Starship designs...

[DhAkael]

EShemar Rhinochon Transport Cruiser

Scanned, copied, saved.

[taalismn]

EShemar Rhinochon Transport Cruiser

Scanned, copied, saved.

I just wanted to do a simple transport and it got outta control, honest!

[taalismn]

Paladin Steel Javelin Space Missile Cruiser
http://s408.photobucket.com/albums/pp164/taalismn/?action=view&current=javelin.jpg

“We call them ‘Zoomers’, much like the old submariners called their missile boats boomers...and the life is pretty much the same. Long, narrow, hull packed with equipment, with hardly enough room to turn around in...and just like a sub with all that open sea around it, the Javs with all that empty space around them, are packed. Part of it is because the need to make the most of materials, and smaller, more powerful ships are the prefered design, but also because we want to present as small a sensor target as possible. ‘Run Silent, Run Deep’...the rule’s the same in space combat...
Of course, it’s not entirely unpleasant or unliveable...when the psuedo-grav’s off, it seems like the ship’s gotten a little less cramped because we can then move about the walls and ceilings. Danger is, though, if a rookie gets too complacent and ignores a grav-activation alarm, or the ship goes to combat acceleration all of a sudden....all that gear and rookie too floating eight feet off the floor....comes a’crashing down...so keeping alert and oriented as to where the ‘floor’ is at any given time, is a survival tactic a spacer learns early.”
-------Jethro Manns, Midshipman, Javelin Cruiser Hastings

“Okay, looks like our trick with all those decoy noisemaker missiles with a couple of Big Pills mixed in did the trick! Those fireballs just took out three of Her Witchiness’s capital units! Hooray for our side and hazzah for ‘primitive’ technology!
Now give me as much power to drives as you can, and jump us out the moment we hit the hyper-limit! Those killed heavies have at least six friends each, and they’re all accelerating in our direction faster than I want to see! Looks like the Witch is taking us seriously! Time to run with our tails between our legs and make for the Deep!”
----Captain Andomathis Se’Cal, Javelin Cruiser Cowpens, ASI Missile Squadron Taskforce 3.

The Javelin is Paladin Steel/Aegis Stellar Industries’ design for a light missile cruiser configured for long-range fast strike missions where it can use its high speed and EW systems to move quickly into an optimal firing position, fire off its weapons, then retreat to another firing position.
The Javelin has a long, narrow-chord, streamlined appearance and construction that hints at its relation to its Thunderbolt and space-capable Foss-Flier ancestors. The Javelin is, as a result, equally at home in space or in atmosphere. The original Javelins were constructed at Valient Station, using the (then) state of the art engineering processes and technologies available to Paladin Steel. Later studies of the Three Galaxies’ Warshield Light Cruiser helped refine the Javelin design, especially with the addition of CCW-pattern CG drive systems.
The Javelin’s single high-performance engine is specially shielded and insulated to produce a minimum of radiation signatures when in ‘stealth’ mode, yet can come to full power and acceleration in less than five minutes. Its ability to enter an atmosphere is also a considerable asset, as in 125 PA, when a couple of Javelins took cover in a Martian dust-storm, using atmospheric back-scatter and interference to hide from Arkhon sensors, and deliver a successful, and unexpected, ambush attack on Arkhon troop transports attempting to retake Phobos from the combined Terran-Ares Republic garrison there.
The original Mark Is would see their early fusion engines replaced by the Mark II upgrades, that would add high efficiency gravitic engines augmenting the ‘torch’ drives. In turn, once PS started its Aegis Stellar Industries front in the Three Galaxies, with access to more advanced technology, the Mark IIIs developed by the Amberjin shipyards would feature more sophisticated drives capable of sustained acceleration(in addition to other changes).
Weaponry consists primarily of several capacious weapons bays, the largest in the large wing/fin-like projection under the narrow-chord body, backed by two large long range missile bays in the upper hull. Backing these weapons are a pair of kinetic kill rail guns and a laser PDS array. The most lethal weapons in the Javelin’s arsenal are stocks of rare Galactic-make Cruise Missiles, though it has provision to carry large amounts of standard, domestic-production LRMs, or the gigantic SLBM-sized ‘nukers’ that PS had developed as an answer to any more encounters with Splugorth Dreadnoughts.
The Javelin sacrifices armor for speed and payload, however, so taking it into a close-range slugging match is NOT recommended. The Mark IIs would introduce forcefield protection, while the Mark IIIs would be produced with variable forcefields, greatly increasing the chances for survival of the ships in open combat, but it is still not recommended that Javelin crews stay still long enough to put their armor to the test. Like the Falx, the Javelin has problems with its main weapons systems being ammunition-dependant, and it rarely travels alone, or far from a source of resupply. Once it expends its missile payload, the Javelin will attempt to break off combat and retreat behind other units with more weapons endurance. The Javelin also has no provision for embarked fighters or troops; its small crew dedicated to manning the systems and seeing to the ship’s primary role of missile support. To insure that it can spot trouble before trouble can close in on it, the Javelin mounts a more powerful sensor suite than is standard for ships of its class. The greater detection range allows the Javelin to more effectively use its long range fire capabilities
Type: PSS/ASI-CGS-07Javelin
Class: Space Missile Cruiser
Crew: 60+ 10 man Stelmarine security contingent
MDC/Armor by Location:
Main Body 35,000
Bridge 9,000
Main Engine Bloc 9,000
Auxiilary Engines(2) 3,500 each
Kinetic Kill Rail Cannons(3x2) 500 each
Point Defense Lasers(10) 90 each
Point Defense Rail Guns(10) 100 each
LR Missile Launchers (2) 550 each
Cruise Missile Launchers(2) 550 each
Hangar Bay 1,000
Forcefield(Mrk II refit) 5,000
Variable Forcefield(Mrk III refit) 3,000 per side, 18,000 total
Height: 120 ft
Width:220 ft
Length:500 ft
Weight:90,000 tons
Cargo: 2,000 tons
Powerplant: Nuclear Fusion, w/ 25 year energy life
Speed:(Atmosphere) Hover to Escape Velocity
(Sublight) (Mrk I) Fusion Drive) Mach 15
(Kitsune Values: 20% of light speed; Accelerates/decelerates at 1.5% of light speed per melee)
*Note: The fuel-dependent Mark Is have 4,000 tons hydrogen fuel capacity for 80 days of continual acceleration/deceleration.
(ASI Mrk III) (Gravitic Drive) Mach 12
(Kitsune Values: 60% of light speed; Accelerates/decelerates at 1.2% of light speed per melee)
(FTL) 4 light years per hour
(Underwater) (all Marks) Not possible
Market Cost: Estimated cost at around 600 million credits for the Mark I, 640 million credits for the Mark II, 800 million credits for the Mark III.
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
*Enhanced Sensors----The Javelin mounts a sensor suite slightly more powerful than those typical of its class, and has 25% better range(effective -Fleets of the Three Galaxies- range of 320,000 miles)
*Laser Targeting-------250,000 miles
*Communications Suite:---Long Range Radio and Video
* Laser Communications ---Tactical (i.e. ship-to fighter/shuttle)Range: 50,000 miles
*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.

*EW Jamming Systems---In combat, the Javelin will attempt to use its electronic warfare suite to confuse enemy sensors as to the ship’s exact position and activity. Communications Jamming has a 10,000 mile range, is 90% effective against civilian systems, and is 65% effective against more sophisticated channel-jumping military communications suites. Missiles and sensor-guided weapons are -4 to strike.

*Passive Stealth Systems----The Javelin uses passive stealth systems to reduce its sensor signature by as much as 40%, but in order to achieve this, the ship cannot be under acceleration, and its engines must be running ‘cold’.

Weapons Systems:
1)Cruise Missile Launchers(2)---The large wing-like projection under the main hull holds two cruise missile launch bays. Because Three-Galaxies-style Cruise Missiles are hard to come by, even with PS’s WZT connections, and PS has yet to acquire the means of producing economical and reliable versions of its own, Javelins rarely sail with a full load of these weapons; typically the rest of the missile bay space is taken up by probes, or ECM ‘Wild Weasel” decoys.
Range: Varies by missile type(speed and range x4 in space)
(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, 4, 5, or 10
Payload: 40 missiles per launcher, 80 total

2)Long Range Missile Launchers(2)---Mounted just above the Cruise Missile launchers, abutting the main hull, in their own fins, are two large long range missile bays...PS makes sure that Javelins are well-supplied with LRMs, most often the domestically produced makes, but also Three Galaxies types when they can obtain them.
Range: Varies by missile type(speed and range x4 in space)
(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, 4, 8, 16, or 32 per launcher
Payload: 160 LRMs per launcher-pod, 320 total

Alternately, the launchers can be modified to fire the following:
a)Heavy Nuclear Missile Launcher--These weapons were developed from early efforts to create an Alliance equivalent of the Galactic-level Cruise Missiles. The effort wasn’t entirely successful; the weapons have the range and warhead yield, but lack the advanced targeting and AI systemry of their galactic counterparts. They are also very large weapons, roughly the size of small SLBMs, making them fairly easy targets for Three Galaxies-standard point defense systems. To compensate for their lack of accuracy, PS mounted the heaviest nuclear warheads they could come up with in the Long Lance II missiles, counting on pure brute city-buster force to carry the day when more precise targeted strikes cannot. Paladin Steel has retained these weapons for special attack purposes, such as orbital platform strikes and attacks on massed enemy formations. These weapons are designed strictly for deep space use, and are NOT for use on surface targets; such use is BANNED by PS/VFS/GNE policy.
Range: 1,000 miles(4,000 miles in space)
(Kitsune Values: 3,400 miles in atmosphere, 1,800,000 miles in space)
Damage: 2d4 x 1,000 MD to a 2.6 mile destruction radius in space
Rate of Fire: Volleys of 1,2,3,4, or 6
Payload: 12 missiles per launcher

(Option) PS Long Lance IV---The Long Lance IV is the next generation heavy anti-spacecraft missile from PS, and was developed after the abysmal failure of most of the launched Long Lance IIs to reach the target during the Dreadnought Crisis . This SLBM-sized weapon is smarter, heavier, and carries its own ECM and countermeasures decoy launchers to give it a better chance of penetrating a target’s defenses. The Long Lance IV is available to both the Falx and the Javelin-class cruisers.
Range: 1500 miles(6,000 miles in space)
(Kitsune Values: 3,400 miles in atmosphere, 1,800,000 miles in space)
Damage: 2d4 x 1,000 MD to a 2.6 mile destruction radius in space
Bonuses/Special:
*ECM----The missile has its own expert system and EW transmitters for jamming enemy radar, as well as evading their sensors. The missile is -6 for guided weapons to strike. 60% chance of evading radar detection to begin with.
*Flare/Chaff Launchers(1, 6 bundles)
Damage: None; similar to Triax-style chaff
01-50 Enemy Missile or volley detonates in chaff and threat is nuetralized
51-75 Missile/Volley diverts and may pursue/lock on to other targets
76-00 No Effect! Missile(s) still on target!
Will also temporarily blind and impede flying monsters who fly into it.
Reduce APMs/combat bonuses/ speed by half for 1d4 melees

3)Kinetic Kill Rail Cannons(3x2)---Mounted in main hull turrets positioned one ventral and one dorsal, these weapons can pivot for maximum arc of fire. However, the turrets do not adequately cover the rear firing arcs of the ship.
Range: 10 miles(40 miles in space)
(Kitsune Values: 40 miles in atmosphere/ 40,000 miles in space)
Damage:1d4x100 MD per 80 rd burst, 2d4x100 MD double cannon burst, 3d4x100 MD per triple cannon burst
Rate of Fire:ECHH
Payload: 32,000 rds(400 bursts) per cannon before needing reloading from stores(takes about 30 minutes)

4) Point Defense Lasers(10)----Spaced around the hull are standard laser PDS turrets for fending off enemy fighters and missiles.
Range: 1 mile(4 miles in space)
(Kitsune Values: 4 miles in atmosphere/ 400 miles in space)
Damage: 2d6x10 MD per blast
Rate of Fire: ECHH, or auto-fire; 6 attacks per melee
Payload: Effectively unlimited

(Optional) Laser/Mini-Missile PDS----These are standard CCW-pattern dual laser/mini-missile launchers that have been installed fro 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


5) Point Defense Rail Guns(10)
Range: 6,000 ft in atmosphere, 2 miles in space
(Kitsune Values: 2 miles in atmosphere/ 200 miles in space)
Damage: 2d4x10 MD per 60 rd burst
Rate of Fire: EGCHH, or 6 attacks per melee in auto mode
Payload: 12,000 rds per gun(200 bursts each)
Radar Targeting Bonus: +3 to strike

Auxiliary Craft:
2 Shuttles

Variants:
*PSS/ASI-CGS-07B(Mrk II) ---This was a refit of the original Javelins that tweaked the engines for more efficiency(fuel efficiency could now be stretched to 110 days of continual accelration/deceleration, and the ship could also crawl under auxiliary GMR/traction drive powered directly by the reactors at Mach 4., added the stealth systems, and mounted a heavy-duty monoplanar forcefield generation system. Almost all Mark I Javelins in Sol System were rotated out of active service and upgraded to this standard in the course of their careers.

*PSS/ASI-CGS-07C(Mark III)---This is the Aegis Stellar Industries-manufactured version that soon replaced the older Mark I/IIs. The -07C uses a more advanced CG-drive that while lacking the hard acceleration of the previous fusion drive system, also allows for greater sustained acceleration, and freed up mass and space for additional systemry. The -07C adds more sophisticated avionics and upgrades the commerical forcefield to a military-grade variable type.
The -07C also attempts to plug the holes in the Javelin’s energy weapon deficiency and arc of fire by adding a third weapons turret, containing a double-barreled medium laser cannon, directly behind the LRM launchers, to better cover the exposed rear arcs.
1) Dorsal Medium Laser Turret(1)
MDC: 500
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, 4d4x100 double-barreled blast
Rate of Fire: 4 times per melee
Payload: Effectively Unlimited

2) Ventral Twin-Barrel Medium Laser Cannons(2x2)(Mrk III)----The Mrk III would also see the fitting of two additional turrets, each mounting a double-barreled medium laser cannon, on the lower cruise-missile launcher ‘wings’. While powerful, the addition of these energy weapons is still not considered adequate to allow the Javelin to engage in prolonged close combat with other warships.
Range: 7 miles in atmosphere, 14 miles in space
(Kitsune Values: 14 miles in atmosphere, 14,000 miles in space)
Damage: 1d4x100 MD per cannon, 2d4x100 MD per dual blast from both cannon in a turret simultaneously(one attack)
Rate of Fire: Twice per melee
Payload: Effectively unlimited


*PSS/ASI-CGS-07D--- A plasma weapon-heavy configuration prototyped as the VFSS Centaurus. The Centaurus was a -07C Javelin refitted to fire experimental plasma torpedos, the result of plasma MagTech engineering, and reverse-engineered alien weaponry. The cruise-missile racks and magazines in the lower fin were stripped out and replaced with four plasma torpedo launchers and their attendant power generation equipment. Otherwise, the Centaurus was identical to all other Javelins.
The 07D has begun to enter production alongside the 07C variant as the prefered units of the new GNE Space Forces, giving a good mix of long range missile- and energy-weaponry for ‘snipe and fade’ attacks.
(Note: Observant weapons analysts may note similarities between this weapon and the Shemarrian Star Nation’s own Plasma Torpedoes. This is not a coincidence; PS/ASI originally developed the PTL theory and the design was perfected by the Blood Rider Tribe’s engineers from knowledge shared in early tech/academic exchanges with Paladin Steel/Greater New England. The likely theory to be put forward by anybody noting the similarity is that PS/ASI is copying the Shemrrian weapon)
1) Tractor Beam Projectors(4, mounted in the lower wings) ----Intended less for grabbing hold of other ships and more for guiding the Plasma Torpedoes. Rated at 500 tons haul weight.
Range: 5 miles in space(NOT usable in atmosphere)(Kitsune Values: 5,000 miles in space).

2) Plasma Torpedo Launchers(4)---These are direct-fire weapons that fire bolts of plasma trapped in a temporary magnetic ‘shell’ centered on an evaporated ‘seed’ of ultra-dense deteurium ice, 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(this is how the ship’s gunners can manipulate their energy projectiles at short range and correct their course....each of the launch arrays’ 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: 20 miles in atmosphere, 200 miles in space
(Kitsune Values: 200 miles in atmosphere, 200,000 miles in space)
Damage: 1d6x100 MD per blast to 100 ft blast radius
Rate of Fire: Each array can launch volleys of 1-8 torpedoes, twice per melee
Payload: Effectively unlimited

*PSS/ASI-CGS-07E---The -07E model is simply an ‘economy’ model that was developed against the uncertain acquisition of cruise missiles and/or slow development of ASI’s own efforts to produce the munitions. The -07E variant is a -07C that simply replaces the two cruise missile launchers with two LRM launchers similar to those mounted dorsally, effectively doubling the LRM armament. The -07E is also considered to be the basis of an ‘export’ model that can be produced in large enough numbers that it can be sold abroad(minus sensitive and proprietary technologies such as stealth and EW jamming systems).

*PSS/ASI-TS-07E----This was a conversion of older Mrk I hulls into hydrogen tankers, to keep other fuel-dependent Mrk I Javelins and other early model PS spacecraft fueled-up in the field. The TS-07E variant strips out the heavy missile launchers and replaces them with slush deuterium tankage(four tanks, each carrying 7,500 tons each, for a total of 30,000 tons, in addition to the ship’s own onboard fuel) and four transfer booms for refueling up to four other ships simultaneously. The TS-07E retains the scondary armaments and PDS systems of the missile cruiser Javelins. The TS-07E can do some gas harvesting on its own by skimming planetary atmospheres and using its wing-like fuel tanks to give it aerodynamic control while it ramscoops atmospheric gases into its small separator and liquification system, but the ships typically relies on other vessels and fuel extraction stations to restock its supplies.
PS still produces the TS-07E, making it available to lower-tech star nations and commercial concerns needing protected tankers.

[taalismn]

Masakari/Falx Class Destroyers
(aka ‘Toadstools’, ‘Butt-Uglies’, ‘Button-cruisers’, ‘Mushroom Ships’, ‘Shield Boats’, ‘Carapace cruisers’)

“They’re ugly as sin, and equally as tough. Seeing them landed at port, you’d think they were part of the local industrial infrastructure encroaching on the spaceport, they’re that ugly. Not one iota wasted on aesthetics, but it pays off for them in being functionally hardened. Engaging them and expecting them to blow up like other spitkits of the same weight and size class is wishful thinking; they can take a lot of hammering before they go down. On the plus side if you’re the opposition, you’re not likely to have these things come running after you in the deep dark; they’re rather sluggish under full CG-drive, and the torch-drive versions don’t wander far from refuelling stations. If you happen to actually be assigned to one of these things, it’s cramped, crowded, and like living inside an industrial washing machine. After a couple of weeks you better be used to the smells and the lack of privacy, or you’ll never make it to the end of a tour.”

The ships of the Masakari/Falx classes share a common design that is a stark contrast to the contemporary Sangu and Javelin classes. Rather than adapt the slender lines of the latter craft, the Masakaris and Falx classes have been described as resembling fireplugs or armored mushrooms; a large rounded shield-like upper body on top, large powerful engines underneath, with the crew accommodations and weaponry squeezed in between. Both designs are tail-sitters, launching and landing vertically, with the decks aligned accordlingly.
The Masakaris and Falxes were designed as plantary defense ships, meant for short-range, short-endurance forays to meet incoming threats. In their original configurations, both were built around high-power plasma fusion drives, with enough deuterium-slush reaction mss for at best thirty-six days of constant acceleration/deceleration. This seriously limited the ships’ abilities to operate far from home base with extensive support; early ships of these classes that found themselves having to accompany long range patrols needed accompanying tankers and even other vessels with recreational facilities, as both fuel bunkerage and creture comforts were lacking on the two vessels. Both ships were designed around the early Paladin Steel beliefs that space combat would be fought at hyperfast speeds in which combatants would try to deal as much damage as possible to each other in the very short windows of engagement that relative speeds allowed, so both were armored and engined to the maximum. Physical armor in particular is heavy, reinforced against the expected impacts of active and passive kinetic weaponry. The short squat design of the two ships was also seen as an advantage, allowing the ships to more ably flip end-for-end to reposition for acceleration or deceleration burns.
The perfection(or rather replication) of high-performance contra-gravity drives(CG) and forcefield generation changed dramatically the capabilities of the Masakari and Falx-classes. With fuel largely restrictions lifted, the ‘toadstools’ could be given longer range, allowing for patrol arcs well beyond their original operating perimeters. This in turn necessitated increasing the crew accommodations as much as was possible, using space and mass originally devoted to deteurium tankage. However, revelations of how Three Galaxies starship combat often involved closing on CG drives and ‘tangling’ with enemy forces as what was essentially knife-fighting range meant that PS ships’ secondary armaments had to be beefed up, taking up more space.
Though the Masakari and Falx classes are generally regarded as being successful upgrades/conversions from earlier technologies, they are still regarded as uncomfortable assignments for those crews used to the more open and roomy designs of Three Galaxies technologies.
Paladin Steel and Aegis Stellar Industries continue to produce these ships and deploy them as planetary defense ships and occasionally as convoy escorts, but the ships have lost their place as front line warships in favor of more modern designs coming into service. A number of these vessels have been sold to clients looking for system defense craft.


