Wednesday, September 5, 2018

The Old Girl's Still Got It (or) How To Destroy A Star Destroyer Without Any Jedi, Proton Torpedoes, Or Ewoks

So, if the real USS Enterprise can (hypothetically) curb stomp the ships of Star Trek, how about the ones from the galaxy far, far away?

Oh, yeah, FN 2187, we're doing this!

Buckle up, nerds.

Now, this will be more fun, and more complicated, than the Star Trek one.  Why?  Because Star Wars has equivalent vehicles for things like fighters, carriers, and such.  Finding the right parallel, or building the right one, will take more time.

So, first, hop on over to the previous post and see my primer on the carrier phenomena.  Paper Plates and Gray Ghosts.  But, here's the gist:

The aircraft carrier started as an experiment that some interwar military leaders used as a loophole to get around a treaty.  The battles of Taranto, Pearl Harbor, Coral Sea, and Midway proved the concept to be not only sound, but potentially war winning in a way the battleship could only dream of. Sadly, most sci fi writers and fans do not understand why this is the case.  They at best see the carrier as a "cool" excuse for starfighters, and at worst a relic that won't keep up with technology.  The stand-off capability and growth potential makes carriers extremely valuable.

Now, a caveat that I ignored last time: missiles.

The hwach! - for when you really don't want that guy over there to "have a nice day."

Yes it is true modern warship can carry hundreds of advanced missiles of multiple type to zerg rush a battlespace.  And, yes, a missile is faster, more agile, and cheaper than a piloted craft.  And, yes, it would be entirely possible to have these missiles actually be drones, remotely controlled from a safe distance.  Missiles have all the advantages over fighters with none of the drawbacks.

Except for some of the same limitations "big guns' have during upgrades.  Not as bad, though, since merely upgrading missiles is easier, but adding more, or updating hardware is equally or more costly than new planes.  Especially when one of the missions might need eyes on target, not at a computer screen miles away.

(No, I'm not getting into an anti-drone rant.  I think drones have their place.  But I don't think that place is wholesale replacement.)

So, the first issue is finding a ship in Star Wars that can be considered comparable to the carrier, circa 1940.  Both directions.  Because in the galaxy far, far away, there are starfighters, so devising a hypothetical space USS Enterprise is easier.

There aren't too many dedicated carriers in Star Wars, build from the keel up for that purpose.  The most notable is the Endurance-class fleet carrier for the New Republic.  The size of a star destroyer, these ships carried at least four wings, though Wookieepedia also shows 60+ carried.

May look like a star destroyer, but isn't.  I think.

Another common carrier seen are converted Quasar Fire-class bulk cruisers.  Conceptually similar to escort carriers on Earth, these converted cargo ships carry 48 craft.

Kinda looks like a chip.  And now I'm thinking about Doritos.

Most full-scale warships have minor carrier abilities, such as the Imperial-class star destroyer, which carries 72 ships, plus support craft.  Most evident in this style of "dual-role" craft are the Venator-class star destroyers.  In some ways the logical conclusion of attempts like the Japanese Fuso; a strange hybrid of cruiser and carrier with guns in front and flight deck on back.  Kinda like a ship version of a mullet.  The Venators can accommodate up to 420 fighters, not counting 40 landing craft.

Now, that's a lot of stuff to throw at our old girl here, but if you check her record, she'd been on the receiving end of those odds before.  But I don't think the Venator-class is a good example, because it is a dual-role.  Since they exist in the universe, I'm going to use a dedicated carrier.

Let's start with transferring the Star Wars ship back to 1940.  And I'll do two.

First is the Imperials had the Ton-Falk-class "escort carrier," a 500 meter long ship with a full wing of 72 TIE fighters in her hanger.  Not very heavily armed, this ship has one mission: deliver fighters.

Pudgy looking thing.

The New Republic had the Endurance-class.  At 1,040 meters and decently armed, this ship had 48-60 ships onboard.  I could have picked the Quasar Fire-class, but I wanted dedicated ships.

