Thr35Fingers
Aluben-class Heavy Cruiser
A pre-Empire design, the first Aluben-class cruiser was completed shortly after the Imperial Pacification. The idea behind its unusual shape was to have a large hull with comparitvely low mass. Two large segments would be connected by a middle spar, allowing ample hull space to mount weapons and house larger power generators while keeping overall mass down to increase mobility. Unfortunately the main spar was a massive weak point.
It was after the second battle of Serenity that the type was nearly retired, after Independence Force destroyers destroyed several while avoiding losses. An unknown engineer proposed a different course. He believed a radical re-thinking of the Aluben's role and some design modifications could revitalise these ships.
The Imperial Admiralty was willing to try, and received assent from the High Court. Stronger shields and additional armor were installed on the hull, which itself was slightly enlarged, but the greatest changes were to the main spar. Double-hulled, triple-reinforced with armor plating, the spar also received dedicated point-focused shielding and defensive guns. Finally, it was lined with massive heat sinks and secured by octuple-redundant airlocks and internal load-bearing beams.
Thus came the rebirth of the Aluben. Inexperienced commanders would fire upon the the obvious weak spot, only to see their lasers and plasma absorbed, kinetics intercepted or deflected, all the while the range closed to within proximity of the Aluben's heavy plasma broadsides. Experienced gunners were forced to instruct their targeting computers to deliberately avoid the tempting target, throwing off their algorithms. The extra power draw and armor further reduced the Aluben's speed, making its re-designation as a heavy cruiser very appropriate, but Imperial doctrine is to avoid using it in a maneuver battle.
Practically overnight, the Aluben cruiser went from a laughingstock to a monumental threat, and after successive systems' updates, it is now one of the oldest cruisers still in active service in any navy in the galaxy.
*Obviously inspired by the Nebulon-B, this is my take on what the role of such a ship would be. I love the Nebulon's design in terms of pure looks, but I always hated the obvious structural weakness that the spine offered, so here I imagine it as sort of bait, making your enemy waste shots on a tempting target that in reality is heavily defended and won't take much damage, while avoiding damage to more critical areas of your ship.*
Aluben-class Heavy Cruiser
A pre-Empire design, the first Aluben-class cruiser was completed shortly after the Imperial Pacification. The idea behind its unusual shape was to have a large hull with comparitvely low mass. Two large segments would be connected by a middle spar, allowing ample hull space to mount weapons and house larger power generators while keeping overall mass down to increase mobility. Unfortunately the main spar was a massive weak point.
It was after the second battle of Serenity that the type was nearly retired, after Independence Force destroyers destroyed several while avoiding losses. An unknown engineer proposed a different course. He believed a radical re-thinking of the Aluben's role and some design modifications could revitalise these ships.
The Imperial Admiralty was willing to try, and received assent from the High Court. Stronger shields and additional armor were installed on the hull, which itself was slightly enlarged, but the greatest changes were to the main spar. Double-hulled, triple-reinforced with armor plating, the spar also received dedicated point-focused shielding and defensive guns. Finally, it was lined with massive heat sinks and secured by octuple-redundant airlocks and internal load-bearing beams.
Thus came the rebirth of the Aluben. Inexperienced commanders would fire upon the the obvious weak spot, only to see their lasers and plasma absorbed, kinetics intercepted or deflected, all the while the range closed to within proximity of the Aluben's heavy plasma broadsides. Experienced gunners were forced to instruct their targeting computers to deliberately avoid the tempting target, throwing off their algorithms. The extra power draw and armor further reduced the Aluben's speed, making its re-designation as a heavy cruiser very appropriate, but Imperial doctrine is to avoid using it in a maneuver battle.
Practically overnight, the Aluben cruiser went from a laughingstock to a monumental threat, and after successive systems' updates, it is now one of the oldest cruisers still in active service in any navy in the galaxy.
*Obviously inspired by the Nebulon-B, this is my take on what the role of such a ship would be. I love the Nebulon's design in terms of pure looks, but I always hated the obvious structural weakness that the spine offered, so here I imagine it as sort of bait, making your enemy waste shots on a tempting target that in reality is heavily defended and won't take much damage, while avoiding damage to more critical areas of your ship.*