Built a functional three post helicopter, designed loosely after an extended CH-47. Each rotor post was 2 spinners tall, and each spinner mounted four prop blades. The fore and aft posts rotated counter-clockwise, while the central post rotated much faster in the clockwise direction in order to negate the spin effects from the other blades. Miniature lift spinners were added to various points of the craft, and their activation keys remapped so that the numpad controlled yaw, pitch, roll, ascent, and descent, while the IJKL keys controlled strafing and fore/aft thrust. 8 cannons were mounted in fore and aft batteries to fire in sequences of four, while broadside batteries of 8 were added to fire in sequences of 2. Propeller blades still provide more than enough thrust to get us off the ground, so I added structural reinforcement and armor plating to the exterior. In essence, the craft looked like the bastard child of a three rotor CH-47 and a pirate ship.
Took it into battle against the duke's transports. Pulled up to broadside the first transport, but they opened fire first. Their broadside hit us hard, causing us to roll hard in the air. We corrected our flight pattern and returned their broadside, destroying their vessel with a single salvo. The next two transports were unarmed, and our forward weapon batteries made quick work of both ships. However, part of a transport landed on top of mined yak, and the resulting explosion pelted our ship with debris. The rail holding the port broadside battery was heavily damaged, losing a few cannons and hanging low, disrupting the helicopter's symmetry. I thought this would interfere with our flight, but a bit of strategy with the roll controls allowed us to maintain a steady course to the final escort.
We flew along side for a final glorious broadside, and promptly realized this escort ship had a lot more guns on it than the last one. Their salvo threw us off course, blew apart the remaining port side armor, destroyed half of our fore rotor, and tore apart the yaw controls. Our return salvo, owing to the earlier damage, went low, and we careened out of the sky. Desperately, we tried to restabilize before we hit ground, and we actually succeeded. The design was so damn robust that, despite slight to heavy damage to nearly all lift and control structures, we were able to land. We didn't maintain flight, but we were able to hit the ground gently enough, in a level enough position, that our landing suspension could take the hit.
Then the most amazing thing happened when I powered up the lift rotors again: she still flew. Parts were hanging off and jiggling whenever the thrust changed direction, and we were clearly missing most of the port side of the ship, but she still rose into the air, and like a goddamn flying fortress, she kept going and flying despite horrific damage. Our full starboard broadside blew apart the last transport before they could get another shot off, and we finished the mission perfectly.
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Topic: How did you last *own*? (Read 1292584 times)