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taalismn wrote:Depending on your tech-base...using your patrol ships as tugs or wear your cargo as external canisters where they provide extra physical shielding...NOT recommended for troop carrying, though, unless you take 'ablative meat shields' seriously as a concept.

That added Mass would cause issue with FTL and sub light drives you need to apply inertia to over come its tendency to stay still or slow down. In addition might cause issue with weapons turrets.

Again, both the Proctor (which is used as a light frigate to patrol "light" areas) and the Scimitar have sizeable cargo space.

Of course they are not able to transport away the stuff from a mining colony (except maybe from gemstone mines or even gold mines)...

IMO with nanotech manufacturing capabilities, outposts only need a few things as resupply.

KLM wrote:Again, both the Proctor (which is used as a light frigate to patrol "light" areas) and the Scimitar have sizeable cargo space.

Of course they are not able to transport away the stuff from a mining colony (except maybe from gemstone mines or even gold mines)...

IMO with nanotech manufacturing capabilities, outposts only need a few things as resupply.

Define Sizable, how much of that sizable cargo hold is required for the needs of the ship. They are long range patrol ships that need to sustain there crew for extended periods of times, need to carry materials to make repairs if they are damaged in battle in remote places. You see the space it there see it as being as completely open. They might do emergency resupplies when they can but I do not see them as having the capacity to do their primary mission and doing regular resupply missions.

Looking at Ocean going war ships most have Sizable cargo holds for the supplies they need to do their mission, but most do not do resupplies of other ships, ports or bases on regular basis. They may be called upon for emergency help but with such but not part of the day to day operations.

Blue_Lion wrote:

KLM wrote:Again, both the Proctor (which is used as a light frigate to patrol "light" areas) and the Scimitar have sizeable cargo space.

Of course they are not able to transport away the stuff from a mining colony (except maybe from gemstone mines or even gold mines)...

IMO with nanotech manufacturing capabilities, outposts only need a few things as resupply.

Define Sizable, how much of that sizable cargo hold is required for the needs of the ship.

How much of it is needed for the ship itself? Nil.

The cargo weight (and sometimes space) given by the ship description is IN ADDITION of the standard life support.

Blue_Lion wrote:Looking at Ocean going war ships most have Sizable cargo holds for the supplies they need to do their mission

Well, unless I am mistaken, wet navy ships on Earth's present and past, do not have antimatter reactors, CG propulsion or even the multi-tool from DMB2, pg. 143.

And of course, the scenarios/missions they are designed for do not include things like Rifts Projector Cannons or Bottle Demon Missiles

KLM wrote:

Blue_Lion wrote:Looking at Ocean going war ships most have Sizable cargo holds for the supplies they need to do their mission

Well, unless I am mistaken, wet navy ships on Earth's present and past, do not have antimatter reactors, CG propulsion or even the multi-tool from DMB2, pg. 143.

And of course, the scenarios/missions they are designed for do not include things like Rifts Projector Cannons or Bottle Demon Missiles

But they do have machine shops and nuclear reactors. Does the multi-tool just whip up replacement parts from scratch or does in need material to make repairs with?

Wait according to the book it is just a reconfigurable tool. So no it can not make repairs without material so they still need to carry parts or materials to make repairs from.

Blue_Lion wrote:

KLM wrote:

Blue_Lion wrote:Wait according to the book it is just a reconfigurable tool. So no it can not make repairs without material so they still need to carry parts or materials to make repairs from.

First of all, let me enjoy that sentence in bold.

So, you have "the" book and take it as canon. Then please check pg169, where it states that the cargo space (for the Scimitar) does not include the normal 2 years supplies (which can be stretched to five or so years due to the hydrophonic garden). This takes care of your question of Sunday Dec 28, 2014 12:01 pm.
It would be advisable to check canon each and every time (or state that you deviate from it in any given question).

On the other hand, a machine shop usually cannot fix a broken component (especially not an integrated circuit). Nanotech can.

KLM wrote:

Blue_Lion wrote:

KLM wrote:

Blue_Lion wrote:Wait according to the book it is just a reconfigurable tool. So no it can not make repairs without material so they still need to carry parts or materials to make repairs from.

First of all, let me enjoy that sentence in bold.

So, you have "the" book and take it as canon. Then please check pg169, where it states that the cargo space (for the Scimitar) does not include the normal 2 years supplies (which can be stretched to five or so years due to the hydrophonic garden). This takes care of your question of Sunday Dec 28, 2014 12:01 pm.
It would be advisable to check canon each and every time (or state that you deviate from it in any given question).

On the other hand, a machine shop usually cannot fix a broken component (especially not an integrated circuit). Nanotech can.

I checked when I knew where to check. I did not know what book the ship was in. This was the first reference with the page.

I would not call a 20X20X200 large enough or good for regular resupply missions on long range missions, most material is more than 25 pounds per cubic foot so I doubt the full space is used. Looking at what things weigh I do not think that most places that need resupplied will last long on that. So it is Cargo hold is to small to do normal resupplies of remote outpost and colonies more so because it appears to be made to run long tours likely 6 months or more between major ports.

And you misquoted the book.
It is two years including the garden, but in emergency can be stretched to 5 or 6.

But If you check my questions I never stated a ship model I was talking long range patrol ships in general.

Some interesting new ships. I like them.

In my own game I have the CCW fielding a variety of extra classes including some heavy cruisers, battle cruisers. II am planning on continuing to add various new classes as time allows.

I think each races will keep Civilians Shipyards.
With each ther own look and Style.

gaby wrote:I think each races will keep Civilians Shipyards.
With each ther own look and Style.

Not to mention maybe the possibility of business centered on renting the services of "neutral" shipyards to any of a variety of private interests, where one can make repairs, dismantle, reverse-engineer or build up things from scratch with no questions asked.

gaby wrote:I think each races will keep Civilians Shipyards.
With each ther own look and Style.

Not necessarily; there will also tend to be latecomers or low-tech species who are new to the galactic scene; they'll be tempted(or strong-armed) into buying more advanced technology, initially in hopes of reverse-engineering it, but mainly because it's an easier way to 'boot-strap' up into the galactic community.
SMART shipyards in the already established star-nations will design their ships so that their interior fittings can be modified to accommodate a variety of physiologies and life support needs, so you can have thousands of externally generic-looking vessels, but with a wide range of internally different fittings and environments. After awhile, these species will simply keep buying from outside sources, or will become dependent, out of sheer laziness.
After all, you don't build your own car, do you? You go down to the local dealership and you buy what they got. Unless you're a serious DIY-er.
Also, physics, certain realities of economy, and standardization with regards to galactic port facilities will dictate similarities in basic design, so species looking to successfully interface with the galactic economies will tend not to design craft whose appearance and features interfere with docking and efficient cargo loading.

taalismn wrote:

gaby wrote:I think each races will keep Civilians Shipyards.
With each ther own look and Style.

Not necessarily; there will also tend to be latecomers or low-tech species who are new to the galactic scene; they'll be tempted(or strong-armed) into buying more advanced technology, initially in hopes of reverse-engineering it, but mainly because it's an easier way to 'boot-strap' up into the galactic community.
SMART shipyards in the already established star-nations will design their ships so that their interior fittings can be modified to accommodate a variety of physiologies and life support needs, so you can have thousands of externally generic-looking vessels, but with a wide range of internally different fittings and environments. After awhile, these species will simply keep buying from outside sources, or will become dependent, out of sheer laziness.
After all, you don't build your own car, do you? You go down to the local dealership and you buy what they got. Unless you're a serious DIY-er.
Also, physics, certain realities of economy, and standardization with regards to galactic port facilities will dictate similarities in basic design, so species looking to successfully interface with the galactic economies will tend not to design craft whose appearance and features interfere with docking and efficient cargo loading.

True, true, spacecraft with very unusual features in starship design philosophy might be seen as an indicators of a civilization new to the mainstream or at least with very particular in its relation with it.

SolCannibal wrote:[True, true, spacecraft with very unusual features in starship design philosophy might be seen as an indicators of a civilization new to the mainstream or at least with very particular in its relation with it.

"We expect YOU to adapt to OUR standards, even though we're new to this galaxy."

Kinda reminds me of how Mongolia has a different railroad track gauge from that of China and Russia, because of a deliberate effort to prevent the railroads from being used as an invasion route.

taalismn wrote:

SolCannibal wrote:[True, true, spacecraft with very unusual features in starship design philosophy might be seen as an indicators of a civilization new to the mainstream or at least with very particular in its relation with it.

"We expect YOU to adapt to OUR standards, even though we're new to this galaxy."

Kinda reminds me of how Mongolia has a different railroad track gauge from that of China and Russia, because of a deliberate effort to prevent the railroads from being used as an invasion route.

So sometimes incompatibilities can be turned into an advantage...

SolCannibal wrote:

taalismn wrote:

SolCannibal wrote:[True, true, spacecraft with very unusual features in starship design philosophy might be seen as an indicators of a civilization new to the mainstream or at least with very particular in its relation with it.

"We expect YOU to adapt to OUR standards, even though we're new to this galaxy."

Kinda reminds me of how Mongolia has a different railroad track gauge from that of China and Russia, because of a deliberate effort to prevent the railroads from being used as an invasion route.

So sometimes incompatibilities can be turned into an advantage...

Yeah, but it can also royally screw you up.
Voyage to the Far Side of the Sun(old sci-fi movie), the situation gets utterly FUBARed when nobody considers that the mirror-image Earth spacecraft might have OPPOSITE polarity electrical systems, and a docking sequence goes HORRIBLY wrong.

taalismn wrote:

SolCannibal wrote:

taalismn wrote:

SolCannibal wrote:[True, true, spacecraft with very unusual features in starship design philosophy might be seen as an indicators of a civilization new to the mainstream or at least with very particular in its relation with it.

"We expect YOU to adapt to OUR standards, even though we're new to this galaxy."

Kinda reminds me of how Mongolia has a different railroad track gauge from that of China and Russia, because of a deliberate effort to prevent the railroads from being used as an invasion route.

So sometimes incompatibilities can be turned into an advantage...

Yeah, but it can also royally screw you up.
Voyage to the Far Side of the Sun(old sci-fi movie), the situation gets utterly FUBARed when nobody considers that the mirror-image Earth spacecraft might have OPPOSITE polarity electrical systems, and a docking sequence goes HORRIBLY wrong.

As one who has seen friends and relatives losing eletronics and other stuff due to forgetting about voltage standard variations in different states and such, i can picture that kind of thing all too well.

I stand corrected; in Journey to the Far Side of the Sun they outsmart themselves and don't account for SHARED polarity. They still screw up badly. My bad.

Paladin Steel ‘Auriga’ Light Interstellar Transport
http://i408.photobucket.com/albums/pp164/taalismn/Auriga%20lifting_zpszfhu3gzx.jpg

“This is GNEASS Ines de Suarez, responding to your distress call...You sent no distress call? Sounded like it. Oh, that’s your regular locator beacon? Well, then, how about we come down and do some business instead?”

“These small trader ships can be rather cramped and claustrophobic if you’re making long duration voyages on long-hauls, but quite cozy if you don’t need a lot of life support. I’m a Halley-fullcon, and my life-companion’s a cyberhumanoid android in body, so we get along just fine without a lot of open cubic to stretch out in, even on long jumps, but I realize not everybody’s like me and Saiko. Other folks I know who are looking to use ships like the Auriga as a long-jumper typically invest in hibercapsules to pass the time between ports. Me and Saiko? We like looking at the stars as they pass by. ”

The ‘Auriga’-class LIT is yet another in Paladin Steel/Aegis Stellar Industries’ line of small, inexpensive, multi-role starships and aerospace transports. It was developed as a scaled-down version of the transport conversion-builds of the Falx/Masakari Space Destroyer series, and shares a similar configuration, albeit on a smaller scale.
The Auriga resembles what one observer called a ‘cross between the Seattle Space Needle and a Cold War Soviet space launcher”, with a cylindrical core body, large bulbous habitat module, and four large ‘strap on’ booster engines. Like many ASI commercial designs, the Auriga is a ‘tail-sitter’, landing and taking off in an upright position. This may take some getting used to for pilots more used to aerodyne designs, and tail-sitters have always been criticized on concerns about stability, but the design is sturdy and stable. For added stability during in-atmo flying, aerodynamic vanes can be deployed, and an ‘aerobrake shroud’ can be extended to provide further passive braking.
Cargo is held in the lower hull and is loaded/unloaded through cargo doors between the engine pods, facilitated by extendable cranes. The upper decks also have several extendable ‘balconies’ for use as observation platforms, small vehicle landing platforms, and cargo crane gantries. The Auriga doesn’t have a large amount of cargo, making it a poor choice for heavy trading, but it suits a short-range excursion ship, courier, and piece-work trader just fine.
The decentralization of the engine block may cause some problems with centralized engineering and maintenance, but the design also allows for a great degree of redundancy; the Auriga can fly on just two engines if it has to.
The Auriga is very well armored for its size, and features a basic monoplanar commercial forceshield as standard. It can be fitted with basic self-defense armaments, such as point defense turrets, but cannot accommodate heavier weaponry without substantially reworking the ship’s configuration(such as cutting into the already tight crew accommodations).
Like many PS/ASI craft, the design is tolerant of modification, and a number of commissioned and post-market modifications are available. Most such focus on upgrading the ship’s defensive capabilities or propulsion, but Aurigas have been seen sporting a variety of improved sensors, extendable solar array ‘wings’, cargo manipulators, and even expanded accommodation quarters.
The Auriga is not recommended for use as a combat vehicle, but it has proven popular as a light scout craft, courier, and planetary exploration lander. It is sometimes purchased as a large long-range pinnace or auxiliary craft for larger vessels. There have been some cases of buyers fitting the ships as customs/police corvettes, or pressing them into service as defense ships.
Aurigas are marketed as in-system vessels, short-hop general purpose light transports, inter-system couriers, personal yachts, and as auxiliary craft for larger starships and spacestations. Paladin Steel/Aegis Stellar Industries has also been developing larger free-space ‘barges’(based on the WZTechyard WZ-MCF-100 ‘Behemoth’ and WZ-MCF-500 ‘Immense’ heavy transports, also manufactured under license by ASI) that the Aurigas can link to, to serve as command modules, addressing the issue of cargo capacity.

Type: PS/ASI LInstel-SC027 Auriga
Class: Light Interstellar Transport
Crew: 2, with provision fof 1-20 passengers/crew
MDC/Armor by Location:
Main Body 3,200
Cockpit 700
Escape Pod Bay 200
Hangar Bays(2) 200 each
Communications Array 300
Sensor Arrays(2) 300 each
*Engine Thrusters(4) 700 each
**Forcefield 500

*The Auriga can fly in atmosphere on as few as two engines
**The standard forcefield is upgradeable

Height/Length: 270 ft
Width: 84 ft
Weight: 3,000 tons
Cargo: Up to 800 tons of cargo/consumables/supplies carried internally.
Up to eight Class III(‘Giant’) Cargo Cans can be externally strapped on, adding 160 tons of additional cargo capacity, but this will impose a 25% reduction in atmospheric speed and a -15% to piloting roles in atmosphere/gravity well operations.
Powerplant: Nuclear Fusion. estimated energy life of 30 years
(Can be supplemented/extended thru use of solar cells and alternate power sources)
Speed:
(Atmosphere): Hover to 300 mph, plus Mach 7 transatmospheric boost mode.
(Sublight) Mach 8
(Kitsune Values: 50% of light speed; Accelerates/decelerates at 0.8% of light speed per melee)
(FTL) 3 light years per hour
(Underwater) Not possible. The vessel can land and take off in shallow water, landing on the beach bottom, but cannot operate completely submerged.

