How does the Hull Component work?

[David Dire]

This is something I've noticed: Literally no one has ever doubted the Hull Component's magical ways of keeping a ship alive. Well I'm pointing that out now and I'm asking everyone for some sort of reasonable answer to the Kraken-looking metal pressure pipe monstrosity.


I've always though it would have pressure and steam build up in relays all over the ship, where tons of easy-to-bend metal would surround each relay. The pressure and steam combined would force the metal into hard, bubble-like patterns that weld together from the steam. When the component gets destroyed, the pressure and steam is released, meaning any incoming projectiles/other weapons can easily shred through these light metal formations.

[HamsterIV]

I have two theories:
1) The ammo magazine is surrounded by an epoxy resin shell. As the shell takes damage it exposes the ammo magazine which can be cooked off by explosives. A ship's death is actually all the unfired bullets in its ammo magazine going off at once. The hull repair point is the Epoxy resin dispenser that can squirt Liquid resin over the magazine which will quickly harden and block any explosives from cooking off the unused bullets.
2) The hull repair point is some sort of rope making machine and we are not protecting the hull but rather manufacturing replacement ropes for the ropes that get damaged by enemy fire. A team of highly trained hamsters run the ropes from the rope making machine to the tie off points between the balloon and hull. If enough ropes are destroyed the ship falls apart as the lighter than air components leave the heavier than air components behind.

[ShadedExalt]

2) The hull repair point is some sort of rope making machine and we are not protecting the hull but rather manufacturing replacement ropes for the ropes that get damaged by enemy fire. A team of highly trained hamsters run the ropes from the rope making machine to the tie off points between the balloon and hull. If enough ropes are destroyed the ship falls apart as the lighter than air components leave the heavier than air components behind.

But then why does it blow into pieces?

[Carn]

The ammo cache one is a valid point. That's what happened to the Hood when it battled the Bismark. However, I think its a pressure thing, when the armor plates get bent out, the pressure pops them back in place. When there is to much pressure the device shuts down, and the ship takes real damage.

[Sammy B. T.]

Bear with me for a second.

Guns of Icarus is actually a sci fi, futuristic, space fighting game and we're in the middle of what is basically a really long easter egg sort of joke. Most things in the game were transferred well over into steam/diesel punkiness. However a big part of the gameplay mechanic was shields which you obviously can't have in the era. So they changed the name from shields to armor and kept everything the same.

Think about it, what is the best way to destroy the "armor" in this game? The machine gun. Any scenario where shields are involved its always the many weak shots that are effective against shields. Generally those are ineffective against armor.

Think about it man, its a conspiracy!

[HamsterIV]

2) The hull repair point is some sort of rope making machine and we are not protecting the hull but rather manufacturing replacement ropes for the ropes that get damaged by enemy fire. A team of highly trained hamsters run the ropes from the rope making machine to the tie off points between the balloon and hull. If enough ropes are destroyed the ship falls apart as the lighter than air components leave the heavier than air components behind.

But then why does it blow into pieces?

The ship is under constant tension to hold its shape. Just like a piano that explodes if all the energy tied up in the tension of the strings is released at once your ship explodes when enough of the ropes holding it together are cut. I like that your main fault in my theory is how the ship explodes and not the team of invisible hamsters that ensure the ropes are tied off to the correct part of the hull.

[Carn]

the only ropes i've seen are what connects the balloon to the hull. 0 evidence that the hull is held together by ropes

[ShadedExalt]

2) The hull repair point is some sort of rope making machine and we are not protecting the hull but rather manufacturing replacement ropes for the ropes that get damaged by enemy fire. A team of highly trained hamsters run the ropes from the rope making machine to the tie off points between the balloon and hull. If enough ropes are destroyed the ship falls apart as the lighter than air components leave the heavier than air components behind.

But then why does it blow into pieces?

