Favorite EarthForce Capitol starship

[EricRoss]

I am starting these polls as I go through factbooks. let me know what your favorite ship (and model) is and why. Do to poll limits I am only including major capitol ships. If another ship interests you chime in.

 

[EricRoss]

I like the Hyperion because it is the most versatile hull in EarthForce. They may not be as tough or heavily armed as an Omega, but they are good all-around combat vessels. The Eta is my favorite with it's impressive weapons array it is almost as powerful as an Omega-Alpha in a Boresight attack.

 

[frobisher]

Gotta go with the Omega I'm afraid. Just like the ship I'm afraid, plus I was captain of one in a PBEM

Basically, everything you need for a starship based B5 campaign.

Artificial Gravity (believe me, you want that...) 24 Fighters and a pair of shuttles covers most eventualities. The ship can be used for showing the flag, clearly has been used for first contact and exploration work (Sheriden's experiences on the Agganemnon (SP?)) plus can be used as a courier vessel for dignitaries.

However, from a pure combat crunch point of view - the Poseidon is awesome given how many fighters it can deliver...

 

[EricRoss]

good points all, however from a point of view of wanting to have some good challenges I would have to say that the Hyperion Eta is my choice because it does have fighters; shuttles; and good weapons, but is not quite as powerful as the Omega which would give the players more roleplaying opportunities that they will have to think out without those 18 extra starfighters to fall back on. As for the gravity...well it's a luxury I would like, but most EF ships have to do without it so I would just have to get used to velcro socks :lol:

 

[EricRoss]

the Hyperion Eta...does have fighters; shuttles; and good weapons, but is not quite as powerful as the Omega...

quick correction: I just did the math and discovered that at most ranges the Hyperion-Eta is acctually more offensively powerful in a front boresight attack run than an Omega-Alpha, just look at the combined weapons damage comparason by range, range 3-4 is where you see the difference (this chart assumes a good gunner that gets you hits with all the weapons, maximum pulses):
6) Omega: Twin-linked Heavy Laser 80+8d10
Hyperion: Twin-linked Heavy Laser 80+8d10

5) Omega: Twin-linked Heavy Laser; Twin-linked Heavy Pulse cannon 140+17d10
Hyperion: Twin-linked Heavy Laser; Twin-linked Heavy Pulse cannon 140+17d10

4) Omega: Twin-linked Heavy Laser; Twin-linked Heavy Pulse cannon 140+17d10
Hyperion: Twin-linked Heavy Laser; Twin-linked Heavy Pulse cannon; Medium Pulse Cannon 160+21d10

3) Omega: Twin-linked Heavy Laser; Twin-linked Heavy Pulse cannon; Hex-linked Partical Beam 150+20d10
Hyperion: Twin-linked Heavy Laser; Twin-linked Heavy Pulse cannon; Medium Pulse Cannon; Tri-linked Partical Beam 170+24d10

 

[Aramanthus]

I'm an Omega person too! Although iff the Warlock was there it would had my vote.

 

[EricRoss]

if the Warlock was in the EA Fact Book it would probibly get everyones vote! It would undoubtedly be faster, tougher, and more offensively powerful than any other ship in the EF arsenal.

 

[Greg Smith]

I like the Hyperion for the way it looks. It is a totally unique design.

 

[frobisher]

3) Omega: Twin-linked Heavy Laser; Twin-linked Heavy Pulse cannon; Hex-linked Partical Beam 150+20d10

Shouldn't that be two lots of Hex-Linked Particle Beams?

Also those Hyperion stats should be for the Epsilon, the Command version of the Hyperion.

Put that toe to toe with a Command Omega and it's toast

 

[EricRoss]

3) Omega: Twin-linked Heavy Laser; Twin-linked Heavy Pulse cannon; Hex-linked Partical Beam 150+20d10

Shouldn't that be two lots of Hex-Linked Particle Beams?

