Starship designs...

[taalismn]

SheMar Remora Cruisers
“Once we have learned where the Splugorth are breeding these...things....in the flesh of humans, we will send a squadron to shut down their operations permanently! The worms shall not traffick in their obscene trade in the dark regions under -OUR- protection!”

“We’ll be trailing the Shemar cruiser squadron backtracking that ship of parasite breeders. Hopefully they’ll run into some Splug ships. You ever see a Kitty cruiser on the wrong end of a Shemar plasma torpedo barrage? Like a spider caught in a flamethrower, or like getting broadsided by a plasma storm.”

Remoras are fast cruisers used by the SheMar for patrol and raiding, and seem to be the rough equivalent, for the SheMar, of the CCW’s Aranae-class cruiser. Fast, maneuverable, and well-armed, they are optimized for anti-spacecraft work, with a powerful array of energy weapons, backup batteries of point defense weapons, and a complement of boarding troops/marines and fighters.
Remoras have a long, monobloc fuselage, with clusters of sensor fins fore and aft giving them the appearance of oversized air-to-air missiles. Most of their weaponry is concealed behind sliding hatches or sealable ports; when deployed, the smooth lines of the ship are broken by the bristling armaments. A small, but powerful, mixed complement of vehicles and Warsteeds give the ships a potent boarding or raiding force.
Remoras can be found scouting and patroling alone, or in squadrons of 2-4 ships. Remoras have been sighted sporting the insignia of all of the known Shemarrian clans, suggesting it is a relatively common design among their people.
Remoras were first encountered literally attached to the flanks of a Scorpio-class battlecruiser, and they were accordingly named for the fish that escort terrestrial sharks.
Type: ESheMar--CG-02
Class: Medium Cruiser
Crew: 60 + provison for up to 150 passengers/troops
MDC/Armor by Location
Main Body 20,000
Bridge 9,000
Heavy Particle Cannons(7) 800 each
Plasma Torpedo Launcher Banks(2) 800 each
Long Range Missile Battery(1) 700
Point Defense Particle Beam Cannons(10) 160 each
Point Defense Rail Gun/Laser Turrets(12) 160 each
Main Engine 9,000
Auxilary Engines(2) 2,000 each
Hangar Bays(2) each
Sensory Fin 2,000
Wing Fins(7) 1,000 each
Variable Forcefield 10,000 per side ( 60,000 total)
Length: 2,400 ft
Height: 700 ft
Width: 420 ft from fin tip to fintip(hull is about 380 ft wide)
Weight: 160,000 tons
Cargo: 74,000 tons
Powerplant: Matter-Antimatter equivalent w/ 50 year energy life
Speed:
(Atmosphere) Hover to Mach 3; transatmospheric.
(Sublight) Mach 11
(Kitsune Values: 60% of light speed; Accelerates/decelerates at 1.1% of light speed per melee)
(FTL) 8 light years per hour
(Underwater) Not possible
Market Cost: EXCLUSIVE to the SheMar. It’s estimated that a similar vessel would cost 100 billion credits or more to produce/acquire.
Systems of Note:
Standard Starship Systems, plus:
*Sensor Baffling----The Shemar ships can partially mask their sensor spoor, making themselves difficult to detect at long range. This acts as Stealth(-70% to detect while stationary, -30% when moving)

*Sensor Jamming---Active sensor jamming can be employed at shorter ranges to jam and confuse enemy sensors, as well as interfere with communications. The downside is that the amount of interference pumped out will alert EW-savvy opponents of the presence of a jamming platform. Effective Range: 800 miles. -6 to target the ship with active sensors.

*Command Linkage---The cyber-psionic command and control exercised by the EShemar give them faster response times: +1 to Initiative and +1 to strike.

Weapons Systems:
1) Heavy Particle Cannons(7) ---Thes powerful turreted cannons are mounted towards the front end of the vessel, but can rotate to cover the flanks.
Range: 16 miles in atmosphere, 90 miles in space6 miles, 2 miles in atmosphe (Kitsune Values: 90 miles in atmosphere, 90,000 miles in space)
Damage: 1d6x1,000 MD per shot
Rate of Fire: Three times per melee
Payload: Effectively Unlimited

2) Heavy Spinal G-Cannon---Continuing an apparent Shemarrian tradition of big projectile weapons, the Remora carries a massive central gravitic cannon running almost the entire length of the ship. Although the weapon’s placement requires the ship to practically aim itself in bring the weapon to bear(the muzzle turret only has about 60 degrees of play in angling the accelerated shot), the cannon is more powerful than most capital ship G-cannons, and can inflict serious damage with a single shot to even capital units.
Range: 60 miles in atmosphere, 120 miles in space
(Kitsune Values: 120 miles in atmosphere, 120,000 miles in space)
Damage: 1d6x1,000 MD per round, or can fire a fragmenting anti-missile/fighter shell that does 1d4x100 MD to a 100 ft wide area
Rate of Fire: Four shots per melee
Payload: 1,000 rds ready to fire. Additional ammunition can be stored as cargo, but will take 45 minutes to reload from stores.

3)Long Range Missile Battery(1)---Located in the ventral side of the ship is a large missile bay firing conventional LRMs.
Range: Varies by Missile Type (Long Range)
(Kitsune Values: 3,400 miles in atmosphere, 1,800,000 miles in space)
Damage:Varies by Missile Type
Rate of Fire: Volleys of 1-20
Payload: 400 missiles ready to launch; additional missiles may be carried and loaded from cargo, but will take at least 30 minutes(1 ton of cargo per 12 missiles)

4) Heavy Plasma Torpedo Batteries(2)---A cross between a missile launcher in terms of volley capability and area of effect, and energy weapons in terms of range and recharge capability, these weapons fire veritable storms of plasma pulses similar to ball lightning. Against massed fighters and larger ships, these weapons can prove particularly devastating.
Range: 25 miles in atmosphere, 100 miles in space
(Kitsune Values: 100 miles in atmosphere, 100,000 miles in space)
Damage: 2d4x100 MD to a 100 ft blast radius per missile
Rate of Fire: Volleys of 1-12 plasma bolts. Three volleys per melee
Payload: Effectively Unlimited

5) Point Defense Particle Beam Cannons(10)
Range: 1.5 miles in atmosphere, 3 miles in space
(Kitsune Values: 3 miles in atmosphere, 300 miles in space)
Damage: 6d6x10 MD per shot
Rate of Fire: EGCHH(4-6)
Payload: Effectively Unlimited

6) Point Defense Rail Gun/Laser Turrets(12)---Standard Shemarrian-pattern rail gun/pulse laser combination in a common turret.
Range: (Rail Gun) 2 miles in atmosphere, 4 miles in space
(Kitsune Values: 4 miles in atmosphere, 400 miles in space)
(Laser) 1 mile in atmosphere, 3 miles in space
(Kitsune Values: 3 miles in atmosphere, 300 miles in space)
Damage: (Rail Gun)4D6x10 M.D. per blast
(Laser) 3D6x10 M.D. per blast
Rate of Fire: (Rail Gun)EGCHH(4-6)
(Laser) EGCHH (4-6)
Payload: (Rail Gun) 2,000 rd drum. Additional ammunition can be stored as cargo, but will take 45 minutes to reload from stores.
(Laser) Effectively Unlimited

Auxiliary Craft:
*36 Aerospace Fighters
*6 Scarab Shuttles
*4 Heavy Shuttles
*6 Additional Aerospace Craft(additional shuttles, Scarab variants, lighters, etc.)
*40 Space-Capable Warsteeds

Variants
*ESheMar--CG-02CM---This variant has only been seen thus far with ships identified as being with the Hawkmoon and Skullcrusher fleets. In place of the long range missile launcher bay, this variant instead is fitted with a large cruise missile launcher system. Whether these variant reflect a clan preference in weapons and tactics, or merely better access to the technology and resources to use more expensive cruise missiles is unknown.
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 1-20
Payload: 240 missiles ready to fire. Additional missiles may be stored in the cargo holds and reloaded within 30 minutes(1 ton of cargo per 6 missiles)

[taalismn]

SheMar ‘Scorpio’ BattleCarrier

“Yeah, I was there at the Trishald Gate when it looked like the Splugorth were going to break through our defenses, running from crater to crater, watching my Brothers and Sisters getting wasted beside me while we shifted gun positions on the warden moons, while the sky above us was full of fighting and dying ships. There were WAY too many of those damn Servitude spiders waiting to come down and party with us, or zip through once the defenses were down, and fall upon the Alliance worlds! Noldek himself was said to be coming with reinforcements, including most of our new battleships, but the Golgans had been making trouble and the new fleet was way on the other side of our territory and still days away! Meanwhile, we were looking eyeball to eyeball over our guns with those bonebrowed Kittani and those slimey minions!
That was when those two Shemar battlewagons jumped in. I’ll tell you, they made quite an entrance and an immediate difference, appearing like they did almost in the center of the Splugs! A bright red one looking like it was covered in streaks of blood and a black one covered in patterns of glowing circuitry, and they cut loose with everything they had the moment they appeared! They must have taken out a half-dozen Kitty cruisers in that first volley alone and took every other one of them puss-suckers by surprise! Then they started pumping out missiles and more! And by more I mean hordes of their Warsteeds, pouncing on Splug ships and taking them on hand to hand! Some of those ships were close enough to the moon I was on that we could watch with our oculars! Damn, but those ladies can fight!”

These massive warships have only recently begun appearing in the Three Galaxies. Little is known of the people who construct and man them, a race that appears to be a matriarchal society of humanoid cyborgs calling themselves the ‘SheMar’, the ‘ Ecotroz Shemar’, and sometimes the ‘Templars’, the latter suggesting some militant religious order. The SheMar have at various times claimed regions of unexplored space as ‘their’ territory, warning other ships away from sections of space, while at other times they have simply appeared in odd corners of the Three Galaxies. This has led some to speculate that the SheMar may be nomads, or have homeworlds secreted in the Fringe Arms or the Thundercloud Galaxy. They have fought various threats ranging from space pirates to Demonstars, but seem to have a special enmity against the Splugorth.
The ‘Scorpio’ is the largest ‘standard’ SheMar starship design thus far seen with their forces; a giant carrier-cum-battleship that serves as a mobile support base for SheMar taskforces, and heavy fire support for battlegroups. At least one ship has been seen sporting the flamboyant insignia of several of the identified SheMar clans, the Hawkmoon, Blood Riders, Silvermoon, Darkwaters, Ghost Riders, and Shadowblades. No more than one ship of this class has been seen at a time sporting the individual clan colors, and it is not known if each clan has only one of these warships to its name, only the more prosperous and numerous clans possess them, or if the clans maintain fleets of these craft.
The Scorpio has a long, sleek, hull design that is both technological and seemingly organic; the ship looks like a deep sea crustacean or predator, and some analysts claim it has certain Kittani design aspects(this has been seized upon as one possible explanation for the SheMar hatred of the Splugorth; they may have been a former slave species that has successfully revolted). About two-thirds of the way down the hull, sprouts a tall fin that extends through the hull, and supports a powerful suite of sensors and jamming gear. Aft of the fin, the hull fans out into a ‘lobster tail’ of fins and baffles that provide additional jamming and shrouding of the starship’s drive emissions. There is nothing subtle about these ships; they are heavily armed and armored, packing a powerful complement of energy and projectile weapons, backed by powerful shields, heavy armor, and contingents of both fighters and warriors. These ships rarely travel alone, and frequently appear escorted by a fleet of smaller ships. In fact, up to four Remora-class cruisers can actually attach to the ship’s flanks, providing additional power, armament, and fighter protection. Because the Shemar, and even the NeShemar, have greatly reduced environmental life support needs, more power can be routed to shields, drive, and weapons. In fact, when aboard ship, many of those Shemarrians not on active duty often stand in stasis cells, their bodies inactive, but their minds linked electronically/psionically into virtual reality sims or a common shipboard ‘chatroom’. The ships retain small deck areas compatible and comfortable for most human-like life, but the majority of these ships’ decks would be uncomfortably cold, hot, thin-aired, or irradiated to unprotected humans. Again, because of the inhuman constitution of the Shemar, the ships can engage their engines at higher accelerations than most human-crewed warships of equivalent size.
Two Scorpios are known to have appeared together in Central Alliance space to help General Noldek’s forces repel a Splugorth attack force. The crews of the warships were subsequently lauded and praised as heroes by the victorious Alliance soldiers, and the cyborg SheMar welcomed as champions at any Alliance port they should choose to visit, then, or in the future. With characteristic stoic modesty, the SheMar politely and gravely thanked Noldek’s emissaries, and excused themselves from the festivities, citing only that they still had other duties to see to, before their ships vanished once more into the depths of space.
Type: ESheMar-CV/BB1
Class: Command Battleship
Crew: 1,200+240 air crew(with capacity for carrying up to 2,000 passengers/troops)
MDC/Armor by Location
Main Body 240,000
Bridge 18,000
Tail/Sensor/Com Array 10,000
Heavy Grav-Cannon(7) each
Plasma Batteries(20) each
Missile Batteries(10) each
Point Defense Rail Gun/Laser Turrets(30) 160 each
Hangar Bay 12,000
Main Engine 26,000
Auxiliary Engines(4) 3,000 each
Variable Forcefield 16,000 per side ( 96,000 total)

Length: 5,400 ft
Width: 600 ft
Height: 1,000 from lower fin to the top of the rear antennae assembly
Weight: 72 million tons
Cargo: 500,000 tons
Powerplant: Matter-Antimatter equivalent w/ 50 year energy life
Speed:
(Atmosphere) Hover to Mach 3; transatmospheric.
(Sublight) Mach 11(with two Remora Cruisers hard-docked to the ship, the Scorpio can make Mach 12. With FOUR Remoras hard-docked, sublight speed goes up to Mach 14)
(Kitsune Values: 60% of light speed; Accelerates/decelerates at 1.1% of light speed per melee)
(FTL) 7 light years per hour(with two Remora Cruisers hard-docked to the ship, the Scorpio can make 8 light years an hour. With FOUR Remoras hard-docked, FTL speed goes up to 8.4 light years an hour)
(Underwater) Not possible
Market Cost: EXCLUSIVE to the SheMar. It’s estimated that a similar vessel would cost 150 billion credits or more to produce/acquire.
Systems of Note:
Standard Starship Systems, plus:
*Long Range Sensors---Exact statistics are difficult to verify, but it is estimated that the Scorpios have long range sensors with 25% greater range than standard CCW and TGE capital ship sensor systems.

*Sensor Baffling----The Shemar ships can partially mask their sensor spoor, making themselves difficult to detect at long range. This acts as Stealth(-70% to detect while stationary, -30% when moving)

*Sensor Jamming---Active sensor jamming can be employed at shorter ranges to jam and confuse enemy sensors, as well as interfere with communications. The downside is that the amount of interference pumped out will alert EW-savvy opponents of the presence of a jamming platform. Effective Range: 800 miles. -6 to target the ship with active sensors

*Onboard Nanofacs---The Scorpios carry a central axis nanofac assembly line that allows the ship to draw in space debris(including battlefield wreckage), break it down, and convert it into usable material, including rail gun ammunition, new missiles, ship repairs, and crew components.

*Robotics/Bionics Bay----The Scorpios come with a complete robotics/bionics ‘sickbay’ able to diagnose and repair just about any complaint or damage a SheMar is likely to suffer. The biomechanics bay also has the ability to manufacture and Awake new SheMar and NeSheMar bionic full conversions.

*Tractor Beams(4)----Effectively each rated for 3,000 tons dead weight, but can be used for imparting small changes in momentum/direction to ships/structures several times that mass.
Range: 5 miles in space(NOT usable in atmosphere)(Kitsune Values: 5,000 miles in space).

*Cruiser Hard-Docks(4)---The Scorpio has provision for external docking of up to FOUR Remora medium cruisers. Besides giving the ship more troops and fighter capability, the hard-docked cruisers can slave their engines, point defense, and shields to the mothership. Each docked Remora will add its shield strength to the all sectors of the Scorpio’s variable shields except the side opposite that to which the Remora is docked. Point defense coverage adds HALF of the Remora’s available PDS turrets(the other half are blocked by the mass of the docked Scorpio). See bonuses to Speed above for drive enhancements.

*Command Linkage---The cyber-psionic command and control exercised by the EShemar give them faster response times: +1 to Initiative and +1 to strike.

Weapons Systems:
1)Heavy Grav-Cannon(7; three forward mounted, two each flank)---The Shemarrians have an apparent love of heavy projectile weaponry, as almost all of their ships feature, or have been refitted with, a forward battery of heavy rail guns or gravitic cannon. The Scorpio is no exception, mounting seven weapons of roughly GR-3000 class.
Range: 60 miles in atmosphere, 120 miles in space
(Kitsune Values: 120 miles in atmosphere, 120,000 miles in space)
Damage: 1d6x1,000 MD per round, or can fire a fragmenting anti-missile/fighter shell that does 1d4x100 MD to a 100 ft wide area
Rate of Fire: Four shots per melee
Payload: rd magazine per gun, ready to fire. Additional ammunition can be stored as cargo, but will take 45 minutes to reload from stores.

2) Heavy Plasma Batteries(20; arrayed along the back and sides)--- Massive concealed launchers open up to reveal massive arrays of plasma projection equipment and electromagnetic direction gear. These unsual weapons fire volleys of plasma bolts like missiles, and are even able to ‘curve’ the shots somewhat to skip around ships and obstacles to envelope a target. A full-out barrage by these weapons, pumping out plasma bolts at maximum rate of fire is an incredible spectacle, particularly terrifying if one is on the recieving end of same (sone observers have compared it to a plasma storm). Some tech-analysts see disturbing similarities between the plasma weapons technology on the Shemar ships and plasma weaponry known to have been employed by the infamous Mechanoids!
Range: 25 miles in atmosphere, 100 miles in space
(Kitsune Values: 100 miles in atmosphere, 100,000 miles in space)
Damage: 2d4x100 MD to a 100 ft blast radius per missile
Rate of Fire: Volleys of 1-10 plasma bolts. Three volleys per melee
Payload: Effectively Unlimited

3)Long Range Missile Launchers(10; 4 forward, 2 each side, 2 rear )---These are rapid-fire multi-cell LRM launchers that can put out swarms of heavy missiles when firing in concert.
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, 2, 5, or 20
Payload: 400 missiles per bay, 4,000 total; additional missiles may be carried and loaded from cargo, but will take at least 30 minutes(1 ton of cargo per 12 missiles)

4) Point Defense Rail Gun/Laser Turrets(30)---These are retractable turrets mounting a high-powered rail gun and a pulse laser cannon in a common turret.
Range: (Rail Gun) 2 miles in atmosphere, 4 miles in space
(Kitsune Values: 4 miles in atmosphere, 400 miles in space)
(Laser) 1 mile in atmosphere, 3 miles in space
(Kitsune Values: 3 miles in atmosphere, 300 miles in space)
Damage: (Rail Gun)4D6x10 M.D. per blast
(Laser) 3D6x10 M.D. per blast
Rate of Fire: (Rail Gun)EGCHH(4-6)
(Laser) EGCHH (4-6)
Payload: (Rail Gun) 2,000 rd drum. Additional ammunition can be stored as cargo, but will take 45 minutes to reload from stores.
(Laser) Effectively Unlimited

Auxiliary Craft:
*72 Aerospace Fighters
*20 Scarab Assault Shuttles
*10 Heavy Shuttles
*12 Additional Aerospace Craft(additional shuttles, Scarab variants, lighters, etc.)
*148 Space-Capable Warsteeds

Variants:
*Planetary Assault Battleship(?)----Rumors exist of at least one Scorpio apparently carrying a central axial SuperHeavy Massdriver Cannon for planetary assault. The vessel in question was reportedly firing the weapon on a Splugorth outpost. Given the circumstances of the one detailed report filed by a eyewitness(a mage who, by his own admission, was fleeing through a teleportation rift in the middle of a planetary firefight just as the trading post he was in was being savaged by heavy weapons) this remains unverifiable, and other evidence(such as scans of destroyed Splugorth outposts showing cratering consistant with heavy kinetic weaponry impacts) remains inconclusive. However, as the Shemar are not signatories of any arms treaty, it is still possible that Shemarrian ships may be carrying proscribed Massdrivers.

