Fanwanking

[McAvoy]

Somebody explain to me the appeal of fanwanking?

I have been aruging with this person about her 14 kilometer troop transport is incredibly unrealistic. Basically she in some sort of RPG where even her ship is tiny. Basically everyone in that RPG builds these giant ships of whatever race they want with no regard of cost. She told me that building smaller is of no use to her and if she wanted to she would build a 40 km if she had to.

I was trying to figure out why these ships were so large whether it was technological limitations, or whatever. Basically it came down to wanting to have large ships with lots of cool stuff on it.

I am just trying to understand the whole concept.

[GrahamKennedy]

For some people, bigger is better. Size = power, strength, awesomeness.

It's probably all down to something rather freudian.

[Tsukiyumi]

Damned modern kids have no sense of scale or awe.

[McAvoy]

For some people, bigger is better. Size = power, strength, awesomeness.

It's probably all down to something rather freudian.

Pretty much. There were other people telling her that her ship was unrealistic and she got very defensive about it. I mean battleships are cool and everything. They are big and powerful looking. But there are also destroyers and cruisers that have specific tasks such as protecting the battleship or scouting. Those are interesting ships in themselves. Yet everyone wants a fleet of battleships because destroyers are for pussies.

14 kilometer troop transport. She didn't understand that if she lost this ship she would lose the 12 million soldiers she onboard and that it was better to have 100 ships or even more with the troops spread out that even losing several would not be a complete total lose.

[Deepcrush]

To be fair, the size of the ships could also be due to In-Universe issues. In B5, ships are huge compared to their crew numbers because of the fuel and other material needs to upkeep ships for extended periods. In Warhammer, they're even larger for the same reason. There was a note in one of the IG series that listed a fleet of 20+km troop transports. Each carrying as many as a million troops each with as many support persons and crew. However this force was being sent to invade a whole planet so it makes sense.

If her 40km ship is transporting a couple million troops and the supplies needed to feed them for several years of combat, I don't see why its a problem.

[McAvoy]

Her reasoning was that wanted the ship to be that large. She didn't want anything smaller. Her exact reason. I asked her if everyone scaled down their ships by a factor of ten would it have mattered and she no.

Aside from that she gave no other reasons why they were so large.

14 or 40 kilometer ship is excessively large for a troop transport. I personally don't have an issue with large ships if there is a reason behind it.

[Deepcrush]

Her reasoning was that wanted the ship to be that large. She didn't want anything smaller. Her exact reason. I asked her if everyone scaled down their ships by a factor of ten would it have mattered and she no.

Aside from that she gave no other reasons why they were so large.

Is there a logistical reason IU that she couldn't produce such a ship?

14 or 40 kilometer ship is excessively large for a troop transport. I personally don't have an issue with large ships if there is a reason behind it.

Its not excessively large if its cargo fills it.

[Mikey]

I agree with GK. Deep's right in saying that if a true IU reason exists for the size of the ship, then it's not really wanking; but it doesn't seem to me that your friend has such a reason. To me, the opposite extreme makes more sense - a ship as small as possible for the required capacity and/or capabilities seems a lot better... but I guess I have less "size" or envy issues than some.

[McAvoy]

Her reasoning was that wanted the ship to be that large. She didn't want anything smaller. Her exact reason. I asked her if everyone scaled down their ships by a factor of ten would it have mattered and she no.

Aside from that she gave no other reasons why they were so large.

Is there a logistical reason IU that she couldn't produce such a ship?

14 or 40 kilometer ship is excessively large for a troop transport. I personally don't have an issue with large ships if there is a reason behind it.

Its not excessively large if its cargo fills it.

Actually yes. Her technology is based on a combination of Star Trek and Stargate technology. Her area of resources and including population is perhaps that of two Earths. She apparently has a half dozen of these ships while having 14 kilometer mobile shipyard and 13 23km 'destroyers'.

Well I just found out these ships have magic capabilities... so nevermind anyway.

But we can still discuss why people to like fanwank ships...

[Deepcrush]

A large space based troop transport can be useful. For not the least of which is that you can make it very hard to kill. However, in a ST/SG crossover, there isn't any reason sub a ship could even be built.

As to fanwanking, remember that everyone wants to have the at something. For some, bigger ship automatically means better.

[Sonic Glitch]

Well I just found out these ships have magic capabilities... so nevermind anyway.

Naquadria?

[Jim]

I do not know what fanwanking is... but I feel dirty saying it...

[Captain Seafort]

Well I just found out these ships have magic capabilities... so nevermind anyway.

Naquadria?

Iso-hyper-megaphasers?

[McAvoy]

Well I just found out these ships have magic capabilities... so nevermind anyway.

Naquadria?

Magic. Along with mana draining technology.

A large space based troop transport can be useful. For not the least of which is that you can make it very hard to kill. However, in a ST/SG crossover, there isn't any reason sub a ship could even be built.

As to fanwanking, remember that everyone wants to have the at something. For some, bigger ship automatically means better.

If the 14 kilometer vessel was the largest then I agree with you however the ship is considered small in comparison. So the transport probably would be as proportionally as hard to destroy as would any other transport perhaps maybe slightly harder to kill due to sheer size.

[Deepcrush]

Magic. Along with mana draining technology.

Yeah, this isn't Warhammer so there's no reason for magic powered ships.

If the 14 kilometer vessel was the largest then I agree with you however the ship is considered small in comparison. So the transport probably would be as proportionally as hard to destroy as would any other transport perhaps maybe slightly harder to kill due to sheer size.

Then the problem isn't that there is a ship that is 14km long. The problem is there is a 14km ship in SG. Though do remember that in ST, things of that size have been built.