How would you improve an ISD?

[Ender]

ok, this is a joke, never mind.

[Shadow]

Impulse engines are not faster than the ion drives on an ISD, ref. RotJ, during the Battle of Endor. A fleet of ISD's circled a planet-sized moon in less than a minute!

In TMP, they reach high percentages of light speed in seconds.

Quote for this, please? I certainly can't recall it.

I can't get one at the moment. It was the part when they were leaving Earth.

[SirNitram]

You mean when Kirk orders half impulse, and we cut to a later scene of them passing Saturn? If scene cuts can be assumed to be instant, this will nicely lower Hyperdrive transit times.

[starfury]

ender, that is a nice picture of a republic-class destoryer, what are it's specs again [/img]

[Mr Bean]

2) More sensor globes to cover the blind spots

The only blind spot is on the back of the ISDs Bridge, and Sensors that can pick up a 3 Meter sized huck of metal at between one to five light-hours are rather impressive by themselves

[CmdrWilkens]

Well the first thing one needs to do is define the mission of an ISD. Here is where the real problem lies, the ISD is designed to do a lot of things and do all of them well. Its missions include:

1) Capital Ship Warfare
2) Anti-pirating warfare
3) Suppression of rebellion
4) Maintaining Imeprial Prescence

Most of the abvoe missions are contradictory in their needs and drawbacks and the ISD has to do them all. The easiest way to redesign an ISD would be to eliminate a few missions but for the purposes here lets assume we have roughly the same spaceframe (general shape) and the same mission requirements.

Given what the ISD must do we need:
1) Heavy Guns (to engage other CapShips & engage planetary defenses)
2) Fighters (to engage pirates and control airspace over planets)
3) Ground troops (to supress revolts and to establish Imperial Prescence)
4) A FAST drive system (to accomplish all missions)

Now the funy thing is that the ISD already HAS all of these components and, in truth, represents about the best possible solution for trying to all of the above missions well. In fact I'm rather suprised that they can do all that they do with as little space as is truly aailable. I mean they fit an entire division, an entire fighter wing, and a very pwoerful gun platform all onto a dman quick vessel. Improving upon the ISD relies on minro tweaking then instead of major redesign.

What I would do:

1) Redistribute the fighter bay:
The main bay serves a a weakness in that breaching the shield in that zone opens up a huge vulnerability for the ISD so it needs to be rethought. The original idea, it seems, was to have one bay which would serve all the ship's needs...I think this is foolish. Rather you should have a series of smaller bays along the brim trench of the ship (where attack angles are fewer). These bays shoudl be only large enough to hold a single squadron of fighters period. I would continue to keep the complement at one wing (it allows for a good balanc of ships, see later on). Thus I now would have 3 small bays on each side of the ship (two forward and one aft of the notch).

With the fighters taken care of I still need a spo to launch my ground forces. Now in this case the main bay is about perfect BUT I want to change things. First off the dimensions of the opening should be smaller, just big enough to fit a single AT-AT barge. Second the hanger space will be reduced to jsut the size needed to store the ground assault vehicles for the onbaord division. This aloows me to have my ground troops in one locaiton where they might be more vulnerable but are also easier to deploy and generally woudl avoid Army v Navy interactions except at the officer level. This woul lead to a more efficient ship I think. next I would design the bay with a retractable door. This would be closed by default. You only ned the bay exposed to space when actually launching a ground assault and that won't be that often. Fighters need quick access to space so they can scramble but gorund troops nromally attack only with long preparation.

Now I've elimianted most of the space taken up by the main hanger (and I've redistributed some of the hanger space elsewhere). I would keep the forward utility hanger just shrink ti even mroe so that it would serve only two purposes: executive shuttle area and pilot recovery vehicle area.

