Starship designs...

[taalismn]

I should have the updated Blade ready to submitt Saturday when I can get to my own computer...

I'v settled on a combination of technologies....If the total damage on a high-speed ram should exceed the total MDC of the regenerating vibrofield, then HALF damage is done to the ship, going into the phsyical 'buffer' structure of the reinforced prow fiirst...THough obviously, if you ram a space-dinghy at 40% of light, you're not going to be in any danger because you're hitting something substantially less massive than yopurself...the POTENTIAL for hull-bending damage may exist there on paper, but it's just not going to happen...On the other hand, if you go all out and hit that Dominator mobile planetoid at top speed...expect to take some serious damage(and transmitt your last will ahead of time)...it ain't called a suicide run for nothing...

[taalismn]

added the Daito to the catalog.... er... that's the successor to the Blade.

Looks nice! I'm already getting stats and descriptions forming in my mind....Hopefully I'll have the Raptor up soon, and the Cachalot just needs a new system or two developed, so I can free up some mental shipyard space for the next batch of ship construction...

I'm satisfied with the Wasp and Komodo descriptions, so you can put them up anytime, unless you got anything to add to either....

[devillin]

added the Daito to the catalog.... er... that's the successor to the Blade.

Looks nice! I'm already getting stats and descriptions forming in my mind....Hopefully I'll have the Raptor up soon, and the Cachalot just needs a new system or two developed, so I can free up some mental shipyard space for the next batch of ship construction...

Yup, pretty sweet. Here's something I just thought I'd point out that hit me when looking at the ship and its stats. The Daito is roughly twice as large and massive as the Blade. Having it go the same speed or fast would involve having engines in it that are twice as powerful or more. Combined with that is that it has roughly twice as many engine pods as the Blade, and you end up needing twice as much main power to power all of this. You would therefore need twice as much reactor to power all of it. Add in the internal workings for the ram, and you are left with a ship that has either the same amount of space for stuff, or a significant amount less (up to 50% less), than the Blade. Combine that with the size of missiles, and I very much doubt that the Daito is going to be considered a Missile Cruiser. Definately a Battle Cruiser, since it is a Battleship in cruiser form.

[Aramanthus]

Hey Devillin, just for your own information some of those ships on Darkmax's site are from me. I don't want my designations changed! I know how to classsify ships!

[devillin]

Hey Devillin, just for your own information some of those ships on Darkmax's site are from me. I don't want my designations changed! I know how to classsify ships!

Which Ones?

[taalismn]

Added mention of the 'flying armchair' under 'Variants'..

WZ-PFS-1 Personal Compact Fighter System
(aka ‘StarCycle’)
The WZ-PFS-1 is arguably the smallest FTL drive starship constructed by WZTechYards...It’s a ‘minimalist’ starship, about the size of a hovercycle or compact urban hover-commuter, little more than an armored roll cage assembly, a power crystal drive system, forcefield generator, and a few accessory systems stuck in around a pilot’s lounger. The PFS-1 lacks any sort of closed environmental system; pilots must wear full environmental body armor, and only the forcefield bubble...known by WZ technicians as the _Umbra_.... around the craft provides any sort of protection against the harsh instellar medium(and weapons fire). It also lacks anything in the way of long range sensors(its sensors are hardly better than those found on commercial shuttles or military power armors) or communications(though WZ engineers have had some success in tuning the forcefield umbra to be itself sensitive to gravitic waves/radiation, thus allowing it to act as an FTL communications receiver/transmitter).
A miracle of engineering combining the talents of native Three Galaxies engineers and J!Ng technologists, the PFS-1 was meant to a strictly in-house secret; a miniature starcraft for the exclusive use of WZTechYards’ own high-level employees, security forces, special operatives, and elite troubleshooters. However, somehow, word leaked out of the PFS, and blurred and vague accounts of the combination forcefield and transport cage, so very similar to the design of the Spinnerette Interceptors used by the enigmatic Intruder species, has led to spirited and worrisome speculation in the Three Galaxies that WZTechYards has somehow struck a deal with the Intruders, trading technology in return for assistance in taking over the Three Galaxies. This is utterly untrue; WZTechYards has little knowledge of the Intruders beyond what anyone else in the Three Galaxies.....Despite their denials, the muddled reports of the PFS-1 have only attracted MORE attention from certain circles in the Three Galaxies intelligence communities, as well as from other less welcome quarters, which has WZTechYards’ coporate intelligence officials VERY concerned.
The PFS-1’s real strength as a starship is its extremely small size and sensor signature....Its sensor cross-section is smaller than that of many missiles, while its CG-drive ‘dimple’ is much smaller than that of most fighters and shuttles. It is much simpler to conceal than a larger craft(tales abound of WZ operatives hiding their PFS-1’s in garbage dumpsters, barn lofts, and even in the personnel airlock of a TGE battlecruiser they snuck aboard). This small size also leads to them being very agile and hard to hit(most pilots compare the control response to be equal to that of most flying power armors) ...most point-defense weapons systems are designed to destroy missile-sized targets heading TOWARDS them, rather than racing away.... Of course, the downside to the PFS-1 is that if the enemy DOES score a hit with a heavy weapon, the PFS has little to protect itself with.
It’s also worth noting that, since word of the existance of the PFS-1 system has leaked out, a number of other aerospace companies have taken renewed interest in ‘minimalist’ starships with military applications; Ganymede GoSystems(whose ‘Lightstep’ FTL space suit design reportedly helped inspire WZ’s engineering crews) is reworking the very same design to produce a Lightstep II/Darkstride military suit for commando teams, and Naruni Enterprises is supposedly working on mating a micro-FTL system to several of its won power armor designs, among others.
Type:WZ-PFS-1
Class:Personal Compact Fighter System
Crew: 1, in full EBA
MDC/Armor by Location:
Main Body 100
Forcefield 400*

*Shield Refresh Rate is 10% per melee
Height: 3.9 ft(1.3 m)
Width: 3.9 ft(1.3 m)
Length: 7.2 ft(2.4 m)
Weight: 1,000 lbs
Cargo: Three small compartments, one behind the seat, and two in the tops of the sideboard assemblies, each able to hold a medium-sized suitcase or survival pack.
A coffin-sized luggage pod(or suspended animation cryopod/bod-box for a single passenger) can be attached to the rear of the cage, and can hold about 500 lbs.
Powerplant: J!Ng energy crystal w/ 18 year energy life.
Speed:
(Atmosphere) Hover to Mach 3. Transatmospheric
(Space) Mach 6
(Kitsune Values: 20% of light speed; Accelerates/decelerates at 0.6% of light speed per melee)
(FTL) The compact FTL drive system can hit speeds of 6 light years per hour, and can go 25 light years at per activation.....however it can only be activated 5 times per day(requires about 4 hours to recharge/cool down). A quirk of the J!Ng Crystal Light Drive is that it will not operate within 5 miles of a ley line or ley line nexus.
(Underwater) Not Possible
Bonuses: +2 to Initiative, +6 to Dodge, +2 to strike, +4 to Roll.
Market Cost: Exclusive to WZTechYards; only coporate security operatives and a few trusted affiliates have been allowed access to them. A fully functioning example with fully-charged Energy Crystal could bring upwards of 300 million credits on the Galactic Black Market
Systems of Note:
Standard Power Armor Systems, plus:

*E-Clip Charger---Built-in behind the pilot’s seat is an e-clip charger with slots for up to 6 e-clips(rifle or pistol). The power connections can also be plugged into to extend the battery-life of electrochemosynthesis-based spacesuit life support systems.

Weapons Systems:
1) Laser Headlight---The ‘headlight’ of the PFS is actually a variable-spectrum emitter crystal capable of casting a high-intensity beam of normal light, or lensing to lase in variable-frequency(adjustable to defeat laser-reflective armors such as those deployed by the ‘Glitterboy’ power armor) laser bands.
Range: 4,000 ft in atmosphere/ 12,000 ft in space
(Kitsune Values: 2.4 miles in atmosphere, 240 miles in space)
Damage: 6d6 MD single shot, 3d6x10 MD burst
Rate of Fire: EPCHH
Payload: Effectively Unlimited

2)(Optional) Ordnance Hardpoints(2)---Two hardpoints for mounting additional light ordnance can be added to the sides of the crew cage, and synched to fire through the forcefield umbra.
a) Mini-Missile Pod---12 shot pod
b) Short Range Missiles---2 shot dual launch rail
c) Medium Range Missile---1
d) Heavy Laser---2,000 ft range/5,000 ft in space(KV:1 mile in atmosphere/100miles in space), 5d6 MD per burst, unlimited payload.
e)Machine Gun/Light Rail Gun---2,000 ft range/5,000 ft in space(KV:1 mile in atmosphere/100miles in space), 2d4 MD per burst, 50 burst payload
f) Cargo Pod---Holds an additional 100 lbs of cargo/gear; cylinder roughly about 3.5 ft long x2 ft in diameter

3)(Optional) Use of Hand Weapons----It’s suicidal, but it seems to be a favorite tactic of PFS-pilots to make kamikaze runs on opponents while throwing a hand grenade, armed fusion block, or firing a hand weapon through the forcefield when within staring-them-in-the-nose-hairs range...And yet, it seems to work....

Variants:
WZTechYards is still experimenting with the concept of the ‘virtual/minimalist hull’, and the leaking of the existance of the PFS-1 has only spurred greater attention to the idea. WZ is supposedly experimenting on a two-seater tandem version, and rumors persist of a phase-field-equipped model for covert operations. Another variant undr consideration is the so-called ‘StarThrone’(also referred to in-house as the ‘Hyperdrive Wheelchair’ and ‘Laz-Cee-Boy Chair’) an open-fronted plushly appointed seat with a life support containment forcefield and shields 50% heavier than the current-model PFS.

[taalismn]

Corrected the Ramming Attack...please review/comment/make any other corrections ypu feel necessary....