[KLM]

Hi there!

Taalism:


As a side note for the plasma weaponry, I would require some kind of a projectile,
which is enveloped into plasma - giving the advanvantage of a seeking weapon
and simultanously giving the disadvantage of a limited payload.

Also, I would assign a sublight speed to the plasma torpedoes - it is not unreasonable
(and also cinematic) that a fast vessel can outrun them, if not from point blank range.

Just my two cents.

Adios
KLM

[taalismn]

Hi there!

Taalism:


As a side note for the plasma weaponry, I would require some kind of a projectile,
which is enveloped into plasma - giving the advanvantage of a seeking weapon
and simultanously giving the disadvantage of a limited payload.

Also, I would assign a sublight speed to the plasma torpedoes - it is not unreasonable
(and also cinematic) that a fast vessel can outrun them, if not from point blank range.

Just my two cents.

Adios
KLM

Duly noted and it will be applied to future weaponry.
Thanks!

[gaby]

What das your ship,s bridge look like?

[taalismn]

What das your ship,s bridge look like?

Suspension, with a little bit of cantilever. Two-lane, with a walkway on either side, fenced railings, and a chicken net just below the edge.

[gaby]

What no one,have ideas for bridge designs?

[DhAkael]

Fluff-text will be done later. Reposted from 'Shemarrian fan creations' thread.

Shemarrian ‘Stormdragon’ Class Battleship
Model: ES-SD MK1
Class: Battleship
Crew: 400 (10 Warchiefs and 360 Naval trained Warriors, plus 30 Spinsters)
Troops: Standard; 1700, Maximum; 3000. Mixed Warriors (50%), Berserkers (20%), with Male scouts (10%) and NeShemarr (10%); warsteeds are included in the numbers given.
Other combinations may occur dependant on available EctrozShemarr / NeShemarr.

Vehicle Compliment:
1 warsteed (varies) for every 3 warriors; appoximately 560+ warsteeds.
6 Scarrab Assault-Shuttles (Typically troop-transport model).

M.D.C. by Location:
Head / Forward 3rd.: 40,000
Hvy. Plasma-Torpedo Ejector (“Mouth” area): 7,500
Antiship Laser Batteries (4): 1200 each
Heavy Railcannons (4; 2 in each “leg” pod): 2500 each
Point Deffense Railguns (8): 180 each
Long Range Missile Launchers (3; main body): 1,200 each
Launch Bays (2; underside): 2,000 each
Wings (2) 9,000 each
[1] Bridge (between the “shoulders” / Dorsal region) : 20,000
[1] Emergency Bridge(Located in main body): 15,000
[2] Main Body: 100,000
[3] Engineering Section: 50,000
[4] Ventral Leg-Pods (2) 15,000 each
[5] Variable Force Field: 8,000 a side (48,000 Total)


Notes:
[1] In reality this is how much damage needs to be done for a weapon to hit the bridge through the ships armor. This ship also has an auxiliary bridge. Even if both bridges are destroyed, the ship can still be piloted from engineering but ship is -3 to dodge and all weapon systems will be at local control. Weapon hits near the bridge that do not penetrate the ships integrity can injure crew members on or near the bridge.
[2] Depleting the MDC of the main body will put the vessel out of commission. All internal systems will shut down, including life support. The ship itself will be an unsalvageable floating wreck.
[3] Destroying the engineering section means that ship FTL propulsion systems are destroyed and maximum sublight acceleration is reduced to ten percent of normal (using navigational thrusters).
[4] Destroying the two pods will prevent the vessel from landing and destroy the railcannon batteries.
[5] Shield positions are variable and can be combined into one shield. The shields regenerate at a rate of 5% (400 MDC) per melee round.

Speed:
Flying: Mach 10 combat speed. 0.4 sublight speed. Star Ship can accelerate/decelerate at the rate of 1 percent of light per melee. INATMO flight speed is a crawling Mach 1.3 maximum.
FTL: 5 LY / Hr. using CG drive (
Range: 10 years at optimal conditions, using both conventional and magical life support. If no organics are present the vessel can operate for three times as long (30 years).
Statistical Data:
Height: 600 feet (183 meters). Length: 4,000 feet (1,220 meters) Width: 800 feet (244 meters), with wing span adding an additional 10% when wings unfurled.
Weight: 56 million tons
Cargo: Cargo holds are scattered about the ship that allows for carrying up to 50,000 tons of Cargo in addition to standard compliment of supplies and ammunition
Drive Type(s): Primary; Type-E CG drive rated for factor 500 FTL (5LY / hr.), sublight and atmospheric maneuvering.
Power System: matter/anti-matter reactor with 30 years at maximum output.
Market Cost: Unknown. Estimated at 10 billion Tri-galactic credits if ever sold.

Weapon Systems
1) Hvy. Plasma Torpedo Ejector‘: Located in the “mouth of the Stormdragon is a capitol ship scale version of the plasma torpedo batteries used by the Eshemarr navies. When activated, the forward section of the ‘head’ opens up like a set of jaws and the firing gate is revealed; filled with compressed plasma. A few seconds later the plasma is expelled as a sphere almost 250ft. wide!
Mega-Damage: 2D4X1000 to a 500ft. (152.4m) radius area! Damage is inflicted to all exposed areas, and in the case of capitol ships, the blast will damage at least 2 shield facings (GM‘s call).
R.O.F.: 3 per round. Range: 500miles (800km); X10 range when in strategic combat.
Payload: effectively unlimmited, but total of 30 per hour. Recharges at rate of 1 shot every 2 minutes.
Capitol Ship scale= -14 to strike small targets.

2) Concealed Antiship Laser Batteries (4): Located port & starboard (2 dorsal, 2 ventral), and covered by folding armour plates are concealed heavy laser batteries. Each battery has a 180º arc of fire to either side. Only called shots may damage the guns, and they are -25% to detect closed.
Mega-Damage: 3D6X100 per laser battery shot. R.O.F.: 2 shots per battery / rnd.
Range: 55miles (88km) in space;X10 range when in strategic combat. Payload: Effectively unlimited.
Capitol Ship scale= -10 to strike small targets.

3) Hvy. Railcannon Batteries (2): 1 battery of 2-guns is located in the front of each leg pod, resembling twin toe-claws.
The Shemarrians have an apparent love of heavy projectile weaponry, as almost all of their ships feature, or have been refitted with, a forward battery of heavy rail guns or gravitic cannon. The Stormdragon is no exception, mounting four weapons of roughly GR-3000 class.
Mega-Damage: 1d6x1,000 MD per round, or can fire a fragmenting anti-missile/fighter shell that does 1d4x100 MD to a 100 ft wide area
R.O.F.: Four shots per melee, per gun. Range: 60 miles in atmosphere, 120 miles in space; X10 in strategic combat.
Payload: 100rd. magazine per gun, ready to fire. Additional ammunition can be stored as cargo, but will take 45 minutes to reload from stores.
Heavy Ship scale= -11 to strike small targets.

4) GR-100 Grav Autocannon turrets (8): These point defense gravity-guns are spaced evenly across the Stormdragons’ hull to protect from enemy fighters and incoming missile strikes. The turrets may be manually operated or set to auto-fire.
Mega-Damage: 1D6X10 per 10 round burst. R.O.F.: 1 bursts per action or 3 attacks automated.
Range: 3miles (4.8km). Payload: 1000 bursts each. Light Ship scale= No penalties. Note: The rotating turret gives a +1 to strike (plus any WP, weapon system lock-ons and sensor bonuses). If set for auto-fire, the guns are +4 to strike (+6 if lock on has been achieved).

5) Vertical LRM / Torpedo Launchers (3): Located on the dorsal main body are 3 single-tube vertical launch LR missile & torpedo silos. Typically these launchers are loaded with plasma or gravitic warheads.
Mega-Damage: As per LRM / Torpedo type.
R.O.F.: Individually or in volleys of two per launcher (total volley of 12 warheads). Each volley counts as 1 gunner action. Once 10 warheads have been launched, it takes 3 actions (1/2 a melee) for the auto-loading system to reload another 10 from the magazine. Range: as per warhead type.
Payload: 10 per launch system plus an additional magazine of 60 per launcher, for a total 210

Other Systems [In addition to standard starship systems as listed in ‘Fleets of the 3 galaxies’]
ECM generators. Advanced Sensor Package. Geologic Sensors. Targeting and combat computer (+2 to strike, +1 to dodge). Auto-pilot & Supernavigation computer (60% skill). Atmosphere recycling system. 40 staterooms & 360 basic accommodations (troops are housed in barrack style areas). 2 Launch-bays. Artificial gravity. 3 Recreation facilities. 300 Stasis pod facilities. Medical Facility (200 patients). 70 FTL life-boats. FCE pod (bridge unit). Auto-Breach sealing. FTL communications system.

Special Systems
*Onboard Nanofacs---The Scorpios carry a central axis nanofac assembly line that allows the ship to draw in space debris(including battlefield wreckage), break it down, and convert it into usable material, including rail gun ammunition, new missiles, ship repairs, and crew components.
*Robotics/Bionics Bay----The Scorpios come with a complete robotics/bionics ‘sickbay’ able to diagnose and repair just about any complaint or damage a SheMar is likely to suffer. The biomechanics bay also has the ability to manufacture and Awake new SheMar and NeSheMar bionic full conversions.
*Command Linkage---The cyber-psionic command and control exercised by the EShemar give them faster response times: +1 to Initiative and +1 to strike.

[taalismn]

What no one,have ideas for bridge designs?

Avoid exposed ones with big windows(Galactic Empire and Robotech crews can tell you this). Listen to the Gamilons: "SHOOT FOR THE HIGH EXPOSED TOWER THINGIE!!!"

[DhAkael]

What no one,have ideas for bridge designs?

Avoid exposed ones with big windows(Galactic Empire and Robotech crews can tell you this). Listen to the Gamilons: "SHOOT FOR THE HIGH EXPOSED TOWER THINGIE!!!"

Yes... Comander Dessler / Deslok; A man of great fashion sense AND tactical brilliance. Well... TACTICAL, not strategic

[taalismn]

What no one,have ideas for bridge designs?

Avoid exposed ones with big windows(Galactic Empire and Robotech crews can tell you this). Listen to the Gamilons: "SHOOT FOR THE HIGH EXPOSED TOWER THINGIE!!!"

Yes... Comander Dessler / Deslok; A man of great fashion sense AND tactical brilliance. Well... TACTICAL, not strategic

Knew enough to change from a caucasoid to a far more fetching blue-skin... (He appears briefly in an early first season episode with pale pink skin, then shifts over to regulation Gamilon blue).

[KLM]

Hi there!

Re: Stormdragon
The desing is too light on the flak/point defense department. At least another dozen guns are needed - preferably more.

For my part, I would multiply LRM capability by 4, double the point-defense railguns, add a dozen from each:
- MRM launchers
- heavy anti-aircraft guns (preferably directed energy)
- light point defense guns (preferably area effect P-Beam or similar).

Also, how fast the plasma ejector "bubble" travels and can it be popped by gunfire?

Adios
KLM

[taalismn]

Feel free to add the 'standardized' Shemarrian rail-gun-and-pulse-laser turrets to plug the point defense gaps...

[DhAkael]

*shrug* I'm just going by what is in the Phaseworld books which are ALL light on Point Deffense.
You wanna complain to someone; complain to Kevin, Braden and Carl, not me.
Enjoy it for what it is.
Or better yet, provide your own entries / additions from scratch.

Plasma Torpedo; High-Fractional C (meaning It shoots, you're not FTL, it catches up to you).

[taalismn]

Wouldn't consider KLM's comments to be trolling. However, admittedly, when you look at modern warships, they carry maybe 1-2, at best 3 Phalanx-style PDS, which wouldn't serv ein the average 'Itano Circus' missile massacre scenario...fortunately, though, modern launch platforms and defense budgets don't allow for hundreds, or even dozens, of missiles to be wargasmed at a single target.
Spacecraft, which don't have water covering one side, have to have more weapons to cover all the arcs, and in Palladium combats, they could very well be facing enemy launch platforms that spew dozens, even hundreds, of missiles in a single attack. But if you figure on ideally pasting enemy launch platforms BEFORE they enter launch range, or use your long range weaponry to pick off such attacks, or use your mobility to avoid them altogether, wasting space on lots of little guns that could be spent on other systems makes sense.
Of course, you're also likely to be facing fighters, power armor, and other small fast movers, so the argument swings back to lots of small rapid fire guns.
Still, proponents of the former position will counter that, given the short range of PDS systems, if you need lots of them, then you're not using the rest of the capabilities of your warship correctly.
The counter-argument to THAT being; better safe than sorry. A capital starship worth anything is going to attract a LOT of fire, and high-value units will be swamped by enemy fighters and missile ordnance. Best to load up on the scatter-guns and buckshot for swatting varmint.

So you're both right and unknowingly continuing a long running argument of Three Galaxies naval architects and ship designers.
Personally I lean towards lots of point defense from my Rifts Earth experiences, because nothing sucks worse than having a big bad battleship loaded with big guns, and then losing to a bunch of frogmen or a swarm of dragonfish that peck the crew to death.

[KLM]

Hi there!

*shrug* I'm just going by what is in the Phaseworld books which are ALL light on Point Deffense.
You wanna complain to someone; complain to Kevin, Braden and Carl, not me.
Enjoy it for what it is.
Or better yet, provide your own entries / additions from scratch.

I thought you posted here for reactions - got mine, so enjoy for what it is : my virtual two cents.

As for my entries and the amount of "flak" - which is not just point defense, but actually
a multi layered defense sytem - the suggested addition is needed to bring the ship up to
3G standard, which is admittedly low.
Even when one can count on the onboard units - in this case the warsteeds - to provide
CAP, it is still low.

As for my entries...
viewtopic.php?f=28&t=80385

Besides shameless self-advertising, one can check out the amount of defense guns
on my designs...

I based them on the fact, that capital ship combat looks to be rather largely resolved by
gunfire (in addition to fighter/PA/missiles swarms), giving 3G "black navy" combat a bit
of WWII flavor - just check out the flak on WWII ships.
Some battleships had around 80 pieces of 40mm guns... While aircraft tipically had 4*20mm or
4-6*.50 - now, if we project this comparison to 3G craft, an average frigate would have
about a dozen twin GR-1000's and twice as much laser turrets (see Arcane MkII main laser guns)
not to mention missiles systems.

Adios
KLM

[taalismn]

I based them on the fact, that capital ship combat looks to be rather largely resolved by
gunfire (in addition to fighter/PA/missiles swarms), giving 3G "black navy" combat a bit
of WWII flavor - just check out the flak on WWII ships.
Some battleships had around 80 pieces of 40mm guns... While aircraft tipically had 4*20mm or
4-6*.50 -

Adios
KLM

And look at all the good all those guns did the Yamato...

Torpedoes AND Bombs...

Underscores that no matter how many guns you pile on, a well-organized escort force provides the best defense-in-depth

[DhAkael]

Picket ships R-your friends

[taalismn]

Picket ships R-your friends

They'll also eat cruise missiles for you.
Of course, if you're actually ON such a picket ship when it attracts an attack meant for somebody else, it sucks big time, but hey, you took the risk when you signed up...

[DhAkael]

Picket ships R-your friends

They'll also eat cruise missiles for you.
Of course, if you're actually ON such a picket ship when it attracts an attack meant for somebody else, it sucks big time, but hey, you took the risk when you signed up...

David Webbers 'Harrington-verse'; nuff said. Picket ships suck Grazer, missile pods and even ramming attacks all
the
damn
time!

[KLM]

Hi there!

Underscores that no matter how many guns you pile on, a well-organized escort force provides the best defense-in-depth

Yepp, but still: something WILL slip throught, so better have your own guns. Maybe not to
prevent the loss of a ship - but to make them pay for it dearly.

Or to put it into another way: make the defense layered and do not neglect any of the layers.

Adios
KLM

[taalismn]

Hi there!


Also, how fast the plasma ejector "bubble" travels and can it be popped by gunfire?

Adios
KLM

I use Kitsune's rules for starship weaponry, so inatmo speed of cruise missiles is Mach 25(space is 10% of light speed per melee), while LRMs are mach 20(8% of lightspeed per melee).

Pure plasma ejecta weapons would have near-light speed(maybe 80% of light?), but I see them as direct fire weapons with a range not greater than the larger particle beam cannons, limiting them in long range assaults. On their own, pure plasma torpedoes cannot dodge, carry complex maneuvers like missiles, nor can they 'loiter' on their way to their targets. Most PDS systems are useless against them(rail gun rounds just vaporize, lasers pass through), but sensors can pick them up more easily than countermeasure-equipped missiles, so if you're far enough away and have good response reflexes, you can dodge plasma fire.

At least that's the way I'm thinking it.

[KLM]

Hi there!

Pure plasma ejecta weapons would have near-light speed(maybe 80% of light?), but I see them as direct fire weapons with a range not greater than the larger particle beam cannons, limiting them in long range assaults. On their own, pure plasma torpedoes cannot dodge, carry complex maneuvers like missiles, nor can they 'loiter' on their way to their targets. Most PDS systems are useless against them(rail gun rounds just vaporize, lasers pass through), but sensors can pick them up more easily than countermeasure-equipped missiles, so if you're far enough away and have good response reflexes, you can dodge plasma fire.

Plasma torpedoes are held together by something - and that might be disrupted by weapons fire (force fields
"punctured", field emitter destroyed, etc).

Adios
KLM

[taalismn]

Hi there!

Pure plasma ejecta weapons would have near-light speed(maybe 80% of light?), but I see them as direct fire weapons with a range not greater than the larger particle beam cannons, limiting them in long range assaults. On their own, pure plasma torpedoes cannot dodge, carry complex maneuvers like missiles, nor can they 'loiter' on their way to their targets. Most PDS systems are useless against them(rail gun rounds just vaporize, lasers pass through), but sensors can pick them up more easily than countermeasure-equipped missiles, so if you're far enough away and have good response reflexes, you can dodge plasma fire.

Plasma torpedoes are held together by something - and that might be disrupted by weapons fire (force fields
"punctured", field emitter destroyed, etc).

Adios
KLM

I think of plasma bolts as ball lightning or a miniature solar flare...ever try to shoot ball lightning? You can try grounding it(which would be forcefields)...
Once I get out the Plasma Missile based on your earlier comments, we'll see how we can tinker with the various distinctions...

[KLM]

Hi there!

I think of plasma bolts as ball lightning or a miniature solar flare...ever try to shoot ball lightning?

To quote a classic: "Stand by ion control... Fire!"

In other words there are a few possible explanations for ball lightning, most of the theories
IMO make it possible to disperse the ball with directed energy weapons, or even a swarm of
hypervelocity slugs.

Just to make clear: it does not work against direct-fire plasma "ray" ejectors, NE plasma cartridge weapons, etc.
(thought shields do, and shield systems might do just that - disperse incoming plasma balls or beams with energy
emission. Be it ion, plasma, laser, gravitonic, particle, etc.)

What IS dispersable - in theory - is the Star Trek like plasma torpedo (which served as a basis for my
Golgans, see Bearski cruiser).

Adios
KLM

[ZINO]

WZ TechYards where is this websites PM anyone thanks

[taalismn]

WZ TechYards where is this websites PM anyone thanks

It used to be based out of a website Darkmax hosted, but since we haven't heard from him in a LONG time, and the website has subsequently lapsed, WZTechyards is no wholly based on this thread....It's really just a giant consortium of smaller ship designers and builders who have banded together to share resources and marketing, in order to compete with the big boys like General Galaxy and Naruni Enterprises, and keep them from monopolizing the marketplace.