The USS Enterprise was 770 ft (234 meters) long, with up to 90 aircraft carried.  Well armed, according to theory and naval doctrine, but not intended to wade into the battle, the "Big E" was an innovator, being the first US carrier fitted with radar for night operations.

So, what would the opposition be equivalent to in the '40s?

The Ton-Falk would be a Saipan-class light carrier.  While I think the Imperial ship is more like an escort carrier, such as the Casablanca-class, in function and mission, the larger air-group and keel-up build makes the Saipan more comparable.  The Saipan-class was 684 ft (208 meters) long, with 42 aircraft.

The Endurance-class would have to be an Implacable-class.  At 766 ft (233 meters) and carrying 81 aircraft, you're probably wondering why I didn't pick this one for the Empire, since, ya know, the British and all.  Or why I didn't pick the Essex-class.  First the second point, I didn't want to pit two US fleet carriers against each other.  (And, yes, I'm using a US light carrier, but it fits the style.)  And secondly I picked the Brit because of the armor.

British carriers had better armor on the flight deck that US ships.  When kamikazes attacks were over, the order was "sweepers, man your brooms," and they'd simply push the debris off the deck, keeping calm and carrying on.  New Republic ships tend to be better shielded than their opposites in the Empire, so it seemed fair.

As for the air wing, things are interesting.  The Imperial stuff kinda has to be Japanese, while Rebel ships are Brit or American.  Its mostly a design concept similarity.  (And, for the record, I'm intentionally ignoring "bombers" and other multi-engine land based craft for simplicity sake.)

Sometimes its just easier to push the broken ones off the deck.

The standard TIE is the A5M "Claude," while the TIE-IN is the A6M Zero.  TIE bombers would be B5N "Kates."  The J2M "Jack" would be the TIE Advanced, while the J7W Shindin would be the TIE-Defender.  The D4Y "Judy" would have to be the Scimitar bomber.

Having run out of navy birds, I'll switch to IJAAF craft.  Yes, I know, they don't have fly from carriers.  Roll with it.  There aren't many left worth noting.  (And, yes, I also know that the J2M and J7W aren't carrier birds.  Its okay.)  Anyway, the A-9 Vigilance would be the Ki-43 "Oscar," while the I-7 Howlrunner would be the Ki-44 "Tojo."

A Y-Wing would be an SBD Dauntless, while the B-Wing would be a TBM Avenger.  The X-Wing would be the F6F Hellcat.  And yes, the F4U, P-38, P-40, and P-51 all would make perfect stand-ins.  But three of those don't operate from the deck and one is too temperamental to be the T-65.  That one, the Corsair, would make a great E-Wing.  The F8F Bearcat would have to be the A-Wing, even through the Grumman bird was late for the show.  Another bird that missed the fight, the AD-1 (later A-1) Skyraider, would be the K-Wing.  The Seafire would have to be the Naboo starfighter.

So, USS Enterprise going toe-to-toe against an Implacable-class and a Saipan-class crewed by the best from the Galaxy far, far away.  One-on-one.

What's the battle look like, and who wins?

CV-6.  In all her glory.

Now, since there are actual fighters and such in Star Wars, and tactics to go with them, the fight gets more challenging than the previous one with that silly flying saucer.

Against the Imperials on the Saipan-class carrier with Japanese fighters, the score is victory for the Big E 9 times out of 10.

Against the Rebels on the Implacable-class with American fighters (and a Brit), the score is victory for the Big E 8.5 times out of 10.

Now, why?  Especially when neither ship is known as a gunship, like the cruiser stand-in for Starship Enterprise was.  And that is exactly why.  Without onboard offensive weapons, the fight boils down to the air wing and tactics.  There, its a case of just looking at history for how well the various aircraft performed in their missions.  Where it all comes down to is tactics.

Let's start with the Imperials.  The idea of "throw away ships" is fitting with Japanese doctrine, though the Japanese held their pilots in greater value.  They just didn't rotate them enough, or at all.  However, since the Imperials preferred using big-gun ships, their fighter support doctrine was even more lacking.  Expect Kates, flying in Vee formation, escorted by Claudes while a few Zeroes fly top-cover to be the best efforts the Imps can muster for attack.  Most of the Zeros, as well as the Oscars, Tojos, and Jacks, will be attempting to either find the American aircraft or defending their ship.