*WZ-MD-016 Blade Destroyer
Though closer in size to a heavy cruiser(and much larger than WZ’s ‘Mogami’-class cruiser, for example), the appropriately named Blade-class destroyer is a destroyer in armament and combat capabilities. The WZ-MD-016 was first manufactured by a member firm of WZTechYards of a planet(Kai’Shem) that had just joined the Three Galaxies; their premiere design for a large warship using less sophisticated technologies was found to be quite robust and the design was subsequently modified to utilize more advanced tech and materials.
The Blade lives up to its name in its general appearance; a long, thin, sleek armored hull, with a ‘hilt crossbar’ formed by a pair of auxiliary engine pylons, and an upper works bridge and sensor assembly. The Blade’s destroyer-class armaments lay concealed under hatches and sliding doors set into the ship’s streamlined hull; with appropriate EW cloaking, the ship can appear on long range scans as a particularly fast light starliner or transport. The primary weapon of the Blade is a large battery of long range missile launchers (at the time the ship was originally designed, the natives of Kai’Shem had not yet perfected heavy energy weapons for their ships, instead relying on more familiar missile armaments). Added on later by WZ is a pair of external-mount long range particle beam cannons for anti-ship actions with direct fire weaponry. For close-in defense, the Blade mounts several additional batteries of short range missiles and six retractable point defense laser turrets. In addition, the ship carries a large contingent of marines for boarding ships and investing facilities crippled and neutralized by long range bombardment. Finally, in a nod to the Kai’Shemi traditional love of bladed weapons(their planetary culture outlaws the private ownership of firearms, but personal balded weapons and a code duello are part of most civil law codes), the Blade appropriately enough is modified for ramming attacks. Though this capability has been rarely used operationally since the Kai’Shem have joined the greater Three Galaxies community, the few times it has been used to skewer and board enemy vessels, it has proven most effective.
The primary configuration of the Blade remains close to its original design; a space-going troop carrier and interdiction ship, intended to police space colonies and border settlements. The introduction of more compact and powerful Three Galaxies-grade fusion nuclear engines and CG drive units has openned up the range and internal space on these ships. Formerly much internal volume was given way to bulky reaction mass tankage...this has been now allocated to expanded life support and crew quarters, allowing a complement of crew and troops originally cramped into tight quarters much more room to move about in...and this has made extended range missions and tours of duty much more endurable. Sensors and forcefield shielding have been upgraded to Galactic standards, and the hull has been reinforced with more modern megadamage materials.
Despite the improvements, however, the Blade is structurally rather fragile for a ship of its size, and its overall armament remains weak compared to smaller ships like the CCW Warshield. Thus, the Blade’s best hope of surviving combat against more modern warships is to overwhelm the opposition with long range missile fire, then retreat from anything that survives the onslaught, to repeat again from a distance. It is often deployed as a missile-picket ship in larger battlegroups, or as a ‘missile barge’ supporting troop landings on planets and asteroids.
Surprisingly, the Blade is one of WZTechYards’ more popular ships, despite its rather primitive basis. The ship is so large and economical to produce, and so tolerant of modification, that it can be quickly adapted to a variety of purposes, military and commercial. This popularity has translated into large orders and happiness for the Blade’s original designers and builders, who now find their shipyard slips in constant operation to meet the WZTechYard orders.
Type:WZ-MD-016 Blade
Class: Missile Destroyer
Crew: 800; 150 crew, plus 450 troops, and an additional 300 passengers
MDC/Armor by Location:
Main Body 65,000
Bridge 2,000
Ram Prow/Vibrofield* 9,000/9,000
Engines(2) 6,000 each
Particle Beam Cannon Pods(2) 5,000 each
Long Range Missile Launchers(8) 250 each
Point Defense Turrets(8) 150 each
Variable Forcefield* * 5,000 each side(30,000 total)

*Vibrofield regenerates at 20% per melee
**Variable Forcefields regenerate at 10% per melee
Height:375 feet (125 m)
Width:660 feet (220 m)
Length:1500 feet (500 m)
Weight: 82,000 tons
Cargo: 15,000 tons
Powerplant: Nuclear Fusion w/ 30 year energy life
Speed:
(Atmosphere) Hover to Mach 7; transatmospheric
(Sublight) Mach 12
(Kitsune Values: 60% of light speed; Accelerates/decelerates at 1.2% of light speed per melee)
(FTL) 5 light years per hour
(Underwater) The Blade actually CAN operate underwater, able to move thru the water at 60 MPH, and handle depths up to 1,800 ft
Market Cost: 980 million cedits
Systems of Note:
Standard Starship Systems.

Weapons Systems:
1)Long Range Missile Launchers(8)---The main weapon of the Blade missile destroyer is its long range missile launchers.
Range:Varies by Missile Type
(Kitsune Values: 3,400 miles in atmosphere, 1,800,000 miles in space)
Damage:Varies by Missile Type
Rate of Fire: Volleys of 1-24 each launcher(so all eight launchers firing simultaneously will put 192 LRMs in the air at once!)
Payload: 144 each launcher, 1152 total. Additional missiles may be stored in the cargo holds and reloaded within 30 minutes(1 ton of cargo per 12 missiles)

2)Particle Beam Cannons(2)---The main energy weapons of the Blade are these two particle cannons, mounted in external pylons on the ends of the ‘wings’ where they have maximum arc of fire. The pods can rotate a full 360 degrees and swing out 90 degrees.
Range: 7 miles in atmosphere, 14 miles in space
(Kitsune Values: 14 miles in atmosphere, 14,000 miles in space)
Damage: 1d6x100 MD per shot
Rate of Fire: Three times per melee
Payload: Effectively Unlimited

3)Short Range Missile Batteries(4)---Mounted in the hull behind sliding hatches, these SRM launchers typically fire in defensive barrages against incoming fighters and missiles.
Range:Varies by Missile Type
(Kitsune Values: 10 miles in atmosphere, 500 miles in space)
Damage:Varies by Missile Type
Rate of Fire: Volleys of 1-10 each launcher
Payload: 100 per launcher. Additional missiles may be stored in the cargo holds and reloaded within 30 minutes(1 ton of cargo per 48 missiles)

4)Point Defense Laser Turrets(8)---Six point defense laser turrets can be deployed from concealed sliding hatches.
Range: 6,000 ft in atmosphere, 12,000 ft in space
(Kitsune Values: 2.4 miles in atmosphere, 240 miles in space)
Damage: 1d6x10 MD per burst
Rate of Fire: EGCHH
Payload: Effectively Unlimited

5)Ramming Attack--- Ramming attacks between capital warships, though a favorite plot device of holodramas and hardcopy grapho-readers, are generally avoided by most starship captains, and typically taught only as theoreticals in most space combat schools...However, the tactic remains a weapon of last resort for the desperate and by those seeking to take their opponents by surprise. Few heavy starships are actually BUILT with ramming tactics in mind, but the Kai’Shem have built many of their ships with a ramming capability from the keel up, and have developed the tactic into something quite useful(and possibly survivable). The namesake knife-like prow of the Blade is reinforced both structurally and virtually by a vibro-blade-like forcefield. Ramming attacks, however, are a risky business, however; hitting a target at speeds over exceeding the damage capacity of the ram prow(9,000 MDC) and vibrofield(another 9,000 MDC, but which regenerates at 20% per melee), will do the extra damage to the ship as well as to its target; this isn’t a problem when slicing through smaller ships with less MDC than the total attack damage potential, since the Blade can just coast right through their sectioned ruins, but hitting a mountain(or Dominator WarMoon) at fair fraction of the speed of light is NOT recommended if the crew’s to survive. Blade captains attempting this tactic on a stationary(relative to the Blade) and massive target will typically order a massive deceleration just before hitting the intended target.
Damage: 4d6x100xMach Speed number

Aux. Craft:
6 shuttles
10 Aerospace Fighters

Variants:
The MiD-016 has spawned at least four major variants;
The WZ-MiD-016D is a specialized drone-carrier; its long, thin, hull design concealing a specialized cargo; three bays of drones(up to 200 drones). These drones are deployed, like the destroyer’s armaments, from concealed bay-hatches on the sides and underside of the hull. These ships can also be distinguished by more elaborate communications antennae and retractable sensor ariels that are deployed to maintain command links to the drones.
The WZ-MiD-016M is an armed merchantman conversion that replaces the long range missile launchers, particle beam cannons, and troop quarters with cargo bays (able to handle up to 50,000 tons of cargo) and handling equipment. The M-conversion also adds four more point defense turrets, and substitutes the particle beam cannons with medium G-Cannons(6 miles in atmosphere/12 miles in space, 5d6x10 MD per 25 round burst, and 1,000 bursts per pod)
The WZ-MiD-016UD is a mine warfare ship, equipped for both deploying orbital and deepspace mine platforms(up to 800), and also neutralizing them. It drops troop capacity in favor of mine/satellite storage. The UD variant also carries eight shuttles and twelve drones equipped for remote operation mine-sweeping. Missiles and particle beams are retained for long distance defense and detonation of mines.
The WZ-MiD-016-C02 is simply the civilian version of the Blade; all armament but two point defense lasers have been removed, the ram prow has been removed, sensors and avionics have been downgraded to civilian standard, and accommodations for up to 2,000 passengers and 25,000 tons of cargo installed instead....These ‘ploughshare buses’ or ‘butterknives’ as they’ve been nicknamed sell for about a third the price of a regular Blade-class warship, and have proven very popular with short-haul commuter spacelines and carriers.

WZTechyards is also rumored to be working on a substantially upgraded ‘battlecruiser’ model of the Blade, which will have a correspondingly tougher structure(TRIPLE the MDC), heavier shields(DOUBLE the shield strength), cruise missile launchers(3), faster-firing missile launchers( volleys up to 32 LRMs in a single volley) and even more weaponry concealed under its skin(some industry analysts believe that WZTY hopes to capitalize on the well-known weaknesses of the earlier Blades by slipping this ‘wolf in sheep’s clothing’ in among other Blades) more in keeping with Galactic standards. Though details are scant, the ‘WrathBlade’ is expected to appear sometime in the next decade.

[Aramanthus]

Nice new ships Taalismn. Just one thing. You might want to go and correct anywhere you had the # 8 near a () it messed up.


Devillin, I set the stats and background for the Mastadon and the Sabot. ( Of the ones you mentioned.) Although Darkmax created some great pics for my ship designs. I'm impressed with how his skill has continued to improve.

[taalismn]

Dang...hadn't caught that...I thought I'd separated the '8's appropriately in the original, but evidentally NOT.....

[taalismn]

For peer review...not entirely sure about the ice-shard armament, so I'm open to suggestions....

