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Post by Kage2020 on Aug 14, 2004 7:57:06 GMT -5
In thinking of the analogy of Dwarves=Squats(dead)=Demiurge(alive) and the traditional Spelljammer cliches about 'rock ships' for the dwarves, I could not help but think about asteroid ships. Why would people suggest that these are not common given the fact that you've got a - potentially - incredible source of mineral wealth for financing construction in which the process of extraction goes a great deal of the way to providing you with your lovely little ship... You've got lots of free armour and could become practically impervious to most conventional forms of attack (excepting crust killers, as it were)... And so on. So, other than it breaks the "Rule of Cool" (e.g. rocks do not provide pretty miniatures) why do we not see more 'asteroid ships' both for Imperium and non-Imperium vessels? (And, yes, I like normal ships as well... even I sometimes subscribe to the "Rule of Cool" on some things without question...) Edit: Someone reminds me about "Ork Roks" and the problems inherent in having Imperium asteroid ships because of the restriction on thematic armies. I know about this now, but I'm talking generally...  |
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Post by Dazo on Aug 15, 2004 0:55:47 GMT -5
Who, which people, name names. I don't see why they should be uncommon for all the reasons you have given
I think the provedence for making pretty minatures lies with the designers, and i think you could have quite good looking asteroid ships. Though I would protest at an imperial war ship being an asteroid, interplanetary transporters or support vessels for the fleet would be good candidates.
One thing,would they be safe to use in the warp, would stone be just as good a defense against daemons as adamantium
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Post by Destecado on Aug 16, 2004 8:32:21 GMT -5
Actually, one of the things that I have been toying with are ships that are built out of the left over material or slag from the refining process. These ships have a super structure that is built out of modular sections placed in a standardized framework. The necessary wiring and other equipment is run through conduits that crisscross through the super structure.
This leaves alot of open space within the structre. engines and drive modules are then added as well as weapons pods as the situation requires. This still leaves alot of open space between components which is filled in with a polymerized slurry that incorporates the rock and other material left over from the mining of asteroids(the portion which is of no value) along with bonding and hardening agents. This is pumped into the voids between the components in the super structure.
It eventually fills out until all of the components are covered. The material provides structural integrity as well as additional shielding. These slag ships as they are called can be repaired or changed rapidly. Rather than needing to repair an entire hull additional slurry can be poured into any holes or the modular components can be removed and replaced as necessary.
The ships can take about any shape, but there are really only ten different types of prefabricated components. Regardless of the outer shape of the ship, the inside is pretty much like living in a hamster habitat, with the interconnecting tubes and components.
The hardened slurry acts as an ablative when hit by energy weapons. The dispersed arrangement of components also make it them rather resilient to damage from kinetic weapons. Each component is air tight and can be sealed off if necessary.
Slag ships offer an inexpensive modular alternative to ship construction.
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Post by ErnestBorgnine on Aug 16, 2004 8:47:07 GMT -5
One thing,would they be safe to use in the warp, would stone be just as good a defense against daemons as adamantium IMHO, yes, stone would be every bit as good a defence against daemons as adamantium, which is to say none at all. |
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Post by Kage2020 on Aug 16, 2004 22:54:27 GMT -5
Any why should not a 'stone' have the same defences as any other warp ship, as Ernest Borgnine points out. So now, conceptually at least, we've got ships made out of the leftovers over the process of mining itself as well as ships made out of the leftovers of smelting...? |
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