Paladin Steel/Aegis Stellar Industries Masakari Heavy Destroyer
http://s408.photobucket.com/albums/pp16 ... img128.jpg

“I had the unfortunate honor of being chief gunnery officer on the VFSS Eldridge when we went eyeball to eyeball with the Dreadnought...going up against a Galactic nightmare battlewagon in a backwoods-built spitkit really put the techno-gap between us and Them in deadly perspective... Every time we managed to get enough wires spliced back together to get off a shot, it would roll off their shields like rain off a Merganser, whereas every shot they fired at us hit and felt like Final Judgement....though, to the credit of the shipyard boys, the old tub actually managed to hold together better than any of us expected. Damn Kittani melted half the armor off of us, and that probably saved our lives...all that condensing metal vapor boiling in a cloud around us deflected most of the followup shots...... most of the Eldridge’s crew went home alive, though I needed a lung replaced and some major skin grafts... so all in all, I’m damn glad I was on a Masakari.”
----Gunny Jimbo Litton-Carlislye, ex-master gunnery officer(retired), VFSS Eldridge.

"Don't worry, we are thousands of miles outside the range of their laser weapons. We have more than enough time to raise our shield. These primitives will never know what hit them. Target aquisition radar ? What ...."
---- Unknown Pirate just before being destroyed. (Henning Rogge)

In contrast to the lean, mean, fast Sangu-class destroyers, the Masakari-class Destroyer is a lumbering wall of armor and weaponry. The Masakari is designed for protracted combat, able to survive great deal of punishment and deal it in return. Masakaris tend to see use in escort duty, and as fleet screening vessels. The first of PS/ASI’s so-called ‘Plug-Ugly’ warships, the Masakari has a stubby, rounded appearance, with its hull features drawn into a compact frame; the ship has limited atmosheric maneuvering capability, and it lands and takes off from planetary surfaces in a ‘tail sitter’ pose. Its blocky, robust design(it has been described as looking like an ‘armored mushroom’) leaves little room for additional systems or external ordnance, but its heavily reinforced armor and shielded engines make it virtually impossible to knock out with anything less than a capital ship’s main batteries. Like most early generation Paladin Steel ships, it has a GMR drive for planetary landings and Interface circumnavigation, and a fusion drive for deep space operations. Also, as an Earth-built design, it cannot be fitted for additional modules without destroying its atmospheric capabilities. Because of this, one of the more common complaints about the the Masakari (and most first- and second-generation Paladin Steel spacecraft) is its cramped quarters and lack of space. The Masakari also lacks a dedicated troop contingent, limiting its usefulness in boarding actions and planetary assaults.
Despite its stout construction, the Masakari never took well to refit with newer, more powerful CG drives, and performance, versus forecast values for the Mrk II Upgrade, was never up to expectations. The allocation of mass and strain factors became amplified through the shorter and denser hull and more evident at the higher speeds possible with the Mrk II CG Drives, and crews complained of excessive hull stress and environmental system leaks while maneuvering at maximum velocity. This has tended to limit the Masakari’s use in long range missions.
The GNE Space Force tends to use Masakaris as planetary defense ‘gunboats’ operating from orbital space stations and moons, where it can respond quickly to attacks. They are also occasionally used to escort civilian convoys, where their lack of acceleration is not an issue and they can keep up with the transports(or be pulled along by the larger vessels as parasite warships).
Type: PSS/ASI-DDES-05 Masakari
Class: Heavy Space Destroyer
Crew: 30
MDC/Armor by Location:
Main Body 11,000
Bridge 5,000
Main Engines(2) 4,000 each
Heavy Rail Cannons(3x2) 950 each
Heavy Laser Batteries(2) 500 each
Heavy Pulse Laser(1, forward) 1,000
Medium Range Missile Launchers(2) 400 each
Point Defense Lasers(8) 100 each
Forcefield(Mark I) 4,000
Variable Forcefield(Mrk II) 1,200 per side, 7,200 total

Height: 120 ft
Width: 120 ft
Length: 400 ft
Weight:5,800 tons
Cargo: 300 tons
Powerplant:Nuclear Fusion, w/ 20 year energy life
Speed: (Atmosphere) Hover to Mach 3; transatmospheric.
(Sublight) Mach 8
(Kitsune Values: 20% of light speed; Accelerates/decelerates at 0.8% of light speed per melee)
*Note: The fuel-dependent Mark Is have 1,200 tons hydrogen fuel capacity for 36 days of continual acceleration/deceleration.
(Mark II) Mach 9
(Kitsune Values: 50% of light speed; Accelerates/decelerates at 0.9% of light speed per melee)
(FTL) (Mark II) 4 light years per hour
(Underwater) Not possible
Market Cost: 410 million credits for the Mrk I, 413 million credits for the Mrk II
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
Maximu m target Resolution: 1 million miles
*Laser Targeting-------100,000 miles
*Communications Suite:---Long Range Radio and Video
*Laser Communications ---Tactical (i.e. ship-to fighter/shuttle)Range: 50,000 miles
*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.

Weapons Systems:
1)Heavy Cannons(3x2)---Mounted on two external pylons are two triple-cannon clusters of kinetic kill rail cannons
Range: 10 miles in atmosphere,40 miles in space
(Kitsune Values: 40 miles in atmosphere/ 40,000 miles in space)
Damage:1d4x100 MD per 80 rd burst; 3d4x100 MD per triple cannon burst
Rate of Fire:ECHH
Payload: 32,000 rds(400 bursts) per cannon

2)Heavy Laser Batteries(2x2)---Mounted in twin turrets are two heavy twin-barrel laser cannon
Range: 10 miles in atmosphere, 40 miles in space
(Kitsune Values: 40 miles in atmosphere/ 40,000 miles in space)
Damage:2d4x100 MD per single blast, 4d4x100 MD per double blast
Rate of Fire:Twice per melee
Payload: Effectively unlimited

3)Heavy Pulse Laser(1, forward)---Mounted in the center of the main hull dome, near the main bridge ‘visor’, is a massive pulse cannon.
Range: 10 miles in atmosphere, 60 miles in space
(Kitsune Values: 60 miles in atmosphere/ 60,000 miles in space)
Damage:2d6x100 MD per single blast
Rate of Fire:Twice per melee
Payload: Effectively unlimited

b)(Mk II Upgrade)---- PS attempted an experiment by refitting its Mk II Masakaris with high-maintenance, but high-powered, Galactic-level heavy particle beam cannon, that are unaffected by laser reflective armors, and have better penetration values, albeit at shorter ranges.
Range: 16 miles in atmosphere, 50 miles in space
(Kitsune Values: 50 miles in atmosphere/ 50,000 miles in space)
Damage:4d6x100 MD
Rate of Fire:Twice per melee
Payload: Effectively unlimited

4)Medium-Range Missile Launchers(2)---Housed in the Masakari’s hull, are two medium range missile launcher bays.
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, 2, 4, 5, or 10
Payload: 120 missiles total, 60 per launcher

5)Point Defense Lasers(8 )---- Arranged around the hull are eight standard laser PDS turrets
Range: 1 mile(4 miles in space)
(Kitsune Values: 4 miles in atmosphere/ 400 miles in space)
Damage: 2d6x10 MD per blast
Rate of Fire: ECHH
Payload: Effectively unlimited

Auxiliary Craft:
One Light Shuttle

Variants:
*PSS/ASI-DDES-05C---The DDGS-05C is a proposed ‘Mark III’ upgrade that would replace, among other things, the laser PDS systems with CCW-pattern dual-weapon laser-mini-missile turrets, upgrade the variable forcefields, and and upgraded area-of-effect ‘spray mode’ for the heavy laser cannon.
1) Enhanced PDS Turrets--- Laser/Mini-Missile PDS----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

2) Upgraded Variable Forcefields--- 2,000 per side, 12,000 total

3) Main Laser Cannon Enhancement---
Range: 15 miles/ in atmosphere, 70 miles in space
(Kitsune Values: 70 miles in atmosphere/ 70,000 miles in space)
Damage:2d6x100 MD per single blast
It can also fire a ‘scattering’ shot that does 1d4x100 MD to a 600-ft wide area, but reduce the range by HALF.
Rate of Fire:Twice per melee
Payload: Effectively unlimited

*PSS/ASI-DDES-05B(S-L)---This is simply the Masakari Mrk II without the FTL d rive, limiting it to a system defense role. These ships cost about 25% less to manufacture, but require an FTL tug or other transport to move them between solar systems.




Paladin Steel/Aegis Stellar Industries Falx Missile Destroyer
http://s408.photobucket.com/albums/pp16 ... img126.jpg

“’Powderkeg’ is what we call the Falx...short, squat, and waiting to explode. The Falx is small and squat, with everything jammed in under a tight thick shell of armor. The crew compartments are sitting right next to and atop the main missile magazines, like sitting on top of the ammo clip in a giant pistol, unlike the Javelins, where you got some distance between the crew module and the missile pods....sure, we got safety systems in case the fuel in one of the missiles cooks off, and the warheads all have to be electronically primed, unlike those old pre-Rifts naval munitions...but, still, it’s disquieting, especially on your sleep shift, knowing you got how many godawful megatons of destruction sitting just a few yards from you through a bulkhead...”
---Darren Windsor, VFSS ‘Geronimo’

“EastCom wanted to pull a coupla Falxes off the Orbital line, and use them as missile platforms against the Coalition planetside....no can do, said HQ....much as it might hurt groundside, using the Falxs was NOT an option...if the Deadboys ever got wind of the Falxs’ nuclear capabilities, even if we pulled the nukes on the ships, the Coalition would use its own atomic weapons and burn a new coast line from the Hudson to the Saint Lawrence....No, North America was to be a groundpounder’s war.”
----Commodore Tsien Hmung, VFS , as qouted in an interview for “Skull and Five Stars: A History of the Battle for North America”, 121 PA.

"As a summary I can say the Falx Class is a modern torpedo boat, similar to the Berserker and Smasher Class Warship of the Trans Galactic Empire. They carry heavy nuclear warheads with built-in jammers so don't be fooled by the exterior of the ship. The drawback of the ship is the complete lack of large energy weapons."
---Ian MacDerrel, MacKenzie Internal Security(Henning Rogge)


The Falx is the Masakari’s design cousin, and like the heavy destroyer, is designed for extended firefights where it can wear its enemies down with a seemingly infinite supply of missiles. The Falx shares the Masakari’s robust, heavily armored design(i.e. “The Armored Toadstool”), that leaves little room for modification, and making for cramped quarters, but providing excellent protection(crew members have likened service on one of these vessels as being in an ‘armored cradle’). When traveling on a long-range mission, however, the Falx is best deployed with escorts better-equipped to handle smaller, faster, more nimble opponents. The Falx tends to see service with garrison fleets, escort convoys, and planetary assault units.
The lack of heavy energy weaponry, and its dependance on ammunition-based weaponry does pose a problem for the Falx on extended campaigns, however, and most commanders try not to be separated from their escorts on long range missions, or get out of range of resupply. In the short term, however, the Falx is a tough opponent to tackle, able to take tremendous punishment and deal out massive volleys of missiles in return.
In 115 PA, the Falx was upgraded with newer CG-Drives. Unfortunately, the Falx shared enough characteristics with its brother, the Masakari-class Destroyers, that the predicted performance curve of sixty-percent of light speed was never realized from the improved engines. Still, the Falx is faster than many of its contemporaries and class-equivalents, though it has problems dealing with faster fighters.
Type: PSS/ASI-DDGS-04 Falx
Class: Light Space Missile Destroyer
Crew: 24
MDC/Armor by Location:
Main Body 10,000
Bridge 2,000
Main Engines(4) 1,000 each
Long Range Missile Launcher Bay 500
Medium Range Missile Launchers(2) 300 each
Cruise Missile Launcher 1,000
Point Defense Lasers(8) 100 each
Forcefield(Mark I) 4,000
Variable Forcefield(Mrk II) 1,200 per side, 7,200 total
Height: 150 ft
Width: 150 ft
Length: 350 ft
Weight:3,780 tons
Cargo: 400 tons
Powerplant:Nuclear Fusion, w/ 20 year energy life
Speed:(Atmosphere) Hover to Mach 3; transatmospheric.
(Space)(Sublight) (Fusion Drive) Mach 9
(Kitsune Values: 20% of light speed; Accelerates/decelerates at 0.9% of light speed per melee)
*Note: The fuel-dependent Mark Is have 1,200 tons hydrogen fuel capacity for 36 days of continual acceleration/deceleration.
(Mk II Upgrade Gravitic Drive) Mach 10
(Kitsune Values: 50% of light speed; Accelerates/decelerates at 1.0% of light speed per melee)
(FTL) (Mrk II) 4 light years per hour
(Underwater) Not possible
Market Cost:
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 target Resolution: 1 million miles
*Laser Targeting-------100,000 miles
*Communications Suite:---Long Range Radio and Video
*Laser Communications ---Tactical (i.e. ship-to fighter/shuttle)Range: 50,000 miles
*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.
Weapons Systems:
1)Heavy Nuclear Missile Launcher--These weapons were developed from early efforts to create an Alliance equivalent of the Galactic-level Cruise Missiles. The effort wasn’t entirely successful; the weapons have the range and warhead yield, but lack the advanced targeting and AI systemry of their galactic counterparts. To compensate for their lack of accuracy, PS mounted the heaviest nuclear warheads they had in their arsenal, in the Long Lance II missiles . These weapons are designed strictly for deep space use, and are NOT for use on surface targets; such use is BANNED by PS/VFS/GNE policy.
Range: 1,000 miles(4,000 miles in space)
Damage: 2d4 x 1,000 MD to a 4.6 mile destruction radius
Rate of Fire: Volleys of 1,2,3,4, or 6
Payload: 12 missiles

(Option) PS Long Lance IV---The Long Lance IV is the next generation heavy anti-spacecraft missile from PS, and was developed after the abysmal failure of most of the launched Long Lance IIs to reach the target during the Dreadnought Crisis . This SLBM-sized weapon is smarter, heavier, and carries its own ECM and countermeasures decoy launchers to give it a better chance of penetrating a target’s defenses. The Long Lance IV is available to both the Falx and the Javelin-class cruisers.
Range: 1500 miles(6,000 miles in space)
Damage: 2d4 x 1,000 MD to a 4.6 mile destruction radius
Bonuses/Special:
*ECM----The missile has its own expert system and EW transmitters for jamming enemy radar, as well as evading their sensors. The missile is -6 for guided weapons to strike. 60% chance of evading radar detection to begin with.
*Flare/Chaff Launchers(1, 6 bundles)
Damage: None; similar to Triax-style chaff
01-50 Enemy Missile or volley detonates in chaff and threat is nuetralized
51-75 Missile/Volley diverts and may pursue/lock on to other targets
76-00 No Effect! Missile(s) still on target!
Will also temporarily blind and impede flying monsters who fly into it.
Reduce APMs/combat bonuses/ speed by half for 1d4 melees

2)Long Range Missiles---Mounted opposite the nuke bay is a larger bay firing conventional LRMs.
Range: Varies by missile type(speed and range x4 in space)
Damage: Varies by missile type
Rate of Fire: Volleys of 1, 2, 4, or 8
Payload: 48 missiles. Additional missiles may be stored in the cargo holds and reloaded within 30 minutes(1 ton of cargo per 12 missiles)

3)Medium Range Missile Launchers(2)----Mounted in two ‘flange’ bays sticking out of the sides of the main hull are two large MRM launchers.
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 1-24
Payload: 144 total, 72 missiles per launcher. Additional missiles may be stored in the cargo holds and reloaded within 30 minutes(1 ton of cargo per 24 missiles)

4)Point Defense Lasers(8)----Arranged around the hull are eight standard laser PDS turrets.
Range: 1 mile(4 miles in space)
(Kitsune Values: 4 miles in atmosphere/ 400 miles in space)
Damage: 2d6x10 MD per blast
Rate of Fire: ECHH
Payload: Effectively unlimited

Auxiliary Craft:
One Light Shuttle

Variants:
*PSS/ASI-DDGS-04C---This was an attempt to address the Falx’s technology-lag. The heavy nuclear torpedo launchers were replaced with more conventional Three Galaxies-style cruise missile launchers, and the medium range misisles were sacrificed to add two medium laser cannons. The DDGS-04C hasn’t proven terribly popular with PS/ASI crews, who don’t consider trading off some of their missile capacity to be worth the added firepower from the new laser turret, citing the fact that their ships are meant for stand-off combat rather than close-quarters gunslinging, but the design has attracted interest for export-sales.
1) Cruise Missile Launcher---Replaces the Heavy Nuclear Missile Launcher
Range: Varies by missile type(speed and range x4 in space)
(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, 4, 5, or 10
Payload: 40 missiles

2)Medium Laser Cannons(2)---Mounted in place of the deleted MRM launchers.
Range: 7 miles in atmosphere, 14 miles in space
(Kitsune Values: 14 miles in atmosphere, 14,000 miles in space)
Damage: 1d4x100 MD per cannon, 2d4x100 MD per dual blast from both cannon simultaneously(one attack)
Rate of Fire: Twice per melee
Payload: Effectively unlimited

*PSS/ASI-DDM-04ML---Mine warfare variant that replaces all of the missile launchers except for a single MRM launcher bay, with space mine deployment racks. These ships are used to lay fast-deploy orbital minefields in the face of an oncoming invasion force
1) MIne Bays(3)
Payload: 100 mines or 40 gun-satellites per bay
Damage: Varies by weapon deployed
*Space Mine---A freefloating explosive war satellite...Various types exist, including stealth ‘sneakmines’, ASAT ‘limpets’, and enhanced EMP models, but the standard anti-ship version carries a powerful nucleonic charge that does 2d6x100 MDC to a 600 ft radius
Damage: Typicaly equal to a Cruise Missile warhead

*Orbital Net Mine---This weapon unfurls into a 10-kilometer(5 mile)-wide free-floating hexagon of high tensile-strength megadamage fibers. Any vessel hitting this net at high speed takes damage roughly equivalent to the UWW’s infamous ‘Death Cloud’ weapon.
Damage: Any ship flying into the net will take 4d6MD times its Mach Speed. Multiple the damage by 10 for ships weighing 10,000-40,000 tons, by 20 in the 41,000-100,000 ton range, and by 100 if more than 100,000 tons.
The net is virtually impossible to detect on radar and ships are -6 to dodge, while larger ships are -8!


*PSS/ASI-C-04C---Transport variant, meant to take advantage of the availability of older hulls, their speed, and their structure. The engines have been upgraded to the Mrk II standard, and all armaments save the PDS turrets and medium-range missile launchers removed. Space originally spend on fuel tankage and the heavy nuclear missile launcher has been used to expand the life support section to allow comfortable accommodation for up to 40 passengers, and cargo capacity for 1,200 tons. The LRM launcher module has been replaced by a docking module for a medium-sized shuttle. Only about ten PSS/ASI-C-04Cs have been converted from older, combat-retired, vessels, two of them serving as executive transorts for PS/ASI personnel in the Three Galaxies.

*PSS/ASI-C-04B(S-L)---This is simply the Falx Mrk II without the FTL d rive, limiting it to a system defense role. These ships cost about 25% less to manufacture, but require an FTL tug or other transport to move them.

[taalismn]

Paladin Steel Brunel Heavy DeepSpace Tug

http://www.wired.com/images/article/full/2008/08/daedalus_starship_630px.jpg
http://privat.bahnhof.se/wb671350/graphics/daedalusLayout.jpg

“We’re pushing a load of ten battle-ring satellites this run out to the outer colonies. That’s like pushing a battleship with our foreheads, but the farther out we get, the easier it goes, until we can get to a good jump point and we can engage our Fast-Drive. If Nav’s done its job right, it’s all down the gravity well from there at our destination!””

“Wow! When I heard that I was being transferred to Engineering Command and a Fleet tender I wasn’t expecting to be cruising aboard such gunboat! Look at all those weapons!”
“You’d think that, wouldn’t you? Well, don’t get used to serving on a pocket battleship! Those guns are only one-ways; we’ll have them only for as long as it takes us to rendevouz with the VFSS Manhatten, dismount the weapons from their carry-modules, and install them aboard her. We’ll be returning without them, hoping we don’t run into any Arkies on the way. Fortunately, we’ll be traveling a lot lighter and faster, though.”

“It may not be able to outrun you, and it might not be able to soak up a lot of punishment, but if it can keep pumping missiles at you, running into one of those merchant-combat cruiser refits can really ruin your day if your point defense or shields let up even for a moment. And while you’re dealing with all that fire-and-forget ordnance coming at you, the ship’s maneuvering away...and firing more at you. Those big freighters can carry a LOT of reloads!”