*WZ-HIS-875 Raptor High Speed Interceptor
The Raptor is a heavy-duty interceptor originally developed and produced by the Freyos, a planet of high-tech-using Algor Frost Giants as part of their planetary defense forces. Modelled after the wing-form of the Byzarn, a giant roc-like lammergeyer vulture of their world, the Raptor is stoutly constructed to handle both Freymos’ severe weather, and accelerations that would leave lesser beings crippled. When Freymos became part of the greater galactic community, the Freyos signed a deal with WZTechYards and their shipbuilders’ guild for tech-exchanges and profit-sharing over shared designs. The Raptor was one of several designs the Freyos shared under the deal and allowed to be mass-produced for galactic sales. Originally designed for long-duration air patrols in both atmosphere and near-space, the Raptor had to possess good handling in both environs. Being transatmospheric, that meant having a strong structure capable of handling the rigors of dense atmosphere maneuvering, while still being light and responsive enough to be able to handle quick accelerations and decelerations in space combat against smaller enemy vessels. WZTechYards Thundercloud has subsequently modified the design, upgrading its powerplant, weapons, and avionics, and refitting the cabin to accommodate smaller crew members. Other additions have included a more conventional variable forcefield array to complement the existing shielding systems, and a star drive for short interstellar jumps(or deep space patrols).
Part of the attraction of the WZ-HIS-875 is that the ship comes with advanced technowizardry systems as standard....Among the resources on Freymos Prime is a class of magic-sensitive crystals that the Freyos discovered could be used to amplify their magical abilities, and even be ‘programmed’ with spells and spell-energy. Thus, a large percentage of their military equipment has been designed to exploit these crystals, and the Freyos have even seen fit to sell quantities of the less powerful(and more abundant) crystals on the open market, including the medium-grade crystals used in the Raptor. The cold-based powers that this system lends to the WZ-HIS-875 has led to its many ice-themed nicknames; “IceHawk”, “Chill-Kill”, “Satan’s Snowball”, and “Snow Slayer”.
The Raptor is large for a ship of its class(some star nations class it as a corvette), which has turned off many potential buyers looking for a CCW Proctor-scaled vessel, despite the fact that the Raptor was originally designed by and for much larger Freyos, and is easily modified for use by smaller-statured beings. However, the Raptor has done well in sales to Runners, bounty hunters, and mercenaries , who like the ship’s roominess and tough construction. The United Worlds of Warlock buys most of the production runs of these ships, especially because of their magic enhancements.
Type:WZ-HIS-875 Raptor
Class:High Speed Interceptor
Crew: 3
(Human Version) 3, plus 1-6 additional crew/passengers
MDC/Armor by Location:
Main Body 2,000
Reinforced Crew Compartment 200
Wings(2) 400 each
Laser Cannon(2) 200 each
TK Cannons(2) 280 each
Ice Shielding 1,000
Variable Forcefields* 500 per side(3,000 total)

*Shield Refresh Rate is 5% per melee
Height: 67.5 ft(22.5m)
Width: 390 ft(130m)
Length:210 ft(70m)
Weight: 800 tons
Cargo: 6 tons of supplies
Powerplant: Advanced Lucerin-Fuelled Nuclear Fusion w/ 20 year energy life.
PPE Crystal Generator/Accumulator(for TW Systemry)
Speed:
(Atmosphere) Hover to Mach 4.5. Transatmospheric.
(Sublight) Mach 10
(Kitsune Values: 50% of light speed; Accelerates/decelerates at 1.0% of light speed per melee)
(FTL) 4 light years per hour; limited drive duration of 6 hours operation(before requiring another 4 hours to recharge).
(Underwater) Not designed for underwater operations
Market Cost: 240 million credits
Systems of Note:
Standard Ship Systems, plus:

*I ce Shield---The Raptor’s integral technowizardry systems allow a number of magic stunts, based on the Algors’ own intrinsic magical natures; for one, the ship can sheath itself in a thin, tough, highly-reflective coat of allotropic ice that serves as supplemental armor. The ice shield serves quite adequately as anti-laser armor, and serves quite well against thermal-based attacks; the reflective properties of the magically formed ice and the cloud of vapor boiling off it proving effective in dissipating lasers and plasma blasts. Lasers and Plasma(including dragon breath weapons and magical fire) do HALF damage.
Note that that Ice Shield is ONLY used when in space....in an atmosphere, the added weight and bulk of the ice adds drag and ruins the fighter’s airworthiness(-25% to speed and -2 to all maneuvering rolls).
Once destroyed, the ice shielding cannot be renewed for a full five minutes(20 melees).

Weapons Systems:
1) Medium Laser Cannons(2)----Mounted at the base of the wings are two long-barrelled laser cannons which are the main direct fire weapon against enemy spacecraft and other targets.
Range: 4 miles in atmosphere, 8 miles in space
(Kitsune Values: 8 miles in atmosphere, 8,000 miles in space)
Damage: 1d4x100 MD per blast, 2d4x100 MD per dual blast from both cannons (counts as one attack)
Rate of Fire:Four shots per melee maximum
Payload: Effectively Unlimited

2) TW Kinetic Blasters(2)----The long cylindrical housings along the bottom of the ship are actually massive magical kinetic-bolt projectors that fire TK-bolts of exceptional power(more powerful than the ‘standard’ TK Machine Gun). These magical projectiles hit like rail gun shells, hammering a target to pieces. The Freyos have nicknamed these weapons ‘Thorsbolden’ in their native tongue; ‘Thor’s Fists’.
Range: 6,000 ft in atmosphere, 3 miles in space
(Kitsune Values: 3 miles in atmosphere, 3,000 miles in space)
Damage: 1d6x10 MD per bolt
90% chance of knocking humanoid-sized targets off their feet/balance(-1 APM and lose initiative getting back up/back on course)
50% chance of knocking over giant-sized targets(16 ft or larger)(-1 APM and lose initiative getting back up/back on course)
Rate of Fire: EGCHH
Payload:Effectively Unlimited(but spells must be renewed every two months, whether or not the weapons are actually used...600 PPE per cannon)

3) Ice Bolt Launcher----The mechanism for this weapons system isn’t apparent(such as missile bay doors or a launch tube); the projectiles just form under the Raptor and accelerate away from the ship to the target.
The weapon can produce two types of projectiles; a swarm of dagger-shaped fletchettes made of super-dense crystalline ice that act like rail gun projectiles, or a massive fifteen foot wide ball of ice(nicknamed a ‘Death Comet’) that hits like a meteor.
Note that both projectile types are unguided ‘dumb’ projectiles, most effective at close ranges where the target has less time and opportunity to dodge or take countermeasures.
Range:(Ice Shards) 6 miles in atmosphere, 12 miles in space
(Kitsune Values: 12 miles in atmosphere, 12,000 miles in space)
(Death Comet) 3 miles in atmosphere, 6 miles in space
(Kitsune Values: 6 miles in atmosphere, 6,000 miles in space)
Damage:(Ice Shards) Creates a cloud of ice projectiles roughly 200 ft wide
Human-sized objects caught in its way will get hit with 1d6 shards, each doing 3d6 MD
Fighter- and Robot-sized targets (16 ft or larger) will get hit by 1d4x10 shards
Ships and targets 50 ft and larger will get hit by 2d4x10 shards
(Death Comet) Does 2d6x100 MD to a 60 ft wide impact zone
Rate of Fire:(Ice Shards) Four times per melee
(Death Comet) Once every 4 minutes(16 melees)....Ice Shards cannot be used while the Death Comet is forming
Payload:Effectively Unlimited(but spells must be renewed every two months, whether or not the weapons are actually used...800 PPE)
Bonuses:(Ice Shards) +2 to strike inside 3 miles (effectively area of effect and difficult to dodge)
(Death Comet) +4 to strike if launched within 1-3 miles of the target.

Variants:
*WZ-HIS-875C ‘Iron Raptor’----This is a ‘mundane’ version of the Raptor that replaces all technowizardry systems with conventional technology. Replaces the TK-Cannons with Gravitic Rail Guns( 6 miles atmosphere/12 miles space- 12 miles atmosphere/12,000 miles space range, 4d6x10 MD per burst, 600 bursts per cannon) and a standard missile launcher bay system(capable of carrying 6 cruise missiles, OR 18 long range missiles, OR 32 medium range missiles, OR 64 short range missiles, or any combination there of) in place of the Ice Bolt Launcher.

[taalismn]

the "hole" towards the back?.... I meant that as a field generating hole, where the energy is built up in there and encompasses the vessel like a gravity field of a planet.

Or.... as according to your descriptions, we could always make that a PPE scoop.

It can be the ice/magic emitter....vapor slides out of it and over the hull before solidifying into magic ice....

[devillin]

Classification (ie. frigate/destroyer/cruiser/etc):
Actually, classification depends on time (WWI destroyers were 400-1500 tons, today they are close to 10.000 tons) and the builder. But the "standard" anglo-saxon terms in growing order is something like this:
corvette (*) - frigate - destroyer - cruiser - battlescruiser -
battleship - dreadnought.

Carriers range from frigate size to "dread" size.

While an ongoing concern to me is the size of Phase World warships, going by weight is not very accurate. Especially when you consider that you can have two ships of the same type that have vastly different weights because one is made out of magical elemental iron while the other is made from ultra-tech alloys. The best measurement is the length of ship, similar lengthed ships being in the same general class.

Another concern that I've pointed out here and there is that Phase World ships are far too small for their mission statement, cruising time, and crew size. Most ships are described as having cruising times of months and years with crews at around 400 people. The problem lies in that the ships' dimensions don't leave enough space for carrying the most basic of living materials: Food. Consider this: The average cruise ship that matches the size of the Warshield carries roughly 800 passengers and crew, dedicates anywhere between 30% - 50% of its ship weight to food supplies, but despite that only carries enough food for maybe two weeks. Now I will grant that there is a lot of waste going on there, but even going with strict rationing, I'd estimate you could stretch those supplies out to 2 months with no ill effects to the passengers. So for the Warshield, given the same type of supply usage, it could have a cruise time of 4 months. Add it hydroponics and other matter recycling methods, and you are looking at 8 to 10 months supply at any one time; not the three years listed in the book. This is not even considering that this is for 30% - 50% of the ships' weight being used for food. This is not including space for missiles and gravity cannon rounds.
One of two things would have to happen with Phase World ships. We keep the same sized ships, but lower the crew sizes by 75%. With this we end up with ships like the Marine Assault Ship from Aliens that is a couple hundred feet long, but has a crew of 30 or so. The other thing is we keep the crew sizes and make the dimensions of the warships larger by a large factor. Cruisers like the Warshield and Smasher go from 600 feet long to 1800 to 2400 feet long. In my book, making them larger is the way to go.

