Something big

[Shroom Man 777]

This makes me think of this thing I was mulling in my brain, namely... why are so many worlds in SW so... undensely-populated yet scattered across such distances? Like the typical podunk settlements we see in five planets probably have a combined populace of less than some modern huge city here on Earth. How does that work?

Why doesn't everyone in the Philippines live in Manila? Heck, why did humans ever leave Africa? It's kind of the genes to wander, explore and claim whatever we can as our own.

With thousands of years of interseller travel and so many people that city planets can exist the pressure for humans to scatter to live with less government and clutter would be enormous. Heck a planet like Coruscant would seriously alter human evolution in the long term, and it may well be that humanity in Star Wars is actually diverging into difference species driven by peoples ability to cope with such hyperdensity. And that's not even considering political factors, race relations ect... I think the question is far more how the hell did Coruscant ever come to exist (like who built the first oxygen plant when they needed it? Instead of just using zoning laws to cap the population?) then why people would live on backwater planets.

Hmmm... sure I am assuming that the worlds took time and effort to terraform when in fact they were either naturally habitable or even possibly altered by ancient superpowerful aliens ala the Corellia system, while trans-galactic travel has been a norm for eons... so my question is skewered.

[Galvatron]

I'm quite fond of fractal's Victory-class design and how he managed to give the "wings" a function, but I'm still not sure what that function is.

I know the Legends version of the ship was an older model, but the new EU hasn't stated that yet. Could the VSD actually be a direct successor to the Venator instead?

[Venator]

I'm quite fond of fractal's Victory-class design and how he managed to give the "wings" a function, but I'm still not sure what that function is.

I know the Legends version of the ship was an older model, but the new EU hasn't stated that yet. Could the VSD actually be a direct successor to the Venator instead?

The old EU said that the Victory was capable of atmospheric entry, while the ISD wasn't, so the wings were originally something to do with that - the old EGVV calls them "atmospheric maneuvering surfaces" - http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Victory_ ... D_egvv.jpg.

Of course, Rogue One renders that totally moot anyway.

The VSD looks much more like an ISD than the Venator, so rotating the chronology to the VSD coming earlier doesn't make much sense to me. Also their absence from AOTC and ROTS.

Some ideas...
1. They are for atmospheric flight, pre-ISD they needed a wider surface area to fit the requisite repulsorlift engines, while by the time of the ISD they had the ability to fit the engines in a more compact hull.

2. They aid maneuverability in space, through fitting maneuvering thrusters or secondary engines.

3. The Venator had lots of trench guns, they applied the same philosophy to the Victory but decided mid-design to increase the number significantly, so they slapped on the wings as enlarged gun decks and power generation.

4. They wanted to retain fighter launch/recovery flexibility, but realized that the main armour belt on the dorsal hull opening up was preposterously stupid, so they put secondary launch bay entrances on the flanks (protected by the overhangs of the wings).

5. Old EU material mentioned the VSD having heavy torpedo/missile ordinance (I think?), so the wings protect launch silos. Possibly for engaging Rebel fighters which proved hard to track for Imperial Venator's turbolaser batteries.

[fractalsponge1]

I wrote a little about the wing rationale a long way back - I think they're structural support for shields that help protect the missile battery during initial launch, to stop light guns from splashing the missiles on launch. That's not exclusive to repulsorlift or radiator function as well.

Atmo performance - oh god, I'm so glad R1 killed the idea that ISDs can't operate in atmo. Such a stupid idea, given the power generation potential.

[Weedle McHairybug]

I wrote a little about the wing rationale a long way back - I think they're structural support for shields that help protect the missile battery during initial launch, to stop light guns from splashing the missiles on launch. That's not exclusive to repulsorlift or radiator function as well.

Atmo performance - oh god, I'm so glad R1 killed the idea that ISDs can't operate in atmo. Such a stupid idea, given the power generation potential.

