What is an ideal Imperial fortress world?

President Sharky · Post by **President Sharky** » 2004-05-16 09:35pm

In the Essential Chronology I have read about several Imperial planets in the galaxy transforming themselves into "fortress" worlds. Other than the fact that they were supposed to be self-sufficient bases against Republic fleets, I do not know of any details about these planets.

What, in your opinion, would make an ideal Imperial fortress world? Would it have a single citadel? Turbolasers? Stormtroopers? Imperial Walkers? Given the resources of the Empire, these things should have a lot of guns and ridiculously impressive defences.

darthdavid · Post by **darthdavid** » 2004-05-16 09:54pm

It should be a planet that can hyperdrive around at will, has many layered planetary shields, is covered in turbo lasers and from which, the core has been removed and replaced with a hyper matter reactor to power all the stuff. Plus it needs superlasers all over to blow up cap ships and planets. Oh and it should be incased in neutronium armor. And that crystaline armor like the sun crusher had.

YT300000 · Post by **YT300000** » 2004-05-16 10:06pm

darthdavid wrote:It should be a planet that can hyperdrive around at will, has many layered planetary shields, is covered in turbo lasers and from which, the core has been removed and replaced with a hyper matter reactor to power all the stuff. Plus it needs superlasers all over to blow up cap ships and planets. Oh and it should be incased in neutronium armor. And that crystaline armor like the sun crusher had.

Do you have any idea how many completed DS 2s you could build for the cost of that?

Thirdfain · Post by **Thirdfain** » 2004-05-16 10:06pm

I'd add a little Jesus, just so if you blow it up, it comes back 3 days later and pwz00rz you.

Illuminatus Primus · Post by **Illuminatus Primus** » 2004-05-16 10:12pm

The Imperial fortress worlds were very-hard-to-take self-governing worlds which identified as Imperial but had been abandoned by much of the Navy and the Imperial bureaucracy, which was taken up first by Palpatine to the Deep Core, and then it was divided amongst the squabbling warlords.

Carida is a good example. So is Yaga Minor, Sartinaya (Bastion), etc. (before Pelleaon takes the Navy and bureaucracy back out there).

So you're looking at protecting a single system with a minimum of fleet resources; as little as a battle squadron or even with no ships larger than a few Rendili StarDrive Dreadnought-class Heavy Cruisers.

So with that in mind, stock up. Make sure your planet(s) has enough stored foodstuffs and supplies to be self-sufficient for a significant siege.

Put large gravity well projectors on an outlying planetoid or moon or few and install some heavy guns on some more, all being guarded by shield generators--stall them out there if possible.

Buy some really big guns for your main planet, and lots of shield generators. A determined force is going to chew your defence fleet up and spit them out--so look to alliances with other fortress worlds.

If they need something your planet has, guard it jealously; stick your bases, planetary turbolasers and ion cannons, shield generators, and other defenses in the middle of your agricultural centers, droid factories, quadanium foundries, durasteel smelters, spaceports, whatever.

If they need something, surround it with Army trenches and guns and garrisons; get smaller bubble-style shields like from Rogue Squadron 64. Try to locate these important facilities and bases and defenses in population centers if possible. Stockpile tactical WMDs and heavy armor to make landings painful.

Your biggest priority should be political; avoid war and make it unattractive. Remain Imperial in character so your potential and actual allies among other fortress worlds don't sell you out. But don't be beligerent; give aliens a chance and trade with local Republic protectorates/allies and neutral territories. Try to find enough allies to get together a shipyard and a decent navy. Allying with local sector-level powerhouses akin to the Prequel-era industrial worlds (Kuat, Nemodia, Rothana, etc.) such as the modern Tapani is advised. Try to bribe a warlord with whatever goodies you got to come out and try to protect you--choose a good one though. Enough of a war criminal or a beligerent incompetent idiot and you could actually provoke a Republic assault.

Deathstalker · Post by **Deathstalker** » 2004-05-16 10:14pm

A realistic defense would be one that would cause so many casualties for the attackers that it would not be worth the effort to assault the planet, or the system for that matter. Mines on possible hyperspace routes and mines of all kinds in orbit. Defense platforms and satellites. System Monitors (inexpensive heavy gun heavy armor ships), starfighter squadrons, and a few capital ships to launch spoilling or harassing attacks. Plantery shield is a must, as well as enough ion cannons and turbolasers spread across the planet to make things costly if the shield goes down. Really the only limit is the planet/system's wealth, paronia and willingness to commit to such elaborate measures.