Market Cost: 35 million credits in the Three Galaxies, 2-5 times that in the Rifts Earth solar system.

Systems of Note:
Standard Starship Systems, plus:

*Aerobrakes---Passive atmospheric braking system; the ship will lose 10% of its speed per hour of skimming through the upper reaches of a planetary atmosphere.

*Life Pods: Carries 4 6-man lifeboats.

Weapons Systems: None, but has provision for being fitted with up to six PDS/light weapons stations. Can also be fitted with up to eight countermeasure launchers/systems such as chaff pods or scrambler field generators.
Some users have adapted the external cargo clamps to carry additional weaponry, typically various missile launchers, countermeasure launchers, mine dispensers, or gun pods.

Auxiliary Vehicles:
2 Light Aerospace Fighters or Light Shuttles
2 Cargo Porter Hoverjets(or equivalent)
2 Hoverjet Transports
Plus has room for 4-12 other vehicles( Nothing larger than 15 ft tall/long)

Options:
Most modifications to the Auriga focus on adding weapons systems, extra crew comforts, additional forcefield protection, or beefing up the engines for greater speed and endurance, but there are also the popular following options:

*Manipulator Arms---The Auriga can be outfitted with extendable robotic manipulator armatures. *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.

*Solar Sail----A giant solar sail can be deployed for slow in-system cruising(accelerates at roughly 1% of light speed per MONTH, and can only hit a maximum speed of 10% of light). This system is sometimes added as an emrgency drive system, leisurely cruising, or low-energy expenditure, high economy, ‘slow’ runs. Cost: 5 million credits

*Booster Pods(2)---Two large booster pods can be added to the lower hull, on the sides of the hull not serviced by cargo bay doors. These additional engines have their own powerplants and fuel supply, and can boost maximum space speed to Mach 11. Cost: 58 million credits.

*Expanded Accommodations---This hull modification takes advantage of the modular hull design to ‘chop and graft’ a new section of hull module into the forward section. This adds an additional 15 ft of height and 80 tons of weight to the ship, but also adds 500 MDC to the main body and room for an additional 15 passengers, or 25 tons of cargo. Cost: 500,000 credits.

*Amphibious Operation----This option allows the Auriga to land in open water and float upright like a freefloating lighthouse or FLIPship, though typically the vessel is then anchored with several anchor lines. The ship can lift off from the water(often in a spectacular cloud of steam) as normal. Cost: 300,000 credits.

*Forcefield Enhancement---The standard forcefield can be replaced with more powerful generators for added protection.
*Forcefield Generator --- Generates a more powerful single field force shield of 900 MDC. Cost: 480,000 credits

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


***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: 7 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.

*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

Here is a secret document taken from the TGE files by Resistance members and translated into Gal 4:
FILE # TGE-II-9757902-5X

Shark Folk Fighter

Length: 8 meters/ 26 feet
Height: 3 meters/ 10 feet
Width: 4 meters/ 13 feet
Mass: 17 Tons
Hull Composition: Durasteel Equivalent
Propulsion: Nuclear with 1 Year Life
Maximum Speed: Flying; Mach 12 in Space & Mach 4.2 in Atmosphere
FTL/Speed: No
Crew: 1 Pilot/Gunner
Weapons:
1) Spinal Mounted Mass-Driver/Railgun (x 1); Range: 500 km, Damage: 3D6 (X 10) MD, SLOW Rate of fire, approx 1 shot every 15 seconds
2) "Fin" Laser (X 2): Range: 5,000 feet, Damage: 1D6 (X 10)
3) Antimatter Cannons (X 1 in "Mouth"), Range: 2,000 feet), Damage: 2d6 (X 10), Fails to damage Force Fields at all, but un-shielded vessels took heavy damage.
4) Missile Launchers (X 1 Pop-Out Belly Turret), Launches Short Range Missiles in Volleys of 2/4/6, but only carries 18 Missiles
5) NEW Short Range Missile: Anti-Matter Warhead: Damage: 3D4 (X 10) MD to Matter only, No Damage to Energy Fields!!!

Estimated MDC of target:
Rail Gun; 150 MD
Fin Lasers; 75 MD Each
Anti-Matter Cannon; 180 MD
Pop-Out Missile Turret; 95 MD
Main Body; 400 MD
Force Field; 100 MD

BONUSES: +6 to DODGE! Extremely agile! May attempt to Dodge Missile Volley at NO Bonus, but costs half APM!

Sensors are mostly Standard, with enhanced Electrical Detection Gear (+3 to Hit Tech Targets, -3 To Hit Non-Tech, Techno-Magic is normal To Hit)

The bad news is, that anti-matter cannon has atrocious range for a space weapon. Crewmen on your target vessel could be blasting at you with PISTOLS from the ship's hull and still score on you.

I know. As a designer, I did that on purpose. I was concerned about Munchkin-Issues. Also, it's on a fast fighter, which will be deployed in groups. When eight of them streak in at 2 Machs faster than most fighters, and a +6 Dodge bonus...Well it's a bad day to be a defender.

Just that if I had one, I'd tear out the anti-matter cannon and substitute two JA-12-style pulse laser rifles, or a single TW Sphere of Annihilation projector...better range and damage for dual-fire on the pulse lasers even if the opposition is packing laser-reflective damage.

Did you not notice the Rail Gun?

500 Kilometer Range

GaredBattlespike wrote:Did you not notice the Rail Gun?

500 Kilometer Range

Balanced/hampered by its atrociously slow rate of fire AND the fact it is a spinal weapon, meaning one always needs to turn on the ship's axis to decently fire it at anything.

Yes. Again, it is just a single-seat fighter.

It zips in as fast as it can, and blasts the targets in front of it.

Better options are for bigger craft.

Paladin Steel STAR FOX ATTACK FIGHTER
(Aka ‘Wasp’, ‘Lightning III’)

“Sure it’s one of the most dynamic ships we’ve built to date, but what I’m wondering is how bad we’re in hock to whoever provided us with the high tech to make these things a reality...Are we building these things or RENTING them?”
-----Cholam Vartoc, Paladin Steel Board of Directors

“First time I saw a Star Fox, I thought to myself that I’d died and gone to heaven! This ship’s the ride of avenging angels!”
----Captain Roberta Thayer, Vermont Free State Space Force

The Arkhon fighters were still off on the other side of Saturn, engaging the other two squadrons of StarFoxes and associated auxiliaries of Taskforce Hotaru when the Saratoga’s squadrons made the dash for the endzone on Titan.
Captain Hollybachi gritted his teeth as his fighter’s twin CGs ground him with acceleration. The techs back home had never managed to come up with a perfect g-compensator field, despite their promises, and he was feeling it now. His Star Fox, Red Devil, whipped through the outer layer of slow-moving satellite defenses before they knew he was even approaching. The idiot machines were too confused, unable to decide whether to fire on the target that was now effectively within their defense line, or engage the larger, slower-moving mass of targets following him. Their indecision cost them, as a wave of shotgun kinetics tore into them. Now he wouldn’t have to face incoming fire from above AND below.
But he and his flight still had the undoubtably smarter and tougher inner satellite ring, and whatever other surprises the Arkies hadn’t bothered dedicating to savaging Taskforce Hotaru. At least that was what they planned for....the Arkies had surprised them before.
His tactical HUD flashed at him, warning him that he was coming to the the inner line of defense sats, and these ‘bots, warned by their dumb outer brethren, were smarter and more dangerous...they’d be ready for him, and sure enough, his sensors were tracking three altering orbit to close up on where they THOUGHT he might be and catch the fighter in a crossfire. He called up the weapons menu and with the ease of long practice chose an attack option. He could feel, rather than see, his nacelle pod launchers open up in response to his command, the weapons priming and taking their directions, before puffing free and lighting off.
His split-missiles lit off and dashed off in wildly weaving patterns, dodging microwave targeting radar probes and lockons. He immediately threw his own fighter into a wildly gyrating turn pattern of his own...if the sats managed to backtrack the missile paths, they might spot him, but they couldn’t(he hoped) anticipate his vector pattern. Half of the SRMs were gone before he could complete his evasive pattern, shot down by the sats’ defenses, but enough of them got through...of the three sats he’d targeted, two flared and disappeared from his scopes. The last was drawing a bead on him, lockon alarms screaming in his ears, so he lit off two precious GMR decoys on parallel courses to his. The small GMR- and fusion-propelled missiles briefly aped his movements as he spun to lose the sat’s target lock, approaching all the closer to the killer robot. Then the formation split, as he released another volley of missiles, and he eased his fighter behind the flaring drive of one of the decoys. In his mind’s-eye virtual environment display, the searchlight-like targeting beam wavered then slid over to the decoy that was making a wide turn to flank the battle satellite. With an outrush of breath, Hollybachi gunned his engines and slid back up behind his missile volley, nearly neck and neck with it. His screens detected incoming AM fire, and his forward aerofield rocked and sparked as a pulse laser tracked and brushed across it, detonating several of the SRMs in the process...but it was only a low-priority anti-missile laser...not a triblaster barrage...someone up ahead had decided that priority went to killing fighters and launch platforms, and was no doubt backtracking some serious fire power on his decoys lagging behind. Hollybachi meant to capitalize on that mistake before the computers, or the remote gunners, realized the real target was closing in suicidally close behind its own missile volley. Now almost close enough to visually eyeball his target, he brought the particle beam cannons up online, surprised the satellite with a burst of laser targeting, and fired his cannon in a long three-second pulse. The satellite cue went dark and vanished off his screen, reduced to vapor particles too small for his radar to individually track.
He spared a moment to check the rest of his flight. Yeti Flight was angling on the other side of the ‘box’ from him, a trail of gamma bursts and vanished target icons revealing their progress. Imp Flight was swinging wide, cutting a similar swath. Taz One and Taz Two hung back, their icons brighter than normal....Taz Four covering them from a rapid orbit...and more target icons than there should have been surrounding them. Taz Three was absent....and he didn’t think it was stealthing. He did some quick calculations, and keyed up the shipcom.
“Red Devil to Imp Flight...vector to Taz lane and help them out....watch out for fighters and toads. Over!”
He didn’t bother waiting for a reply, but instead headed his ship on a shallow dive towards the center of the ‘box’. Right smack in the center of the ‘box’ was the main objective of his squadron...an Arkhon Righteous Eye-class battlewagon, which their intelligence contacts had told them had lost its forcescreens fighting the Freeholders over Mars, and had retreated back to Titan and the industrial base there to repair and support the Arkhon colony. Wounded, but still very well armed, the battleship was a tempting target, and one that had priority, before it could be made fully operational again and set loose on the Inner System. They had to kill it now or they might never get another chance to gut Lord-Admiral Tarris ‘s line of battle by one. Several times he heard the buzz of a tracking beam sweep across him, stay with him, then break off as his ECM countered. Twice his ship fired off more flare-drones and spinners...he was going to run out of those soon at this rate!....but outgoing fire was passing well clear of him.
Another glance at his tactical screen told him, though, that things were about to change...Taz One and Two had caught up to their wingmates, and the rest of his squad had broken free of the defense zone and were now within the battleship’s free fire zone.....and they were within firing range of it.
Now would be the time for the Arkies to deploy any Spikefish they were holding out on, or ramp up their newly repaired battlescreens, Hollybachi thought, and really screw up the game plan....
Red Devil One seemed to shudder as the ejector rams kicked out the cruise missiles, then the eyeball-glass windshield ports flared with brilliance as the missiles lit off their torch-drives, followed a moment later as the remaining decoy pods lit off their own drives. They left together in tight formation, but their programming soon had them pairing and tearing on in different directions, with one common destination...
His tactical display showed a similar eruption of signals from the rest of his squadron, the fighters unloading their zealously horded payloads of shipkillers.
The main target icon seemed to shift and change vector and direction....the Arkie battlewagon had just seen the multiple missile launches and had to know it was the target...with several dozen white-hot emission sources whirling and spinning about it on different courses, though, it was difficult to tell which were the decoys, which were the real warheads, where the main approach would come from, and thus more difficult to predict how best to align the defenses to meet them. He saw no idications of fighters launching to meet the missiles...for once...or the Arkhons bringing up their forcefields....so far their intelligence seemed to be correct.
Halfway to the target, the missiles seemed to split up again...MWDVs and decoys, further confusing the issue...
Smaller lines shot out from the center of the target box---anti-missile counterfire...many of the LRM tracks vanished, as the Arkhons’ counterfire claimed them...their defenses were good, their neutral particle beams discriminating the decoys from the live warheads, but as they shot down one volley, several others were approaching, on several different converging paths, sometimes correcting as the super-smarts learned the firing pattern. They couldn’t get all of them...
The target icon of the orbiting battleship seemed to light up with a reverse radiance of converging lines as the missile salvos met and touched...for a moment it looked as if the blocky icon might survive, but then the target seemed to split up into several different target-blotches. The combat computer began tracking trajectories for the smaller targets, but reported that there was no discernable intelligent pattern to their movements...the majority of the vectors seemed to be heading uncontrolled into Titan’s atmosphere, as the giant warship broke up.
“Red Devil to BigFoot Two...Tortoise is dropped...repeat, Tortoise is dropped...Little Rocks have been overturned and path is clear...stomp away! Over!”
“Roger, Red Devil...Big Foot wants to stomp...thank you! Over!”
The small blue triangles designating the slower moving flights of ordnance-laden Star Tigers now swept up the screen, neatly peeling off and flying through the paths cleared through the orbital defenses, on their way to the surface installations.
“Red Devil to Taz Two and Four...our job’s ain’t done yet...vector to clear out the rest of those orbital rocks...they might have active sleepers and we don’t want our brother birds to get spiked on climb-out. Over!”
“Roger than, Red Devil...engaging PPCs on sweeper mode right. Over!”
“Red Devil to all fighters, hold overwatch and orbital sweep positions..and start thinking of painting a new hash mark on the hulls! That was a fifteen hundred tonner Arkie we just nuked, and over two hundred thou in prize money!”

