Topic: UFOP Scorpion-A class battlecruiser WIP, updated 8/14

[Raven Night]

Here is the latest, this mesh is close to completion. I'm not sure if I am going to create specific rotated versions of the nacelles (horizontal and Z + 15, current is Z minus 30), but it is pretty easy to do the way i have the mesh set up. Added details here and there, redesigned the BRS on the nacelles and the sensor pod. Let me know what you think of this ship sofar.

My idea is this ship is about in the Galor/Akira design class. This ship will be a gunboat so to speak, the perfect compliment to the Akira torpedo boat. It will bristle with cannons and phasers, but have a standard torpedo compliment. Compared to a Galaxy, the ship has the same weapon power, though a much higher recharge rate, more power available, twice as nimble. It is superior in armor, but weaker in shielding, range, and systems. It is about equal to a galaxy in speed. This ship has a cloaking device.

She has 3 shuttlebays and one hangar deck....one large shuttlebay in the nose, , two smaller ones in the tail, and a large hangar deck above the tail. Right now I have 4 cannons in the wings, 4 cannons in the nose, one multi torp launcher in the nose, 2 to the rear (one on the tail, one on the ventral hull. I plan to add 2 cannons to the rear, and then the phaser elements. Weapon coverage will be very good.

Here are the pics, including a comparison with the Galor.

[Raven Night]

Final pic, I can add close ups later if you want to see some of the details up close. BTW, I am torn as to which type of textures I want. I was leaning toward Defiant type, but I might go with standard. Let me know what you guys think.

[OlBuzzard]

depends upon desired affect  (and you know what ya have in mind) ...

IMHO ...   a modified Defiant would probably be more appropriate

(BTW...  excellent model ..  )

[Raven Night]

Ok, well, I may go ahead and use standard federation textures, with a Marine Corps twist of course.

I also had a little problem, and came up with what I feel is a novel solution. Ok, first problem is this....standard versus pulse phasers. I contend that regular "strip type" phasers are much more accurate, as it is possible to rotate the emmiters on all axis's to direct the phaser stream where you want it to go. This system, by definitiion, lowers total power output capability. Pulse phasers, on the other hand, put out a much more powerful energy level, but of course have limited aiming capability....the cannon is moved slightly to give the weapon a slight firing arc, but generally the weapon's arc is very narrow, so the entire ship has to be aimed to fire the weapon.

Now, this ship has both types of phasers, the Defiant "pulse" style and the standard strip style, but the system is comprised mostly of pulse emitters/cannon. I felt like there was some way to better aim the cannons, and it came to me....why not move the entire cannon, ala battleship style? After all, DS9 had rotating photon torpedo launchers, so why not a rotating phased cannon? I set it up to work just like a battleship cannon battery, with a moving cannon that can rotate 360 degrees, and the cannon itself can rotate up 90 degrees.

Ok, so the idea is afoot, but there is another problem...the design of the ship does not give me many places to place the cannons to avoid obstructions by the hull. The dorsal hull wasn't a problem...I used the sensor pod as the platform for the dorsal cannon battery. But the ventral hull is another story. The centerline of the hull, in the deflector pod, is inset by design...meaning there is a trench that runs for to midships from the deflector array. If I place a cannon in the trench, its arc will be limited to a very narrow firing trench fore, dorsal and aft. So i decided to make a platform for the cannon to sit on, pushing it out of the trench. The only obstruction is the warp engines, but that cant be helped.

I have posted pics of each of the batteries. I also posted quick picks of the wing cannons, nose cannons, and the aft torpedo launcher. Let me know what you think of this idea.

[Starforce2]

Not bad. however rotating cannons can't be done in BC or SFC while also having the weapon pulse eminate from the correct spot in all cases. Why not create a hosuign with a wide slot for the intended arc, and we can assume that any rotation would be an internal mechansim, sorta akin to a machine cunner inside a bunker, you'd see pullets eminating in several directions but observe no external rotating parts.

[Raven Night]

Well, I figured, at least for the time being, that we would not worry about rotation. I set up the cannons to move and the barrels to elevate, and we can do that in CGI if desired, but for the game we can just leave them fixed to the rear. They are so small, it is unlikely people will notice they are not moving anyway.

In the near future, of course, the cannons will indeed move.

[Shadowfleet]

Nice ship RN. I can't wait to see her textured and released. I think she'll look great with standard textures. Something to match the CGI sovereign class might look nice and give her a mean marine look.

She'll make a great adversary for some of the rommies and klinks you've released over the past six months. Thanks for the work.

[ModelsPlease]

Now that's looking good 

[Raven Night]

I have finished the preliminary mesh, im playing with the idea that I may go ahead and knock out the textures for this one, since I'm relatively happy with it. Ill be posting pics of the error-corrected mesh shortly.

[Starforce2]

so the rear pylons are not comming back?

[AlchemistiD]

BUMP?!

[Raven Night]

Im glad you like this one, I'm going to be knocking this one out soon. I have a few others lined up first, though.

And I can make a version with the rear pylons as well if anyone wants it.

[Starforce2]

does that mean the textures are done too?

[admiral horton]

i realy like this design i think on the phaser the ship's arrays(strips) should be
less powerful than the pulse cannons but i hope that the dorsal pod will hold
several torpedo launcher but i hope to see must more