Revisions and Retrofits
The Sirentide is perhaps one of my favorite models. I return to it every now and then, making minor tweaks or major adjustments whenever I finish another ship, make up a greeble or doodad, work out some worldbuilding details, or just want to do something other than work or gaming.
It and the lore around it has evolved considerably since I started posting and from a revision perspective, I believe it has improved. I would consider it selfish however, to also want to keep the previous editions 'canon' in a worldbuilding perspective. I believe this is possible, especially in the realm of hardware. Warships in real life have been refitted and retrofitted throughout their service history. Some of the most dramatic evolutions (at least in terms of appearance) were of ships that survived World War I and made it to World War II. Examples of which would be the USS West Virginia, and the Japanese battlecruiser Haruna.
So, as the model evolves, so too will it in the lore. This album contains a variety of draft and otherwise unreleeased renders, so I apologize in advance for the grain.
Haruna in 1916.
Haruna in 1934 looks quite different from her original appearance.
USS West Virginia in 1927.
The same ship in 1944, also looking quite different. She now resembles her successors in the North Carolina and South Dakota-class battleships.
The 'official' first edition Sirentide.
With her counterpart, Zipang. This draws reference to the shared lineage of the US Navy Arleigh Burke destroyers and those of the Japanese Maritime Self Defense Force.
Sirentide (R1) in formation.
The Sirentides' first retrofit focused on new engines, completely rebuilding the entire rear third and the side pods of the ship.
This also unifies the engine designs of the Thresher, Shenandoah and Black Hills class battleships.
A comparison of the installation of side pods on the old hull (right) and the new structure (left).
The first retrofit also paid some attention on how the secondary gun and anti-air batteries were arranged and mounted on the main hull.
As can be seen here. In the foreground are is a retrofit of the Thresher-class destroyer.
The second retrofit this time pays attention to the superstructure, which reworks some elements and adds some others.
This is to imply further improvements in targeting and communications technologies that came about after these ships were launched.
Sirentide (R2) from above.