If this is 1942, chances are 50/50 that the Imperials will get to the Enterprise.  However, with only Kates, they won't have enough firepower.  They'll hit with torpedoes, which the Big E was able to dodge plenty of times.  Assuming they even make it past the combat air patrol, which will decimate the formation.

If this is 1944, forget it.  With F6F Hellcats and F4U Corsairs flying defense few attackers will get through, and even fewer will be able to fend off the Big E's dive and torpedo bombers when they attack the Imp carrier.

"Scratch one flattop!"

Now it gets interesting.  The crown jewel of the US Navy fleet in World War 2 against a US Navy equipped Rebel Alliance/New Republic.  Everyone's flying the same stuff, so who is really "#1?"

First thing's first, who to include in the Rebel air wing?  Do I allow Rogue and Wraith Squadrons to take part?  Because that does effect the outcome quite a bit.  They are both force multipliers.  Wraith would be the equivalent of having the OSS own fighters.  Rogue Squadron is the whole TOPGUN program as a unit.

For kicks and giggles, I'll include both renown squadrons.  Likewise, I'll allow Defender wing on board.  However, that pretty much fills out the wing, with just enough space for some of Pash Cracken's A-Wings or Knave Squadron's E-Wings.  Since the F8F (ersatz A-Wing) didn't reach the fleet in time, we'll use the F4U (representing the E-Wing).  We'll let Defender wing have two squadrons of SBDs and a squadron of TBMs.

So, the Rebels have almost a full squadron more on their ship, plus a squadron of OSS agents in Hellcats.  Not that it'll do too much good, since forced boarding of a ship via aircraft, other than helicopters, really doesn't work well.  But I'd argue Wraith is the "ace up their sleeve."  Even being able to land two operatives on the Big E would allow for a severe disruption on tactics, forcing more fighters be dedicated for CAP.

With so much of the Rebel fighters' success in the GFFA being contingent on shields and droids, being placed in "humble" piston fighters is quite the downgrade in operations, from a certain point of view.  More damaging is the lack of guided missile to represent proton torpedoes.  But there are rockets.

"Holy Moses!"

So how come the Rebels don't do better than eight and a half out of ten?  Unity.  While the Imperials don't try to have any inter-service cooperation, the New Reps do, to a degree.  But not enough.  By 1943 the idea of "combined arms" with airstrikes became a thing.  Later called "alpha strike," the Navy would throw their whole air group at a target, with all squadrons working together, unlike what happened at Midway.

No, not that midway...

At the Battle of Midway, the US Navy got lucky, in a way.  Their strikes were not coordinated properly, but they worked out, since it drew the attention toward the torpedo bombers and away from the dive bombers.  The way they flew and fought at that battle is how the New Reps fight.  It relies too much on luck and random chance (and the Force), and not enough on talent, training, and discipline.

The question is which air group finds the opposing carrier first.  Due to how the US Navy performed searches, and how frequently they broke enemy codes, this allowed them to lead their opponents by the nose.

The US bombers will do better than the Rebel birds.  The fighters, though, will have their work cut out for them, depending on who has the altitude.  Both sides have the attitude.

But, since the US Navy had better teamwork than the Rebel Alliance/New Republic frequently displayed, getting the first look is key.  Granted, in reality, between submarines, spotter scout planes, and roving gunships like cruisers, the US Navy will win most frequently.  Then its down to skill and teamwork.

And this is why the F6F Hellcat was one of the top fighters of the War.  Even better than the Mustang.

End result, though, is probably 50% losses for the Big E, and near total for the Rebels.  That's regardless of who wins.  Remember, "winning" is determined by sinking the flattop.  And most of the time, the Big E wins.

Which she did.  A lot.  And would do against both major factions of the "classic" Star Wars universe.

Because the series is worth watching again.

May the Force be with you, Rebel scum.

(or Imperial buckethead, if you prefer)

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