Alan Bolte · Post by **Alan Bolte** » 2004-05-16 11:02pm

I imagine that part of the reason the Death Star existed was to be absolutely certain in keeping these worlds in line.

Illuminatus Primus · Post by **Illuminatus Primus** » 2004-05-16 11:21pm

The "fortress worlds" as a term were really a development of the post-Thrawn period, IIRC.

President Sharky · Post by **President Sharky** » 2004-05-17 12:29am

Seeing as these planets were most likely only ground forces, I would assume that to defend important bases, they would have hundreds of AT-ATs, AT-STs, AT-ETs, SPAH/Ts, and atmospheric gunships at their disposal. The bases are likely to be almost entirely underground, built in places that are impossible to mount a ground assault on and easy to fortify, like the mouth of a valley or an island.

Hundreds of planetary turbolasers and AAA guns are a must, as well as a grid of orbital defences, ranging from automated laser-satellites to Golan Battle Stations. Multiple-layered planetary shields are also a must, powered by dozens of redunant generators.

Huge underground warehouses full of foodsuffs, medical supplies, munitions, weapons, and spare parts would be a wise addition.

If they can afford to maintain it, a mine shell surrounding the planet is also a good idea.

Coalition · Post by **Coalition** » 2004-05-17 01:43am

I'd figure on a world that could survive a 1 yr+ siege. This would involve extensive supplies of repair materials, medical supplies, ammunition, and simialr items.

For food, I'd see massive agritowers, with each level growing food for the local population. Similar for medical sites, producing necessary medical supplies.

Spare parts and similar would be stored in underground bumkers all over the planet.

Artificial islands would be used to support extra shield generators and weapons, for global coverage.

Of course, the key problem over time, might be heat radiation, so the planet doesn't cook itself during a siege.

Of course, to support all of this, it would have its own shipyards & similar, and trade the services to other worlds, in exchange for the spare parts they would need. All of the planetary facilities would stay at a high production, bringing in credits to the planetary government, for when the planet comes under siege.

So you would have distributed food, medical, defense, communications, and weapons centers all across the planet, so that any attempt to conuer the planet will require the shields to be reduced, then having to steadily conquer across the planet, the shield generators adjusting to cover the reduced areas.

Even more fun, is simulating a shield drop in one area, and letting the attackers land troops. The shields are then brought back up, and the ground forces get annihilated.

Other ideas mentioned above are nice. A ground superlaser does wonders at laying out the "go away" mat.

Interdictor bases on-planet can be kept off, then when the attack starts, they start coming up, leaving the invaders scattered across the system, so the planetary defenders can have fun.

Basically, the planet would eventually negotiate a truce with the attacker. The planet would cost too much for the attacker to take, but the defenders are stuck in the one place. Eventually, the fortress world becomes part of the attacker's empire.

wautd · Post by **wautd** » 2004-05-17 06:49am

darthdavid wrote:It should be a planet that can hyperdrive around at will, has many layered planetary shields, is covered in turbo lasers and from which, the core has been removed and replaced with a hyper matter reactor to power all the stuff. Plus it needs superlasers all over to blow up cap ships and planets. Oh and it should be incased in neutronium armor. And that crystaline armor like the sun crusher had.

dont forget the achilles-like weak spot so the rebels have a chance

PainRack · Post by **PainRack** » 2004-05-17 12:16pm

Why hasn't anyone mentioned factories? A fortress planet must be able to maintain and sustain its mechanical armies.

Lex · Post by **Lex** » 2004-05-18 09:43am

I'd say fortress worlds have to have the best possible shields. Anything else is useless if you are attacked by a fleet. Without shields and ground turbolasers and ion cannons, any fleet can rip your ground armies apart.

Typhonis 1 · Post by **Typhonis 1** » 2004-05-18 01:28pm

have some interdictor fields set up so that incoming ships get a nice facefull of mines

I mean Thrawn used em to allow his ships to come out in prea arranged areas .Imagine some poor admirals face when they come out not on top of the world but in the middle of a minefield.