Even as Paladin Steel worked on what was to be its primary aerospace fighter, the modular StarTiger, engineers were already looking at plans for an even more advanced heavy fighter that could challenge the Galactic designs that they were starting to see, courtesy of of their agents sent to Phaseworld, and reports from Aegis Interstellar Systems(Paladin Steel’s front company). Paladin Steel was already worried , even before reliable interdimensional travel was opened up, of the possibility of a Rift(or Rifts) opening up and disgorging a more technologically advanced threat that could hold the High Ground over Earth. After all, they had enough problems with what was already Earthside.
The project was given greater emphasis after the Dreadnought Crisis, which showed the weaknesses of Rifts Earth-designed aerospace fighter craft when thrown against Galactic-level threats, and the call went out to the PS Aerospace Division for a fightercraft that could “kick the cajones of any ‘superior civilization’ buggers hard enough for them to take notice!”. In other words, a Rifts Earth fighter capable of holding its own against superior technology was required, against the potential future threat of another Dreadnought-style incursion into the Solar System. Money was no object as PS feared that the Splugorth could easily have another Dreadnought out there waiting to come in and wipe out everything they’d spent so much time and money already building up. Work alongside d-bee strandee tech crews recruited from more advanced technological civilizations was an essential part of the design process. And, once reliable interdimensional travel was established, and outposts like Aegis Stellar Industries began sending back even more new technologies to work with, a new menu of possibilities was made available. The end result has been a mash of unorthodox technologies that leave the PS technical crews shaking their heads in disbelief, but that somehow manages to work.
The Star Fox has a sleek, predatory-looking appearance, with a streamlined forward hull, concealed maneuvering thrusters, and sweptback pylon wings flaring out to two large, needle-like engine pods, giving it superb performance and high-powered speed in both atmosphere and space. Each armored nacelle encloses a contra-gravitic engine cluster nearly the size of the Crusader’s single engine-cluster. Should one nacelle be damaged/destroyed, the Star Fox can fly on one engine(Half the acceleration though)!
Because of the high energy expenditure rate of the StarFox’s weapons, drives, and EW systems, and the strain it places on the reactors, the StarFox’s operational lifespan between engine core overhauls is much shorter than other aerospace fighters currently in service, but the ease of fishing out the old core and replacing it with a new one poses no real problems in the forseeable future. Furthermore, given the specialization of the StarFox and its deployment, long term operations(requiring power systems with a life expectancy of more than five years of continuous operation) are not forecast, and it is expected that when they do become an issue, improved powerplant technology will be available for subsequent refits.
Although the StarFox lacks the overall greater hardpoint options and versatility of the Star Tiger, the ‘Fox is by far the faster, tougher, stealthier vessel with a better radius of action, making it ideal for long range picket patrol sweeps, deep space interception, and fast raids. Its heavy firepower and advanced defensive systems make it an excellent shipkiller, able to penetrate close-in defenses and deliver a hardhitting barrage of missiles, capable of inflicting critical damage on enemy warcraft.
Though over twice as expensive to produce as its closest contemporary, the StarTiger, the Star Fox is highly valued and regarded as the ‘heavy’ starfighter-vehicle of the terrestrial PS fleet. It is also regarded with no small amount of pride by Paladin Steel engineers, who feared that they had lost their edge in aerospace engineering, with their introduction to the Three Galaxies.
Currently, the StarFox is ONLY deployed with PS’s deep space squadrons, and has not yet been deployed to Earthside bases, nor is any such deployment scheduled for the foreseeable future.
Type: PSS-SF-09/39 StarFox
Class: Heavy Spacefighter
Crew: One
MDC/Armor By Location
Cockpit/Reinforced Pilot’s Compartment 120
Main Body 700
Engine Pods(2) 250 each
Weapons Turrets(3) 90 each
Point Defense Laser Turrets(2) 80 each
Multi-Missile Launchers(2) 80 each
*Aeroshield Forcefield 700

*Forcefield regenerates at 5% per melee
Length: 50 ft
Width: 30 ft
Height: 8 ft
Weight: 50 tons
Cargo:Small space behind pilot’s seat for a survival pack and sidearm(s)
Powerplant: Nuclear Fusion(5 year energy life)
Range: Effectively Unlimited
Speed:
(Atmosphere) Hover to Mach 12(transatmospheric)
(Space) Mach 12
(Kitsune Values: 50% of light speed; Accelerates/decelerates at 1.2% of light speed per melee)
Bonuses:+1 to Strike and +2 Dodge, in addition to pilot’s training bonuses and targeting system bonuses
Market Cost: NOT FOR SALE!!! EXCLUSIVE TO PS! This is cutting edge, state-of-the-art for PS, and it costs them a cool 250 million credits per fighter to construct ...but considering its firepower, most aerospace analysts agree it’s worth the price.
.
Systems of Note:
Standard Starfighter Systems, plus:
*Radar: Range(effective) 250 miles in atmosphere/3,000 miles in space and can track up to 60 targets at once. A special ‘smart’ verbal interface menu allows the pilot to selectively view the respective targets by preset criteria(‘highlight friendly targets’, ‘highlight known enemy targets’, ‘highlight objects on intercept or near-intercept courses’, etc....) to avoid ‘signal jumble’.
*Radar/EM/Laser Radiation Detection
*Radiation Detector
*Standard Video Optics plus:
Thermo-Imaging
IR/UV Optics
Telescopic/Image Enhancement Optics
Low-Light/Nightvision system
*Combat Computer: The StarFox is equipped with an advanced combat computer, that can store and analyze data during combat with hostile forces. Data collected by the combat computer can be fed directly to the pilot via Head Up Display or cyberlink (see below), which allows the system to display large amounts of data to the pilot and even highlight enemies and missile attacks with overlaid graphics. The combat computer tracks and identifies specific enemy targets, and has a database of over 10,000 images stored in memory. The computer can identify and track up to 250 targets simultaneously, and gives the pilot the following bonuses (in addition to any others): +1 to Strike and +2 Dodge. (+1 to initiative if using a Cyberlink)
*Motion Detector/Collision Warning System: (particularly useful for
maneuvering in close quarters) 500 foot warning alarm.
*Radio/Video Communications: Wide band and directional, radio and video transmission capabilities with a 500,00 mile range.
*Laser Communications--- 700,000 mile range
*Laser Targeting: +2 to strike with ranged weapons.
*Audio/Visual Flight Recorder
*Forward Landing Gear Spotlight: 300 foot range.
*Heat & Radiation Shields
*Independent Oxygen & Circulatory System - Sufficient for 6 days, and
includes full radiation and environmental shielding.

*Advanced Pilot Assist Computer(APAC)---Drawing inspiration from experiments in advanced autopilot A.I.s, PS has incorporated an artificial intelligence system that coordinates the HUDs, and manages accessory systems, such as EW and engineering, allowing the pilot to concentrate on strategy and tactics.

*Cyberlink(optional): An advanced cybernetic control system allows the
pilot 'jack in', if so equipped, to the plane, linking him with the plane as if by telemechanics. The pilot is so in tune with the plane and their environment that he instantly knows everything involving their plane and its operations. A series of tiny external cameras normally used for Virtual Environment Cockpits is tied into the cyberlink, giving them an uncanny 360 degree view around the craft. providing them a +1 to init and dodge, in addition to the normal cyberlink bonuses.

*Electromagnetic Radiation Shielding----The fighter sports a less powerful version of the EM radiation field generator to protect the crew from background radiation and solar flares.

*Ejection Seats--These ejection seats come complete with survival kit, inflatable teflon-coated fabric heatshield(useless when entering the Interface, but useful on other worlds/earths with an atmosphere), locator beacon, and inflatable space survival bubble.

*Aeroshield Forcefield---Another innovation of PS, the aeroshield is a very weak forcefield used to generate a ‘virtual streamlining hull’ around the fighter. This is particularly useful when reentering an atmosphere with exposed munitions loaded on the external underwing/hull weapons stations.

*ECM Suite----- The StarFox has a standard ECM suite for confusing sensor-guided weapons; -6 to strike.

*Stealth----80% chance of eluding detection by enemy sensors at all ranges.

Weapons Systems
1) Laser Turrets(3)----The StarFox was originally armed with three laser turrets, one on the outside of each engine pylon, and one under the chin/main body. This was until the APPC-07 became available in quantity and the later weapon subsequently refitted to most front line StarFoxes. However, a few earlier production batches retain the pulse lasers, especially in remote postings where the means to service and replace the more sophisticated PBCs are as yet unavailable.
a) Pulse Lasers
Range: 6,000 ft in atmosphere(24,000 ft in space)
(Kitsune Values: 4 miles in atmosphere, 400 miles in space)
Damage: 2d6x10 MD per single cannon burst, 6d6x10 MD for a simultaneous blast from all three turrets on a target in the forward arc of the fighter(counts as one attack)
Rate of Fire:EPCHH
Payload: Effectively unlimited

b)Advanced Particle-Beam Cannon(APPC-07)(3)
The APPC-07 is a scale-up of the same cesium-viritalium alloy particle generation system used in many smaller PS particle beam weapons. Originally believed to have been acquired as a replacement for the GlitterBoy BoomGun, this cannon has substantially greater firepower, TRIPLING the damage the StarFox can deliver on target. PS has begun fitting the APPC-07 to the StarFox, replacing the earlier pulse lasers. The only downside of the system is a shorter and more frequent required maintenance cycle; the cesium-viritalium cores require replacement every 1,000 shots or so(as opposed to the lasers, which the engineers claim, ‘seem to last forever’).
Range: 5 miles in atmosphere, 20 miles in space
(Kitsune Values: 5 miles in atmosphere, 500 miles in space)
Damage: 6D6x10 MD per cannon blast
A simultaneous volley from all three turrets on one target does a whopping 3d4x100 MD!
Rate of Fire: Four times per melee
Payload: Effectively unlimited

2) Point Defense Lasers(2)----Mounted on the main body, one just behind the cockpit, the other on the underside of the tail, are two triple-barreled point defense turrets, dedicated to shooting down missiles and other incoming ordnance. They can also be used to defend against attacks from the rear.
Range: 6,000 ft in atmosphere, 24,000 ft in space
(Kitsune Values: 4 miles in atmosphere, 400 miles in space)
Damage: 1d6x10 MD per rapid fire pulse burst
Rate of Fire:EPCHH or Eight attacks per melee if in automated anti-missile mode(CANNOT be used for anything BUT anti-missile duty....disengaging the laser system for any other purpose takes a melee action.)
Payload: Effectively unlimited
Bonuses: +3 to strike missiles

3) Heavy Long Range(Anti-Ship) Missiles---Mounted on the underside of each engine nacelle is a missile launcher bay---the missiles drop out/are ejected, and light off to attack the target.
These bays can also be modified to accommodate more advanced/powerful cruise missiles, if and when they become available, fitting two per bay, for a total of four weapons carried.
Range: Varies by missile type(LRM or CM)
(Kitsune Values: miles in atmosphere, miles in space)
Damage: Varies by missile type
Rate of Fire: Volleys of 1,2, or 3
Payload: 6, 3 per side

(Option)
The StarFox is fully capable of carrying the ‘Binnol’ Nuclear Anti-Ship Torpedo, a thermonuclear weapon of incredible destructive potential.
Note, however, that given the sheer power of this weapon, it is rarely ever issued to patrol forces---only a Contingency Red emergency(overwhelming numbers of superior technology vessels, enemy taskforce, or powerful alien entity) can release these weapons for use.
PS NSIM-2 ‘Binnol’ Nuclear Anti-Ship Torpedo---Even before the Dreadnought Crisis, Paladin Steel recognized that its ships, of high quality though they might be, were no match against the numbers, or the superior technology of such races as the Arkhons. The PSNSIM-2 was developed to give smaller fightercraft a ‘one-shot kill’ capability against heavier spacecraft, similar to the AIR-2A ‘Genie’ nuclear AAM of the pre-Rifts American Empire. With its nuclear warhead and built-in ECM sensor jammers, this ‘mini-Cruise Missile’ can destroy most small craft, and severely damage many larger craft. Given its nuclear ordnance, however, PS limits the issuance of this weapon to taskfleets only, and authorizes its use only in deep space, away from planetary bodies(not that the nuclear weapon is large or powerful enough to do environmental damage, but PS wants to limit the chances of a stray nuke being fired into the VFS, or similar weapons being used in retaliation against their planetary facilities).
Range: 75 miles(300 miles in space)
Damage: 1d4x1,000 MD to a 1.2 mile radius
Note: The NSIM-2 has its own electronic masking system that scrambles enemy targeting systems---75% percent effectiveness in throwing off enemy sensors(or have the enemy sensor operators roll against the missile’s roll).

4) Short Range Attack Missiles(2 launchers).-----On the outside of each engine nacelle is an armored housing for two short-range missile launchers. These are interesting in that the missiles are mounted facing outwards in a rectangular launcher. When in action, the housing cover opens up like an aerobrake, revealing the missiles.
This launcher is also commonly used to deploy decoys and EM emitter pods.
Range: Varies(x4 in space)
(Kitsune Values: 10 miles (16.1 km) in an atmosphere and 500 miles (804.7 km) in space)
Damage: Varies. Typically Plasma warheads are carried
Rate of Fire: Volleys of 1, 2, 4, 8, or 16
Payload:88 (44 per launcher in eleven rows of 4)

Alternately, the launchers can be fitted to fire the S-Sting(for ‘Space Stinger’), an attempt to scale down the advanced micro-intelligence guidance system of the Albatross III missile system into a package compact and accurate enough for an infantryman to tote. The ‘S-Sting’ is essentially a ‘smart’ short-range, hyper-velocity, anti-air/spacecraft missile. The program has had its first successes with a space-based missile, owing to the fact that the vacuum of space negates the need for streamlining the weapon. As a result, the missile resembles a rather stubby cylinder with a blunt-nosed optical cluster and protruding verniers(extend after launching from the carry canister). The S-Sting is heavier and more powerful than its atmosphere-based cousin, the ‘Black Talon’ L-SAM.
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: 10 miles (16.1 km) in an atmosphere and 500 miles (804.7 km) in space)
Damage: 2d6x10 MD to a 15 ft blast radius
Bonuses: +7 to strike

5)Countermeasure Launchers(2)---Mounted on either side of the tail i are two decoy countermeasure launchers. Each is capable of mounting one of the following countermeasure types:
a)Chaff/Flare Launchers---Standard radar-reflective strips and thermal flares
Range: Close Defense
Damage: None; similar to Triax-style chaff
01-50 Enemy Missile or volley detonates in chaff and threat is neutralized
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
Payload: 24 per launcher

b) Nano-Pods-----The second system releases a nanotech swarm of active jamming pods and decoys that are programmed to emulate a spacecraft’s sensor signature, or, at the very least, bury enemy tactical communications in ‘white noise’.
Effective Range: 25 mile jamming radius
Duration: 5 minutes per pod-spray
Effects: Jams radio signals(75% chance of jamming military band command-guidance ordnance), and 60% chance of deflecting ordinary missiles.
Payload: 18 swarm packs

c) Grav-Pack Decoy---The third system uses modified grav-pack drives and signal projectors to create a moving pattern of sensor signatures. The grav-pack mini-missile drives can go for 10 minutes before self-destructing, and can either be remotely directed or run a pre-set pattern.
Effective Speed: Mach 6
Duration: 10 minutes per pod
Effects: The decoys have a 70% chance of fooling enemy sensor operators and expert systems. They are are also +2 to enemy sensor-guided munitions to strike, increasing the chance that the missiles will elect to pursue the ‘louder’ sensor signature(the missile rolls to strike for both the original ship and each decoy deployed....highest to strike roll determines which target the missile(s) go after).
Payload: 15 decoys are carried, and can be deployed singly, or in ‘packs’ of 1-3.


Options:
The number of options available to the StarFox is severely limited, owing to the newness of the design, and its specialization as a fast attack, anti-spacecraft fighter. Nevertheless, engineers have suggested that the design could be modified by removing the short-range missile launchers and replacing them with additional LRM racks or energy weapon pylons. Another suggested modification sacrifices either the SRMs or LRMs for an additional forcefield generator and backup power supply to power it, affording the fighter additional protection at the cost of firepower.

