Approved Starship Corsin-class Escort Corvette

[Onrai]

Intent: To develop a cheaper escort corvette for the Subach-Innes catalog that can balance out and work with the more capital ship-oriented Peragus-class Assault Corvette.
Development Thread: N/A
Hero Unit: No
Manufacturer: Subach-Innes
Model: Corvette
Affiliation: Independent
Modularity: Yes
Production: Mass-Produced
Material: Quadanium Steel(armor), Duranium(frame)
Description: What the Peragus-class Corvette is to capital ships, the Corsin-class Corvette is to fighters. The prototype Corsin was manufactured with specially made rotary blaster cannon turrets that performed quite admirably against enemy fighters and bombers. Utilization of cast duranium sections for the ship's hull keeps the price down and allows for easier production, but also makes repairing a bit more difficult. The rotary blaster cannon turrets mounted on the Corsin are excellent anti-fighter weapons, always hitting their target(provided the weapon is properly lined up) and dealing a great deal of damage to any enemy fighters within the weapons' ranges. The cluster missile launchers on each side only provide even-more anti-fighter protection to an already well-protected ship. However, while the sight of a Corsin can be a theoretical godsend to a convoy, its RBCs and cluster missile launchers do very little damage to other corvettes. In a one-on-one fight, the Corsin could likely disable or disarm the enemy corvette with its weapons and get away, but otherwise, it's quite vulnerable to capital-ship weapons fire.
Classification: Capital Ship
Role: Escort
Height: 36.3m
Width: 60m
Length: 121m
Power Core Generator/Reactor: SIS-2850 Corvette-Frigate Hypermatter Annihilation Reactor
Hyperdrive Rating: Class 2
Minimum Crew: 20
Optimal Crew: 80
Armaments: 8 twin rotary blaster cannon turrets(4 dorsal, 4 ventral), 2 cluster missile launchers(1 left, 1 right, 50 missile capacity per launcher)
Hangar: N/A
Non-Combative Attachments: SIS Capital-Grade Sensor System
Passenger Capacity: 100
Cargo Capacity: 300 metric tons
Consumables: 8 months
Sublight Speed and Maneuverability: Class 4.5

 

[Ayden Cater]

Why beam turrets?

 

[Onrai]

Why beam turrets?

I played numerous games as a kid that ultimately taught me beam weapons are a superior anti-fighter weapon compared to laser cannons, games including Freespace 2, both Star Wars: Battlefront games, Republic Commando, and many others. Thus, it only made sense to create an anti-fighter warship that used them.

 

[Sirella Valkner]

"anti-fighter beam turrets of an LAAT"

Believe it or not, those are actually anti-infantry lasers in most sources.

 

[Onrai]

True, but per the admittedly slightly NC Battlefront games, as well as the entirely canonical Star Wars: Jedi Starfighter, they have the capability to take out starfighters. The anti-fighter beams used on the Corsin aren't exactly the same weapon, just a similar type(composite beam laser turrets).

 

[Sirella Valkner]

Okay here is my issue, and I know it is nit picky so I'm sorry; Why in thousands of years when this technology has been available has it never been used this way? That leads me to believe right off the bat that it isn't more effective and shouldn't be effective at what you want it to be. Now I could be wrong there isn't a ton in canon about it. I looked up the battlefront entries and got the following statement "The beam cannon fired a steady red laser beam at a direct target for about two to three seconds and afterwards it would have to take three seconds to recharge. In those few seconds it could do a large amount of damage to any infantry unit, and could even take down a destroyer droid's shields in one blast. The turret was often used against infantry units, but it could also do some minor damage to armored tanks during a battle" All other versions of composite beams that I found, that are not HUGE, are anti-infantry. Now if you can point me to another source, or something I'm missing sure. As it stands I'd prefer we just standard technologies and keep everything consistent though. Not everything can be a special snowflake else nothing would ever be.

 

[Onrai]

Laser cannons are almost universally the norm in Star Wars for anti-fighter duty. However, this doesn't necessarily mean that the technology is inferior. So far as I know, the only small-scale starship-mounted beam cannons I've seen are mounted on either the LAAT, and the droid gunship from Battlefront.

The best source to demonstrate the anti-fighter power of the beam isn't Battlefront or Battlefront II, however(since LAATs move so fast as do the fighters, meaning getting a shot from one of the beam cannons is practically impossible). The best example I can give you is an old game called Star Wars: Jedi Starfighter.

In this game(Spoilers: I cheated), the LAAT/i gunship becomes unlocked for gameplay use, as well as a "gauntlet" mission. Both uses involve the LAAT engaging enemy starfighters of at least reasonable durability(Vulture droids and Scarab droids).

The twin overhead beams(first introduced in the original Battlefront as the co-pilot's weapon) are particularly useful against starfighters. I can take a wing of Vultures down very quickly with those beam cannons before I get into range with my lasers. I don't have to lead my targets - I just aim at them and fire the beams. The Vultures' shields and hull integrity go down faster than a womp rat hit by a Skyhopper's laser cannon.

Now, assume that the similar weapons used on the Corsin are a bit more powerful. We've had six hundred fifty years to advance technologically since that time, so it makes sense that the power of such weapons would be improved somewhat. 4 twin beams above, 4 below. The turrets themselves should rather easily be able to deal with your average fighter. Two or four turrets focusing on a single target could easily take out a gunship-class craft.

Again, though, while it would provide excellent anti-fighter defense, beams of this small size would do very little to an enemy warship. They could probably deplete an enemy corvette's shields long enough to disable or destroy the turrets and give the ship time to escape, but they would be entirely useless against any warship frigate-sized or larger.

I hope that answered your questions. I'm only basing the effectiveness of these sort of weapons on the evidence I've seen in Star Wars, however limited it may be.

 

[Sirella Valkner]

Yeah I'm going by literature and guidebooks which says they are inferior. Videogames are like one of the lowest form of canon when it comes to technology. Their story may be valid and canon, but the way technology is portrayed is done so for game balancing reasons. That being said I have researched it and the official guide to warfare, and other literature on the subject including RPG books and such and almost all of them says they are "only suitable" for anti infantry role. So that is how I'm ruling here. But I appreciate your thoughts on the subject and I did enjoy reading why you thought what you did. It's just videogames take liberties with things. In the second star wars battlefront the like one of the fighters shoots bullets or some craziness...

 

[Onrai]

In that case, allow me to change the weapons to something a bit more useful... like rotary blaster cannons. At least until I RP out a new anti-fighter beam...