My proposed classifications would be as follows:
Frigates: Up to 600 feet long. Made for long range patrols. Average speed.
Destroyers: 600 to 1200 feet long. Relatively short range, made for fast escort.
Cruisers (Light, Medium [or just Cruiser], Heavy): 1200 to 2400 feet. Long range patrols. Average speed. While the standard cruiser is a balance between armor, speed, and weaponry; light cruisers sacrifice armor and weapons for faster speed and heavy cruisers sacrifice speed for armor.
Battle Cruisers: 2400 to 4000 feet. Medium range patrols. Weapons on par with cruisers. Speed on par with destroyers. Paper thin armor.
Battleships: 4000 feet to 1.2 miles. Big guns, lots of armor, slow speed.
Dreadnoughts: 1.2 miles to small moon. Bigger guns, lots more armor, speed same as battleships but can be made faster with more engines and less weapons.

[glitterboy2098]

While an ongoing concern to me is the size of Phase World warships, going by weight is not very accurate. Especially when you consider that you can have two ships of the same type that have vastly different weights because one is made out of magical elemental iron while the other is made from ultra-tech alloys. The best measurement is the length of ship, similar lengthed ships being in the same general class.

only as a general guide though.
a larger race will usually build larger ships, while a smaller race will usually have more compact ships.

Another concern that I've pointed out here and there is that Phase World ships are far too small for their mission statement, cruising time, and crew size. Most ships are described as having cruising times of months and years with crews at around 400 people. The problem lies in that the ships' dimensions don't leave enough space for carrying the most basic of living materials: Food. Consider this: The average cruise ship that matches the size of the Warshield carries roughly 800 passengers and crew, dedicates anywhere between 30% - 50% of its ship weight to food supplies, but despite that only carries enough food for maybe two weeks. Now I will grant that there is a lot of waste going on there, but even going with strict rationing, I'd estimate you could stretch those supplies out to 2 months with no ill effects to the passengers. So for the Warshield, given the same type of supply usage, it could have a cruise time of 4 months. Add it hydroponics and other matter recycling methods, and you are looking at 8 to 10 months supply at any one time; not the three years listed in the book. This is not even considering that this is for 30% - 50% of the ships' weight being used for food. This is not including space for missiles and gravity cannon rounds.

cruise ships are a bad example, since they carry much more food than they use, and a lot of it is luxury ingredients for fancy dishes. it's a floating resteraunt/hotel.
a military ship would be surviving on more basic food supplies with only a little fresh food and minimal luxuries. your basic limited cafeteria fare.
as a general guide, 1 ton of food/water should be able to feed 1 person for 200 days.

in regards to Phaseworld, i would assume not only recyclers, but synthetic food production. little more than yeast or other basic protein and carbs that are formed into different forms and textures, and flavored to seem less monotonous. with a military ship, probably not even much effort will be put into form. (remember the Aliens movie? remember how the marines complained about the food and it looked sort of 'fake'? same idea. the Aliens novelizations even used the same explanation, that it was synthetic food that barely counted as biological prior to processing.)

[taalismn]

Somewhere along the line you WILL have an attempt by the powers that be to 'standardize' classifications, if only to program the threat ID computer systems with some sort of baseline for rapid ID and informing of threat level...even if it's a warning like 'Roughy equivalent to a late-model Warshield'....

Of course, technological level also has a lot to do with...you can have a cruiser-sized vessel that sports only light armament, simply because its manufacturers/users devoted most of the internal volume to old-fashioned reaction mass for its fusion drive, and state of the art laser weapons for their level of advancement are big bulky things barely up to more modern point-defense standards...on threat ID monitors, though, such a hulk might give the computers the heebiejeebies and scare the snot out of the crew until theyr realized the 'cruiser' bearing down on them has armament barely better than a fighter....

Of course, that fusion torch might be able to shed enough plasma that it could ROAST the unwary fools who DON'T run like heck....

[devillin]

While an ongoing concern to me is the size of Phase World warships, going by weight is not very accurate. Especially when you consider that you can have two ships of the same type that have vastly different weights because one is made out of magical elemental iron while the other is made from ultra-tech alloys. The best measurement is the length of ship, similar lengthed ships being in the same general class.

only as a general guide though.
a larger race will usually build larger ships, while a smaller race will usually have more compact ships.

True. Kind of like the Zentraedi. Just double the size of the ship, or halve the size of the ship, depending on the race. If they are a human equivalent size race, their ships would fall into the same equivalent sized class.

Another concern that I've pointed out here and there is that Phase World ships are far too small for their mission statement, cruising time, and crew size. Most ships are described as having cruising times of months and years with crews at around 400 people. The problem lies in that the ships' dimensions don't leave enough space for carrying the most basic of living materials: Food. Consider this: The average cruise ship that matches the size of the Warshield carries roughly 800 passengers and crew, dedicates anywhere between 30% - 50% of its ship weight to food supplies, but despite that only carries enough food for maybe two weeks. Now I will grant that there is a lot of waste going on there, but even going with strict rationing, I'd estimate you could stretch those supplies out to 2 months with no ill effects to the passengers. So for the Warshield, given the same type of supply usage, it could have a cruise time of 4 months. Add it hydroponics and other matter recycling methods, and you are looking at 8 to 10 months supply at any one time; not the three years listed in the book. This is not even considering that this is for 30% - 50% of the ships' weight being used for food. This is not including space for missiles and gravity cannon rounds.

cruise ships are a bad example, since they carry much more food than they use, and a lot of it is luxury ingredients for fancy dishes. it's a floating resteraunt/hotel.
a military ship would be surviving on more basic food supplies with only a little fresh food and minimal luxuries. your basic limited cafeteria fare.
as a general guide, 1 ton of food/water should be able to feed 1 person for 200 days.

I will grant that a cruise ship wastes quite a bit of food, that's why I started my base time for military ships at x16 a cruise ship's normal usage. All things considered, I'd even be will to go to x32, or a base of 8 or 9 months using just normal food supplies. ....more below....

in regards to Phaseworld, i would assume not only recyclers, but synthetic food production. little more than yeast or other basic protein and carbs that are formed into different forms and textures, and flavored to seem less monotonous. with a military ship, probably not even much effort will be put into form. (remember the Aliens movie? remember how the marines complained about the food and it looked sort of 'fake'? same idea. the Aliens novelizations even used the same explanation, that it was synthetic food that barely counted as biological prior to processing.)

For races like the TGE, yeah, I can see this being the principle method of provisioning. But for states like the CCW, it would only be a supplement. I can see the SLoppy Joes being made out of this stuff, but I have a feeling the veggies and fruits will be fresh frozen.
Another thing I thought I'd point out is the missile loads of these ships. While the carrying capacity of the small and mini missiles is within the realm of reason, the carrying capacity of large and cruise missiles are stretching it a bit. I will grant that PW large missiles are not as large as the ones Triax uses, they are definately as large as the ones the Valkyries in Robotech carry, and the cruise missiles are just as large. So you've got these huge carrying capacities of missiles that should conceivably completely fill the ship up; but then that's not counting food, recycling, and life support systems.

[devillin]

Of course, technological level also has a lot to do with...you can have a cruiser-sized vessel that sports only light armament, simply because its manufacturers/users devoted most of the internal volume to old-fashioned reaction mass for its fusion drive, and state of the art laser weapons for their level of advancement are big bulky things barely up to more modern point-defense standards...on threat ID monitors, though, such a hulk might give the computers the heebiejeebies and scare the snot out of the crew until theyr realized the 'cruiser' bearing down on them has armament barely better than a fighter....

Of course, that fusion torch might be able to shed enough plasma that it could ROAST the unwary fools who DON'T run like heck....

Yup, that's what's happening with my current group. Their REF cruiser is massive and looks pretty fiercesome, but compared to most ships of their size or smaller, the armor is paper thin. But let us stay at range, we can outrun and outplink every ship out there.

[KLM]

ok.... I take these technologies for granted on the ships I designed.... the so-called standard ship systems in the stats.

1. stellar navigation sensors
2. life support, atmospheric and environmental systems, and redundancies
3. synthetic food/water production systems
4. food and water recycling system
5. waste recycling system
6. stellar communications array
7. life-boats and other safety features.

All these are relatively small in sizes.

8. Repair kit and some spare parts. Nanotechnology
in the 3 Galaxies means that small part are manufactured
onboard.

9. multiple or backup FTL engines

10. Life support (including gravity and acceleration dampener),
engineering and weapon system each have their own powergrid.

11. minibar in or near the captain's chair and ready room

Adios
KLM

[devillin]

9. multiple or backup FTL engines

This is a definate "Yeah".
In the spreadsheet I made, I figured the cost of 1.5 FTL drives as the base cost since it was already stated that all ships carry a main drive and a backup, if not multiple backups (PW152). I figured if you have to buy two at a time, the manufacturers probably offer a discount on the secondary. (Although now that I think about it, a 50% discount is probably too steep.) Truth be told, the multiple drives is why I never really had a problem with the bigger warships going faster and faster. I figured that something like the Warshield had 4 or 6 drives, while one of the dreadnoughts had 10 or 12 drives. The same with the normal space CG-drives. I just figured that warships have multiple, independent drives for redundancy.

[devillin]

ok.... I take these technologies for granted on the ships I designed.... the so-called standard ship systems in the stats.

1. stellar navigation sensors
2. life support, atmospheric and environmental systems, and redundancies
3. synthetic food/water production systems
4. food and water recycling system
5. waste recycling system
6. stellar communications array
7. life-boats and other safety features.

All these are relatively small in sizes.

10. Life support (including gravity and acceleration dampener),
engineering and weapon system each have their own powergrid.

