Question about Imperial communications

pellaeons_scion · Post by **pellaeons_scion** » 2004-01-21 09:09pm

Im just wondering how an Imperial fleet maintains communications with each other in battle. I think I read somewhere that when their shields are raised all communications are impossible? I havent read anything to counter this. Has anyone else? There has to be some way, or does the fleet act according to a set battle plan that removes the need for communications, and grants each ship commander some leeway in using their vessel?

Rogue 9 · Post by **Rogue 9** » 2004-01-21 09:11pm

? Shields don't preclude communications, unless you mean to suggest that X-wings and other Rebel starfighters lower their shields to let in all that chatter.

pellaeons_scion · Post by **pellaeons_scion** » 2004-01-21 09:16pm

I know it sounds foolish, but I remember dimly about a stardestroyer not being able to communicate with another vessel because the shields were raised.

It sounds stupid I know, Im just looking for a clarification to the contrary

Howedar · Post by **Howedar** » 2004-01-21 09:19pm

Holonet comms cannot be used when shields are up, nor subspace comms. I think.

Super-Gagme · Post by **Super-Gagme** » 2004-01-21 09:20pm

pellaeons_scion wrote:I know it sounds foolish, but I remember dimly about a stardestroyer not being able to communicate with another vessel because the shields were raised.

It sounds stupid I know, Im just looking for a clarification to the contrary

Do you mean maybe cloaking?

Post by **Mr Bean** » 2004-01-21 09:23pm

All forms of long-range communication go down when shields go up, this has been sited in a number of books most notable in the Zahn trilogy and the X-wing series

pellaeons_scion · Post by **pellaeons_scion** » 2004-01-21 09:23pm

Holonet comms cannot be used when shields are up, nor subspace comms. I think.

so long range communications cant be used, but short-range comms to maintain contact between fleets and fighters can be. Ok that makes sense.

still, would be crappy if ambushed and you had to lower your shields to broadcast a request for assistance to your home base, or other fleets. Thats just asking to get blasted

Darth Raptor · Post by **Darth Raptor** » 2004-01-21 09:23pm

What is the comlink medium anyway?

Spanky The Dolphin · Post by **Spanky The Dolphin** » 2004-01-21 09:47pm

Lazy Raptor wrote:What is the comlink medium anyway?

Electromagnetic radiation.

Mayabird · Post by **Mayabird** » 2004-01-21 09:52pm

pellaeons_scion wrote:I know it sounds foolish, but I remember dimly about a stardestroyer not being able to communicate with another vessel because the shields were raised.

It sounds stupid I know, Im just looking for a clarification to the contrary

I don't really know much about these things (which is why I almost never comment in this forum) but it might have something to do with the scene in TESB where a stardestroyer gets hit by an asteroid because its shields were down so they could communicate. Something along those lines.

Someone set me straight, please.

Spanky The Dolphin · Post by **Spanky The Dolphin** » 2004-01-21 09:55pm

Vader ordered that each of the Star Destroyer Captains report to him using Holonet transmissions, which cannot be transmitted while shields are raised.

Darth Raptor · Post by **Darth Raptor** » 2004-01-21 09:59pm

Spanky The Dolphin wrote:Electromagnetic radiation.

Seriously?

pellaeons_scion · Post by **pellaeons_scion** » 2004-01-21 10:12pm

whilst his vessels were in the midst of an asteroid field..

That just doesnt make sense to me. Why bother using Holonet comms just for a status report? I would think the last place you'd want to do that is an asteroid field.

But then, he's vader. Who's going to argue.

Spanky The Dolphin · Post by **Spanky The Dolphin** » 2004-01-21 10:32pm

Because those were his orders, and they would have been promptly executed.

Rogue 9 · Post by **Rogue 9** » 2004-01-21 11:20pm

Well Vader was a twit, then. Your ships can't look for the Falcon when they're smashed into little bitty bits.

Spanky The Dolphin · Post by **Spanky The Dolphin** » 2004-01-21 11:21pm

He wasn't a twit, he just didn't care.

Rogue 9 · Post by **Rogue 9** » 2004-01-21 11:25pm

Well, I know that he knew that it was a danger to the ships and he didn't care about that. But he wanted the Falcon, correct? Surely he must have realized that destroyed ships can't do search missions (or any other kind of mission for that matter) very well.

pellaeons_scion · Post by **pellaeons_scion** » 2004-01-21 11:29pm

Well, Vader was pretty single minded. I believe that he would have gladly thrown the entire fleet into potential destruction just to catch the Falcon. He treats life pretty cheaply anyway. I doubt he'd care if he lost the entire squadron, he'd just go get another one.

Joys of being a sithlord, unlimited power of life and death, and fleets to do with as you will.

Rogue 9 · Post by **Rogue 9** » 2004-01-21 11:35pm

But replacing the fleet would take time. He could have used other forms of communication, and destroyed ships make for holes in the fleet that the Falcon could use to escape him permanently. It makes no tactical or strategic sense. Even I know that, and I'm a freshman music student in college.

Spanky The Dolphin · Post by **Spanky The Dolphin** » 2004-01-21 11:36pm

And none of that really matters to Vader.

Rogue 9 · Post by **Rogue 9** » 2004-01-21 11:38pm

Spanky The Dolphin wrote:And none of that really matters to Vader.

Except the part about allowing the Falcon to escape.

Its only self interest. He was actively working to defeat himself.

Spanky The Dolphin · Post by **Spanky The Dolphin** » 2004-01-21 11:40pm

I seriously doubt all of Death Squadron could be wiped out in the short time that they lowered their shields for the report.

Rogue 9 · Post by **Rogue 9** » 2004-01-21 11:49pm

True. Why'd Vader want a holo connection anyway? The faster to choke the captains if they screw up? (He apparently can choke someone over the communicator even if they're at some distance, as demonstrated when he killed Admiral Ozzel.)

Spanky The Dolphin · Post by **Spanky The Dolphin** » 2004-01-21 11:50pm

I don't know. Probably to further intimidate them.

Connor MacLeod · Post by **Connor MacLeod** » 2004-01-21 11:54pm

Spanky The Dolphin wrote:
Lazy Raptor wrote:What is the comlink medium anyway?
Electromagnetic radiation.

Nope. Its more along the lines of whater massless particles comprise some kinds of "blaster" weaponry, or something similar. Comlink signals are lightspeed but clearly distinct from EM radiation (During the Centerpoint incident, a system-wide jamming field was put in place that jammed both standard comm and holonet/subspace communications as well. The only thing that worked were laser/EM communications.)

In Iron Fist Myn Donos modifies his sniper blaster to carry a comm transmission, and later the same trick is used by Gara Petothel to convey a covert communication to Wedge Antilles and Han Solo during battle.