The Brunel is one of PS’s ‘jack of all trades’ heavy carrier, deployed by Paladin Steel in the Rifts Earth solar system and by its subsidiary Aegis Stellar Industries in the Three Galaxies.
Sharing a general appearance and dimensions similar to the British Interplanetary Society’s proposed ‘Daedalus’ nuclear pulse starship, the Brunel is a massive spacecraft, described as looking like a spacegoing fireplug. However, the Brunel isn’t a staged craft, nor does it rely on large mass fuel-dependent nuclear pulse propulsion. Instead, the Brunel uses a large and powerful traction drive to build up speed. This system greatly reduces the need for onboard fuel bunkerage, freeing up weight and mass for cargo. In place of the giant 180 ft fuel tanks of the ‘Daedalus’, the Brunel instead carries cargo pods. These can be exchanged for other modules, however, giving the Brunel considerable versatility. The blunt ‘hammerhead’ prow with its distinctive anti-meteor shield can and is also used as a bumper for pushing large payloads around, the Brunel acting as a giant tug for such structures as spacestations and asteroid miners(especially ‘Spamfacs’).
The Brunel is a ‘tail sitter’; in flight, its deck orientation is such that the direction of acceleration is ‘up’. When landing, the Brunel sits on its massive engine bloc. It is fully capable of atmospheric takeoff and landing, but typically does not operate off terrestrial worlds(even with anti-gravity systems, the drag on the heavy framework hull causes control problems when maneuvering in dense atmosphere).
The Brunels are heavily reinforced against the expected rigors of moving heavy cargoes and pushing mass in dangerous environments such as asteroid belts. They also have a good complement of ‘anti-debris’ defenses and provision for being fitted with heavier weaponry if so required. Like virtually all Paladin Steel’s and Rifts Earth-designed vehicles, the Brunel can be armed and used as a combat craft, in this case through the attachment of various weapons and shield generator modules.
The Brunel is regarded as Paladin Steel’s primary ‘task ship’ design for moving heavy cargoes and industrial installations around the solar system. Fitted with FTL drives, it serves quite well in extrasolar operations as well. The design has also been modified quite ably into an effective warship design, the cargo podage exchanged for carrier hangar modules and weapons installations.
Type:PSS/ASI-LHAOE-07 ‘Brunel’
Class:Spaceborne Fleet Tender/Replenishment Vessel/Industrial Platform Dock/Heavy Transport
Crew: 92, with provision for 1-200 additional crew/passengers/technicians
Typically carries a complement of 50-400 work drones of varying spec.
MDC/Armor by Location:
Main Body 9,000
Bridge 3,000
Reinforced Life System Section 4,000
Modular Payload Spheres/Pods(6) 1,000 each
Grappler Arms(12) 300 each
Point Defense Lasers(12) 100 each
Propulsion Block 5,000
Forcefield 7,000
Height: 650 ft
Width: 650 ft
Length: 740 ft
Weight: 400,000 tons
Cargo: 2,000 tons internally
External Cargo Racks:
*Six Primary Racks---The six heavy racks around the lower midsection typically carry a single 180-ft diameter spherical pod, but can be outfitted to carry regular cylindrical or ‘boxcar’ cargo modules---up to 1,800 tons worth each

*Six Secondary Racks---Arrayed around the upper midsection, around the life support section, are six smaller external cargo racks, each one capable of holding 400 tons of cargo poddage.

*Tug Mode---The Brunel can push large payloads attached to its forward ‘bumper’ of up to 250,000 tons, and carry them FTL, but normal space acceleration will be only 30% of normal (about 0.2% of light speed per melee).

Powerplant: Nuclear Fusion w/ 25 year energy life
Speed:
(Atmosphere) Hover to Mach 3; rarely enters an atmosphere or gravity well of more than .5 gee.
(Sublight) Mach 7
(Kitsune Values: 60% of light speed; Accelerates/decelerates at 0.7% of light speed per melee)
(FTL) 4 light years per hour
(Underwater) Not possible
Market Cost: 500 million 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 300,000 miles. Navigational array has a range of 1 million miles.
*Laser Targeting-------100,000 miles
*Communications Suite:---Long Range Radio and Video
*Laser Communications ---Tactical (i.e. ship-to fighter/shuttle)Range: 50,000 miles
*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.

*Onboard Autofacs---The Brunels carry a full complement of automated assemblers, heavy machine tools, and fabrication lines, the envy of any Orbital outside Laika Station. They also have several small capacity smelters/furnaces for producing small amounts of metal, glass, and ceramic components from scratch(Larger industrial quantities would require actually assembling a deep space smelter or refinery). The ships also sport powerful diagnostic sensor tools and testing systems, including several different isolated computer systems for testing suspect electronics for virus compromise. Combined with extensive engineering data banks and AutoCAD/CAT systems, engineers can study, diagnose, design, test in simulation, and assemble just about anything given enough time...

*Grappling Arms(12)--These massive four-jointed multi-position robotic arms are used for grappling onto objects, shoving about cargo pods, and doing heavy duty work. Each has a reach of 200 ft, and has a four-fingered gripper, electromagnetic head, spotlight, and stereoscopic video camera at the end. They’re not agile or fast enough to be very useful in melee combat, but if they can catch an object, they can punch for 1d6x10 MD, or crush for 2d6x10 MD(2 attacks)

*EM Tractor Beams(7)-------3 long range heavy duty emitters with a range of 80 miles, and able to handle up to 1,000 tons each, and four smaller light duty projectors, each with a range of 5 miles, and maximum handling capacity of 100 tons.

Weapons Systems:
1)Point Defense Lasers(12)---2 rings of PDLs, four on the front segment, eight around the rim of the rear engine bell, are mounted around the Brunel for defensive coverage.
Range: 1 mile in atmosphere, 4 miles in space
(Kitsune Values: 4 miles in atmosphere, 400 miles in space)
Damage: 2d6x10 MD per blast
Rate of Fire: EGCHH, or 6 shots per melee under auto-fire mode.
Payload: Effectively unlimited

Auxiliary Craft:
1-4 Shuttlecraft, 12 workpods
Typically has a fleet of 50-300 robot drones

Options:
*Modular Pods(Heavy)(6)---The large payload pods can be swapped out with special purpose pods, including habitat modules, satellite and small craft hangars, fighter carriers, scientific and sensor ‘shacks’, weapons modules, or even small spacecraft.
a) Habitat Module---Can accommodate up to 200 people. Independent life support(good for up to eight months). If so desired, at extra expense, the Habitat Module can be built with its own independent propulsion system(maximum speed of Mach 3), and can make planetary re-entry on its own.

b) Hangar Pod---Holds enough space for 2 medium shuttles or 4 fighters

c) Point Defense Module---Holds an array of PDS systems, missile launchers, and a separate powerplant to power them all.
*Rail Guns(4)
Range: 6,000 ft in atmosphere, 2 miles in space
(Kitsune Values: 2 miles in atmosphere/ 200 miles in space)
Damage: 2d4x10 MD per 60 rd burst
Rate of Fire: 6 attacks per melee
Payload: 12,000 rds per gun(200 bursts each) with 5 reload drums per gun(drum changes out in 5 minutes). Additional drums are available in cargo, and can be loaded in 15 minutes(an ammunition drum weighs 1 ton).
Advanced Targeting Bonus: +3 to strike
*Laser Cannon(4x2)
Range: 1 mile in atmosphere, 4 miles in space
(Kitsune Values: 4 miles in atmosphere, 400 miles in space)
Damage: 2d6x10 MD per single blast, 4d6x10 MD per double blast
Rate of Fire: EGCHH, or 7 per melee on automated mode.
Payload: Effectively unlimited
Advanced Targeting Bonus: +4 to strike
*Mini-Missile Launchers(2)
Range:Varies by Missile Type
(Kitsune Values: 2 miles in atmosphere, 100 miles in space)
Damage: Varies by Missile Type
Rate of Fire: Volleys of 1-20
Payload: 400 missiles per launcher, 800 total, plus 400 tons of reloads, available to the launcher magazines within 15 minutes (1 ton of cargo capacity holding 96 MMs)
(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


d)Medium Range Missile Launchers(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 1-30
Payload: 240 missiles each launcher, plus 500 tons of reloads, available to the launcher magazines within 15 minutes (1 ton of cargo capacity holding 24 MRMs)

e) Long Range Missile Launchers(2)
Range: Varies by missile type(speed and range x4 in space)
(Kitsune Values: 3,400 miles in atmosphere, 1,800,000 miles in space)
Damage: Varies by missile type
Rate of Fire: Volleys of 1-25
Payload: 600 LRMs per pod, plus 500 tons of reloads, available to the launcher magazines within 15 minutes (1 ton of cargo capacity holding 12 LRMs)

f) Medium Lasers(4)----Pod mounts turreted cannon, as well as its own fire control and dedicated powerplant.
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

g) Heavy Lasers(2)----Pod mounts turreted cannon, as well as its own fire control and dedicated powerplant.
Range: 15 miles in atmosphere, 80 miles in space
(Kitsune Values: 80 miles in atmosphere, 80,000 miles in space)
Damage: 1d4x1000 MD per shot
Rate of Fire: 3 shots per melee
Payload: Effectively Unlimited

h) Medium Particle Beam Cannons(4)----Pod mounts turreted cannon, as well as its own fire control and dedicated powerplant.
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

i) Heavy Particle Beam Cannons(2)----Pod mounts turreted cannon, as well as its own fire control and dedicated powerplant.
Range: 15 miles in atmosphere, 60 miles in space
(Kitsune Values: 60 miles in atmosphere, 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

j) Heavy Rail Guns(1x3)
Range: 40 miles in atmosphere, 80 miles in space
(Kitsune Values: 40 miles in atmosphere, 40,000 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( 500 tons ammunition storage, 1 ton of cargo per 12 rounds)

k) Eight-Inch Six-Barrel Rail Gun Gatling(1)----This massive weapon was first fitted as the main armament of the Sangu-class destroyers, and earned a reputation as a ‘Kitty Spanker’ for its ability to shatter Arkhon vessels. A turreted pod mounting one of these guns and a generous supply of ammunition is available to be fitted on the Brunels.
Range: 20 miles in atmosphere, 40 miles in space
(Kitsune Values: 20 miles in atmosphere, 20,000 miles in space)
Damage:(Armor-Piercing Long Rod Penetrator)---- 5d6x10 MD to 40 ft radius per single shot
(High Explosive)---4d6x10 MD to 50 ft blast radius
(Plasma)-----2d4x 50+30 MD to 80 ft radius
Rate of Fire: Six shots per melee
Payload: Has 1,200 rds ready to fire

*Modular Pods(Secondary)(6)---The secondary payload pods can be swapped out with special purpose pods, including missile launchers, gun mounts, and fighter/small craft service modules
a) Small Habitat Module---Can accommodate up to 60 people. Independent life support(good for up to eight months). If so desired, at extra expense, the Habitat Module can be built with its own independent propulsion system(maximum speed of Mach 3), and can make planetary re-entry on its own.

b) Hangar Pod---Has connectors and servicing points for an externally carried fighter or small shuttle

c) Short Range Missile Launchers
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 1-30 each launcher
Payload: 100 per launcher, plus 80 tons of reloads, available to the launcher magazines within 15 minutes (1 ton of cargo capacity holding 48 SRMs)

d) Medium Range Missile Launchers
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: 80 missiles each launcher, plus 80 tons of reloads, available to the launcher magazines within 15 minutes .(1 ton of cargo capacity holding 24 MRMs)

e) Long Range 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 1-8
Payload: 40 missiles per launcher, plus 80 tons of reloads, available to the launcher magazines within 15 minutes (1 ton of cargo capacity holding 12 LRMs)

f) Point Defense Turret Module---Holds a rapid-fire rail and pulse laser array, as well as its own fire control and dedicated powerplant.
*Rail Gun(1)
Range: 6,000 ft in atmosphere, 2 miles in space
(Kitsune Values: 2 miles in atmosphere/ 200 miles in space)
Damage: 2d4x10 MD per 60 rd burst
Rate of Fire: 6 attacks per melee
Payload: 12,000 rds per gun(200 bursts each)
Radar Targeting Bonus: +3 to strike
*Laser Cannon(2x1)
Range: 1 mile in atmosphere, 4 miles in space
(Kitsune Values: 4 miles in atmosphere, 400 miles in space)
Damage: 2d6x10 MD per single blast, 4d6x10 MD per double blast
Rate of Fire: EGCHH, or 7 per melee on automated mode.
Payload: Effectively unlimited
Advanced Targeting Bonus: +4 to strike

g) Rail Gun Module
Range: 10 miles(40 miles in space)
(Kitsune Values: 40 miles in atmosphere, 40,000 miles in space)
Damage:1d4x100 MD per 80 rd burst, 3d4x100 MD per triple cannon burst
Rate of Fire:ECHH
Payload: 32,000 rds(400 bursts) per cannon

h) Medium Laser Cannon
Range: 5 miles in atmosphere, 10 miles in space
(Kitsune Values: 10 miles in atmosphere, 10,000 miles in space)
Damage: 1d6x100 MD pr blast
Rate of Fire: 4 shots per melee
Payload: Effectively Unlimited

i) Medium Particle Beam Cannon
Range: 7 miles in atmosphere, 14 miles in space
(Kitsune Values: 14 miles in atmosphere, 14,000 miles in space)
Damage: 2d4x100 MD single shot, 2d6x100 MD per full turret burst
Rate of Fire: Three shots per melee
Payload: Effectively Unlimited

Variants:
*PSS/ASI-LHAOE-07A---This is simply the Brunel without an FTL drive installed. These ships are limited to travel in normal space, and are generally confined to operating in a single star system. The ships are about 25% less expensive to produce, and are otherwise identical to the standard version.

*PSS/ASI-MCLG-07C---A stop-gap warship conversion of the Brunel that replaces the life system hull with the stripped-down upper hull of a Masakari/Falx-class destroyer(raise Main Body MDC to 12,000 MDC). The machinery spaces have had their manufactory modules stripped out and the power connections instead used to power newly-installed variable forcefield generators ( 1,500 MD each side, 9,000 MD total). In place of cargo pods, the MCLG-07C typically carries heavy weapons pods.

[taalismn]

Paladin Steel Orion II-Class System Monitor
http://www.fantastic-plastic.com/ProjectOrionBattleshipCatalogPage.htm
(aka ‘Nuke Scow’, ‘Arsenal Ship’, ‘Grand Slammah’, ‘Pill Ship’, ‘The Bomb’, ‘Atomic Bullet’)

#”Just lost contact with Jr’radam. Multiple radiation alar---”#
“HUNT-LEADER M’AUDAR! Connect to me, at ONCE!!!”
“Yes, milord H’rungar?”
“You said these primitives possessed no space defense capabilities worth geendu-squat!!!!”
#”Multiple EMP spikes again! Confirm hydrogen fusion expansion events. Incoming: T’drenne Hasco and L’ordant Aerme report hull integrity compromised, possible deep las-”#
“Yes, milord, our last raids indicated only short range commerical transport with deep space defense projection capabilities that were minimal at be-”
“THEN EXPLAIN TO ME WHY OVER HALF OUR FLEET JUST-VANISHED- IN NUCLEAR HELLFIRE!!! WHY WE HAVE AT LEAST A HALF DOZEN VESSELS THE SIZE OF ONE OF OUR LIGHT TRANSPORTS -CHARGING- US AND PUMPING OUT MISSILES LIKE TERG-SPAWN!!!!”
“Wha---?!”
#”Tracking, tracking, tracking...Lost laser lock! Multiple small contacts outbound! Sixteen-eights accelerating at eighty-eight reen, collison intersecting course with ten-twelve orl deviation, formations -karr-, -alcas---”#
“THOSE! ARE!NOT! OUR!SHIPS!DOING!THE!KILLING!OUT!THERE! YOUR INEPTITUDE IN SCOUTING MISSED AN ENTIRE SQUADRON OF ARSENAL SHIPS!!! SHIPS THAT ARE NOW COMING FOR US!!”
“That cannot be! Our probes, our landings, our interrogations said they had no such-”
#”Incoming salvo just multiplied; now twenty-three eights! Either decoys or multiple warheads! Reconfigure intercept windows!!!---”#
“WELL OBVIOUSLY THEY DO!!! YOU INTERROGATED EITHER FARM ANIMALS OR UNCULLED IMBECILES!!!! NOW USE YOUR SQUADRON FOR SOMETHING USEFUL FOR ONCE AND STOP THOSE MISSILES EVEN NOW HEADING AT WHAT REMAINS OF OUR INVASION FORCE!!! AND PRAY YOU DIE ON ONE OF THOSE WEAPONS, FOR IF YOU SURVIVE THIS DAY I SHALL SLAKE MY FRUSTRATED HUNGER WITH YOUR STILL LIVING INTERNAL ORGANS!!!”
#"Just too many!!! Estimate only thirty percent interc-"#

“It’s scary thinking how much firepower we have available at our fingertips aboard an Orion II; enough to smash a continent, even a planetary civilization, if we were evil bastards. Fortunately, the Defense Ministry screens crews for such aberrancy, and watch us like raptors. But out in deep space you NEED that sort of firepower to take out some of the threats that are lurking out there. For squashing Star Wasps, for example, you’re not going to get anywhere plinking at them with rock-poppers...you need multi-megaton insect swatters if you don’t want to see your world and people become grub-fodder. That’s where concepts like ‘overkill’ have no place. ”

The ASI Orion II is a design for a heavily armored system and planetary defense ship meant to challenge attackers with multiple barrages of heavy nucleonic missiles, with the objective of shattering, or at least blunting, incoming attacks. With the usual Paladin Steel/Aegis Stellar Industries eccentricity, the Orion II seems to be a mix of old and new concepts and technologies.
The Orion-class Monitor would appear to be based on the concept of the nuclear-pulse Orion ‘Battleship’ proposed by American physicists during Earth’s pre-Golden Age Cold War Era. According to the story, designers on the Orion project proposed a massive ‘battleship’ with an onboard nuclear weapons arsenal bigger than two SSBN submarines combined, as a deterrant(or ‘doomsday strike, depending who’s asked) to Soviet atomic arsenals. The designers’ presentation, complete with a scale model of their warship, reportedly so horrified President Kennedy that he ordered the Orion program cancelled and the models and schematic work destroyed. The design would not resurface, aside from historical reconstructions among aviation enthusiasts, until PS/ASI began developing the design in earnest.
The current Paladin Steel/Aegis Stellar Industries take on this design combines old-style engineering with new cutting edge Three Galaxies technologies. The ship resembles a massive tail-sitting artillery shell, mounted on a heavy baseplate equipped with large shock absorbers. The ship’s hull is heavily armored and heavily shielded, able to take considerable punishment.
The ship’s weapons configuration is heavy for its size class; two large missile batteries hold up to five hundred nucleonic weapons that can include X-ray laser mines, making the Orion II a ‘missile boat’. Three large weapons turrets can be rolled out of the hull for direct fire, and the ship fairly bristles with automated light point defense turrets. The ship can also deploy nuclear space mines(these weapons can also be used as backup propulsion). Finally, the Orion II carries six aerospace planes that serve as crew transfer vehicles, lifeboats, scout or fighter craft, depending on the type of TAVs carried. The auxiliary craft are carried in narrow slot-like hangar bays with only limited provision for restocking/resupplying if fighters are carried.
The Orion II uses a modern contra-gravity propulsion system to drive the ship, but retains the ability to use a nuclear pulse system, dumping a variable-yield nuclear mine behind the ship to detonate behind the ship. A heavily armored push-plate, further reinforced by forcefields, then absorbs the force, punching the ship forward in a sudden burst of acceleration. The sudden burst of EMP and radiation caused by the propulsion mine is an added bonus, temporarily blinding, and at least confusing, enemy sensors.
The Orion II relies heavily on automation to run; room inside the ship is limited, with all the heavy shielding, structural reinforcement, and ordnance magazines, so the crew within their heavily-armored internal ‘bastion’ compartment relies on remote control and fiber-optic operations sytems to keep things running throughout the ship. PS/ASI engineers have built in a large degree of redundancy into the ship’s systems to keep everything under control under the sort of punishment the ship is expected o take, but there’s no easy access to outside systems in event inflight(inFIGHT) repairs have to be carried out. The eighteen-man crew typically runs three six-man shifts while on station or patroling; in combat ALL personnel are active. especially the weapons officers. With five hundred strategic warheads at his or her command, the chief weapons officer isparticlarly responsible, and the complex control boards at their station have become known as ‘atomic keyboards’.
All this capability comes at the expense of crew comforts; the Orion II is meant for relatively short operational cruises, so its accommodations are more akin to a Cold War nuclear submarine’s, with a lack of the creature comforts that crews of larger starships are more familar with.
The Orion II is offered by ASI on the open market, sans nucleonic missiles, in the Three Galaxies. The ship is being marketed to planets needing some short range high-intensity defense capability, with the missile armaments being adjustable to accommodate local resources and policies on heavy missile warhead types.
Orion IIs have already acquired something of a reputation as ‘giant killers’, able to take on weight classes and numbers of opponents well above their own, but the ships are really little better than Three Galaxies’ destroyers in most categories. Their primary strength is the ability to fire massive volleys of missiles that can overwhelm poor-coordinated missile defense systems; a fast enemy, or one with point defenses in depth, can blunt and ride out such missile attacks before the warheads can reach detonation range. However, if smartly used and deployed in numbers, Orion IIs can savage enemy forces and damage, if not outright destroy, heavier enemy ships effectively.
Though designed primarily as defensive weapons, Orion IIs saw their first debut in the Three Galaxies as offensive weapons, when two early-model Orion IIs were carried by a heavy FTL freighter and deployed in the seizure of the pirate asteroid base that would later be used by PS/GNE as their ‘Rum Bay’ facility.