The ship is under constant tension to hold its shape. Just like a piano that explodes if all the energy tied up in the tension of the strings is released at once your ship explodes when enough of the ropes holding it together are cut. I like that your main fault in my theory is how the ship explodes and not the team of invisible hamsters that ensure the ropes are tied off to the correct part of the hull.

Skywhales and the ships themselves flying are nothing compared to invisible, intelligent hamsters.

[Arturo Sanchez]

It's an AT field.

/thread.

[Richard LeMoon]

My complete hypothesis is written down here (hull device) and here (balloon device).

[The Sky Wolf]

No, the Armor-Hull component dispenses a very thick, fast-hardening goo-like substance via the pumps seen all over the ship to patch all holes and cracks created by enemy projectiles; even the Balloon component does the same thing to patch tears made in the balloon frabric. The vibrations caused by the impact of the spanner, pipe wrench, and mallet help keep the goo flowing along smoothly. As the ship takes damage, the goo needs to be helped along faster to keep up with the new holes and cracks being made. If the engineers fail to keep smacking the Armor/Hull component, the goo will dispense too slowly and both the armor and hull will be too weak to stop the projectiles from tearing through and destroying the boiler/fuel tank that is always placed directly underneath the Armor-Hull component - The destruction of the boiler/fuel tank leads to the following explosion and then death.

[Lanliss]

No, the Armor-Hull component dispenses a very thick, fast-hardening goo-like substance via the pumps seen all over the ship to patch all holes and cracks created by enemy projectiles; even the Balloon component does the same thing to patch tears made in the balloon frabric. The vibrations caused by the impact of the spanner, pipe wrench, and mallet help keep the goo flowing along smoothly. As the ship takes damage, the goo needs to be helped along faster to keep up with the new holes and cracks being made. If the engineers fail to keep smacking the Armor/Hull component, the goo will dispense too slowly and both the armor and hull will be too weak to stop the projectiles from tearing through and destroying the boiler/fuel tank that is always placed directly underneath the Armor-Hull component - The destruction of the boiler/fuel tank leads to the following explosion and then death.

Sorry, but that sounds almost logical. I am afraid we must ignore you, and instead go with the hamster team.

[The Sky Wolf]

The biggest question of all that I can't answer realistically is: How does the crew not completely get shredded/burnt alive/get knocked off the ship during the first engagement? These ships are really just built for just traveling and trading quickly safely without having to deal with dangerous scavengers/bandits/dangerous animals/vast and inhospitable terrain down below. For these ships to engage each other with the type of weaponry that they do is so... Ballsy... The fight would be over from the first gatling burst, rocket explosion, or squirt of flame if the crew took realistic damage.

Only boarding and small arms fire would be understandable, but that would be sooo risky if the ships bounced away from each other mid-jump. The only time combat would take place is probably when armed bandits try to raid unarmed ships.

[Squidslinger Gilder]

Can't really do boarding when you'd have air currents to deal with. Plus thermals and about a dozen other things. Start with a heroic piratical swing on a rope heading to enemy deck...ends with hitting a thermal or a crosswind and you either falling to your death or you turning into minced powder monkey in an engine.

The same reason you wouldn't just pee over the side on airships. Always that chance the wind will shift and you'll get splashback.

[HamsterIV]

The crew doesn't actually have a life of their own. They are ancient spirits, soul bound to the ship through dark techno-sorcery long since lost to man. Their corporal bodies have long since turned to dust. The humanoid figures you see scampering around the deck of a ship are but ghosts of those brave yet foolish individuals who volunteered to spiritually merge with these flying death machines. Ghosts have nothing to fear from bullets, flame, or shrapnel. Yet like any apparition they can not stray far from the corporal object they haunt. Attempts to win their freedom by leaping off their ghost ship are always met with humiliating failure as the dark magic rips the self projection back onto the cold hard deck it was so eager to leave. Only through the fiery destruction of the Airship itself can these lost souls hope to find the truce peace of the grave.