[taalismn]

Shemarrian Aerospace Fighters
“Ever tangle with the Shemar fighter to fighter? Here’s a tip---DON’T. You think you know how to handle Naruni fighters? Sure you do...but just because the cyber-ladies fly ships that look like Naruni product, doesn’t mean they handle like Naruni product. They’re heavier, sure, but the Shemar have added shields, added stealth, and they jack the handling to the point that even a Zebuloid would have trouble handling the maneuvers. They might not fly faster, but they react faster and they can maneuver in ways that would snap spines and stop hearts in mid-flight. I’ve seen old hands who figured they got an unbreakable tail position on a Shemar, only to have her flip end-for-end faster than you could say ‘screw inertia’ and lay guns in the pursuer’s face.
So don’t go hunting Shemar fighters just to prove something. The only thing you’ll prove is how over your head you really are.”

Thus far, identified Shemar aerospace fighters have shown a known heritage; they are all knockoffs of existing Naruni designs, with some modifications, but clearly heavily based on Naruni hardware. Modifications to the designs typically center on improved protection, stealth, firepower, and command/control.

It is not known by what names the Shemar/EShemar call their fighters; the following are designation assigned them by observers and adopted for reporting purposes(although it is rumored that the Shemar have taken to using those same names).

Naruni is very NOT pleased with the copies, not having received a centi-credit for their original work. In retaliation(and because they want to look at the new systems incorporated into their designs and see how they stack up compared to their own corporate versions of the same designs) Naruni Enterprises executives have reportedly issued a 2 million credit reward for anybody who can provide them with a working example of the Shemarrian fighters. Thus far there have been no takers.

Because of the bionic nature of the Shermar, the most common internal modification to the designs is the removal of virtually all creature comforts; the crew for all intents and purposes ‘plug’ themselves into their ships. Even true cyborg NeShemar have minimal life support needs(typically all they need is a supplemental power tap, oxygen booster, and water tap). Inertial shielding has been recalibrated with the greater and inhuman stress tolerances of the Shemar; a normal flesh and blood pilot would be seriously injured, if not killed outright, trying to pilot a Shemarrian fighter ‘as is’. The space and power normally given to shielding and accommodating live crew is devoted to extra avionics and equipment. Shemarrian fighters tend to be slightly heavier than their Naruni counterparts, but carry heavier firepower, armor, or stealth systems.

Dedicated Shemar aerospace pilots typically wear Light Cyborg Armor as standard, rather than the heavier infantry battle armor more familiar to the Shemarrian infantry and cavalry. The pilot armor tends to have a more streamlined look to it, and many pilots favor an open face mask(seeing as they don’t have to breath). Some have even been known to fly with their cockpit canopies open, especially when drawing close to an opponent, the better to taunt them!

No Shemarrian fighters are known to have been infected with an Ecotroz splinter-essence; the many flight computers of Shemar ships, though formidable in their processing power, seem to be of the wrong configuration to accommodate a Ecotroz intelligence.

(Optional)---Because of their bionic/psionic nature, EShemar pilots can take the same bonuses as that of the New German Republic’s XML cyborgs(See Rifts: Triax II for details). Otherwise, they can just take the Russian bionic cyberlink bonuses.

*EShe-F01 Kamayari---An obvious knockoff of the Naruni Crescent Aerospace Plane/ Fighter, but with a less angular, more streamlined hull and cockpit. It has been most commonly encountered in the forces of the Silvermoon clan.
Changes/Modifications:
-Passive Stealth---Outfitted with radar-absorbant armor and other passive stealth enhancements, the Kamayari has only a 15% chance of being detected by enemy radar.
-Forcefield---A modest standard forcefield with 500 MDC has been added
-Modular Bays---By sacrificing missile bays, the Kamayari can add modules for EW, forcefield generation, or different missile configurations;
a) Forcefield Generators---Each bay converted adds 200 MDC to forcefield strength
b) Mag Shield----Reduces damage from particle and ion weapons by HALF. It also has a 35% chance of deflecting regular missiles. Additional pods do not add cumulative bonuses, only redundancy.
c) EW Jamming----Jams communications in an 80 mile radius in atmosphere/8,000 miles in space. It also has a 55% chance of deflecting/confusing regular missiles and radar-guided weaponry
d) Short Range Missiles---10 per module
e) Long Range Missiles---2 per module
f) Cruise Missiles---1 per module
g)Countermeasure Launchers(2)---These are compact signal emitters mounted on mini-missile propulsion stages, and carried in a converted missile pod, where they are constantly updated with the ship’s drive signature. When deployed, they drop and launch on different courses, while pumping out a simulation of that drive signature. Signal Emitters have a 4 minute life span and a 65% chance of deceiving homing missiles and enemy long range sensors. Each medium-range missile module converted to fire countermeasure pods can carry 16 each

*EShe-F02 Ryu---An obvious knockoff of the Naruni NE-SDSR-2000 Star Dragon Superiority Fighter. The crew has been streamlined down to two in a redesigned cockpit, and the spacecraft is stylistically different, with even more angular wings, and a cockpit that more resembles that of a dragon’s or raptor’s head. The fuselage has been extended into a more prominent rear tail ‘spike’, making room for additional avionics, particularly a powerful jamming suite. Room is made on the outrigger nacelles to add a pair of pulse lasers similar that mounted in the central fuselage, for a total of three long range laser cannons. It is most often encountered in squadrons of the Darkwater, Hawkmoon, and Ghost Rider clans.
Changes/Modifications:
-Two person crew
-Laser Cannons(3)---Rather than the single laser cannon in the main hull, the Ryu mounts THREE, fire-linked to fire in synchronization.
-EW Jamming---Standard ECM suite for confusing sensor-guided weapons; -6 to strike
-Forcefield---The Ryu takes advantage of the extra space in the main body to mount a small variable forcefield generation system with 300 MDC per side( 1,800 total)

*EShe-F03 Kris---An obvious knockoff of the Naruni Broadsword Fighter, the Kris retains the unmistakable blade-like hull, crossguard-like fins, and hilt-like engine. Only the hilt sports a pair of flanges, the missile-launcher fins are longer and more sharply swept, the cockpit more streamlined, and the forward hull’s straight sharp lines broken by faceted armor, giving it the appearance of a dark crystal flamberge-style sword or an obsidian kris dagger. Most commonly seen in Wolf’s Path and Skullcrusher formations.
Changes/Modifications:
-Passive Stealth---Outfitted with radar-absorbant armor and other passive stealth enhancements, the Kris has only a 10% chance of being detected by enemy radar.
-Countermeasure Launchers(2)---These are compact signal emitters mounted on mini-missile propulsion stages, and carried in the flanges on the Kris’s ‘hilt’, where they are constantly updated with the ship’s drive signature. When deployed, they drop and launch on different courses, while pumping out a simulation of that drive signature. Signal Emitters have a 4 minute life span and a 65% chance of deceiving homing missiles and enemy long range sensors. The Kris carries 8 drones in each flange(16 total).
-(Optional) Heavy Hardpoint Rack---The Kris has a hardpoint on the underside for carrying a semi-recessed cruise missile or pair of long range missiles. Other possible weapons include a heavy g-cannon or particle beam. The Bloodriders have been observed to have outfitted their Kris fighters with a scaled down plasma torpedo generator/launcher. It’s been reported that some Krises have been seen deploying a Kittani-style neutron-cannon, similar to that carried by the Splugorth ‘Raider’-class assault shuttles, on Splugorth targets, but this remains unconfirmed.
a) Long Range Missiles---2

b) Cruise Missile---One

c) Heavy G-Cannon
Range: 8 miles in atmosphere, 16 miles in space
(Kitsune Values: 16 miles in atmosphere, 1,600 miles in space)
Damage: 2d4x100 MD per burst per single barrel
Rate of Fire: EGCHH(4-6)
Payload: 100 bursts per cannon

d) Particle Beam Cannon
Range:3 miles in atmosphere, 6 miles in space
(Kitsune Values: 6 miles in atmosphere, 600 miles in space)
Damage: 1d4x100 MD per shot
Rate of Fire: 4 shots per melee
Payload: Effectively Unlimited

e)Plasma Torpedo Launcher---A direct line of sight energy weapon firing a bolt of plasma that ‘splashes’ on target.
Range: 6 miles in atmosphere, 40 miles in space
(Kitsune Values: 40 miles in atmosphere, 4,000 miles in space)
Damage: 2d4x100 MD to a 100 ft blast radius per missile
Rate of Fire: Single shot. Once per melee
Payload: Effectively Unlimited

[DhAkael]

he pilot armor tends to have a more streamlined look to it, and many pilots favor an open face mask(seeing as they don’t have to breath). Some have even been known to fly with their cockpit canopies open, especially when drawing close to an opponent, the better to taunt them!

Buwahahahahahahaha!

[DhAkael]

The above submission gets the DhAkael Doom-Krow seal of approval.

[taalismn]

:ok:
The above submission gets the DhAkael Doom-Krow seal of approval.

THanks. I have some ideas for original Shemarrian fighters, based on the Boeing Bird of Prey flight demonstrator and a concept by Mister Wallis for a British swing-wing 'Swallow' bomber, but they're a ways off as yet.

[taalismn]

Edited with KLM's suggestion as to increased troop capacity.

She-Mar Hitode-class Troop Transport
On one side of the valley, an army of scaley-skinned, horribly-beweaponed humanoids boiled out of a walled city, swarming in a tide of anger towards the other side of the valley.
On the other side, two five-sloped mountains that hadn’t been there an hour ago now squatted, bristling with gleaming weaponry and sensory antennae, metallic shapes starting to emerge from cavernous openings in their sides and gather around their bases.
Several miles away, on a low promintory, but still with line of sight on the plain, two oni ninja watched, unseen by the belligerents below.
“What are they waiting for? An invitation?” The younger ninja groused. “Their formation...it is laughable! Why didn’t they come in on top of the ‘port, if they mean to take it? If these ‘Shemarrians’ mean to take the spaceport away from the Brodkil, why do they land outside it, like they came to picnic, not make war?!”
The senior of the two ninja let the younger one rant and ramble for a while before he held up a finger, indicating patience.
“Wait for it.”
They didn’t have long to wait, watching the Brodkil armored reinforce their positions and consolidate their encirclement of the Shemarrian positions. Armored phalanxes were forming up to strike at the beseiged ships.
Then it seemed as if the two starfish-like ships exploded in a blaze of light. Even the Oni-nins’ flash-visors overcompensated for a moment, going black for a moment, before readjusting, but even then, the curtain of fire that rose was blinding to look at.
A curtain of fire that rose and arced, and finally swept down upon the Brodkil positions. Once, twice, three times the plasma tide rolled across the Brodkil, incinerating monster and machine alike, dropping into trenches to melt the soil into molten glass, drowning those who had take refuge in the earth in instant lava, cooking off munitions still on their racks and in their weapons. Previously invisible Brodkil flickered into sight as the murderous brightness washed over them, revealing them, before they vanished again, but not into the concealment of their naural cloaking ability. Brodkil formations didn’t so much break as they EVAPORATED under the onslaught.
Then, there rose a yell that could be heard even over the still resounding shockwaves of that bombardment. The Shemarrian cavalry, now suddenly formed up in their own formations, charged into the still smoking maelstrom, the thundering of the hooves of their warmounts audible even from where the ninja watched. The sharp supersonic crack of their guns punctuated the air.
“Flaming tears of Amaratsu....” the younger ninja breathed in awe.
“And that is why one ignores artillery...and the perfect open field deployment for it.... at one’s risk. If the enemy wants YOU to come to THEM, it is reason to be suspicious.” the senior ninja wisely stated.

These distinctive-looking Shemarrian capital ships have only been sighted twice in action, both times operating near Bushido Confederation-claimed space; the Oni scouts who observed them dubbed them ‘Hitode’(‘Starfish’), and the name stuck(it is unknown what the Shemar call them).
Hitode-class transport cruisers have a distinctive appearance giving them their reporting name. They do indeed resemble massive, thorny, five-armed starfish. In this case, though, the armatures are large troop transport bay-blocs, and the ‘thorns’ a bristling array of armaments. Heavily armed and armored, but decidedly slow compared to other Shemarrian vessels, the Hitide does not rush to engage enemy vessels, but comes in behind a screen of other ships, protecting its advance on a planetary body or targeted space station. Once landed, the Hitode acts as a strongpoint and artillery support for its deployed troop complement.
Hitodes have been sighted but rarely; twice in landing operations, and four or five times in flight, traveling in convoy with other Shemar vessels, and not more than two or three at a time, so it is not known how many are operational in the Shemarrian fleets. The vessels engaged in the observed landing operations apparently belonged the Blood Rider(made clear by the bright crimson color scheme) and Horrorwoods (green and gray) tribes. It is not known if these vessels are exclusive to these clans or are operational with the other known tribes as well.
Type: ESheMar-CV-01
Class: Heavy Troop Transport Cruiser
Crew: 820, plus 1,600 cavalry/1,600 warmounts, or 16,000 infantry
MDC/Armor by Location:
Main Body 95,000
Bridge 9,000
Armatures(5) 76,000 each
G-Cannon Turrets(15) 800 each
Plasma Hunter-Killer Torpedo Launchers(2) 900 each
Plasma Torpedo Launchers(5) 800 each
Engines(5) 2,000 each
Point Defense Rail Gun/Laser Turrets(35) 160 each
Variable Forcefields---1,500 per side(6,000 total)
Height: 500 ft
Width: 2,200 ft
Length: 2,200 ft
Weight: 560,000 tons
Cargo:
Each arm of the Hitode can hold ten companies of Shemarrian cavalry(that’s 1,600 troops, plus their mounts) or twenty companies (3,200 effectives) of dismounted infantry, for totals of 1,600 cavalry/1,600 warmounts, or 16,000 infantry. Alternatively, they can each hold 40,000 tons of cargo.
Powerplant: Nuclear Fusion w/ 30 year energy life
Speed:
(Atmosphere) Hover to Mach 3; transatmospheric.
(Sublight) Mach 10
(Kitsune Values: 60% of light speed; Accelerates/decelerates at 0.0% of light speed per melee)
(FTL) 7 light years per hour
(Underwater) Not Possible
Market Cost: Unique to the Shemarrians and not for sale. If made available, a fully-equipped and functional Hitode might bring 1 billion credits or more
Systems of Note:
Standard Starship Systems, plus:
*Sensor Baffling----The Shemar ships can partially mask their sensor spoor, making themselves difficult to detect at long range. This acts as Stealth(-70% to detect while stationary, -30% when moving)

*Tractor Beams(5)----Effectively each rated for 700 tons dead weight, but can be used for imparting small changes in momentum/direction to ships/structures several times that mass. One emitter is mounted in each claw, and the third is mounted in the tail.
Range: 5 miles in space(NOT usable in atmosphere)
(Kitsune Values: 5,000 miles in space).

Weapons Systems:
1)Heavy G-Cannon(30; 15x2)---The Hitode mounts no less than thirty heavy G-cannon, in fifteen twin-mount turrets; two each on the dorsal side of each arm, and one on the underside.
Range: 8 miles in atmosphere, 16 miles in space
(Kitsune Values: 16 miles in atmosphere, 16,000 miles in space)
Damage: 2d4x100 MD per burst per single barrel, 4d4x100 MD per dual burst
Rate of Fire: EGCHH(4-6)
Payload: 2,000 bursts per cannon. Additional drums can be brought up from cargo and reloaded; process takes 20 minutes)

2)Plasma Hunter-Killer Torpedo Launchers(2)---This weapon, first seen on the Hitode, appears to be either an earlier version of the Plasma Torpedo Launcher, or a later version of the same weapon. Rather than launch a bolt of pure plasma, the weapon launches an actual material projectile; a missile-borne electromagnetic generator that wraps a shell of weapon-temperature plasma around itself. The generator/sustainer missile has its own onboard sensors calibrated to see through its plasma shell, allowing it to home in targets independent of its firing vessel, and at far greater range than direct fire weaponry. Though this weapon is dependent on a supply of specialized munitions(rather than the infinite capacity of the regular PTL), and the plasma-shrouded projectiles show up on energy sensors more readily than standard ‘cold’ missiles, the PHKTL has superior range, speed, and accuracy. The plasma shell also gives the PHKTL superior penetration capabilities against point defense systems.
MDC of Projectile: 60
Range: Varies by Missile Type (Long Range)
(Kitsune Values: 3,400 miles in atmosphere, 1,800,000 miles in space)
Damage: 2d6x100 MD to a 100 ft blast radius per missile
Rate of Fire: Volleys of 1-10
Payload: 60 missiles per launcher, 120 total. Additional missiles may be carried and loaded from cargo, but will take at least 30 minutes(1 ton of cargo per 12 missiles)
Note: Projectile anti-missile point defense systems are unable to penetrate the plasma shell, rendering them useless, and energy-based laser and plasma systems do only HALF damage due to interference from the plasma containment fields. Ion and Particle Beams suffer no such problems.

3)Plasma Torpedo Launchers(5)---Located between each armature around the hub is a Shemarrian PTL battery. These unusual weapons fire volleys of plasma bolts like missiles, and are even able to ‘curve’(up to 90 degrees) the shots somewhat to skip around ships and obstacles to envelope a target, but this control seems ballistic in nature, rather than active control(though there is evidence that the Shemar are able to actively direct the bolts within tractor beam range). The bolts themselves seem to have been endowed with a weak magnetic field that contains the plasma in a tight’packet’, allowing the plasma to travel farther without losing cohesion and damage potential, and allowing the plasma to explode with area of effect on target. The result is an energy missile with superior range to normal energy weapons(though still well short of comparable missile weaponry) and potentially unlimited payload. However, the plasma packets CAN be grabbed/deflected by tractor beams(likely how the EShemar manipulate their energy projectiles at short range and correct their course....each of the Hitodes’ armature mounted tractor beams being able to grab and direct a volley of plasma bolts), or destabilized by ion or particle beam weapons fire(takes 20 MDC to disrupt the plasma containment).
Range: 25 miles in atmosphere, 100 miles in space
(Kitsune Values: 100 miles in atmosphere, 100,000 miles in space)
Damage: 2d4x100 MD to a 100 ft blast radius per missile
Rate of Fire: Volleys of 1-10 plasma bolts. Three volleys per melee
Payload: Effectively Unlimited

4)Point Defense Rail Gun/Laser Turrets(35)---Standard Shemarrian-pattern rail gun/pulse laser combination in a common turret.
Range: (Rail Gun) 2 miles in atmosphere, 4 miles in space
(Kitsune Values: 4 miles in atmosphere, 400 miles in space)
(Laser) 1 mile in atmosphere, 3 miles in space
(Kitsune Values: 3 miles in atmosphere, 300 miles in space)
Damage: (Rail Gun)4D6x10 M.D. per blast
(Laser) 3D6x10 M.D. per blast
Rate of Fire: (Rail Gun)EGCHH(4-6)
(Laser) EGCHH (4-6)
Payload: (Rail Gun) 2,000 rd drum. Additional ammunition can be stored as cargo, but will take 45 minutes to reload from stores.
(Laser) Effectively Unlimited

Auxiliary Craft:
20 Scarab Assault Shuttles
Variants:
No known variants of the Hitode are KNOWN to exist, but blurry long-range video of one of the observed Horrorwoods Hitodes seems to show one of the three grounded transports sporting several hangar bay hatches on its armatures in place of the normal troop bay ramps, suggesting a possible fighter carrier. If converted as a fighter carrier, it’s estimated that a Hitode could carry 24 fighters per armature, for a total of 120 fighters altogether.
Alternately, these hatches could be launchers for long range missile batteries. Estimates based on the hatch size lead to specualtion that each armature could accomodate six ten-volley launchers each(for a total of thirty), with ammunition capacity for over twelve thousand missiles in each armature!
Finally, another speculation based on the known qualities and properties of the Shemarrian Plasma Torpedo Launcher offers the possibility of each armature being fitted with six additional PTL batteries similar to those carried by the Remora Medium Cruisers. Thirty-five batteries would severely tax the powerplants of a standard Hitode(or ship of comparable size and function), so any such ‘Supernova’ conversion would likely replace all troop and cargo capacity in the arms with dedicated auxiliary powerplants to serve the launchers. However, the conversion would create a heavy gunship/weapons platform able to pump out one thousand and fifty plasma bolts per melee!