Type: PS/ASI-S-M/DDG08 Orion II
Class: System Monitor
Crew: 18+1-6 mission specialists/passengers.
MDC/Armor by Location:
Main Body 11,000
Bridge/Crew Compartment 1,500
Heavy Missile Batteries(2) 900 each
Heavy Gun Turrets(3) 500 each
Point Defense Turrets(10) 120 each
Hangar Bays(6) 500 each
Engine Shield 9,000
Variable Forcefield 1,500 per side, 9,000 total
Height: 32 m(105.6 ft)
Width: 32 m(105.6 ft)
Length: 82m (270.6 ft)
Weight: 4,800 tons
Cargo: Small onboard cargo capacity for 250 tons of supplies
Powerplant: Nuclear Fusion w/ 30 year energy life
Speed:
(Atmosphere) Hover to Mach 7(boost phase); transatmospheric. Limited to taking off, landing, and limited lateral movement in atmosphere
(Sublight) Mach 10
Under nuclear pulse, the Orion II can briefly hit Mach 20 for short periods of time.
(Kitsune Values: 50% of light speed; Accelerates/decelerates at 1.0% of light speed per melee)
Under nuclear pulse, the Orion II can hit acceleration/deceleration speeds of 5.0% of light speed per melee
(FTL) Not possible(See Variants)
(Underwater) Not possible, though it’s rumored that the ships can be LAUNCHED from underwater bases.
Market Cost: 710 million credits for the basic unloaded ship
Systems of Note:
Standard Spacecraft Systems, plus:
*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 target Resolution: 1 million miles
*Laser Targeting-------100,000 miles
*Communications Suite:---Long Range Radio and Video
*Laser Communications ---Tactical (i.e. ship-to fighter/shuttle)Range: 50,000 miles
*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.

*Radiation Hardening---The ship is heavily shielded against radiation and EMP

Weapons Systems:
1) Heavy Missile Batteries(2)----Originally meant to hold up to five hundred 20-megaton ‘city buster’ nuclear bombard warheads, the Orion II instead can accommodate heavy long range or cruise missiles.
Range: Varies by Missile Type(see below)
Damage: Varies by Missile Type(see below)
Rate of Fire: Volleys of 1-50
Payload: 250 missiles per launcher array, 500 total

a) Long Range Missiles
Range: Varies by Missile Type(x4 in space)
(Kitsune Values: 3,400 miles in atmosphere, 1,800,000 miles in space)
Damage:Varies by Missile Type

b) Cruise Missiles
Range:Varies by Missile Type(x4 in space)
(Kitsune Values: 3,400 miles in atmosphere, 1,800,000 miles in space)
Damage: Varies by Missile Type

c) Heavy Nuclear ‘SunBombs’---These are the heavy PS/ASI-made weapons used exclusively by their forces
Range: 1,000 miles(4,000 miles in space)
(Kitsune Values: 3,000 miles in atmosphere, 1,000,000 miles in space)
Damage: 2d4 x 1,000 MD to a 4.6 mile destruction radius

d) X-Ray Laser Bombs
Range: 1,000 miles(4,000 miles in space)+laser range
(Kitsune Values: 3,000 miles in atmosphere, 1,000,000 miles in space)+laser range
Damage: 1d4x1,000 MD laser blast; range 70 miles(Kitsune Value: 70,000 miles). Laser-reflective armors do NOT halve X-ray laser damage.---One-shot weapon that destroys itself in the process of firing.
Advanced models can target as many as 10 separate targets within range simultaneously.

e) Plasma Jet Bombs(aka ‘Casaba Howitzer’, or ‘Sunspot Bomb’)---A cousin of the X-Ray Laser Bomb and predecessor to the Plasma Torpedo, the Plasma Jet Bomb is essentially a shaped nuclear charge, generating a conical wave of super-excited plasma and radiation. The Plasma Jet Bomb lacks the range and multiple target engagement capability of the laser mine, but because it doesn’t expend all its force in all directions, it can produce higher damage than a regular omni-directional plasma warhead.
Range: 1,000 miles(4,000 miles in space)+plasma range
(Kitsune Values: 3,000 miles in atmosphere, 1,000,000 miles in space)+plasma range
Damage: 1d6x1,000 MD plasma blast; range 30 miles(Kitsune Value: 30,000 miles), in a cone 30 degrees wide. The radiation also has a 60% chance of blanking out the target’s sensors for 1d6 melees---One-shot weapon that destroys itself in the process of firing.

f) Decoys---Decoy or ‘noisemaker’ warheads are also often used to increase the difficulty of successful missile interceptions, by confusing sensor returns and jamming radar and lidar accuracy. Although this does mean few ‘live’ warheads can be carried to make room for the decoy rounds, against technological opponents the ‘fakers’ can increase the changes of successful volley penetration.

2) Retractable Heavy Gun Turrets(3)---Spaced equidistant around the circumference of the ship’s hull are three large gun turrets, normally concealed under and behind sliding hull armor sections.. The original design called for 5-inch guns, but PS/ASI have made the turrets modular and able to accommodate different types of weapons. Each turret can hold ONE of the following weapons:
a) 5-Inch(127mm) Rail Gun---
Range: 7 miles in atmosphere, 14 miles in space
(Kitsune Values: 14 miles in atmosphere, 14,000 miles in space)
Damage:
(Fragmentation) 6d6 MD to a 35 ft radius
(High Explosive-Armor-Piercing) 1d6x10 MD to 12 ft blast radius
(Plasma)2d4x10 MD to a 30 ft blast radius
(Chaff Round)Spreads radar-disrupting chaff similar to Triax-type chaff
Rate of Fire: ECHH
Payload: 600 rds per gun

b)135 mm LB Massdriver Cannon
Range:(Direct Fire) 40,000 ft(8 miles) in atmosphere, 16 miles in space
(Kitsune Values: 16 miles in atmosphere, 16,000 miles in space)
Damage:High Explosive(HE)---- 2d6x10 MD to 50 ft radius
High Explosive Anti-Tank(HEAT)---- 4d6x10 MD to 10 ft radius
Fragmentation---2d4x10 MD to 50 ft radius
Plasma----- 1d6x 40 MD to 50 ft radius
(APFSDSDU)(Armor Piercing Fin Stabilized Discarding Sabot Depleted Uranium) 5d6x10 MD out to 20,000 ft, 3d4x10 MD out to maximum range
Rate of Fire: ECHH
Payload: 500 rds per gun

c) Medium G-Cannon
Range: 8 miles in atmosphere, 16 miles in space
(Kitsune Values: 8 miles in atmosphere, 16,000 miles in space)
Damage: 1d4x100 MD per 40 rd burst
Rate of Fire: EGCHH
Payload: 250 bursts

d) Medium Pulse Laser Cannon
Range: 8 miles in atmosphere, 16 miles in space
(Kitsune Values: 16 miles in atmosphere, 16,000 miles in space)
Damage: 5d6x10 MD single shot, 1d4x100 MD per pulse burst
Rate of Fire: Five shots per melee
Payload: Effectively unlimited

3) Point Defense Weapons Turrets(10)---The Orion II can be fitted with a variable mix of rapid-fire light weaponry, typically 20-mm rail guns and pulse lasers, for close-in defense.

a) 20mm Rail Gun
Range: 1.2 miles in atmosphere, 2.4 miles in space
(Kitsune Values: 2.4 miles in atmosphere, 240 miles in space)
Damage: 1d6x10 MD per 5 rd burst
Rate of Fire: EGCHH or 5 APMs on automatic fire
Payload: 2,000 burst drum
Radar Targeting Bonus: +3 to strike

b) Pulse Laser
Range: 1.1 miles in atmosphere, 2.2 miles in space
(Kitsune Values: 2.2 miles in atmosphere, 220 miles in space)
Damage: 2d4x10 MD per burst
Rate of Fire: EGCHH or 5 APMs on automatic fire
Payload: Effectively unlimited
Radar Targeting Bonus: +3 to strike

c) Ion Cannon
Range: 1 mile in atmosphere, 2 miles in space
(Kitsune Values: 2 miles in atmosphere, 200 miles in space)
Damage: 1d6x10 MD per blast, can also fire off a ‘scatter shot’ burst that does 5d6 MD to a 30 ft wide area, at HALF range.
Rate of Fire: EGCHH or 5 APMs on automatic fire
Payload: Effectively unlimited
Radar Targeting Bonus: +3 to strike

4) Nuclear Mines---These are small variable yield warheads that are ejected behind the ship and can be used as area denial devices, or deployed to coast in ‘behind’ the monitor to strike an enemy. They can also be used as propulsion charges.
The Orion IIs use several different types of space mines; conventional fragmentation, nuclear, and nuke-pumped x-ray laser. All space mines have a low-visibility stealth sheathing to prevent early detection(-50% to detect).
Damage: Varies;
Fragmentation: 1d6x100 MD to 2,000 ft blast radius
Nuclear(typical) 4d6x100 -2d4x1,000 MD; 300 ft to 1,000 ft blast radius
X-Ray Laser: 1d4x1,000 MD laser blast; range 50 miles(Kitsune Value: 50,000 miles)---One-shot weapon that destroys itself in the process of firing.
Advanced models can target as many as 10 separate targets within range simultaneously.
Rate of Fire: 1-10 mines per melee
Payload: 600 mines

5) Nuclear Pulse Drive---Though meant primarily as a propulsion system, the nuclear pulse drive has some limited utility as a weapon, especially at close range.
Range: 2 miles aft of ship
Damage: 6d6x 100 MD to anything caught in within a half-mile blast radius; 4d6x10 MD to anything else in a 4 mile blast radius from the shock wave. 50% chance of temporarily blinding enemy sensors for 1d4 melees, and 40% chance of permanently knocking out unshielded electronics in an 80 mile radius(including missile guidance systems).
Rate of Fire: 4 times per melee
Payload: The Orion IIs carry 600 dual-purpose mines/drive-nuke ‘pony bombs’

6) Anti-Laser Aersol---The Orion II can vent a cloud of microbeads and metal vapor around itself as an anti-laser defensive measure. The cloud of highly reflective vapor absorbs and reflects laser energy, reducing its effectiveness and throwing off the accuracy of alser-guided weaponry. However, the ship being protected cannot engage in radical maneuvering or sudden acceleration without losing its own laser cover.
Range: Expands to a 500 ft radius around the ship before disipating too much to be effective.
Effects: Lasers do HALF damage. Laser-guided weapons, targeting, and range finding are -6 to lock onto the target
Duration: The cloud persists for 1d6 melees
Payload: Enough material for 60 uses

Auxiliary Craft:
*6 Aerospace Planes--- The auxiliary craft are housed inside three two-ship hangar bays. Typically three-seat spaceplanes are carried, but if a fighter element is desired, aerospace fighters can be used, provided they can fit inside the narrow bays. The typical PS/ASI configuration carries two stripped-down Space Dragonfly TAVs and four Gadavia interceptors.

Variants:
*PS/ASI-S-DDG08(FTL)---FTL-equipped version, for self-deploying to other star systems.
Speed: (FTL) 4 light years per hour

[DhAkael]

Model Type: LSN-Lighthawk Class: Light Destroyer / Strike ship
http://media.moddb.com/images/groups/1/5/4418/Starocean2.jpg
Crew: 5 Bridge crew, 20 ship-hands. 20 additonal passengers can be accomodated.
M.D.C. By Location:
*Bridge - 1,800
Wings (2) - 1,000 each
Upper Launch-bay Doors (2) - 500 each
Lower Cargo Bay Door - 800
Outer Air-locks (3) - 200 each
Ventral Anti-Ship Laser - 800
**Forward-Dorsal Medium Railguns (2) - 250 each
**Twin Ion-Gun Turrets (3) - 300 each
**LRM Launchers (2) - 500 each
Variable Shields (6 facings) - 1,000 per facing; 6,000 total.
Pin-point barriers (8) - 400 each
Outer Hull 20ft. section - 150
Particle Impulse Drives (4) - 1,500 each.
Main Body – 5,000
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 25%. Destruction of 3 will 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 1D6X1,000 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 & 1.1%C sublight
FTL: 0.3LY/hr. on Particle Impulse drive alone, 4.3LY/hr using CG boosters.
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.; 24.4 metres / 80ft. Length: 152 meters / 500ft.
Width: (At widest point): 45 meters / 150ft. Wing Span is equal to 70% of length.
Weight: 10,00 tonnes with 600 tonnes cargo & 200 tonnes fighter / shuttlebay.
Cargo: Cargo Lvl. 1 (fighterbay) is 20 ft. tall, 80 ft. wide and 150 ft. long. Cargo Lvl. 2 is 20 ft. tall, 80 ft. wide and 200 feet long.
Drive Type(s): Primary; 4 double Particle Impulse Drives rated @ factor 30 with CG-FTL boosters rated for factor 430. Also AG-coil assisted for planetary landings, lift-offs and Inatmo manoeuvring.
Power System: Anti-matter reactor with 25yr. life-span at nominal output.
Market Cost: Approximately 175 million tri-gal credits (minus auxiliary vehicles), for a fully operational vessel.

Weapon Systems
1) Anti-ship Laser (1): Placed under the nose of the Lighthawk is a fixed anti-ship laser.
Mega-Damage: 2D6X100 per shot. R.O.F.: as per gunners attacks per melee. Range: 88km (55 miles)Exatmo, 8.8km (5.5 miles) Inatmo
Payload: Effectively unlimited. Capitol Ship scale= -10 to strike small targets.

2) Medium Railguns (2): 2 pop-out Med. railguns are mounted dorsally, on either side of the spine. Both cannons are on articulated mounts with 360° rotation & 30° elevation. Uses the same ammunition as the RG-14, but the greater barrel length means longer range.
Mega-Damage: 3D6X10 per single blast, or 6D6X10 fire linked. R.O.F.: as per gunners / pilots attacks per melee.
Range: 14.4km (9 miles) in space, 7.2km (4.5 miles) Inatmo. Payload: 300 shots per gun, 600 shots total.
Capitol Ship scale= -2 to strike small targets.

3) 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

4) Duo-Ion Point Defense Turrets (3): These pop-up point defense ion-bolt infinite repeaters 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); 10% Inatmo. 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 Lighthawk 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. Also, laser based weapons only inflict  damage. Variable frequency lasers take 1D4 successful strikes to counteract the resistance.
Pin-Point Barriers (8); 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; Track and identify up to 1,000 objects in a 125,000 mile range (200,000km), and combat tracking is 10,000 miles (16,000km);  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.
Gravity-wakes from FTL transit can be detected out to 10 LY distance. All sensor skill rolls are at +5%.
Geologic Sensor Array; 200 miles (320km) Inatmo, X10 Exatmo. It can do atmospheric, geologic and biological scans at 55% accuracy.
Satellite Up-link Computer; Used for sending and receiving information from civilian and military satellites.
F.T.L. Tachyon communications ; Audio / Video signals travel 100 LY/ hr. one way via phased tachyon radio broadcast.
Super-navigation Computer & Auto-pilot; 50% skill for FTL and Sublight navigation, and 50% skill for piloting (basic manuvers).
Other Systems
Artificial Gravity; Provides standard 1g environment within the ship.
Crew Quarters; Each crew & passenger (25) has their own private stateroom with; bed, closet, computer & entertainment unit and private bathroom. An additional 20 passengers can be accommodated comfortably using bunk-beds in one of the common areas.
Recreation & Training Facilities; Gymnasium with ‘virtual matter’ projectors for training, lounge / bar and spa rooms.
Medical Facility & Isolation Lab; Up to 8 patients can be accomodated within the medical facility, while 2 human sized subjects can be held in Class IV hazard isolation rooms. The equivalent of 4 portable labs are built into the facility. Also, 2 stasis pods and 2 rengenerator auto-doc tanks (Pg.109 ‘3-galaxies’) are also available.
Type 2 Recycling system (Atmosphere & Soilds); Can continuously provide recycled, breathable air for 80 days for the crew plus passengers. Water & waste products can also be recycled. Hydroponics extend viable travel times to 8 months.
Trans-Atmospheric Capabilities; Design elements allow the Lighthawk to enter and leave planetary atmospheres. Thermal shielding takes only  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.
Spacecraft Manufactory Facility; Dedicated workshop area which can be used to effect repairs on the ship, or other technical tasks. Equal to the Robotics Laboratory Kit (AU:GG Pg. 141), and carries enough onboard stores for 150% of the ships total MDC in raw material.
External Cargo Docks; 2 external docking systems are standard on the Lighthawk; one ventral and a force-dock tube dorsal amid-ships.
FCE Life-boat (1); See "AU; Galaxy Guide" Pg. 181 for details. The entire bridge can eject as an FTL lifeboat. FTL = 0.01LY/hr.
FTL Life-boats (4); See "AU; Galaxy Guide" Pg. 181 for details. FTL = 0.01LY/hr.
Self Destruct; To prevent capture of sensitive intelligence, prevention of ship theft, or as a last ditch retributive attack.
Attack Craft
Up to 200 tonnes of fighter and / or shuttle may be carried by the Lighthawk. The Vehicle bay is 2/3rds dorsal, amid-ships.
Other vehicles may be carried in the ventral (belly) cargo bay.
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).

58 modules of modification space left.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Note: All stats are as-written according to combined AU:GG & Phaseworld & D20 Future mash-ups. No revisions needed at this time.

[taalismn]

Thank you. I typically wing it, but it's nice to see what's possible using a construction system to balance things.

[KLM]

Hi there!

Model Type: LSN-Lighthawk Class: Light Destroyer / Strike ship

A description would be nice...

Flying: Inatmo; Mach 6.5 (can SCRAM-Jet to Mach 8.7) Exatmo; Mach 12 combat speed & 1.1%C sublight

If the ship can go 0,001c (which is 300 km/sec, almost 900 Mach) weapon ranges should be extended accordingly.

(...)
Weight: 10,00 tonnes with 600 tonnes cargo & 200 tonnes fighter / shuttlebay.

Prolly a zero was left out.

Adios
KLM

[taalismn]

EShemar ‘StarCobra’ Destroyer
http://i408.photobucket.com/albums/pp164/taalismn/img137.jpg
“They attack a world that we have touched! A Sister calls to us from her Temple, trapped beneath one of those invaders! She protects those who have taken shelter under the sanctuary of the Serpent, but she cannot hold forever!
So let us strike now and strike deep! Let these invaders feel the bite of our fangs and the swift fire of our venom!”

The ‘StarCobra’ is a fast strike starship that has thus far appeared only in the forces of the Sapphire Cobra clan, though it is presumed that the Sapphire Cobras sought the assistance of the DarkWaters in designing this high-powered vessel. It is perhaps a sign of the Sapphire Cobras’ growing affluence, through the expansion of their cult, that they have commissioned a warship type specifically to advertise their particular and peculiar iconic philosophy. The growing wealth of the Tribe means that these ships are starting to appear in greater numbers, supplementing, and in some cases supplanting, older designs.
The StarCobra resembles an oval manta-ray with a particularly long tail, or else a stretched-out cobra with its hood spread. The crew areas and weaponry are concentrated in the forward hood portion; the elongated tail is dedicated largely to sensor spoofing gear and stealth systems. Armament is heavy; two ‘fang’ g-cannon firing nanite warhead projectiles and a mix of plasma and missile systems. A powerful shield system protects the ship, while an ablative scaling to the armor provides last-ditch protection.
Like the Aureale, the StarCobra is a pure warship, designed for fast, hard, and direct strikes. It has no provision for internal hangaring of fighters, shuttlecraft, or War Steeds(though the crew will normally carry a complement of cybersnakes as assistants and repair drones). Crew amenities are scarce, as the EShemar and their cyborg NeShemar adjutants spend their off-duty time in ‘capsule’ compartments in VR repose. This saves on space and energy, which is devoted to weapons, armor, shields, and engines. The tougher physiology of the Shemar crews also allows the ships to perform at higher accelerations without the need of more advanced inertial damping; the StarCobras are ‘blindingly fast’(as one observer put it) compared to other Three Galaxies destroyer models.
The Star Cobra first appeared in Sapphire Cobra ‘enforcer’ flotillas dispatched to protect their enclave worlds, but it has also been seen escorting flights of Cobra-cult pilgrims. It has also begun appearing in raids against Splugorth worlds.

Type: ESheMar-DD06Sc Star Cobra
Class: Destroyer
Crew: 27+ about 12-36 cybersnakes
MDC/Armor by Location:
Main Body 5,000
Bridge 1,400
Engines(2) 1,600 each
Heavy G-Cannon Turret(2) 540 each
Medium Laser Cannon(2) 540 each
Plasma Torpedo Launchers(5) 400 each
Long Range Missile Launchers(2) 500 each
Point Defense Turrets(6) 100 each
Variable Forcefield 1,500 each side(9,000 total)
Height: 60 ft
Width: 110 ft at the widest part of the ‘hood’
Length: 480 ft(mostly the elongated ‘tail’
Weight: 7,900 tons
Cargo: 200 tons in a small cargo bay
Powerplant: Nuclear Fusion w/ 30 year energy life
Speed:
(Atmosphere) Hover to Mach 6; transatmospheric.
(Sublight) Mach 20
(Kitsune Values: 60% of light speed; Accelerates/decelerates at 2% of light speed per melee)
(FTL) 6 light years per hour
(Underwater) Not possible
Market Cost: Exclusive to the Shemarrian Star Nation
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 Decoy Generation----The StarCobra’s advanced ECM system can generate up to six sensor ‘ghosts’ up to 300 miles away from the ship. These projections cannot be definitely discerned for what they realy are at ranges less than 1,000 miles(by Galactic-standard sensors) or visual conformation.