Sorry Max. But I'm going to have to hit you with the wet noodle.
Life Support, Waste Recycling, Water recycling, and other Engineering Systems are not going to be relatively small sizes. Not in reality, and not for Phase World or other types of starships. Even Palladium acknowledges that these systems as a whole, or individual parts are going to take up a sizable amount of space in a ship. That's why when they do diagram a ship, they make sure to point out where the engineering spaces are. (Check out the various Zentraedi warships in the assorted Robotech and Macross II books and how many levels and areas are dedicated to these engineering systems.) That is also why the engineering sections of various ships take up such large portions of the ship: Merchantman 1/5 of the ship (PW172), Warshield 1/4 of the ship (PWS93), Protector 1/3 of the ship (PWS98), Doombringer 1/3 of the ship (PWS103), Argon 1/3 of ship (3G133), Goliath 1/2 of ship (3G135), Star Streaker 1/4 of the ship (3G140), and Demonstar 1/3 of the ship (3G149). It can also be implied from those ships that don't specifically mention an engineering section, but have engine sections that have a sizable amount of MDC that is separate from that of the main body, like: Arcane 20% of Main Body (3G142), Explorer 37% of Main Body (3G136), Gas Collector 37% of Main Body (3G134), and Scimitar 24% of Main Body (PW168). I don't have AU: Galaxy Guide, so I can't say what portions the engineering sections take up there. For Robotech vessels, the engineering sections tend to take up 1/3 to 1/2 of the ships' spaces.

So, No. These are not going to be relatively small items.
Sorry.

[taalismn]

Gotta go with the Devil-man there....there's no way to miniaturize water,,,you can compress air, but bulk life support is still going to account for a lot of volume, even with advanced molecular filtration and nanotechnology-based recycling systems...and you want to have a lot of redundancy with some systems...like lots of bottled air and water if the high-tech stuff goes blitzo on you...Even suit-recycled air gets rather rank after two weeks of chemical filtration...Means also that the canned 'new car smell' car dealers spray a lot nowadays, gets used a LOT in used starship dealerships to cover up the fact that high-maintenance life support systems see a lot of wear and tear(and mildew)..

Note to the Starship Buyer...life support ranks up there right next to Powerplant and Drive...even if navigation fails, you want plenty of time to repair/recalculate whatever went wrong...

[devillin]

ouch!..... mmm.... Soba

I think I should clarify myself... small as in being very well spread out, like pipes.

Soba.... Good Food.... Soba....

How things are laid out would definately be a stylistic matter. I could see some groups going with the miniaturized, hidden pipes thing as a matter of asthetics, like the CCW and the Altess. While other groups, like the TGE or one of the more primitive races, probably either could care less about how things look, or just can't make it any smaller yet.

Funny thought hit me in the shower on my way to work about various races life supports that is along this same line. Ships made by the CCW, like the Warshield, would have some massive atmospheric life support systems. The reason why is since they are a conglomeration of several different races, it would be reasonable that their "respect for all lifeforms" credo would require that their LS-systems be able to handle many different atmosphere requirements to keep everyone on a ship happy. On the otherhand, ships made by races like the Kreegor would not have as robust a LS-system. With their superiority complex, the Kreegor would make their lifesupport systems comfortable to them, and any other species on their ships will have to deal with the atmosphere as it is. If they can't handle it, then they are too weak to fight for the Kreegor.

Another thought that hit me was, is there a space going aquatic race, like the Liir from Sword of the Stars? Talk about a fun atmosphere. All Liquid.

[taalismn]

Could you imagine the lint filters on the life support of a Wolfen ship design?
Agghh....extra maintenance required if the crew starts shedding in synch...

[taalismn]

Could you imagine the lint filters on the life support of a Wolfen ship design?
Agghh....extra maintenance required if the crew starts shedding in synch...

"Alright you scurvy dogs! The Human Admiral here from the CAF found hair in his soup! Into your Naruni Cermalytes for the rest of the trip!"

(Unholstering plasma pistol)"Alright you morons, which one of you mangy mutts missed his vermin treatments?! We got a flea infestation(thundering roar from the ventilation systems)...and they mutated...."

[taalismn]

For peer review...

WZ-MC-020 Daito Missile Attack Cruiser
With the commercial sucess of the ‘Blade’-class cruiser, WZ put the experience learned from it, and the criticisms of its shortcomings, to good use in developing its follow-up, the WZ-MC-020 ‘Daito’. A massive upgrade of the Kai’Shemi orbital shipyards(and the construction of several wholly new ones in the system) allowed WZ and the Kai’Shem shipwrights to improve their technology base accordingly. With access to better systems, the shipwrights have been able to improve substantially on the Daito, addressing most, if not all, of the problems encountered with the Blade.
While classed as a missile cruiser and mounting an appropriately heavy missile armament, as well as a substantially beefed-up complement of energy weapons and pint defense systems, the most immediately noticable design aspect of the Daito is its massive prow-blade. Over half the length of the ship is taken up by the giant single-piece blade of exotic-matter megadamage xixs-steel, shaped by an integral vibro-forcefield to a molecular-keen cutting edge when in ramming mode! While most Three Galaxies military analysts question the value of ramming as a tactic, the Kai’Shem stand by it, and have developed starship rams into a most devastating weapon...something which is appreciated by a number of other species, especially space-faring ‘Neo-Barb’ races.
The Daito also has the distinction of having engines at both ends...While most other vessels accelerate/decelerate by ‘flipping’ end for end to place their engines for maximum efficiency, or else reverse their contra-gravity field bias(a proccess that requires a careful dance of balancing the ship’s propulsive gravity-drive and its internal gravity/intertial dampers), the Daito maintains a powerful set of thrusters alongside its ramming prow. While this takes up considerable internal volume, it also allows the ship to more quickly and effectively change speed and heading, as well as back off from a ramming attack. Use of these nose drives in combat, their reflected exhaust glows lighting up the formidable forward length of xixs-steel(and flourescing exhaust particles being caught in the vibrofield) with the ship maneuvering smartly, has given the Daito the nickname of ‘Sworddancer’, a sobriquet also occasionally give to the ships’ crews.
But the Daito is by no means a ‘one shot wonder’ built around an eccentric weapons system; learning from real-world experience with the Blade, the shipwrights have given the Daito a well-balanced and well-rounded array of weaponry. The Daito gives top-billing both in configuration and classification( the latter in part to sooth worries of potential buyers that they are NOT buying a giant vibroknife) to an array of cruise- and long range missile launchers that allow the ship to launch devastating volleys of missiles at extreme range. Backing up the missile launchers are several particle beam weapons turrets, and multiple point-defense lasers and rail guns. For boarding actions, the ship carries two companies of marines, and for additional support, the ship carries four standard-sized squadrons of aerospace fighters.
The only real complaint voiced about the Daito comes from the fact that the massive ram-blade and support machinery effectively bisects the ship’s interior and takes up much space that might otherwise be allocated to crew quarters and support facilities. As a result, the onboard quarters tend to be rather spartan and crowded for a ship of the Daito’s size, and if carrying additional passengers. troops, or prisoners, the ship can quickly feel cramped, especially on long duration missions without any opportunities for off-ship excursions, excercises, or shore leave.
The Daito distinguished itself spectacularly early on in its service life at Oradetta VII, with the Seliashian Republican Navy, one of the first buyers of the Daito. When the decadent and degenerate constitutional Queen of Seliashia, Alamas Maym, revealed herself to be a witch in alliance with a Dark Coven, and attempted a coup of the republican government in order to (re)instate a royal(and infernally-backed) oligarchy, the Republic had just acquired two brand-new Daitos for service, that had just berthed at the main spaceport attached to the capital city. Fresh from an extensive shakedown cruise of the new ships, the loyalist republican captains and crews refused to disembark, instead lifting ship and turning their guns on the Royalist insurrectionists. Though not yet carrying their full complements of troops, missiles, and fighters, the Daitos still managed to serve as effective orbital artillery platforms, raining particle beam- and missile-fire on the demonic legions summoned up by the Royalists, and also served to transport refugees from the beleagured capital, as well as transport republican-loyalist troops to encircle royalist strongholds. When the Queen and her sorcerous allies managed to magically neutralize the technological weapons aboard most of the free Republican Navy vessels, the Daito cruiser crews demonstrated their newly-learned ‘sworddancing’ skills by ramming the Queen’s flagship and slaying both the Queen and most of her high-echelon supporters in the process. Ironically, Queen Alamas Maym had personally authorized the purchase of the two Daitos as part of a military buildup she and her supporters were pushing(the better to crush any opposition to her imperial rule with new weaponry), but failed to get her Royalist conspirators aboard the new ships to seize control.
Type:WZ-MC-020 Daito
Class:Missile Attack Cruiser
Crew: 250 crew, plus 380 troops/marines, and 50 aircrew, Additional space for 1-80 passengers
MDC/Armor by Location:
Main Body 120,000
Bridge 5,000
Hangar Bays(2) each
Ram Prow/Vibrofield* 20,000/20,000
Main Engines(2) 16,000 each
Forward Engines(4) 8,000 each
Particle Beam Cannon Turrets(2) 8,000 each
Cruise Missile Launchers(3) 500 each
Long Range Missile Launchers(8) 300 each
Point Defense Turrets(8) 200 each
Retracting Point Defense Turrets(4) 150 each
Variable Forcefield* * 10,000 each side(60,000 total)

*Vibrofield regenerates at 20% per melee
**Variable Forcefields regenerate at 20% per melee
Height: 690 ft(230 m)
Width: 360 ft (120 m)
Length: 3300 ft (1,100 m)
Weight: 180,000 tons
Cargo: 25,000 tons
Powerplant: Advanced Nuclear Fusion w/ 30 year energy life
Speed:
(Atmosphere) Hover to Mach 7; transatmospheric
(Sublight) Mach 16
(Kitsune Values: 60% of light speed; Accelerates/decelerates at 1.4% of light speed per melee)
(FTL) 5 light years per hour
(Underwater) The Daito actually CAN operate underwater, able to move thru the water at 60 MPH, and handle depths up to 2,000 ft
Market Cost: 8 billion credits
Systems of Note:
Standard Starship Systems.
Weapons Systems:
1) Cruise Missile Launchers(3)---Concealed under sliding hatches in the forward hull are three heavy cruise-missile launchers. These are typically reserved for attacking capital warships and blasting fortified space stations.
Range:Varies by Missile Type
(Kitsune Values: 3,400 miles in atmosphere, 1,800,000 miles in space)
Damage:Varies by Missile Type
Rate of Fire: Volleys of 1-32 each launcher
Payload: 32 each launcher, 96 total. Additional missiles may be stored in the cargo holds and reloaded within 30 minutes(1 ton of cargo per 6 missiles)

