upgrade in processing power if nothing else.
     
    Ars Nova is somewhat comparable to USS Alaska of WWII compared to HMS Renown with Takao being like Renown. Though some may call both 'Battlecruisers', Alaska was more properly a 'Super Heavy Cruiser' a CA on steroids.
     
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    ...
    I must admit, the kind of random insertion of Japanese words gets annoying at times, giving me bad flashbacks to weeaboo fics.
    Not to mention areas where the substitution... doesn't seem to work. I understand sometimes where there simply isn't a good English word to replace the Japanese word, like suffixes at the ends of names, but... "the kami"? There is no "The" Japanese, really. That's like saying "The god".
    If you're really going to replace "god" with "kami", at least do it properly.
    "May kami-sama watch over you".
     
    TheBleachDoctor said:
    ...
    I must admit, the kind of random insertion of Japanese words gets annoying at times, giving me bad flashbacks to weeaboo fics.
    Not to mention areas where the substitution... doesn't seem to work. I understand sometimes where there simply isn't a good English word to replace the Japanese word, like suffixes at the ends of names, but... "the kami"? There is no "The" Japanese, really. That's like saying "The god".
    If you're really going to replace "god" with "kami", at least do it properly.
    "May kami-sama watch over you".
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    Consider this poor author properly chastened.
     
    Kiyone4ever said:
    Consider this poor author properly chastened.
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    I took two years of JP in high school, and although I am far from fluent in it, I know enough to notice when the substitution is weird.

    Sorry, I'm not trying to get on your case, it's just that when I normally see Japanese words inserted into an English work, it's for proper nouns and words that can't be translated to English.

    While your writing is great overall, the substitution style is something I've seen more commonly in illiterate weeaboo-written stories.
    Which your story is obviously not.

    All I'm saying is that your characters occasionally devolve into weeaboo speak. Don't do that. Either you're writing in English or writing in Japanese. Translate where you can or else you get stuff like "That's so kawaii!".... which just evokes the shudders, you know?
     
    TheBleachDoctor said:
    I took two years of JP in high school, and although I am far from fluent in it, I know enough to notice when the substitution is weird.

    Sorry, I'm not trying to get on your case, it's just that when I normally see Japanese words inserted into an English work, it's for proper nouns and words that can't be translated to English.

    While your writing is great overall, the substitution style is something I've seen more commonly in illiterate weeaboo-written stories.
    Which your story is obviously not.

    All I'm saying is that your characters occasionally devolve into weeaboo speak. Don't do that. Either you're writing in English or writing in Japanese. Translate where you can or else you get stuff like "That's so kawaii!".... which just evokes the shudders, you know?
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    That's a fair enough criticism. As I've said before, I think my writng improves for the efforts of my readers to steer me away from error and folly.

    Thank you.
     
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