The Kraken, all you need for escort duty or trade?

[Zookajoe]

Let's take a look at this beast. (from the brochure) https://robertsspaceindustries.com/comm-link/transmission/16772-Release-The-Kraken

• MAX CREW: 10
• CARGO CAPACITY: 3792
• LENGTH: 270 M
• HEIGHT: 64 M
• WIDTH: 104 M

TURRETS
Five manned and four remote turrets, positioned at strategic vantage points around the ship, provide the firepower to blow even the most daunting frigate out of the sky.

INTERNAL HANGAR
A spacious multi-purpose hangar can keep your org topped off with fuel and supplies, spring serious firepower on unsuspecting interlopers, and accommodate a variety of vessels - if it fits, it sits.

LANDING PLATFORMS
Six versatile landing pads support a varied fleet - four pads suit smaller fighters, while the two upper platforms accommodate medium-sized ships.

BRIDGE
Command your flying fortress in comfort and with confidence from a state-of-the-art bridge that redefines what it means to captain a Capital class vessel.

CARGO BAY
Whatever your fleet or cargo needs, a massive main hold has you covered. With a combined capacity of 3792 SCU, the Kraken can adapt to nearly any mission, industrial concern, or business venture.

DRAGONFLY BAY
The rear of the ship consists of a vast cargo hold and a bay designed as a one-stop shop for Dragonflies, or other small vehicles, capable of rapid, dynamic deployment.

ENGINEERING
Easy access to the ship's engineering platform lets your crew effortlessly keep the engines stoked and your flying fortress going strong.

Now, with this kind of cargo capacity, smallish crew, and very respectable firepower from it's ability to house fighters and medium sized ships (the Eclipse is a Medium sized ship with size 9 torps remember). Seriously, when it comes to self supporting Trade Vessel or for Escort duty for say....Orion mining ships. What more would you need?

So yeah, once I find the cost, could be a whole lot of melting going on.

 

[Stevetank]

I know what I'm going to do with my Kraken

I am THE TANKIEST TANK THAT TANKED!!!

 

[Deroth]

The downside of using it for trade is that it has been stated that many locations won't support direct trade with Capital size ships.

 

[Zookajoe]

Might be because Capital size ships can't normally land, the Kraken can.

 

[Bambooza]

Its not just being able to land on the ground it could be the fact places like truck stops and bases like Grim Hex don't have a large enough landing pad to accommodate the larger ships. Of course the Kraken having landing pads could just use Hull As, Freelancers and Cutlass to ferry goods.

 

[Bambooza]

I know what I'm going to do with my Kraken

View attachment 10690

I am THE TANKIEST TANK THAT TANKED!!!

Was trying to figure out logistics on moving large fleets of Tonks and Cyclones for ground operations. Perhaps this is the solution as anything more then 4 or 6 ground vehicles becomes difficult to move.

 

[Horatus]

If you eyeball the kraken vs idris is looks to be a good hybrid ship. Less guns that the idris, triple the cargo capacity, and lighter operating crew. I also dont know how fuel storage for ships will work. Will carriers have to carry fuel for fighters or will it be an 'infinite' recharge so to speak on landing?

 

[Zookajoe]

Its not just being able to land on the ground it could be the fact places like truck stops and bases like Grim Hex don't have a large enough landing pad to accommodate the larger ships. Of course the Kraken having landing pads could just use Hull As, Freelancers and Cutlass to ferry goods.

I was thinking that too, heck, a Hull B is still considered a medium ship.

 

[mindfart]

Only problem with escorting is most likely the speed of the kraken, and the jump points it will be able to use. Same thing with trade.
How long does it take the kraken to get from point A to point B compared to a dedicated escort/trading ship.

 

[Zookajoe]

I think the carriers will have to carry fuel for the fighters.

I was looking at this and thinking:

2 Prospectors (Small ships)
1 Hull B (Medium ship)
1 Sabre and 1 Hurricane (Small ships)
1 Eclipse (Medium ship)

This would be great for extended planetary or asteroid mining, and could handle just about anything Pirates can throw at you.

Just my thoughts.

 

[Black Sunder]

I'd like to get one but I think its gonna be stupid expensive. However I think it would be a great mobile industrial base.

 

[Zookajoe]

Only problem with escorting is most likely the speed of the kraken, and the jump points it will be able to use. Same thing with trade.
How long does it take the kraken to get from point A to point B compared to a dedicated escort/trading ship.

I think the main benefit of it as a escort is that it can provide fighter support for the role of escort. Small fighters have very limited range, and most escorts would be guarding weaker, larger cargo vessels.