2) Change the brigde primacy:

Now most people have advoacted moving the bridge inside the vessel, hwoever there already IS a bridge inside the vessel I would just change a few things about which brige does what. A modern cruiser (the class an ISD is in according to the novelisations and SW.com) will have multiple bridges especially if one includes the US's CIC. In the case of an ISD here's how I would do things:
-The bridge we know and love would become the connnign bridge. In otherwords that's where they would steer the vessel during normal operations.
-A second bridge located in the rise would be the Flag Bridge, this would serve as a seat for any Admiral commanding a line or Squadron of ISDs, place it on every vessel because it would serve as a good communicaitons nexus.
-A third bridge would be located in the center of the ship, this would be the CIC where the actual fighting of the vessel woudl b done.
-A fourth 'bridge' would be loacted toward the main hanger (normally closed off). This would be the flight oeprations bridge so that fighters could be directed by a sperate staff that doesn't have to compete with the rest of the ship for space
-A fifth bridge located forward and centrally would serve as both an auxiliary bridge AND as the primary fire control center. This ensures that a fighting crew is always on watch and can take over instantly AND this crew would be able to serve a necessarry function even when the other bridges are oerating, thsu saving some of the space I'm eating up with all these bridges.

This overall scheme allows for a lot of interoperability and efficiency though it is dependent upon good communicaiotns. SO long as everyone knows where the Captain and/or Admiral is then everyone knows which bridge is calling the shots and which bridges are merely performign their secondary functions. It also enable the Executive Officer to be in a position to assume immediate command while still being available to the Captain for consultation. It allows for redundancy and better operations...which is good.

3) Redesign the fighter complemetn:
Sure TIE Fighters are good at anti-pirate work, sure TIE Interceptors are expensive anti-fighter jobs, and sure TIE-Bombers have a ncihe to fill but their current balance is skewed. You need fewer TIEE Fighters for those attacks on pirating where its quickness and small target profile allow it to excell, you need more TIE Interceptors for CAP and Air Superiority, and you don't really need TIE Bombers at all, I'd rather have a half squadron of gunboats. Where it up to just me I'd have 2 Squadrons of Fighters and 3 of Interceptors, and 1 of Gunboats. Its a more expensive scheme but it is infinitely better at performing the ship's missions AND it dosn't rsort to the uber-expensive TIE Advanced and TIE Defender solutions which are not going to be readily available.

4) Reorganie the ground component and onboard complement:
I know why Stormtroopers are onbaord as the ground element, its because they are the shock troops and are generally more loyal to the Emperor so they can enforce discipline better. However for onbaord security I want naval troops whose only job is protecting the vessel. SPs if you will shoudl be the primary onaborad security element and Stormtroopes shoudl be limited to Company size or smaler specifically for assaults on other ships and special operations where they are best suited. For regualr ground assaults I want a standad Imeprial Army Division with its mechanized components.

Furthermore all these troops should be quartered largely seperate from the Naval crew (which could be a lot maller if run efficiently). The exact locaitons would actually serve another purpose that I will discuss in the next segment.

5) Redesign the reactor location:
The biggest ISD vulnerability after the expsoed bridge and open hanger is the reactor bulge. By moving most of my personnel form upper quarters I can place the reactor further up in the ship (now it might screw with center of gravity versus location of the thrusters but i'm not sure). When I move the reactor up all the discplaced grew and gorun forces quarters and areas will go underneath the reactor which now provides aditional security for it in the sense that there are now tons of decks and void spaces in bewteen an attacker and one of his critical goals.

That's about all I can think of. the ISD overall is a very neat solution to a multitude of problems. It doesn't do any of them excellently but it does all of them well whcih is a bgi suprise in and of itself. Most of my changes are largely cosmetic and geared towards improvements in efficiency and redundancy which the ISD just needs a bit more of.

[Knife]

If it ain't broke, don't fix it.



The only thing I can think of is to reinforce the reacter bulb on the ventral surface.

[Slartibartfast]

Ok, this is my ideal ISD:

First, I would weld two ISDs side by side. I'd paint it orange, so whenever somebody sees it from a distance they think it's a Bespin cloudcar and feel overconfident.

On the sensor domes, I'd put a giant sign reading "shield generators. sentimental value. please don't destroy".

