why would you build a death star in the first place?

Enforcer Talen · Post by **Enforcer Talen** » 2002-08-03 09:50pm

you have 25k planet scorchers already, and could build a few thousand more for the price of the death star. . . and they can take a few thousand planets at once.

Doomriser · Post by **Doomriser** » 2002-08-03 09:59pm

Can one "planet scorcher" ISD blow through planetary shielding like the DS does?

Darth Garden Gnome · Post by **Darth Garden Gnome** » 2002-08-03 10:00pm

Talen, the DS was a terror weapon, meant to subdue entire star systems without firing a shot. See the "Tarkin Doctrine" (I believe thats what its called) which is to "Rule through fear of force rather than force itself."
After all no one in there right mind would challenge the Empire after they could hop on over fire giant ray gun and laugh as you are blown into atoms. As an aside it is somewhat uselful. Pulling too many Star Destroyers away from duty could leave holes for people like the Rebbelion to exploit, and with a planetary shiled it could take even numerous ISDs unsaid amounts of tiem to vercome it. The DS could totaly drain a planetary shiled and bust the planet in one fell swoop.

Post by **Mr Bean** » 2002-08-03 10:02pm

1.Those ships only work if the Plantary Shield is down, They can be destroyed Very Easily
2. Its a Mobile Base meaning it can keep the other ships going
3. Visable Symbol of Imperal Might

Raptor 597 · Post by **Raptor 597** » 2002-08-03 10:09pm

Hmmm, I'm a real Master of EU, but what are Planet Scorchers?

Needa · Post by **Needa** » 2002-08-03 10:10pm

If properly used, the DS is quite a formidable weapon. It's not just a planet buster. It can also be a somekind of psychological weapon for Imperial propanda to convert words or resistant planets: "Stop whining... or I am going to push the red button."

With sufficient fighters to protect his weak spots and a decent fleet of capital ships to help it, it can easily crush any opponents. Look in ROTJ. Even big cruisers like Mon Calm were destroyed in a matter of seconds. Using regulard methods would have taken a lot more time. With a competent commander, the DS is the ultimate ship.

Howedar · Post by **Howedar** » 2002-08-03 10:11pm

I do believe he's referring to garden variety ISDs.

Enforcer Talen · Post by **Enforcer Talen** » 2002-08-03 10:16pm

ds ability to break sheilds far better then isds conceded, but just for a terror weapon, one would think the ability to annhilate 100% of the population on a planet in what, 8 hrs? would be just as effective.

and, planet scorchers were just my word for isds; they aren't an official class, I was describing one of their abilitieis.

of course, a death star costs the equivalent of thousands of star destroyers, and 1k of them would have chopped the rebel fleet in rotj near as quickly. . .while the other thousands spread fear in the galaxy.

Gil Hamilton · Post by **Gil Hamilton** » 2002-08-03 10:17pm

Well, going by AotC and my observations of the Geonosians, it was to make up for their little dicks.

Raptor 597 · Post by **Raptor 597** » 2002-08-03 10:20pm

Ah, thanks Howedar, and nice signature Patton is the greatest.

Enforcer Talen · Post by **Enforcer Talen** » 2002-08-03 10:21pm

is that the reason why wookies didn't build near any ships at all?

they may have designed it for that reason, but why would palpatine build it?

Post by **Mr Bean** » 2002-08-03 10:35pm

is that the reason why wookies didn't build near any ships at all?

Don't know what your referencing here to but the man thing is most wookies are quite happy living in the trees and for them basic instinct is HIGHER equal BETTER so when you talk about nice rolling low-lands they get ancy and wish they where home

Darth Yoshi · Post by **Darth Yoshi** » 2002-08-03 10:43pm

You have to remeber that the empire is a galactic organization with near limitless resources. They could afford to build it, and also, as pointed out before, it's a terror weapon. No one in their right mind would defy someone who can punch right through a planetary shield. Yavin base did, but only because they had no other long term options left.

Enforcer Talen · Post by **Enforcer Talen** » 2002-08-03 10:45pm

Mr Bean wrote:
is that the reason why wookies didn't build near any ships at all?
Don't know what your referencing here to but the man thing is most wookies are quite happy living in the trees and for them basic instinct is HIGHER equal BETTER so when you talk about nice rolling low-lands they get ancy and wish they where home

brief reply to hamilton, not particularly a stable part of any argument. I agree with your points of course.

Enforcer Talen · Post by **Enforcer Talen** » 2002-08-03 10:46pm

Darth Yoshi wrote:You have to remeber that the empire is a galactic organization with near limitless resources. They could afford to build it, and also, as pointed out before, it's a terror weapon. No one in their right mind would defy someone who can punch right through a planetary shield. Yavin base did, but only because they had no other long term options left.

would a few hundred star destroyers punch through a sheild just as well? I dont know the sheilds powers that well, so feel free to tell me.

Darth Garden Gnome · Post by **Darth Garden Gnome** » 2002-08-03 10:49pm

Talen "A few hundred Star Destroyers" is not something the Empire has just laying around in reserve. They need all there ships partrolling the 12 million star systems in their possesion, not wearing down planetary sheilds. However to answer your post I do believe a "few hundred" ISDs could handle it.

Enforcer Talen · Post by **Enforcer Talen** » 2002-08-03 11:07pm

if they don't have a few hundred lying about, why are they spending the equivalent of thousands to make a death star? you could pay a tenth of the price of the same effect.

Darth Garden Gnome · Post by **Darth Garden Gnome** » 2002-08-03 11:08pm

Because its a terror weapon, an ISD can only be so scary I suppose, then we need something bigger badder better

Enter the DS total terrifying-a-thon. No ISD can match it.

Enforcer Talen · Post by **Enforcer Talen** » 2002-08-03 11:15pm

and for the tenth of the price, you get a planet buster fleet. so, for the price palpatine was willing to spend, you get ten planet busters.

I'd be scared of 10 fleets of 500 star destroyers, swarming about, blowing up planets. sheild falls, and all life is gone in 2 min.

Darth Garden Gnome · Post by **Darth Garden Gnome** » 2002-08-03 11:22pm

Well you do have a point, so I'll just say this, and let it be over:

Your not Palpatine are you?

Enforcer Talen · Post by **Enforcer Talen** » 2002-08-03 11:23pm

it'd be fun trying.

personally, I think he did it for ego, but there was another method that would have been ten times as effective.

and, how would luke and his two squadrons of x wings in movie four handle 500 star destroyers? heheh.

Asst. Asst. Lt. Cmdr. Smi · Post by **Asst. Asst. Lt. Cmdr. Smi** » 2002-08-03 11:28pm

The Star can release 1E38 joules per shot, so it has a size to power ratio greater than any other Imperial ship. And, it's also a weapon.

Darth Garden Gnome · Post by **Darth Garden Gnome** » 2002-08-03 11:30pm

Nah Palpy, even if he did get 500 ISDs instead, and Luke decided to attack, he'd arm a single ISD with a giant robot hand with a fly swatter with it and order it to chase down the fighter, nto use its guns, adn let the rest of the fleet standby as they get mercilessly get pummled by poorly placed swats.

Enforcer Talen · Post by **Enforcer Talen** » 2002-08-03 11:34pm

well, of course the death star is the most powerful weapon on it's own, and it might take out 500 destroyers, I don't know. but the five hundred could bring down the sheild, which is the purpose of the deathstar, and they could wreck all life as well. can't get deader then dead.

and, as for the swatter, that's his ego again. . . tho I don't think his mind travels in such silly ways.

Darth Garden Gnome · Post by **Darth Garden Gnome** » 2002-08-03 11:37pm

Well the advantage of 500 ISDs instead of a DS is there isnt alot of ships out there that can take on an ISD, so its good because 500 ISDs can be at more places than one, not so the mighty DS. However while ISDs have to all come together and pound away at things like planetary sheilds, the DS drops out of hyperspace-fires superlaser, and laughs-and leaves.

In the end the ISDs are probably more...should I say "cost effective."