2) Long Range Missile Launchers(8)---The Daito maintains the proven long range missile systems of the Blade, but with greater rate of fire and payload capacity.
Range:Varies by Missile Type
(Kitsune Values: 3,400 miles in atmosphere, 1,800,000 miles in space)
Damage:Varies by Missile Type
Rate of Fire: Volleys of 1-32 each launcher(so all eight launchers firing simultaneously will put 256 LRMs in the air at once!)
Payload: 288 each launcher, 2304 total. Additional missiles may be stored in the cargo holds and reloaded within 30 minutes(1 ton of cargo per 12 missiles)

3) Particle Beam Cannons(2x2)---The main energy weapons of the Daito are these two double-barrelled particle cannon turrets. The turrets can rotate a full 360 degrees and swing out 90 degrees.
Range: 7 miles in atmosphere, 14 miles in space
(Kitsune Values: 14 miles in atmosphere, 14,000 miles in space)
Damage: 1d6x100 MD per shot, 2d6x100 MD per double-barreled blast
Rate of Fire: Three times per melee per barrel
Payload: Effectively Unlimited

4) Point Defense Laser Turrets(8)---Eight double-barreled point defense laser turrets are mounted on both the dorsal and ventral rear hull surfaces. These are larger and more powerful than those mounted on the earlier blade
Range: 12,000 ft in atmosphere, 36,000 ft in space
(Kitsune Values: 8 miles in atmosphere, 8,000 miles in space)
Damage: 2d6x10 MD per single barrel burst, 4d6x10 MD for a double-barreled blast
Rate of Fire: EGCHH
Payload: Effectively Unlimited

5) Point Defense Rail Gun/Laser Clusters(4)----Four rapid-fire point rail gun and pulse laser cluster-turrets can be deployed from concealed sliding hatches.in the forward hull. These emplacements are frequently used to surpress a target’s own point defense systems during a ramming attack, and, if the ramming attack should actually carry the ship’s forward hull INTO the target, the weapons are used to provide suppression fire INSIDE the target(gunners have sometimes remarked of the rail guns’ fire ‘bouncing’ inside an enemy ship/station’s interior).
Range:(Rail Gun) 1.5 miles in atmosphere, 3 miles in space
(Kitsune Values: 3 miles in atmosphere, 300 miles in space)
(Pulse Laser) 12.000 ft :in atmosphere, 36.000 ft in space
(Kitsune Values: 8 miles in atmosphere, 8,000 miles in space) Damage:(Rail Gun) 2d4x10 MD per burst
(Pulse Laser) 2d6x10 MD per burst
Rate of Fire:(Rail Gun) EGCHH
(Pulse Laser) EGCHH
Payload:(Rail Gun) 1,000 bursts per gun; changing a drum takes 15 minutes
(Pulse Laser) Effectively Unlimited

6))Ramming Attack--- The Daito’s trademark weapon is its massive ramming prow; a near-solid wall of xixs-steel, sharpened and reinforced by a powerful vibrofield. The Daito’s designers further increased the effectiveness of the ram, taking advantage of the semi-elastc properties of xixs-steel, by adding shield machinery that actually allows the blade to extend and retract several meters, to allow for better ‘bite’ and disengagment from a target. Accompanying this action is a re-shaping of the vibrofield to increase both its penetration properties(focusing its cutting energies along a more narrow field), and its retraction(by producing a broad-area ‘chainsaw’ effect for cutting away entanglements).
Ramming attacks, however, are a risky business, however; hitting a target at speeds over exceeding the damage capacity of the ram prow(20,000 MDC) and vibrofield(another 20,000 MDC, but which regenerates at 20% per melee), will do the extra damage to the ship as well as to its target; this isn’t a problem when slicing through smaller ships with less MDC than the total attack damage potential, since the Blade can just coast right through their sectioned ruins, but hitting a mountain(or Dominator WarMoon) at fair fraction of the speed of light is NOT recommended if the crew’s to survive.
The inclusion of four high-powered prow engines means that the Daito crew can more effectively control the speed and angle of a ramming attack, and disangage from a target more rapidly. The engines also have the added benefit of being able to be used as ‘flamethrowers’ when disengaging from a target(ship or space station), by ‘gunning’ their plasma exhaust.....Close proximity (within 3,000 ft) to the engines with their throttles wide open in this mode does an additional 2d6x100 MD to the target as the Daito blasts backwards.
Damage: 5d6x100xMach Speed number

Auxiliary Craft:
48 Fighters
2 Large Shuttles

Variants:
Since the Daito is so new, there are currently no variants planned or in production.

[taalismn]

THanks...since it was basically an upscaled Blade, it took far less time to pull off...add here, double this, round that off...pretty much what the shipyards would be doing...

[taalismn]

hee.... good efficiency....

BTW, I see you ignored the part of the pnuematic system on the plow... intentional? May be too unrealistic on that level, no?

You got a faster-than-light drive warship with gravitic shielding, particle beam weapons, and you're using AIR PISTONS?!
I thought something more exotic to handle the ram prow...
Maybe when we have a steampunk starship we can re-instate pnuematics...

[Aramanthus]

Those are some more nice ships Taalismn. And I see those smiley faces on the post itself. Your 8's have to be too close to the () again. Sorry for telling you this.

[taalismn]

I know, I know..I just gotta pay more attention to those ^&%%!!(8)'s!

[taalismn]

Ah-Ha! The man is right!
Never noticed that before!
Oh, what's this also in the fine print?
Looks like very tiny puesdo-old English...
"If youse notice this and art reading it, know yeh, that ye hast already had yourse soul sold to S*!!*urghk!*......"

[Aramanthus]

I hadn't paid attention to that one eiither!

[taalismn]

where?!

There, to the right..NO! DON"T REA-*SCHLOUMPH*...dang, they got another one of us...

[taalismn]

Ah-Ha! The man is right!
Never noticed that before!
Oh, what's this also in the fine print?
Looks like very tiny puesdo-old English...
"If youse notice this and art reading it, know yeh, that ye hast already had yourse soul sold to S*!!*urghk!*......"

<checkbox>Send $25 to the Carl Gleba/Sahtalus Fund</checkbox>

Yep...you get your soul back AND an autographed xerox-print of 'Rubes of the Megaverse' featuring depictions and names of all the suckers who think Mechanoids:Space is ACTUALLY going to come out any time soon....

[Aramanthus]

You know those smiley things creep me out! They look like PAcman!

AAARRRRRGGGHHHHH It's after me!!! It's going to get me! I've got to run faster thru this maze. It's still chasing me! Help!


GULP!!!

[taalismn]

The 'smiley face' is one of the most ripped-off icons in existance...the guy who originally created it recieved little or nothing for his simple creation...
This is their revenge...

[taalismn]

"Anything with a mouth that big and an obsession with devouring everything in its path can't be good.... Corporal Inky, you take point, Blinky, you bring up the rear and the grenade launcher. Support fire when I call for it!"
"Aye, Sargeant Nod!"

[Aramanthus]

LOL We just fell off the cliff of sanity! And of course I'm loving it!

[taalismn]

What---?
When---?
Who---?
And; "Can I kill it?"

[Aramanthus]

I don't think I pushed us over the edge. But we seem to be spiralling down toward total humorous breakdown!

[Aramanthus]

I think we all have suites there!

[Aramanthus]

I'm glad to hear that! JK!!! I'm not sure where mine is!

[taalismn]

One way to break a spiral...hit it with some superheavy ordnance!

For peer review...