I'd install a really-really big ventral turbolaser, as big as possible. Just for the sake of it. Of course it would be able to rotate. It would be proportionately more powerful, able to blow shit better, but I don't really care about actual numbers (if I can blow a Corvette or bigger in a single shot, more power to me

I'd paint all the Stormtroopers uniforms with any other color except white. I think orange with brown stripes. Whatever, it would be easier to wash.

Also I'd make them look like muscles, maybe even put some nipples like Schumacher's Batsuit (just kidding).

Really can't think of much more improvements. It's a Destroyer. It's got guns... it's got troops... it's got a crew. What else does it need?

[Howedar]

LOL!

[HemlockGrey]

Equip it with either a bistromath drive or the Infinite Improbability Drive. The latter makes an excellant weapon, too.

[weemadando]

By adding a vampire infested titty bar.

If nothing else it would be helluva amusing.

[SWPIGWANG]

Remover weapons, add shields and armor.....

AND RAM THEM UNTIL THEY GIVE UP

[omegaLancer]

The one inprovement I can think of is to take a line from the Battlestar Galactica and add a set of blast door on the big window on the bridge..

also added some Missile tubes, other than that it perfect..

[Moonshadow]

My solution is as simple as a Rolling Stones song: "Paint it Black"

[EmperorMing]

Give it a few more HTL batteries. Other than that, it does the job well.

[consequences]

Automation is not necessarily a bad thing. Consider that in Star Wars droids are likely to be more efficient at things like repair jobs, take up less space, don't require life support, and don't hog the bar on friday night when you have just come off a duty shift and really need a beer. The ISD is a nice multi-role vessel, and thus it suffers the fate of all multi-role vessels, it isn't nearly as good at any one job as a purpose built ship would be. The ship shouldn't actually be used as a main combatant in a full scale fleet engagement, because it won't be able to stand up to an equivalent sized ship that only exists to carry guns and armor.

[ClaysGhost]

Add a big sign on the back that states, "We brake for no one".

[Kuja]

Add a big sign on the back that states, "We brake for no one".

A Spaceballs fan, I see.

[starfury]

3) Redesign the fighter complemetn:
Sure TIE Fighters are good at anti-pirate work, sure TIE Interceptors are expensive anti-fighter jobs, and sure TIE-Bombers have a ncihe to fill but their current balance is skewed. You need fewer TIEE Fighters for those attacks on pirating where its quickness and small target profile allow it to excell, you need more TIE Interceptors for CAP and Air Superiority, and you don't really need TIE Bombers at all, I'd rather have a half squadron of gunboats. Where it up to just me I'd have 2 Squadrons of Fighters and 3 of Interceptors, and 1 of Gunboats. Its a more expensive scheme but it is infinitely better at performing the ship's missions AND it dosn't rsort to the uber-expensive TIE Advanced and TIE Defender solutions which are not going to be readily available

nice, I have long played around with that idea of changing the ISD's fighters but without using avenger and defenders, the only difference between my and yours would be that there would no fighters only interceptors and gunboats replace tie bombers

[Vendetta]

Improve an ISD?

Simple, borrow some weapons from the Culture...

[Guest]

How to improve an Imp Star Deuse?
Well for a start make the internal bridge the primary as in the Vic Mk2, see Isards Revenge Admiral Bell is stated as being in the bridge deep in the heart of her ship.
Move the Shield Generators, too many Imp Stars die because they have their shields destroyed.
Make the shields like the ones in the Mon Cal cruisers, redundant shields,
Paint them blood red, a lotta paint but devistating psycologically.
as stated before add holodecks for the purpose of training.
change figher complement, ties are too vunerable, use perybirds and schmitar bombers instead of Star fighters, Interceptors and Bombers.
Get a dark Jedi to command every destroyer group to enhance efficiency.
in the event of a lack of reliable dark jedi make Chiss the imperial version of a rebel mon call, i.e. bridge crew

[CmdrWilkens]

