Hathor Gunboat - Zoner design but only Order build it?

[Jinx]

it was my idea to have the order build their own gunboat based on the zoner design...

why is that so?

zoners and order are quite a good alliance - and even one that makes sense. - but they haven t had much to "share" other than RP informations and benefits. ( which is a lot, but not too much after all )

since Legenation left and was never seen again - and so his gunboat design vanished, too.... i thought its a good idea to make it so that the zoners, who would get their own gunboat in 4.85 - also offered one to the order.

if you look closely - you ll see that even the zoner gunboat has a few "unused" hardpoints. - it has enough to equip 8 guns actually. - but the zoners ( in RP ) decided that ... while they are undoubtly brilliant capital ship makers .... wouldn t "need" such an overpowered gunboat.

they need a heavily armoured transport for important supplies that reach their destination.. and you can be sure that - if you want to deliver something, a zoner gunboat WILL get to the destination. - thats all thats about it.


the order on the other hand need a gunboat that can also fight. - so their gunboat is based on the zoner ship ( in RP, why should the order as a close ally construct their very own, when they can use the base structure of the conference ) - so the order gunboat is one of the least agile but most heavily armed ( the zoner gunboat is the most agile btw. - more agile than the BHG gunship )


in RP - zoners don t have a need for an eight gun gunboat. - and its the order that builds it. - the basic structure is the conference, but the propulsion and reactor is order tech. - its "shared" technology.

if a zoner asked really really nicely and had a good reason to fly it - i am most certain that the order will consider it.... but usually, zoners don t need such a beast. - flying with such a gunboat makes life harder, not easier.



about enforcing the NFZ. - so far, i hadn t had to fire a single shot to enforce the NFZ. - a sharp word, a hidden threat ( or a not so hidden threat ) is often enough. - if you cannot achive it with a conference, chances are that you cannot enforce it with a hathor either... you might win a fight, but you have lost the more important fight ( which is - to show authority )


in a direct comparison - the conference might not defeat the hathor easily ( if you must duel ) - but its not helpless. - twin screamer mines can do a LOT of damage to an enemy gunboats shield ( much more than a pair of pulse guns ) - and three razors are not to be ignored. - meanwhile, the conference ( while being a large target alright ) can still fly circles around the hathor.... easily.

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