*Ablative ‘Snake Skin’ Armor----Any harm actually done to the main hull armor ablates the armor into a cloud of microfragments and platelets that continue to protect the ship. Unless the ship is moving in an atmosphere or undertakes evasive maneuvering, the ablated armor ‘halo’ will reduce subsequent laser strikes by 1/3 and radar- and laser-guided weaponry will be -2 to strike, for the 1d4 melees before the cloud disperses(although other hull strikes in the interim may extend this time period).

*Tractor Beams(4)---- The Star Cobra mounts four light tractor beam projectors at the outboard ends of the hood, mainly as directors for the plasma torpedoes, but they are occasionally used to capture and hold small craft. 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.
Range: 5 miles in space(NOT usable in atmosphere)
(Kitsune Values: 5,000 miles in space).

Weapons Systems:
1)Heavy G-Cannon Turret(2)---Mounted in the front are two heavy g-cannon that can fire nanite-warhead ‘Serpent’s Kiss’ munitions.
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
On a Natural 19-20(18-20 if in atmosphere), the rail gun strikes does critical damage(DOUBLE damage) plus nanites are successfully embedded in the structure of the target. These nanites proceed to do an additional 1d4x10 MD for 2d4 melees(double damage and duration if in atmosphere)
Unlike the original ‘Serpent’s Kiss’, the nanites can work on organic and inorganic materials alike
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) Medium Laser Cannon(2)---Mounted in the upper ‘jaw’ above the G-cannon turret are two fixed-forward heavy laser cannons
Range: 8 miles in atmosphere, 16 miles in space
(Kitsune Values: 16 miles in atmosphere, 16,000 miles in space)
Damage: 2d4x100 MD per shot
Rate of Fire: Four shots per melee
Payload: Effectively Unlimited

3) Plasma Torpedo Launchers(5)---Built into the leading edge of the ‘hood’ are four plasma torpedo launchers. A fifth smaller launcher is built into the tail, firing aft.
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 1-6 plasma bolts each array. The tail array fires volleys of 1-4. Three volleys per melee.
Payload: Effectively Unlimited
Note: The PTLs come with integral Tractor Beams, mainly as directors for the plasma torpedoes, but they are occasionally used to capture and hold small craft. 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.
Range: 5 miles in space(NOT usable in atmosphere)
(Kitsune Values: 5,000 miles in space).

4) Long Range Missile Launchers(2)----Mounted behind the plasma torpedo launchers and firing through scale-shaped hatches in the underside of the ‘hood’ are two long range missile launchers.
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 1-16
Payload: 80 missiles per launcher, 160 missiles total

5)Point Defense Rail Gun/Laser Turrets(6)---Standard Shemarrian-pattern rail gun/pulse laser combination in a common turret. Four are mounted in the ‘hood’, and the remaining two are mounted ventrally and dorsally protecting the tail.
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: None

Variants:
*Eshemar-DD-06ScB---Nicknamed the ‘Sun Cobra’, this variant replaces the plasma torpedoes with an array of twelve x-ray laser cannon(in 3x4 arrays), giving the ship a vicious close-in direct fire capability.
Range: 8 miles in atmosphere, 16 miles in space
(Kitsune Values: 16 miles in atmosphere, 16,000 miles in space)
Damage: 2d6x100 MD per cannon firing, so all twelve firing at once does 12d6x100(or, if you want to save rolling buckets of dice, 2d6x1200 MD)(!)
Ignores laser-reflective armors
Rate of Fire: Four shots per melee
Payload: Effectively Unlimited

*Eshemar-DD-06ScC---Nicknamed the ‘Shock Cobra’, this variant replaces the plasma torpedoes with Golgan-style twelve disruptor cannons(in 3x4 arrays). The combined area of effect of these weapons firing in battery has proven devastating against larger targets such as capital ships, space stations, and surface installations.
Range: 5 miles in atmosphere, 14 miles in space
(Kitsune Values: 14 miles in atmosphere, 14,000 miles in space)
Damage: 1d4x100 MD per cannon firing, so all twelve firing at once does 8d6x100 MD(!). Plus, does 25% damage to everything in a 30 ft radius of the point strike.
Rate of Fire: Four shots per melee
Payload: Effectively Unlimited

[gaby]

Not bad.

[taalismn]

Not bad.

Join the fun. Post a ship. Plenty of empty slips in the dock. Or start your own stellar marina.

[taalismn]

Paladin Steel/Aegis Stellar Industries ‘Aquarius’ Light FTL Space Pod
(aka ‘LunieBug’, ‘Lovell-Bug’, ‘Buggy’, ‘Lemmie’)

“Oh, you can’t seriously be considering landing THERE...”
“In this baby? Watch me!”
“Landing on top of a SKYSCRAPER?! ON THE PENTHOUSE PATIO?!”
“Surprised? Well, imagine how much more surprised those guys down there will be! Just do your part and do it fast, and we’ll be in and out before they know it!”

The PS ‘Aquarius’ is a minimal-size starcraft that, like the Scobee- and Heston-class space pods, is based on the appearance and general configuration of archaic Human spacecraft, in this case the Lunar Excursion Module(LEM). The SpaceBug shares the same ungainly, spindle-legged, angular appearance, but under the fragile-looking exterior is a wholly different beast that incorporates cutting edge galactic technology.
The ASI Aquarius is built rugged, with megadamage materials (the original LEM was a very fragile vehicle due to weight-saving considerations; according to the astronauts, one could have kicked their way through the thin hull). In place of the original chemical rocket propulsion in the lower landing stage, a contragravity drive has been substituted, allowing not only for faster speeds without constant worry about remaining fuel, but also atmospheric re-entry and take-off under terrestrial gravity. A light ‘aeroshaping’ forcefield gives additional protection and effectively streamlines the ungainly and unaerodynamic craft during operations inatmo. PS has also lend its experience with robotic walking gear in the design of the landing gear; the Aquarius can actually ‘walk’ about on a surface in lieu of taxiing.
Internally, a NASA astronaut would hardly recognize the ship, apart from the close quarters. The controls are state of the art, with wrap-around holographic HUDs that provide a full 360-degree sensorium for the crew. Advanced computers and a compact sensor suite allow for much smoother and easier handling, especially in atmospheric manuvering.
The biggest complaint about the Aquarius is its landing hatch and boarding ladder; the former of which requires a bent-over posture to enter and leave, and the latter of which requires a short scramble that can be overly acrobatic for some species and individuals. Some buyers install a small personal lift platform for getting up into the ship more easily.
Like the Heston and Scobee, the Aquarius is being marketed as a stellacommutta to travellers on well-charted routes. However, this hasn’t stopped many from being sold to adventurers on a budget, or those wanting a good backup lander or small boat with interstellar capabilities. Some stylistic customization is available on the general hull design, but it’s still going to look like a first- or second-generation pre-FTL extraplanetary lander.
Type: PS/ASILInstelAAT-04 Aquarius
Class: Light Interstellar Transport
Crew: 2; a third person could squeeze in, but conditions will be cramped.
MDC/Armor by Location:
Main Body 750
Reinforced Crew Compartment 120
Sensor/Communication Antennae(2) 60 each
Landing Gear(4) 200 each
Aeroshape Forcefield 100
Height: 18 ft
Width: 14 ft
Length: 13.5 ft
Weight: 33,000 lbs
Cargo: About 400 lbs can be stowed in various lockers inside the craft. Generally has enough supplies to support a 2-man crew for 14 days in the field(lunar conditions)
PS/ASI typically throws in a free ‘Pillsbury’ Inflatable Shelter Tent, tool kits, and survival packs as part of new purchases.
*Vehicle Niche---Has provision for carrying a folding-frame PS M2740 ‘Scootie”(20% off price if purchased at the same time as the Aquarius), or 2 folding-frame motorycles(such as the PS ‘Zubrin’, also 20% if purchased at the same time as the Aquarius), OR a single motorcycle/hovercycle, OR two light jetpacks in a compartment in the lower body(comes with recharge hookups for electrically-powered vehicles).
Powerplant: Nuclear Fusion(20 year energy life)
Speed:
(Walking) 3 MPH
(Atmosphere) Hover to Mach 3; transatmospheric.
(Sublight) Mach 6
(Kitsune Values: 20% of light speed; Accelerates/decelerates at 0.6% of light speed per melee)
(FTL) 5 light years per hour; the FTL drive can go as far as 35 light years in a jump, before needing to drop out and recharge for four hours.
(Underwater) Not possible
Market Cost: 11 million credits
Systems of Note:
Standard Shuttle/Aerospace Fighter Systems, plus:

*Cockpit Ejection System---The crew cabin can be entirely ejected from the rest of the craft, to serve as a lifeboat. The crew pod can make a safe atmospheric re-entry, if necessary, with deployable parachutes, and can even float for a time on water, increasing the chances for crew survival. The passenger capsule carries only maneuvering thrusters and a parasail system for basic manuevering, once detached from the FTL propulsion and cargo section.

Weapons Systems: None standard(see Options)

Options:
*Inflatable Airlock---The lower boarding hatch can be fitted with a memory-plastic and inner-tube airlock that allows the crew to enter and exit the ship without depressurizing/repressurizing the main cabin every time. Cost: 35,000 credits.

*Sensor Cluster--Small sensor dish on a turntable, available as a backup sensor system.
MDC: 25
Sensors: Mini-Radar--5 mile range
Motion Detector--700 ft range
Laser Illuminator-----5 mile range, Designates targets for laser-guided munitions/weapons
Laser targeting System(+1 to strike)
Cost: 32,000 credits

*Aura Scanner---For detecting and identifying PPE concentrations
Range: 10,000 ft
Cost: 200,000 credits

*Bio-Scanner---Has a molecular analyzer, enhanced radiation detector, high-powered accoustic ‘shotgun mike’(3,000 ft range), and thermo-imager optics.
Cost: 10,000 credits

*Optical Cluster
Sensors: Telescopic
IR/UV
Thermo-Imaging
Audio-Video-Survellance System
Cost: 10,000 credits

*Landing Gear Wheel/Tread Units---Powered wheel or tread units that allow the pod to taxi at higher speeds across level surfaces. Speed of 6 MPH. Cost: 25,000 credits

*Laser Reflective Armor---PS laser-ablative ceramic, based on alien materials. Lasers do HALF damage. VFLs can NOT adjust to compensate. As an added bonus, Arkhon triphase weapons do 1/10 less damage. Cost: 900,000 credits

*External Cargo Panniers(1-3)---These are modular cargo bins that can be attached to the lower hull through the struts of the landing gear, and allow for the carriage of an additional 350 lbs of gear per container. Each container has 50 MDC and costs 6,000 credits.

*Solar Wings(2)---Two large solar arrays can be unrolled to provide additional power, extend out to 50 ft, and which can reduce the FTL recharge by as much as 75%, depending on local solar radiation intensity. Cost: 95,000 credits

*Robotic Utility Arm----20 MDC, Robotic P.S. of 24, 25 ft reach. Up to four arms can be mounted. Cost: 250,000 credits per arm.

*Forcefield Generator --- Generates a more powerful single field force shield of 900 MDC. Cost: 480,000 credits

*PPE Generator---Crystal Matrix PPE Generator, for those wanting to add and power TW systems.
PPE Capacity:(Light)----200 PPE battery capacity; recharges at 10 PPE per hour, 20PPE/hour at a leyline, 40 PPE/hour on a nexus
(Medium)-----300 PPE battery capacity; recharges at 10 PPE per hour, 40 PPE/hour at a leyline, 80 PPE/hour on a nexus
(‘Wizard’)----400 PPE battery capacity; recharges at 14 PPE per hour, 50 PPE/hour at a leyline, 100 PPE/hour on a nexus
Cost:(Light)----500,000 credits
(Medium)-----1 million credits
(‘Wizard’)----2 million credits

*Weaponry---Two light weapons can be mounted in the lateral equipment bays
a) Mini-missile Launcher----24. Cost: 22,000 credits

b) Short Range Missile Launcher----12. Cost: 25,000 credits

c) Laser Cannon(Light)
Range:1 mile in atmosphere, 3 miles in space
(Kitsune Values: 3 miles in atmosphere, 300 miles in space)
Damage: 4d6 MD single shot, 1d4x10 MD burst fire
Rate of Fire: EPCHH
Payload: Effectively Unlimited
Cost: 15,000 credits

d) Ion Cannon
Range: 1 mile in atmosphere, 3 miles in space
(Kitsune Values: 3 miles in atmosphere, 300 miles in space)
Damage: 5d6 MD single shot, 1d6x10 MD burst fire
Rate of Fire: EPCHH
Payload: Effectively Unlimited
Cost: 20,000 credits

e) Particle Beam Cannon(light)
Range: 4,000 ft in atmosphere, 2.5 miles in space
(Kitsune Values: 2.5 miles in atmosphere, 250 miles in space)
Damage: 1d6x10 MD per blast, but on a strike roll of 18 or more, the weapon does 2d4x10+10 MD!
Rate of Fire: EPCHH
Cost: 80,000 credits


Variants:
*PS/ASILAATM-04---This is a straightforward light boat/landing craft that sacrifices FTL capability for extra cargo space(1,000 lbs). Cost drops to 7 million.

[taalismn]

Ghemdekki ‘Shagon’ Aerostat Cruisers

“By the air spirits, I LOVE patroling the He-3 mines. Sure, it’s bitterly cold, there’s no solid ground that’s safe to walk on, and the winds in a planet-sized storm cell can tear apart a full-on battlestation, but tell me; look at those cloud banks, that endless sky, that great vista of atmosphere! Looks like it goes on forever! Where else can you see sights like this?”

Even though the arboreal Ghemdekki have long embraced conventional Galactic technology, they prefer to cling to a few unconventional and, for them, traditional, technologies. While they have mastered reliable contragravity designs, they continue to favor old-fashioned ideas, even if it results in correspondingly more expensive and complex craft.
The Shagon-class is a case in point. This modest multi-purpose military transport might be considered a mediocre design of little distinction if it had been laid out along conventional lines by a more orthodox manufacturer, but for the fact that it is produced to Ghemdekki specs. While it possesses all the right and standard components; normal space drive, shields, FTL propulsion, and contragravity repuslor systems, the Ghemdekki have added a deployable aerostat lift system that turns the craft into a giant Lighter Than Air (LTA) craft.
The Shagon looks much like any other nondescript armed transport/light frigate, but for its flattened shape, and large upper cargo hold bulges, and in most cases it operates like any other Three Galaxies starcraft. When desired, however, when entering a planetary atmosphere, the Shagon re-enters, aerobraking with its flattened hull, then begins deploying a gas envelope of tough megadamage fabric from its upper hold. Depending on the local atmosphere, the envelope’s compartmentalized cells can be filled with hot air, hydrogen, helium, or other gases, or a combination of them, until an equilibrium is reached, and the lift of the envelope counterbalances the drag of the ship. The body of the ship effectively forms the ‘keel’ of the gas envelope when it is fully deployed. A combination of thin photovoltiac skinning and thermal absorbant panels allows the temperature inside the envelope to be regulated for optimal passive heating and cooling of the gases, in combination with internal heaters and pumps. The lofted craft can then adjust its altitude as needed. The Shagon retains regular CG repulsors for back-up and can bring them back on line within seconds. In an emergency, if the ship comes under attack, or the ship needs to get underway QUICKLY, and the envelope is damaged/destroyed or cannot be repacked(takes about 1d4 minutes to vent and retract the envelope), the entire assembly can be disengaged and ejected, while the ship continues on under conventional propulsion.
Though the envelope system is large and relatively vulnerable, the Shagon actually has a few advantages over regular spacecraft with regards to atmospheric operation. The LTA aerostat can hover in-atmo without constantly running its engines, and the photovoltiac coating on the lift envelope reduces power demand on the main reactor for supplying the gas heaters and pumps. Furthermore, on some worlds, local gravitic and electromagnetic phenomena interfere with the operation of contragravitics; the Shagon can safely fly in such environs. The system is also relatively stealthy; the aerostat can move quite quietly and without the noise and turbulence associated with direct thrust engines or gravitic repulsors.
The Ghemdekki are positively dotty about this sort of design, and it is seen throughout their natively designed fleets, both military and commerical. The Shagon-class is used for patrol and transport duties within Ghemdekki space, but the class is also used for exploration, planetary survey, and search and rescue work, especially around gas giant worlds. The CCW has acquired a number of the ships for various purposes as well.
In all regards, the Shagon is fairly standard, although its deck plan is rather ‘flat’ in layout compared to other multi-deck ships. Fore and aft weapons stations hold most of the ship’s weaponry, crew cabins are mounted forward, and the engines are mounted aft on twin wide-spaced gimbal pylons. Amidships are four cargo bays(which also double as hangar bays), openning out through four large hatches for quick loading and offloading. Two observation blisters are provided for cargo bay operators; in LTA mode, these stations are responsible for overseeing the operation of four deployable cranes for hauling cargo boxes while the ship is hovering, or for positioning them for parachute drop clear of the ship at altitude. Dorsal and ventral sensor domes hold additional long range sensors and ground observation stations. Armament is modest, consisting mainly of laser cannons and point defense weaponry, but the cargo bays can be fitted with missile launch modules that can be servo’ed into position for firing. The Shagons carry light armor, but a modest variable forcefield for protection. The LTA envelope itself can be serviced from within by crewmembers, while small robot ‘crawler’ drones and RMK-sized ‘dot’bots’ can be deployed for repairing any rents and rips in smaller sections of the envelope, or when outside conditions are too dangerous for crewmembers to excurse onto the external hull.
Shagons have been found in a number of interesting roles in the century since their introduction; the Aponians of Mukai’s World rented the services of several Shagon crews to circumvent a local CCW treaty loophole about the use of contra-gravity transports on certain undeveloped worlds, and used them to transport an airborne battalion of mercenary troops in their crusade against sorcery-assisted slavery in neighboring kingdoms. The Aponians successfully argued that the airship-modes of the Ghemdekki craft were within the existing technological capabilities of the Aponians(and more advanced Mikaian civilizations as well) and thus did not constitute a violation of TVIA technological trade restrictions governing advanced transport(part of the reason the mercenaries had to use air-dropped wheeled and treaded motorvehicles, rather then the advanced hovercraft and heavy robots they normally would have used).
Shagons have also been used in the patrol and defense of several gas giants; raids by pirate hydrogen breathers on the floating gas harvester plants and resort floaters of Tomska IV would have been far more disasterous had it not been for the squadron of Shagons recently deployed there. Shagons played a vital role in the evacuation of the foundering AerisHilton complex, trapped as it was on the edge of a powerful storm cell, whose electromagnetic activity was interfering with conventional CG drive systems. And on Robeszus VIII, Shagons with their cargo holds packed full of melting cometary ice, became improvised water-bombers and helped put out the massive fires that threatened the invaluable pharmaceutical crops on the forest-moon.

Type: GdKKI-TC/LTAV236 Shagon
Class: Transport Cruiser
Crew: 55 + 1-400 passengers
MDC/Armor by Location:
Main Body 28,000
Bridge 7,000
Gas Envelope 5,000 (*ten internal gas cells---300 MDC each)
Medium Laser Cannons(5) 550 each
Point Defense Laser Turrets(10) 300 each
Point Defense G-Gun Turrets(10) 300 each
Short Range Missiles Launchers(4) 350 each
(Optional) External Missile Pods( 1-6) 200 each
Cargo Bays (4) 900 each
Engines(2) 10,000 each
Variable Forcefields----1,200 each side(7,200 total)

*Destroying a gas cell diminishes lift efficency by 10%. If over half the gas cells are destroyed, the cruiser will begin to lose lift and slowly fall. When all gas cells are destroyed, the cruiser is in freefall and must, if possible, engage CG lifters)

Height: 90 ft ( 160 ft w/ gas envelope deployed)
Width: 300 ft (350 ft w/ gas envelope deployed)
Length: 600 ft
Weight: 64,500 tons
Cargo: 35,000 tons
Powerplant: Advanced Nuclear Fusion w/ 40 year energy life
Speed:
(Atmosphere) Hover to Mach 3; transatmospheric.
Floating under its gas envelope, the ship can float and maneuver at a leisurely 250 MPH
(Sublight) Mach 8
(Kitsune Values: 60% of light speed; Accelerates/decelerates at 0.8% of light speed per melee)
(FTL) 5 light years per hour
(Underwater) Not possible
Market Cost: Exclusive to the Ghemdekki polity; it would cost about 950 million for anybody else to build.
Systems of Note:
Standard Starship Systems, plus:

*Grapple Winches---Each of the four cargo bays sports a retractable twin grapple-launcher and winch assembly, that can deploy over 2 miles of high-strength buckycable with a molecular-adhesion clamp-head. Each cable-and-winch can lift up to 500 tons(1,000 tons for the pair), and can be used in space and in atmosphere.

Weapons Systems:
1) Medium Laser Cannons(5, two forward, two aft, and one ventral center)
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: EGCHH
Payload: Effectively Unlimited

2) Point Defense Laser Turrets(8 main hull mounted +2 on masts that extend up through the deployed gas envelope to protect its upper portion )
Range: 3 miles in atmosphere, 6 miles in space
(Kitsune Values: 6 miles in atmosphere, 600 miles in space)
Damage: 1d6x10 MD per laser; up to four cannons can be brought to bear on a single target.
Rate of Fire: EGCHH(or six shots per melee under computer control)
Payload: Effectively Unlimited
Bonuses: The laser PDS have a +3 to strike courtesy of the extensive fire control systems tied in, coordinating close defense.