3) Redesign the fighter complemetn:
Sure TIE Fighters are good at anti-pirate work, sure TIE Interceptors are expensive anti-fighter jobs, and sure TIE-Bombers have a ncihe to fill but their current balance is skewed. You need fewer TIEE Fighters for those attacks on pirating where its quickness and small target profile allow it to excell, you need more TIE Interceptors for CAP and Air Superiority, and you don't really need TIE Bombers at all, I'd rather have a half squadron of gunboats. Where it up to just me I'd have 2 Squadrons of Fighters and 3 of Interceptors, and 1 of Gunboats. Its a more expensive scheme but it is infinitely better at performing the ship's missions AND it dosn't rsort to the uber-expensive TIE Advanced and TIE Defender solutions which are not going to be readily available

nice, I have long played around with that idea of changing the ISD's fighters but without using avenger and defenders, the only difference between my and yours would be that there would no fighters only interceptors and gunboats replace tie bombers 8)

I like the fighters because they represent a very economical solution to the problem of attacking armed transports. They are fast and manueverable with enough of a weapons compelmetn to take down an armed freighter/pirate ship with minimal casualties if they are well trained. (the 4 TIEs nearly killed the Falcon and they were trying to let them escape).

As to the gunbaots they are yet another expensive solution but I only need one squadorn and the fact that I still have a few TIE/lns means I've saved money versus your solution while retaining most of the combat ability.

The TIE Bomber, in the end, should be relegated to duty on Escort Carriers where they would launch in a fleet offensive to missile blitz an enemy vessel then return to base to rearm and refuel. For everything else they are virtually useless.

[Guest]

First off I would have dedicated ships for each purpose

Does SW have wormhole tech? I mean how else would they be able to fuel the Death Star?

Carrier- This ship would be shaped like a sphere and covered with 1000 LTLs. I would have some spare pilots in stasis/cold sleep/ whatever, or droid controlled ships. Spare fighters/droids would be manufactured using the Imps manufacturing abilities. There would be blocks of compressed raw materials sitting around to construct with. Do the imps have something similar to replicators? If possible, some Homeworld manufacturing bays would be nice. Some of the fighters would be cheap expendable droid controlled TIE fighters. The pilot controlled ships would be TIE Defenders and TIE Bombers. The fighters carried will number 1000, and can all be launched simultaneously. Bridge would be in the center of the sphere. Hangers will have thickly armored doors. No ground troops, only a few marines to protect against boarding. Standard tactics would be to jump in the middle of a battle, launch all fighters, and jump out to the edge.
No central computers, a distributed computing solution would be better and more damage resistant. Some form of wormhole attaching to support ship/planet containing raw materials and pilots

Battleships- No fighters or ground troops. Most systems would be automated. Medical needs would have casualties transported by wormhole to a medical ship. The ship would be armed with 8 HTLs, 40 MTLs and 60 LTLs. Some antifighter missile launchers would be nice, along with the ability to manufacture new ones. Also would have a wormhole to support ship. Since SW has the ability to handle "neutronium", lets have neutronium flinging projectile weapons too. Bridge would be buried, or at least lower profile

Planetary Assault Vessel- Same as carrier but much larger, 1000 LTLs, 100 MTLs, and 50 HTLs (to soften up planetary defenses. Instead of space fighters would have transports and dual atmospheric/space fighters. Also

Medical ships- unarmed, essentially a sphere with a wormhole attached to it and a pool of bacta and medical droids. Sits very far away from a battle.

Support ships- 1000 LTLS, cube shaped, wormhole, blocks of raw materials and pilots and other spare crew.

The functions of the Medical Ships and the support ships could be combined.

[Guest]

The medical/support ships will only be hypered in for large battles. All ships have some medical facilities. Ships will always be deployed in groups of 2 battleships, and a carrier and a planetary assault vessel. Standard ISDs would be used to defend less important areas.

[Kuja]

First off I would have dedicated ships for each purpose

Does SW have wormhole tech? I mean how else would they be able to fuel the Death Star?

The hell are you talking about?