*WZ-LS-003-TA Cachalot Landing Ship
The massive Cachalot-class Landing Ships, easily comparable in size and performance to the CCW Packmaster, came to the stables of WZTechYards courtesy of the Tmelain, a people who once inhabited a world on the borders of TGE space...until one of the TGE’s periods of expansion resulted in the hostile annexation of the Tmelain homeworld. At the time, the Tmelain were conducting their own large-scale colonization effort of star systems in their galactic arm, and so already had a fairly advanced space travel technology and deep space production capability. In short order, they quickly turned their space industry to churning out warships and evacuation ships when it became evident that their world would fall to TGE Legions. Fighting a massive rearguard against the TGE forces encroaching on their system while attempting to get as much as their society and industrial infrastructure spaceborne and moving outwards to safe havens, the Tmelain managed to get nearly 75% of their populace evacuated, but at tremendous cost to those who remained behind. Adding to their desperation was the discovery that the worlds that they had hoped to colonize were claim-jumped by other races who refused them the right to evacuate to those planets. Pursued from behind, and denied sanctuary ahead, the Tmelain elected to retake their colonies by force, using their spaceborne mobile shipyards and asteroid depots to convert several of their colony ship designs into assault landing ships.
The first Cachalots were massive affairs, boxy giants each carrying a division of Tmelian troops , and powered by a massive axial bussard ramjet. Despite their light(primarily defensive) armaments, they were most effective in crushing the ground forces of the squatters, and inundating them in armies of deployed Tmelain marines. Within a month of their arrival in the contested systems, the Cachalot-based expeditionary forces had re-secured the Tmelain colonial territories for the Tmelain Republic-in-Exile.
With a measure of peace and security established on their new homeworlds, the Tmelain turned their attention to rebuilding their economy and establishing alliances with neighboring systems. With most of their domestic resources going to meet their own people’s needs, there was little available for export for much-needed foreign capital...except the Tmelains’ military expertise and their still very effective warships. The Cachelots were poor system defense and patrol craft, owing to their size and purpose, but the Tmelain didn’t want to scrap the giant ships. Subsequently, the vessels were loaned by the Tmelain Exilee government as mercenary cruisers for conflicts in several neighboring systems. For nations that could not afford their own Packmasters, the Cachalots were impressive and effective troop transports.
However, as galactic technologies have improved, the Tmelain have found their Cachalots to be increasingly ill-suited for front-line service. The lumbering ships were becoming dangeously vulnerable to opposition forces fielding increasing more sophisticated weaponry(especially Naruni Enterprises-supplied!) bought from outside sources, With their resources already strained with the effort of resettling refugees on the new Tmelain homeworlds, the Tmelain Republic government could not afford to fund new weaponry development projects or acquire their own outside technologies to refit the ships to Galactic standards. When WZTechYards offered to help the Tmelain modernize their forces in return for production license rights to the Cachalot, the Tmelain jumped at the offer.
The Advanced Cachalots differ substantially from the previous models; more angular, they sacrifice troop-carriage capability for beefed-up armor and attack capabilities. The original engines have been stripped out and replaced with a redesigned and more powerful WZ-manufactured Lucerin power reactor system, delivering more power for less mass. The openning up of former main hull space originally taken up by engine components has allowed more life support sections to be moved into the better-protected inner hull. Lateral blisters once used to deploy heavy battle robots and combat landers are now replaced by the massive mount-points for super-heavy massdriver cannons. The forward section has been rebuilt, replacing the forward ram-scoop hydrogen collectors and axial engine core with a massive co-axial particle beam cannon. The entire ship has been re-plated in superior syzite-crystal composite armor that aborbs and more efficiently dissipates energy weapon strikes; the ‘networked’ armor gives the Advanced Cachalot its particularly striking glowing ‘circuitboard’ appearance.
The LS-003-TA(dvanced) Cachalot also does away with the detachable vehicular bay/’belly barge’ that the original Cachelots used to land tanks and troops, instead replacing the lower troop lander with four large conventional bays deploying smaller, more maneuverable landing lighters and troop shuttles. A contingent of aerospace fighters is included for defense suppression and interdiction, though the Cachelot is typically escorted by destroyers and dedicated fighter carriers to deal with opposing enemy spacecraft(as well as additional troop transports to capitalize on the chaos caused by the Advanced Cachalot’s attacks).
Advanced Cachelots are not sold, they are LEASED, along with their crews, by the Tmelain government and WZTechYards. Troops and other personnel embarked on these ships are expected to undergo a mandatory familiarization course and training before deployment so there are no foul-ups with proper landing operations. Because of its armament, the Cachelot is one of the few WZTechYard ships that is illegal to operate in its full capabilities within CCW borders.
The Tmelain government continues to manufacture the original LS-003-T Cachalots with slight upgrades to weapons and avionics.
Type:WZ-LS-003-TA(advanced) Cachalot
Class: Landing Ship
Crew: 850
Troop Complement: 3,500
MDC/Armor by Location:
Main Body 100,000
Bridge 20,000
Hangar Decks(6) 13,000 each
Engines 60,000
Mega Ion Disruptor Cannon(1) 60,000
Heavy Massdrivers(2) 8,000 each
Heavy Laser Cannons (6) 900 each
Long Range Missile Launchers(6) 500 each
Point Defense Particle Beam Cannon(18) 180 each
Point Defense Rail Guns(20) 200 each
Point Defense Mini-Missile Launchers(12) 150 each
Variable Forcefields* 72,000 (12,000 each side)

*Shield Refresh Rate is 20% per melee
Height:1500 feet (500 m)
Width:1800 feet (600 m)
Length:1 mile (1600 m)
Weight: 55 million tons
Cargo: 5 million tons
Powerplant: Advanced Lucerin-Fuelled Nuclear Fusion w/ 50 year energy life.
Speed:
(Atmosphere) Hover to Mach 3; transatmospheric. Rarely operates in an atmosphere, however.
(Sublight) Mach 6
(Kitsune Values: 60% of light speed; Accelerates/decelerates at 0.6% of light speed per melee)
(FTL) 5 light years per hour
(Underwater) Not Possible
Market Cost: 54 billion credits to build
Systems of Note:
Standard Starship Systems, plus;

*Syzite-Crystal composite armor---First pioneered on the tiny Atom Light Fighter, this advanced armor comes in the form of overlapping flat crystalline ‘cells’ bonded together by fiber-conduits that help transfer and disperse energy from weapons attacks, reducing the damage. This effectively works to render the ship’s hull resistant to ENERGY weapons, such as lasers, ion, plasma, and particle beams(do HALF damage). However, magic attacks and kinetic attacks(rail guns, explosive missiles, meteors, etc..) do FULL damage. If the ship’s hull takes more than 70% overall damage, the dispersion network is compromised and energy attacks revert to full damage.
Note also that the Syzite-Crystal incidentally renders the Advanced Cachalot INVULNERABLE to energy disruption attacks such as its own Ion Mega Cannon and directed EMP assaults.

Weapons Systems:
1) Superheavy Ion MegaCannon(1, center body)---This GARGANTUAN ion weapon is meant to both vaporize targets and disrupt entire electrical systems with enhanced ElectroMagnetic Pulse. Each shot is powered by triggering a fusion nuclear plasma explosion inside the weapon’s firing chamber, then shaping the EMP wave with forcefields and directing it like a giant invisible bullet.
This weapon has been known to cause aurora-like upper atmosphere disturbances on planets that it is used against, as well as lightning-like atmospheric phenomenon in the lower atmosphere.
Range:16 miles in atmosphere, 80 miles in space
(Kitsune Values: 80 miles in atmosphere, 80,000 miles in space )
HALF range to expand the area of effect to a 30-degree wide cone.
Damage:2d4x1,000 MD per blast, DOUBLE damage to forcefields
Plus, electrical damage similar to the Triax Lightning Blaster:
01-15 No additional damage
16-30 Instrumentation flickers for 1d4 seconds, and lose initiative
31-45 All weapons systems go offline! One comes back online in 1d4 melees.
46-60. All systems offline for 1d4 melees
61-75 Communications, targeting, and radar are knocked off-line. Manual targeting only; -3 to strike, and no initiative
76-90 All systems except one wqeapons system are cooked; -25% to piloting at 1/3 maximum speed. -50% at 1/2 maximum speed, -75% at maximum speed, no initiative to strike, -3 to Dodge and Strike, and lose 1 action/attack per melee.
91-00 All electrical systems are zapped, and the vehicle is dead in space.

(Atmosphere)
Wipes out unshielded electronics within a 100 mile radius of the point of targetting
Rate of Fire:1 shot every 15 minutes
Payload: Effectively Unlimited

2) Heavy Massdrivers(2, lateral outriggers)---These two massive kinetic-energy weapons are used for pummeling space stations, moon/asteroid forts, and surface installations, but are fairly ineffective against other spacecraft due to their slow rate of fire and inaccuracy. These weapons are arguably even more feared than the Mega-Ion Cannon, since they can pulverize mountains(and cities) with ease. The CAF doesn’t allow the twin-Massdriver-armed Cachalot passage through CCW space without electronic locks and spiked barrels(and TVIA monitors aboard to make sure the locks aren’t removed) on them!
Range: 500 miles in space
(Kitsune Values: 500 miles in atmosphere, 5,000,000 miles in space)
Damage: 1d6x1000 in space; 1d4x100,000 against planetary targets to a 5 mile diameter area, plus 1d6x1000 MD to an additional five mile wide zone beyond that, and 4d6x10 MD to a 10 mile wide zone beyond that!
Rate of Fire: 1 shot every 5 minutes
Payload: 40 rounds(20 per mount)

3) Heavy Laser Cannons(6)---These six cannon, normally kept concealed inside the hull behind sliding armored ports, are meant to give the Cachalot some direct fire capability against capital warships, though they are also precise and accurate enough for pinpoint planetary bombardment.
Range:7 miles in atmosphere, 16 miles in space
(Kitsune Values: 16 miles in atmosphere, 16,000 miles in space )
Damage: 2d6x100 MD per blast
Rate of Fire: Twice per melee
Payload: Effectively Unlimited

4) Long Range Missile Launchers (6)---These highly versatile launchers can be used to launch anti-ship missiles(though not as powerful as Cruise Missiles, they can be launched in multiple-missile salvoes), surface attack ordnance, mine dispensers, recon probes, and other specialized projectile types.
Range: Varies by Missile Type
(Kitsune Values: 3,400 miles in atmosphere, 1,800,000 miles in space)
Damage:Varies by Missile Type
Rate of Fire: Volleys of 1-12
Payload: 576 LRMs, 96 missiles per launcher; additional missiles may be carried and loaded from cargo, but will take at least 15 minutes(1 ton of cargo per 12 missiles),

5) Point Defense Particle Beam Cannons(18)----Rapid fire particle beam energy point defense cannons for anti-missile/fighter defense
Range: 8,000 ft in atmosphere, 16,000 ft in space
(Kitsune Values: 3 miles in atmosphere, 300 miles in space)
Damage: 2d6x10 MD per blast
Rate of Fire: EGCHH(4-6)
Payload: Effectively Unlimited

6) Point Defense Rail Guns(20)---Rapid fire kinetic energy point defense cannons for anti-missile/fighter defense
Range: 8,000 ft in atmosphere, 3 miles in space
(Kitsune Values: 3 miles in atmosphere, 300 miles in space)
Damage: 2d4x10 MD per 40 rd burst
Rate of Fire: EGCHH(4-6)
Payload: 800 bursts per cannon

7) Point Defense Mini-Missile Launchers(12)----Anti-missile/anti-fighter barrage weapons
Range:Varies by Missile Type
(Kitsune Values: 2 miles in atmosphere, 100 miles in space)
Damage: Varies by Missile Type
Rate of Fire: Volleys of 1-20
Payload: 400 mini-missiles per turret. Additional missiles may be stored in the cargo holds and reloaded within 15 minutes(1 ton of cargo per 96 missiles)

Aux. Craft:
30 Assault Shuttles
8 Heavy Assault Landers
70 Fighters
12 Heavy Robots (Battleram-sized)
45 Heavy Vehicles(tanks, APCs, heavy cargo haulers, etc...)
100 Light Vehicles(skimmerjeeps, hovercycles, etc...)
360 Power Armors

Variants:
The only variant of the Cachalot is the LS-003-T version with the original configuration(though updated with modern avionics). These ships have 20% less overall armor, 2/3 shield values, lack the Mass Drivers and Disruptor mega-cannon, and CANNOT enter a planetary atmosphere. The LS-003-T carries a complement of 125 fighters, 30 assault shuttles, 20 heavy robots comparable to the CCW Battleram(or Hadazad Combatrons), 5,000 troops, and 500 power armors. The lower hull also sports a massive detachable ‘battlebarge’ used to help land the ship’s complement of armor and troops(has 15,000 MDC and a 7,000 MDC forcefield, can reach speeds of Mach 4, carries a battalion of 2,000 troops and 80 heavy vehicles, and comes equipped with eight point defense laser/mini-missile turrets (similar to those on the CCW Assault Shuttle), 2 long range missile launchers(288 LRMs per launcher, volleys of 1-12 each), and 4 heavy rail guns(5d6x10 MD per burst, 3 mile range in atmosphere/9 mile range in space).

