ScriptKitt3h

Looks interesting... I'm assuming that pic is of it in early vacuum-testing? Also, the clipping on the joint about halfway down the side of the hull might make it easy to split in two there.

Time to call Kenny Loggins...

It's so tiny and cute! (*insert heavy weapons guy lines here*) Still though, I've never gotten how to build those teeny-tiny turret/chassis bearings. I have a headache enough as it is managing all the tiny bits of the surface craft I already make!

I'm addicted to this hull layout... made myself a singleship based off of the NX-series, now called the NX-4 Valkyrie. It's got internal room for up to 4 0.625 meter munitions, but I plan to make add-on packs for the side docking ports to give more range and/or firepower. And yes, this is ion-powered.

While using less armor (or none at all) is nice from a statistical standpoint, I think that having some armor (or at least armoring the more vulnerable components of your ship) is still a must, as in KSP combat (this applies for whenever Stock MP KSP combat becomes a thing as well) having some armor is still more likely to protect your ship than having none. Why? Because unless you've somehow managed to make a laser-accurate long-range munition that rarely EVER misses, you're going to need to take time to guide a shot in to your target, (or, in a less gentlemanly manner, ram your target with your ship), and this leaves your opponent open to fire off a guided or dumbfire round at you. In a nutshell: some protection is better than none IMO. However, Rune's modular ship system is very nice looking, and likely will make some great strides in combat.

Aww yeah! Looking forward to seeing the result of that breakthrough.

I'll have to talk to you about that non-tire warhead, but in any case, I'm only favoring some potential allowances for tire-tips until a better, more balanced, yet still reliable and part-efficient alternative can be discovered.

Engine armoring can be a tough gambit, but I think you'll figure something out. As for the older ASM, it needs distance to build up velocity, which is why it fits in as a long-range missile well (besides its relatively good fuel economy from those Spark engines). The new v.II ASM Evos need finer control and patience to get squared-off, direct hits. (Feathering the throttle, and making a sure as possible you're aiming where you want to hit BEFORE maxing the throttle and watching the fireworks.)

Glad you like how the NX-3 looks! (It's a bit smushed compare to its predecessors. ) The new AKS ship looks polished, and I'm glad to hear that my ASMs still pack a wallop. (Only reason the NX-series ships don't use them by default is that my MK2 ASMs with the tire warheads are much less in terms of partcount.)

I agree, but since they offer a nice reduction in psrt count and nice AP capabilities, I try to make warheads using them appear to be similar to the drills used in boring underground tunnels.

While the tires are pretty darn powerful, I feel that allowing them albeit in smaller numbers (like 2-4 tire-tip torps per ship, dependent on relative ship size) would be a nice middle ground, since tire warheads help reduce part count on longer range torps fairly well.

Since the NX-1 is a good medium-weight ship and the NX-2 an outright ludicrous battlecruiser, the next ship in the MU's NX line is somewhat more modest (and economical in terms of mass, part count, and munitions): The NX-3 Lancelot(-class) guided missile frigate is a good replacement for the stopgap ship that was the SX-14 Linebacker (a good ship itself, but not up to the increasingly high standards of modern stock combat in KSP). It features two guided 1.24 meter Mjölnir ASMs (which can be swapped on the fly for other 1.25 meter rounds) in armored VLS launch cells, and a standard dual-barrel bow gun firing HVAP i-beams. Stats: 425 parts (including drydock clamps) 67-68 tons 14.5 meters in length, from bow to stern. *Link for those who wish to test it ahead of my pack of the first 3 NX-series ships: https://www.dropbox.com/s/7t9pdn4ak5dbwt1/MU%20NX-3.craft?dl=0 *

Perhaps you can try adding another layer of steel plate, with the first (inner) layer acting as a "net" that can catch phased rounds if they pass through the armor plate...

I can totally understand the need for balancing, though I personally see it as more so not going overkill with munitions, as most 1.25 meter rounds (ranging from unguided SRBs to guided, high-tech Anti Ship Missiles) will eventually punch a decently sized hole in a ship (or a similar amount of damage, such as what occurred with the Victory and its unfortunate demise). Also, I sent you a nice 'lil PM with something you'll probably like.

