Biggles<font color=#AAFFAA>The Man Without a Face</font>
Not a lot.
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[b][url="http://www.minbari.co.uk/log12.2263/"]Required reading[/url][/b]
Never eat anything bigger than your own head.
The Balance provides. The Balance protects.
"Nonono...Is not [i]Great[/i] Machine. Is...[i]Not[/i]-so-Great Machine. It make good snow cone though." - Zathras
Im going to assume one of you gave me this url :
[url="http://www.b5tech.com/science/misc/fleetsize/earthfleetsize.html"]http://www.b5tech.com/science/misc/fleetsize/earthfleetsize.html[/url]
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"When it is time,come to this place,call our name,we will be here"-Walkers of Sigma957
[url="http://ifh.firstones.com"]I've Found Her-Babylon 5 free game[/url]
Biggles<font color=#AAFFAA>The Man Without a Face</font>
50,000 is a lot of ships. Clearly those numbers are not all used for capital ships, but instead are for all ships used by Earth Force. This would probably include fighters as well.
However, they would need at a minimum 1,000 capital ships to be an effective force, so I would say that they would have at least this number, if not more.
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[b][url="http://www.minbari.co.uk/log12.2263/"]Required reading[/url][/b]
Never eat anything bigger than your own head.
The Balance provides. The Balance protects.
"Nonono...Is not [i]Great[/i] Machine. Is...[i]Not[/i]-so-Great Machine. It make good snow cone though." - Zathras
[quote]
With a loss of 70% of the original 60,000, the Earth Alliance probably had a total of 18,000 ships. Of the 18,000 strong fleet of the Earth Alliance, at least half of these are support vessels for the fleet - cutting us down to 9,000 vessels. Of this figure, at least half are likely border patrol type vessels, corvettes etc. This gives us a fleet strength of some 4,500 large-scale capital vessels, ranging from small Light Cruisers to large scale Destroyers.
As such Earth Alliance probably only has a viable combat fleet of 4,500 vessels, consisting of Destroyers, Carriers, Dreadnoughts, Battle Cruisers, Frigates, and Cruisers of varying sizes.
[/quote]
It may be from some official figures, but I don't think you could build 50,000 ships. Just think of the massive rescorces required to build that many ships and the time taken to build just Omega class destroyer. The u.s the worlds only super power has a fleet of around 400 ships. With that they can effectivly protect their interests around the world. In b5 I think about 1000 ships sounds more right, but even that might be high. Notice that even in major battles like svered dreams the EA sends about 6 capships max. The times when you see masses of ships are in those huge once in a lifetime battles like into the fire. Look at all the ships in Mars in Endgame, to me it looks like sveral hundred ships, not thousands. Fleets of a thousand ships or more are very rare, and they do not usually gather at once.
[quote]Originally posted by TheEXone:
[b]Look at all the ships in Mars in Endgame, to me it looks like sveral hundred ships, not thousands. Fleets of a thousand ships or more are very rare, and they do not usually gather at once.
[/b][/quote]
It was about forty ships at Mars. The Battle of the Line was the only engagement with thousands of ships.
There are about 30 ships at mars on endgame, although there are quite a lot of ships at the battle in a call to arms (does it say in a crusade episode that 250 ships were lost?)..
I agree though, i find it hard to believe that the EA has more than 1,000 capital ships, the cost would be far too great not only to build but maintain the fleet.. About 200 Omega's is what im thinking [img]http://216.15.145.59/mainforums/smile.gif[/img]
Biggles<font color=#AAFFAA>The Man Without a Face</font>
When you include fighters, shuttles, tankers and other non-combat ships, the numbers will climb very fast.
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[b][url="http://www.minbari.co.uk/log12.2263/"]Required reading[/url][/b]
Never eat anything bigger than your own head.
The Balance provides. The Balance protects.
"Nonono...Is not [i]Great[/i] Machine. Is...[i]Not[/i]-so-Great Machine. It make good snow cone though." - Zathras
I think that JMS didn't give a damn about technical accuracy, so EA fleet size is completely up to what his mood was on the day he wrote whatever part of whatever episode. I mean, when people goes up to him and ask him these types of question, he just holds his hands apart and say "this many".
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"God's in his heaven. All's right with the world."
[quote]Originally posted by jambo_jimmy:
[b]I agree though, i find it hard to believe that the EA has more than 1,000 capital ships, the cost would be far too great not only to build but maintain the fleet.. About 200 Omega's is what im thinking [img]http://216.15.145.59/mainforums/smile.gif[/img][/b][/quote]
Lets say two hundred Omegas, a hundred and fifty Novas, Three hundred Hyperions, and four hundred of those little Corvettes in ITB, and we have, um....
Biggles<font color=#AAFFAA>The Man Without a Face</font>
[quote]Originally posted by TheSaint:
[b]I think that JMS didn't give a damn about technical accuracy, so EA fleet size is completely up to what his mood was on the day he wrote whatever part of whatever episode. I mean, when people goes up to him and ask him these types of question, he just holds his hands apart and say "this many".[/b][/quote]
Most of the figures and stuff he uses are done for dramatic effect, same as everything else he uses. The drama comes first.
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[b][url="http://www.minbari.co.uk/log12.2263/"]Required reading[/url][/b]
Never eat anything bigger than your own head.
The Balance provides. The Balance protects.
"Nonono...Is not [i]Great[/i] Machine. Is...[i]Not[/i]-so-Great Machine. It make good snow cone though." - Zathras
[quote]Originally posted by Eternity:
[b]I'd still say that 50,000 capital ships is wayyyyyy to many! Even for the EA!!!
Lemme see I can see my way through to aroung 1,000.
I mean come on! If an OCD is named after a ?Greek? god, HOW MANY ARE THERE???????????
Not NEAR 1,000. IO'd go for the smaller number. I rekon that that 50,000 is all EA ships. Caps, transports, fighters, shuttles, liners etc.[/b][/quote]
[quote]From [url="http://www.b5tech.com"]B5 Tech Manual[/url], by way of jambo_jimmy
[b]With a loss of 70% of the original 60,000, the Earth Alliance probably had a total of 18,000 ships. Of the 18,000 strong fleet of the Earth Alliance, at least half of these are support vessels for the fleet - cutting us down to 9,000 vessels. Of this figure, at least half are likely border patrol type vessels, corvettes etc. This gives us a fleet strength of some 4,500 large-scale capital vessels, ranging from small Light Cruisers to large scale Destroyers.
As such Earth Alliance probably only has a viable combat fleet of 4,500 vessels, consisting of Destroyers, Carriers, Dreadnoughts, Battle Cruisers, Frigates, and Cruisers of varying sizes.[/b]
[/quote]
It's so [i]nice[/i] when people read the entirety of other people's posts.
Biggles<font color=#AAFFAA>The Man Without a Face</font>
Would the Olympus be classed as a capital ship?
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[b][url="http://www.minbari.co.uk/log12.2263/"]Required reading[/url][/b]
Never eat anything bigger than your own head.
The Balance provides. The Balance protects.
"Nonono...Is not [i]Great[/i] Machine. Is...[i]Not[/i]-so-Great Machine. It make good snow cone though." - Zathras
WarleaderInmate: Babylon Project Mental Health Facility
NOWHERE NEAR THE LLORT POWER
Biggles<font color=#AAFFAA>The Man Without a Face</font>
Well, no. After all, the llort did manage to push the Narns out of the B5 game. They must be powerful.
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[b][url="http://www.minbari.co.uk/log12.2263/"]Required reading[/url][/b]
Never eat anything bigger than your own head.
The Balance provides. The Balance protects.
"Nonono...Is not [i]Great[/i] Machine. Is...[i]Not[/i]-so-Great Machine. It make good snow cone though." - Zathras
[quote]Originally posted by Biggles:
[b]Would the Olympus be classed as a capital ship?
[/b][/quote]
I would. I mean, they have enough firepower to take on, what, two dozen Minbari crusiers in ITB. I mean, just one (plus it's 'Furys) lasted nearly two minutes! I mean, jeez, two Hyperions and a Nova were wasted in less then thrity seconds by one ship in the battle with the Lexington!
That Olympus barely had enough firepower to take out a Minbari house fly. That scene was done to present the desperate nature of the war. A squadron of StarFury's and a corvette take on a sizable Minbari fleet. The Minbari were being generous. I wouldn't call the Olympus a capital ship. Its more of a patrol vessel...which is what a Corvette is. Designed for protecting convoys and scouting.
[quote]Originally posted by C_Mon:
[b]God Jul![/b][/quote]
Joulu meni jo. [img]http://216.15.145.59/mainforums/icons/icon6.gif[/img]
- PJH
Biggles<font color=#AAFFAA>The Man Without a Face</font>
[quote]Originally posted by David of Mac:
[b] I would. I mean, they have enough firepower to take on, what, two dozen Minbari crusiers in ITB. I mean, just one (plus it's 'Furys) lasted nearly two minutes! I mean, jeez, two Hyperions and a Nova were wasted in less then thrity seconds by one ship in the battle with the Lexington![/b][/quote]
I think you might be confused as to what the Olympus is. The Olympus is technically a gunship. It's quite a small ship compared to things like Omegas.
------------------
[b][url="http://www.minbari.co.uk/log12.2263/"]Required reading[/url][/b]
Never eat anything bigger than your own head.
The Balance provides. The Balance protects.
"Nonono...Is not [i]Great[/i] Machine. Is...[i]Not[/i]-so-Great Machine. It make good snow cone though." - Zathras
Comments
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[b][url="http://www.minbari.co.uk/log12.2263/"]Required reading[/url][/b]
Never eat anything bigger than your own head.
The Balance provides. The Balance protects.
"Nonono...Is not [i]Great[/i] Machine. Is...[i]Not[/i]-so-Great Machine. It make good snow cone though." - Zathras
I was thinking about 1,000?
[url="http://www.b5tech.com/science/misc/fleetsize/earthfleetsize.html"]http://www.b5tech.com/science/misc/fleetsize/earthfleetsize.html[/url]
THANKS!! [img]http://216.15.145.59/mainforums/wink.gif[/img]
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"When it is time,come to this place,call our name,we will be here"-Walkers of Sigma957
[url="http://ifh.firstones.com"]I've Found Her-Babylon 5 free game[/url]
However, they would need at a minimum 1,000 capital ships to be an effective force, so I would say that they would have at least this number, if not more.
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[b][url="http://www.minbari.co.uk/log12.2263/"]Required reading[/url][/b]
Never eat anything bigger than your own head.
The Balance provides. The Balance protects.
"Nonono...Is not [i]Great[/i] Machine. Is...[i]Not[/i]-so-Great Machine. It make good snow cone though." - Zathras
With a loss of 70% of the original 60,000, the Earth Alliance probably had a total of 18,000 ships. Of the 18,000 strong fleet of the Earth Alliance, at least half of these are support vessels for the fleet - cutting us down to 9,000 vessels. Of this figure, at least half are likely border patrol type vessels, corvettes etc. This gives us a fleet strength of some 4,500 large-scale capital vessels, ranging from small Light Cruisers to large scale Destroyers.
As such Earth Alliance probably only has a viable combat fleet of 4,500 vessels, consisting of Destroyers, Carriers, Dreadnoughts, Battle Cruisers, Frigates, and Cruisers of varying sizes.
[/quote]
Agree! 4,500 sure seems high though!
[b]Look at all the ships in Mars in Endgame, to me it looks like sveral hundred ships, not thousands. Fleets of a thousand ships or more are very rare, and they do not usually gather at once.
[/b][/quote]
It was about forty ships at Mars. The Battle of the Line was the only engagement with thousands of ships.
I agree though, i find it hard to believe that the EA has more than 1,000 capital ships, the cost would be far too great not only to build but maintain the fleet.. About 200 Omega's is what im thinking [img]http://216.15.145.59/mainforums/smile.gif[/img]
------------------
[b][url="http://www.minbari.co.uk/log12.2263/"]Required reading[/url][/b]
Never eat anything bigger than your own head.
The Balance provides. The Balance protects.
"Nonono...Is not [i]Great[/i] Machine. Is...[i]Not[/i]-so-Great Machine. It make good snow cone though." - Zathras
I'd say the count is zero by that time... [img]http://216.15.145.59/mainforums/biggrin.gif[/img]
[img]http://216.15.145.59/mainforums/wink.gif[/img]
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"God's in his heaven. All's right with the world."
[b]I agree though, i find it hard to believe that the EA has more than 1,000 capital ships, the cost would be far too great not only to build but maintain the fleet.. About 200 Omega's is what im thinking [img]http://216.15.145.59/mainforums/smile.gif[/img][/b][/quote]
Lets say two hundred Omegas, a hundred and fifty Novas, Three hundred Hyperions, and four hundred of those little Corvettes in ITB, and we have, um....
200+150+300+400= 1,050.
See?
- PJH
[b]I think that JMS didn't give a damn about technical accuracy, so EA fleet size is completely up to what his mood was on the day he wrote whatever part of whatever episode. I mean, when people goes up to him and ask him these types of question, he just holds his hands apart and say "this many".[/b][/quote]
Most of the figures and stuff he uses are done for dramatic effect, same as everything else he uses. The drama comes first.
------------------
[b][url="http://www.minbari.co.uk/log12.2263/"]Required reading[/url][/b]
Never eat anything bigger than your own head.
The Balance provides. The Balance protects.
"Nonono...Is not [i]Great[/i] Machine. Is...[i]Not[/i]-so-Great Machine. It make good snow cone though." - Zathras
I'd hazard I guess that no more than 10-20 had been constructed by the time of Crusade.
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'The future is all around us' G'kar
'I have no surviving enemies! None what so ever!' Galen
Visit my B5 site at: [url="http://www.nialb5.com"]www.NialB5.com[/url].
[img]http://216.15.145.59/mainforums/smile.gif[/img]
Lemme see I can see my way through to aroung 1,000.
I mean come on! If an OCD is named after a ?Greek? god, HOW MANY ARE THERE???????????
Not NEAR 1,000. IO'd go for the smaller number. I rekon that that 50,000 is all EA ships. Caps, transports, fighters, shuttles, liners etc.
[b]I'd still say that 50,000 capital ships is wayyyyyy to many! Even for the EA!!!
Lemme see I can see my way through to aroung 1,000.
I mean come on! If an OCD is named after a ?Greek? god, HOW MANY ARE THERE???????????
Not NEAR 1,000. IO'd go for the smaller number. I rekon that that 50,000 is all EA ships. Caps, transports, fighters, shuttles, liners etc.[/b][/quote]
[quote]From [url="http://www.b5tech.com"]B5 Tech Manual[/url], by way of jambo_jimmy
[b]With a loss of 70% of the original 60,000, the Earth Alliance probably had a total of 18,000 ships. Of the 18,000 strong fleet of the Earth Alliance, at least half of these are support vessels for the fleet - cutting us down to 9,000 vessels. Of this figure, at least half are likely border patrol type vessels, corvettes etc. This gives us a fleet strength of some 4,500 large-scale capital vessels, ranging from small Light Cruisers to large scale Destroyers.
As such Earth Alliance probably only has a viable combat fleet of 4,500 vessels, consisting of Destroyers, Carriers, Dreadnoughts, Battle Cruisers, Frigates, and Cruisers of varying sizes.[/b]
[/quote]
It's so [i]nice[/i] when people read the entirety of other people's posts.
------------------
[b][url="http://www.minbari.co.uk/log12.2263/"]Required reading[/url][/b]
Never eat anything bigger than your own head.
The Balance provides. The Balance protects.
"Nonono...Is not [i]Great[/i] Machine. Is...[i]Not[/i]-so-Great Machine. It make good snow cone though." - Zathras
------------------
[b][url="http://www.minbari.co.uk/log12.2263/"]Required reading[/url][/b]
Never eat anything bigger than your own head.
The Balance provides. The Balance protects.
"Nonono...Is not [i]Great[/i] Machine. Is...[i]Not[/i]-so-Great Machine. It make good snow cone though." - Zathras
[b]Would the Olympus be classed as a capital ship?
[/b][/quote]
I would. I mean, they have enough firepower to take on, what, two dozen Minbari crusiers in ITB. I mean, just one (plus it's 'Furys) lasted nearly two minutes! I mean, jeez, two Hyperions and a Nova were wasted in less then thrity seconds by one ship in the battle with the Lexington!
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GREEN
ARDVARK
WATERCOOLER
COFFEE?
[b]God Jul![/b][/quote]
Joulu meni jo. [img]http://216.15.145.59/mainforums/icons/icon6.gif[/img]
- PJH
[b] I would. I mean, they have enough firepower to take on, what, two dozen Minbari crusiers in ITB. I mean, just one (plus it's 'Furys) lasted nearly two minutes! I mean, jeez, two Hyperions and a Nova were wasted in less then thrity seconds by one ship in the battle with the Lexington![/b][/quote]
I think you might be confused as to what the Olympus is. The Olympus is technically a gunship. It's quite a small ship compared to things like Omegas.
------------------
[b][url="http://www.minbari.co.uk/log12.2263/"]Required reading[/url][/b]
Never eat anything bigger than your own head.
The Balance provides. The Balance protects.
"Nonono...Is not [i]Great[/i] Machine. Is...[i]Not[/i]-so-Great Machine. It make good snow cone though." - Zathras