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Variable geometry starships Sep 2004
Recon LACs Sep 2004
Strategic map as of <em>Shadow of Saganami</em> Sep 2004
LACs towing counter-missile pods Oct 2004
Why does Mesa still exist? Oct 2004
The status of the Lynx System Oct 2004
The Union of Monica Oct 2004
<em>Roland</em>-class destroyer Oct 2004
Compensator failure Oct 2004
"Paintball"-style projectile weapons training Nov 2004

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Pearls of Weber

A collection of posts by David Weber containing background information for his stories, collected and generously made available Joe Buckley.

Asymmetrical broadsides

  • Series: Honorverse
  • Date: October 22, 2002

Why Are Starships Symmetrical? The question of why ships aren't designed with separate broadsides optimized for different types of combat -- that is, missile-range combat as opposed to energy-range combat -- has emerged once again. Do you want to comment on this one at all?

 

Symmetrical Broadsides. No, I don't want to comment on this. I've done it before, and the statements I made then still apply. Indeed, they've become even more relevant in an era in which broadside missile tubes are becoming less and less significant for major combatants and the need for missile defenses has never been greater. Asymmetrical broadsides would be a bad idea.