[KLM]

I would multiply troop capacity at least by 10 or even more - a ship weighting more than half a million ton
should carry at least a division.

Also, I would add another 5 plasma torpedo launchers OR add a second mode/secondary blast radius to plasma missiles
(like they do 2d4*100 MD in a 30 feet radius as now AND 2d4*10 between 100 and 300 feet) as an anti-swarm measure.

Otherwise the design is good to me.

Adios
KLM

[taalismn]

I would multiply troop capacity at least by 10 or even more - a ship weighting more than half a million ton
should carry at least a division.

Also, I would add another 5 plasma torpedo launchers OR add a second mode/secondary blast radius to plasma missiles
(like they do 2d4*100 MD in a 30 feet radius as now AND 2d4*10 between 100 and 300 feet) as an anti-swarm measure.

Otherwise the design is good to me.

Adios
KLM

I sense a 'new construction' variant coming out(possibly with one or more of the other Tribes), since the Hitode has only been recently sighted and not much is known about it.


In the meantime, here's a more conventional design;

CCW Lasser-class Frigate
“The Lasser’s no antique; she’s as good as many newer designs. You hear about the Battle of Ersa III ? One Lasser and her fighter group against four pirate battlecruisers that each outweighed her by four to one at least...Captain was looking at a sixteen-to-one weight ratio in the enemy’s favor. But there were lives at stake on Ersa, and he didn’t back down. Took them on with some serious clever maneuvering; the Lasser was up to it, and he took down two of them big bruisers!
Of course, the remaining two started taking him seriously about then, and blasted the ship out of the sky, before they buggered off before any MORE CAF showed up, but that tough old ship managed to make a controlled crashlanding through atmo into the oceans on Ersa III. They managed to pull better than half her crew out alive from that landing!
Sure, the captain was skilled, and damned lucky, but skill and luck will only carry you so far, without a good ship under you, and I’ve walked enough Lassers to know they’re good ships!”

The Lasser is an older CCW design that was designed by the Human Alliance as part of the new armaments program inaugurating the formation of the Consortium of Civilized Worlds. Taking advantage of technology exchanges and the wartime lessons the HA learned during its own AI War, the Lassers were designed for long range, long duration, operations, either solo or in flotilla formations. They were built rugged, with oversized drives for continuous sustained acceleration, heavy armor, and substantial armaments. Along with the early Warshield cruisers(and other new vessel classes), the Lasser-class frigates represented the strong, far-reaching arm of the reborn Human Alliance as a member of the CCW, at least for a time.
However, the blush of optimism that ushered in the CCW gave way to econcomic realities, and the need to cover expanding territories with available resources. The Lassers were overbuilt to begin with, and the CAF realized that it needed more ships to cover more ground, rather than a few vessels to patrol ever larger regions of space. Lasser procurement and construction were scaled back in favor of larger numbers of the more easily constructed and smaller Scimitar class, and later the Hunter-class destroyers. Rather than build new upgraded Lassers, the CCW found it easier to simply regularly upgrade older ships, and pass the savings on to the procurement of ships like the Scimitar.
Lassers continue to serve with distinction in the CAF patrol forces, and a large number of them have been placed in Reserve fleets, ready for reactivation if and when the call comes. Despite their age, Lassers are well regarded by their crews as sturdy and reliable vessels. Despite being large and lanky in appearance, the ships are still quite physically tough, stoutly constructed, and boast spacious interiors that make long duration patrols more tolerable for their crews. The only major complaints about the Lassers are that some of the secondary systems in the lower hull are hard to access from inside the ship for maintenance(requiring a crawl through narrow access ways between the inner and outer hulls), and the peculiar placement of the upper sensor platforms. The communications and sensor control stations are physically divided by the large sensor system bloc on the upper hull, requiring a short, but serpentine, run down a connecting corrridor in event internal communications go out(if the environment in the corridor is compromised, as might happen if the main sensor array takes a direct hit, the other option is to climb down through two decks of service spaces and over to come up from under).
The example depicted here, the Bloc V Upgrade, is the current Fleet Standard configuration for the Lasser, and represents the statistics of the ships most likely to be encountered patroling in CCW territories.

Type: CCW-HAFG117-Lasser, Bloc V
Class: Heavy Frigate
Crew: 180+60 marines
MDC/Armor by Location:
Main Body 12,000
Bridge 3,000
Main Sensor Array 900
Secondary Sensor Arrays(3) 600 each
Heavy Lasers(2) 600 each
Secondary Lasers(12) 300 each
Long Range Missile Launchers(2) 300 each
Point Defense Grav-Guns(8) 100 each
Hangar Bay 3,000
Engines 7,000
Variable Shields( 1,200 each side, 7,200 total)
Height: 160 ft
Width: 100 ft
Length: 800 ft
Weight: 98,000 tons
Cargo: 2,000 tons
Powerplant: Advanced Nuclear Fusion w/ 50 years energy life
Speed:
(Atmosphere) Hover to Mach 9; rarely lands
(Sublight) Mach 9
(Kitsune Values: 60% of light speed; Accelerates/decelerates at 0.9% of light speed per melee)
(FTL) 5 light years per hour
Market Cost: Est. at 3 billion credits
Systems of Note:
Standard Starship Systems, plus:

*Long Range Sensors----Lassers mount large multi-media sensor arrays. The sensors can pick up on vessels moving at FTL up to 25 light years away, and vessels moving through normal space up to 0.9 light years away.


*Docking Collars(3)----Two external docking collars with extending tubeways for servicing additional starships docked to the Lasser.

*Tractor Beams(4)--------Effectively each rated for 1,500 tons dead weight, but can be used for imparting small changes in momentum/direction to ships/structures several times that mass.
Range: 10 miles in space(NOT usable in atmosphere)(Kitsune Values: 10,000 miles in space).

Weapons Systems:
1)Heavy Lasers(2)---The main bite of the Lasser-class is the pair of heavy lasers mounted in the foward hull.
Range: 7 miles in atmosphere, 14 miles in space
(Kitsune Values: 14 miles in atmosphere, 14,000 miles in space)
Damage: 4d6x100 per blast
Rate of Fire: 4 times per melee
Payload: Effectively Unlimited

2) Secondary Lasers(12)---backing the main laser cannon is a larger array of lower-powered weapons for saturation attacks. Up to six cannons can be brought to bear simultaneously on the same target.
Range: 7 miles in atmosphere, 14 miles in space
(Kitsune Values: 14 miles in atmosphere, 14,000 miles in space)
Damage: 2d4x100 MD per single blast, 8d6x100 for six cannons firing simultaneously
Rate of Fire: 4 times per melee
Payload: Effectively Unlimited

3) Long Range Missile Launchers(2)---These launchers are also used to deploy recon drones, probes, and special ordnance.
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 1-10
Payload: 120 per launcher; additional missiles may be carried as cargo, and reloaded from storage.

4)Point Defense Grav-Guns(8)---For targets protected against energy weaponry, the Lasser maintains an array of hypervelocity Phalanx-style grav-projectile cannons
Range: 1.5 miles in atmosphere, 3 miles in space
(Kitsune Values: 3 miles in atmosphere, 300 miles in space)
Damage:1d6x10 MD per burst
Rate of Fire: EGCHH, or auto-fire; 6 attacks per melee
Payload: 1,000 burst drum; additional drums can be carried as cargo(typically takes 2d6 minutes to reload from the holds).

Auxiliary Craft
*18 fighters
*10 Silverhawk Power Armors
*3 Shuttlecraft

Variants:
*HAFG117C----These are either late production frames or conversions of earlier construction hulls that have been converted into fast transports. The Heavy Lasers, missile launchers, and half of the secondary laser batteries were removed, and crew needs reduced by HALF, to accommodate capacity for 15,000 tons of cargo. Typically the fighter complement was retained(though no Silverhawks were embarked) as escort.

[taalismn]

NeR’Mar ‘Rock Turner’ Freelance Prospector

@”It is agreed then?”@
“Yes, Sar Gravelini. We will honor your claim, and purchase it for the agreed amount. The deposits will be made in your account. You may confirm it yourself. “
@”I see that the bank has confirmed your transfer. I am done here for now. It has been a pleasure doing business with you, Sar Thomaston.”@
“You will not join me in a celebratory toast to our arrangement? I have a variety of refreshments I have on good authority are both compatible with and amenable to cybernetic physiologies.”
@”It is not our way to indulge, but thank you for the offer. I must hurry. My ship is on a schedule and we must be on our way. Perhaps when next we do business. Stars be with you.”@
“Stars be with you, Sar Gravelini.”
-----
@”The deal is done. Prepare to set course for the next target system.”@
@/”Was it wise, brother, to sell the coordinates of the ISR23445 find to those people? The Star Nation could well use the polonium for its own purposes.”/@
@”Our sensors did not lie, did they? This backwater system and its start-up starship company are building large space docks. They are gearing up for warship, not commercial ship, production. They will be needing heavy metals in quantity. The ISR23445 find will not meet all of their needs, and they will be needing more. That will give us an excuse to come back, and approach the system closely, to bring them more. They now know us as reliable and effective prospectors in their pay. We will better be able to watch developments here. That information will be invaluable, whether the Star Nation decides to cultivate these people as potential allies or treat them as enemies. Agreed?”@
@[“We are in agreement, brother.”]@
@/”Agreed. It is a wise strategy.”/@
@”Good. We will procceed to the next target. If it is larger than what we found at ISR23445, we will mark it for the Star Nation’s use. If not, we will have future trade information to further ingratiate ourselves to our new ‘friends’. “@

Among the nomadic cyber-intelligences known as the NeR’Mar, no discernable pattern of ship design has emerged, except that there are no uniquely NeR’Mar ships. The aliens travel in vessels cobbled together from whatever they can find or acquire on the cheap, then modified with whatever they come across. NeR’Mar vessels quickly acquire the look of traveling scrapyards. Thus, no two NeR’Mar vessels are alike. However, unlike the average star tramper, bounty-barrel, or bum-rocket, NeR’Mar vessels have the advantage of being secretly supported and financed(as much as one might call a money-less society capable of financing) by the EShemmarian Star Nation.
A typical example is the ‘Rock Turner’, a run-down, cobbled-together, star-tramper that belongs to the NeR’Mar prospector known as ‘Gravel Joe’(sometimes interpreted and reported as ‘Gryvl’Jho’) and his two brothers( Chippen and Chard, sometimes referred to collectively as ‘the Gravelinis’ but more often as just ‘the Gravel Brothers’). The ship’s main hull was once a Type 4 Super Cargo Can, but has been reinforced with slabs of armor stripped off some defunct warship(one panel still bears the flaking insignia of the Golgan Republik). A short spinal boom at the rear connects to an engine block with a slightly oversized gravitics bell. Various parts of other ships adorne the front and sides of the adhoc vessel, a geo-probe launcher sits underneath the main hull, multiple magnetometers and prospecting sensors stud the sides, and several racks of asteroid drills, rock nets, and other ero gravity mining gear adorn the hull. A small garage/hangar holds a single small shuttle/lifeboat, and two bulldozers.
Internally, the ship has little to recommend to those who don’t have their own independent life support. The robotic Gravel Brothers have made little provision for passenger accommodation, aside from making the ship airtight. A small cabin(barely big enough to hold three people) in one corner has been fitted with terrestrial life support in the event the brothers ever DO take on passengers(or need to rescue anybody). Anybody else would have to sit in bubble tents or spacesuits in the holds. The rest of the ship is divided up into cargo holds and cubicle workshops. Cargo nets of ore samples and salvaged junk are everywhere, and one has to wonder how it all remains in place if and when the Gravels ever light up their main drives at full flank speed. And that’s one of the ship’s secrets; the tug-drive is actually the main engine off a Naruni Espandon Frigate. With lower mass to move, and no need to worry about squishy physical constitutions, the Rock Turner can hit some most impressive speeds, limited only by the ramshackle construction of the rest of the ship!
The high-performance engines aren’t the only surprise the clunker is hiding; under its shoddy-looking exterior lurks a high performance , super-sophisticated intelligence-gathering vessel that the CCW, the TGE, and the FWC would be well-pleased to have in their fleets, if they knew. The Rock Turner sports an array of sensors for more than just rock-sniffing, and it has the encrypted communciations gear to report its findings to its employers. Something the average rock-bounder just doesn’t have(at least those that are only interested in prospecting).
The Rock Turner is known to trawl the backwaters of Eyarn Sector in the Anvil Galaxy, and makes occasional stops in the Amberjin and Susoda systems, as well as various ports in the Central Alliance, to trade information on mineral finds and salvage for spare parts and miscellaneous supplies. In reality, of course, the NeR’Mar are watching developments for the EShemar, and acquiring resources for the cyber-Amazons. The Gravelinis can transmit their findings via encoded FTL transmissions to EShemarrian ships(the Gravel Brothers have also used pre-arranged data drops in asteroid belts to exchange information with other EShemarrian Star Nation ships).
The Rock Turner shys away from any sort of confrontation, much like its crew. When threatened, the Gravel Brothers will try to go dark in a convenient debris field or wasteland landscape, shutting off all emissions and hoping to go unnoticed, waiting until the threat goes away and they can resume their prospecting. Failing that, they’ll use the ship’s Espandon engines to speed away from trouble. Only as a last resort will the Rock Turner unship its concealed weaponry and fight back. And the Rock Turner mounts some potent weaponry; a heavy laser, rapid-fire pulse laser, and a hold full of heavy missiles allow the prospector to take apart small craft at short range and do substantial damage to larger craft. The Gravel Brothers also can engage a communications jammer to effectively silence pursuers who come in too close to engage, allowing the Gravelinis to destroy their attackers(and then hopefully slip away) while denying them the chance to call for reinforcements.
Type: NeR’Mar Freelance Prospector ‘Rock Turner’
Class: Light Transport
Crew: 3 NeR’Mar
MDC/Armor by Location:
Main Body 3,000
Bridge 900
Garage/Hangar 400
Sensor/Communications Arrays(3) 300 each
Smelter Pod 360
Engine Pod 2,900
Tractor Beam Mount(1) 300
Grapples(3) 250 each
Heavy Laser Turret(1) 320
Point Defense/Comm Laser(1) 250
Probe Launcher/Long Range Missile Launcher 300
Forcefield 1,200
Height: 55 ft
Width: 80 ft
Length: 255 ft
Weight: 560 tons
Cargo: 150 tons internally. An additional 100 tons can be carried racked outside the ship(but the Rock Turner will be unable to make atmospheric re-entry with external cargo attached). Can pull up to 50,000 tons.
Powerplant: Nuclear Fusion with a 30 year energy life
Speed:
(Atmosphere) Hover to Mach 3; transatmospheric(but barely).
(Sublight) Mach 11, and could conceivably hit speeds of Mach 16(though at that point even the normally imperturbable Gravelinis start to worry about hull stress)
(Kitsune Values: 50% of light speed; Accelerates/decelerates at 1.1% of light speed per melee)
(FTL) 4 light years per hour
(Underwater) Not possible
Market Cost: Not for sale. If captured intact and put up for sale, it might bring 200 million credits or more to the right buyers. Of course, if that happened, the NeR’Mar or EShemarrians might well dispatch a team to take the ship back or destroy it.
Systems of Note:
Standard Starship Systems, plus:
*Encrypted Long Range Communciations---The Rock Turner carries an FTL radio system, with special encryption protocols for communicating with EShemarrian ships.

*Geosciences Sensors--- The Rock Turner’s sensor suite would appear to either have been salvaged, or copied, from a WZT WZ-ESS-2235 Piecemeal science ship. These sensors allow extensive surveying of planetary bodies in detail before physical probes and manned excursions are ever sent down. Advanced radiation sensors, spectrographic analysis systems, active gravitic beam probes, and tunneling neutrino scanners allow the ship to perform extensive atmospheric and geological mapping within minutes.....Subterranean strata and mineral deposits can be accurately charted from 1,000 miles altitude, though complete and thorough geographic/seismic surveying takes longer, ideally with the deployment of a network of geoscisats. Sensors include techno-sensors attuned to detecting fission and fusion powerplants, radio-frequency transmissions, concentrations of processed materials(such as optical fibers, plastics, and refined metals), and industrial gases/pollutants. PPE sensors detect and determine ambient PPE/magical activity, as well as the presence and location of leylines. Biological sensors study biological byproducts, chemicals associated with the presence of lifeforms, microbial density in air and water, and bio-electric traces.

*Long Range Sensors---Hidden among the geoscience sensors is a full suite of long range military sensors and EW gear for monitoring spacecraft and communciations traffic. The Rock Turner can pick up other spacecraft at 240,000 miles range, and detect FTL transits at 10 light years away.

*Passive Stealth---This limits the effective range of enemy sensors by 40%, giving the Rock Turner a margin of safety if it can spot an approaching enemy first in time to go to ‘silent running’, or lose sensor contact long enough to find refuge and engage the system.

*Comm Jammer---Jams communications in an 80 mile radius in atmosphere/8,000 miles in space. It also has a 55% chance of deflecting/confusing regular missiles and radar-guided weaponry

*Grapples(3)---These are fairly standard grappling units, salvaged from the common Bullock Tug. They be launched up to 350 ft, and allow the Rock Turner to pull up to 50,000 tons of salvage or metallic rock-nets.

*Tractor Beam----Effectively rated for 800 tons dead weight, but can be used for imparting small changes in momentum/direction to ships/structures several times that mass.
Range: 5 miles in space(NOT usable in atmosphere)
(Kitsune Values: 5,000 miles in space).

*Portable Smelter/Molecular Sifter---The Rock Turner carries a portable combination smelter/molecular separator semi-externally. This 35 ft-long unit can be powered by the ship’s reactors, or, if the Gravelinis have the time to set it up, can be powered by a folding solar array. While not capable of industrial-scale ore smelting, the portable smelter can be used to render and refine smaller quantities(roughly three ton lots of ore at a time) of metals, enough for sample purposes, or to affect repairs.

Weapons Systems:
1) Heavy Laser Cannon(1)---The Rock Turner carries a multi-purpose ‘heavy comm laser’ that is also used as a rock drill and asteroid cutter. The Gravel Brothers typically use the system to vaporize portions of promising rock from a distance, then use their spectrographic sensors to analyze the resulting vapor. However, anybody taking a look at the guts of the thing will discover it’s a heavy grade military laser that can vaporize fighters in a single shot.
Range: 8 miles in atmosphere, 16 miles in space
(Kitsune Values: 16 miles in atmosphere, 16,000 miles in space)
Damage: 2d4x100 MD per blast
Rate of Fire: Four times per melee
Payload: Effectively Unlimited

2) Point Defense Laser(1)---This is a smaller ‘local comm laser’ that doubles as a point defense laser cannon.
Range: 1 mile in atmosphere, 3 miles in space
(Kitsune Values: 3 miles in atmosphere, 300 miles in space)
Damage: 3D6x10 M.D. per blast
Rate of Fire: EGCHH (4-6)
Bonuses: Because of the nature of the NeR’Mar, when manned, this system uses the gunner’s HtH strike bonuses. If firing in automated mode, the weapon ahs five attacks per melee, and is +2 to strike.
Payload: Effectively Unlimited

3) Long Range Missile Launcher(1)---The Rock Turner sports a large tray-style launcher for long range system probes and asteroid penetrators, and the Gravel Brothers admit to carrying ‘rock busters’ for cracking asteroids, but hidden behind the probes and kinetic krackers, is a magazine of military missiles.
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 1-10
Payload: 100 per launcher. Additional missiles may be stored in the cargo holds and reloaded within 15 minutes(1 ton of cargo per 6 missiles)

Auxiliary Craft:
*Light 3-man shuttle
*Two planetary all-terrain utility rovers
*Two zero-gravity work sleds

Gravel Joe also employs about two dozen AstraGekker Scout Drones or other robot drones.

