How exactly do the Umiak aim those cannon blisters? I assume that what we see is just the end of the barrel poking out of a ball mount. But the way they are oriented makes it looks like all 3 barrels would intersect and not have enough room. Unless they are a lot shorter than I thought.
I'm still unsure how to read visible damage in Outsider-verse, so I'm tempted to say - provided Winter Tide doesn't take too much more of a beating - the ship is currently disabled and drifting rather than about to go Boom. Will the Blisters be enough to save the ship from taking a further beating? Who knows. Here's to hoping!
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Unfortunately probably not. I think that the Loroi were going to lose ships in this battle was, sadly, a given from the very start.
Tamren wrote:How exactly do the Umiak aim those cannon blisters? I assume that what we see is just the end of the barrel poking out of a ball mount. But the way they are oriented makes it looks like all 3 barrels would intersect and not have enough room. Unless they are a lot shorter than I thought.
The "barrel" for the plasma focus is wide but very short.
Karst45 wrote:funny that i always know when there a new page only when i see a "page XX" as a new topic
SO . . . what would you want "totally awesome new page" or " Update Alert: new page is up" . . .
Wintermute wrote:I'm still unsure how to read visible damage in Outsider-verse, so I'm tempted to say - provided Winter Tide doesn't take too much more of a beating - the ship is currently disabled and drifting rather than about to go Boom. Will the Blisters be enough to save the ship from taking a further beating? Who knows. Here's to hoping!
I hope so too Wintermute, I keep on thinking about those big US Striker LAV's taking an IED and still fliping back on back . . . and is most cases they still drive them away
I am a wander, going from place to place without a home I am a NOMAD
Karst45 wrote:So ashrain may have hide some of her supply... ether be for selfish good or because she calculated it would be better for later (aka now)
funny that i always know when there a new page only when i see a "page XX" as a new topic
Stillstorm wrote:Point defense by zone. Reserve nothing!
Ashrain does not have the privilege of holding out on the status of her ships ammunition/weapons load out.
The deployment pattern of the fleet was probably planned for in accordance to the remaining ships individual capabilities and remaining ordinance load outs. Which according to Tempo is practically all gone.
If Stillstorm was not informed of the Black Razor's available ordinance before the battle, well, sounds like a good case for insubordination to me. That and everyone who had friends on Winter's Tide is gonna want a piece of Ashrain's hide.
That said I think is very unlikely Stillstorm didn't know about the "blisters" either through the Tempest own sensor records of what the Razor has launched, or via report from Ashrain. I think it would be quite plausible that Ashrain was told to hold back from the front line of the formation just to make sure she could deploy the weapons before it would be likely for the Black Razor to suffer damage from enemy fire.
Damn, its been so long since i posted I had to re register...
Now that is a magnificent sight, a missile that opens up to reveal numerous little missiles - all on their merry way to dance with the defences of the opposition. I like that concept. I always consider the difference between beam type weapons (which can be defended with by a mirrored hull) and missiles (percussion impacts with explosives) must have alternative variations in the far future - the sight of mass drivers pummelling a planet in Babylon 5 has haunted me for quite some time. Those Tolot blistex weapons look ace ...
BTW it's a strange thing, when I get to a forum board I usually choose a same old same old name, but for some reason this time I decided to take umbridge at Tofu. Whowouldathunk it ...
I love the week when Outsider gets an update. This is my fave webcomic website for hard SF outer space stuff - meat and blood to this sad SF addict
Riess wrote:Ohoho, somewhere out there's an Umiak who now wishes he hadn't gotten out of bed that day.
Wait do Umiak have beds?
Dunno about the beds. I do imagine there are a few pieces of choice invective being exercised from Umiak command chairs right now.
Durandal wrote:I'd have erased my seven times table to hear what the combat technicians on the Khfiva shouted when they learned I could focus a particle beam at nearly twice their maximum range.
NOMAD wrote:
SO . . . what would you want "totally awesome new page" or " Update Alert: new page is up" . . .
that wouldn't be enough, i would add an Air Raid Siren just to be sure
DyingMan_13 wrote:That said I think is very unlikely Stillstorm didn't know about the "blisters" either through the Tempest own sensor records of what the Razor has launched, or via report from Ashrain. I think it would be quite plausible that Ashrain was told to hold back from the front line of the formation just to make sure she could deploy the weapons before it would be likely for the Black Razor to suffer damage from enemy fire.
I still believe ashrain is not acting directly with stillstorm accord. I know, you will say that in the middle of a battle some decision must be taken on the spot. but i think of those blister as artillery, you just dont fire them without the field commander knowing / ordering it and preparing their troop.
I fell ashrain actually trying to prove she better than stillstorm, after all she the daughter of the emperor. Am sure she fell superior to some loroi because of her lineage
Timefly wrote:And after the long hiatus prior to page 79/80, I'm so happy to see Outsider updating again!
Karst45 wrote:So ashrain may have hide some of her supply... ether be for selfish good or because she calculated it would be better for later (aka now)
funny that i always know when there a new page only when i see a "page XX" as a new topic
I read that line from Moonglow as being a comment on Ashrain's fire discipline rather then accusing Ashrain of concealing the amount of ammo reserves.
@Nomad It certainly seems like an offensive system to me, I'd say if I had to tack a specific purpose to it it'd be breaking up hostile formations when deployed in numbers.
Another possibility might be as a kind of sucker punch for when the Loroi are forced into those kind of knife fights with the enemy. Give them something to rival Umiak plasma weaponry in close quarters.