Grak Yarn
Minmatar
13th Udorian Rangers
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Posted - 2008.08.02 04:38:00 -
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"Part One: From the Scrapheap to the Industrial Line - Minmatar Ships and the Extension of Culture"
When we look at ships, we look at an extension of culture. Every ship produced by any group is an extension of that groups personality. The designs are tied up in the history of its peoples, and in the culture. By studying the ships designs , uses, and history, we find ourselves able to look into the society that built it. With collaboration among pilots from the various factions, I hope to write a full series studying this phenomena.
In part one of this grouping, I will be looking at my own cultures ships, and looking at some of the designs and history behind the ships. To explain the title of this part, ôFrom the Scrapheap to the Industrial Lineö, let us take a brief moment to look at the history of the Republic. Starting out, the republic had virtually no industry, no standard template designs (STDÆs), nothing to build its ships from. So they literally had to get what they could from the scrap yards and cobble together something that would fly and shoot. As time went on, the industrial capability increased, and designs became much more streamlined and modern. Let us look at a few examples.
First, the Slasher. The Slasher is at a glance is a callback to the days of the Rebellion. It is cheap, easy to make, and easily built en masse. At a time when the culture was just starting, and having a ship meant finding something that wouldnÆt fall apart when you strapped a engine and a pair of guns to it. Before the expansion of industry within the Republic, it was ships like the Slasher, simple, easy to build, that helped keep the fledgling empire around. On a cultural level, the Slasher represents the adaptability the Minmatar are so famous for, the ability to compensate for short comings. Its design we see a ship used by those who know its this or nothing
Next, we will look at a more modern design, the Hurricane. The hurricane represents the next step in the history of the Minmitar Republic. After their fledgling young days, the processes have become more streamlined, more research is being done, industry is starting to get its first wind. Culturally the Hurricane shows the sort of no-nonsense straightforward design the Minmatar are noted for. It may not be pretty, but its effective at what it does. In a way it represents the Minmatars approach to many problems; direct and to the point. If there is a problem, solve it. DonÆt beat about the bush, as the saying goes. While not as streamlined as the Caldari ships, it maintains the adaptable look and feel of the Republic while streamlining design and efficiency.
The final ship I will look at today is one of the most recent designs to come out of the Republics shipyards, the claymore. Designed as a fleet command ship, the Claymore shows what the burgeoning Republic is truly capable of in modern times. The ultimate fusion of Tribal adaptability and individuality, straightforward problem solving and thinking, and efficiency. With its advanced design, it shows that the researchers of the Republic and the industry itself have come quite a way since the beginning of the Republic.
Throughout its young history, the republic has shown its ability to adapt and overcome as one of its primary strengths, and its ships are an extension of this. While not being minimalist, they are not either flashy, instead settling on a sort of quiet pride in their designs. Most of them also show the straightforwardness of Minmatar engineering and thinking.
The next part of this series will feature the ships of the Amarrian empire.
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No expansion without equilibrium, no conquest without control. Pursue success in serenity, and service to the people. |