With trade, you can denote just half of it's cargo capacity and still carry 3 times what a catepillar can, and still defend itself very well.

 

[Horatus]

I think the carriers will have to carry fuel for the fighters.

I was looking at this and thinking:

2 Prospectors (Small ships)
1 Hull B (Medium ship)
1 Sabre and 1 Hurricane (Small ships)
1 Eclipse (Medium ship)

This would be great for extended planetary or asteroid mining, and could handle just about anything Pirates can throw at you.

Just my thoughts.

The next question then is the cargo space already allocated for fuel or would you have to use up cargo space for fuel?

 

[Horatus]

I'd like to get one but I think its gonna be stupid expensive. However I think it would be a great mobile industrial base.

Sounds like a great deep space defense platform for your endeavor or trading hub

 

[Zookajoe]

I'd like to get one but I think its gonna be stupid expensive. However I think it would be a great mobile industrial base.

This is my fear as well, I could probably liquidate my entire fleet and not have enough to get one.

 

[Zookajoe]

The next question then is the cargo space already allocated for fuel or would you have to use up cargo space for fuel?

As I mentioned earlier, even setting back half of it's cargo for fuel and munitions, you still carry 3 times what a Catepiller can. Not as good as say a Merchantman, but a good hybrid with lots of potential flexibility.

 

[Hybus]

The only thing you need to worry about is a steady source of fuel. However I'm betting a Starfarer can keep up. With the Starfarer or StarG providing fuel support for a remote mining operation, I would consider switching out to include a Vulcan. The StarG can keep the vulcan topped up and running fuel and minor repairs while everything else is out working. Or even forget the Hull B and prospectors on the Kraken.

This ship screams mobile base, keep the fighters, maybe add a cutty or two for heavy support and limited cargo hauling. This ship paired up with a couple of Orions, couple of Hull Ds and everything else running support and escort will strip an area clean pretty quickly. One Hull being loaded, the other in a transport run with an escort. You still have security on site, repairs and maintenance going and fuel collection to ensure keep the lights on.

 

[Zookajoe]

The only thing you need to worry about is a steady source of fuel. However I'm betting a Starfarer can keep up. With the Starfarer or StarG providing fuel support for a remote mining operation, I would consider switching out to include a Vulcan. The StarG can keep the vulcan topped up and running fuel and minor repairs while everything else is out working. Or even forget the Hull B and prospectors on the Kraken.

This ship screams mobile base, keep the fighters, maybe add a cutty or two for heavy support and limited cargo hauling. This ship paired up with a couple of Orions, couple of Hull Ds and everything else running support and escort will strip an area clean pretty quickly. One Hull being loaded, the other in a transport run with an escort. You still have security on site, repairs and maintenance going and fuel collection to ensure keep the lights on.

I like your thinking as a Support/Escort. Four small fighters, one medium fighter and a Vulcan to do minor repairs/run fuel to ships that can't fit in the Kraken's hangar.

 

[Zookajoe]

The only thing you need to worry about is a steady source of fuel....

I gotta ask, your handle, is it from the sword of French literature, or is it in reference to the airstrip denial weapon?

 

[Bambooza]

The only thing you need to worry about is a steady source of fuel. However I'm betting a Starfarer can keep up. With the Starfarer or StarG providing fuel support for a remote mining operation, I would consider switching out to include a Vulcan. The StarG can keep the vulcan topped up and running fuel and minor repairs while everything else is out working. Or even forget the Hull B and prospectors on the Kraken.

This ship screams mobile base, keep the fighters, maybe add a cutty or two for heavy support and limited cargo hauling. This ship paired up with a couple of Orions, couple of Hull Ds and everything else running support and escort will strip an area clean pretty quickly. One Hull being loaded, the other in a transport run with an escort. You still have security on site, repairs and maintenance going and fuel collection to ensure keep the lights on.

This does open up possibilities. I have a feeling depending on the trade run length it could easily end up being one or two Hull D/E per Orion. I'd still keep a prospector simply for scanning rocks and finding the next mining site for the Orion's even if its not used to mine. I hope they allow the prospectors to land and transfer cargo to Orion's as it makes for great symmetry. I am not sure about the need for a Vulcan given the Kraken can do all the repairing and refueling. The Vulcan might still be useful for repairing larger ships and recovering disabled Hornets. The Starfarer is going to be needed for bringing ammo and fuel to the operation as the Hull escorts will need to refuel at the Kraken before making the return trip along with the defensive force returning to top off after their patrols. The last ship I would include would be a Hammerhead. The nice part is it scales well with the ability to add more Orion's and Hulls with out increasing the in place security detail.