Starship Nameplates and Licence & Registration

Danny Bhoy · Post by **Danny Bhoy** » 2005-03-31 02:52am

Are there name plates on the hulls of large and capital-size starships in GFFA? Like we would have names painted on our seagoing ships at the bows (and often on the stern/fantail area). And where would this nameplate be located if there is actually a location?

Also, are there markings that would clearly designate say one ISD-II from another ISD-II? So that a watch officer could say "That looks like ole BattleAxe coming up from our port side" without any transmissions between the ships? I don't know, a paint scheme, ship insignia etc. (I've this fond fantasy of the Executor's logo being a stylised helmet of Vader, in the way the lockpick was the division insignia of the Leibstandarte in honour of Sepp Dietrich). Of course, there does not seem to be any on the films at least for the SDs, but just wondering. Did the Imperial Navy use any sort of designation to differentiate between types of vessels like the USN does (FF/FFG, DD/DDG, CG etc.) even in the EU?

Also, what would be on the licence and registration for a starship? Is there a unique ID number or just the ship's name? I'm sure the galaxy being so large that ought to be more than one Saucy Sue or Bad MotherFucker on the books. And was there ever mentioned a government agency (under the GE) that handled this sort of paperwork and records (say in West End Games literature)?

Spanky The Dolphin · Post by **Spanky The Dolphin** » 2005-03-31 02:57am

The name of the agency was BoSS: the Bureau of Ships and Services. BoSS was a seperate and neutral organisation that has existed for thousands of years.

Crossroads Inc. · Post by **Crossroads Inc.** » 2005-03-31 03:08am

Ok first off, I know of no evidance that any Starships have any sort of visual ID. For all I know, all SW ships use electronic ID beacons. And since we have ships as small as X-Wings and as large as SSD, It would make visual logs or tags somewhat impractical. The only place for such things I could see would be painting starships certain colours or patterns to show them as part of a group or taskforce, or maybe putting Logos on ships. But such things as Licences plates and such would be completely useless…

But, it would be funny as Hell!

Imagine the things you could put on Starships? I think we all know the first one that comes to mind “WE BREAK FOR NO ONE” Would look reeeal nice on an ISD, yes no? Or imagine the ‘Bumper Stickers’ you could have?

[/list]

Spanky The Dolphin · Post by **Spanky The Dolphin** » 2005-03-31 03:10am

Ships use unique transponder codes for identification.

Danny Bhoy · Post by **Danny Bhoy** » 2005-03-31 03:26am

Spanky The Dolphin wrote:Ships use unique transponder codes for identification.

I did reckon about the IFF sort of thing. But I was wondering if they kept to certain Earth anachronisms like name plates, paint markings or hull numbers and the like.

I always felt it a more personable/romantic thing to differentiate one ship from the other in the same class just by the Mk 1 Mod 0 eyeball.

Spanky The Dolphin · Post by **Spanky The Dolphin** » 2005-03-31 03:29am

I suppose that could depend on personal preference. AFAIK, the Star Fleet doesn't have individual markings for ships.

Mange · Post by **Mange** » 2005-03-31 03:56am

Spanky The Dolphin wrote:I suppose that could depend on personal preference. AFAIK, the Star Fleet doesn't have individual markings for ships.

Well, In Heir to the Empire, one of Karrdes' men identifies the ISD Chimaera by the lettering on the side of the hull.

Spanky The Dolphin · Post by **Spanky The Dolphin** » 2005-03-31 04:16am

Yeah, I think I recall that part now. That sounds odd, unless they used some sort of magnifier scope on a specific area that must have markings not visible from such common distances.

andrewgpaul · Post by **andrewgpaul** » 2005-03-31 06:21am

Did not the X-Wings in ep4 have a different number of stripes on the wings to show their flight number?

Soontir C'boath · Post by **Soontir C'boath** » 2005-03-31 06:27am

andrewgpaul wrote:Did not the X-Wings in ep4 have a different number of stripes on the wings to show their flight number?

Yes, why they actually wanted it there is beyond me.

Gorefiend · Post by **Gorefiend** » 2005-03-31 06:41am

There is also a part in Darksaber when Daala has the new name of her Executor Star Dreadnaught painted on the hull, to replace the old one.

Yes, why they actually wanted it there is beyond me.

To give the TIE pilots at least one advantage (aside from better training), by telling them which one is the squad leader, so they could take him out first.

Aaron · Post by **Aaron** » 2005-03-31 07:08am

After the Falcon is captured by the DS, Tarkin is informed and the officer on the comlink reports "it's markings match those of a freighter that blasted it's way out of Mos Eisely" or words to that effect.

So clearly some ships have insignia of some sort.

Old Plympto · Post by **Old Plympto** » 2005-03-31 07:48am

Cpl Kendall wrote:After the Falcon is captured by the DS, Tarkin is informed and the officer on the comlink reports "it's markings match those of a freighter that blasted it's way out of Mos Eisely" or words to that effect.

So clearly some ships have insignia of some sort.

Perhaps they use some sort of invisible markings that can only be read by some instrument? I dunno. I'm clutching at straws here...

Aaron · Post by **Aaron** » 2005-03-31 07:51am

There was a site that detailed the Falcon and it's markings, I think it was Bob Browns site. Which is gone now. Basically they were all pretty small, but there was something that looked like a registration number.

Danny Bhoy · Post by **Danny Bhoy** » 2005-03-31 08:03am

Cpl Kendall wrote:There was a site that detailed the Falcon and it's markings, I think it was Bob Browns site. Which is gone now. Basically they were all pretty small, but there was something that looked like a registration number.

Along those lines are there flags for starship freighters like we have on Earth. Like which planet is the Liberia or Panama in terms of flagging of starships? Imagining an outer-rim planet like Tatooine with poor central government flagging a shitload of inter-galactic trash-haulers...

Cabwi Desco · Post by **Cabwi Desco** » 2005-03-31 08:16am

In Star Wars X-Wing: Solo Command by aaron allston there is a reference to the SSD Iron Fist that went something like... "on the blackened chunk of the bow read the name Iron Fist", or at least something to that effect. I will try to find the exact quote later.

Falcons markings can also be misconstrued. Supposedly expirienced mechanics could ID the vessel simply by the levels of corosion and carbon scoring on the hull. Then there are the blue/red patern spots along the outer circle of the hull.