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Forgive me if this has been posted before, but is there any reason why the ISD is dagger-shaped, other than psychological reasons and the infamous turbolaser broadside?

Good fire coverage plus big engines. Angular shape is easier to armor and construct.

why not a pyramid shape that's tipped over? With the engines at the "base"?

Because this way it looks really cool? LIke a dagger cutting through the sky?

Good fire coverage, plus it's intimidating.

For fire coverage, why not a cylinder?

With a cylinder, you can't effectively armor it. The jagged edges allow for a stronger hull, I believe.

jaeger115 wrote:For fire coverage, why not a cylinder?

Because the dagger shape is easier to build than a cylinder.

Aerodynamic. It doesn't have to hold up against the drag in space during lightspeed runs.

jaeger115 wrote:For fire coverage, why not a cylinder?

Making curved armor plate is very hard as is building a hull that shape.

jaeger115 wrote:why not a pyramid shape that's tipped over? With the engines at the "base"?

That would necessitate additional shielding, but more importantly it would expose the hangar decks to weapons fire from directly ahead of the ship. In short, it would put a highly vulnerable portion of the ship in the direct line of fire of a target you are trying to destroy.

That would necessitate additional shielding, but more importantly it would expose the hangar decks to weapons fire from directly ahead of the ship. In short, it would put a highly vulnerable portion of the ship in the direct line of fire of a target you are trying to destroy.

Good point, but what if an enemy approaches the ISD from below? I've noticed that there aren't any weapons on the ventral side.

jaeger115 wrote:

That would necessitate additional shielding, but more importantly it would expose the hangar decks to weapons fire from directly ahead of the ship. In short, it would put a highly vulnerable portion of the ship in the direct line of fire of a target you are trying to destroy.

Good point, but what if an enemy approaches the ISD from below? I've noticed that there aren't any weapons on the ventral side.

Suppossedly there are, they are just the much smaller LTLs.

The dagger shaped design has three important attributes:
Firepower - Large broadsides and large forward fire are capable.
Armour - This shape is more easily armoured.
Target profile - It presents a smaller target compared to a full sized pyramid.

I think en your ship is 1600m long, you can ignore target profile altogether Keevan.

jaeger115 wrote:

That would necessitate additional shielding, but more importantly it would expose the hangar decks to weapons fire from directly ahead of the ship. In short, it would put a highly vulnerable portion of the ship in the direct line of fire of a target you are trying to destroy.

Good point, but what if an enemy approaches the ISD from below? I've noticed that there aren't any weapons on the ventral side.

The ship rolls to allow the target to open fire on the dorsal side.

Darth Garden Gnome wrote:I think en your ship is 1600m long, you can ignore target profile altogether Keevan.

*chuckles* I dont knock any possible advantage.....after all...doing so would be playing fair not playing like an evil overlord.

Keevan.

Does the dagger design do anything for the smaller SDs that enter atmospheres? And if not SDs then maybe the Acclamators that took off at the end of AOTC?

jaeger115 wrote:why not a pyramid shape that's tipped over? With the engines at the "base"?

That is exactly what it is.

Darth Fanboy wrote:Does the dagger design do anything for the smaller SDs that enter atmospheres? And if not SDs then maybe the Acclamators that took off at the end of AOTC?

The Acclamators aren't related to Star Destroyers very much maybe except for their dagger shape which is a KDY trademark.
I suppose you are talking about the precursor of the Imperator class Star Destroyer, the Victory class from the late clone wars.
As far as I know the dagger shape hasn't got any advantages since the ship floats due to powerful repulsorlift units.

Darth Garden Gnome wrote:I think en your ship is 1600m long, you can ignore target profile altogether Keevan.

1600m can actually be kinda small when you're talking hundreds of kilometers range combat in space.

Hundreds of kilometers? Arent TLs good for thousands?

But still, at 100klicks a 1.6km ship would be a spec.

jaeger115 wrote:

That would necessitate additional shielding, but more importantly it would expose the hangar decks to weapons fire from directly ahead of the ship. In short, it would put a highly vulnerable portion of the ship in the direct line of fire of a target you are trying to destroy.

Good point, but what if an enemy approaches the ISD from below? I've noticed that there aren't any weapons on the ventral side.

If it's big, you roll over. If it's small enough it can maneuver away, then the MTLs and LTLs will finish it.

I think en your ship is 1600m long, you can ignore target profile altogether Keevan.

I'm sure Bean has gone over the power of SW jamming/ECM and reveals the fallacy in that.

Not to mention just try hitting something capable of traveling at fractional C velocities w/ lightspeed weapons w/ the ECM.

1.6 km becomes awful small all of a sudden.

jaeger115 wrote:

That would necessitate additional shielding, but more importantly it would expose the hangar decks to weapons fire from directly ahead of the ship. In short, it would put a highly vulnerable portion of the ship in the direct line of fire of a target you are trying to destroy.

Good point, but what if an enemy approaches the ISD from below? I've noticed that there aren't any weapons on the ventral side.

Almost, there are two medium weapons, on both the ISD1 and 2, here's a pic of an ISD1: