Mother Ship or Ha'tak?

[Mr Prophet]

Ha'tak=mothership
the big suckers could be called dreadnaughts

Dreadnoughts are modern battleships: ha'taks - even super ha'taks - don't really fit the bill. They should be armoured to withstand a barrage from their own main guns and even if you didn't want to be so technical, a dreadnought should be notable for armour rather than scale.

How about a juggernaut?

[GeneralJackO'Neill]

or a galley. wait those are small and not that much armored.

[Mr Prophet]

or a galley. wait those are small and not that much armored.

Mostly they're rowed. With oars.

[GeneralJackO'Neill]

Hmm. Is there really a modern day dreadnought?

[Mr Prophet]

Hmm. Is there really a modern day dreadnought?

No, but the HMS Dreadnought was the first modern battleship and the model for all that followed; that is a ship with big guns and armour enough to resist them. There aren't any battleships any more, really - just a few that haven't been decommissioned yet - but those there were remained of the post-Dreadnought style until they were superceded by the aircraft carrier.

[GeneralJackO'Neill]

No, but the HMS Dreadnought was the first modern battleship and the model for all that followed; that is a ship with big guns and armour enough to resist them. There aren't any battleships any more, really - just a few that haven't been decommissioned yet - but those there were remained of the post-Dreadnought style until they were superceded by the aircraft carrier.

HMS--back in the British empire?

[Mr Prophet]

HMS--back in the British empire?

Completed in 1906. She wasn't the first ship to bear the name 'Dreadnought', but the design was revolutionary and launched the age of the battleship.

[GeneralJackO'Neill]

aha. I understand.

[LordMartin]

Does anyone know who started using the term mother ship first? It is a sort of lame term (IMO) when compared with Capital Ship or Flag Ship. Although I agree the flag ship doesn't have to be the biggest.

Could you imagine if the Navy started calling Aircraft Carriers - mother ships?
So back to my question, I can't remember who (what show) started using that term. The only one I could remember was Babylon 5.

Star Trek - Nope (Not really a concept here)
Star Wars - Imperial Cruisers
Buck Rogers - Flag Ship? (Maybe)
Battlestar Galactica - Base Stars and Battlestars
Babylon5 - Mothership used extensively

Dare I include:

Space above and Beyond - Cruisers
Wing Commander - Battle Cruiser
Starship Troopers - Nothin' just big ships

I purposely left out Farscape & Andromeda (they're quite new)

[Mr Prophet]

I think it might well have been George Clinton.

Anyway, Star Wars had Imperial and Victory class Star Destroyers; the Cruisers are Interdictors.

[GeneralJackO'Neill]

Star Wars - Imperial Cruisers

It's Imperial Star Destroyer. They never really used the term 'cruiser' with Imperial ships.

[Lexx]

The only other "Mothership" referance I can remember off the top of my head was from Earth: Final Conflict. The HUGE ship the Taelons lived on was referred to as "The Mothership" or "The Taelon Mothership". In the first season it was called "The Home Ship" but I guess they decided that sounded kind of dumb because they dropped it quickly.

[LordMartin]

I think it might well have been George Clinton.

Funny... you never know with the Funk Master!

[LordMartin]

The only other "Mothership" referance I can remember off the top of my head was from Earth: Final Conflict. The HUGE ship the Taelons lived on was referred to as "The Mothership" or "The Taelon Mothership". In the first season it was called "The Home Ship" but I guess they decided that sounded kind of dumb because they dropped it quickly.

Good call, I forgot about Earth: Final Conflict (Which I liked)

[GeneralJackO'Neill]

Yes--Interdictor Cruisers