Topic: Orbiter class carrier/tug - second "make-shift" carrier (aux cva?) proposal.

[Mackie]

easy job. :p thats it for requests this time k? 

im making:

1. Triumph
2. CVL tug thing
3. Hope

til the next time

[Rod ONeal]

Thank you. I'll be looking forward to seeing them all. 

[zerosnark]

Yeah, don't get overloaded before releasing the carrier tug

[Julin Eurthyr]

While you're working on tugs / tactical transports:

Could you do a 0-pod, 1 pod and 2 pod variants?

Should be farily easy once you figure out how to clone a second pod cylinder and tack it on the tail end of the first pod, with textures...  Too bad I can't figure out how to make a 3-d box even...

Heck, with the second pod, you can do things like BTVs (Battle tug carriers, I'll have to check which pod has to be stuck in front), etc...

[zerosnark]

Atrahasis has 0, 1, and 2 pod varients of the standard tug.

He also has 0, 1, and 2 pod varients of a tug with Phase 2 engines (Keppler class).

Lord Schupp has the standard tug with 0, 1, and 2 pods. The primary difference with these tugs is the addition of a shuttle bay right above the Pod connector.

My personal ship list uses all three tugs.

As for the current work, CVA pods (like Battle pods) are 1 1/2 weight pods. Fed fleet tugs cannot carry two 1 1/2 weight pods. The battle pod can be paired with a single weight cargo pod. I do not know if the same is true for the CVA pods.

There is a NCL tug variant. My understanding is that these tugs cannot carry 1 1/2 weight pods. There are single weight battle and carrier pods available. Don't know if these lightweight pods can be paired.

[Rod ONeal]

I'm not sure about all of the different possible pod/tug combos. If someone wants to model a whole pack of them and needs all of the info I'll gladly assemble it.

My current shiplist (that I'm working on for GaWtm) has a full size tug carrying a battle pod and a cvl (light carrier) pod. The battle pod is the front pod. Also one with 2 carrier pods. A heavy CVA pod in front and a light CVL pod in the rear.  Of course single CVA heavy carrier pod version and a single battle pod version.

The LTT, based on the NCL (new light cruiser) I have one with a CVL light carrier pod and one with a light battle pod. 

Desty has only made one pod though and I don't know if it's possible/easy to create a smaller one from it. Maybe resize the whole model and then remove the now smaller pod and reattach it to the full size model? It would physically be about 70% the size of the larger pod, judging from the SSD.

I'm not sure how many tug/pod models that Mackie wants to bother with. Any would be appreciated, of course.

[Mackie]

you confuse me people :p

Kampela class light tactical transport
note: this has not yet been converted to sfc2

credits: desty nova
lightwave version: http://www.the-tcs.net/dldir/pafiledb.php?action=file&id=%20180:

[Mackie]

note: this has not yet been converted to sfc2
Attila class barrage ship

credits: desty nova
lightwave version: http://www.the-tcs.net/dldir/pafiledb.php?action=file&id=182
note 2: I know its a bit overkill but it looks l337 

[Rod ONeal]

Wow! ...like'em both a lot. Using the police cutter bridge is a novel idea, as well. The LTT (cl based tug) is another long over due welcome addition.

Wondering what the hold up is though on converting them to SFC? I want to plug them in, man! Are you "getting in touch with your feminine side" and just teasing us, or what?

[FoaS_XC]

Mackie would you mind if i made these again, only this time out of Lord Schtupps model.

[Mackie]

normally i wouldnt but i intent to try that my self so no but thanks for the offer (but im not there to stop if you really want to )

[zerosnark]

Yeah, this is a cool bunch of models. Too bad they have not been converted yet.

A few comments on the LTT:
   a) Three LS phaser mounts? wow. I guess I have not looked at the SSD lately
   b) The ship name should not appear on the pod. The pods are interchangable between ships.

The picture of the Cutter barge got me thinking about tugs in general. . .
. . .I understand the cruiser size engines on the tug. What is bizzare is the cruiser/DD size saucer. Considering the phaser firepower and lab space of these ships, I suspect starfleet had an ulterior motive in building these ships and that they are really used for patrol work and  system survey work in addition to "self escorting convoys".

[Mackie]

I wasnt sure on what i should write on the pod  ;p
as for the phasers and such, thats what came with the model
and the Attila class, The "pod" is not actually a "pod" but a lengthened arse end of the original model where i removed windows from

[Julin Eurthyr]

From R2.8, Fed Tug:

Can carry one or twp pods; one but not both can be a "double weight" pod.  If there is a double weight pod, it must be in front.

If a Light battle pod is in the rear position, all systems on the pod are treated as cargo.  Battle Pods cannot be the rear pod in a pair as it is double weight, and forced into the front slot...

From the LTT's description:
Can only carry one pod, but it can be a double-weight pod.

Pod weights:
Starliner, Cargo, Repair, Troop Transport, Self Defense, Light Carrier (CVL), Light Battle are 1-weight pods
Battle, Carrier (CVA) are 2-weight pods (and therefore only in front)

So, believing that the only pods really in need of separate textures are the battle and carrier pods (Starliner pod needs more windows but is rarely used, Troop Transport, Repair, Cargo, Self Defense are probably stock pod hulls), the paired combinations on the main tug are:

CVA / CVL
CVA / Stock
Battle / CVL
Battle / Stock
Stock / CVL
Stock / Stock

The LTT would need a Stock, Battle and CVA / CVL pod, no combinations allowed...

Just some friendly information for the tug-builders out there...

[zerosnark]

From, the Star Fleet Technical Manual (1975 edition!)

Pod types  include:
   Mk I Bulk Liquids
   Mk II Dry bulk
   Mk III Refers
   Mk IV Personnel
   Mk V Products

Markings are a pendant at the bow, with red strip running along the length. The strip is broken up by the words "Star Fleet Transport Command", about the size of the NCC numbers on the ship.

Underneath the words "Star Fleet Transport Command", right justified, and in the same size, is the NCC number. The NCC number is four digit and unique (presumably) to the pod.


*****

All this aside, thanks for posting the rules on the pods!
I agree that the modeling community only needs to do a Battle pod, Cargo pod, and Carrier pod.

*****

As another aside: I think the Starliner pod would be more common than you think. I could imagine this would be a key way to move PEOPLE from one colony to another. I surmise the Fed Tugs would be just about the fastest ships in space. Why would you take a Warp 4 freighter when you could take a Warp 8 Tug?

For transporting ambassadors, I think it is clear that the Fed Scouts are used for this role. But for Admirals who need flagships: A starliner pod might do nicely.

(Of course. . .in SFB you just add two flag boxes and four phasers to a cruiser to create a flagship. . .in the US navy, you tend to take out half the weapons to fit in the command spaces)

[atheorhaven]

Yeah, this is a cool bunch of models. Too bad they have not been converted yet.

I've downloaded all of them, just have to convert them.  Will use converting them over to break up my evening. 

[Mackie]

sehr gut! HEIL ATHEORHAVEN! 

[zerosnark]

EXCELLENT!

[Rod ONeal]

Both Mackie and Atheorhaven get a Karma bump.  Thanks guys.

[Mackie]

Mackie would you mind if i made these again, only this time out of Lord Schtupps model.

 re reply :p
few days after tinkering around with models ive come to the conclusion that im overally way too lazy to remake the models so on the second though, you go ahead :p