A Good Death Star?

[CRMcNeill]

I've been playing around with this idea of a post-Endor Imperial Remnant faction that is actually benevolent, and actually manages to achieve something of a balance between the discipline and order of the Empire and the freedoms and democracy of the Republic. How this is achieved is another story all on its own, but I digress...

One of the things I have been considering as a feature of this Imperial Faction is a space station very similar to the Death Star in size and appearance, but with a vastly different mission:

-This station replaces the Superlaser with an extremely powerful planetary defense shield projection array, powerful enough to defend both the station and any planet that it is in orbit around.

-The station is essentially the mobile capital of this Imperial Remnant, and is equipped with the appropriate facilities for the government to operate at 100% capacity from the station.

-It also uses a sizeable portion of its internal volume to act as a data archive for member worlds, including DNA libraries, stored in case of mass extinctions and such. Internal cloning facilities would be able to clone life forms from the simplest to the most highly complex, and in great numbers, and would be of great assistance in repopulating species decimated by natural or artificial catastrophes.

-Extensive internal manufacturing facilities would provide a similar service for artificial materials, ranging from complex equipment down to basic materials for civil construction projects. It would also be equipped with multiple airdock facilities, allowing it to serve as a mobile shipyard to support the fleet.

-Naturally, the station would be heavily armed with Capital Ship-Scale weaponry, which could be used either offensively or defensively, depending on the circumstances. It would also be equipped with starfighter and troop complements rivaling that of the original Death Star.


The idea here is a battlestation whose purpose is much more nebulous and versatile than the Death Star I & II. It is capable of inflicting a lot of damage, but also doing a lot of good, depending on the use to which it is put, and it would be in the hands of an Imperial Remnant that acts wisely and pragmatically, and is actually supported by the vast majority of its populace.

Such a political entity would be a major challenge for the New Republic, as they are diametrically opposed to the Empire, yet in this faction, they are faced with a foe that does not fit the standard Imperial mold, and deprives them of their moral justification by behaving responsibly and justly and using "evil" technology for good.

Thoughts?
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"No set of rules can cover every situation. It's expected that you will make up new rules to suit the needs of your game." - The Star Wars Roleplaying Game, 2R&E, pg. 69, WEG, 1996.

The CRMcNeill Stat/Rule Index

[garhkal]

I like it. The thought of someone with a battle station with even a fraction of the death star's weaponry might but that is NOT a weapon of terror/offense, can give lots of pause i what to do.. much like center point did for a bit.
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Confucious sayeth, don't wash cat while drunk!

[jmanski]

Interesting concept
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Blasted rules. Why can't they just be perfect?

[vanir]

Now we ask how Palpatine would use it. I'm guessing something along the lines of an impenetrable planetary forcefield blockade of offending system's capital planet and long term conventional siege from units based at the battle platform.

What could be the possible guarantee a militant faction like the Imperial Remnant wouldn't simply flip out on self righteousness and use it this way?

In terms of actual equipment I see it as a creative and realistic alternative role of the death star battle platform. Nice job.

[Anakin]

I love putting the players in moral dilemmas!

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If you fall seven times, get up eight times.

[garhkal]

I was always wondering, if a ship was made for the purposes of say, blasting up large rogue asteroids, that are of sufficient size to cause an ELI if they ever made Land-fall, but by the same token could be used to say, take out a planet's moon, or strip its surface bare.. what would players reaction to it be?
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Confucious sayeth, don't wash cat while drunk!

[Bren]

[Fallon Kell]

[CRMcNeill]

It's also potentially a question of technology instead of morality. What if the civilization that built the asteroid-destroying beam weapon hadn't developed tractor beam tech, and a destructive beam weapon was the only option available?
_________________
"No set of rules can cover every situation. It's expected that you will make up new rules to suit the needs of your game." - The Star Wars Roleplaying Game, 2R&E, pg. 69, WEG, 1996.

The CRMcNeill Stat/Rule Index

[vanir]

There are deepspace haulers capable of moving an asteroid with their prime -mover sections. Some mining equipment might handle it too.
You could blow it up if you had planetary shields but otherwise you'd be swapping a quick death for a more drawn out one of large meteor showers.

For natural disasters however it is warning times which are critical. A Stellar or Imperial class system would probably be very well mapped and strewn with various beacons, stations and satellites.

Geological or solar troubles would probably be the biggest concern, or a roving black hole, that would be pretty nasty. Gamma ray bursts, things like that. A lot of stuff is muted simply by having planetary shields, but even a Stellar or Standard class system is likely to have at least capital scale shields around the ports and capital. I should imagine these can be configured to protect against lethal radiation.

Probably the biggest danger of any frequency to planets is really orbital bombardment, which tends to happen every few centuries (as opposed to every epoch or so for ELEs), so against all the common threats a shield and defence network combined with appropriate tech level local exploration and systems monitoring, well these things are pretty good.

Not sure why a system would want a planetary scale weapon for survival purposes unless built for a specific task, like a roving black hole (probably wouldn't help you much).

[Random Numbers]

[vanir]

Yeah I used the term meteoroid shower to represent a couple of dudes standing on the back porch looking up at the bright lights and remarking, "Well you know, they might not hit."

[garhkal]

[Esoomian]

[Bren]