3) Point Defense Rail-Gun Turrets(10)---Light Phalanx-style rapid-fire guns.
Range: 3 miles in atmosphere, 6 miles in space
(Kitsune Values: 6 miles in atmosphere, 600 miles in space)
Damage: 4d4x10 Md per 50 rd burst
Rate of Fire: EGCHH
Payload: 800 bursts each gun. Additional ammunition drums could be stored as cargo, and replaced within 15 minutes.

4) Short Range Missiles Launchers(4)
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
Payload: 100 each launcher; additional missiles may be carried as cargo (1 ton of cargo per 48 missiles) and reloaded in 15 minutes.

5) (Optional) External Missile Pods---Up to six modular missile pods can be added to the outside hull. Each pod can hold ONE of the following configurations:
a) Mini-Missiles----200 per pod
b) Short Range Missiles----96 per pod
c) Medium Range Missiles---48 per pod
d) Long Range Missiles---12 per pod
e) Cruise Missiles---Rarely carried, but available; ---6 CMs per pod

Auxiliary Craft:
Provision for 4 shuttles or aerospace fighters

[KLM]

Hi there!

Ghemdekki ‘Shagon’ Aerostat Cruisers

The gas envelope is a bit too small to produce enought lift for a craft of this size/mass, but what the hell, anyone can
put in two or three zeroes as needed



Adios
KLM

[taalismn]

Hi there!

Ghemdekki ‘Shagon’ Aerostat Cruisers

The gas envelope is a bit too small to produce enought lift for a craft of this size/mass, but what the hell, anyone can
put in two or three zeroes as needed



Adios
KLM

The fabric of the gas envelope is 'Flubber'.

[taalismn]

Paladin Steel/Valiant Station ‘SunChaser’ Multipurpose Light Aerospace Corvette
http://i408.photobucket.com/albums/pp164/taalismn/img143copy3.jpg

“This little zipper’s typical of a thousand emerging shipyards across the galaxies...it’s new, it’s perky, it’s not quite up to the better designs available from established manufacturers like Naruni, Galaxcorp, or MC, and you’re less likely to find replacement parts any great distance’s throw from the place you bought it. On the other hand, it’s inexpensive, compared to the establishment prices, tough, structurally reliable, and it’s got promise if you have the credits and patience to spend upgrading it on your own.
If you’re really feeling brave, though, take a trip direct to the manufacturers...If you can stand the risk of all that bad mojo in the local ecosystem, and the big Splugorth enclave a puddle jump away, you can buy direct and save yourself even more...maybe even get the shipyards to toss in a few mods for a song or a piece of tech they haven’t seen before...they’re big on acquiring new tech there...Then take a good look around, and shop the local markets...Odds are, you can get a good deal on a system nobody else has ever heard of, like a phantasm projector or dimensional shifter drive gimicky, for a real cheap price, because the local developer doesn’t know its true value in Galcreds, or is so desperate to get offworld, they’ll let you have it for a ride with you when you leave...Just be careful, though, the CCW Ship Standards Lab laws and protections don’t extend to Earth, so if you go in thinking you’re going to sucker a bunch of planetbounds, odds are you’re the one who ends up skinned...or worse...”
----Amus Proloog, shipbroker and writer for Harpis Weekly MultiMedia(“The Magazine for the Intelligent Dimensional Traveller”), StepStone, United Worlds of Warlock

“The SunChaser’s clearly an attempt to attract a higher tech crowd into buying a low-tech piece of hardware, get them to outfit it with their own resources, and convince them they got a real bargain...Everything about this bird is pretty much modular and can be unbolted, swapped out, and replaced with something else....The external engine pods, the main sensor tower, the main power core, the armaments, and all the external cargo pod attachments....It’s pretty much half a ship that you spend one and half times more than you should making it comfortable for your whim...Like selling a bicycle as upgradable to a hoverbike...So what if it’s built by the apes on this ‘Rift-World’; you’re better off buying from someone who can’t claim ‘interdimensional interference’ for not returning your complaint calls...”
-----Hadron Lasp; technology critic; The Lasp Report, Phaseworld Level Three

“Forget about all the cargo geehaws and utility add-ons...that’s just window dressing for people who aren’t spending their own money...Even the Outcast Station can cobble up something from scrap components that can push more mass, but it’ll be a hog and just as ugly...This clipper’s for getting places FAST and looking good doing it!”
-----Captain Eldrew Chan, Free Spacer owner of the AFMN Flash/Fade, Ares Freehold, Mars.

The ‘SunChaser’ is Paladin Steel Aerospace’s latest offering from its Valiant Station space yards, part of its new ‘third generation’ of advanced spacecraft designs. These new designs are aimed at filling out the ranks of PS’s aerospace forces with a large force of light, fast, relatively inexpensive, multi-environment spacecraft that can serve effectively as raiders, escorts, long range scouts, and fast transports. These smaller craft can also be given to smaller Orbital allies of PS, filling out their ranks with high-quality aerospace craft, without being dependent on the increasingly polarized anti-PS/GNE Lunar and Laika Station yards. The newer light craft can also be more readily cloned off into ‘civilian’ designs for sale to the commercial market in the Orbitals, and, supposedly, to the interdimensional markets, if rumors about PS’s growing connections to such alternaties as the Three Galaxies are correct. The sale of these ‘third generation’ craft, in turn, will allow PS to finance the next phase large-scale construction projects of their aerospace program.
The SunChaser is an elongated, rather elegant, craft, with a flattened main body, flaring off to the sides in relatively short wings, before flaring out into wide triangular wings, and finally ending in three large main engine pods with four tail fins that double as heat radiators. However, among noticeable differences is a large wide-winged ‘flying bridge’ section set back from the nose on the back, looking like a canard section, but which is actually a detachable bridge section. The SunChaser has sometimes been likened to a scaled-up high-maneuverability atmospheric jet fighter with a large ventral air intake(really the docking position for its payload modules).
The SunChaser is powered by no less than three variable thrust gravitic-fusor drive units, each with its own reactor, with a fourth main reactor for back-up. These hybrid engines use a combination of high energy plasma and low-yield focused gravitic drivers to accelerate drive plasma to higher velocities than normal magnetic control coils can, for a cleaner, more efficient drive system. The incorporation of three engine nacelles gives the SunChaser both a high turn of speed, and multiple engine redundancy, though critics of PS contend that this is really to cover for the problems of a barely-tested hybrid drive. In an emergency, the two systems can be operationally separated, and operated independently, in event of a loss of reaction mass, or aberrant gravitic conditions that prevent one or the other systems from operating...although the fusion torch and traction drive systems tend to operate at lower performance thresholds than when acting in concert.
The ship does not come standard with an FTL drive system, but PS has obligingly left enough internal space and added power generation capacity for buyers with the connections and resources to install their own(FTL drive systems are still a relative rarity in the Rifts solar system, and PS is currently keeping its handful of systems for its own forces).
Internally, the SunChaser has four decks; two central passenger accommodation decks, a lowermost level dedicated to machinery spaces and cargo bays, and an upper command deck platform. The ship can hardly be considered roomy by Galactic standards, though it is certainly spacious by pre-Rifts space program standards, and even sybaritic by post-Rifts scrounge-culture. Internal artificial gravity is another luxury standard on these ships. though it is typically turned off, and the interior remodeled to suit by most native micro-gravity-adapted Orbital buyers.
The SunChaser is designed to be readily modifiable to both military and commercial purposes, and has a variety of features to make that easier.
Core to the concept of the SunChaser design is a large pod mount hardpoint on the front of the ship, tucked under and between the nose sensor arrays. This large pod mount allows the SunChaser, like PS’s other utilitarian light freighters, to be quickly customized to a variety of different purposes, simply by swapping out the pod for other special modules. The SunChaser typically carries a large passenger accommodation pod or special purpose high security module(for diplomatic negotiations, prisoner transfer, or intelligence gathering missions among others), that can be detached in an emergency and serve as a lifeboat. Unlike the Brunel’s larger cargo ‘box cars’, the SunChaser’s modules are mounted well forward, and can be outfitted for atmospheric reentry. However, the pod can also be substituted for cargo modules or heavy weapons mounts, allowing the SunChaser to be quickly converted into a fast freighter or light warship.
The SunChaser has multiple light turrets and hardpoints across the main hull and wing assembly for fitting weapons systems or additional sensors. The factory-standard forward sensor pallets and amidships communications/sensor tower can also be removed and replaced quite quickly with new systems of the customers’ choosing. Armor is modest, but upgradable, and is complemented by both integral antiparticle and light battle screening, which can also be upgraded at extra cost. A dorsal spinal compartment is rigged for virtual shielding(forcefield) generators....The SunChaser comes standard for sale with an integral forcefield that also aides in streamlining the ship during in-atmospheric operations. However, the generator housing can be refitted with more powerful systems...PS/ASI/GNE-owned and -operated SunChasers sport much more powerful variable forcefield systems with higher regeneration rates than the commercial models.
On the underside of the ship’s main wing assembly is a pair of cargo pod clamps that are compatible with standardized Orbital cargo modules, and Three-Galaxies Standard Cargo ‘Cans’, up to Type 3 ‘Big Cans’. However, when maximum payload external cargo is carried, reduce overall speed/acceleration by 40%.
Other ‘quick change’ features include a central power core compartment that can be easily altered to accommodate a new powerplant, while an adjacent space is set aside for either additional cargo storage or the possible installation of FTL drive components. And of course the rear engine nacelles can be quickly serviced to mount different engine types. Various cosmetic tweaks can also be added to the ships, including new wing sections(doesn’t affect the cargo clamps and end hardpoints unless specifically asked for) and detailing.
Paladin Steel has acquired the bulk of production of SunChasers produced in the Sol System(Valiant Station maintains about four of these ships on ready-alert status as part of its Orbital/Deep Space Rescue squadron), so far, to outfit its space forces and commercial scouts, but a few of these ships(sans the more advanced systems) have already been sold to Orbital concerns, and it is believed that a few have been retailed through Aegis Stellar Industries to other cross-dimensional markets (likely to be the design’s primary market, if early sales pan out as hoped). As the Amberjin facility gears up with greater access to 3G technology, the SunChaser is expected to be produced and made commercially available in greater numbers to the Galactic market, with the PR campaigns already pitching the design to a broad base of courier concerns, adventurer groups, private and public security agencies, survey organizations, and spacial yachtsmen. The SunChaser is produced by Valiant Station and Amberjin facilities.

(Note: the illo depicts a privately-owned Three Galaxies SunChaser configured as a high-security yacht with forward luxury accommodation module, heavy and light weapons turrets, and laser-reflective armor. Two un-redetailed cargo pods are clamped under the wings.)

Type: PS-PSS-LHMP-ADST-25 SunChaser
Class: Aerospace Multipurpose Corvette, Aerospace/Deep Space Transport
Crew: 8(however, can be run effectively for short periods/or with extensive automation with a skeleton crew of two)
Main Hull accommodations for 20 passengers(50 under cramped conditions)+ possible Main Pod accommodations
MDC/Armor by Location:
Main Body 3,800
Bridge 900
Sensor Tower 500
Heavy Turrets(1-2) 250 each
Light Turret Mounts(1-4) 150 each
Main Engines(3) 700 each
Forcefield(standard)* 900
Variable Forcefield(optional)**1,000 per side (6,000 total)

*Shield Refresh Rate is 5% per melee
**Shield Refresh Rate is 10% per melee

Height: 80 ft(main antennae mount)
Width:145 ft at wingtips
Length: 380 ft
Weight: 3,600 tons + pod weight
Cargo: 200 tons internally, + up to 40 tons externally on the wing clamps.
If not fitted with an FTL generator/drive system, the ship can carry an additional 100 tons of cargo in the open engineering space.
See also Options with regards to pods.
Powerplant: Nuclear Fusion w/ 50 year energy life
Speed:
(Atmosphere) The SunChaser is fully atmosphere-capable, and can both land, take off, maneuver, and reach escape velocity without problems in its ‘clean’ configuration. Hover to Mach 6(can escape the atmosphere)
(Space: In-System)
(Sublight) Mach 8.5
(Kitsune Values: 60% of light speed; Accelerates/decelerates at 0.85% of light speed per melee)

(FTL) None standard, but can be fitted with a variety of FTL drive packages. The standard Three Galaxies models are offered with a 3 light year /hour drive system

Market Cost: 200 million (Rifts Earth)credits/ 60 million CCW credits* for the basic vehicle
(*PS may actually offer discounts for known Galactic buyers, in an effort to acquire more hard Galactic currency )
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 Target Resolution: 200,000 miles
*Laser Targeting-------100,000 miles
*Communications Suite:---Long Range Radio and Video
*Laser Communications ---Tactical (i.e. ship-to fighter/shuttle)Range: 250,000 miles
*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.

*Airlocks---The SunChaser has four main airlocks/access points; two lateral airlocks with extending pressurized docking tunnels and universal docking collars, a bottom main access/airlock lift(used when landed), and a large cargo lift forward of the ground personnel lift. If so desired, the nose pod can fitted with its own docking collars and airlocks.

*Life Pods---Has 4 eight-man life pod modules with emergency first aid gear, emergency beacons, crash kits, water filtration/recycling, and 1 month of life support/rations.

*Detachable Bridge Life Module----In addition to the life pods, the entire bridge module can detach and serve as a lifeboat. It has somewhat more maneuvering thrust capacity than the standard life pods, allowing it to rendevouz with the lifepods and shepard them together(‘rafting’ them to share resources).

*External Hardpoints(2)----The SunChaser mounts two hardpoints under the ‘wings’, each of which can handle a 25 ton external cargo pod. Typically used to carry dangerous(radioactive, toxic) or extraneous cargo that doesn’t merit internal stowage.

Weapons Systems:
None standard, but the SunChaser mounts the forward main pod module, a pair of heavy turret mounts(one dorsal, one ventral, just behind the bridge/docking collar), two light weapons mounts on both the ventral and dorsal surfaces of the ship(4 total), and two hardpoints on the wing section(one on each side).(Please note that the ventral cargo clamp hardpoints CANNOT be fitted with weapons pods)
The following are some of the configurations available from the manufacturer:
*Heavy Turrets(2, dorsal and ventral)
a) Laser Cannon
Range:(Palladium) 5 miles in atmosphere, 10 miles in space
(Kitsune Values)5 miles in atmosphere, 500 miles in space
Damage: 6d6x10 MD per blast
Rate of Fire: ECHH
Payload: Unlimited

b) Particle Beam Cannon
Range:(Palladium) 4 miles in atmosphere, 8 miles in space
(Kitsune Values) 4 miles in atmosphere, 400 miles in space
Damage: 1d4x100 MD per blast
Rate of Fire: ECHH
Payload: Unlimited

c) Ion Cannon
Range: (Palladium) 5 miles in atmosphere, 10 miles in space
(Kitsune Values)5 miles in atmosphere, 500 miles in space
Damage:2d4x10 MD per blast,
In addition to physical damage, the cannon does EM damage. Percentage of EM damage is determined in relation to target’s main body((damage/main body)x100=percentage). For every 10% of damage from main body in ion damage, target will be -1 to strike, parry. and dodge. In space target acceleration will be reduced by 15%, in atmosphere top speed will be reduced by 15%. Roll once on critical hit charts in Phazeworld or Conversion book as appropriate.
If target takes 60% of main body in ion damage, ship or vehicle will be disabled completely. All weapon, navigation, and other systems will shut down and need to be repaired/replaced to work again/reboot.
Does NO damage against non-mechanical/electronic targets.
The ion cannon is equally effective against bionics
Rate of Fire: Five times per melee
Payload:Effectively Unlimited

d) Plasma Cannon
Range: (Palladium) 2.5 miles in atmosphere, 5 miles in space
(Kitsune Values)2.5 miles in atmosphere, 250 miles in space
Damage: 1d4x100 MD per blast
Rate of Fire: 5 times per melee
Payload: Unlimited

e) Rail Gun
Range:(Palladium) 11,000 ft(2 miles) in atmosphere, 20 miles in space
(Kitsune Values)11,000 ft(2 miles) in atmosphere, 200 miles in space
Damage: 3d4x10 MD per 40 rd burst(can only fire bursts)
Rate of Fire:EPCHH
Payload: 8,000 rds

f) 30mm Autocannons(1x4)
Range: (Palladium) 11,000 ft(2 miles) in atmosphere, 4 miles in space
(Kitsune Values)11,000 ft(2 miles) in atmosphere, 200 miles in space
Damage:4d6 MD single rd, 1d6x10 MD two rd burst, 3d6x10 MD six-round burst per single cannon...so a full burst of six rounds each from all four cannons firing simultaneously....12d6x10!
Rate of Fire:EPCHH
Payload:1,600 rds, 400 rds per cannon
Bonuses:Independent laser and radar tracking system; +1 strike set on automatic against aerial attack, +2 strike fired by gunner



*Light Turrets(4, two ventral, two dorsal)
a)Laser Cannon---PS-RFL-25B Pulse Laser Turrets
Range:(Palladium)6,000 ft in atmosphere, 24,000 ft in space
(Kitsune Values) 11,000 ft(2 miles) in atmosphere, 200 miles in space
Damage: 4d6 MD single shot, 2d4x10 MD per heavy blast-burst
Rate of Fire: EGCHH
Payload: Effectively Unlimited

b)Particle Beam Cannon
Range:(Palladium) 5 miles in atmosphere, 20 miles in space
(Kitsune Values)5 miles in atmosphere, 500 miles in space

Damage: 3d6x10 MD per blast
Rate of Fire: Four times per melee
Payload: Effectively unlimited

c)Ion Cannon
Range:(Palladium) 4,000 ft, 16,000 ft in space)
(Kitsune Values) 1 mile in atmosphere, 100 miles in space
Damage: 2d4x10 MD per blast,
In addition to physical damage, the cannon does EM damage. Percentage of EM damage is determined in relation to target’s main body((damage/main body)x100=percentage). For every 10% of damage from main body in ion damage, target will be -1 to strike, parry. and dodge. In space target acceleration will be reduced by 15%, in atmosphere top speed will be reduced by 15%. Roll once on critical hit charts in Phazeworld or Conversion book as appropriate.
If target takes 60% of main body in ion damage, ship or vehicle will be disabled completely. All weapon, navigation, and other systems will shut down and need to be repaired/replaced to work again/reboot.
Does NO damage against non-mechanical/electronic targets.
The ion cannon is equally effective against bionics
Rate of Fire: Five times per melee
Payload: Effectively unlimited

d)Plasma Cannon
Range: (Palladium) 6,000 ft, 24,000 ft in space
(Kitsune Values) 1.2 miles in atmosphere, 120 miles in space Damage: 2d6x10 MD per blast
Rate of Fire: ECHH
Payload:Effectively unlimited

e) Rail Gun
Range: (Palladium)5 miles, 10 miles in space
(Kitsune Values)5 miles, 500 miles in space Damage: 2d6x10 MD per 50 rd burst; can only fire bursts
Rate of Fire: Four times per melee
Payload: 8,000 rd drum

f)Tachyon Scattergun
Range: (Palladium)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: 2d4x10 MD per single cannon firing
Rate of Fire: EPCHH
Payload: Effectively Unlimited

*Wing Hardpoints(2, 1 each side)
a)Mini-Missile Launcher----100 MMs(Volleys of 1-10)
b) Short Range Missile Launcher----48 SRMs(Volleys of 1-12)
c) Medium Range Missile Launcher----24 MRMs(Volleys of 1-6)
d) Long Range Missile Launcher----8 LRMs(Volleys of 1-4)
e) Cruise Missile Launcher---3 per hardpoint(Volleys of 1-3)
f) Heavy Gravity Rail Gun Pod
Range:3 miles in atmosphere, 10 miles in space
(Kitsune Values: 10 miles in atmosphere, 10,000 miles in space)
Damage: 5d6x10 per 20 round burst
Rate of Fire: ECHH
Payload: 3,000 rds(100 bursts)

g) Anti-Missile Point Defense Laser Pod---A pod mounting a swivel mini-turret and independent target acquisition/fire control, used for point-defense against enemy missiles.
Range: 5 miles in atmosphere, 10 miles in space
(Kitsune Values: 10 miles in atmosphere,1,000 miles in space)
Damage: 1d4x10 per pulse blast
Rate of Fire: Eight attacks per melee round
Payload: Effectively Unlimited
Bonuses: +4 to strike


h)Plasma Torpedo Launcher
Range: (Palladium)10 miles in atmosphere, 20 miles in space
(Kitsune Values) 10 miles in atmosphere, 10,000 miles in space
Damage: 1d6x100 MD to an 80 ft diameter blast radius
Energy ‘torpedo’ has a disruption MDC of 30
Rate of Fire: Every other melee
Payload:Effectively Unlimited

i) Tractor Beam Emitter----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: 25,000 ft

Options:
***Hull Armors----At the customer’s request, the SunChaser’s armor plating can be upgraded, similarly to other Orbital systems:
*Laser Reflective Armor---Orbital Standard; this relies on layers of highly reflective, prismatic material to reflect and disperse the effects of laser energy; lasers do HALF damage, but variable frequency lasers can compensate(typically within 1d6 melees) to do damage as normal. Increase overall mass by 4%
Cost: 335,000 credits

*Laser Ablative Armor---An expensive, but popular option. This uses Paladin Steel’s ceramic and embedded superconductor sandwich armor to disperse and slough-off laser energy. Lasers do HALF damage, but VFLs CANNOT adjust to compensate. Furthermore, Arkhon Tribeam weaponry does 10% LESS damage when striking LAA. Increase overall mass by 5%
Cost: 700,000 credits

*Stealth Armor----Special radar-absorbant armor, combined with modified cooling/radiation systems and internal EM baffling insulation.
Normal radar systems have only an 11% chance of detecting the ship at long range. Increase overall weight by 1%
Cost: 22 million credits

***Drive Upgrades
The modular design of the drive bays means that the ship can be upgraded/altered to accept a variety of different engine types, especially for upgrade purposes. Currently PS/ASI doesn’t offer any such engines for sale(only the standard fitout), as they are still developing their propulsion technology and production(as well as cultivatingrelations with companies already producing such propulsion systems, but the SunChaser’s structure has been stress-tested to speeds of Mach 14.