[taalismn]

WZTechYards Gemiyor-class Explorer

“Even without its complement of corvettes, the Gemiyor’s an impressive craft....that one massive hangar bay for the Snarks can hold a LOT of cargo....which is exactly why the Zendral Consortium bought two for conversion to armed bulk transports....Fitted them with grain silos, and those ships can now move over ten thousand units of high-nutrient kibble...and they still have most of their firepower...That came in REAL useful when the Zendral ran the Loredan blockade over Nestos...”

The Odina Federation is a small human-sept star-nation on the edges of the Anvil Galaxy. Emerging from their own period of technological regression following the initial slowboat settlement of their planet, the humans of the Odinan homeworld went through a period of factionalism that lasted into their starfaring period, and a number of space wars, before they managed to re-unify the eighteen systems they had colonized. The Odina had, during this period, built up a fairly impressive shipbuilding industry, designing and producing various low- to mid-tech level ships for their aerospace forces.
When the Odina Federation formally merged with the Consortium of Civilized Worlds, they elected to standardize their fleet with CCW designs and tactical doctrine, and their older vessels quickly fell out of favor. Needing extra money to upgrade their fleet, the Odina auctioned off their older vessels on the open market. WZTechYards snapped up several whole production runs of ships for a song, then began refurbishing and upgrading their acquisitions for re-sale. The Gemiyor-class Explorers were among the heaviest units offered up for sale, originally meant as mobile carrier platforms and motherships for smaller sector patrol forces. The acquisition of smaller and less expensive Warshield and Explorer-class CCW warships rendered the Gemiyors obsolete(though the Odina have kept a few as reserve craft).
The Gemiyor has a patently bizarre appearance for a Human-designed vessel...a thick, slope-walled triangular main hull, two curving secondary hulls describing the arms of a crescent arcing above and below the main hull line, two large sponson nacelles bulging with weapons blisters and turrets sprouting from the base of the triangle, and the whole thing covered in a veritable forest of sensor arrays, baffles, field projectors, and the like. The Gemiyor is a huge ship, designed to carry and service a small fleet of its own; the main hull is dominated by a huge internal bay that can hold up to four corvette-sized ships and several light freighters. A lower and separate fighter bay services aerospace fighters and shuttlecraft. The Gemiyor was originally laid down with the Snark-class corvettes in mind as its parasite craft, but it was discovered that other similarly-sized craft could be accommodated as well.
The main problems with the Gemiyor, that led to its replacement, are its slow speed, lack of maneuvering capability, and high maintenance costs, compared to smaller and more easily serviced Explorer and similar class craft. Difficulties in getting the ship’s FTL engines also limit its capabilities, as the main hyperlight engines are too integrated into the ship’s structure to eb easily (or inexpensively) removed and replaced. On the other hand, its massive cargo capacity, large small craft complement, and AVAILABILITY have made it attractive to a number of small navies and larger shipping concerns loking for a mobile base of operations, fleet tender, or convoy flagship.
WZTechYards acquired ten of these massive ships and refurbished them with more modern avionics, before selling them off on the open market.
Type: WZ-OF-CVE17
Class: Heavy Carrier
Crew: 900 +4,000 troops/passengers
MDC/Armor by Location:
Main Body 75,000
Bridge 1,000
Secondary Hulls/Sensor Towers(2) 9,000 each
Corvette Hangar Bay 7,000
Corvette Elevators(3) 900 each
Fighter Hangar Bay 1,000
Fighter Bay Doors(2) each
Heavy PBC Turrets(3) 1,000 each
Secondary PBC Turrets(2) 700 each
Secondary Double-Barrel Laser Turrets(16) 500 each
Medium G-Cannon(10) 400 each
Cruise Missile Launchers(7) 600 each
Long Range Missile Launchers(10) 400 each
Short Range Missile Launchers(15) 300 each
Point Defense Laser/Mini-Missile Turrets(30) 200 each
Variable Forcefields 2,000 per side, 12,000 total
Height: 3,000 ft
Width: 1,000 ft
Length: 2,600 ft
Weight: 28 million tons
Cargo: 3.7 million tons (10 million tons if not carrying any auxiliary craft and the ship bays converted into cargo space)
Powerplant: Advanced Nuclear Fusion w/ 50 year energy life
Speed:
(Atmosphere) Not Possible
(Sublight) Mach 7
(Kitsune Values: 60% of light speed; Accelerates/decelerates at 0.7% of light speed per melee)
(FTL) 2 light years per hour
(Underwater) Not Possible
Market Cost: 85 billion credits
Systems of Note:
Standard Starship Systems, plus:

*Tractor Beams(20)----Effectively rated for 1,000 tons dead weight, but can be used for imparting small changes in momentum/direction to ships/structures several times that mass. Range: 2 miles

Weapons Systems:
1) Heavy Particle Beam Turrets( 8; 3x2, and 2x1)----These are older model particle beam weapons; larger and more massive than modern weapons, but still quite capable. Two cannons are mounted in each main turret, and their firing is typically staggered, so the turret can get off a blast every 15 seconds. Two secondary turrets hold a single PBC.
Range: 60 miles in space
(Kitsune Values: 60,000 miles in space)
Damage: 1d6x1,000 MD per single blast, 2d6x1,000 MD per double-barreled blast.
Rate of Fire: Once every melee
Payload: Effectively Unlimited

2) Secondary Double-Barrel Laser Turrets(16; 8x2)---Multiple turrets arrayed to cover the ship’s approaches, and used to fend off fighters and heavy missiles.
Range: 8 miles in space
(Kitsune Values: 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

3)Medium G-Cannon(10)----These cannon are likewise positioned and used primarily for defense.
Range: 16 miles in space
(Kitsune Values: 16,000 miles in space)
Damage: 2d6x100 MD per cannon
Rate of Fire: Each barrel can fire four times per melee
Payload: Effectively Unlimited

4)Cruise Missile Launchers(7)---These are a WZT addition, replacing the original nuclear torpedo launchers that fired massive long range missiles.
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 1-10
Payload: 80 per launcher, 560 total. Additional missiles may be stored in the cargo holds and reloaded within 20 minutes(1 ton of cargo per 6 missiles)

5)Long Range Missile Launchers(10)
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 1-20
Payload: 400 missiles per launcher, 4000 total; additional missiles may be carried and loaded from cargo, but will take at least 30 minutes(1 ton of cargo per 12 missiles)

6)Short Range Missile Launchers(15)
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)

7)Point Defense Laser/Mini-Missile Turrets(30) ---These are standard CCW-pattern dual laser/mini-missile launchers that have been installed, replacing the previous Odinan light laser PDS mounts.
Range: (Lasers) 4,000 ft in atmosphere/2 miles in space
(Kitsune Values: 2 miles in atmosphere /200 miles in space)
(Mini-Missiles) 1 mile in atmosphere/2 miles in space
(Kitsune Values: 2 miles in atmosphere/ 100 miles in space)
Damage:(Lasers) 1d6x10 MD per blast
(Mini-Missiles) Varies by Missile Type
Rate of Fire:(Lasers) EGCHH, or auto-fire; 6 attacks per melee
(Mini-Missiles) Volleys of 1-8
Payload: (Rail Gun) Effectively Unlimited
(Mini-Missiles) 64 mini-missiles per turret; additional mini-missiles can be carried as cargo(typically takes 2d6 minutes to reload from the holds).

Auxiliary Craft:
4 ‘Snark’ Corvettes
3 Light Freighters
50 Aerospace Fighters
12 Shuttles

WZ Snark-class Corvettes
“Heard once of a crew of Odinan cadets in a Snark tackled a squadron of five Krenno-class cruisers..whittled them down to one enemy effective and were set to ram them with dry missile racks when the Krenno decided to turn tail and run...Fact of the matter is, those Krenno crews had to be sparklingly dim-witted to lose on terms like that, because a single Snark is little better than a system security patroller.“

The Snark-class Corvette once served as the main light patrol and interdiction craft of the Odina Federation before they switched over to producing their own versions of the heavier CCW Hunter-class Destroyer. The Snark was standard equipment aboard the hulking Gemiyor-class carriers, having been designed as part of a greater weapons system. With assimilation by the CCW and across the boards conversion to CCW standardized equipment, the Odina Federation found itself looking to unload hundreds of now-obsolete spacecraft, to help defray the costs of the changeover. WZ TechYards bought over a hundred of the ships and their production equipment, relocating both acquisitions and getting down to the business of renovating them for re-sale and production re-start. WZT has recently begun selling refurbished and new-production Snarks to the open market.
In contrast to the massive, hulking, blister-covered Gemiyor, the Snark is a small, pert, trim, streamlined little ship designed for both atmospheric and deep space operations, with a clean-lined hull that reminds some people of a spade of cards as seen from above. Able to operate with a minimal crew, these ships could be produced in large numbers for patrol, escort, and scout work.
The original Odinan Snarks were lightly armed, with a pair of heavy(by Odinan standards) lasers, a pair of point defense turrets with lasers, and a sixteen-round long range missile bay carrying anti-ship nuclear torepdoes. WZTechYards has taken advantage of the discrepancies between the older and bulkier Odinan technology and more modern 3G equipment to upgrade the weapons fit; splitting the missile bay into a cruise missile launcher and two medium range missile bays, replacing the laser turrets with CCW-standard laser/mini-mssile PDS, and upgrading the lasers. The original Snarks also used a bulky, but powerful, ‘tachyon tunneler’ FTL drive system that has been replaced with a more compact and efficient CG drive system, freeing up space that originally went to the plasma conduction gear and tachyon accelerator and converting it into additional cargo space.
WZ-TechYards has begun to sell both its reworked and new production Snarks on the open market as system patrol ships and light attack craft.
Type: WZ-OF-Cov-401
Class: Patrol Ship
Crew: 5+30 passengers
MDC/Armor by Location:
Main Body 2,800
Bridge 800
Cruise Missile Bay 300
Medium Range Missile Bays(2) 100 each
Medium Laser Cannon(2) 300 each
Point Defense Laser/Mini-Missile Turrets(2) 90 each
Variable Forcefields 7,000 per side, 42,000 total
Height: 55 ft
Width: 90 ft
Length: 180 ft
Weight: 1,200 tons
Cargo: 300 tons
Powerplant: Advanced Nuclear Fusion w/ 50 year energy life
Speed:
(Atmosphere) Hover to Mach 3; transatmospheric.
(Sublight) Mach 8
(Kitsune Values: 60% of light speed; Accelerates/decelerates at 0.8% of light speed per melee)
(FTL) 4 light years per hour
(Underwater) Not Possible
Market Cost: 140 million credits
Systems of Note:
Standard Starship Systems
Weapons Systems:
1)Cruise Missile Bay---The main anti-ship weapon of the Snark is a cruise missile launcher
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 1-4
Payload: 18. Additional missiles may be stored in the cargo holds and reloaded within 20 minutes(1 ton of cargo per 6 missiles)

2)Medium Range Missile Bays(2)
Range:Varies by Missile Type
(Kitsune Values: 160 miles in atmosphere, 80,000 miles in space)
Damage:Varies by Missile Type
Rate of Fire: Volleys of 1-8
Payload: 40 missiles each launcher; 80 total. Additional missiles may be stored in the cargo holds and reloaded within 10 minutes(1 ton of cargo per 24 missiles)

3)Medium Laser Cannon(2) ---The main direct-fire weapons system of the Snark are these two pivot-mounted medium laser cannons, placed in wells at the wingtips of the Snark’s lifting-body hull. The original Odinan weapons relied on a single synthetic continuous-rod galinium-arsenide crystal for lasing, and the weapons were vulnerable to cracking; a problem made all the more common by the weapons’ exposed positions out on the wings. WZTechYards has partially solved the problem with the lasers by replacing their lasing elements with a more shock-resistant series of dantium-berylaite crystal focal mirrors, but the twenty-foot long lasers with their ‘pivot-pen-holder’ mountings are still terribly exposed to battledamage.
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

4)Point Defense Laser/Mini-Missile Turrets(2)
Range: (Lasers) 4,000 ft in atmosphere/2 miles in space
(Kitsune Values: 2 miles in atmosphere /200 miles in space)
(Mini-Missiles) 1 mile in atmosphere/2 miles in space
(Kitsune Values: 2 miles in atmosphere/ 100 miles in space)
Damage:(Lasers) 1d6x10 MD per blast
(Mini-Missiles) Varies by Missile Type
Rate of Fire:(Lasers) EGCHH, or auto-fire; 6 attacks per melee
(Mini-Missiles) Volleys of 1-8
Payload: (Rail Gun) Effectively Unlimited
(Mini-Missiles) 32 mini-missiles per turret; additional mini-missiles can be carried as cargo(typically takes 2d6 minutes to reload from the holds).


Variants:
The Odinans sold off about a hundred or more Snarks before they started getting rid of them en masse with the WZT deal, so quite a few of the original models with the original equipment are still out there in service. Besides having a long range missile launcher (12 LRMs) and basic laser PDS, the older ships can only make a top speed of 1.2 light years per hour, and the main laser batteries have a lower damage spread(4d6x10 MD per single blast, 3 miles in atmosphere, 6 miles in space, and the cannons possessed only 120 MDC each)

[taalismn]

Syndian Tarnower-class Destroyer

“Nothing like riding a ‘Sled’ on a hot planetary strike! On an aerobody as big as the Tarnower, the plasma shock wave can’t be missed by anybody planetside with a radar set and eyes, so you’re painted up REAL nice for the dirtside defenses to target. Every bump and pop you feel could be just atmosphere disturbance on your hull...or incoming enemy ordnance. And all the time your helmman’s calculating how fast you’re coming in, and when to hit the main thrusters, so you don’t plow into the ground or pop up over the target zone’s horizon too late and run into a facefull of flak. Yeah, using a sub-capital ship for strafing? It’s WILD!”

The Tarnower-class DDs were a mainstay of the Syndian military at the beginning of the short Syndian-Vala-Ryzellian War. Though an old design, the Tarnower proved itself a reliable and stout defender of Syndian space, and it remained in production throughout the war.
The Tarnower-class has a hull configuration of a flattened wedge with a protruding sensor tower amidships, canard surfaces forward, and small wings aft. Two flattened in-line turrets adorned both the dorsal and ventral forward half of the ship, and four auxiliary turrets were mounted on both the top and bottom of the wings, providing arcs of fire to the sides.
Tarnovers were originally designed to patrol and police the various colonies of the Syndian star-nation, and both space and atmospheric capabilities were a consideration in the design. The constraints of having to be aerodynamic(even with CG units) forced some sacrifices in the design, however, such as the placement and size of weaponry, and available space inside the hull. Tarnowers have a reputation for having cramped quarters and not much crew space, which can prove fatiguing on long deep space patrols without frequent landfalls and shoreleaves to allow the crews to get out and stretch. The compromises also meant that the Tarnowers weren’t as efficient deep space boats as other more dedicated designs.
The Tarnower-class had a few advantages over such stable-mates as the Adris and Justisis---The Tarnower was perfectly at home operating in an atmosphere, and could work very effectively from improvized forward base facilities. It also possessed a heavy armament, even though many of its weapons were older types. Armored protection and shielding was also heavy, with extensive use of refractive ceramics and alloys that provided protection against atmospheric friction, but also added a degree of resistance to lasers and plasma weaponry.
The Tarnower occasionally found itself out-raced by Valar-Ryzellian designs, but its armament proved very effective if it could keep an enemy within range. Though they had long known of the design through their pre-war espionage, the Valar-Ryzellians had a grudging respect for the Tarnowers. However, the lack of adequate heavy weaponry to the stern of the ship remained a problem throughout the war, and Tarnowers often fell to ‘up-the-tailpipe’ shots that destroyed or crippled their engines. Ryzellian units with integral fighter support often deployed their fighters to sweep around to the rear of an enemy formation when facing Syndian units composed of Tarnowers, then attacked the DDs from a frontal vector...If and when the Ryzellians were forced to turn and retreat, the fighters would ram in from behind the Syndians, aiming to deliver crippling blows to the engines of the Tarnowers, and hampering pursuit of the Ryzellian capital units as the Syndians were forced to deal with damaged ships and turn a portion of their force to deal with any more fighters outflanking them. The Syndians eventually overcame this strategy by assigning escort carriers and merchant-cruisers with enhanced point defense weaponry to act as a rear guard to DD formations, but the real solution came with new ship designs that allowed existing Tarnower-class vessels to be assigned to less exposed rear echelon duties.
Tarnowers came back into their own when the Syndian Republic started striking at Ryzellian worlds....the ability to enter atmosphere, deliver pinpoint barrages on enemy surface installations, and then exit atmosphere, made the Tarnowers superb planetary assault ships. With proper overwatch escort protecting them from trailing attacks, the Tarnowers proved to be in their element, and wreaked a decisive toll on Ryzellian ilitary infrastructure targets.
After the War, the Syndian military commissioned a major overhaul of the Tarnower class to produce the Tarnower IIs, that addressed the problems exposed during combat.
Type: SR-DD-14 Tarnower
Class: Destroyer
Crew: 60
MDC/Armor by Location:
Main Body 5,200
Bridge 1,500
Hangar Bay 1,000
Forward Particle Beam Turrets(4) 500 each
Secondary Laser Turrets(4) 280 each
Point Defense Laser Turrets(6) 150 each
Point Defense Chain Gun Turrets(4) 120 each
Engines(2) 1,200 each
Variable Forcefields 2,000 per side, 12,000 total
Height: 65 ft
Width: 250 ft
Length: 320 ft
Weight: 18,000 tons
Cargo: 600 tons
Powerplant:Nuclear Fusion w/ 50 year energy life
Speed:
(Atmosphere) Hover to Mach 6; transatmospheric.
(Sublight) Mach 8
(Kitsune Values: 60% of light speed; Accelerates/decelerates at 0.0% of light speed per melee)
(FTL) 3.6 light years per hour
(Underwater) The Tarnower has proven capable of landing on and taking off of water, but can also perform in limited fashion underwater, being able to move at 55 MPH and handle depths of about 300 ft.
Market Cost: 700 million credits
Systems of Note:
Standard Starship Systems, plus:
*Thermal Resistant Heat-Refractory Tile Armor---Special heat-resistant materials designed for reentry vehicle shielding. Heat, laser, and plasma-based attacks do 1/2 damage.

