FT Intellectual exersice? (long)

A HELD CUSTER ship was monstrous in size, a tremendous feat of
engineering, concept, and design, requiring enormous quantities of fuel
utilized through an internal fission drive that rumbled the entire
structure slowly along at sublight speed.

Intended for planetary defence, a cluster ship had no need for more
sophisticated power.Its one hundred componests posessed the quickness
and agility necessary for blitz attacks, and throughout the galaxy there
was no more stirring or frightening sight than to see one of the
glittering silver behemoths abruptly shatter into fragments that
flipped, rolled, and darted into leathal formations against the foe.

Each wedge shaped component was an independently powered and manned
spacecraft, capable of spanning any distance on its own, brutally armed,
and faster than any other, more conventional implosion-driven craft in
Heldfleet.

In the old, glory-filled days of the Held, there had been an entire
fleet of cluster ships, one for each of the inner worlds and for several
of the mid-worlds. Then, as the Colonids grew bolder and acquired more
advanced technologies which enabled then to spawl across the borders,
the cluster ships were moved gradually to man the wartorn area of the
fringe.

Over the centuries, attrition, indifference, and astronomical costs had
slowed the replacement of wedges so that disabled cluster ships were
increasingly scrapped in order to supply sufficient wedgers to others.
The numbers had dwindled, but although now there were only a few
majestic survivors of that proud fleet, they still stood out among the
bottle-shaped destroyers, gritty little frigates and scoutships, and the
heavy cruisers which had replaced them.Hi all

I don't post much but was re-reading an old Space Opera book "The Goda
War", interesting read but I wouldn't look at the science aspects to
closely.

Well to get to the point it mentions an iunusual design concept (for me)
called a "Cluster Ship". This being something like a "Space Control
Ship" made up of 100 individual ships called "Wedges" arround an engine
core, for planetary System defence.

Now seeing as I'm really more of a ground pounder than sky pilot (I do
play both) and FT players seem to like discussing ideas. Perhaps some
list members would like to comment on the possibilites of either
designing (or not) in FT or the problem it would pose.

I've attached a passage from the book as a text file, there are others
dealing with "Wedges" I can add if anyone is interested. Otherwise
ignore of course.

Regards
Buck