StarDestroyer.Net BBS

Is there any evidence as to what kind of combat engineering capability the star wars galaxy has? Given their technology level, it should be quite well developed, but I can't think of any real examples.

There are engineer squads listed in some versions of the Imperial Army's org chart; what they use is less detailed.

The first thing that actually comes to mind, though, is tractor beams. If they can be set to push as well as pull, one of those on a mobile chassis, probably with a continuous-beam laser a la LAAT, would be ideal, especially at lower power settings on the laser.

Want an instant berm? Pick a bit of the lanscape you don't need, throw a couple of blasts into it, heap up the loose dirt and rock in the shape you want with the tractor, job done.

For added style, heat the loose earth, rock and sand you just picked up to melting point, shape it as desired, then apply a thermal- absorbing shield connected to a heat sink to it cool it to a usable temperature, except now it's been solidified and hardened. Cover with more loose dirt to absorb fragments.

Trench? well, there's that hole in the ground you've just blasted out, that'll do for a start, just make it longer.

Demolitions- tractor beam, again. And lasers. Shoot out the load bearing members then push or pull it to fall exactly where you want, there you are.

Construction- again, scavenge unneeded bits of the landscape and shape with laser, pile them up by tractor. More complicated buildings aren't going to be combat engineering really, are they? That'd be the job of a rear area unit with more complicated tools.

Minelaying, trickier- but mine clearance, run the tractor beam in pressor mode over the area, precede or follow with heat treatment from the laser on low power, the heat should kill most electronics or at least make them stand out from the background (differential cooling rates) so they can be disposed of individually, the pressure should trigger or wreck most pressure mines.

The only other thing that's it's instantly obvious that combination can't achieve is bridging, and even then you could probably cut and place fused blocks to build a bridge given time.

Evidence is harder come by- mention of minefields in some of the old WEG material is all that comes to mind.

Worth pointing out, though, out of the front line, workshop, resource extraction and foundry facilities are part of the supply train of every regiment or better in the Imperial Army- any unit that size can manufacture it's own spare parts at least.

Which is interesting; the opportunities for graft and corruption- and scams, stupid stunts and innumerable violations of regs- that implies, bored squaddies with top of the line 3D printers or something like them. There's a story in there somewhere.

As to construction and fortifications, ISDs are said to carry a pre-fab garrison facility on board, and IIRC the Executor carries 3 pre-fabricated garrisons on board.