If it's of any consolation, even the Legends EU never really held on to the ISDs not operating on a planet idea if this is anything to go by:

[Eternal_Freedom]

Hell, X-Wing: Iron Fist features the titular Executor class dreadnought operating in an atmosphere. So yeah, I think that idea died long ago.

[Crazedwraith]

Hell, X-Wing: Iron Fist features the titular Executor class dreadnought operating in an atmosphere. So yeah, I think that idea died long ago.

That didn't sound right to me so I skimmed my copy. If you mean when Iron Fist snatched the Bastion freighter during the ill-fated double raid on Starfighter bases, Iron Fist is in low orbit. Not atmo. Donos is described as being in hard vacuum when he takes the shot to blow up Bastian freighter's explosives.

Lusankya operated in Atmo in The Krytos Trap but it had a cradle of extra repulsorlifts to do it.

[Eternal_Freedom]

Hell, X-Wing: Iron Fist features the titular Executor class dreadnought operating in an atmosphere. So yeah, I think that idea died long ago.

That didn't sound right to me so I skimmed my copy. If you mean when Iron Fist snatched the Bastion freighter during the ill-fated double raid on Starfighter bases, Iron Fist is in low orbit. Not atmo. Donos is described as being in hard vacuum when he takes the shot to blow up Bastian freighter's explosives.

Lusankya operated in Atmo in The Krytos Trap but it had a cradle of extra repulsorlifts to do it.

Huh, missed that part.

Still, the next book (Solo Command) has Iron Fist hiding around a gas giant, and Wedge (or Han) comments that it's a great hiding spot since, among other things, there's a planetary atmosphere the ship could hide in. So it's clearly not impossible, even if I did remember the previous quote wrong.

[Crossroads Inc.]

I wrote a little about the wing rationale a long way back - I think they're structural support for shields that help protect the missile battery during initial launch, to stop light guns from splashing the missiles on launch. That's not exclusive to repulsorlift or radiator function as well.

Atmo performance - oh god, I'm so glad R1 killed the idea that ISDs can't operate in atmo. Such a stupid idea, given the power generation potential.

The "wings" on the missile variant makes sense as they offer armored places to hold the missile launching tubes for that version.
For the non missile variant, the additional space I felt was just used for extra shield or power generation. The idea that "wings" on a ship if such a size would ever actually be used as any type of aerodynamic function is absurd on several levels.

Besides, everyone knows the "real" function of wings is too look cool

[Galvatron]

The prologue level from The Force Unleashed showed several ISDs flying at low altitudes over Kashyyyk as well.

[Lord Revan]

I mean the VSDs aren't that much smaller then ISDs and the VnSDs that are between those 2 could not only operate in atmo but land and that was in canon (you see one landed in the backround in ROTS in Kashyyk so it's not special case of being in Corusant spacedocks either)

[Bosmun144]

What I'm wondering about is why an ISD's engines aren't creating a thermonuclear blast in atmo. Those engines are what's keeping that mile-long hunk of metal moving, for God's sake. I could understand if they just used repulsors (granted, I wouldn't want to be under them), but the scene in Rogue One where the Star Destroyer over Jedha lights off it's engines seems absurd. The city should have been turned to ash by that. Am I missing something?

[DesertFly]

What I'm wondering about is why an ISD's engines aren't creating a thermonuclear blast in atmo. Those engines are what's keeping that mile-long hunk of metal moving, for God's sake. I could understand if they just used repulsors (granted, I wouldn't want to be under them), but the scene in Rogue One where the Star Destroyer over Jedha lights off it's engines seems absurd. The city should have been turned to ash by that. Am I missing something?

I think you're missing that Star Wars starship engines clearly operate differently than would be expected. In the same movie, Jyn is knocked back by a shuttle's engine wash from only a few meters away, but otherwise seems unharmed. The enormous force they are able to employ is obviously not a strictly physical action/reaction, and must have some other component to its motive force.

