Any plans to also design refits for the old ships, so they are not completely useless so soon after being commissioned?
Yes, there will be refits for the
Ellen Louise Mertz-class, but at the end of the day, there's only so much you can do with a 2,000t hull. They'll still have a part to play in early geo-surveys, once humanity expands beyond the solar system.
I'm mildly surprised the Pius still got 8 seats, party loyalty is all well and good but there must be limits.
The Seraph AI does at least have limits, not least of which is not being as clever as it thinks it is - being surprised by the mob for example. I also wonder if it has properly accounted for orbital support, though I fear the Republic may be disappointed if it expects too much from the Mjolnir (at least until the next patch )
Well modern politics has shown that no matter what a party does, there will be loyalists that will vote for them, even when the party leader attempts to foment an insurrection. Also, the basis of the Pius is still valid - non-violence and attempting to do good in society. The remaining party leadership rallied around that, but the scandal of having the party leader and multiple senators arrested for treason and murder shook the party badly.
As for the
Mjolnir, it does about what I was expecting from fire support - its a single bombardment attack against infantry, so its like swatting flies with a sledgehammer. There might be a big difference if a 40kt battleship let loose its entire broadside.
That said, it was also just about the only way the Navy could contribute to what is happening on Terra right now, and it allows the Legions and Navy to practice orbital bombardment doctrines.