Sharlin Warcruisers have only one weapon?

[Honorius]

While researching for a neoBSG/B5 crossover fic, I'm writing right now, where Psi Corp flees to the 12 Colonies of Kobol after Sinclair buys it during the Battle of the Line, I went back over the B5 battle footage.

On paper the Sharlin is suppose to have 12 Fusion Lasers and six Neutron Lasers. We see three obvious weapons on a Sharlin, one on each lower fin, and one on the center bow on screen and the other weapons are from supplementary sources said to be canon.

Problem is, only the center bow gun is ever seen firing in every footage of a Sharlin in action we see. While it has a wide arc, a Sharlin still has to be facing a target and anything approaching side on or from the rear is not fired upon.

In addition we see zero point defense weapons used. It appears that Minbari Fighters are the only point defense from being swarmed by fighters. In fact we see Starfuries scoring hits on sides and rears of Sharlins and having to be swept off the flanks by Nial Fighters.

Now a rule I go by is what we see on screen happens for a reason. If Sharlins only have a single forward facing gun, that would explain a lot of what we see on screen such as the Dreadnought getting close enough to ram and only being hit too late by some Nials with one getting blown apart by a Starfury.

Does anyone have any visual evidence of these other guns firing?

[Alyrium Denryle]

This compilation has many many shots of what you are requesting.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zRR1Lw5NW0o

We also see ample evidence of what Sharlin cruisers possess on screen in the technical readouts visible on B5s own displays. I forget if it is in the episode regarding the Shai Alite, or the Trigati, but it is there.

Bluntly, we can also see what the gun ports look like, and can see rear-facing weapons.

As for point defense, they dont seem to use it. Basically their ships are designed to fight shadows, where at their tech level defense does not matter. They use active jamming to prevent lock on from the other younger races and utilize standoff tactics, but carry sufficient firepower to take on a shadow ship and just hope they get in the first shot. Or at least that is how I have interpreted their design philosophy.

[Honorius]

This compilation has many many shots of what you are requesting.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zRR1Lw5NW0o

We also see ample evidence of what Sharlin cruisers possess on screen in the technical readouts visible on B5s own displays. I forget if it is in the episode regarding the Shai Alite, or the Trigati, but it is there.

Bluntly, we can also see what the gun ports look like, and can see rear-facing weapons.

As for point defense, they dont seem to use it. Basically their ships are designed to fight shadows, where at their tech level defense does not matter. They use active jamming to prevent lock on from the other younger races and utilize standoff tactics, but carry sufficient firepower to take on a shadow ship and just hope they get in the first shot. Or at least that is how I have interpreted their design philosophy.

Okay, I see the lower fin guns being used now, but far less arc of fire than the center bow gun. Don't see any rear guns used and again the sides appear pretty unprotected compared to EA Ships.

Being designed to fight Shadows does make sense though.

[NecronLord]

There's a strong suggestion that they can shoot down missiles.

We see the Minbari intercept missiles in the Battle of the Line using one of their ray guns. It's in the background of one of the command deck scenes with Delenn vacillating over the attack. Each pulse is a few frames, and it switches target very rapidly, eliminating a trio of human missiles in about half a second.

The shots come from offscreen and could conceivably be from a Nial, but they're parallel to the direction of travel of all the Sharlins.

[Honorius]

There's a strong suggestion that they can shoot down missiles.

We see the Minbari intercept missiles in the Battle of the Line using one of their ray guns. It's in the background of one of the command deck scenes with Delenn vacillating over the attack. Each pulse is a few frames, and it switches target very rapidly, eliminating a trio of human missiles in about half a second.

The shots come from offscreen and could conceivably be from a Nial, but they're parallel to the direction of travel of all the Sharlins.

I borrowed my brother's copy of the series and saw that scene in question.

From the looks of it is likely Nials or a further back Sharlin backscratching the frontline Sharlins as it appears they staggered their line a bit to prevent a repeat of the Dreadnought ramming attack by not lining up in perfect lines. Though without knowing the full details of how the Dreadnought got close enough to ram in the first place that is mainly conjecture.

[Borgholio]

Was watching B5 again and came across this scene. It clearly shows at least a half dozen different forward weapon emplacements on a Minbari Warcruiser.



Fast forward to 1:30. You'll see a Warcruiser in the background through the cockpit of a Starfury while they are both attacking Earth's orbital defense satellites.

[Honorius]

Was watching B5 again and came across this scene. It clearly shows at least a half dozen different forward weapon emplacements on a Minbari Warcruiser.



Fast forward to 1:30. You'll see a Warcruiser in the background through the cockpit of a Starfury while they are both attacking Earth's orbital defense satellites.

Most of which are not ever seen to fire and some are the tractor beams which we see used in B5:ItB. Some of what might appear to be weapons might actually be sensors. So far we see three weapons used on the front end. Hmm, I should re-watch 3rd Space again and see if we see more weapons fire and the first major battle against the Shadows and Corianna Six again and see if we can lock down additional weapons fire.

[NecronLord]

The effect used for the tractor beams is different to the one for the beams there.