*Forcefield Generator---If replacing the LRM bays, increase shield strength by DOUBLE. If replacing the SRM bays, increase shield strength by 50%.

*Advanced Sensor Dome
Another observed variant-option mounts an AWACS style sensor dish that is normally carried mounted horizontally behind the cockpit, between the engine booms, but can be angled up, over, and beside the cockpit. This sensor dish has 120 MDC, and extends sensor range out to 8,000 miles.

*Hardpoint Pylons(2-4)
Another option under consideration is fitting two or more(2-4) hardpoint pylons under the short engine pylon wings...possibly even overwing hardpoints. The problem arises, however, in that the added mass and drag of the pylon-carried ordnance imposes a -2 to Dodge in atmospheric maneuvering and the passive stealth qualities of the hull negated, at least until the weaponry is jettisoned/expended.
These pylon Hardpoints are of fairly standard type, and can be fitted with any of the following:
a) Mini-Missile Pod----each hardpoint can accommodate a 20-shot MM pod
b) Short-range Missile Launcher----each hardpoint can accommodate a 10-shot SRM launch box
c) Medium Range Missile Launcher---each hardpoint can accommodate 6 MRMs
or Albatross III missiles( 75 miles/300 miles, 2d6x10 MD, +7 to strike)
d) Long Range Missile---each hardpoint can accommodate 1 LRM

e) KTH-65 32mm Assault Rail Gun Pod----Designed with the needs of a heavy infantry squad in mind, Kera-Tech Industries developed the KTH-65 for long range combat in both atmosphere and in space. Firing a trio of hyper-velocity tungsten cored rounds, the KTH-65 can penetrate any known armour with ease. With the enhanced capability of variable rounds, numerous different combat roles can be filled by the KTH-65.
Range: 1600m (1 mile) in atmosphere, 8,000m (5 miles)
(Kitsune Values: 5 miles in atmosphere, 500 miles in space)
Damage: Varies by shell type
APFS-DU (Armour Piercing Fin Stabilized, Depleted Uranium) - 5D6x10 MD , no
blast radius
HESH (High Explosive Squash Head) - 5D6 MD plus 5D6 SDC to the person(s) inside the object.
HE (High Explosive) 1D6x10 MD to a 5 (16ft) radius
HEG (High Explosive, Guided) - 2D6x10 MD to a 2m (7ft) radius
Rate of Fire: EPCHH
Payload: 100 rds

f) Heavy Gatling Cannon Pod
Range: 6,000 ft(24,000 ft in space)
(Kitsune Values: 4.8 miles in atmosphere, 480 miles in space)
Damage: 3d4x10 MD per 80 rd burst
Rate of Fire: ECHH
Payload: 20,000 rds(250 bursts)

g)Heavy Laser Cannon Pod
Range: 8,000 ft(32,000 ft in space)
(Kitsune Values: 6 miles in atmosphere, 600 miles in space)
Damage: 2d4x10 MD per blast
Rate of Fire: Six times per melee
Payload:Effectively unlimited

h)Ion Cannon Pod--(Ionization rules courtesy of Henning Rogge)
Range: 4,000 ft(16,000 ft in space)
(Kitsune Values: 3 miles in atmosphere, 300 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

i)Plasma Cannon Pod
Range: 5,000 ft(20,000 ft in space)
(Kitsune Values: 4 miles in atmosphere, 400 miles in space)
Damage: 2d6x10 MD per blast
Rate of Fire: ECHH
Payload:Effectively unlimited

j)Particle Beam Cannon Pod
Range: 6,000 ft(24,000 ft in space)
(Kitsune Values: 4.8 miles in atmosphere, 480 miles in space)
Damage: 1d6x10+20 MD per blast
Rate of Fire: ECHH
Payload:Effectively unlimited

k) Plasma Torpedo Pod----Developed from PS’s plasma weaponry and reverse-engineered Naruni technology, this pod, powered by its own onboard micro-nuclear generator, fires a bolt of plasma wrapped in a degenerating magnetic vortex. The weapon has superior range to a conventional plasma weapon, as well as an area of effect similar to a missile, as well as unlimited payload, but rate of fire is much slower
Range: 6,000 ft (24,000 ft in space)
(Kitsune Values: 4.8 miles in atmosphere, 480 miles in space)
Damage: 2d6x10 MD to 30 ft blast radius
Rate of Fire: Three times per melee
Payload:Effectively unlimited

l) Combat Multiplexor---A TW weapons pod/spell projector, with its own PPE batteries. The Multiplexor Magepod can select-fire up to five different spells
Range: Varies by spell; Equal to 10th level spell level x10
Damage:Varies by spell; Equal to 10th level spell level x2
Rate of Fire: EPCHH
Payload: 300 PPE battery reserve

m) Forcefield Pod---A self-contained forcefield generator projecting battlescreen to further protect the fighter. Multiple pods may be carried for cumulative screen coverage.
MDC: 200, recharges at a rate of 1 MDC per hour

n) Countermeasure Launcher----Can carry a larger podded version of the integral countermeasure launchers; Flare/Chaff Launcher Pod--Identical to the system listed above; 36 flares/chaff bundles carried. Nanopods--- 24 can be carried. Grav-Pack Decoys---21 can be carried.


*Rotary Missile Launcher---An attempt to add additional versatilitym by installing a rotary missile launcher in place of the long range missile bays. Can carry 8 MRMs, or 16 SRMs each in those cases.

Variants:
*PSS-SF-09/39G---’Gunslinger’ variant, mounting a large ventral center-body pod(300 MDC) containing a heavy particle beam cannon or other heavy weapon.
ONE of the following may be carried in the underslung pod:
a) Particle Beam Cannon
Range: (Palladium)7 miles in atmosphere, 14 miles in space
(Kitsune Values: 14 miles in atmosphere, 14,000 miles in space)
Damage: 2d4x100 MD per blast
Rate of Fire: Twice per melee
Payload: Effectively Unlimited
b) Plasma Torpedo Launcher
Range:(Palladium) 6 miles in atmosphere, 40 miles in space
(Kitsune Values: 40 miles in atmosphere, 4,000 miles in space)
Damage: 1d4x100 MD to a 50 ft blast radius per missile
Rate of Fire: Single shot. Once per melee
Payload: Effectively Unlimited
c) Medium Laser Cannon
Range: (Palladium)8 miles atmosphere/ 16 miles in space
(Kitsune) 16 miles in atmosphere(1,600 miles in space)
Damage:1d6x100 MD per blast
Rate of Fire:Twice per melee
Payload: Effectively Unlimited
d) Tachyon Sprayer Pod
Range: 4 miles in atmosphere, 8 miles (10,000 m) in space w/ 3 mile wide arc*
(Kitsune Values: 8 miles in atmosphere, 800 miles in space)
* Scatter width is reduced to 1/4th in atmosphere
Damage: 1d4x100 MD per single cannon firing
Rate of Fire: EPCHH
Payload: Effectively Unlimited

e) Neutron Cannon Pod----Advanced neutron weapon with the capability of using an enhanced ‘R1 effect’ neutron flux to disrupt fission-based powerplants and weapons.
Range: 9 miles in atmosphere, 18 miles in space
(Kitsune Values: 9 miles in atmosphere, 900 miles in space)
Damage: 3d10x10 MD per blast
On an Natural 18-20, fission-based power systems, including critical-mass nuclear weapons, will be adversely affected by the neutron stream; nuclear reactors will have a 75% chance of becoming HALF as effective(cut range, damage, and rate of fire of weapons connected to the reactors by HALF, cut the effectiveness of fisson-powered systems by HALF), and a 25% chance of overheating due to out of control reaction(scramble the reactor or face meltdown). Nuclear weapons will be rendered inert(75%), with a 25% chance of becoming radioactive in their casings(will have to be scrapped/ejected).
Rate of Fire: Twice per melee
Payload: Effectively Unlimited


*PSS-SF-09/39R---Recon model, with sensor pallets replacing either, or both, the missile launch bays(typically, if the LRM bays are replaced, the SRM bays will carry a mix of missile interceptors and decoy pods, while if the SRM pods are replaced, the LRM bay will carry long range decoys).

*PSS-SF-09/39T---Two-seater version, used for training, or, in the -39TECM, a dedicated electronics systems operator.

Paladin Steel/Aegis Stellar Industries Windfola-class Corvette
(aka ‘Star-Bat’, ‘Spindlies’, ‘Missile-Pony’)

“Looks like the Exiles are playing another round of picking off our automated factory satellites and claiming them as ‘salvage’. Before they went silent, though, the last three managed to get off footage of their attackers and it looks like the same bunch; one medium transport and about a half-dozen Beetles. All those fighters are obvious overkill, because you don’t need that many for taking over an automated ore-processor, so it’s a show of force in case we showed up to slap them. Assume another half-dozen aboard the transport, and a second vessel out of sensor range as well for back-up, because they might be looking to rebuff us in force after our last spat. That leaves our two Sunchasers outgunned, but CompSec sent the Seventh Aero around to check on us, and they brought four Windfolas to play with. Maybe if they see how we react to chicken-stealers, the Exiles will forgo a pitched battle and go bother somebody else. If not, well, Commander Ryolin assures me the ‘Bats’ are perfectly willing and able to eat some ‘beetles’.”

“Fully loaded up with ordnance, Windfolas can carry a simply OBSCENE amount of missile weaponry. The gobs on bigger ships are always trout-smacked when they learn just how many missiles or god-rods our little ships can carry; that’s why we call them ‘missile-ponies’. And we can deliver on the run...a real FAST run. Of course, the downside is that we got ‘jack for armor, so we can’t stay and slug it out on a fight or go deep unless we got an unobstructed line of retreat to zip out after we’ve flushed our tubes. I’ve seen spindlies fetch up against minefields and defenses-in-depth and get cut apart trying to launch in-close volleys.”

The Windfola class is a new design from Paladin Steel(also known as Aegis Stellar Industries in the Three Galaxies) for a light, fast, multipurpose spacecraft that can be used for military, courier, and(though not advertised as such) smuggling purposes. In many ways, the Windfola can be considered to be a larger patrol ship, or more versatile courier/scout platform.
The Windfola departs from the conservative boxy or cylindrical configurations of previous ASI designs, possibly indicating increased confidence and a willingness to try more radical concepts. The Windfola is a broad flying wing, with a prominent teardrop -shaped main fuselage, and two slightly smaller outrigger teardrop-shaped nacelles at the ends of the wingspan. The ship is extremely streamlined and is fully capable of maneuvering in an atmosphere. Internally, the main hull holds the main CG drive, FTL propulsion gear, a small life section, forward sensors, and a forward weapons bay. The outrigger nacelles hold auxiliary engines and modular forward weapons/sensor bays.
Two secondary hulls, also of teardrop shape, and just shy of being as long as the main fuselage, can be mounted above and below the main body. These hulls are modular, and can be outfitted in a variety of different ways, from cargo or additional crew accommodations, to extra engines and heavy weapons.
The Windfola is extremely agile for its class; crews remark that it handles more like a fighter despite its size. That agility is important, as the vessel is not particularly well armored and must rely on its maneuverability to avoid terminal damage in combat operations.
The only real complaint about the Windfola is that with both secondary hulls fitted, the starship has problems landing, as the outer wings must tilt down to bring the landing gear closer to the surface to properly support the ship at rest. Another chronic complaint is that the ships are cramped; on extended duration missions, the lack of onboard space, privacy, and recreation facilities can lead to marked crew discomfort, as per-crew proportion of living space isn’t much better than that available aboard a smaller Proctor-class heavy fighter. If such becomes an issue at squadron-level operations, Windfolas may operate from modified Brunel-, Goethels-, or Ramey-class transports(the motherships often being nicknamed ‘batpoles’, or ‘bat-trees’), providing the crews with expanded creature comforts on long duration mission-assignments until scrambled for deployment. Despite the added comfort of operating from a mothership, some Windfola crews do not like such assignments, seeing it as being suborned to a larger vessel, rather than operating as their own command.
Despite the internal space limitations, the Windfola has proven popular in short range in-system patrol duties and local space operations. Its small size and crew requirements also make it popular with the smaller space-based GNE Irregular units looking for a more combat-oriented ship.

Type: PS/ASI-Crv018 Windfola
Class: Interstellar Corvette
Crew: 12
MDC/Armor by Location:
Main Body 2,900
Bridge/Cockpit 900
Wings(2) 1,000 each
Outrigger Nacelles(2) 900 each
Secondary Hulls(1-2) 1,000 each
Point Defense Turrets(4) 100 each
*Variable Forcefields 800 per side(4,800 total)
*Shield Refresh Rate is 5% per melee
Height: 45 ft (ft with one pod attached, ft with two pods attached)
Width: 280 ft
Length: 250 ft
Weight: 5,500 tons unloaded
Cargo: Small cargo bay with a 100 ton capacity
(See pods, below)
Powerplant: Nuclear Fusion, w/ 20 year energy life
Speed:
(Atmosphere) Hover to Mach 6; transatmospheric.
(Sublight) Mach 10
(Kitsune Values: 55% of light speed; Accelerates/decelerates at 1.0% of light speed per melee)
(FTL) 5 light years per hour
(Underwater) Not possible
Market Cost: 69 million credits
Systems of Note:
Standard Starship Systems, plus:
*Ejectable Escape Module---The entire front end of the ship can eject to become a lifeboat. The command section is streamlined for atmospheric re-entry and can float.

*Escape Pods---Standard model escape pods are located in vertical launch cells in the midsection, as well as in the rear hangar bay/engineering section. Has 4x4-man life pod modules with emergency first aid gear, emergency beacons, crash kits, water filtration/recycling, and 1 month of life support/rations.

