First In Her Class

IMS Shooting Star seen from the misted viewing panels of Dolby station orbiting Sin, Edens 3rd moon

IMS SHOOTING STAR , Lunar Gun variant

                                        As in all theatres of war the Golgotha sector was a continual political battle between the gun lobby and the ordnance lobby. The nature of the war was predominantly long range sniping so the lance and torpedo addicts tended to have their way.  The one area where the gun supporters could show a need was in the hunting of raiders . Most chases ended in failure. The raiders could outrun the pursuers, jink and make the torpedoes miss and lances could not get enough strikes and finally the nova cannon were too inaccurate. It was Herman Von Schlimger a confirmed gun supporter who came up with a lunar variant that not only gave the lunar a powerful chase weapon but increased the ships broadside power. The design removed torpedoes and nova cannons and replaced them with powerful long range prow mounted weapons batteries. Extra power over and above that available at the prow came by reducing the WB strength of each broadside from 6 to 4 and channelling this saving to the prow and increased anti ordnance turrets. However this loss was countered by the prow battery having a 270 degree field of fire. This again was countered by the removal of the armoured prow made necessary in installing the batteries. Although very successful the design was produced in fairly small numbers as the sniper group were politically much more powerful than the gun lobby. Many critics condemned the increased anti-ordnance capability as a waste of power but it would soon prove it's worth in the Golgotha trade wars when faced with waves of assault boats from renegade and pirate carriers. 

                                              Shooting Star's most notable success was in the hunting down and destruction of the renegade vessel "Sneak Thief", a torpedo lunar variant. The renegades captain Imremah Khan said after his capture that he was shocked when the Star's broadside engaged him and he was faced by 30% more firepower than expected. After a prolonged "eyeball to eyeball" gunnery duel, the Star's superior firepower gave the imperial vessel the edge and the "Sneak Thief" was forced to strike her electrocolour 

For instructions on building the Lunar gun variant model go to