Just to be clear do current era torpedo tubes even launch probes or is that a later thing?
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Does... Does our survey ship really need torpedo launchers? This isn't a war, patrol, or explorer design.Anyway, it definitely looks like the deflector blister is a done deal, so I'm inclined to do some workshopping in advance regarding weapons. Torpedo launchers seem to pretty much take two decks, so assuming something like the configuration pitched here:
I think we can manage a fore torpedo launcher directly above the deflector, plus one of the new phasers fore and aft, dorsal and ventral, for good all-around cover. Put the warp core in line with the deflector but aft of the nav array, that should let us stick a small engineering widget between them; then a science lab above that; and a modest shuttlebay in the aft, with cargo in whatever space we've got left after that.
Mechanis
Confirmed Extremely Screwed
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I went for just one phaser fore and aft, dorsal and ventral, because that maximizes coverage for the minimum amount of weapons, which I consider the ideal state for a ship like this, which, having probably those fancy new Warp Seven engines is probably going to be able to just run away from anything that seriously threatens it. I also want at least *some* engineering capacity built in, firstly because engineering goes hand in hand with science, and secondly because we are planning to use it as a testbed for all our fancy new toys AFAIK, so having some ability to fix, or at least jury rig, stuff if it breaks is a good idea... And it'll probably come in handy if it runs into any of Star Trek's copious amounts of Weird Stuff™ and needs to McGuyver up something in the process.
I would be extremely leery of a design with no torpedoes at all, given I can't think of anybody that does that. Even Ferengi ships have torpedoes!
Also probes; even if we don't have torpedo compatible probes now (which I'm pretty sure is not the case), future proofing isn't a bad thing.
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I could live with that, but it won't be how I cast my vote.
Depends on the answer to my question.
WilyMachineKing1
Executive Manager of Limbus Company
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You can never have enough dakka.
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0t4n1z3r019
Member of the HAFPTG
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Torpedoes isn't the only thing that sole torpedo tube can launch.
It can also launch probes for scanning.
WilyMachineKing1
Executive Manager of Limbus Company
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- Reno Nevada
This is true. Torpedo tunes can launch a lot of things, like probes, drones, bodies.....
As has been said, a single aft mounted launcher to deter pursuit if it needs to run away isn't too out there.
Jensaarai
Sing Victory Everlasting
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Presently? Unknown, the earliest showing of probes using the torpedo launcher was TNG, though they're briefly mentioned in TOS. But the torpedo technology from here to TNG stays largely the same, I think, so it's possible? Might be experimental though.
I think a single aft launcher isn't too bad an idea, even if only for defense and no probes.
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Perhaps the answer might reveal itself when we reach the section of the design when we do Tactical systems.
A torpedo launcher in this case isn't just a tube for flinging things out of, isn't it also, like, a full atomic warhead magazine for atomic torpedoes, antimatter containment and loading for photon torpedoes, and so on?
"Get a torpedo launcher to launch probes from" feels like getting a massive self-propelled howitzer complete with a hundred shells for a post office to launch newspapers out of.
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WilyMachineKing1
Executive Manager of Limbus Company
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- Reno Nevada
That'll be fun.
0t4n1z3r019
Member of the HAFPTG
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- Philippines
Yes. But those warheads will only be used should this ship be pursued if placed aft.
WilyMachineKing1
Executive Manager of Limbus Company
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- Reno Nevada
Which makes sense indeed, so, while doesn't happen, they can be used for other matters more creatively via the power of creativity and imagination.
Jensaarai
Sing Victory Everlasting
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That's just how Starfleet rolls, they believe in multi-role weapons
A rear probe launchers makes sense to me, fly to the launch point, orient the aft of the ship to the anomaly, fire probe, hit the gas pedal the moment the anomaly tries to bite the ship.
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Sigh. I know... But, we've argued ourselves sick over the deflector and the votes will fall where they may. I just wanted to see us talk about something else.
WilyMachineKing1
Executive Manager of Limbus Company
- Location
- Reno Nevada
That's just how Starfleet rolls, they believe in multi-role weapons
View: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=78caYgaWKuk&pp=ygUSYWMgZGMgeWVhaCBzY3JlYW0g
Always good to do that. Attack and then run away!
LunaMoth
Wings of Kynareth is my comfort song...
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"Some probes used by Starfleet were modified photon torpedo casings with extended sensor equipment and no warhead." This is what the wiki says, and Picard's Enterprise is seen constantly launching probes at stuff, so yeah it looks like photon torpedo launchers serve a dual purpose.
Jensaarai
Sing Victory Everlasting
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A tiny vertical-launch shuttlebay might be viable, like what the NX has on its aft dorsal saucer.
In terms of torpedoes, I'll also note that you can do entirely legitimate science with explosives - have a shuttlepod crew drop some seismic probes on an uninhabited moon/planet/whatever then get the heck out of dodge, then hit the opposite side of the target with a torpedo and observe how the shockwaves propagate through the crust/mantle/core/etc., - something similar to this was part of how we discovered what Earth's deepest interior probably looks IRL, albeit with earthquakes rather than deliberately detonated atomic/photonic warheads.