Weapons Systems:
1) Nose Mount Medium Lasers(2-4)---Blisters on the nose mount fixed-foward-firing laser cannon. The Bloc Is mounted two and two PD turrets, while the Bloc IIs upgraded to four lasers, and moved the PDS to the nacelles.
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

2) Point Defense Turrets(4)---The Windfola carries four point defense laser turrets, one on either side of the nose(the Bloc II models move this pair outboard of the wing nacelles), and two on either side of the rear fuselage/tail, just before the engine cone.
Range: (Palladium) 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, or auto-fire; 6 attacks per melee
Payload: Effectively unlimited

3)(Optional)Modular Nacelle Mounts(2)---The forward facing of the thruster nacelles at the ends of the wings are actually modular mounts for weapons; each mount can accommodate ONE of the following:
a) Mini-Missile Launcher
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: 200 missiles per launcher

b) Short Range Missile Launcher
Range:Varies by Missile Type
(Kitsune Values: 10 miles in atmosphere, 500 miles in space)
Damage:Varies by Missile Type
Rate of Fire: Volleys of 1-10 each launcher
Payload: 100 per launcher

c) Medium Range Missile Launcher
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.

d) 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

e) Point Defense Laser Array(2)
Range: (Palladium) 2 miles 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, as an automated defense system linked to a radar/sensor system, has a +4 to strike, and four attacks per melee.
Payload: Effectively unlimited

f) Laser Cannon
Range: (Palladium) 3.5 miles in atmosphere, 7 miles in space
(Kitsune Values: 7 miles in atmosphere, 700 miles in space)
Damage: 6d6x10 MD per blast
Rate of Fire: EPCHH
Payload: Effectively Unlimited

g) Ion Cannon--(ionization rules courtesy of Henning Rogge)
Range: (Palladium) 2 miles in atmosphere, 4 miles in space
(Kitsune Values) 4 miles in atmosphere, 400 miles in space
Damage: 2d6x10 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

h) Plasma Cannon
Range: (Palladium) 2 miles in atmosphere, 24,000 ft/4 miles in space
(Kitsune Values) 4 miles in atmosphere, 400 miles in space
Damage: 5d6x10 MD per blast
Rate of Fire: ECHH
Payload:Effectively unlimited

i) Particle Beam Cannon
Range: (Palladium) 1.5 miles in atmosphere, 3 miles in space
(Kitsune Values: 3 miles in atmosphere, 300 miles in space)
Damage: 1d4x100 MD per shot
Rate of Fire: EPCHH
Payload: Effectively Unlimited

j) Point Defense Rail Guns(2)
Range: (Palladium) in atmosphere, 5 miles in space
(Kitsune Values: 5 miles in atmosphere, 500 miles in space)
Damage: 1d4x10 MD per 20 rd burst(can only fire bursts)
Rate {of Fire: EGCHH, as an automated defense system linked to a radar/sensor system, the “Button Gun” has a +2 to strike, and four attacks per melee.
Payload:8,000 rd drum(200 bursts)
Cost: 30,000 credits

k) Gravitic Rail Gun
Range: (Palladium)12,000 ft in atmosphere, 6 miles in space
(Kitsune Values: 6 miles in atmosphere, 600 miles in space)
Damage: 4d6x10 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.

l)Heavy Autocannon/200mm MB Massdriver Cannon(PS-MDJ200M)
Range: (Palladium)8 miles in atmosphere, 16 miles in space
(Kitsune Values: 16 miles in atmosphere, 1,600 miles in space)
Damage:High Explosive(HE)---- 5d6x10 MD to 55 ft radius
High Explosive Anti-Tank(HEAT)----6d6x10 MD to 15 ft radius
Fragmentation--- 4d6x10 MD to 75 ft radius
Plasma-----1d6x 50+15 MD to 60 ft radius
(APFSDSDU)(Armor Piercing Fin Stabilized Discarding Sabot Depleted Uranium) 8d6x10 MD out to 15,000 ft, 4d6x10+5 MD out to maximum range
Rate of Fire: Three times per melee
Payload: 120 rds

m) Forcefield Generator --- generates a single field force shield of 900 MDC

n) Jamming Pod----Bundled standard ECM suite for confusing sensor-guided weapons; -5 to strike, scrambler field; confuses radio transmissions in an 80 mile(Kitsune: 8,000 mile) radius, particle beams do HALF damage, and 45% chance of deflecting standard missiles(i.e.; ‘dumb’ missiles). Taking two pods does not result in cumulative bonuses; only system redundancy.


o)Tachyon Scatter Gun(2)
Range: (Palladium)6 miles (10,000 m) in space w/ 3 mile wide arc(cannot operate in atmosphere)
(Kitsune Values: 600 miles in space)
Damage:2d4x10 MD per shot
Rate of Fire: EPCHH
Payload:Effectively Unlimited

p) Plasma Torpedo Launcher
Range: (Palladium) 2 miles in atmosphere, 4.8 miles in space
(Kitsune Values: 4.8 miles in atmosphere, 480 miles in space)
Damage: 2d6x10 MD to 15 ft blast radius
Rate of Fire: Three times per melee
Payload:Effectively unlimited

q)Tractor Beam Emitter----Effectively rated for 500 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



4)(Optional)Modular Outrigger Pods(2-4)---Each wing has a hardpoint, one under and one over, that can be fitted with a modular pod. These tend to produce substantial drag in atmosphere, reducing the ship’s in-atmo maneuverability(reduce atmospheric speed by 10% and -1 to dodge), so many operators prefer to leave the wings in ‘clean’ state, and only fit the hardpoints when operating in deep space.
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) Decoy/Countermeasures Launcher----- three separate sorts of countermeasures are available:
The first is simple sensor-reflective chaff and thermo-flares. These countermeasures are inexpensive and very effective against lower-end targeting systems and sensor equipment(such as that used by nations equivalent to the Coalition States on Rifts Earth), but are ineffectual against more advanced technology.
Range: Close Defense
Damage: None; similar to Triax-style chaff
01-50 Enemy Missile or volley detonates in chaff and threat is neutralized
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.
In space, anything flying at high speed through the cloud will take 2d6 MD +1d6 MD per every 100 miles of speed over 670 MPH.
Reduce APMs/combat bonuses/ speed by half for 1d4 melees
Payload: 50 bundles are available per pod

The second system releases a nanotech swarm of active jamming pods and decoys that are programmed to emulate a spacecraft’s sensor signature, or, at the very least, bury enemy tactical communications in ‘white noise’.
Effective Range: 25 mile jamming radius
Duration: 5 minutes per pod-spray
Effects: Jams radio signals(75% chance of jamming military band command-guidance ordnance), and 60% chance of deflecting ordinary missiles.
Payload: 25 swarm packs are available per pod

The third system uses modified grav-pack drives and signal projectors to create a moving pattern of sensor signatures. The grav-pack mini-missile drives can go for 10 minutes before self-destructing, and can either be remotely directed or run a pre-set pattern.
Effective Speed: Mach 6
Duration: 10 minutes per pod
Effects: The decoys have a 70% chance of fooling enemy sensor operators and expert systems. They are are also +2 to enemy sensor-guided munitions to strike, increasing the chance that the missiles will elect to pursue the ‘louder’ sensor signature(the missile rolls to strike for both the original ship and each decoy deployed....highest to strike roll determines which target the missile(s) go after).
Payload: 20 decoys are carried, and can be deployed singly, or in ‘packs’ of 1-3.

j) Cargo---25 tons of additional cargo can be carried in each pod, though it cannot be accessed from inside the ship.



5)(Optional)Modular Outrigger Hulls(1-2) ---The two large hardpoints on the ventral and dorsal sides of the main hull can be fitted with the following:

a) Cargo Pod----400 tons of cargo poddage.

b) Passenger Pod---In the alternative, the Passenger Pod can be outfitted to give the crew more living room for extended duration missions, or carry passengers/troops. 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.

c) Sensory Array---Specialized sensors can be carried in the pod, making the Windfola into a Class A scout for scanning systems, sweeping for mines, or conducting quick planetary surveys.

d) Heavy EW Module---In the alternative, the Windfola can be fitted with a high-powered Electronic Warfare (EW) module useful in jamming or sensor decoy operations. The pod contains a dedicated powerplant and control stations for ECM operators.
-ECM----- A powerful communications and sensor jamming suite. Communications Jamming has a 5,000 mile range, is 98% effective against civilian systems, and is 80% effective against more sophisticated channel-jumping military communications suites. Radar systems are similarly degraded....they can pick up the emissions, but cannot pinpoint the exact location of the source within the area of disruption.Missiles and sensor-guided weapons are -6 to strike.
The EW Module can also project sensor ‘ghosts’ mimicking ships’ energy signatures...or can make the Windfola resemble a much larger vessel(up to cruiser class) on long range scans. The ‘ghosts’ can be projected with a displacement of 1d6x1,000 miles, and 1d6 additional sensor signatures can be generated. Accurate sensor readings are at -70% outside that range, -40% outside a 100 mile range.

e)ASAT/AAA Module---A module outfitted with light, rapid-fire, short-range weapons for dealing with fighters, power armors, and missiles at relative short ranges. Houses two twin-mount short-range laser turrets, two rail gun turrets, and a large short range missile launcher bank. The weapons are formatted to create a ‘no fly’ zone around the vessel, driving off more agile fighters, missiles, and robot vehicles.
*Rail Gun(2)
Range: 12,000 ft in atmosphere, 6 miles in space
(Kitsune Values: 6 miles in atmosphere/ 600 miles in space)
Damage: 2d6x10 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(2x2)
Range: 2 miles 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
*Short Range Missiles---Carries 300 short range missiles(SRMs)(Volleys of 1-15). Fragmentation warheads are typically carried to increase the chance of a hit.


f) Medium Missile Pod----Carries 160 medium range missiles(MRMs)(Volleys of 1-10)

g) Heavy Missile Pod----Carries 80 long range missiles(LRMs)(Volleys of 1-5)

h) Cruise Missile Pod---Carries 20 cruise missiles(Volleys of 1-2)

i) Heavy G-Cannon Pod---Mounts a double-mount heavy kinetic kill weapon of the type already deployed as a secondary armanent on many PS/ASI capital ships.
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

j) Medium Laser Pod---Holds two laser turrets, one fore and one aft
Range: (Palladium) 4 miles in atmosphere, 8 miles in space
(Kitsune Values: 8 miles in atmosphere, 800 miles in space)
Damage: 1d4x100 MD per blast
Rate of Fire: EPCHH
Payload: Effectively Unlimited

k) Heavy Laser Pod
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

l) Medium Particle Beam Pod---Holds two PBC turrets, one fore and one aft
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

m) Heavy Particle Beam Pod
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

n) Medium Plasma Torpedo Launcher Array
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: Volleys of 1-6 plasma bolts. Twice per melee
Payload: Effectively Unlimited

o)Heavy Plasma Torpedo Launcher Array
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
Energy ‘torpedo’ has a disruption MDC of 50
Rate of Fire: Volleys of 1-6 plasma bolts. Two volleys per melee
Payload: Effectively Unlimited

p)Heavy Tachyon ScatterGun
Range: 5 miles (2,500 m) in atmosphere, 10 miles (10,000 m) in space w/ 6 mile wide arc*
(Kitsune Values: 5 miles in atmosphere, 5,000 miles in space)
*Width are reduced to 1/4th in atmosphere
Damage: 1d6x100 MD per blast
Rate of Fire: EPCHH
Payload:Effectively Unlimited

q)Heavy Forcefield Generator---Adds more powerful shielding; effectively DOUBLES shield strength. Generator comes with its own dedicated powerplant.
(Variable Forcefield) 10,000 each side(60,000 total)

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

s) Bomber Pod---Carries up to 100 tons of freefall weapons, often called ‘rods from god’ when used in high-altitude planetary bombardment.
*250-lb Bomb----2d4x10 MD to 50 ft blast radius
*500-lb Bomb----4d4x10 MD to 60 ft blast radius
*750-lb Bomb----4d6x10 MD to 65 ft blast radius
*1,000-lb Bomb----1d4x100 MD to 70 ft blast radius
*2,000-lb Bomb----2d4x100 MD to 80 ft blast radius
*5,000-lb Bomb----4d4x100 MD to 100 ft blast radius
*10,000-lb Bomb----4d6x100 MD to 120 ft blast radius
*22,000-lb Bomb---- 4d6x100 MD to 180 ft blast radius
*43,000-lb ‘Special’ Bomb-----Designed to be ‘lobbed’ for maximum kinetic impact, the super-heavy bomb does 1d8x1,000 MD to 250 ft blast radius, and can penetrate up to 500 ft of earth(300 ft of rock or concrete), for attacking bunkers or undercutting larger structures.

*Light Kinetic Penetrator ---Works similar to a WWII ‘Earthquake Bomb’. Kinetic weapons have the advantage of leaving little or no radiation to contaminate a battlefield or potential postwar acquisition. LKPs are typically bundled on three-round 4 ton ‘buses’ that can be deployed and maneuvered after launch to engage three separate targets in a ‘footprint’, or bracket a single target. Each RV does 1d6x100 MD to a 100 ft radius and can penetrate up to 250 ft of loose soil(100 ft of rock or concrete). Each

*Fuel Air Explosive Munition---A single warhead(no multiple warheads) non-nuclear area of effect weapon that disperses a cloud of volatile fuel droplets in a mist over the target area, then ignites it in a rapidly propagating explosion. Besides thermal damage, the real damage from this weapon comes in the massive overpressure shockwave that it creates, capable of forcing its way into open ducts and vents, and imploding vehicles and bunkers. Also known as a ‘Daisy Cutter’, it is often used to simultaneously secure and clear landing zones of obstacles(both sentient and material). The heavy FAEMs carried by the Windfolas weigh 45,000 lbs each and can do 4d6x10 MD to a 500 ft radius, plus 3d6x10 MD to everything else in a 3,000 ft ft radius. Those caught within the blast radius are also likely (01-88%) likely to be bowled over by the blast and stunned, if not worse.

*ElectroMagnetic Pulse Weapon---Designed to knockout unprotected electronics and power distribution networks, exploding at high altitude for maximum effect. Each EMPW carried by the Windfola weighs 2 tons.
Damage: 5d6x10 MD to 100 ft blast radius
EM effects: Used against unshielded power grids(such as cities and towns), the particle blast has a 99% chance of knocking down electrical systems, including vehicles, in a 100-mile radius of the point of detonation. Unprotected computers and other hardware not protected by surge protectors, and hooked into the common power grid, may still be affected up to a hundred miles or more away by power surges through the power lines.
The EMP is less effective against shielded systems such as those on space structures(25%) and military systems(10% for surface military vehicles), which are hardened against radiation.


t) Mine Deployer Pod---Can be used to deploy spacemines or military killsats/recon platforms.
Payload: 50 mines or 36 satellites
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: Typically 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. Multiply 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!

Auxiliary Craft:
None, unless a secondary hull hardpoint is instead used to carry small craft

Options:
*Conformal Wing Modules---These are conformal wingroot modules that can be attached to the wings, creating a smoother wing-fuselage blending, adding additional protection, and providing extra power cell capacity. An auxiliary/ancilliary system with the Bloc I and II warships, they are being considered as integral equipment with forthcoming Bloc IIIs.
CWMs increase the ship’s mass by 20%, and reduce maximum speed by 15%, but add 600 MDC to each wing, and add a +10% to atmospheric maneuvering from the added streamlining. The added power cells increase shield strength by 30% and shield regeneration to 10% per melee.

Variants
*Crv018DSV----Amphibious-capable variant. Any missile systems can be replaced with equivalent torpedoes, and lasers with blue-green frequenct weapons. The Golgan Republik has reportedly been agitated that a number of these ships have been sold to former vassal-states of theirs.
Speed:
(Underwater) 48 MPH, and can dive to depths of 4 miles.
Systems of Note:
-Sonar----(Passive) 10 miles, (Active) 50 miles
-MHD Propulsion System---A magnetic impellor system that sucks in water through forward intakes, like a turbojet, and expels it under pressure aft. Reduced speed(30 MPH), but it is 50% more quiet than the regular propulsion systems.

Aegis Stellar Industries LaFayette-class Light Cruiser
http://i408.photobucket.com/albums/pp164/taalismn/img682_zpshiivhzqf.jpg

“The LaFayette’s the ship the ASI fleet’s really been waiting for; it’s fast, it’s well-armed, and its versatile, and it’s no slouch at any of its tasks.”

“The biggest complaint we’ve heard so far is from the fighter squadrons assigned to the Lafs; the pilots like to complain that the approach to the landing bay is a bit tricky, approaching from the rear quarters, what with a narrow approach window. Then again, the Lafs are light CRUISERS, not carriers, so you can’t expect them to be especially accommodating, design-wise, to fighters.”

“You’ve clearly been flying off the first models, then. The ‘H’ pods address that issue quite nicely; the Laf really does become a carrier with the hangar module added.”

