Space weapon variety

[Jim]

I was watching a video on YouTube and it got me thinking about the space weapons in B%. What first came to mind was the complete lack of missiles or torpedoes. I thought that that was a little odd as most sci-fi universes have some form of missile or torpedo. However, upon thinking about it more I realized there was a variety of weapon systems for B5 in the show.

B5 itself had the single beam, oval cannon, the quad large bore side by side shooting, the thin quad that looks like old anti-aircraft guns, and the quad interceptor shooting platform. No rail guns or nukes or anything like that though.

The EA ships had the Beam that would be a solid line from the ship to target and they had the pulse like guns that sort of looked like photon torps flying from far away.

I like the variety!!!

[Jim]

Some clarification...

The single beam oval cannon is a plasma cannon

The quad large bore side by side shooting is a twin particle array

The thin quad that looks like old anti-aircraft guns are pulse cannons

The quad interceptor shooting platform I actually got right, interceptors

Pictures: http://babylon5.wikia.com/wiki/Defense_Grid

[Deepcrush]

Also, nukes were standard use for mines but due to limited range-to-effectiveness they weren't often used. Missiles/Torpedoes were and used by several races. Most notable being Earth's ODPs from the Endgame Battle "1st Battle of Earth" between Clark and JJS.

[Jim]

I do NOT remember the missiles at all... hum...

[Coalition]

Here's the vid, look at 2:17-2:20 for one of the platforms vomiting missiles (and quickly destroyed):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MXkIuVLnsFE&t=136

[SomosFuga]

We never saw it on screen but according to spects the EA ships had missiles.

[Tholian_Avenger]

The red hatches along the side faces of Omega's and Nova's were supposed to be rocket silos. The Omega would ripple off all those rockets in a heavy broadside. The animators never got around to that feature though.

A Centauri Vorchan fired at least one rocket against a planet in ITB.
Centauri Vorchans fired several spherical munitions against a squadron of Drazi Sunhawks.
Drazi Sunhawks fired several dozen missiles at a squadron of Centauri Vorchans.
Multiple types of Starfurries are regularly armed with rockets.
Earth's Defense Satellites all had small and large rockets.
A Warlock Destroyer is seen firing small and large rockets in the opening of the Battle for Earth in ACTA.
We have multiple occasions of nuclear warheads being used by Earth Force personnel.
Narn G'Quans have been seen to fire "energy mines".
The Gaim sell nuclear warheads.
The Shadows use some kind of rocket on their planet killer.
We have even seen a bat'leth.

The big oval openings on the front face of the Omegas and Novas are also weapons, they are a type of plasma weapon like the one on B5. Novas can be seen firing blobs from their oval guns and faint orange-red beams from their big twin gun turrets in ITB. These oval guns were intended to be the heavy weapons which would cripple an opponent and allow Omegas to close in for the kill with a broadside. Likewise it was left unused in the series. You can also see several Omegas in ITB if you look hard enough.

Space weapons usually use beams, tight pulses, or loose blobs; all in a variety of color.

[Deepcrush]

The big oval openings on the front face of the Omegas and Novas are also weapons, they are a type of plasma weapon like the one on B5. Novas can be seen firing blobs from their oval guns and faint orange-red beams from their big twin gun turrets in ITB. These oval guns were intended to be the heavy weapons which would cripple an opponent and allow Omegas to close in for the kill with a broadside. Likewise it was left unused in the series. You can also see several Omegas in ITB if you look hard enough.

You mean allow the Omega's starfuries to close range. The Nova was more the close up broadside ship with her massive plasma cannons. Extremely high powered but short ranged where the Omega's flanks used missiles, lower power but longer range. Just a minor nit.

[SomosFuga]

We also know EA ships (and the White Star) carry nukes, so missiles/torps are needed as delivery system.

[Tholian_Avenger]

You mean . . .

What I said was the original intention of the show's FX department.

Proof that they both have the red silo hatches:

The Nova was more the close up broadside ship with her massive plasma cannons. Extremely high powered but short ranged where the Omega's flanks used missiles, lower power but longer range.

That might be true for some table top game but we never saw an Omega or a Nova use a missile. For that matter, on an Omega, all the port, starboard, dorsal, and ventral fire was handled by the small turrets while aft fire was handled by the four fixed cannons which straddle the engine block. I don't recall ever seeing a Nova fire at anything in the show which was not directly in front of it.

I really wished we could see a broadside from a Nova.

[Jim]

You guys blew me out of the water with the not missles thing. BOOM!

I still like that variety though. It isn't just the same type of gun just bigger or smaller.

[Deepcrush]

The film "In the Beginning" when the Blackstar ambushes JJS we see several ships giving a broadside, a Nova included. Its a rather impressive amount of firepower but the shame is they couldn't hit anything but empty space.

[SomosFuga]

Makes me wonder how the EA resisted for so long.

[Deepcrush]

Everyone seemed to wonder at that, even the Minbari. Pure will power can go a long way.

[SomosFuga]

I guees it can. I love Londo's speach about the war:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ml1w92pk-Jc