***Sensor Refits---The central sensor ‘well’ was designed for quick swap-outs of different systems, allowing different(presumably upgraded) systems to be quickly added.
A basic list of available different upgradeable sensors can be quickly reflected/represented by Eric Fackler’s Rifter article on Galactic Tracer Starship Creation Rules(Rifter # 34, pg. 47-57) with prices as follows:
-Premium SoroCom Sensor System(or equivalent)---- Normal Space Detection: 210,000 miles, FTL Detection: 1.1 light years. Cost:10 million credits.
-Military Grade Sensor System--- Normal Space Detection: 240,000 miles, FTL Detection: 10 light years. Cost:10 million credits.
-CAF Deployable Listening Array(available only as a Main Pod option)---Normal Space Detection: 9 million miles, FTL Detection: 25 light years. Cost: 30 million credits.

***Main Pod Module---The forward pod mount is the big options draw here; here are a few of the standard pod types available commercially;

*Passenger Pod(Commuter)(typically 550 MDC)----Basic accommodations for 30 people(another 15 can be shoehorned in under emergency conditions, but life support will be reduced to 50%, and conditions will be cramped).
Cost: 200,000 credits

*Passenger Pod(Luxury)(typically 500-800 MDC)----Luxury accommodations for VIPs or a wealthy shipowner. Usually accessorized with additional security features(EM shielding, separate communications suite, independent forcescreening, etc....). Typically houses 1-10 people in close, but high, comfort.
Cost: 200,000 + credits, depending on interior fittings

*Cargo Pod(typically 500 MDC)---Basic cargo pod can hold up to 100 tons.
Special purpose cargo pods outfitted for special cargoes, like high-security pay-vault pods(with their own security systems), shielded radiation containment vessels, exotic environment pods, or cryogenic storage modules, can cost 100-500% more, depending on the modifications.
Cost: 110,000 credits

*Heavy Cargo Pod(typically 1,000 MDC)---This oversized module sticks out well ahead of the ship an extra 25 ft, and can hold up to 200 tons of cargo. However, its weight and awkward positioning make it very hard to pilot the ship in an atmosphere, making takeoffs and landings nearly impossible(-15% to pilot rolls while in atmosphere).
Cost: 700,000 credits

*Tug Module(typically 500 MDC)---This replaces the nose pod with a reinforced rig that opens up into an array of electro-mechanical gripping pads, shock absorbers, and bumper trunions, for nosing up to, and latching onto oversized payloads in zero-gravity, allowing the ship to act as a pusher tug. Special reinforcing rods and pins stretch back to better distribute stevedoring stress and strain over the ship’s structure. However, its weight and awkward positioning make it very hard to pilot the ship in an atmosphere, making takeoffs and landings nearly impossible(-15% to pilot rolls while in atmosphere). This pod is commonly found with salvagers and space rescue units.
Cost: 800,000 credits

*Fighter Cradle---This module mounts a shell of light armor over a framework of docking armatures and system hookups, allowing the forward point to hold a single aerospace fighter, combat robot, or small shuttle. The protective ‘hangar shell’ provides 800 MDC.
Cost: 800,000 credits

* Recon Pod---No armaments, but this module package is crammed to the gills with long range military sensor equipment, including lidar, terrain mapping radar, EW detection/locator gear, gravitic sensors(8,000 mile range).
Cost: 6 million credits, plus extra for any specifically specialized sensor types.

*Long Range Sensor Pod---This module typically has a bulbous nose protruding well ahead of the rest of the ship, and holds gravitic sensors capable of detecting normal drive activity at 1 million miles away and FTL drive activity up to 18 light years away. Cost: 18 million credits.

* EW Pod--A powerful version of fighter onboard ECM systems, intended to provide wide area sensor jamming for squadrons or defense grid penetrations. This pod has provision for a three man EW operations crew
Effects:(Jamming) Jams civilian band communications with 90% effectiveness, military systems with 75% effectiveness. Enemy radar- and laser-guided weaponry is -4 to strike
(Cloaking) 95% chance of evading sensor detection to everything in the area of effect. All weapons fired at the craft in the cloaked field are -5 to hit
Range:(Jamming)800 miles
(Cloaking)1,000 ft radius
Cost: 85 million credits, and ONLY to approved customers


* Forcefield Generator Pod--A more powerful forcefield generator that produces a battlescreen of 3,000 per side (18,000 total) MDC strength(regenerates at 5% per melee)
Cost: 9 million credits


**Weapons Pods:
These pods typically have their own onboard power system, as well as targeting systems, though they can be tied to the ship’s own power grid and sensor suites.

* Missile Pod Type A-Carries 150 short range missiles(SRMs)(Volleys of 1-15)
Cost: 12.4 million credits, plus cost of the ordnance

* Missile Pod Type B-Carries 80 medium range missiles(MRMs)(Volleys of 1-10)
Cost: 12 million credits, plus cost of the ordnance

* Missile Pod Type C--Carries 20 long range missiles(LRMs)(Volleys of 1-5)
Cost: 30 million credits, plus cost of the ordnance

* Missile Pod Type D---Carries 10 cruise missiles(Volleys of 1-2)
Cost: 32 million credits, plus cost of the ordnance

*Special Weapons Pod(Exclusive to Paladin Steel/Aegis Stellar Industries)---This allows the SunChaser to carry and deploy a single Long Lance III or IV Heavy Nuclear Missile.

*Special Spacial Demolitions Pod(aka ‘Rock Buster’)----This is a variable-mode heavy shaped-charge plasma-nuclear warhead meant for destroying rogue asteroids and comets, or at least pushing them on new and harmless courses. The demolition payload is mounted on a thruster-equipped ‘bus’ that is docked to the SunChaser’s pod-mount, and deployed when within suitable range of the target. Depending on the type of target, if the target asteroid is relatively ‘soft’ and easily broken up, the warhead will maneuver to direct the plasma jet produced upon detonation so as to carve the asteroid apart. If the asteroid is too large or solid for this to be effective, the warhead will be maneuvered and oriented so as to provide a powerful boost, ideally pushing the target on a new trajectory.
The maneuvering ‘bus’ is too slow(about Mach 3 at maximum burn) to make it an effective weapon against other spacecraft(too easily spotted and shot down/evaded), though it could conceivably be used against a spacestation or already crippled vessel.
Range: Typically deployed from about 200 to 1,000 miles away from the target.
Damage: 1d6x1000 MD to a 200 ft wide, 5,000 ft long, area

* Cannon Pod Type A---Mounts a high power gauss cannon
Range:(Palladium) 5 miles in atmosphere, 10 miles in space
(Kitsune Values) 10 miles in atmosphere, 10,000 miles in space
Damage: 6d6x10 MD per 20 rd burst
Rate of Fire: ECHH
Payload: 10,000 rds(500 bursts)
Cost: 3.6 million credits

* Cannon Pod Type B---Mounts a slightly less powerful rail cannon and 16 MRMs(or 32 SRMs) behind it.
Range:(Gauss Cannon)(Palladium) 6,000 ft in atmosphere, 4 miles in space
(Kitsune Values)4 miles in atmosphere. 4,000 miles in space
(Missiles) Varies by Missile Type(x4 in space)
(Kitsune Values: SRMs: 10 miles in atmosphere, 500 miles in space.
MRMs: 160 miles in an atmosphere and 80,000 miles in space.)
Damage: (Gauss Cannon)4d6x10 MD per 20 rd burst
(Missiles) Varies by Missile Type
Rate of Fire:(Gauss Cannon) ECHH
(Missiles) Volleys of 1,2,4, or 8
Payload:(Gauss Cannon) 1,000 rd drum(500 bursts)
(Missiles)16 MRMs OR 32 SRMs
Cost: 2.8 million credits, plus cost of the ordnance

*Cannon Pod Type C---Mounts a double-mount heavy kinetic kill weapon of the type already deployed as a secondary armanent on many PS/ASI capital ships. Known as the ‘A-1000’, ‘Triple-Ugly-Stick’, ‘Sword-Swallower’, and ‘Triple-Hammer’, this weapon pod’s mounting means the entire ship has to be pointed to fire it. Its recoil-vibration back into the structure of the SunChaser requires extra care to piloting and programming the maneuvering thrusters to compensate for the weapon when firing; otherwise it will impose a -10% to piloting rolls the melee round the weapon is being fired.
Range: (Palladium) 10 miles in atmosphere, 40 miles in space
(Kitsune Values: 40 miles in atmosphere/ 40,000 miles in space)
Damage:1d4x100 MD per 80 rd burst, 2d4x100 MD double cannon burst,
Rate of Fire:ECHH
Payload: 32,000 rds(400 bursts) per cannon
Cost: 20 million credits

* Energy Weapon Pod Type A---Mounts a high powered laser cannon. This is an extremely powerful weapon, but its power and range are offset by its slow rate of fire.
Range: (Palladium)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
Cost: 60 million credits

* Energy Weapon Pod Type B---Mounts a more powerful x-ray laser cannon that can punch through laser-ablative/reflective armors
Range:(Palladium)9 miles in atmosphere, 18 miles in space
(Kitsune Values: 18 miles in atmosphere, 18,000 miles in space)
Damage: 3d6x100 MD per blast
Rate of Fire: Twice per melee
Payload:Effectively Unlimited
Cost: 75 million credits

* Energy Weapon Pod Type C---Mounts a high powered Ion Destabilizer cannon
Range:(Palladium)5 miles in atmosphere,10 miles in space
(Kitsune Values) 10 miles in atmosphere, 10,000 miles in space Damage:1d4x100 MD per blast,
In addition to physical damage, the cannon does EM damage. Percentage of EM damage is determined in relation to target’s main body((damage/main body)x100=percentage). For every 10% of damage from main body in ion damage, target will be -1 to strike, parry. and dodge. In space target acceleration will be reduced by 15%, in atmosphere top speed will be reduced by 15%. Roll once on critical hit charts in Phazeworld or Conversion book as appropriate.
If target takes 60% of main body in ion damage, ship or vehicle will be disabled completely. All weapon, navigation, and other systems will shut down and need to be repaired/replaced to work again/reboot.
Does NO damage against non-mechanical/electronic targets.
The ion cannon is equally effective against bionics
Rate of Fire: Five times per melee
Payload:Effectively Unlimited
Cost: 60 million credits

* Energy Weapon Pod Type D---Mounts a high powered Particle Beam Cannon. Like the “Energy-A” configuration, this pod’s power is offset by a slow rate of fire, and greater expense.
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
Cost: 50 million credits

* Energy Weapon Pod Type E---Mounts a high powered Plasma Torpedo Launcher
Range: (Palladium)10 miles in atmosphere, 20 miles in space
(Kitsune) 20 miles in atmosphere, 20,000 miles in space
Damage: 2d4x100 MD to a 120 ft diameter blast radius
Energy ‘torpedo’ has a disruption MDC of 50
Rate of Fire: Twice per melee
Payload: Effectively Unlimited
Cost: 55 million credits

[DhAkael]

[quote="taalismn"]Paladin Steel/Valiant Station ‘SunChaser’ Multipurpose Light Aerospace Corvette
http://i408.photobucket.com/albums/pp164/taalismn/img143copy3.jpg

Sweet; the pic reminds me a lot of Deathstalker's personal cutter or even one of the Hadenmen's beasties from the Deathstalker series.

[taalismn]

Paladin Steel/Valiant Station ‘SunChaser’ Multipurpose Light Aerospace Corvette
http://i408.photobucket.com/albums/pp164/taalismn/img143copy3.jpg

Sweet; the pic reminds me a lot of Deathstalker's personal cutter or even one of the Hadenmen's beasties from the Deathstalker series.

Yeah, I wanted to go overboard on color for one, and get away from basic drab, military, colors.

[shiiv-a]

hmm . . makes me wonder if my nano missiles would be better here or not even in existance? . . .
oh well . . one day i'll be brave enough to post something else

[taalismn]

hmm . . makes me wonder if my nano missiles would be better here or not even in existance? . . .
oh well . . one day i'll be brave enough to post something else

They that powerful? Then post them, by all means!
The Megaverse is full of inventions, some more obscenely powerful than others.

[DhAkael]

hmm . . makes me wonder if my nano missiles would be better here or not even in existance? . . .
oh well . . one day i'll be brave enough to post something else

They that powerful? Then post them, by all means!
The Megaverse is full of inventions, some more obscenely powerful than others.

*Hides the singularity FTL Phase Antimatter Rift missiles behind back*

[shiiv-a]

uhm . . not sure what yer saying there . . but i'm so glad that's a missile behind your back . .
uhh . . yeah . . k . .

so haw about that hockey game?

[taalismn]

Kreeghor Sergeant Schul'dzz:"I see nuth'ting! Nuth'ting!"

[shiiv-a]

Tal . . Eldar tech? . . seriously?

*tries to see where that fits into the equation and is hopelessly lost . . and discovers . . . insoles after kitties play with them . . . stink

[taalismn]

Tal . . Eldar tech? . . seriously?

*tries to see where that fits into the equation and is hopelessly lost . . and discovers . . . insoles after kitties play with them . . . stink

Elder Tech...not EldAR tech....No pointy-eared pantywaists with Lust Gods after them in MY Three Galaxies.
Not to be confused with Geezer Tech, Old Fart Tech, or Gramps Tech.

[shiiv-a]

LOL . . .
not really sure anyone would appreciate them . . cept for you

[taalismn]

LOL . . .
not really sure anyone would appreciate them . . cept for you

Not sure if that's a compliment to either me OR you.

[shiiv-a]

thing is . . without posting hte char that . . designed them . . and getting into some odd discussion about 'cannon rules' and 'misuse of net info' and the combination of both . . and other things . . *grasps at straws and ponders a few things*

right . . no char sheet . . no explaining how it worked . . or how it was put together . . sums up as 'not gonna happen and totally illegal . . then everyone and their dog having a few on their ships

missile took out a demon planet scout ship on the run . . one hit . . one kill . . yeah

[taalismn]

thing is . . without posting hte char that . . designed them . . and getting into some odd discussion about 'cannon rules' and 'misuse of net info' and the combination of both . . and other things . . *grasps at straws and ponders a few things*

right . . no char sheet . . no explaining how it worked . . or how it was put together . . sums up as 'not gonna happen and totally illegal . . then everyone and their dog having a few on their ships

missile took out a demon planet scout ship on the run . . one hit . . one kill . . yeah

I pretty much approve of anything that blows up Demon Planet ####. Those Big Bads give me the creeps.

[KLM]

Hi there!

missile took out a demon planet scout ship on the run . . one hit . . one kill . . yeah

A missile filled with self-replicating nanites? Yep, it MIGHT(*) take out even a demon planet, but then
you will have to deal with an equivalent mass of nanites. See Stargate for details...

Also, as I recall, in DMB5 there is a planet under CAF blockade, on which something similar went out of control.

(*)It would take time, even is nanites are replicating exponentially. Also, there is a chance that the demon planet will
foresee - by Clairvoyance - the weapon and come up with a convenient counterspell.

Adios
KLM

[taalismn]

Yep...'grey goo' situations SUCK.
Worse if the Grey Goo acquires sentience, and decides it doesn't want to stop expanding.

[shiiv-a]

*shrugs*

as i said Tal . . i'ld have to post way too much to start the explaination.
then its a case of why bother.

no offense meant to any readers.

self replicating? . . they have those things? wow
but i'm not going by any known series of tv or movie.
Tal? did you share that info with anyone? i'll have to send the goonie squad after you if you did

[taalismn]

*shrugs*

as i said Tal . . i'ld have to post way too much to start the explaination.
then its a case of why bother.

no offense meant to any readers.

self replicating? . . they have those things? wow
but i'm not going by any known series of tv or movie.
Tal? did you share that info with anyone? i'll have to send the goonie squad after you if you did

Only enough to my associates that if something were to happen to me, certain protocols would be carried out.

And some of my associates ARE self-replicating nanites.

[DhAkael]

viewtopic.php?p=2385939#p2385939
Will be double posted soon...

[DhAkael]

viewtopic.php?p=2388819#p2388819

Click link for the post

[taalismn]

Paladin Steel/Aegis Stellar Industries Assegai Light Cruiser
http://i408.photobucket.com/albums/pp164/taalismn/img147copy.jpg

“The Assegai, overbuilt? We’re a new presence in this galaxy, in this universe. We’re the babes in the deep dark woods, stumbling around trying to find our place in this strange new land. A lot of people would have our place as being that of prey. We don’t want that. We can’t afford mistakes, so we can’t cut corners as much as we’d like, because we don’t know what we might face next week, or even the next hour. We have to be prepared, because there’s no opportunity for ‘oops, forgot to include that! I’ll remember that for next time!”; there is NO next time. So we build strong and we build redundant.”

“And what have we here...?”
“THAT certainly looks like the Galactic Police cruiser that passed us eighteen hours ago, doesn’t it?”
“ The one that advised us against travel in an unsecure sector of space, in spite of our declared intent and ability to patrol? It certainly does. Looks like they’re in a spot of trouble right now. They don’t appear to be under power and that isn’t their usual tow service, if I’m not mistaken.”
“To be more precise, that looks like a decommissioned heavy cruiser...as refitted as a pirate warship. Apparently refit powerful enough to overwhelm that GP vessel.”
“That damage doesn’t look faked, and those are boarding locks burned into it.”
“Any indication either of those ships is aware of us?”
“No sign, sir. Not a twitch or a challenge from the pirate, and the police cruiser’s otherwise preoccupied.”
“....with being stripped and looted as a prize. Oh dear, we can’t have the local sector law enforcement being mugged, can we? We should be good neighbors and help out our local police. Keep our current heading and reduced energy profile, but lay in an intercept course and prepare to hotstart the main engines. Have the Stelmarines prep for a hot dock behind cover fire. As soon as we clear this rock shielding us, fire a full spread of jammers and thermal decoys, then we’ll run a full raking broadside, attention to taking out their powerplant, bridge, and main weapons. Be careful not to hit the police ship and try not to vent the pirates’ life support? The ‘marines will be going for the parts of the ship opposite the boarding tubes. I want to shock and awe those brigands before they decide on a hostage gambit.”

The Assegai is PS/ASI’s equivalent of the Warshield Cruiser and is built along similar lines. Constructed on the same general frame as the Javelin-class missile cruiser and sharing many common components, the Assegai eschews speed and missile armament for direct firepower and endurance. Though Paladin Steel favors a ‘run as fast as you can’ to avoid fighting it out with more powerful and advanced foes, what with the state of PS/ASI’s technology, the ship architects realize that speed won’t always suffice to save their ships, and standing and fighting is the only choice. PS/ASI has designed the Assegai to be able to stand and fight, shielding less well-armored units and providing some muscle to their formations. The Assegai’s engines are still oversized to provide an extra kick of speed above many contemporary designs fielded by other star nations. The extra speed makes the vessel well-suited to escort duties, where it can keep up with fast transports and dash from one part of a convoy to another in response to threats.
Still, for all its extra legs, the Assegai is designed to deal out punishment and take it at direct fire ranges. Slightly larger and heavier than the Javelin, the Assegai devotes much of its extra mass to armor and armament. Its physical armor has been beefed up to the maximum that the frame can handle and attention has been paid to the force shielding. Long range missile capability is replaced with a mixed configuration of energy and kinetic weaponry, allowing the ship to stand and deliver at short to medium ranges, with a large laser for long range work, though a cut-down missile capacity is retained. Also, unlike the Javelin, the Assegai carries both a sizeable Stelmarine contingent and a squadron of fighters.
Assegais first saw combat with ASI’s convoy escorts, when the heavily-armed light cruisers were unleashed on pirate raiders. They have continued to see service with PS/ASI convoy security, but also serve as the heavy elements of the Amberjin space-based militia/defense force, the evolving heavy warship elements of the Greater New England Space Forces(and the associated ‘national mercenary’ units loaned out), and the Explorer Corps. Assegai based out of Amberjin have been conspicious in anti-piracy patrols in the sector, and have earned a respectable number of kills against pirates operating in the region.
PS/ASI has produced a number of variant models of the Assegai, as they tinker with various weapons configurations to find an optimal mix of systems. The ships are built at Valiant Station in Sol System and in the Amberjin yards in the Three Galaxies. Though PS/ASI/GNE directly own and operate the majority of CGG-08 Assegais thus far produced, a handful of the cruisers have been reportedly sold to affiliates.