After much careful and cautious negotiating, ASI was able to win a significant recognition from the CCW when they were able to obtain licensing to produce refit components for the CCW’s Thesera Sector’s (where ASI’s Ambercirn System headquarters is located) aging reserve fleet of Lasser-class Frigates. This meant that PS/ASI got technical information transfers on everything about Lasser construction and operations, the better to service the older warships. PS/ASI was also able to obtain two older decommissioned Lasser HAFG117C transport refits for their own use. This gave PS/ASI another opportunity to look over modern(or at least close to modern) 3G warship design. In time, ASI was able to parlay the success of their refit program into permission to develop an indigenous design for a light cruiser based on the Lasser. The original corporate plan was to produce a simple slightly enlarged version of the Lasser, outfitted with updated weapons similar to a number of already existing refits, but ASI engineers wanted to go both larger and add modularity to the design, which forced much recalculation and redesign. In the end, plans to ‘clone’ the Lasser design were dropped in favor of a more extensive overhaul and revision of the design, which came to be called the LaFayette Light Cruiser.
The LaFayette, as it has emerged, is just barely recognizable as a ‘stretched’ Lasser with a more angular appearance, an extra hundred fifty feet of midsection and a third more mass. Most of this extra room has gone to protection and armaments, but the drives have also received an upgrade. The in-house rumor is that the more powerful engines are modified copies of Naruni designs, provided by the CCW as part of their plan to diversify their outsourcing of military hardware, but this rumor remains unsubstantiated. Regardless, the LaFayette has an excellent turn of speed, especially for a vessel constructed by a ‘newcomer’ company. Other changes include the addition of more modern point defense systems, and hints of components and design systems from earlier ASI craft(especially the distinctive ASI ‘turtle pod’ hull body and modular bridge assembly).
Aegis Stellar Industries also attempted to extend parent company Paladin Steel’s philosophy of modularity to the LaFayette, modifying the lower secondary hull (aft of the forward sensor array) to be modular and easily swappable in-yard for customizing the basic ship to a variety of duties. This move was vindicated with the discovery of the smaller Human Alliance Corister-class frigate, which also featured a modular hull pod. The incorporation of this feature has allowed ASI to quickly turn out a number of basic frames that could be just as quickly customized to meet corporate needs and tailor the ships to customers’ orders.
The LaFayette is produced only by ASI in the Three Galaxies, albeit at several locations(though PS has begun deploying several in the Rifts Earth home system). The first batch of LaFayettes, though originally intended for PS/ASI/GNE forces for convoy escort, would be rushed to the Syndian Republic in time for the Second SynRyz(or Kadavist) War. Early reports from that conflict would help shape refinements that would go into subsequent construction. Subsequently, the LaFayette is quickly becoming the ‘standard’ warship of the PS/ASI security flotillas.

Type: PS/ASI-SCG-17 LaFayette
Class: Light Cruiser
Crew: 220+60 marines
MDC/Armor by Location:
Main Body 16,000
Bridge 4,000
Secondary Modular Hull 11,000
Main Sensor Array 900
Secondary Sensor Arrays(3) 600 each
Heavy Lasers(2) 600 each
Secondary Lasers(12) 300 each
Long Range Missile Launchers(2) 300 each
Point Defense Grav-Guns(8) 100 each
Hangar Bay 3,000
Engines 7,000
Variable Shields( 1,200 each side, 7,200 total)
Height: 160 ft
Width: 100 ft
Length: 950 ft
Weight: 120,000 tons
Cargo: 2,800 tons
Powerplant: Advanced Nuclear Fusion w/ 50 years energy life
Speed:
(Atmosphere) Hover to Mach 9(transatmospheric); rarely lands
(Sublight) Mach 10
(Kitsune Values: 60% of light speed; Accelerates/decelerates at 1% of light speed per melee)
(FTL) 5 light years per hour
Market Cost: Est. at 3.7 billion credits
Systems of Note:
Standard Starship Systems, plus:

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

*Docking Collars(3)----Three external docking collars with extending tubeways for servicing additional starships docked to the LaFayette. One is mounted on each side, the third on the underside rear. If not carrying a hull pod, a fourth ship can be docked to the underside life support core superstructure.

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

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

2) Secondary Lasers(12)---Another holdover from the Lasser is its secondary batteries; backing the main laser cannon is a larger array of lower-powered weapons for saturation attacks. Up to six cannons can be brought to bear simultaneously on the same target in a broadside, or all 12 can engage targets in the dorsal and ventral arcs.
Range: 7 miles in atmosphere, 14 miles in space
(Kitsune Values: 14 miles in atmosphere, 14,000 miles in space)
Damage: 2d4x100 MD per single blast, 8d6x100 for six cannons firing simultaneously
Rate of Fire: 4 times per melee
Payload: Effectively Unlimited

3) Long Range Missile Launchers(2)---These launchers are also used to deploy recon drones, probes, and special ordnance.
Range: Varies by Missile Type(Long Range Missiles)
(Kitsune Values: 3,400 miles in atmosphere, 1,800,000 miles in space)
Damage: Varies by Missile Type(Long Range Missiles)
Rate of Fire: Volleys of 1-10
Payload: 120 per launcher; additional missiles may be carried as cargo, and reloaded from storage.

4) Point Defense Turrets(10)----The LaFayette replaces the original grav-cannons with dual pulse-laser and mini-missile launcher turrets, sacrificing some range for greater damage and versatility. The LaFayette also adds two additional PDS turrets for greater coverage against missiles and fighters.
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: (Lasers) Effectively Unlimited
(Mini-Missiles) 32 mini-missiles per turret; additional mini-missiles can be carried as cargo(typically takes 2d6 minutes to reload from the holds).
(Option)---The Mini-Missile launcher component of these turrets can be modified to fire the “S-Sting” ‘Smart Mini-Missile -----The S-Sting(for ‘Space Stinger’) is an attempt to adapt the guidance systems and accuracy of the ‘Black Talon’ L-SAM to a space-based missile. The missile resembles a rather stubby cylinder with a blunt-nosed optical cluster and protruding verniers(extend after launching), owing to the fact that the vacuum of space negates the need for streamlining the weapon.
Note that the ‘S-Sting’ has only limited effectiveness in an atmosphere....HALF bonuses in a thin atmosphere and weak gravity well like Mars’, and NO bonuses, and HALF range in a thick atmosphere and standard gravity like Earth’s.
Range: 4 miles in atmosphere, 32 miles in space
(Kitsune Values: 4 miles in atmosphere/ 400 miles in space)
Damage: 2d6x10 MD to a 15 ft blast radius
Bonuses: +7 to strike
Cost: 10,000 credits per missile


Auxiliary Craft
*18 fighters
*20 Power Armors
*3 Shuttlecraft

Options:
The big option on the LaFayette is the Secondary Hull Pod, which can be slipped over the lower life support core and outfitted for a variety of different purposes. Rather than formal variants, the SHP allows for a confusing(to enemy sensors) abundance of different configurations, though most ships will stick with one for their entire operational lives.
The following are the more common configurations(but not ALL of the possible pod types):

*’B’-Barracks Pod---Adds passenger capacity, housing up to 120 passengers in diplomatic comfort, or 320 troops in more spartan accommodations.

*’C’-Cargo Pod----Dedicated cargo module, adding 10,000 tons cargo capacity.

*’D’-Drive Pod----Removes hangar capacity in favor of an additional engine section, boosting the ship’s sublight speed to Mach 15.

*’E’-Escort Pod---Outfitted with a complement of point defense weapons systems for use in picket and interception duties
-Point Defense Turrets(6)---Adds six more PDS turrets identical to 4) above.
-Tachyon Scatter Guns(4)
Range: (Palladium)6 miles (10,000 m) in space w/ 3 mile wide arc(cannot operate in atmosphere)
(Kitsune Values: 600 miles in space)
Damage: 2d4x10 MD per shot
Rate of Fire: EPCHH
Payload: Effectively Unlimited

*’F’-Plasma Pod---Mounts two heavy plasma torpedo launchers in place of embarked fighters(still retains the shuttles).
---These are direct-fire weapons that fire bolts of plasma trapped in a temporary magnetic ‘shell’ centered on an evaporated ‘seed’ of ultra-dense deuterium 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


*’G’-Gravity Gun Pod---Mounts two heavy gravity guns in place of embarked fighters(still retains the shuttles).
Range: 25 miles in atmosphere, 70 miles in space
(Kitsune Values: 70 miles in atmosphere, 70,000 miles in space)
Damage:(Kinetic Penetrator) 3d6x100 MD to 15 ft radius
(Multi-Munition Fragmentor) 3d6x10 MD to 300 ft radius
(Heavy Plasma) 2d6x100 MD to 150 ft blast radius
Rate of Fire: Three times per melee
Payload: 100 shells per cannon. Additional shells may be stored in the cargo holds and reloaded within 30 minutes(3 shells per ton of cargo)

* ‘H’-Hangar Pod----DOUBLES fighter capacity to 32 fighters.

*’I’-Ion Pod---Adds capacity for four heavy ion cannons and a dedicated powerplant in place of embarked fighters(still retains the shuttles).
Ion Cannon--(ionization rules courtesy of Henning Rogge)
Range: (Palladium) 4 miles in atmosphere, 12 miles in space
(Kitsune Values) 12 miles in atmosphere, 12,000 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

*’L’-Laser Pod---Adds capacity for three more Heavy Lasers and a dedicated powerplant in place of embarked fighters(still retains the shuttles).
Range: 7 miles in atmosphere, 14 miles in space
(Kitsune Values: 14 miles in atmosphere, 14,000 miles in space)
Damage: 4d6x100 per blast
Rate of Fire: 4 times per melee
Payload: Effectively Unlimited

*’M’-Missile Pod--- Mounts an additional battery of long range missile launchers(identical to those mounted in the main hull) in place of embarked fighters(still retains the shuttles).
Range: Varies by Missile Type(Long Range Missiles)
(Kitsune Values: 3,400 miles in atmosphere, 1,800,000 miles in space)
Damage: Varies by Missile Type(Long Range Missiles)
Rate of Fire: Volleys of 1-10
Payload: 200 per launcher; additional missiles may be carried as cargo, and reloaded from storage.

*’N’-’Net’ Pod---A module fitted with heavy area-of-effect weaponry in place of fighters. Typically used as an anti-fighter/missile picket.
a) Heavy Tachyon ScatterGuns(4, 400 MDC each)
Range: 5 miles (2,500 m) in atmosphere, 10 miles (10,000 m) in space w/ 6 mile wide arc*
(Kitsune Values: 5 miles in atmosphere, 5,000 miles in space)
*Width are reduced to 1/4th in atmosphere
Damage: 1d6x100 MD per blast
Rate of Fire: EPCHH
Payload: Effectively Unlimited
b)Heavy Rail Guns(2, 500 MDC each)
Range: 40 miles in atmosphere, 80 miles in space
(Kitsune Values: 40 miles in atmosphere, 40,000 miles in space)
Damage:(Exploding/Fragmenting Flechette): 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( 200 tons ammunition storage, 1 ton of cargo per 12 rounds)


*’O’- Medical Pod(aka ‘OR’)---Flying field hospital with a capacity of caring for up to 200 patients at a time. Includes 6 fully equipped operating rooms, recovery wards, laboratories, and hangar capacity for 6 shuttles(no fighters).

*’P’-Planetary Assault Pod---This pod carries the launch systems for freefall kinetic and explosive weapons meant to be deployed against surface targets(the ‘superbomber’ concept). Can typically carry up to 8,000 tons of deployable ordnance, such as the following:
a) Kinetic Bomb---Fairly typical 2 ton ‘rod from god’ high density kinetic penetrator
Range: Orbit to Surface
Damage: 2d6x100 MD; effective blast radius of 120 ft. Can penetrate up to 400 ft into solid rock, dropped from orbit.

b) Light Kinetic Penetrator Module ---Works similar to a WWII ‘Earthquake Bomb’. Kinetic weapons have the advantage of leaving little or no radiation to contaminate a battlefield or potential postwar acquisition. The LKP module actually carries three separate RVs on a maneuverable ‘bus’ stage, allowing three separate targets to be hit, or a single target to be bracketed. Each RV does 1d6x100 MD to a 100 ft radius and can penetrate up to 250 ft of loose soil(100 ft of rock or concrete)
Weight: 4 tons

c) Heavy Kinetic ‘Smasher’--- A single-shot warhead(no multiple warheads) weighing 12 tons. Hits with considerably greater velocity and kinetic energy. Does 1d6x100 MD to a 90 ft radius, and does DOUBLE damage to any fixed-foundation structures in a 200 ft radius, due to ground shock.

d) Heavy ‘MaxSlap’ KEW-----Designed to be ‘lobbed’ for maximum kinetic impact, the super-heavy bomb does 1d8x1,000 MD to 250 ft blast radius, and can penetrate up to 500 ft of earth(300 ft of rock or concrete), for attacking bunkers or undercutting larger structures.
Weight: 21 tons

e) Fuel Air Explosive Munition---A single warhead(no multiple warheads) non-nuclear area of effect weapon that disperses a cloud of volatile fuel droplets in a mist over the target area, then ignites it in a rapidly propagating explosion. Besides thermal damage, the real damage from this weapon comes in the massive overpressure shockwave that it creates, capable of forcing its way into open ducts and vents, and imploding vehicles and bunkers. Also known as a ‘Daisy Cutter’, it is often used to simultaneously secure and clear landing zones of obstacles(both sentient and material). The heavy FAEM can do 4d6x10 MD to a 500 ft radius, plus 3d6x10 MD to everything else in a 3,000 ft ft radius. Those caught within the blast radius are also likely (01-88%) likely to be bowled over by the blast and stunned, if not worse....
Weight: 15 tons

f) ElectroMagnetic Pulse Weapon---Designed to knockout unprotected electronics and power distribution networks, exploding at high altitude for maximum effect. Up to four of these weapons can be carried on a common ‘bus’.
Damage: 5d6x10 MD to 100 ft blast radius
EM effects: Used against unshielded power grids(such as cities and towns), the particle blast has a 99% chance of knocking down electrical systems, including vehicles, in an 100-mile radius of the point of detonation. Unprotected computers and other hardware not protected by surge protectors, and hooked into the common power grid, may still be affected up to a hundred miles or more away by power surges through the power lines.
The EMP is less effective against shielded systems such as those on space structures(25%) and military systems(10% for surface military vehicles), which are hardened against radiation.
Weight: 1 ton ‘bus’

g) Heavy Nuclear ‘SunBombs’---These are the heavy PS/ASI-made weapons used exclusively by their forces. They are rarely used against inhabited/habitable worlds(used against exclusively military targets).
Weight: 10 tons
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

h) X-Ray Laser Bombs
Weight: 10 tons
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.

i) 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 omnidirectional plasma warhead.
Weight: 10 tons
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.

j) TW Weapons---Based on the work done between Paladin Steel and its allies, strategic TechnoWizardry weapons are a safer, more ‘morally acceptable’ alternative to vaporizing enemy cities with nuclear weapons. TW warheads also have certain advantages against magic-vulnerable opponents. They are also lightweight, allowing more of them to be carried and deployed.
The downside is that strategic TW weapons are hellishly expensive in both the crystal matrices needed to hold the weapons-grade spells, and the high-level mage talent needed to produce and empower them.
Still, PS produces and deploys a wide variety of these weapons, just in case.
Weight: Each RV ‘bus’ weighs 1 ton.

