E-D vs. Corellian Corvette

[Rogue 9]

Okay, I was thinking that this may be slightly more reasonable than a GCS vs. a Star Destroyer. So, could the Corellian Corvette's two turbolaser turrets win the day?

I considered doing this with something midsized like a Nebulon-B or a Carrack. Heck, maybe even a Lancer, since they have almost no heavy armament. But then I thought I'd better start small.

[Crazedwraith]

Okay, I was thinking that this may be slightly more reasonable than a GCS vs. a Star Destroyer. So, could the Corellian Corvette's two turbolaser turrets win the day?

I considered doing this with something midsized like a Nebulon-B or a Carrack. Heck, maybe even a Lancer, since they have almost no heavy armament. But then I thought I'd better start small.

Corvettes outgun lancers.

Corvette wins. Even light turbolaser have megaton yields.

[NecronLord]

The corvette can take multiple LTL hits.

The galaxy can't.

[Tribun]

All too easy.....

The Corvette roasts the GCS.

[Rogue 9]

Abotu what I thought. *Thinks.* Oh yeah, I remember Corvettes outgunning Lancers now. I usually face them down from an X-wing or B-wing cockpit, and from that perspective you'd really rather see a Corvette than a Lancer. So, would a Lancer also roast the Enterprise? And I don't suppose putting a Sovereign class starship in there would make a difference, would it?

[Tribun]

Abotu what I thought. *Thinks.* Oh yeah, I remember Corvettes outgunning Lancers now. I usually face them down from an X-wing or B-wing cockpit, and from that perspective you'd really rather see a Corvette than a Lancer. So, would a Lancer also roast the Enterprise? And I don't suppose putting a Sovereign class starship in there would make a difference, would it?

Well, there would be ONE difference. The Souverign could flee much quicker.

[Worlds Spanner]

The problem here, as everywhere, is firepower. If we accept that even a LTL can easily blow through Fed shielding while Fed weapons can't easily harm SW vessals, there are only two ways a Fed ship can win.

1. A scenario in which the SW ship is very lightly armored and the Feds fire first, or

2. A scenario in which the SW ship(s) are so badly outnumbered that their defenses can be beaten down over time even with the Feds losing ships left and right.

[Howedar]

We've already had this exact debate, if memory serves.

Corvette wins easily.

[Alyeska]

I seem to recall LTLs being equal in firepower to SW fighter level weapons. If they aren't, please explain how SW fighters can take even one shot from an LTL and survive if SW fighter weapons aren't even 10 KT in firepower. This creates an interesting contradiction here.

[NecronLord]

You're thinking of "laser cannons" Alyeska. LTL/MTLs are the things on Acclamators.

[Alyeska]

You're thinking of "laser cannons" Alyeska. LTL/MTLs are the things on Acclamators.

And on ISDs as well as just about every other ship in the Empire.

[Illuminatus Primus]

You're thinking of "laser cannons" Alyeska. LTL/MTLs are the things on Acclamators.

And on ISDs as well as just about every other ship in the Empire.

Care to show proof of starfighters taking multiple LTL hits? The minor cannon on the Acclamator is in the low-megatonne range.

Point-defense laser cannon such as on the Core Ship and TF BB are eight kilotonnes in yield.

The weapons aboard the Corvette, even the small ones on the escape pods, are likely in the megatonne range.

[NecronLord]

And on ISDs as well as just about every other ship in the Empire.

Yup, but they're more visible on the Acc.

[Alyeska]

You're thinking of "laser cannons" Alyeska. LTL/MTLs are the things on Acclamators.

And on ISDs as well as just about every other ship in the Empire.

Care to show proof of starfighters taking multiple LTL hits? The minor cannon on the Acclamator is in the low-megatonne range.

Point-defense laser cannon such as on the Core Ship and TF BB are eight kilotonnes in yield.

The weapons aboard the Corvette, even the small ones on the escape pods, are likely in the megatonne range.

They don't even have to take multiple hits. EU has talked about fighters taking shots from LTL level weapons. Furthermore the Falcon has taken repeated LTL hits. If LTLs were really MT range this would mean fighters would have to hit eachother litteraly a hundred times and in the case of the Falcon hundreds of times.

Weren't the guns on the DS LTLs? LTLs are so patheticaly weak compared to MTLs and HTLs that they are worthless in capitalship combat, they are only good against fighters.

[NecronLord]

Furthermore the Falcon has taken repeated LTL hits.

Usually when the ships firing are aiming to take the occupants alive.

[Alyeska]

Furthermore the Falcon has taken repeated LTL hits.

Usually when the ships firing are aiming to take the occupants alive.

I don't seem to recall they were trying to capture the Falcon when it escaped Cloud City.

[Darth Phoenix]

Furthermore the Falcon has taken repeated LTL hits.

Usually when the ships firing are aiming to take the occupants alive.

I don't seem to recall they were trying to capture the Falcon when it escaped Cloud City.

They were trying to capture it or else Vader would tell Piett to prepare the tractor beams...

[Stark]

I think you've answered your own question, Alyeska. It makes no sense if LTLs (I think the DS weapons are MTL size) are kT level (for scaling reasons, if nothing else). I don't recall LTLs failing to kill a fighter in the movies, or even hitting anything other than the Falcon. I haven't read any EU, but I don't really see a problem with LTLs firing AP at the Tantive IV and HE at fighters. Given the overkill of full-power LTLs, it seems eminently reasonable that they fire at a lower setting (or primarily proximity shots, if you accept that sort of thing) to increase the odds of a hit.

[SPOOFE]

I don't know if the guns aboard the Corvette's escape pods are still in the megaton range. I always got the impression that those guns were there almost like a last-minute addition, as if the designers felt that more weapon coverage was necessary and the only free - and elevated - spot was the pods... and those were practically wasted space during normal operation anyway. I'd probably rank those guns in the heavy starfighter range... several dozen kilotons at most.

[Drooling Iguana]

Well, there is the infamous Corvette Blind Spot, but I think that a GCS would be too large to exploit it...

[Howedar]

I would agree that the small weapons on the Corvette are probably no more potent than a typical starfighter laser cannon.

The (comparitively) large fore dorsal turbolaser turret is another matter entirely.

[Robert Walper]

Galaxy class opens up with maximum firepower phasers and spreads of torpedoes, focusing all firepower on the smallest section of shielding for the Corvette. Shield collapses temporarily, thus allowing GSC to beam a torpedo mine directly beside the Corvette's main reactor.

GSC wins due to special circumstances revolving around tactical ingenuity.

[Howedar]

The main reactor may well put out enough radiation to prevent transport. Aside from this, this assumes that the Galaxy can maneuver into position to fire on whatever arc is weakest (assuming there is a weak arc), assumes that the E-D has enough firepower to make use of it, and assumes that the E-D even knows the nature of the Corvette's shielding.

[Robert Walper]

The main reactor may well put out enough radiation to prevent transport. Aside from this, this assumes that the Galaxy can maneuver into position to fire on whatever arc is weakest (assuming there is a weak arc), assumes that the E-D has enough firepower to make use of it, and assumes that the E-D even knows the nature of the Corvette's shielding.

I wouldn't aruge the scenario as a realistic tactical situation.

[Howedar]

I know, but someone else might.