Weapons Systems:
1)Forward Particle Beam Cannon(4)--- Four turrets are mounted in the hull, two ventral and two dorsal.
Range: 6 miles in atmosphere, 12 miles in space
(Kitsune Values: 12 miles in atmosphere, 12,000 miles in space)
Damage: 2d6x100 MD per shot
Rate of Fire: Three times per melee
Payload:Effectively Unlimited

2) Laser Cannon Turrets(4)---Four turrets are mounted out on the strake-wings, two ventral and two dorsal.
Range:6 miles in atmosphere,12 miles in space
(Kitsune Values: 12 miles in atmosphere, 12,000 miles in space)
Damage: 1d6x100 MD per single barrel, 2d6x100 MD for two cannons firing simultaneously(counts as one attack)
Rate of Fire: Five shots per melee
Payload:Effectively Unlimited

3)Long Range Missile Launchers(2)---These are the primary long range weapon of the Tarnower-class.
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 1-6
Payload: 40 missiles per launcher, 80 total; additional missiles may be carried and loaded from cargo, but will take at least 30 minutes(1 ton of cargo per 12 missiles)

4) Point Defense Laser Turrets(6) ----The Tarnowers mounted separate PDS laser and rail gun turrets(later warships would combine them in the same turrets in imitation of CCW and TGE designs)
Range: 2 miles in atmosphere, 4 miles in space
(Kitsune Values: 4 miles in atmosphere, 400 miles in space)
Damage: 2d4x10 MD per blast
Rate of Fire: EGCHH
Payload: Effectively Unlimited

5) Point Defense Chain Gun Turrets(4)
Range: 1 mile in atmosphere, 3 miles in space
(Kitsune Values: 3 miles in atmosphere, 300 miles in space)
Damage: 2d6x10 MD per 20 rd burst
Rate of Fire: EGCHH
Payload: 500 bursts

Auxiliary Craft:
2 Shuttles
4 Aerospace Fighters

Variants:
The Tarnower has been around long enough that several ships and frames were reconstructed to other configurations. At least a dozen tanker conversions exist, replacing the side launch bays with gas-collectors and tankage. Several were also converted to combat transports(carrying up to 400 troops). A number of older ships have also been decommissioned and sold to various private and commercial concerns.
The most recent variant is the Tarnower II-class that addresses the shortcomings of speed by replacing the engines with a more powerful set of Argosa-III channeled gravitic singularity drives(pushing speed to Mach 10). Other changes include six extra point defense turrets(of a combined rail-and-laser design similar to those mounted on CCW vessels) and an increase in chase-armaments(2 additional medium lasers and a medoum range missile launcher covering the rear arcs), closing the blind spot in weapons coverage. The added fantail weapons emplacements add an additional 50 ft to the length of the ship and another 200 tons of mass.
Another variation, the Tarnower IIC, also upgrades accordingly, but replaces the four forward medium laser turrets with additional long range missile launchers(4 total, with 50 missiles each), and one of the forward particle beam turrets with a cruise missile launcher(with 25 missiles). Variable forcefield strength is incresed to 3,000 per side, for a total shield strength of 18,000 MDC.
With hostilities likely between the Syndians and the new more aggressive Kadavist regime in place in the old Valar-Ryzellian territories, the Tarnower-IIs are being rushed into service, replacing older DDs still operating along the border zone.

[KLM]

Hi there!

Syndian Tarnower-class Destroyer
Crew: 60
(...)
Market Cost: 1 billion credits
Systems of Note:
Standard Starship Systems, plus:
*Thermal Resistant Heat-Refractory Tile Armor---Special heat-resistant materials designed for reentry vehicle shielding. Heat, laser, and plasma-based attacks do 1/4 damage. Note that this applies only to the underside and leading edges of the vessel.
(...)
Auxiliary Craft:
2 Shuttles
4 Aerospace Fighters

Not bad, but - as usual - I have a few things to say:
1, The price is a bit too high for a ship of this, something around 700M (as new!) would be more reasonable.
2, I would solve the thermal resistance, that the ship takes half damage and don't bother with facing
3, Why the shuttles? I could not find any indication for marines, nor the ship needs them, as it is transatmospheric.
Especially not for two.

Otherwise

Adios
KLM

[taalismn]

Hi there!

Syndian Tarnower-class Destroyer
Crew: 60
(...)
Market Cost: 1 billion credits
Systems of Note:
Standard Starship Systems, plus:
*Thermal Resistant Heat-Refractory Tile Armor---Special heat-resistant materials designed for reentry vehicle shielding. Heat, laser, and plasma-based attacks do 1/4 damage. Note that this applies only to the underside and leading edges of the vessel.
(...)
Auxiliary Craft:
2 Shuttles
4 Aerospace Fighters

Not bad, but - as usual - I have a few things to say:
1, The price is a bit too high for a ship of this, something around 700M (as new!) would be more reasonable.
2, I would solve the thermal resistance, that the ship takes half damage and don't bother with facing
3, Why the shuttles? I could not find any indication for marines, nor the ship needs them, as it is transatmospheric.
Especially not for two.

Otherwise

Adios
KLM

Fixed the shields and cost, but I typically include/treat shuttles like ship's launches...even if you're not carrying troops, even small shuttles are useful for external inspections, personnel transfers without bringing the whole ship over/down, and sheparding lifeboats in a crisis situation...these aren't necessarily your big multipurpose shuttles, but are more like a spacegoing Cessna or Piper Commanche.

Thanks for the input!

[taalismn]

Paladin Steel/Aegis Stellar Industries Weibbe Hayes Heavy Transport

“Our products do no good if they’re just sitting on the tarmac waiting to be picked up. Our best customers tend to be people who can’t come all the way to us to pick up their stuff, so we better be able to help them out and bring the purchases they paid for to them. Not everybody appreciates what we make, especially if we’re delivering to their neighbors, so we best be prepared for a less than friendly reception in some neighborhoods.”
-Megan Carole, Aegis Stellar Industries Assistant Manager, Amberjin.

“Not all the escort pilots on our Weibbes are new hires or mercs. Truth is, the GNE spaceforce is rotating their spacefighter crews through duty assignments with the mercantile fleet. That gives the Earthworms experience with carrier operations, some real time and hopefully non-fatal combat with real enemies, and maybe pick up some wisdom rubbing shoulders with the Galactic hands who’ve been around for awhile.”
-Egaar Molst, Operations Officer, ASISSC Jervis Bay

“It’s a bulk hauler that thinks it’s a war cruiser, but the truth of the matter is that it’s twice the size of a Warshield, with the same armament, same shielding factor, but is twice the target. The big guns are wasted on this hull; better to replace them with long range missile launchers if anything. As is they will only give some captains delusions that they can slug it out with a Kreeghor cruiser, instead of turning tail and running like they should.”
---Arenast Giller, Captain, CAF

The Weibbe Hayes is a heavy armed interstellar transport starship meant to carry PS/ASI products to a growing number of clients in the Three Galaxies, Although PS was already manufacturing the WZ-MCF-100 Behemoth Modular Super and WZ-MCF-500 ‘Immense’ Extendable Ultra Cargo Freighters, something faster and more heavily armed was called for to service regions of the Three Galaxies that were suffering from increasing conflict. The Weibbe Hayes-class Transport Cruiser was conceived of as an armed merchantman, high speed capital transport, or convoy escort cruiser that could fend off determined pirate attacks and protect other freighters from commerce raiders.
Based loosely on the Warshield hull configuration, the Weibbe Hayes is a hulking starship, with a long, blocky, angular main hull, broken towards the rear by three false-wings that serve as sensor arrays and radiators for the oversized engines. The engines are deliberately above spec for a transport; they both give ASI experience in large propulsion systems(with an eye towards warship drives) and give the Weibbe Hayes a high turn of speed(hopefully better than that of any potential attackers). Two hangar bays accommodate several squadrons of transport shuttles or fighters, and are adjacent to the large internal cargo bays, allowing for quick and easy loading of cargo(or armaments). In addition to the large main engines, the ship also has a set of secondary engines; it is hoped that even if an enemy performs a mobility kill on the main engines, the Hayes will still be able to maneuver on its secondaries, to continue the fight or affect an escape.
Besides voluminous internal cargo bays, the Weibbe Hayes sports multiple external attachment points for externally-carried cargo pods(though these pods would be exposed to possible damage in a firefight). The ‘wings’ of the Hayes are long range sensor and radiator mounts, but they also provide partial protection to the external cargo. It is possible that some of the external cargo pods could conceivably be replaced with rocket/missile launchers or deployable space mine pods, although such weapons would not be powered or supported by the ship’s systems. In the alternative, it;s been suggested, these hardpoints could be used to carry up to four ‘parasite’ craft, such as modified light transports, heavy fighters(like the Proconsul), or patrol ships, that could be detached as part of the ship’s protective fighter cover or convoy patrol.
Armament is heavy on the Weibbe Hayes, though it rarely exceeds medium-class weaponry. It’s been noted that the Hayes employ a large percentage of particle projection cannons, rather than the more easily produced/acquired high-intensity lasers; it has been suggested that ASI’s recent licensing deal with WZT may have included a stipulation to buy a production allotment of PPCs(or take over the factory works) from Spedro MagnoDynamics, a struggling manufacturer of PPCs that had joined WZT at about the same time as Aegis Stellar Industries, in hopes of avoiding going into bankruptcy after unwisely challenging Wolfpack Armaments in a large contract bid). Interestingly enough, much of the armament is concentrated around the rear firing arcs; ASI has decided that a transport’s best chance of surviving combat is to run, nd so armament is configured to cover the ship’s retreat. Combined with the Weibbe Hayes’ high turn of speed, it is hoped that any pursuer will find a stern chase against intense defensive fire will prove too daunting to endure for long.
The Weibbe Hayes can operate alone as a fast transport, or act as the armed escort for a convoy of other transports. Its speed allows it to move about convoy formations, outpacing slower cargo ships, moving to bolster defense sectors and intercept raiders.
If the Weibbe Hayes cruisers have any real problems, it’s that for their massive size, their armament is little better than a Warshield’s. Certainly their variable forcefields have the same defensive values protecting a much larger ship. ASI contends, however, that the Hayes is well-armed for a transport, and that it is not meant to engage in slugfests with dedicated warships if such can be at all avoided.
At least six Weibbe Hayes-class vessels have been laid down and constructed to date; among them the name-ship Weibbe Hayes, the Jervis Bay, Compass Rose, and Crescent City. All of these vessels are slated for service with ASI’s small, but growing, long rangetransport fleet. It is unknown at this time if and when Aegis Stellar Industries will offer the Weibbe Hayes for sale to interested outside parties.

*Note: The Weibbe Hayes is named for a Dutch soldier attached to the Dutch East India Company flagship Batavia, during its cruise of 1628. When the Batavia was shipwrecked off the western coast of Australia during a mutiny, Hayes and several other soldiers were hoodwinked into being stranded on desert isles while the mutineers terrorized and executed most of the other survivors. Left to die, instead the resourceful Hayes would survive, turn the tables on the mutineers, and protect the survivors until rescue could come, and the mutineers arrested. Though Weibbe Hayes subsequently disappears from history, centuries later and worlds away, Paladin Steel/Aegis Stellar Industries would name a ship class for him, citing him as an example of “a loyal, steadfast Company Man who made the best of a bad situation, in unknown territory, against overwhelming odds.”

Type: PS/ASI-(A)CSS-02 Weibbe Hayes
Class: Armed Transport Cruiser
Crew: 40 officers, plus 250 crew +50 person air group
MDC/Armor by Location:
Main Body 75,000
Bridge 10,000
Heavy Particle Beam Cannon Turrets(2) 500 each
Medium Particle Beam Cannon Turrets(6) 360 each
Light Particle Beam Cannon Turrets(10) 200 each
Medium Laser Cannon Turrets(8) 360 each
Heavy G-Cannon Turrets(4) 400 each
Medium Range Missile Turrets(24) 200 each
Point Defense Turrets(14) 100 each
Main Engines 40,000
Secondary Engines(2) 7,000 each
Sensor/Radiator Wings(3) 6,000 each
Secondary Sensor Arrays(2) 900 each
Hangar Bays(2) 12,000 each
(Variable Forcefield) 5,000 each side(30,000 total)
Height: 210 ft
Width: 480 ft
Length: 1,100 ft
Weight: 400,000 tons
Cargo: 60,000 tons internally
Can carry as much as 100,000 tons externally (however, if carrying over 60,000 tons of strap-on cargo, reduce the maximum speed/acceleration to Mach 7.9
Powerplant: Nuclear Fusion, w/ 30 year energy life
Speed:
(Atmosphere) Hover to Mach 3; transatmospheric.
(Sublight) Mach 9
(Kitsune Values: 60% of light speed; Accelerates/decelerates at 0.9% of light speed per melee)
Under secondary drive power, the Hayes can go Mach 7
(FTL) 4 light years per hour
(Underwater) Not possible
Market Cost: 3.2 billion credits
Systems of Note:
*Full Sensor Suite---Specialized sensor pallets include radiation detectors and counters, spectrographic analysis devices, gravitic sensors, electromagnetic activity readers, and optics packages.
*Long Range Radar---Phased Array Search and Early Warning Radars---Maximum Resolution Range of 4 million miles

*Gravitic Sensors----55 million mile range
*Neutrino Detection----55,000 mile range
*Tachyon Radar---3 million miles

*Communications Suite:---Long Range Radio and Video

*Laser Communications ---Tactical (i.e. ship-to fighter/shuttle)Range: 200,000 miles.--For tight-beam communications, ship to ship, or ship/surface. The Laser can even be modulated to the blue-green for communicating with submerged vehicles

*Optical Tracking Clusters----These are transparent blisters fitted with gimbal-mounted high-resolution visible-light/IR/UV optical telescopes that continually scan the arc of sky before them. Linked to the navigational arrays and other tracking sensors, and to a series of highly-sophisticated near-AI search and discrimination software systems, these sensors attempt to detect objects that have low radar returns/sensor signatures, such as stealthed vehicles, iceballs, or asteroids. The high-tech equivalent of the man in the crow’s nest with a pair of binoculars.


*EM Shielding---Using special electromagnetic radiation shielding, saves on the need for bulky metal or water radiation shielding.

*Tractor Beams(5)----Effectively each rated for 800 tons dead weight, but can be used for imparting small changes in momentum/direction to ships/structures several times that mass. One emitter is mounted in each wing, and and one is mounted in each hangar bay.
Range: 5 miles in space(NOT usable in atmosphere)
(Kitsune Values: 5,000 miles in space).

Weapons Systems:
1) Heavy Particle Beam Cannons(2, 1 forward, 1 aft)---These are the big guns of the Hayes, but their slow rate of fire limits their effectiveness. They are typically used to engage small enemy spacecraft such as destroyers and frigates that get too close, hoping to incapacitate them with a single hard-hitting shot, or at least dissuade them to back off.
Range: 7 miles in atmosphere, 14 miles in space
(Kitsune Values: 14 miles in atmosphere, 14,000 miles in space)
Damage: 1d6x1,000 MD per blast
Rate of Fire: Once every two melees/30 seconds
Payload: Effectively Unlimited

2) Medium Particle Beam Cannons(6, 2 each side, 2 rear)---These are less powerful cannons with similar range, but greater rate of fire, used for engaging strike ships and fighters.
Range: 7 miles in atmosphere, 14 miles in space
(Kitsune Values: 14 miles in atmosphere, 14,000 miles in space)
Damage: 4d4x100 MD per blast
Rate of Fire: 3 shots per melee
Payload: Effectively Unlimited

3) Light Particle Beam Cannons(10, 2 forward, 2 rear, 3 each side) --Again, short range is the major shortcoming of these weapons, but their number, high damage potential and high rate of fire allow them to smash fighters and power armors that get within range.
Range: 1.5 miles in atmosphere, 3 miles in space
(Kitsune Values: 3 miles in atmosphere, 300 miles in space)
Damage: 1d4x100 MD per blast
Rate of Fire: EGCHH
Payload: Effectively Unlimited

4) Medium Laser Cannons(8, 3 each side, 2 rear)---These are powerful laser cannons, positioned to cover the sides and rear of the ship.
Range: 8 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: 4 shots per melee
Payload: Effectively Unlimited

5) G-Cannon(4, 2 forward, one each side)---These weapons, holdovers from PS’s first generation warships, are powerful massdriver cannons capable of firing kinetic kill projectiles or exploding fletchette ‘shotgun’ shells.
Range: 40 miles in atmosphere, 80 miles in space
(Kitsune Values: 80 miles in atmosphere, 80,000 miles in space)
Damage:(Exploding/Fragmenting Fletchette): 5d6x10 MD to anything caught in a 120 ft wide cone/’cloud’----Targets are -2 to dodge the’shotgun spread’
(Penetrator): 2d6x100 MD
Rate of Fire: Four times per melee
Payload: 100 rds per cannon, reloading from the cargo hold takes 1d6 minutes(1 ton of cargo per 12 rounds)

6) Medium Range Missile Launchers(24)---The Weibbe Hayes fairly bristles with MRM launchers, providing extensive ‘swarm’ coverage against fighters and missiles. Fired rapidly enough, the missiles can even knock out small warships.
Range: Varies by missile type(speed and range x4 in space)
(Kitsune Values: 160 miles in atmosphere, 80,000 miles in space)
Damage: Varies by missile type
Rate of Fire: Volleys of 1-20
Payload:60 missiles total, reloading from the cargo hold takes 1d6 minutes(1 ton of cargo per 24 missiles)

7) Point Defense Turrets(14)---These are standard CCW-pattern dual laser/mini-missile launchers that have been installed for close-in defense.
Range: (Lasers) 4,000 ft in atmosphere/2 miles in space
(Kitsune Values: 2 miles in atmosphere /200 miles in space)
(Mini-Missiles) 1 mile in atmosphere/2 miles in space
(Kitsune Values: 2 miles in atmosphere/ 100 miles in space)
Damage:(Lasers) 1d6x10 MD per blast
(Mini-Missiles) Varies by Missile Type
Rate of Fire:(Lasers) EGCHH, or auto-fire; 6 attacks per melee
(Mini-Missiles) Volleys of 1-8
Payload: (Rail Gun) Effectively Unlimited
(Mini-Missiles) 32 mini-missiles per turret; additional mini-missiles can be carried as cargo(typically takes 2d6 minutes to reload from the holds).
(Option)---The Mini-Missile launcher component of these turrets can be modified to fire the “S-Sting” ‘Smart Mini-Missile -----The S-Sting(for ‘Space Stinger’) is an attempt to adapt the guidance systems and accuracy of the ‘Black Talon’ L-SAM to a space-based missile. The missile resembles a rather stubby cylinder with a blunt-nosed optical cluster and protruding verniers(extend after launching), owing to the fact that the vacuum of space negates the need for streamlining the weapon.
Note that the ‘S-Sting’ has only limited effectiveness in an atmosphere....HALF bonuses in a thin atmosphere and weak gravity well like Mars’, and NO bonuses, and HALF range in a thick atmosphere and standard gravity like Earth’s.
Range: 4 miles in atmosphere, 32 miles in space
(Kitsune Values: 4 miles in atmosphere/ 400 miles in space)
Damage: 2d6x10 MD to a 15 ft blast radius
Bonuses: +7 to strike
Cost: 10,000 credits per missile

Auxiliary Craft:
Typically 12 transport shuttles
24 Fighters
20-60 Power Armors

Options:
It has been suggested by some early critics of the design that the Weibbe Hayes might be better served by the replacement of the heavy particle beams with long range missile launchers, to discourage ship captains from trying to engage enemy warships with the slower-firing and relatively short range PPCs. Similarly, suggestions to replace other slow-firing weapons with additional point defense cannons, such as rapid-fire rail- or G-cannon, sacrificing range for higher volume of close-in fire, have been made.

Variants:
ASI hasn’t said as much, but to naval artchitects it wouldn’t take much to reconfigure the Weibbe Hayes into more effective warships, sacrificing cargo space for additional power systems to support heavier weapons and shields, or possibly adding additional hangar capacity, making the ships into the equivalent of the CCW’s Explorer class cruisers. ASI hasn’t stated any plans to produce pure warship versions of the Hayes, but almost certainly has schematics in their filing system.

[taalismn]

Another ship for the advanced Shemarrian cultures of the Three Galaxies

EShemar ‘Radiant Crescent’ Heavy Cruiser
(aka ‘Half Moon’)

“With its heavy plasma batteries pumping out bolts at maximum rate of fire, the ‘Radiant’ lives up to its name. I’ve heard some talk that the Kittani call their attacks ‘sunspot raids’, because they’re often heralded by static swamping the long range sensors, like a really intense sun storm...then the next thing they know, there’s directed plasma smashing into their shields and hard gravity drilling into their hulls.”