j1)TW Disharmonize---Actually more of an airburst weapon that deploys thousands of small individual grenade-sized TW ‘skeet’ warheads over a wide area, that fall to an appropriate altitude for maximum effect, then explode, causing no initial physical damage, but sowing massive chaos throughout both military forces and civilian populations. Tremendously expansive in terms of magic energy investment, and relatively short-term in its effects, it nevertheless can be an effective weapon in disrupting an enemy’s defenses in advance of a raid or troop landing.
Each MIRV can carry up to 200 ‘skeets’ each
The carrier shell is designed as an airburst weapon(300-1,000 ft up), with the dispersal charge firing the skeets out on wide arc frisbeeing trajectories to cover a maximum area of effect. Each submunition skeet affects a 500 ft radius(some overlap is unavoidable), and effects last 50 minutes. Everyone caught in the area of effect must save versus magic or else lose HALF their attacks per melee, lose initiative, and be -20% to perform all skills. Furthermore
The beauty of this weapon is that the mage-munition officer or loader, if one is available, can , simply by touching the shell before loading and launching, and uttering a safing incantation(Magic telepathy or psionic telepathy will also do the trick), fuze the weapon to affect ONLY enemy soldiers...KNOWN allies are UNAFFECTED by the magic! Of course, if no such trained combat mage or psychic is available , then the ‘generic’ shell will affect EVERYONE in the area of effect.
Needless to say, however, at 150 PPE per submunition, these weapons are awfully expensive.

j2) TW Magma Weapon(RV)---Modified River of Lava spell, that creates a pool 450 ft in diameter instead, that lasts 15 minutes. If deployed in shallow water it lasts only 7 minutes and does HALF damage, but creates huge bubbles, kills local sea life, and produces a massive cloud of superheated steam that blinds anyone on the surface, fouls up thermographic imaging systems, and creates a belching sonar static that can screw up passive sonar systems in the area.

j3) TW Tsunami Weapon(RV)---Designed for attacking coastal targets,this weapon deploys up to 5 independently targeting RVs that each generate a tidal wave.
Each warhead creates a tidal wave roughly 150 ft high, 3,000 ft long, lasts 15 melees, reach as far as 450 ft inland, and does 4d6x10 MD per melee. Also has a 75% chance of capsizing any ships it catches.
Note: This weapon is INEFFECTIVE unless aimed at a sizable body of water, such as an ocean, large lake, or deep river.

j4) TW Hurricane Weapon(RV)----Ocean-attack weapon, but can also be used against large lakes. Each MIRV creates a massive sea storm that covers a 120 ft area, 100-150 mph winds, and 30 ft high waves. Does 3d6x10 MD per melee to large structures, and 1d6 MD to anyone caught out in the open. Effects last 15 minutes.

j5) TW Maelstrom Weapon(RV)---Another ocean-attack weapon, for attacking shipping and submarine warships/installations. Like the Tsunami Weapon, the ‘bus’ can deploy up to 5 independently targeting RVs that each generate a sizable whirlpool in any large body of water they are aimed at.
Whirlpools are 120 ft wide, lasts 15 minutes, and does 1d4x10 MD to anything caught in its center, 2d6x10 MD per melee to large ships, and 1d6x100 MD to hem if they get submerged or if the whirlpool ‘breaks the ship’s back’.

j6) TW Earthquake Weapon(RV)---Each warhead acts as a 15th level Elemental Earthquake spell; 3500 ft area of effect, doing 2d6x100 MD per melee, for fifteen melees. Generates a fissure 900 ft long, doing damage to everything within 600 ft on either side of it. A full spread of Earthquakers can destroy a county.

j7) TW Stormfront Weapon(RV)---Airburst warheads that unleash multiple Tornadoes(one per warhead), and an accompanying Summon Storm, all equivalent to the 15th level Elemental Warlock Spells.
Tornadoes are 100 ft in diameter, last 15 minutes, and do 3d6x10 MD per melee to anything caught by them, and an additional 2d6x10 MD to anything hurled out. Wood, clay, and stone structures take 4d6x10 points of damage(SDC or MDC), and trees are uprooted in one melee round. The tornadoes will also randomly wander about in a half-mile area before dispersing.
The storm element creates a drenching, obscuring downpour that drops 4 inches of rain per hour, does 1-6 points of structural S.D.C. per half hour, immobilizing floods, and reduces visibility to near zilch; storm covers a 14 mile area, and lasts 7 hours

Rate of Fire: Volleys of 1-20
Payload: 80 free-fall RVs. Additional RVs may be carried as cargo(


*’S’-Sentry Pod---Holds an advanced long range sensor system. The ship can now pick up on vessels moving at FTL up to 30 light years away, and vessels moving through normal space up to 1 light year away.

*’T’---Tender Pod---Designed to work with the module-equipped Sunchaser- and Windfola-class corvettes. This pod is an open-framework holding additional modules(up to 30) to swap out with the smaller ships, and the apparatus needed to do it in the field.

*’U’---’Universal’ or ‘Unknown’ Pod----A dedicated science pod with dedicated laboratory facilities. Can be variously outfitted for astronomical or planetary sciences studies, including quarantine facilities for medical research. Has onboard living facilities for up to 30 research staff, although in the more extensive/secured research configurations, the scientists may live entirely in the main hull of the ship, and direct automated systems in the science pod. Some variants on this pod can be detached and deploy station-keeping thrusters and external solar panels and antennae to act as free-flying mini-space stations.

“Y”-Pod---Special designation given to a ventral hangar or drop-pod holding a large submersible vehicle that can be deployed from the LaFayette. Reports that several examples have been used to deploy combat submarines on worlds of the TGE contested by the FWC, or Golgan worlds (especially those contested by nationalist movements) remain unsubstantiated.


Variants:
*SCG-17C----These are either late production frames or conversions of earlier construction hulls that have been converted into fast transports. The Heavy Lasers, missile launchers, and half of the secondary laser batteries were removed, and crew needs reduced by HALF, to accommodate capacity for 10,000 tons of cargo. Typically the fighter complement is retained as escort.

Is it me, or does it seem like this thread should be stickied?

Paladin Steel/Aegis Stellar Industries Tsiolkovsky-class Heavy Interstellar Transport
(Aka ‘Heinlein Cruiser’, ‘Onion Ship’, ‘Christmas Bulb’, ‘AstroBauble’)

“Here’s the sitrep, people, Star Mercy has dropped a rush order on us, offering to buy or rent as many ships as we have currently ready to go. Seems there’s a big insystem civil war raging over in some human system in the Gaix Sector, and it’s gotten nasty, nasty enough that their neighbors are staging an intervention. Star Mercy wants rescue and hospital ships ready to go in after the peaceforcers, and are looking to us to give material support and hulls. We got three Tsios ready to go; two new transports and the -Daydreamer-, which was supposed to start service with our passenger line. Well, the transports are going to be reconfigured as rescue ships and the starliner as a hospital carrier. We got a week to convert them. Naturally, because we want to keep in their good graces, we’re charging only basic operating expenses on the deal, but we’re still putting a lot of volunteer work into the ships. Fortunately, Star Mercy’s providing the medical gear; we got regeneration tubes, autodocs, and stasis chambers arriving in three days from Paragalos, so if we hop to it now, we can just plug them in when they arrive. But for rescue work we’re going to need to install better sensors and carry more EVA pods...I’m thinking we carry Taons, that way the rescue pilots will also be able to deal with any still-live military ordnance they come across...We can get the sensors from the Scobee Scout lines, but we’ll need to rewire the basic nodes, like so...”
---Special Interdepartmental Briefing, Aegis Stellar Industries/Paladin Steel Amberjin Shipyards.

The Tsiolkovsky-class starships are the ‘big brother’ of the spheroid Kepler-class spacecraft. Like most of PS/ASI’s line of transports, the ships are designed to be multipurpose, and can be configured to serve as cargo carriers, starliners, industrial transports, and even private yachts.
Tsiolkovskys are large spheroid starships with a hint of a ‘stem’ where the main thrusters and auxiliary fusion drives are located. The ships can enter and exit atmospheres, courtesy of their streamlining and antigravity drive systems, and can land on dry land or in water. They are ‘tail sitters’, their decks aligned perpendicular to the long axis of the ship, and the vessel landing and taking off along that long axis. The decks are laid out as sectional circles around a central core, with the bridge near the top, accommodations in the center, and cargo and engineering in the lower decks.
Tsiolkovskys have modest speed but better than average armor, and provision for heavy point defense armament installation(though only basic PDS is usually installed). A basic mono-planar forcefield is standard equipment, though the shielding system is upgradable, at extra expense, to variable forceshielding.
The basic hull and planform is robust enough to tolerate substantial modification, and the basic Tsiolkovsky is expected to sell well as a multipurpose ‘custom-slate’ for buyers looking for a good multi-role hull. PS/ASI has set up several shipyard sites for producing the Tsiolkovsky to order.

Type: PS/ASI-SC08 Tsiolkovsky
Class: Heavy Multipurpose Interstellar Transport
Crew: Can operate with as few as 25 crew members, but works best with a crew of 50.
Configured as a starliner, the Tsiolkovsky can carry an additional 10-80 crew, and up to 1,700 passengers.
If doubling up with economy-class accommodations for short runs(no more than a week’s travel), the ship can carry 2,500 passengers.
‘Sleeper’ ships carrying passengers in suspended animation can carry up to 5,000 in stasis.
MDC/Armor by Location:
Main Body 9,000
Bridge 3,000
Hangar Bays(2) 1,000 each
Drive Bloc 5,000
Point Defense Turrets(1-12) 150 each
Forcefield 10,000
Height: 600 ft
Width: 600 ft
Length: 680 ft
Weight: 100,000 tons
Cargo: Normally only carries 12,000 tons. If carrying only cargo, can stow 80,000 tons
Powerplant: Nuclear Fusion, w/ 40 year energy life
Speed:
(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) 4 light years per hour
(Underwater) ---The Tsiolkovsky CAN be equipped to travel underwater, for an extra 70 million credits. Underwater speed of 15 MPH, maximum depth of 4,000 ft

Market Cost: 7 billion credits
Systems of Note:
Standard Starship Systems

Weapons Systems: None standard, but comes with provision for up to twelve weapons stations(up to Medium class).

Auxiliary Craft:
4 Aerospace Shuttles
1-8 In-atmo Aircraft(VTOLs)
2-10 EVA Pods

Variants:
The following are a few of the more commonly-requested configurations.

*PS/ASI-SC08T----Military cargo transport. The engines have been tweaked for greater speed(Mach 7) and shields are 50% better than civilian make. Typically mounts a full twelve combined laser-mini-missile launcher turrets for point defense.

*PS/ASI-SC08AH---Hospital Ship conversion. Mounts long range sensors. Carries an expanded crew with 90 additional medical staff. Ward capacity of 1,800 patients, plus 3,000 in stasis. Depending on circumstances, may or may not be armed with point defense weaponry.

*PS/ASI-SC08AGS---Deep Space Research Vessel. This variant is distinguished by the extra and larger arrays of sensors mounted on the hull. Generally these sensors are useless for tactical purposes, but can glean details of local astronomical phenomena or make observations of distant stellar objects.

*PS/ASI-SC08ATS---Heavy Salvage Vessel. Besides tractor beam projectors and extra-long robotic grappling arms, the ship features external magnetic/molecular adhesion panels and external cargo attachment points. The VTOLs are typically replaced with additional EVA workpods, skiffs, or salvage drones.

*PS/ASI-SC08DSPC----Deep Space Patrol Craft. Sensor range is DOUBLED. Typically carries two medium range and six short range weapons on its turret-mounts, and 8 aerospace craft rather than in-atmo aircraft.

*PS/ASI-SC08DSFR----Frigate conversion. Changes include a more powerful engine(maximum speed Mach 10), additional armor(increase MDC of all locations by 30%), variable forcefields( 1,000 per side, 6,000 total). All of which increase the ship’s mass by 30%. The DSFR typically mounts four medium twin-barrel laser turrets and ten point defense turrets(typically combined pulser-lasers/mini-missile mounts).

*PS/ASI-SC08DSDE----Destroyer Escort conversion, Has the same structural and drive enhancements as the DSFG, but is more specialized as an escort and screening vessel with eight short range laser cannons, ten laser-and-mini-missile turrets, and four short range missile batteries(volleys of 1-10 each, 30 missiles ready to fire). As convoy escorts, many carry countermeasure launchers or sandcasters in their small cargo bays, to further decoy enemy sensor-guided weaponry away from themselves and their charges.

Valar-Ryzellian ‘Shenquan’ Courier
A tribute-bride! Her! Torianne A’Shan! She who had commanded an entire battlefleet, now stripped of her command and title! But honor demanded it, the Throne so ordered it, and after her effective loss of a Royal Flagship to a single Syndian ship under ignominious circumstances, the Khessis-Admiralty would have been well within its directives to order her imprisoned for life, even executed! Instead, though, they chose to send her into exile, as a tribute-bride to the enemy commander who had bested her!
And so here she sat in the main cabin of the small Shenquan-class ship that was to carry her to her destiny across the restabilized border. She was a prisoner in all but name, and that name would be tarnished indeed if she dared try to return to the Valar-Ryzell without fulfilling the dictates of honor. No kin would claim her, and she might well face the dungeons if she disobeyed.
She tried to enjoy the flight; it might well be her last on a Ryzellian craft of any sort. She bristled though at her status aboard it; tribute-bride might be considered an honorable role among the Ryzellians, but it still relegated her to the status of passenger( she clamped down on the other word---cargo---that came to her mind) on any official Ryzellian ship. She wished that at the very least the Khessis-Admiralty had allowed her one last command, even if it was captain of the ship carrying her out of Valar space. That wouldn’t have been so bad; Shenquans were smart, fast, craft equally at home as couriers, scouts, or raiders. She had not commanded one personally; she had commanded flotillas of them from the deck of her battleship, but she knew the ships well. But that wasn’t to be; perhaps her political enemies in the Khessis-Admiralty feared that giving her command of a ship, any ship, would risk her abandoning what was left of her honor and re-igniting the border war or making a run for the Deep.
She felt uneasy to be entering Syndian space, without her uniform, armor, and personal weapons. She had an especially bad moment when the courier approached the squadron of Syndian warships that intercepted them just inside Syndian space; her body tensed and she almost commanded the courier crew to raise shields and prepare evasive maneuvers as the angular alien craft loomed out of the deep around the smaller ship.
Then Meian put her arm on Torianne’s own. Her co-bride was all calmness, and even happy anticipation, and she managed to share some of that through her touch. Torianne calmed somewhat; she had access to the intelligence reports and knew from experience what this ‘Captain Val Adaran’ was like. Honorable, intelligent, a brilliant tactician, brave and merciful to his opponents. He might not be Valar-Ryzellian, but he would not be one to abuse those given to him in honorable surrender. Judged worthy of not one, but two, daughters of high Ryzellian bloodlines. Having faced him in battle, Torianne wondered what it would be like to see him in peace. She would soon find out.
As the tiny Shenquan passed its interrogation under the guns of the Syndian border patrol, and passed on its way deeper into Syndian space, Torriane relaxed. Meian was of a Seer bloodline, right? If the younger woman was calm, actually happy, under the circumstances, things would turn out for the best, and she may as well enjoy the trip.

