Re: [GZG] UNSC Workings

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Gzg-l@vermouth.csua.berkeley.edu
http://vermouth.csua.berkeley.edu:1337/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/gzg-l  I
pictured the UN has having 3 major "fleets".  The first fleet, pride of
the UNSC, is located in the SOL system.  Local enforcement and
peacekeeping
and the core reserves for the UNSC.  The second fleet performs a similar
function for the other core worlds as well as maintains a presence in
the "home"
systems of the major powers.  The third fleet is the widely scattered
deep space enforcement.  Numerically the largest, but with a higher
percentage of
cruisers and smaller ships for remote peacekeeping, patrols,
enforcement, and the like.  Third fleet also has the deep space
exploration, and is seldom
concentrated in large numbers.	As the Kravak assault mounted, internal
disputes between the major powers put the burden of fighting on the
Third fleet
which was largely mauled.    Reinforcements from First fleet were
withdrawn as the magnitude of the threat to the core worlds became
apparent, as were
the remnants of Third Fleet.  Withdrawal of UNSC support has led to the
bitterness of the farthest colonies and hastened the formation of the
Out Rim
Coalition.  Heavy UNSC losses in the Core Worlds have validated the
"modular design" of UNSC ships, although the lack of large formations of
UNGF
troops has forced the reliance on ground troops from the large powers.

   UNSC ships are designed as modules, not for making ships
interchangeable, but for the purpose of rapid building when necessary. 
Each section is built
at it's own specialized yard, and then mated together to form the final
ships.	This for instance allows large numbers of fighter modules to be
constructed,
then assembled into light or heavy carriers as needed.	These have
proven quite valuable, as UN fighter modules with minimal control and
thrust
modules have been placed in many orbits to serve as functional fighter
bases as the Kravak offensive has closed on the Core worlds.  When the
pressure
on the core worlds has subsided, surviving units can be quickly
converted to full carriers to take the offensive to the Kravak.  In
addition, it has proven useful
to use a completed ship section to replace a badly damaged section on a
ship rather than take the time and yard facilities to repair the ship. 
This has also
resulted in some unusual UNSC ships when a completed section from one
design has been available to mount to the undamaged areas of another
ship.
The speed with which this has been done seems to have confirmed
speculation that the UNSC has designed up any number of "variations" on
their existing
ship designs.  Most such adaptations have had short lifespans, either
being destroyed in combat or being converted back when proper modules
became
available.  Several matings of BC front ends with light carrier hulls
proved quite successful though, which has led to the purpose building of
a class of
battle carriers with battleship foreships and light carrier modules and
thrust.  A dreadnaught mating with a heavy carrier appears to be under
construction,
to create a truly fearsome super heavy carrier (SHCV).	 It is known
that these ships have led to the design of similar Heavy Combat Carriers
by the other
major powers, but it remains to be seen if they will see construction. 
The module nature has proven to decrease the construction time on large
vessels
by up to  %25 over the other major powers, although it may prove to
slightly increase the production time of destroyer sized vessels (which
seldom
survive for repair in any case).  The modular design also proved useful
when during the upgrade from AMT's to Grazers, it allowed the old rear
sections to
remain in production while the new front ends were being worked up. 
Production was also little affected by the temporary suspension of
extended range
SDN's in favor of the Gaia class "combat" SDN.

________________________________
From: gzg-l-bounces@vermouth.csua.berkeley.edu
[mailto:gzg-l-bounces@vermouth.csua.berkeley.edu] On Behalf Of Indy
Sent: Friday, December 12, 2008 12:53 PM
To: gzg-l@vermouth.csua.berkeley.edu
Subject: Re: [GZG] UNSC Workings

On Fri, Dec 12, 2008 at 12:37 PM, <paul@otd.com<mailto:paul@otd.com>>
wrote:
I also always presumed that the UNSC would coordinate efforts to fight
the
Alien Menace, work out treaties to deal with other aliens, etc. Seemed
like
the natural clearing house for organizing the 'human' response.

Except given that the K'V actually make it to Sol and cause the Siege of
Sol in 2194, I'd be inclined to think that the UNSC got complacent about
the "K'V menace" until it was too late to actually make a realistic
stand against them, and got chewed piecemeal. The remnants of the UNSC,
as well as those of the other Major Powers, have to combine in order to
throw the K'V out of Sol. And everyone gets whittled down a bit.

Then the Ixx appear...

:-D

Mk