Also those Hyperion stats should be for the Epsilon, the Command version of the Hyperion.

Put that toe to toe with a Command Omega and it's toast

nope. the Omega-Alpha only has one Hex-linked Partical beam that fires forward, which is the fire arc that I am highlighting here since that is the arc that most captains present when they are in battle. And I find that the Hyperion-Eta is more powerful then the Epsilon

 

[EricRoss]

Quick update with 15votes in:

what is your favorite EarthForce starship from the Factbook?
Omega
26% [ 4 ]
Nova
26% [ 4 ]
Hyperion
33% [ 5 ]
Avenger
0% [ 0 ]
Poseidon
13% [ 2 ]
Explorer
0% [ 0 ]

Total Votes : 15

with a full one-third of all the votes, it would appear that the Hyperion is the leading candidate so far with five votes; the Nova and Omega are in a tie for second with 4 each; and the Poseidon is third with 2. With the Poseidon in the poll I can see why nobody has voted for the Avenger, but I am surprised that the Explorer has not gotten any votes.

 

[frobisher]

nope. the Omega-Alpha only has one Hex-linked Partical beam that fires forward, which is the fire arc that I am highlighting here since that is the arc that most captains present when they are in battle.

Oh - they split it Fore and Aft did they rather than Port and Starboard?

All twelve should bear Boresight.

And I find that the Hyperion-Eta is more powerful then the Epsilon

No, you misunderstand me there. The stats you quoted should be those for the Epsilon, as the Eta shouldn't carry Heavy Pulse Cannons.

There were a few editorial cock ups in the EA Factbook concerning the models of ship etc., considering their original source (and who the author of both works was...).

 

[EricRoss]

And I find that the Hyperion-Eta is more powerful then the Epsilon

No, you misunderstand me there. The stats you quoted should be those for the Epsilon, as the Eta shouldn't carry Heavy Pulse Cannons.

There were a few editorial cock ups in the EA Factbook concerning the models of ship etc., considering their original source (and who the author of both works was...).

Well all I have to go on is the EA factbook, I do not have the other book you are refering to so I have to use the stats in the book I have, I am choiceless. So I am using the EA Factbook stats for the purposes of this poll. I would love it if someone, anyone were to e-mail me the actual weapons load for the Eta and Epsilon model of the Hyperion...

 

[EricRoss]

I have posted versions of the Hyperion Eta and Epsilon based on AoG here under the subject "Alternate Hyperion Eta & Epsilon"

 

[Satai Delenn]

omega

 

[Michka]

This is a hard choice. It's between the Hyperion and the Omega because all the others don't have the style. The Hyperion is a lovely design that speaks volumes about efficiency of engineering. The omega looks like a real badass and it delivers when seen on screen. The real deciding factor is gravity. If your ship has no gravity, you have to mount all the character miniatures on flight bases. Seems like a lot of work to me. (Can you tell I'm a fig painter.)

 

[lastbesthope]

Poseidon, purely on looks and bulk!

And fighters, lots and lots and lots of fighters!!!

LBH

 

[Anguirus]

The Nova. It's powerful, it's unique, it has all the cool bits of an Omega without the cumbersome rotating section, and it probably became very very popular after the ISA's gift of artificial gravity technology became more widespread on Earthforce vessels.

I'm just going by looks here, though. It's one of those ships I wish we'd seen kick more ass in the show.

 

[frobisher]

and it probably became very very popular after the ISA's gift of artificial gravity technology became more widespread on Earthforce vessels.

Probably not - AG technology can't just be grafted on in all likelyhood, the ship needs to be built with it in mind. The ship that does effectively replace the Nova which is built with AG installed is the Warlock (though we're waiting on official (RPG) stats for this...).

 

[lastbesthope]

I also thought that AG was generated by ships with gravitic drives (not that you'd need a gravitic drive but the systems complement each other in some way) so you'd need to swap out the engines.

LBH