Written by Dan Carlson
Gearing up to open a big can of whup-ass. But you need the right tools.
Image 6.X: Matter/Antimatter
Development Project Logo.
© Masao Okazaki General
introduction. Review fusion power, and how limiting it is. Advantages of
antimatter. Finally, the Richardson-Whoever process of mass-producing antimatter.
Start with Colossus, I guess. 2148? Work on something small enough to put on a ship. Little Nell and Little Nell II.
Advances of Krechet, Torsk, and later Yorktown and Powhatan.
Related project (an obvious application for antimatter) - the "Ares" antimatter missile, a failure. The main problem is obtaining total annihilation of the matter/antimatter warhead. In over 75% of the preliminary tests, the warhead failed to detonate most or all of its AM. The early solution was to add more AM to the warhead to produce a bigger "boom." But this strategy backfired on them when the missile went into field testing – the UES Vicksburg was totally destroyed when the AM warhead prematurely detonated. UESN Command cancels the deployment and sends the project back to the drawing board. Photon torpedoes are not to come for nearly fifty years.
Subspace sensors and transmitters, so big that they had to be based on a planet or a huge space station. This is the major Achilles' Heel for both sides.
| Range | UE | RSE |
|---|---|---|
| Planetary Array - Sensors | 2.5 LY | 1.2 LY |
| Planetary Array - Communications | 10.6 LY | 8 LY (est) |
| Starship Array - Sensors | 1.4 LY | 0.9 LY |
| Starship Array - Communications | 7.8 LY | 5 LY (est) |
UE tries to fill that gap with sensor ships and smaller transmitters - but it's pretty inefficient. Only the biggest ships can carry equipment like that, and still no room for anything else. Dedicated cruisers (Marconi Class?)
The planetside installations. Sensor range, ties in with previous section.
Detection evasion over long distances - try to sneak up on planets, blend in with other ships in the area.
Predecessors of the cloaking device – need stealth to attack the enemy.
Chart 6.1: The Fireball Advancement
© Masao Okazaki
Image 6.1: A Comet Class light cruiser.
© Giorgio LibotteAntimatter brings new efficiency to interstellar travel. UESN starts experimenting
with warp fields and the like, coming up with a faster and more importantly,
more efficent, design. From the single bubble design to the dual lobe fields
that remain in use even today. The Fireball –the first starship with the
dual-hull configuration which will become the hallmark of all ships thereafter.
The Text Goes here! Keep on going about the Fireball, then the Comet, being hugely successful as raiders into Romulan Territory. This design basically wipes out the Rom fleet's firepower.
Using the advances of warp drive to create an efficient transport network. Project Milk Run. Interstellar transport routes that bring supplies and fuel quickly to the front lines.
Image 6.2: A Reid Fleming Class transport.
© Fabio PassaroThe "Cow Tanker."
More text here.
Also mention the Starbases – previously names like Station Salem One or Station Aurora Four. Now it's Starbase Eight or whatever.
Apparently convinced that quantum singularities would open up all sorts of new doors, they focus too much on this and end up on the wayside, bowled over by the now-mighty UE war machine. Nothing comes of the QS research for the next 150 years.
The Romulans are now severely outclassed by the UESN fleet. The CABBAGE-class ships were intended to cruise unapposed to their target and launch a long-distance attack. The ships were extremely ill-suited for short-range defensive actions and ship-to-ship combat.
The CHOWDER-class cruisers were likewise outclassed, but for different reasons. After Hell's Gate the Romulan Navy began building greater numbers of smaller cruisers to make up for the huge losses the year before. It was hoped that smaller ships operating on a much shorter range would turn back the UE offensive. But the ships were still far too slow and underpowered to effectively confront the UE attack squadrons. They'd try to attack in hunter packs of three cruisers, but even then they were outmaneuvered and outgunned by the superior Powhatan-class escort cruisers.
Image 6.3: Romulan CLAVICLE-class
©
Nick
PorcinoThe final design produced during the war was a qualified success, though.
The CLAVICLE-class cruiser was extremely fast for a fusion-powered vessel
of that era, and fought effectively as an ambush cruiser to thwart UESN attack
missions. It could sometimes even run down some of the AM-powered UE ships.
Unfortunately, this effort was too little, too late. Only 20 ships were believed
to be in service by the end of the war. And there were lots of technical
problems too – overloads, mainly. (Spontaneous combustion? <g>)
Continue about other Romulan projects that were started but ill-funded and never made much progress: missile technology, warp fighters, communications, sensor stealthing.
Actually sensor stealthing was one of the successes of the war for the Romulans. They used it successfully at Hell's Gate, and with limited success during attacks on planetary targets. But the best example was when the CLAVICLE-class cruiser was introduced as a hunter-killer.
Kepp on going... summarize everything, ready to keep fighting...
This page was last modified on Thursday, August 26, 2004.