Fox2! wrote:npadln wrote:
(snippage)
So, if SD's add little value to that strategy and if they can't partake in any other action without making themselves little more than high value, bulls-eye targets then what good are they? Well, they could serve a role as a logistics train. A lot of space in those hulks and a lot of those hulks in space. Parked well outside regions of conflict they could provide interim supply and support needs for their smaller cousins thereby significantly extending mission times.
In order to use an SD as an overgrown destroyer tender, you would have to trade magazine/berthing/messing space for storage areas. Presumably, there is sufficient machine shop capacity in an SD to support a couple of squadrons of CL/DD. You would also have to have enough berthing to be able to take off the crew of a DD that was in need of serious repair.
As noted in other threads on what to do with Sollie SDs, that's a lot of work for not much gain. And you would tie up a building slip that could more productively be used for building DD/CL.
OK, no one is going to believe that I'm saying this, but....
Using an SD as a tender is an idea that the SLN may find palatable and pursue. This is not the same as saying it is a good idea, but one that makes sense to them. Most importantly, their position is not the same as Manticore's
1) They have plenty of unused shipyards and shipyard capability. They have not started to build up their forces yet and they have plenty of excess capability they have been building for the last 300 years in their bloat. Finding a dozen properly equipped unused slips and trained repair crews to do modifications would be easy for the SLN, and not hamper any growth they may have.
2) They believe time is on their side. They don't believe that the GA can overwhelm them quickly. They are looking at long wars and reprecussions 10-20 years out. They would be willing to start a project that may take a year to see results, like modifying 6-12 SDs as tenders.
3) They already have trained crews for these ships. Unlike the GA, they have crews already trained on these ships, their software, and their maintenance and tactical systems. Even training specialty crews on them isn't a negative, as their training is in line with the training needed for every other SLN BF ship.
4) The SLN has spare parts for these ships. Despite their age, the SLN has a full inventory of what they would need for a deployment.
5) They have not attempted serious SD modifications to learn how difficult it is. The Manties had run into issues updating their Anduril SDs as they developed new technologies, then had nightmares updating Gryphons to fire MDMs. The SLN has not done this and has no idea how difficult it will truly be, even through their leadership will be told it will be difficult by their experts.
6) The SLN is in a political situation where new builds will be frowned upon or forbidden, while taking some ships out of the reserve and modifying them will be seen as a smart expenditure of resources. It doesn't matter if a 4 Mton freighter can be built for 1/2 the cost in 1/2 the time and carry 2x as much, using existing resources will be seen as the smart choice to the politicos and public.
7) A heavily modified SD will still require 3-4 thousand personnel to man. The SLN has this manpower to spare.
In addition,
8) This fleet train vessel will not require an escort - it will probably be left with it's hammerhead armaments, and a ~1/4 it's broadside offensive armament. It will be able to hold it's own against CAs and below and threaten BCs with heavy damage. If anything, it will be seen as the escort for the fleet train.
9) Modifications on reserve vessels can start now, under local commander's orders, without going through political authorization first. If the project is shut down later, any changes can be swept under the rug and the ships lost amongst the reserve fleet without any political ramifications.
Now this is not to say this is a GOOD idea. We are talking about a 7 Mton ship with ~1-2 Mtons of cargo capability, with a crew of 3-4 thousand. A Volcano class ammo ship is a 4 Mton ship with 3-3.5 Mtons of cargo space (with dedicated ammo and pod loading equipment), and a crew of <100. The Volcano has no offensive capability, but has probably 2/3rds the point defense capability of the SLN SD. Both have Mil spec drives. And most likely, the Volcano is quicker and cheaper to build than it is to modify the SLN SD.
Unfortunately, an SD is designed for operations which span ~2 months, so it will need larger hydrogen bunkers, parts supplies, and food supplies for itself for an expended excursion. This will cut into the mass dedicated to supporting other ships.
Of course, in addition to being used as a tender, an SD also has large hospital spaces, limiting the need for dedicated hospital ships. The excess crew can be used to replace crews on the raiders it is supporting. As others have pointed out, it has large machine shops, so it can repair and fabricate larger parts for the ships it is supporting. These partially replace other ships capabilities in the fleet train.
However, none of these qualities are the same as seen in a dedicated hospital, repair or ammo ship - as we've seen, SD fleets travel with specialized ships of these types to support them as well. So obviously, they do not have all the capabilities these specialty ships would have - just more capability than the smaller raiders they support would have.
So, while I still don't think it is a good idea, it is an idea which may be attractive for the SLN, because many of the negatives of their use in the GA's service are not there for the SLN.