One of the Shemarrian Star Nation’s early victories against the Splugorth in the Three Galaxies was the annihilation of the largely Kittani-staffed Splugorth outpost of Kraal IV in the Anvil Galaxy. At the time, the obliteration of the Splugorth presence in the Kraal system was ascribed to unknown enemies who somehow managed to get through the system’s extensive defenses, wipe out the resident defending flotilla, and bombard the outpost into scrap. No evidence that the outer defenses had been engaged(indeed, CCW scouts reconning the system in anticipation of a punative strike came under fire from the automated satellites, and it was only the lack of manned response that led to the system being investigated in force and the colony’s destruction discovered), so surprise would appear to have been absolute. While the planetary outpost had been pounded to pieces, and much small debris was found in orbit, suggesting a large engagement, evidence of the large orbital shipyard known to service the raiders operating out of the Kraal system was missing. Also, the inner defense ring of battle platforms and war satellites that should have been protecting the planet proper was also missing, and all evidence pointed towards the attackers having surprised and annihilated the Splugorth forces, bombed the surface defenses and all resistance, then leisurely stripped and looted the system of any valuables, including unactivated defenses and the shipyards, leaving only the outer defense satnet to deflect any other comers.
Later intercepted Splugorth communiques listed at least three Servitude-class vessels, undergoing repair and refit in the Kraal system, as well as a number of smaller craft, as having been lost at Kraal IV.
It is now suspected that the Kraal system was reduced as a joint effort between the Silvermoon and Ghostrider clans. The latter because of their acknowleged expertise in stealth, and the former because the next year the Silvermoons were seen to be fielding a new heavy warship, the ‘Radiant Crescent’ Heavy Cruiser. The prevailing theory now is that the Ghostriders subverted the defense network, allowing a Shemarrian taskforce to enter the system undetected, then jump in to surprise the Splugorth defense forces(possibly with the assistance of additional spoofing of their systems). Having seized the high ground, the Shemarrians quickly bombed the planetary facilities from the top of the gravity well, then mopped up at their leisure, and helped themselves to the shipyard and any remaining hardware.
The ‘Radiant Crescent’ is a Shemarrian adaptation or copy of Kittani-Splugorth ‘Servitude’-class cruisers. The original organic water-strider appearance of the Servitude design has been altered; the hull now more closely resembling a crescent moon, and the forward thorax and legs have become more angular and sharp, with a triangular aspect, the whole looking from above or below like a crescent lunar disc with radiating triangular vanes. Additional armor has been added to parts of the hull for extra protection with the enlargement of the hull. Extra engines have been emplaced on the rear-facing ‘horns’ of the crescent hull, offsetting the additional mass of armor and giving the Radiants an extra leg of speed in keeping with observed Shemarrian combat doctrine. With less need for life support and a greater tolerance for acceleration, the EShemar have pushed engine performance and routed more power to shields, resulting in even more protection. The EShemar also seem to have stripped away any magic systems on the original -Servitudes-; the -Radiant Crescents- thus far observed have exhibited only technological systems.
The EShemar have eschewed the original formidable neutron armaments for a configuration of their own choosing, especially their plasma weapons technology. Where they can, they have substituted their own weaponry, replacing the Kittani armaments with equal, or superior, weaponry of their own design. The exception is the gravitonic ‘slicer’ beam mounts which have been retained; the Eshemar prefer the hardhitting penetration of the weapons(and are almost certainly working to copy the technology and apply it elsewhere). The EShemar have also beefed up the point defense systems by adding dorsal and ventral ‘caps’ to the central hull, holding point defense turrets featuring traditional Shemarrian projectile weaponry(in the event they should face Splugorth fighters ensorcelled with protections against energy weaponry).

Magic systems appear to be absent from the Radiants, but while Wayfinder participation in the refit of these ships appears to have not happened, the Ghost Riders apparently had a hand beyond helping the Silvermoons acquire the original Kittani vessels. The Crescents feature extensive jamming and sensor spoofing gear, apparently using the vane/’legs’ as powerful transmitters and projectors. Thus, while the Radiants remain BIG targets, they are HARD TO HIT targets, especially at long range.
The massive cargo decks once used to hold slaves have been largely converted into additional avionics and systemry spaces, including advanced stealth systems, while a part of the bays have been converted into hangar space for several squadrons of fighters. The smaller size of the EShemars’ Scarab-class shuttles has allowed the Radiant Crescents to carry two squadrons of assault shuttles compared to the Servitudes’single squadron, and the Radiants also carry four squadrons of fighters. The troop capacity remains roughly the same, but with less need for creature comforts, the EShemar contingent can ALL be mounted on Warmounts(typically space-adapted or outfitted with re-entry gear for planetary assaults).
In the actions thus far observed, the Radiant Crescents maneuver like heavy destroyers, using their speed and jamming capabilities to rapidly close with an enemy, before hammering them with massive salvoes of plasma and gravitonic disruption. If necessary, the cruisers make multiple passes, or allow their fighters to finish off the targets with heavy missiles. Similarly, the ships make fast approaches and sudden assaults to cripple targets, then deploy their troops to seize control of the still-stunned prey. Thus far, the ships have made appearances in a number of smash-and-run or smash-and-grab raids in the Anvil Galaxy, mainly against Splugorth interests.
It is not known if the Shemarrian Star Nation has the means or desire to manufacture any new units of this class, or whether the three ships thus far sighted are only conversions of captured Splugorth vessels. The shipyard facilities captured at Kral IV (and presumably dismantled and transported elsewhere) were primarily refit yards, which may give the EShemar the means to produce wholly new units, but with some effort. Whether or not the Radiant Crescent will remain exclusive to the Silvermoons, or if it will appear in the forces of other Tribes remains to be seen.

Type: ESheMar-CG03 Radiant Crescent
Class: Heavy Cruiser
Crew: 460 (100 officers, 360 enlisted) Typically carries a War Goddess, 10 War Chieftains, and a medical section with 20 Spinster/Healers, as part of the standard complement.
Troops: 2,200 infantry +60 shuttle crew+ 40 fighter pilots
(Note: ALL troops can be equipped with Warmounts)
MDC/Armor by Location:
Main Body 17,000
Bridge/Forward Hull 16,000
Engine Section 22,000
Main Plasma Missile Batteries(6) 2500 each
Gravimetric “Slicer” Cannons(6) 1500 each
Plasma Torpedo Launchers(4) 800 each
Tachyon ScatterGuns(16) 250 each
Point Defense Rail Gun/Laser Turrets(20) 160 each
Hangar Bays(3) 7,000 each
Support Vanes(6) 7,000 each
Variable Forcefields 10,000 each side, 60,000 total
Height: 400 ft
Width: 830 ft
Length: 1,400 ft
Weight: 320,000 tons
Cargo: 15,000 tons
Powerplant: Suspected of being a matter/anti-matter system with 50 year energy life
Speed:
(Atmosphere) Hover to Mach 3; transatmospheric.
(Sublight) Mach 14
(Kitsune Values: 60% of light speed; Accelerates/decelerates at 1.4% of light speed per melee)
(FTL) 7 light years per hour
(Underwater) Not Possible
Market Cost: Unique to the Shemarrians and not for sale. If made available, a fully-equipped and functional Radiant Crescent might bring 1 billion credits or more
Systems of Note:
Standard Starship Systems, plus:
*Sensor Baffling----The Shemar ships can partially mask their sensor spoor, making themselves difficult to detect at long range. This acts as Stealth(-70% to detect while stationary, -30% when moving)

*Sensor Jamming---Active sensor jamming can be employed at shorter ranges to jam and confuse enemy sensors, as well as interfere with communications. The downside is that the amount of interference pumped out will alert EW-savvy opponents of the presence of a jamming platform. Effective Range: 1,000 miles. -6 to target the ship with active sensors.

*Sensor Ghost Projection---The Radiant Crescents have the ability to project multiple sensor ‘ghosts’(up to six) up to 100,000 miles away, giving false readings on their numbers and exact position. These projections can fool most long range sensors(-70% to Read Sensory Instrument rolls). They are also dependent on the leg-vanes; doing more than 50% damage to any one of them will reduce that vane’s ability to project a sensor ‘ghost’.

*Tractor Beams(6)----Effectively each rated for 700 tons dead weight, but can be used for imparting small changes in momentum/direction to ships/structures several times that mass.
Range: 5 miles in space(NOT usable in atmosphere)
(Kitsune Values: 5,000 miles in space).

*Cyberlinkage---The techno-psionic interfacing used by the EShemar give them faster response times; +1 to Initiative and +1 to Strike

Weapons Systems:
1) Plasma Hunter-Killer Torpedo Launchers(6) ---The original Splinter Missile Batteries have been removed, whether because the EShemar disagreed with the type of weapon or have been unable to duplicate the technologies needed to produce additional micro-singularity missiles is unknown. Instead, a weapon with similar damage characteristics has been substituted.
The PHKTL appears to be either an earlier version of the Plasma Torpedo Launcher, or a later version of the same weapon. Rather than launch a bolt of pure plasma, the weapon launches an actual material projectile; a missile-borne electromagnetic generator that wraps a shell of weapon-temperature plasma around itself. The generator/sustainer missile has its own onboard sensors calibrated to see through its plasma shell, allowing it to home in targets independent of its firing vessel, and at far greater range than direct fire weaponry. Though this weapon is dependent on a supply of specialized munitions(rather than the infinite capacity of the regular PTL), and the plasma-shrouded projectiles show up on energy sensors more readily than standard ‘cold’ missiles, the PHKTL has superior range, speed, and accuracy. The plasma shell also gives the PHKTL superior penetration capabilities against point defense systems.
MDC of Projectile: 60
Range: 1,800 miles in atmosphere, 7,200 miles in space
(Kitsune Values: 3,400 miles in atmosphere, 1,800,000 miles in space)
Damage: 2d6x100 MD to a 100 ft blast radius per missile
Rate of Fire: Volleys of 1-12
Payload: 60 missiles per launcher, 360 total. Additional missiles may be carried and loaded from cargo, but will take at least 30 minutes(1 ton of cargo per 12 missiles)
Note: Projectile anti-missile point defense systems are unable to penetrate the plasma shell, rendering them useless, and energy-based laser and plasma systems do only HALF damage due to interference from the plasma containment fields. Ion and Particle Beams suffer no such problems.

2) Slicer Cannons(6)---The Gravimetric Slicer Cannons appear to be part of the original Servitude design of which the EShemar wholly approved and retained on the Radiant Crescents, though whether these are the original cannon or EShemar-produced copies remains unknown.
Range: 9 miles in atmosphere, 18 miles in space
(Kitsune Values: 18 miles in atmosphere, 18,000 miles in space)
Damage: 2d4x1000 MD per shot, plus do critical(DOUBLE) damage on an unmodified Natural 19-20.
Rate of Fire: Once every other melee
Payload: Effectively Unlimited

3) Plasma Missile Batteries(4) ---These distinctive EShemar weapons replace the original Fusion Beam Cannons. These unusual weapons fire volleys of plasma bolts like missiles, and are even able to ‘curve’(up to 90 degrees) the shots somewhat to skip around ships and obstacles to envelope a target, but this control seems ballistic in nature, rather than active control(though there is evidence that the Shemar are able to actively direct the bolts within tractor beam range). The bolts themselves seem to have been endowed with a weak magnetic field that contains the plasma in a tight’packet’, allowing the plasma to travel farther without losing cohesion and damage potential, and allowing the plasma to explode with area of effect on target. The result is an energy missile with superior range to normal energy weapons(though still well short of comparable missile weaponry) and potentially unlimited payload. However, the plasma packets CAN be grabbed/deflected by tractor beams(likely how the EShemar manipulate their energy projectiles at short range and correct their course....each of the launch arms’ mounted tractor beams being able to grab and direct a volley of plasma bolts), or destabilized by ion or particle beam weapons fire(takes 20 MDC to disrupt the plasma containment).
Range: 25 miles in atmosphere, 100 miles in space
(Kitsune Values: 100 miles in atmosphere, 100,000 miles in space)
Damage: 2d4x100 MD to a 100 ft blast radius per missile
Rate of Fire: Volleys of 1-10 plasma bolts. Three volleys per melee
Payload: Effectively Unlimited

4) Tachyon Scatter Cannon(16) ---The original Neutron Cannons have been stripped from the design; despite their bionic nature, the EShemar seem to take offense at the organic-destroying radiation effects of these weapons. Instead, they have been replaced with area-of-effect tachyon cannons better suited to point defense.
Multiple tachyon accelerator cannon, with ‘scattershot’ firing focus, are mounted to cover all arcs of the ship’s hull. These are typically used to create a ‘firebreak’ in front of the ship for destroying incoming missiles, mines, and other projectiles.
Range: 1.5 miles (2,500 m) in atmosphere, 6 miles (10,000 m) in space w/ 3 mile wide arc*
(Kitsune Values: 6 miles in atmosphere, 600 miles in space)
* Scatter width is reduced to 1/4th in atmosphere
Damage: 3d6x10 MD per single cannon firing
Rate of Fire: EPCHH
Payload: Effectively Unlimited

5) Point Defense Rail Gun/Laser Turrets(20)---Standard Shemarrian-pattern rail gun/pulse laser combination in a common turret. The EShemar added two rings of these, one dorsal and one ventral, and four on the head section to provide extra coverage against missiles and fighters.
Range: (Rail Gun) 2 miles in atmosphere, 4 miles in space
(Kitsune Values: 4 miles in atmosphere, 400 miles in space)
(Laser) 1 mile in atmosphere, 3 miles in space
(Kitsune Values: 3 miles in atmosphere, 300 miles in space)
Damage: (Rail Gun)4D6x10 M.D. per blast
(Laser) 3D6x10 M.D. per blast
Rate of Fire: (Rail Gun)EGCHH(4-6)
(Laser) EGCHH (4-6)
Payload: (Rail Gun) 2,000 rd drum. Additional ammunition can be stored as cargo, but will take 45 minutes to reload from stores.
(Laser) Effectively Unlimited

Auxiliary Craft:
24 Scarab Landing Shuttles
48 Fighters (typically predominately EShe-F01 Kamayaris)

Variants:
No other Radiant Crescents are KNOWN to be in service, and certainly no variants thus far, but of late rumors have surfaced of a -Servitude- cruiser of unusual configuration being sighted near the Malcore System(see Rifts Dimension Book Six: The Three Galaxies, pg. 72). However, the scan records and scant optical sensor footage recorded by a surprised transport as it fled what it thought was a Splugorth raider show the ship in question having the distinctive triangular vanes of a Radiant Crescent, but a pyramid-shaped protrusion centered on the after crescent hull.

[DhAkael]

I really need to sit down and clean up a few idea's I have.
Problem is I have absolutely no motivation to do so at this point in time. I do have the glimmerings of what the first of the 'Skull-crusher' tribe's fleet will be...but the fingers do NOT want to be a walking while the brain tries to number-crunch.

...

All I know is that ramming manuvers will be involved.

[taalismn]

I really need to sit down and clean up a few idea's I have.
Problem is I have absolutely no motivation to do so at this point in time. I do have the glimmerings of what the first of the 'Skull-crusher' tribe's fleet will be...but the fingers do NOT want to be a walking while the brain tries to number-crunch.

...

All I know is that ramming manuvers will be involved.

Well, I'm working on about three different starships for the Shemarrian Star Nation, plus Tribal variants, and a section on my take on an advanced EShemar/Shemarrian Star Nation, its role in the bigger scheme of things, and pecularities/quirks of each 'evolved' Tribe pulling on what folks have contributed to the thread already.... The ships are mostly based on Kittani/Splugorth water ships, lending further credence to rumors that the Shemarrians are an ex-slave race that's thrown off the Splugorth chains(hey, heresay and rumormongering helped establish their IDs on Earth!)possibly even a few Tribal variations on your Storm Dragon...
I've also been working on some art of the various ships...I've done inks of the Storm Dragon and a light cruiser but have yet to scan and color them for posting on my Deviant Art account.
I've given thought to a SkullCrusher tribe that's working off what it regards as a 'taint'..the curse of being held thrall under the Drak One of legend and the Metal of Corruption/Soul Rust/whatever we want to call your evil possessing metal , so ironically I was thinking along similar lines of 'crusher tactics being up close, near-suicidal, and utterly insane ...They see the path to redemption in battlefield courage.
Yeah, writing this stuff in my head keeps me sane during my long commutes as of late, though I agree with you that the number crunch is the hard part, that and coming up with wholly new systems to reflect innovations(even though the EShemar shamelessly swipe tech from their adversaries).

[DhAkael]

"Time to Rock and / or roll!" the mineral-based humanoid stated with gusto.
His partner, a 6 ft. tall, sunglasses wearing reptile, remarkably 'monitor' like in appearence but bipedal, did a very human gusture of a face-palm.
"Gypsy... how many times have I told you, that saying is getting OLD."

As the two TMC agents bickerd back and forth, the large delta-winged transport they piloted began the final manuvering for orbital insertion. Soon the slavers on Pryax VII would know the true meaning of 'Stone-Cold-Blooded Justice'. "

The Coyote class strike ship in many ways resembles the sub-orbital shuttle used by the humans of Earth back in their early space exploartion era of the late 20th. century. Where the NASA shuttle and coyote differ however is in sheer size, weapons, and technological level.
Able to function equally as well INATMO and EXATMO, the TMC star-sherrifs make extensive use of this star-ship in their myriad small-unit operations.

Authors note:The following star-ship was created using a combination of AU:GG and sheer application of "handwavium"

Model Type: Coyote Class: Light Destroyer / Strike ship
Crew: 5 Bridge crew, 20 ship-hands, 30 troops, 5 fighter pilots
M.D.C. By Location:
*Bridge - 800
Wings (2) - 700 each
Upper Launch-bay Doors (2) - 200 each
Heavy Ion-Beams (2; 1 each wing) - 350 each
Ventral Anti-Ship Laser turret - 800
**Forward Hvy Rail-guns (2) - 500 each
**Twin Ion-Gun Turrets (3) - 300 each
**LRM Launchers (2) - 500 each
Variable Shields (6 facings) - 1000 per facing; 6000 total.
Pin-point barriers (10) - 400 each
Outer Hull 20ft. section - 150
Ion-Engines (2) - 1,050 each
Main Body - 2,800
Notes: * Destruction of the bridge will reduce sensors and combat bonuses by half.
** These systems are normally concealed and are - 3 to hit on a called shot, and the outer armour must be destroyed first (150MDC)
 Destruction of the one engine will reduce Speed by 50% and eliminate FTL capabilities.
 Destroying the main body will render the vessel a drifting hulk with no life support or power. If the ship is reduced to -2,000 MDC, it explodes doing 3D6X1,000 MD to anything in a 1.6 km radius.
Speed:
Flying: Inatmo; Mach 6.5 (can SCRAM-Jet to Mach 8.7) Exatmo; Mach 12 combat speed & 0.3C sublight
FTL: 0.3LY/hr. on Ion drive alone, 4.3LY/hr using CG boosters. Also has hypergravtic activator.
Range: 8 months with full crew, using recyclers and hydroponics. 80 days on just atmospheric recycling systems and ships stores.
Statistical Data:
Height: (at highest point): 36.5 meters / 120ft. Length: 120 meters / 400ft.
Width: (At widest point): 45 meters / 150ft. Wing Span is 70% of length
Weight: 400 tonnes with 100 tonnes fighter / shuttlebay
Cargo: 30modules of cargo space / modification space.
Drive Type(s): Primary; 2 Ion engines rated @ factor 30 with CG-FTL boosters.
: Secondary; AG-coil assisted jet engines rated for planetary landings and lift-offs and Inatmo manoeuvring.
: Hypergravitc activator coils for long-range travel.
Power System: Anti-matter reactor with 25yr. life-span at nominal output.
Market Cost: Approximately 75 million credits (minus auxiliary vehicles), for a fully operational vessel.
Weapon Systems
1) Heavy Ion-Guns (2): 1 Hvy. Ion gun is mounted on either wing (2 total), used primarily in assaults and ship-to-ship dog fights.
Mega-Damage: 1D6X100 per single blast, or 2D6X100 fire linked. R.O.F.: as per gunners /pilots attacks per melee.
Range: 46.4km (29 miles) in space. 4.64km Inatmo. Payload: Effectively unlimited.
Capitol Ship scale= -6 to strike small targets.