Nice ship! I'd recommend trying hull with a lot more angles (much like modern tank armor), but the Dragon Lore looks pretty nice as-is. As for the space-testing, remember: Hyperedit is your friend. And yes, the angled parts are awesome.

Only the XL ones meant for use with MK3 parts, the others still are static parts.

Nice job! I will mention that the high sloping on the front will indeed help in deflecting incoming dumbfire munitions, though guided rounds will still remain tricky to effectively protect against. I'd recommend (provided your PC can handle the increased part count) armoring the joints between the main outer wing plates (the ones over the steel plates) using the small triangular wing parts, as they really do well in making seemingly seamless outer hull coatings. Also, I see you added an internal bulkhead between the missile cell(s) and the aft; that shows a good understanding of the arrowhead layout's overall method of survival. - - - Updated - - - I'll have that pack of munitions done ASAP.

The most entertaining type of battle!

Just finished one of my most massive ships to date... went from this WIP hull with only a few core systems: ... to this 179 ton battlecruiser:

RIP GMI.

While I whip up some of my missiles in a handy-dandy subassembly pack, I'd suggest adding another test rig using this layout (in order of inner->outer): Girder segment, Steel Plate (4x4), Wing plate (the medium square one), radiator panel. This mimics what might be found on other types of warships, some of mine included. Also, I betcha tire-tipped rounds will punch through nearly every time. Ex.: This MU SX-13 (mind you, it's a time-tested warship from before 1.0+) got slammed in its side by ONE sub-20-part 1.25 meter ASM using a quad-tire tip. It blew off half of this ship's center/aft hull, and everything on that side of the ship's internals. - - - Updated - - - Also, lest I neglect to post this before taking a nice break: There is a new dreadnought in town... The MU NX-2 Odin Battlecruiser is 100% complete, alongside a newly refitted NX-1 Excalibur Missile Cruiser. Both feature a new, much more modern replacement for the ASM Evo guided missiles used by older MU ships; the lower partcount and harder-hitting MU ASM Evo II, nicknamed the "Mjölnir" ASM for it's speed and power...

I'm a madman... The soon to be fully prototyped NX-2 is a drastic upgrade from its sister ship (much how a cruiser is outclassed by a proper battleship or battlecruiser). Upgrades compared to the NX-1: -More fuel, and 4 engines over 2. -Better, improved armor and internal bulkheads. -Room for up to a whopping 12 re-loadable 1.25 missiles or cargo pods in the twin VLS bays mounted in the top and bottom of the center hull. -A strong, high-redundancy power system to help prevent loss of power due to significant localized damage to one section of hull. -Marvelous aesthetics. -MU-patented "LagShield" defensive force field capable of melting the nav computers of hostile vessels. -*Not installed in pic* Room for 8 kerbal crew, same as the NX-1.

I'd like to see how one would fare in comparison to an armored ship, or perhaps to an armored version of that concept.

*Twin Vulcans. Still, screw limits! *Ride of the Valkyries plays in the distance* "I love the smell of Kapalm in the morning..."

I once or twice made ships with over 200t or so in mass... they didn't meet the aesthetic or practical goals I had set for them. Just over 100 tons seems to be the sweet spot for my medium-heavy vessels, and 35-75 for anything less that's not a fighter or singleship. - - - Updated - - - The NX-series (that's right, SERIES) of ships are all based around that same principle of practical aesthetics. I will say that the most advanced part of the NX-1 (and thus later models)'s design is the prow of the ship and the VLS missile cells. I hope to improve on the cells in the NX-2, adding in extra armor in that area to deflect excess thrust on missile launch and to help sandbox the core systems even more so than on the NX-1. The NX-2's gonna be essentially a larger, beefier NX-1, while the NX-3's gonna be a fighter-style singleship with a nice missile load and ion-nuclear hybrid propulsion.