[KLM]

Nice. More exotic weaponry, but ultimately I would bet
on the Packmaster (due its much larger fighter
complement) - which makes sense, since the
Tmelain fell against the TGE, so they are supposed to
be a bit behind the cutting edge of technology.

Adios
KLM

[KLM]

is there any canon ships with a crew complement of ~300 to ~400 ?

DMB3:
CAF Warshield cruiser: 260+122 (troops, pilots)
TGE Smasher: 195 + 200 (plus probably the 36 fighters' pilots)
UWW Dwarven Iron Ship: 245+150

DMB6:
UWW Arcane Mk. X "battleship" - 340+192

Adios
KLM

[KLM]

Actually, I just remembered, which books
contained the info, and they happened
to be at hand.

Adios
KLM

[taalismn]

Taalismn, I think one more zero to the damage would be better for a planetary bombardier.... 2d4 x 10,000....

*Gulp*

[taalismn]

Nice. More exotic weaponry, but ultimately I would bet
on the Packmaster (due its much larger fighter
complement) - which makes sense, since the
Tmelain fell against the TGE, so they are supposed to
be a bit behind the cutting edge of technology.

Adios
KLM

So would I, but the Packmaster is also a dual fighter carrier/troop transport...the Cachalot's slightly different in that it's meant to assault planetary positions using weaponry the CCW doesn't officially approve of...
Of course both ships rarely travel alone(that would be plain suicide)...The CCW already has stables of ships and fleets to draw on, while anybody renting a Cachalot is going to have to assembly a taskgroup from scratch...

[Aramanthus]

It is a nice ship design! And I think Dm is right about the damage it should do to the planet surface.

[taalismn]

Ah, a technical critique!
It's getting more interesting every day!

[KLM]

BLACK ROSE FIGHTER

This fighter is a copy of an Altess drone fighter, developed
by a joint NE/Malkovitch Armaments Inc. team, due its
advanced and complicated gravitonic systems.

The Dynasty - being top shareholdes in NE - did notice
the knock off, but appearantly did nothing against such
a ripping off.

Nevertheless, while the NE/MA team produced a working
fighter, sales didn't went as planned, only a few independent
goverments and organisations bought the craft.
The Black Rose was marketed a few decades ago, and
still being manufactured, even if at a sluggish rate.
Later a few pirate Roses were pitted against the Armoria's
originals, and were soundly beaten, proving that the copy
wasn't perfect.
(Or the Altess silently upgraded their design).

As a fighter, it is a tad behind the new, top-of-the-line
starfighters of the CAF and the TGE, fortunately, this
is true in the case of the price, too.

It is a fast and agile craft, with an unusual combined
shield/CG drive system, capable of FTL travel (thought
not for long), having decent firepower. It has a sleek
fuselage, something like XX. century Earth drag racers,
with bubble canopy and with a rather bulky engine-reactor
housing at the rear end, covered by a dozen overlapping,
mechanised gravity projectors, which are almost
transparent - due their fine net-like construction.
The nose has a pair of arrowhead-like fins (or leaves)
which erve both as atmospheric stabilisers, and hiding
the main guns muzzle from the pilot (avoiding eye-damage)

It has a characteristicly strong "bubble" forcefield, which
is both almost on par with a class heavier vessels, and
is a "single" forcefield, almost like an oversized personal
forcefield. This field is emitted by main engine of the Rose,
and its "petals" are used manipulate it (as well as often
breaking down due their complicated moving parts)
The fine manipulation of the CG field makes it possible
to change the facing of the craft without altering flight
course or vice versa - "vobble" the fighter, while the
guns are fixed at a target.

The Rose also has its thorns. A pair of high-powered laser
canons serve as main guns. They deliver a serious punch,
thought have a shorter reach and a bit less hitting power
than the Scorpion's main CG canon. As a short range
heavy firepower, the lasers are coupled with P-beams
(similar to the Silverhawk's multi-canon).
A small missile bay with various ordenance and a few,
infantry-scale point-defense CG gun miniturrets round
out the arsenal.

On its downside, the Rose - if not treated to the letter
of the manuals - has the tendency to became a hangar
queen, and very fragile once its shields are penetrated.
Also, while its atmosperic performance is good, the
pilots rear field of view is rather poor.


Type: NE-MA JSI-01 (several variant, ranging from A to K)
Class: Aerospace interceptor
Crew: 1 or 2
MDC/Armor by Location:
Main Body 300
Pilots compartment/lifepod 120
Engines/petals(12) 60 *

Forcefield 2,000 **

*Every destroyed "petal" lowers maximum
speed by 1M and max. shield capacity by 100
MDC

** Shield Refresh Rate is 400 MDC per melee, see also
"speed"

Height: 6 m in hangar, up to 10 m depending on the
position of the projectors
Width: 6 m in hangar, up to 10 m depending on the
position of the projectors
Length: 12 m
Weight: 8 tons
Cargo: 50 kg in small lockers normally, but if the co-pilots seat,
and control panels are removed one can gain a 1m *1,5m*1,5m space
and can cram in up to a ton.
Powerplant: Anti-matter, 5 years of fuel, 60 years of reactor
life with refuelings. Life support is good for 500 man-hours
(a bit over 10 days for a two men crew), before filters need
to be cleaned/changed.

Speed:
(Atmosphere) Hover to Mach 4,2; transatmospheric.
(Sublight) Mach 20. However, when going speeds
over M10, every M number "substracts" 100 MDC from
shiled capacity - ie. going at the top speed halves
the shields, as the defensive/propulsion field is
reconfigured.

(FTL) possible for once per 15 minutes, for a 6 min "sprint"
covering up to half a lightyear. Furthermore the craft will
drop out of FTL with only 15% of its max. shield capacity.
This range is reduced if the "petals" are damaged.
The still produced single seat F version (only two CG
gun minturrets, no cargo in the place of the copilot)
has a standard FTL drive, rated 5ly/h for 4 hours, ie.
20 lys.

(Underwater) 40 km/h, 50m deep

Performance:
+1 to initiative (not in atmosphere), +2 to dogfight,
+1 to strike and +3 to dodge.
Pilots with neural links (or Telemechanics) do not waste
an action for dodge if they succeed in dodging the
incoming attack with a penalty of -5 (but add PP, skill
and craft bonuses).

Also, the flexible shield system tries to adopt to every
incoming attack - "rolls with impact" with a +3 for older,
and with +4 for I,J and K variants, and if it beats the
attack roll (plus bonuses) reduce damage by 25% as
long as shields are working.

Market Cost: 40 millions for the older variants (surplus only),
ie. A to H, with the exception of the infamous C version, which sells
around 20 to 25 million credits. The current versions, I, J and
K are 65 to 70 millions from the manufacturer and not much
less as used craft (not really aviable).

Systems of Note:
Standard Starship Systems, plus;
The C variant had a nanotech damage control/self repair
system, which sometimes "ate" personal belongings and
later installed electronics (due to non-standard programming
by the users). Also, it had a tendency of not working at all.
So later variants lacked this system.

Current versions are I (all round, two seated interceptor)
J (single seat interceptor/courier) and K (capable for both
roles, but equipped by a new nanotech sytem. Not really
popular, so it is marketed for now as a free accessory)

The nanotech equipped Rose-K has an advanced
"talk-through" interface, ensuring that cargo and
equipment are recognised by the repair system.
As a repair system is can repair 400 MDC before
needing a resupply of nanites (on in hangar), and
repair rate is 10 per minutes. Also, one hour of
flight depletes 1 MDC from nanite capacity, as
it repairs small errors.

Weapons systems:

1, Two multi cannons (forward)
These are the main dogfight and strafing weapons
of the Rose. The P-Beam is a bit ungainly, but its
firepower is considerable.

a, HI laser
damage: 2d4*10 per single, 3d6*10 for dual,
range: 6000 M in atmosphere, 15km in space
RoF: one per action

b, P-Beam
damage: 4d6*10+10 per single, d4*100 per dual
range: 914m in atmosphere, 2 km in space
RoF: two per melee per barrel, ie. 4 single or 2 double blasts
Special: -2 to hit, due "charging up time",

2, Four light CG miniturrets
These are located to cover the ship and serve primary as
anti-missile weapons or as a last resort, especially against
targets impervious to energy. Usually operated by the
copilot, but has an automated mode.

damage: 5d6 per burst, two can fire at the same target (d6*10)
range: 610 m in atmosphere, 2 km in space
payload: 200 burst per barrel (a burst is 30 rounds)
ROF: one per action, in automated mode it can fire
two bursts per melee per barrel, but only can lock on
2 targets (missiles) per melee. Also remember, due
to turret layout, only two can brought to fire at a target.
Bonuses: +2 due its "shotgun" pattern. Not very accurate,
but fills the air/space admirably with slugs.

3, Missile bay
Has space for one cruise-missile "bomb" (normal damage,
400 km range) OR two full sized LRMs OR four LRM "bombs"
OR 12 medium range missiles. Can fire 4 per action (if
payload allows).
A special, ground attack bomb-bay accessory, holding
300 mini-missiles, with capabilities of firing 10 missile
salvoes is aviable, but rarely used, as the Rose is not
really a ground attack craft
NE begun field testing of an automated system, mainly
for the Fire Eater, which has a payload of 2000 micro
missiles and as the craft makes a hig-speed pass over
the area, the automatics fires 4 to 10 smart micro-missiles
at any infantry targets it detects. The Rose is theoretically
able to carry this system too.

-------------------
Adios
KLM

[taalismn]

The Black Rose...very nice...plus some amusing double-dealing there....The Altess making a killing off the original AND the knockoff by virtue of their secret stockholding....