Type: PSS/ASI-CGG-08 Assegai
Class: Light Cruiser
Crew: 90+ 40 man Stelmarine security contingent
MDC/Armor by Location:
Main Body 65,000
Bridge 10,000
Main Engine 3,000
Kinetic Kill Rail Cannons(3x5) 500 each
Medium Laser Cannon Turrets(2x8) 500 each
Point Defense Lasers(14) 90 each
Point Defense Rail Guns(10) 100 each
LR Missile Launchers (2) 550 each
Hangar Bay 3,000
Variable Forcefield 5,000 per side, 30,000 total
Height: 120 ft
Width: 220 ft
Length:550 ft
Weight: 120,000 tons
Cargo: 7,000 tons
Powerplant:Nuclear Fusion, w/ 20 year energy life
Speed:(Atmosphere) Hover to Escape Velocity
(Sublight)(Gravitic Drive) Mach 9
(Kitsune Values: 60% of light speed; Accelerates/decelerates at 0.9% of light speed per melee)
(FTL) 4 light years per hour
(Underwater) (all Marks) Not possible
Market Cost: Estimated cost at around 2.2 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
*Laser Targeting-------100,000 miles
*Communications Suite:---Long Range Radio and Video
* Laser Communications ---Tactical (i.e. ship-to fighter/shuttle)Range: 50,000 miles
*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.

*EW Jamming Systems---In combat, the Assegai will attempt to use its electronic warfare suite to confuse enemy sensors as to the ship’s exact position and activity. Communications Jamming has a 10,000 mile range, is 90% effective against civilian systems, and is 65% effective against more sophisticated channel-jumping military communications suites. Missiles and sensor-guided weapons are -4 to strike.

*Passive Stealth Systems----The Assegai uses passive stealth systems to reduce its sensor signature by as much as 40%, but in order to achieve this, the ship cannot be under acceleration, and its engines must be running ‘cold’.

Weapons Systems:
1) Heavy Laser(1)--Mounted low in the main hull is a massive laser generator feeding through a relatively small turret aperature. This is the cruiser’s main long range punch for both anti-spacecraft and surface attack work.
Range: 30 miles in atmosphere, 100 miles in space
(Kitsune Values: 100 miles in atmosphere, 100,000 miles in space)
Damage: 3d6x1,000 MD per blast
Rate of Fire: Once per melee
Payload: Effectively Unlimited

2)Twin-Barrel Medium Laser Cannons(8x2)---For a secondary armament, the cruiser mounts eight twin-barrel laser cannons.
Range: 7 miles in atmosphere, 14 miles in space
(Kitsune Values: 14 miles in atmosphere, 14,000 miles in space)
Damage: 1d4x100 MD per cannon, 2d4x100 MD per dual blast from both cannon in a turret simultaneously(one attack)
Rate of Fire: Twice per melee
Payload: Effectively unlimited

3) Long Range Missile Launchers(2)---These are not as large as those on the Javelin, with half the magazine capacity, but they still pack a punch.
Range: Varies by missile type(speed and range x4 in space)
(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, 4, 8, 16 per launcher
Payload: 80 LRMs per launcher-pod, 160 total

Alternately, the launchers can be modified to fire the following:
a)Heavy Nuclear Missile Launcher--These weapons were developed from early efforts to create an Alliance equivalent of the Galactic-level Cruise Missiles. The effort wasn’t entirely successful; the weapons have the range and warhead yield, but lack the advanced targeting and AI systemry of their galactic counterparts. They are also very large weapons, roughly the size of small SLBMs, making them fairly easy targets for Three Galaxies-standard point defense systems. To compensate for their lack of accuracy, PS mounted the heaviest nuclear warheads they could come up with in the Long Lance II missiles, counting on pure brute city-buster force to carry the day when more precise targeted strikes cannot. Paladin Steel has retained these weapons for special attack purposes, such as orbital platform strikes and attacks on massed enemy formations. These weapons are designed strictly for deep space use, and are NOT for use on surface targets; such use is BANNED by PS/VFS/GNE policy.
Range: 1,000 miles(4,000 miles in space)
(Kitsune Values: 3,400 miles in atmosphere, 1,800,000 miles in space)
Damage: 2d4 x 1,000 MD to a 2.6 mile destruction radius in space
Rate of Fire: Volleys of 1,2,3,4, or 6
Payload: 6 missiles per launcher

(Option) PS Long Lance IV---The Long Lance IV is the next generation heavy anti-spacecraft missile from PS, and was developed after the abysmal failure of most of the launched Long Lance IIs to reach the target during the Dreadnought Crisis . This SLBM-sized weapon is smarter, heavier, and carries its own ECM and countermeasures decoy launchers to give it a better chance of penetrating a target’s defenses. The Long Lance IV is available to both the Falx and the Javelin-class cruisers.
Range: 1500 miles(6,000 miles in space)
(Kitsune Values: 3,400 miles in atmosphere, 1,800,000 miles in space)
Damage: 2d4 x 1,000 MD to a 2.6 mile destruction radius in space
Bonuses/Special:
*ECM----The missile has its own expert system and EW transmitters for jamming enemy radar, as well as evading their sensors. The missile is -6 for guided weapons to strike. 60% chance of evading radar detection to begin with.
*Flare/Chaff Launchers(1, 6 bundles)
Damage: None; similar to Triax-style chaff
01-50 Enemy Missile or volley detonates in chaff and threat is nuetralized
51-75 Missile/Volley diverts and may pursue/lock on to other targets
76-00 No Effect! Missile(s) still on target!
Will also temporarily blind and impede flying monsters who fly into it.
Reduce APMs/combat bonuses/ speed by half for 1d4 melees

4) Kinetic Kill Rail Cannons(3x5)---Mounted in main hull turrets positioned one ventral and one dorsal each side of the hull, these weapons can pivot for maximum arc of fire.
Range: 10 miles(40 miles in space)
(Kitsune Values: 40 miles in atmosphere/ 40,000 miles in space)
Damage:1d4x100 MD per 80 rd burst, 2d4x100 MD double cannon burst, 3d4x100 MD per triple cannon burst
Rate of Fire:ECHH
Payload: 32,000 rds(400 bursts) per cannon before needing reloading from stores(takes about 30 minutes)

5) Point Defense Lasers(14)----Spaced around the hull are standard laser PDS turrets for fending off enemy fighters and missiles.
Range: 1 mile in atmosphere(4 miles in space)
(Kitsune Values: 4 miles in atmosphere/ 400 miles in space)
Damage: 2d6x10 MD per blast
Rate of Fire: ECHH
Payload: Effectively unlimited

(Optional)Slayer -D Quad- Laser Cannon(PS-RFL-40D)---A slightly more powerful quad-laser system with a higher rate of fire.
Range: 6,000 ft in atmosphere(4 miles in space)
(Kitsune Values: 4 miles in atmosphere/ 400 miles in space)
Mega-Damage: 2d10 MD single shot, 2d4x10 MD short burst (four shots, one from each barrel), or 4d4x10 MD medium burst (eight shots, two from each barrel in sequence).
Rate of Fire: EPCHH
Payload: Effectively unlimited

(Optional) Laser/Mini-Missile PDS----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

6) Point Defense Rail Guns(10)---Standard Phalanx-style rapid-fire chain guns.
Range: 6,000 ft in atmosphere, 2 miles in space
(Kitsune Values: 2 miles in atmosphere/ 200 miles in space)
Damage: 2d4x10 MD per 60 rd burst
Rate of Fire: EGCHH, or 6 attacks per melee in auto mode
Payload: 12,000 rds per gun(200 bursts each)
Radar Targeting Bonus: +3 to strike

(Optional)30mm Anti-Aircraft Flak Cannon---- Heavier automatic cannon with a slower rate of fire, but a heavier shell, modified for space, and mounted in a dual-mount.
Range:10,000 ft in atmosphere, 4 miles in space
(Kitsune Values: 4 miles in atmosphere/ 400 miles in space)
Damage:4d6 MD single rd, 1d6x10 MD two rd burst, 3d6x10 MD six-round burst. DOUBLE for both cannon firing simultaneously.
Rate of Fire:EPCHH
Payload:1600 rds, 800 rds per cannon
Radar Targeting Bonus: +2 to strike

Auxiliary Craft:
12 Aerospace Fighters (originally a mix of Hesperia and Gandiva fighters, but later replaced by the Star Tiger)
4 Shuttles

Variants:
*PSS/ASI-CGG-08D---This variant replaces the LRM launchers with four smaller medium range missile launchers, providing increased mass-barrage mid-range defensive fire at the expense of long range missile capability.
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, 2, 4, 5, or 10
Payload: 240 total, 60 missiles per launcher

*PSS/ASI-CGG-08E---An experimental model that does away with the LRM launchers altogether, and mounts an extra pair of heavy laser cannon in their place. This variant has great close-in firepower, but lacks long range projectile weaponry, limiting it in long range pursuit and fire support operations.
Range: 30 miles in atmosphere, 100 miles in space
(Kitsune Values: 100 miles in atmosphere, 100,000 miles in space)
Damage: 2d6x1,000 MD per blast, 4d6x1,000 MD for both cannons firing simultaneously on the same target.
Rate of Fire: Once per melee per cannon
Payload: Effectively Unlimited

*PSS/ASI-CGG-08G---This variant replaces the main laser cannon with a heavy massdriver cannon and ammunition.
Range: 20 miles in atmosphere, 300 miles in space
(Kitsune Values: 300 miles in atmosphere, 300,000 miles in space)
Damage:(Kinetic Slug) 6d6x100 MD
(Scattershot) 1d6x100 MD to a 1,000 ft wide swath
Rate of Fire: EGCHH(5 times per melee under computer operation)
Payload: 180 shells ready to fire; additional shells can be reloaded from cargo holds within 45 minutes(1 ton of cargo per 6 shells)


*PSS/ASI-CGG-08H---This variant replaces the main laser cannon with a heavy particle beam cannon, trading range for damage.
Range: 20 miles in atmosphere, 80 miles in space
(Kitsune Values: 80 miles in atmosphere, 80,000 miles in space)
Damage: 4d6x1,000 MD per blast
Rate of Fire: Once per melee
Payload: Effectively Unlimited

[taalismn]

(modified from DhAkael’s original text)

Abyssal Dragon Battleship
http://i408.photobucket.com/albums/pp164/taalismn/img148.jpg
http://i408.photobucket.com/albums/pp164/taalismn/img149copy.jpg

“We are registering multiple impacts on the enemy facility....ah, we are detecting a cessation of electromagnetic activity at the target site. Multiple short-lived gravitic spikes consistant with the collapse of gravitic forcefields and implosions of singularity powerplants! At least one megaton radiation event.”
“Any drive signatures?”
“None on the planet. All ceased at the same time as the second plasma bombardment. The only technological activity we’re picking up are two of the cruisers, damaged, and attempting to limp out-system.”
“Pursue and finish them off at long range.”
“Very good, War-Captain. Shall we scan and finish off any lifepods?”
“Standard scans only. If any of the brain-eaters have survived, they will know the consequences of raiding in our territory. Let them carry the word to their fellows, if they can, that they are NOT the alpha predators in this Arm!”

The Abyssal Dragon is the Darkwaters’ variant on the Storm Dragon battleship, first introduced by the Hawkmoon clan. Positioning itself as the ‘deep space’ clan, the DarkWaters were pleased with the main firepower of the Storm Dragon, but felt that for such a large ship, its secondary armaments, especially its missile and point defense armaments, were badly lacking, rendering the ship a target to overwhelming swarm tactics. The Abyssal Dragon sought to remedy those shortcomings with a substantial overhaul and refit of the design, meant to increase the original design’s firepower.
The original missile armament has been beefed up; the launchers moved from their positions at the top of the hull to the lateral ‘wing’ nacelles, and both their rate of fire and magazine capacity greatly expanded. The secondary laser armament has been doubled and additional point defense systems have been added. The hangars have also been expanded to carry additional shuttles or fightercraft, depending on available manpower and mission needs.
All the added armament comes at a slight decrease in overall speed in normal space manuevering speed, but the Darkwaters apparently have no problems with that; favoring using the greater missile barrage capacity to hamstring fleeing opponents, then close in for the kill.
The Abyssal Dragon also features an improved FTL drive, allowing for faster supra-light deployments, in keeping with the far-ranging Darkwaters’ deep space doctrines.
Abyssal Dragons have thus far appeared only in the aerospace forces of the Darkwaters. Currently the numbers of Abyssal Dragons to the original Storm Dragon is on the order of one Abyssal for every six Storm Dragons in the Darkwaters’ ranks, but that is expected to change as the Darkwaters gear up for larger-scale production of the improved warship.
Model: ES-SD MK2.0Dw
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 Complement:
1 warsteed (varies) for every 3 warriors; appoximately 560+ warsteeds.
6 Scarab Assault-Shuttles (Typically troop-transport model).
24 Fighters(or an additional 8 assault shuttles)

M.D.C./Armor by Location:
Head / Forward 3rd.: 40,000
Hvy. Plasma-Torpedo Ejector (“Mouth” area): 7,500
Antiship Laser Batteries (12): 1,200 each
Heavy Railcannons (4; 2 in each “leg” pod): 2,500 each
Point Deffense Railguns (24): 180 each
Point Defense Turrets(20) 200 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, except for an orbital insertion boost of Mach 9.
FTL: 6 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: 58 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) Heavy Plasma Torpedo Ejector(1)--- Located in the “mouth of the 'dragon 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!
This weapon remains unchanged from the original Hawkmoon configuration.
Range: 100 miles in atmosphere, 500 miles (800km) in space; X10 range when in strategic combat.
(Kitsune Values: 100 miles in atmosphere, 100,000 miles in space(1 million miles in strategic/planetary bombardment combat!))
Damage: 2D4X1,000 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).
Rate of Fire: 3 per round.
Payload: effectively unlimited, 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 (12): Located port & starboard (4 dorsal, 4 ventral) with another four mounted in the tail quarter, and covered by folding armour plates are concealed medium 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.
The DarkWaters have TRIPLED the number of these weapons from the original Hawkmoon design. The updated weapons also have a higher rate of fire in keeping with 3G medium laser batteries, while improved targeting reduces the penalties for striking smaller targets.
Range: 20 miles in atmosphere, 55miles (88km) in space;X10 range when in strategic combat
(Kitsune Values: 20 miles in atmosphere, 20,000 miles in space( 200,000 miles in strategic/planetary bombardment combat!))
Damage: 3D6X100 per laser battery shot.
Rate of Fire: 4 shots per battery per melee round
Payload: Effectively unlimited.
Capitol Ship scale= -5 to strike small targets.

3) Heavy 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.
These weapons remain unchanged from the original Hawkmoon configuration.
Range: 60 miles in atmosphere, 120 miles in space; X10 in strategic combat.
(Kitsune Values: 60 miles in atmosphere, 60,000 miles in space(600,000 miles in strategic/planetary bombardment combat!))
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, per gun.
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 (24): 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.
The DarkWaters TRIPLED the original number of these turrets.
Range: 3miles (4.8km) in atmosphere, 6 miles in space.
(Kitsune Values: 3 miles in atmosphere, 300 miles in space)
Damage: 1D6X10 per 10 round burst.
Rate of Fire: 1 burst per action or 4 attacks automated.
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) Point Defense Turrets(20)---Standard Shemarrian-pattern rail gun/pulse laser combination in a common turret. The Darkwaters added these weapons for additional coverage as they become available and commonplace on Shemarrian warships; they are normally concealed under hull panels
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


6) Vertical LRM / Torpedo Launchers (3; 1 each wing, one dorsal)---- The original three-tube launchers have been replaced with larger fifteen-tube bateries with larger magazine capacity. Typically these launchers are loaded with plasma or gravitic warheads.
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 1-15
Payload: 150 missiles per launcher ready to launch(450 total); additional missiles may be carried and loaded from cargo, but will take at least 1 hour(1 ton of cargo per 12 missiles)

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 Stormdragons 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 Stormdragons 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.

[Aramanthus]

WOW! That is all I can say. You guys are producing some awesome works. I'm not much of an artist. I have to get some ships produced to post. Although without any pics.


It has been too long since I was here last. I had some prodding to get me to return. I'm hoping I'll be here more often. I want to be here more.

[taalismn]

WOW! That is all I can say. You guys are producing some awesome works. I'm not much of an artist. I have to get some ships produced to post. Although without any pics.


It has been too long since I was here last. I had some prodding to get me to return. I'm hoping I'll be here more often. I want to be here more.

Glad to hear from you again....Yeah, I add what I can, but not as much as I'd like.

[KLM]

Hi there!

Nice ship. My two vitrual cent additions (as usual):
For a ship of 50+ Mtons, both the pricetag and the amount of cargo/troops/fighters is a bit low, I would raise
both categories three- or even five times (or lower mass to a more convenient 15 million tons).

Abyssal Dragon Battleship
(...)
3) Heavy 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.
These weapons remain unchanged from the original Hawkmoon configuration.
Range: 60 miles in atmosphere, 120 miles in space; X10 in strategic combat.
(Kitsune Values: 60 miles in atmosphere, 60,000 miles in space(600,000 miles in strategic/planetary bombardment combat!))
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, per gun.
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.

For this weapon, I would add, that the projectiles are CG assisted round, which are capable for slight trajectory
adjustments (maybe command guided by the 'Dragon or even forward observers) OR impose a penalty with
increasing ranges.
Range: 15 miles in atmosphere with a +1 to Dodge for targets for every 5 miles beyond that - ie. +10 to dodge at
65 miles
60 miles in space, +1 to dodge for every additional 10 miles.
(ie. it hits stationary targets with easily).

Adios
KLM

[Aramanthus]

I'm glad to see all of the new ships since I was here last spring. I'm looking forward to seeing new stuff.

[abtex]

WOW! That is all I can say. You guys are producing some awesome works. I'm not much of an artist. I have to get some ships produced to post. Although without any pics.

Ask ZINO he will know someone who has a picture for your ships.

It has been too long since I was here last. I had some prodding to get me to return. I'm hoping I'll be here more often. I want to be here more.

Prodding? Threating him with a Bulldozer is prodding?

[taalismn]

[

It has been too long since I was here last. I had some prodding to get me to return. I'm hoping I'll be here more often. I want to be here more.

Prodding? Threating him with a Bulldozer is prodding?

Oh come on! It was a backhoe! Not a bulldozer! A backhoe!

[Aramanthus]

Oh that bulldozer was way cool! How about some ships that serve as mobile construction facilities. Even mobile yards. What do you think of those sort of ideas?

[taalismn]

Hi there!

Nice ship. My two vitrual cent additions (as usual):
For a ship of 50+ Mtons, both the pricetag and the amount of cargo/troops/fighters is a bit low, I would raise
both categories three- or even five times (or lower mass to a more convenient 15 million tons).

Abyssal Dragon Battleship
(...)
3) Heavy 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.
These weapons remain unchanged from the original Hawkmoon configuration.
Range: 60 miles in atmosphere, 120 miles in space; X10 in strategic combat.
(Kitsune Values: 60 miles in atmosphere, 60,000 miles in space(600,000 miles in strategic/planetary bombardment combat!))
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, per gun.
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.

For this weapon, I would add, that the projectiles are CG assisted round, which are capable for slight trajectory
adjustments (maybe command guided by the 'Dragon or even forward observers) OR impose a penalty with
increasing ranges.
Range: 15 miles in atmosphere with a +1 to Dodge for targets for every 5 miles beyond that - ie. +10 to dodge at
65 miles
60 miles in space, +1 to dodge for every additional 10 miles.
(ie. it hits stationary targets with easily).

Adios
KLM

Thanks. Seeing as I'm already modifying DhAkael’s original AU-based design, making the ship lighter with more advanced materials would be in keeping with the Darkwaters' more advanced space technologies.
Seems I didn't push that enough.
Tier 3 Modification programme maybe?
Expect changes soon.

[abtex]

Prodding? Threating him with a Bulldozer is prodding?

Oh come on! It was a backhoe! Not a bulldozer! A backhoe!

I guess I needed to get pushed to return.

My uncle has a bulldozer if will help 'push' you back on to the board.

The little one
http://nealhenshaw.com/artifacts/Manly% ... ldozer.jpg

The one he can borrow
http://www.tacomaworld.com/gallery/data ... zer-10.jpg

It's big but small compared to the huge ones.
... bigger but still small
http://host.trivialbeing.org/up/transfo ... ldozer.JPG

No it was a Bulldozer.

[Aramanthus]

So I take it you like my idea of construction ships?

[taalismn]

So I take it you like my idea of construction ships?

Yes. I've had a few ideas in my mind on the topic, and the Brunel and Goethal starships were meant as modular repair/tender ships, but larger more traditional flying shipyards were something I wanted to tackle after doing some smaller ships and a few concept craft as lead-up.

[KLM]

Hi there!

So I take it you like my idea of construction ships?

Yes. I've had a few ideas in my mind on the topic, and the Brunel and Goethal starships were meant as modular repair/tender ships, but larger more traditional flying shipyards were something I wanted to tackle after doing some smaller ships and a few concept craft as lead-up.

And first of all: asteroid eaters.

Adios
KLM