2) Anti-ship Laser Turret (2): Placed under the nose of the Coyote is a ball-turreted anti-ship laser. The turret has a 60 cone of fire.
Mega-Damage: 2D6X100 per shot. R.O.F.: as per gunners attacks per melee.
Range: 88km (55 miles) in space. 8.8km Inatmo. Payload: Effectively unlimited. Capitol Ship scale= -10 to strike small targets.

3) Heavy Railguns (2): 2 Hvy. railguns are mounted on either side of the nose section, used primarily in assault and ship-to-ship combat.
Mega-Damage: 1D6X100 AP per single blast, or 2D6X100fire linked. R.O.F.: as per gunners /pilots attacks per melee.
Range: 35.2km (22 miles) in space. 3.52km Inatmo. Payload: 100 shots per gun (200 shots total)
Capitol Ship scale= -6 to strike small targets.

4) Forward LRM / Torpedo Launchers (2): Under the main body are single-tube LR missile launchers facing forward. Typically these launchers are loaded with plasma or proton warheads.
Mega-Damage: As per LRM / Torpedo type.
R.O.F.: Individually or in volleys of two. Each volley counts as 1 gunners action. Once 10 warheads have been launched, it takes 3 actions (1/2 a melee) for the auto-loading system to reload another 10 from the magazine.
Range: as per warhead type. Payload: 10 per launch system plus an additional magazine of 20 per twin-launcher, for a total 60

5) Duo-Ion Point Defense turrets (3): These pop-up point defense lasers are placed aft, starboard and port to protect from enemy fighters and incoming missile strikes. The turrets may be manually operated or set to auto-fire.
Mega-Damage: 4D4X10 per twin shot (2D4X10 per barrel). R.O.F.: 1 per gunners action or 3 attacks automated. Range: 11.2km (7miles) Payload: Unlimited. Light Ship scale= No penalties. Note: The rotating turret gives a +1 to strike (plus any WP, weapon system lock-ons and sensor bonuses). If set for auto-fire, the guns are +4 to strike (+6 if lock on has been achieved).

Defensive Systems
Anti-missile Chaff Ejector; Installed into the aft of the Coyote is a chaff ejector. A crew member may use a parry to launch a chaff globe, which has a +8 'parry' to attract incoming missiles / volleys; if effective, the missile(s) impact against the chaff. Useless against LRM's. Payload of 30 globes.
ECM Suite; on a successful 'electronic warfare' skill roll, the ship becomes +4 to dodge all incoming attacks, and all homing missiles are +6 to dodge.
Magnetic Shields & Laser reflective: Ion & Particle beam weapons only inflict 50% damage when this system is active, as well as having a 30% of disrupting missiles targeting computers (ineffective against LRM's & Cap-ship missiles) including ones fired from the protected ship. Laser based weapons also inflict only  damage. Variable frequency lasers take 1D4 successful strikes to counteract the hull plating resistance.
Pin-Point Barriers (10); These are last-ditch defensive shields used to 'parry' fighter attacks and medium missile strikes. Up to 4 may be active at any time, and recharge 4 MDC/min. See below for bonuses to parry. 2 may be automated at any one time (+3 to parry).
Sensors
Advanced & Military Sensors; Can track and identify up to 500 targets with a 2000 mile range (3200km), and track an additional 25 objects out to 4000 miles (6400km);  range Inatmo. Objects as small as a golf ball can be seen at a distance of 300 miles Inatmo, or 26,000 miles in space (41,600km). Communications range is 200,000 miles (32,000km) in space. See later for combat bonuses.
Satellite Up-link Computer; Used for sending and receiving information from civilian and military satellites.
Super-navigation Computer & Auto-pilot; 50% skill for FTL and Sublight navigation, and 50% Skill for piloting.
Other Systems
Artificial Gravity; Provides standard 1g environment within the ship.
Crew Quarters; Each crew member (50) has their own private room with; bed, footlocker and computer unit. Bathrooms are communal.
Type 1 Recycling system (Atmosphere); Can continuously provide recycled, breathable air for 80 days for the crew plus passengers.
Trans-Atmospheric Capabilities; Design elements allow the Coyote to enter and leave planetary atmospheres. Thermal shielding only takes  damage from plasma and heat based weapons. See later for bonuses.
Hull Breach Auto-Repair; Triple redundancy system, prevents catastrophic loss of atmosphere from hull breaches.
External Cargo Docks; 3 external docking systems are standard on the Coyote; one by the bridge section, one ventral and a force-dock tube dorsal & amid-ships.
Grapple System; Rated for towing / grappling 6,000 tonnes.
FTL Life-boats (5); See "AU; Galaxy Guide" Pg. 181 for details.
FTL Accelerators; This system allows the ship to go from Speed 0 (relative) to factor 1 in less than 5 seconds, eliminating the acceleration time needed to "port" into FTL.
Self Destruct; To prevent capture of sensitive intelligence, prevention of ship theft, or as a last ditch retributive attack.
Attack Craft
Up to 100 tonnes of fighters and / or vehicles may be carried by the Coyote. The Vehicle bay is the box-like area in the aft of the Coyote.
Bonuses
+2 Initiative, +3 to dodge Exatmo & Inatmo, +2 to strike with all weapons and +15% to combat piloting rolls and +10% to weapon systems lock-ons. Pin-point barriers are +2 to parry, unless a successful E-warfare or weapon systems skill roll is made, then they are +4 to parry including P.P. bonuses (if any).

[taalismn]

I'm all for construction according to Handwavium and the Rule of Cool.
I like. Let the enemies of freedom ^&#@! beware!

[DhAkael]

I'm all for construction according to Handwavium and the Rule of Cool.
I like. Let the enemies of freedom ^&#@! beware!

Based on:
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4032/4317346513_a23faec2a6.jpg
*shrug* visually at least

[taalismn]

I'm all for construction according to Handwavium and the Rule of Cool.
I like. Let the enemies of freedom ^&#@! beware!

Based on:
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4032/4317346513_a23faec2a6.jpg
*shrug* visually at least

Ah, Minerva...a lovely vessel(and a MOSPEADA dropship ancestress, when you see her with underwing cargo pods attached). I prefer the Lief Ericson myself: http://www.projectrho.com/SSC/model.html

[taalismn]

Eshemar Kumo-rodosha Cruiser

“Get the main tractor on that piece in quadrant 21-b! That’s the entire stern of a Bindas Heavy cruiser! Even if we can’t get usable engines or a disruptor cannon out of it, we should be able to pull some superconductor from the remains! Now hurry and gather those sections in quadrant 23 into the rock-net! I want to have this region swept before Hour Octal! Just because we can take any Golgan force that might come sniffing around here doesn’t mean we an afford to be spotted by them! I’d rather not let them know we’re here in their space!”
-Gera Electrax, Chieftain-Captain, SSNS Treasure Seeker

This ship design was first observed by Bushido Confederation scouts who recorded several ships of the type cleaning up battlefield debris and repairing other Shemarrian ships in the aftermath of the Shemarrians’ obliteration of the Crimson Buzz Star Wasp splinter-hive. The ships’ appearance and actions earned them the nickname Kumo-rodosha---’worker-spiders’, and the name stuck in reporting, although it is not known what the Shemarrians call them.
The Kumo-rodosha is an older design that shares much in common with Splugorth-designed large surface watercraft and cargo ships; a large globular body suspended between three or four pylon-nacelles that double as landing gear. Compared to other Shemarrian Star Nation designs of comparable class, the Kumo-rodosha is slower, but more heavily armored. The Kumo-rodosha acts as a combination warship and fleet tender; it has enough armor and firepower to engage in heavy combat. To facilitate its role as a fleet tender and support vessel, the Kumo-rodosha mounts multiple tractor beams and a massive docking coupler on the bottom of its central hull, between the pylons, allowing the ship to act as a superheavy tug. Besides hauling disabled starships and prizes of war, the coupler can also be used to tow ‘trains’ of giant cargo pods and other structures, provided that they can fit between the trailing pylons. If not, the coupler mounts a heavy tractor beam. Large cargo bays inside the cruiser carry a variety of ships’ stores and repair equipment, and additional space can be converted for hangaring work’bots and utility shuttles. Docking points on the pylons and central hull can be used for docking up to eight light transports or heavy fighters.
By the standards of other star nations, the life support capability aboard the Kumo-rodosha is woefully inadequate, with only the most basic atmosphere maintenance and temperature control. For the android/cyborg Shemarrians, however, this doesn't pose a problem except when conducting delicate repairs or entertaining guests aboard their ships. Depending on the specific purpose of the ship, the internal configuration varies; on most Shemarrian vessels the crew simply plugs themselves into a service rack or 'capsule motel' cubicle when off-duty, but training vessels and those meant for NeShemar will have more space allocated to creature comforts and practice/recreational space for the cyborgs to move around in. Most of these ships will have a small amount of cabin space modified for the comfort of organic passengers/visitors(perhaps 10-50); additional cargo and cabin space at be refitted to accommodate additional passengers who don't have their own self-contained life support.
If the Kumo-rodosha has a major weakness, it’s that it is among the slowest sub-capital ships of the SNN; despite the Shemarrians’ high tolerance for acceleration-gees, the cruiser is only capable of middling overthrust, which can lead to the ship being outraced or overrun by faster opponents. At least one variant has emerged to address this issue, but at the expense of other capacities.
It has been suggested that the Kumo-rodosha is a rival design to the ubiquitous Remora design; both ships carry out many of the same functions and both ships have been seen modified for a variety of other roles. However, if there ever was any sort of design competition among the Tribes of the Shemarrian Star Nation, it has since disappeared; both ships appear in large numbers in the fleets of the various Tribes, and formations consisting of both Remoras and Kumo-rodoshas are fairly common. Kumo-rodosha can also be seen acting as the core of a group of Unipelta corvettes, or as escorts for Hitode transports and other larger craft.
The Kumo-rodosha is common to all SSN tribal fleets but seems especially ubiquitous in the forces of the Darkwaters and Skullcrusher clans. The Silvermoons use theirs mainly to move and protect their asteroid mining operations and microgravity processing factories. The Horrorwoods clans use theirs to support landing operations, the ships, once landed on their engine-pylons, serving quite adequately as artillery support firebases. Other variants known to exist include Kumo-rodoshas outfitted as flying workshops and laboratories for Spinster/Tinkers, dorm/training ships for NeShemar, hospital ships(often towing additional accommodation modules), and tanker craft towing gas harvesting and storage gear.

Type:ESheMar-C(M)03 Kumo-rodosha
Class: Medium Cruiser
Crew: 1,000 +4,500 troops/passengers/work crew
MDC/Armor by Location:
Main Body 32,000
Bridge 3,000
Pylon-Nacelles(4) 4,000 each
Long Range Missile Launchers(6) 800 each
Medium Lasers(12) 250 each
Point Defense Rail Guns(8) 250 each
Plasma Torpedo Launchers(8) 700 each
Tractor Beam Stations(4) 1,000 each
Tow Coupler/Heavy Tractor Beam 1,500
Variable Forcefield 10,000 per side ( 60,000 total)
Height: 500 ft
Width: 850 ft
Length: 850 ft
Weight: 325,000 tons
Cargo: Up to 135,000 tons (or 100,000 tons w/ an additional 4,500 passengers/troops
Powerplant: Nuclear Fusion w/ 30 year energy life
Speed:
(Atmosphere) Hover to Mach 3; transatmospheric.
(Sublight) Mach 10
(Kitsune Values: 60% of light speed; Accelerates/decelerates at 1.0% of light speed per melee)
(FTL) 6 light years per hour
(Underwater) Not surprisingly, given its design lineage, the Kumo-rodosha CAN operate underwater, surviving depths of down to 2,000 ft and able to move at 40 MPH .
Market Cost: Unique to the Shemarrians and not for sale. If made available, a fully-equipped and functional Kumo-rodosha might bring 2 billion credits or more
Systems of Note:
Standard Starship Systems, plus:
*Sensor Baffling----The Shemar ships can partially mask their sensor spoor, making themselves difficult to detect at long range. This acts as Stealth(-70% to detect while stationary, -30% when moving)

*Tractor Beams(7)---- The Kumo-rodosha sports seven tractor beams, six light (four mounted one to a station, around the ‘waist’ of the ship, and two foward) and one heavy. The light tractor beams are each rated for 800 tons dead weight, but can be used for imparting small changes in momentum/direction to ships/structures several times that mass. The heavy tractor beam is rated for 75,000 tons and can be used to tow small starships.
Range: 5 miles in space(NOT usable in atmosphere)
(Kitsune Values: 5,000 miles in space).

Weapons Systems:
1) Long Range Missile Launchers(6)---These are the primary long range anti-ship weapons. When the Kumo-rodosha is landed, the missile batteries also act as long-range artillery in support of the disembarked troops.
Range: Varies by Missile Type (Long Range)
(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: 120 missiles ready to launch; additional missiles may be carried and loaded from cargo, but will take at least 15 minutes(1 ton of cargo per 12 missiles)

2) Medium Lasers(12)----These powerful lasers are equally effective against warships and fighters,
Range: 8 miles in atmosphere, 16 miles in space
(Kitsune Values: 16 miles in atmosphere, 16,000 miles in space)
Damage: 1d6x100 MD per shot
Rate of Fire: Four shots per melee
Payload: Effectively Unlimited

3) Point Defense Rail Guns(8)---Backing up the lasers are eight rapid-fire rail guns.
Range: 8 miles in atmosphere, 16 miles in space
(Kitsune Values: 16 miles in atmosphere, 16,000 miles in space)
Damage: 1d4x100 MD per burst per single barrel
Rate of Fire: EGCHH(4-6)
Payload: 100 bursts per cannon

4) Plasma Torpedo Launchers(8) --- These unusual weapons fire volleys of plasma bolts like missiles, and are even able to ‘curve’(up to 90 degrees) the shots somewhat to skip around ships and obstacles to envelope a target, but this control seems ballistic in nature, rather than active control(though there is evidence that the Shemar are able to actively direct the bolts within tractor beam range). The bolts themselves seem to have been endowed with a weak magnetic field that contains the plasma in a tight’packet’, allowing the plasma to travel farther without losing cohesion and damage potential, and allowing the plasma to explode with area of effect on target. The result is an energy missile with superior range to normal energy weapons(though still well short of comparable missile weaponry) and potentially unlimited payload. However, the plasma packets CAN be grabbed/deflected by tractor beams(likely how the EShemar manipulate their energy projectiles at short range and correct their course....each of the launch arms’ mounted tractor beams being able to grab and direct a volley of plasma bolts), or destabilized by ion or particle beam weapons fire(takes 20 MDC to disrupt the plasma containment).
Range: 25 miles in atmosphere, 100 miles in space
(Kitsune Values: 100 miles in atmosphere, 100,000 miles in space)
Damage: 2d4x100 MD to a 100 ft blast radius per missile
Rate of Fire: Volleys of 1-8 plasma bolts. Three volleys per melee
Payload: Effectively Unlimited


Auxiliary Craft:
4 shuttles
Provision for 8 light transports or Goshawk Attackers
OR 24 fighters
A troop carrier will typically have provison for Warmounts for 50% of the troops.
Work-ships will have provision for modified Warmounts for 30% of the passengers/workers, and a contingent of 200-600 work drones or ‘E-Animal’ android servitors.

Variants:
*ESheMar-C(M)03KvCQ---This variant takes advantage of the Kumo-rodosha’s resemblance to common Splugorth/Kittani vessels to deceive and infiltrate. Details are scant on the C(M)03KvCQ owing to its mission profile, and knowledge of its existence only came about when a captured CCW ship, held in a Splugorth orbital impound, inadevertantly recorded imagery of a supposed Kittani vessel approaching the asteroid-moon station, then opening fire on the surprised slavers. When the liberated CCW crew managed to regain their ship and escape, they found the video of the ‘Kittani freighter’ disgorging a horde of Shemarrian warriors. Since then several other incidents in Splugorth space have taken place that have been attributed to such tactics. The C(M)03KvCQ is largely believed to be a Ghost Rider Tribe development, though occasionally it’s been attributed to the so-called ‘Shadowblades’.
Besides bearing the external hardware and markings of Splugorth craft(these are presumed to be fake, and easily altered), the C(M)03KvCQs presumably carry extensive scanner and sensor-spoofing gear, false ID transponders, and communications hacking equipment. To make the most of successful deception, the ships mount four concealed cruise-missile launchers(volleys of 1-6 missiles, 24 each) in addition to their normal armaments, the better to surprise enemy defenses and capital ships with a barrage of missiles.

*ESheMar-C(M)03Dw---A Darkwaters clan variant that carries a large sensor dish-array on its upper hull(has 2,000 MDC). The sensor array allows the ship to detect ships in normal space at up to a light year away and FTL wakes at 28 light years’ distance. This system is based on CAF sensor arrays, but is slightly more powerful due to its larger size and mounting. It can also be deployed on the move under full acceleration, but is relative fragile compared to the rest of the ship.

*ESheMar-C(M)03Sc---The Skullcrushers field a variant that emphasizes firepower above all else; the plasma torpedo launchers are upgraded to 10-shot arrays, the missile launchers upgraded to volley up to 20 missiles at a time. Four heavy particle beam turrets(900 each) have been added for extra firepower.
Two massive extendable armored airlock arms(1,800 MDC each) with the ends fitted with powerful maglock heads and plasma cutters(10 ft range, do 1d4x100 MD per melee of cutting) are also added for slicing accessways into enemy ships and spacestations to allow warriors and warmounts direct access.
The Skullcrushers have also been known to use the Kumo-rodosha’s towing capability to sling massive payloads of metal scrap or asteroid rock at opponents in artificial meteor showers. They have also used the same tow capability to launch mines and remote control missile launcher satellites into the thick of battlefields.
1) Heavy Particle Beam Cannons(4)---Mounted atop the main hull, these cannons give the ship a serious punch against larger capital ships.
Range: 12 miles in atmosphere, 45 miles in space
(Kitsune Values: 45 miles in atmosphere, 45,000 miles in space)
Damage: 1d6x1,000 MD single blast
Rate of Fire: 2 shots per melee
Payload: Effectively Unlimited

*ESheMar-C(M)03Br---This variant has only shown up in the ranks of the Blood Riders, and attempts to address the relatively slow speed of the Kumo-rodosha by replacing the tow coupler at the bottom of the main hull with another engine bloc, and beefs up the pylon engines. The resulting vessel can hit speeds of Mach 14, but loses its heavy tow capacity and about half of its cargo capacity.

[KLM]

Hi there!

Kumo-Rodosha:

One point however, that given the ship's weight and MDC, its cargo capacity is a bit low (even with troops).
I would say about 100.000 tons - or raise the MDC or the troops aboard.
(I guess the eshemarrians are robotic beings, so troop quarters are more like racks where the robots are stored).

Also, as a fleet tender, I would introduce some repair drones - equipped with the equivalent of the multi-tool
and the metal spray from DMB2, pg 143 (or even repair nanites like the ones in the cyberai DMB3, pg 18 or the Quatoria, DMB2, pg 67) ,. Plus a "Wilks laser torch" from RMB.

Price... Well 1 billion is a bit too low, except if the ship needs serious upgrade on the life-support section
(ie. it is made for robots). However, the plasma-torpedo system would interest the NE and other powers,
thought they may not want to pay in credits...

A final note, that given the ships "tender" design, reloading of the missile launchers is too slow.

Adios
KLM

[taalismn]

Okay; I doubled the price, (hey, it has limited stealth), made some notes for passenger accommodation, and added more cargo capacity.

As for workpods, right now you've got cyborgs and androids who can wrestle gear around. There's also a space-adapted version of a Kittani robot drone that the Shemarrians have adapted as the 'Astra-Gekker; that can fill the need for a light drone, and more designs are coming(check out the Shemarrian Fan-Creations thread in the Rifts Forums for more on the culture of the Advanced Shemarrians and more details on such tribes as the Darkwaters )