[Elheru Aran]

What I'm wondering about is why an ISD's engines aren't creating a thermonuclear blast in atmo. Those engines are what's keeping that mile-long hunk of metal moving, for God's sake. I could understand if they just used repulsors (granted, I wouldn't want to be under them), but the scene in Rogue One where the Star Destroyer over Jedha lights off it's engines seems absurd. The city should have been turned to ash by that. Am I missing something?

I think you're missing that Star Wars starship engines clearly operate differently than would be expected. In the same movie, Jyn is knocked back by a shuttle's engine wash from only a few meters away, but otherwise seems unharmed. The enormous force they are able to employ is obviously not a strictly physical action/reaction, and must have some other component to its motive force.

Hypermatter, of course.

[Lord Revan]

there's also probably the fact that thanks to repulsors they're not at full throttle for all we know the ISD leaving from Jedha didn't create more thrust then a modern passanger jet.

I mean the Ion engines are mostly used for travelling in deep space.

[fractalsponge1]

Technical test for how to do Mon Cal detailing. 1.4km original design just to try out the workflow. ~30x70TT heavy turbolaser, so 2x Venator output.

[23 November 1939]

Stunning. I love your Imp ships, but this one is simply gorgeous.

[Venator]

Definitely nailing the "distended leviathan sea creature covered in remoras, parasites and lesions" aesthetic.

Also readily able to envision grafting on more and more and more gun and shield blisters.

[Lord Revan]

Apart from wondering where the engines are that is definetly looking like a Mon Cal ship in a good way.

[Weedle McHairybug]

Okay, might as well ask. I know this is not the MC90 but a different Mon Cal cruiser type, but when are you going to get back to the MC90?

Overall, though, it's looking pretty good.

[DesertFly]

That looks great! I'm loving the curves. ;)

[fractalsponge1]

Okay, might as well ask. I know this is not the MC90 but a different Mon Cal cruiser type, but when are you going to get back to the MC90?

Overall, though, it's looking pretty good.

What is it with the MC90? Genuine question. Is it because it's from Dark Empire or just because it's the first Mon Cal I started modeling or is it somehow particularly interesting? I hear about it a lot.

For me I recognize squid head Mon Cal, pickle Mon Cal, small variable Mon Cal, and giant variable Mon Cal. I find it hard to identify really "iconic" MC shapes. They're very scale-indeterminate to boot, which can make ...Home One look like any given size unless you start measuring hangars; there's no KDY bridge module for easy scaling.

That said, I dunno, eventually? Should be pretty easy now.

[Shroom Man 777]

I love that you're getting into something kinda iconic but not-Imperial and not the standard "hard angular" SW aesthetic. The Mon Cal aesthetic is really a great contrast and works well, their ships aren't hypersmooth too, their roundness still comes with roughish surface textures that make them fit with the rest of the SW aesthetics.

I'd love to see how you do the coloring since this won't be the typical gunmetal grey Imperial vessel.

Man you should go crazy and make Chris Foss like things!

[Weedle McHairybug]

Okay, might as well ask. I know this is not the MC90 but a different Mon Cal cruiser type, but when are you going to get back to the MC90?

Overall, though, it's looking pretty good.

What is it with the MC90? Genuine question. Is it because it's from Dark Empire or just because it's the first Mon Cal I started modeling or is it somehow particularly interesting? I hear about it a lot.

For me I recognize squid head Mon Cal, pickle Mon Cal, small variable Mon Cal, and giant variable Mon Cal. I find it hard to identify really "iconic" MC shapes. They're very scale-indeterminate to boot, which can make ...Home One look like any given size unless you start measuring hangars; there's no KDY bridge module for easy scaling.

That said, I dunno, eventually? Should be pretty easy now.

Oh, nothing at all, it's just that you got started on it at one point, and I guess I'm more of a guy who tries to finish what was started when given an opportunity. But no real hurry with the MC90, take your time with it, don't really care one way or another for the ship itself, anyways.

[fractalsponge1]

This IS the coloring Shroomy.