Requiem
09/01/22 10:25 PM
1.147.88.67
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Ummmm ……
https://www.sarna.net/wiki/Starfire
Production Year 3028
“The Starfire was a New Avalon Institute of Science-developed aerospace fighter intended as a testbed for recovered LosTech. Scrambling to be the first Successor State to field the advanced Star League era technology discovered in the Helm Memory Core, the NAIS and the closely linked Banzai Weapon Design Company immediately began working on prototype proof of concept designs to gain a better understanding of the new technology and how best to employ it. While only a handful of the craft were constructed, the Starfire assisted the Federated Suns to more quickly and safely employ the advanced technology than its neighbours.”
Under Design Quirks
Modular Weapons
https://www.sarna.net/wiki/Design_Quirks#Modular_Weapons
“While it does not offer the flexibility of an Omni design, it takes half the usual time to replace weapons or install customizations. Despite these benefits, repairs performed in place still take the usual time. This quirk may be applied to the entire 'Mech, or only to specific weapons, but the cost does not change”
So let me get this straight – first the Helm Memory core was opened way earlier than that of 3029/3030 in order to utilize the information for design / manufacturing purposes (many years in fact) to manufacture these fighters and they used modular weapons – just one step away from that of Omni Tech as it is just a rational advancement in functionality to move from modular to Omni.
So why did it take so long to create the first Omni within the FC? Especially since their engineers required Clan examples to make the final leap in technology/understanding?
Sorry but at this stage can we have an explanation please?
Get thee to Coventry … Now is the winter of our discontent, made glorious by this daughter of Tharkad … Our army shall march through. Well to New Avalon tonight.
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Cray
09/02/22 10:50 AM
71.47.208.18
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Quote:
So let me get this straight – first the Helm Memory core was opened way earlier than that of 3029/3030 in order to utilize the information for design / manufacturing purposes (many years in fact) to manufacture these fighters
That's incorrect. That's not at all how tech recovery occurred in the Inner Sphere and at NAIS. The Inner Sphere was not full of uneducated ignoramuses until the Helm Memory Core shone its light knowledge on humanity.
I'd suggest starting with the "Black Widow Company" mission pack (pub. 1985), which was published a few years prior to the Gray Death Legion storyline and recovery of the Helm Memory Core. Black Widow Company had some scenarios and new designs that outlined the pre-Helm technological recovery occurring in the Inner Sphere, particularly at NAIS.
Further, it'd be worth flipping through the old House Sourcebooks and how they discussed non-Helm efforts to develop new 'Mechs, imitate NAIS, and otherwise recover technology before the Helm Core was found. There's also abundant commentary in those books about how ComStar was eagerly trying to suppress technological recovery throughout the Second and Third Succession Wars, i.e., there were pre-Helm research centers for ComStar to partly suppress.
Finally, it'd be worth reading p. 368 of A Time of War for its commentary on how the Helm Memory Core affected existing Third Succession War tech recovery efforts.
Those points lead to this: The Helm core didn't arrive in an empty scientific wasteland. Instead, there were busy research programs, manufacturers, and universities able to use the Core's knowledge. Again, p. 368 of ATOW summarizes the Helm Core's impact pretty pithily.
Basically, it's a misunderstanding to think there was no technological recovery occurring before the Helm Core was dug up. So, no, Starfire was not built with Helm knowledge years before the Helm core was found.
Also, today, I'm on a design team for modular adaptors that allow standard targeting pods to be switched between numerous models of aircraft. The idea of modular equipment mounts was over 1,000 years old when the Starfire was built. You don't need the Helm Memory Core to make an equivalent to MIL-STD-1553 and MIL-STD-1760 data links, or standard data, power, and cooling air connectors. It isn't the magic of omni-pods, but it's old technology even today.
Mike Miller, Materials Engineer
Disclaimer: Anything stated in this post is unofficial and non-canon unless directly quoted from a published book. Random internet musings of a BattleTech writer are not canon.
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Requiem
09/02/22 11:22 AM
1.147.88.67
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Cray, thank you for the information it was very informative.
One problem, as I hate to nit-pick – but the way the quote is written, as above, it gives the inference – “Scrambling to be the first Successor State to field the advanced Star League era technology discovered in the Helm Memory Core” – that the Starfire was developed with information contained within the Helm core and not pre-helm technological recovery.
Suggest a change to something like … “Scrambling to be he first Successor Stare to filed the advanced recovered Star League era technology through multiple pre-helm research centres throughout the Federated Suns (as at this point in time the Helm Memory Core is yet to be opened), the NAIS ….
May be what is required.
Also if modular equipment mounts are old tech can I have them on my old Crusader for pre 4th Succession War? Or even all Mechs throughout the IS?
But sorry I do have ATOW.
Thoughts?
Get thee to Coventry … Now is the winter of our discontent, made glorious by this daughter of Tharkad … Our army shall march through. Well to New Avalon tonight.
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