The Valar-Ryzellian Shenquan-class courier is considered by many to be little more than a large shuttle capable of of interstellar flight and high speed normal space operation. To participants in the Syndian-Ryzellian War, however, the ships were a common sight operating around battlefields, headquarters stations, and hotly contested supply bases and communications outposts.
The Shenquan started out as a fairly threadbare craft, little more than a propulsion system, stabilizers, and a cockpit at the end of a hull boom(it was sometimes called the ‘Skekanor’ or ‘skeletal finger’), but Ryzellian engineers discovered the design could accommodate a triangular hull extension mated under the main hull, allowing for carriage of a small amount of cargo or passengers without significantly and negatively affecting the ship’s performance. The Shenquan originally carried only light self-defense weaponry in a pair of fore- and aft-mounted lasers, but later on the extra hull capacity would be used to carry missiles and heavier direct fire weaponry.
During the Valar-Ryzellians’ war with their Syndian neighbors, the Shenquan found itself starting the war as an interfleet courier as it was designed for, but when the fortunes of war turned against the Ryzellians, the class was hastily modified to serve as a scout and even a light raider. There the ship served bravely in good fashion, and many Ryzellian crews manned their ships with courage and passion against their Syndian opponents. Unfortunately, many more brave Ryzellian crews were simply wiped from existence trying to attack far larger and better armed Syndian opponents.
Shenquans became an extremely common sight even more so AFTER a ceasefire was declared, as the ships were busy shuttling various diplomatic missions back and forth across the shared border. Among them were so many Valar-Ryzellian women who had volunteered or been given by their clans as tribute-brides to ‘worthy’ Syndians, that the Shenquans came to be called ‘bride carriages’. As the Valar-Ryzellian regime collapsed with the Kadavist takeover, the steady stream of Shenquans carrying fleeing dissidents and refugees became a flood.
Once hardly seen outside Valar-Ryzellian space, the Shenquan is now appearing in numbers on the open market, the result of so many Ryzellian dissidents fleeing and selling off their escape ships. It has been joked that more Shenquans exist outside Valar-Ryzellian space than within it. Another joke making the rounds is that the Kadavist regime has ordered all remaining ships of the class either locked up and guarded, or have their FTL cores removed when not on duty; unguarded Shenquans have a habit of disappearing in short order.
Though the Shenquan is generally regarded as an increasingly obsolete vessel with regards to its military capabilities, the current Kadavist regime has stepped up production of a cheaper, less sophisticated, variant of the design, the ‘Fenquan’, in part to make up for losses(both in the War and to subsequent defections) of the Shenquan fleet, and also to build up a ‘mosquito fleet’ of armed light auxiliaries manned by partially-trained crews. Syndian Military Intelligence fears that some of these vessels may be modified as kamikaze suicide bombers.

Type: VRISN-Ryz-LWC07 Shenquan
Class: Light Interstellar Courier
Crew: 4
MDC/Armor by Location:
Main Body 1,000
Cockpit 400
Cargo/Accommodation Module 400
Engine Nacelle 900
Tail Fins(3) 200 each
Forcefield 800
Height: 45 ft with fins at full extension, 28 ft with fins folded
Width: 45 ft with fins at full extension, 28 ft with fins folded
Length: 80 ft
Weight: 220 tons
Cargo: 5 tons normal configuration
Powerplant: Nuclear Fusion w/ 30 year energy life
Speed:
(Atmosphere) Hover to Mach 3; transatmospheric.
(Sublight) Mach 10
(Kitsune Values: 50% of light speed; Accelerates/decelerates at 1.0% of light speed per melee)
(FTL) 4.8 light years per hour
(Underwater) Limited; can ‘fly’ underwater at 30 MPH, maximum depth of 500 ft.
Market Cost: 41 million credits
Systems of Note:
Standard Starship Systems, plus:

*Passive Stealth---The skoral hull imparts a -15% to radar scans, absorbing the radiation, or else giving readings similar to an asteroid or other space debris. Ladar scans, on the other hand, will give a truer reading, and are thus unaffected.

*Limited Self-Repair---The ship can actually affect limited self-repair to hull breaches, by pumping a psuedo-organic paste through capillary-like channels to damaged sections. In this manner, the ship can actually repair 5d6 MD of hull/material damage per minute, but repair of ship systems, weapons, and other systemry requires regular repair facilities.

Weapons Systems:
1) Light Lasers(4, 2 forward, 2 aft)---Light self-defense weapons
Range: 1 mile in atmosphere, 3 miles in space
(Kitsune Values: 3 miles in atmosphere, 300 miles in space)
Damage: 1d6x10 MD per burst
Rate of Fire: EGCHH, or 4 APMs under automated fire control
Payload: Effectively Unlimited

Variants:
Variants are mainly dictated by the sort of accommodation/cargo configuration in the lower hold:
*Passenger Conversion: room for 1-12 passengers

*Missile Raider---These were missile boat conversions that packed the cargo hull with as many missile tubes as possible; ONE of the following configurations:
-Short Range Missiles
Range: Varies by Missile Type
(Kitsune Values: 10 miles in atmosphere, 500 miles in space)
Damage: Varies by Missile Type
Rate of Fire: Volleys of 1-30
Payload: 150 total (5 SRMs per launch cell)

-Medium Range Missiles
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 1-10
Payload: 60 missiles

-Long Range Missiles
Range: Varies by Missile Type
(Kitsune Values: 3,400 miles in atmosphere, 1,800,000 miles in space)
Damage:Varies by Missile Type
Rate of Fire: Volleys of 1-6
Payload: 18 missiles

-Cruise Missiles(Rare, but a few couriers were armed with CMs in hopes of bagging a Syndian capital ship or Orbital)
Range:Varies by Missile Type
(Kitsune Values: 3,400 miles in atmosphere, 1,800,000 miles in space)
Damage:Varies by Missile Type
Rate of Fire: Volleys of 1-6
Payload: 12 total.

*Gun Raider: This configuration packs as many direct fire guns as available into fixed-foward firing installations in the cargo pod. Unfortunately, the only available weapons were typically point defense weapons off larger ships, so range suffered. ONE of the following configurations was typical:
-Rail Guns(6)
Range: 1 mile in atmosphere, 3 miles in space
(Kitsune Values: 3 miles in atmosphere, 300 miles in space)
Damage: 2d4x10 MD per 20 rd burst, 8d6x10 MD for all six guns firing simultaneously
Rate of Fire: EGCHH
Payload: 500 bursts per gun

-Light Pulse Lasers(8)
Range: 1 mile in atmosphere, 3 miles in space
(Kitsune Values: 3 miles in atmosphere, 300 miles in space)
Damage: 1d6x10 MD per burst, 8d6x10 MD for all eight lasers firing simultaneously
Rate of Fire: EGCHH
Payload: Effectively Unlimited

-Medium Pulse Lasers(2)
Range: 5 miles in atmosphere, 10 miles in space
(Kitsune Values: 10 miles in atmosphere, 10,000 miles in space)
Damage: 1d4x100 MD per single barrel, 2d4x100 MD for both cannons firing
Rate of Fire: Four shots per melee
Payload:Effectively Unlimited

Variants:

*VRISN-Ryz-LWC08 ‘Fenquan’---This was a late war development of the Shenquan, meant to speed production of the ships. The main difference was the change-over from Skoral construction to more conventional materials, such as fibersteel. This reduced the cost and construction time by HALF, but removed the stealth and self-repair features. Fenquans proved unpopular with crews, but in the post-War fallout, the Ryz-LWC08 has become more common(and any complainers ‘re-educated’ or weeded out by the dogma-squads) as the Kadavist regime seeks to maximize the number of ships available to its zealot forces.

Paladin Steel/Aegis Stellar Industries Brewster F200A Rhino-Buffalo Light Aerospace Fighter
(aka ‘Buff’, ‘Luf’(Little Ugly Fella),‘Jurgamunster’)

“She’s a chirpy little number; neither the fastest nor the most heavily armed, but she has good handling characteristics both in the soup and in the deep black. You can do a lot worse than flying a Buff.”
---Shivie Sumata, PS test pilot


Among the various contracts PS/ASI managed to land in the Three Galaxies was a series of purchase and commission agreements with the world of Jorgmundson, an established and mature colony of NeoScand ethnic-bloc descent from the Human Alliance. Though a cold planet, Jorgmundson was rich in mineral deposits and had a multiple moon system also rich in various ores, which attracted settlement. Development of these deposits had brought wealth to Jorgmundson, but also trouble in the form of piracy and claim-jumping, forcing the local militia forces to re-equip to protect the mining outposts and settlements, and more effectively police the situation. PS/ASI quickly landed several contracts supplying low-cost transport ships and defensive weapons from their existing catalogue to the Jorgmundsons. However, they were surprised to be approached by the Minister of the Interior, who wanted to commission a new aerospace fighter for the planetary defense forces. The specifications called for a light, compact, agile fighter that could perform equally well in a planetary atmosphere and in space, among Jorgmundson’s multiple moons and asteroids. The Minister also had a special request; the new fighter had to be based in part on the visual configuration of a famous vehicle of the Jorgmundsons’ ancient history so as to appear as an icon of the Jorgmundsons’ resilience and prowess in battle. The Minister even brought pictures of the aircraft.
The Paladin Steel representatives were astonished to recognize the images of a pre-Rifts terrestrial aircraft, the Brewster F2A ‘Buffalo’, an early pre-Rifts American Empire radial-engined monoplane fighter that had suffered grievously early in the Second Global War when it was put up against the faster and more agile Zeroes of the Nihon Empire. However, most tellingly, the aircraft had been sold to the northern European Finnish nation-state, where it did much better in combat against the aggression of the Soviet Dominion. That the Jormundsons not only had records of this aircraft but had virtually enshrined it in their military history raised more than a few eyebrows among the Paladins, but they had been offered both a contract and a challenge and were game to meet both. Besides, the idea had a certain eccentric appeal to the engineers and technowizards of Paladin Steel.
So PS/ASI accepted the commission-contract in return for favored access to newly opened mines producing skagerite, a mineral very useful to Paladin Steel in the synthesis of viritalium, the core of PS’s new enhanced particle beam weapons technology.
Paladin Steel knew that producing a near-replica to the old specs of the F2A, even enhanced with TechnoWizardry and modern megadamage materials, would still not live up to the other specifications laid out for the new aerospace fighter, so they took liberties with the old design. In the end, the F200A would bear a superficial, but still recognizable, resemblance in the old piston-powered aircraft, in its stubby, barrel-like fuselage, straight round-tipped wings, greenhouse canopy, and distinctive tail fins. However, the F200A is slightly larger, heavier, with a longer nose cowling to house the more powerful Rating 4 Grav-Prop engine and powerplant, and the wings have a wider chord, with 25-degree swept back leading edge extensions and trailing wing gloves. The tail redesign features a set of ventral strakes for added control and stability in atmosphere. The wings also have deployable wing fences for more agile maneuvering during in-atmo turns and braking maneuvers.
Armor is fairly heavy for its size, consisting mainily of vanadium-reinforced composites, using a large percentage of locally-produced materials. Armament is light, but hard-hitting, consisting of sets of energy and projectile cannon, and possible underwing ordnance.
Even with the largest available production single-engine grav-prop drive installed, the F200A is still fairly slow, and the lack of an omni-directional forcefield leaves the slow-moving fighter vulnerable, especially to faster opponents able to loop in from behind. To compensate, and offer the fighter additional speed in a pinch, PS/ASI engineers installed a small, but powerful, fusion impulse drive just under the tail, for use in emergencies n escaping tail-chasing opponents. The fusion booster uses exotic isotopic fuel harvested locally, and which burns particularly ‘dirty’, producing a spectacular plume of radiation, electromagnetic flux, and ionization that shows up quite brilliantly on sensors, but which has the added bonus of scrambling those same sensors, preventing them from achieving a hard lock-on for targeting. The F200A’s small size, however, limits the amount of fuel that can be carried for the booster, limiting its total operational use. Pilots are thus advised to use the system sparingly and only in emergencies.

The Rhino-Buffalo got an early baptism of fire during flight tests from a small outpost given to PS/ASI for trials. Observed by a skeptical observer from the Defense Ministry, PS test pilot Shivie Sumata was putting the XF200A through its paces when pirates raided a nearby mining outpost. Responding to the calls for aide, Sumata was able to down two of the pirates’ escorting fighters and sent a third running from the battlefield. Though PS/ASI privately ascribed the success primarily to the test pilot’s skill and the surprise on the part of the pirates when they found themselves facing a ‘snub fighter’, the Defense observer was suitably impressed and the government later substantially increased their initial order of fighters.
The F200A is produced exclusively for the Jorgmundson armed forces, though PS and the GNEAS retain a few for testing purposes. The F200A is used throughout Jorgmundson space as a light fighter and has proven quite popular with crews, but pragmatically the Jorgmundsons have also ordered larger numbers of more capable fighters, such as the Almar and the Kestral, from Paladin Steel.

Type: PS/ASI-F200A Rhino-Buffalo
Class: Light Aerospace Fighter
Crew: One
MDC/Armor by Location:
Main Body 300
Reinforced Crew Compartment 120
Wings(2) 180 each
Tail 150
Forcefield (200 front, 100 each side/top-bottom)
Height: 12.1 ft
Width: 35 ft
Length: 27 ft
Weight: 7,200 lbs
Cargo: Small space in the ejection seat for a survival back, sidearms, and a space-survival bubble.
Powerplant: Dual Nuclear Fusion w/ 20 year energy life and PPE Powerstone Engine
PPE Capacity:(Medium)-----300 PPE battery capacity; recharges at 10 PPE per hour, 40 PPE/hour at a leyline, 80 PPE/hour on a nexus
Speed:
(Atmosphere) Hover to 400 MPH; transatmospheric.
With the fusion booster engaged, and the gravprop forcefield up, the F200A can hit Mach 6 on a climb.
(Sublight) Mach 9, Mach 11 w/ booster assist
-The Fusion Impulse Jet has enough fuel for 15 minutes of operation.
(Kitsune Values: 30% of light speed; Accelerates/decelerates at 0.9% of light speed per melee)

Bonuses:
The F200A is fairly nimble, and gets a +2 to dodge at 250 MPH or less, and is +15% to turning maneuvers.
Market Cost: 26 million credits
Systems of Note:
Standard Aircraft Systems, plus:
*Ejection Seat
*Radio--100 mile range
*Life Support System(48 hour oxygen supply/filtration)
*Photo-sensitive Cockpit Bubble(polarized glare-blocking)

*Autopilot---This simply allows the pilot to set speed, altitude, and heading, and the plane will automatically fly itself along the set course. Great for long flights, allowing the pilot to rest.

*Radar---A small radar system with aerials in the spinner cap and tail gives the F200A limited radar capability; 30 mile range in atmosphere, 3,000 mile range in space.

*Laser Targeting---+2 to strike with ranged weaponry

*ECCM system: A semi-automatic system that uses electronic encryption and frequency jumping to (attempt to) negate jamming systems. The system has a 25% chance of negating radar or communications jamming (non-magical) on its own, or a +5% if the pilot has a Read Sensory Instruments or Radio: Scramblers skill and devotes a full melee to operating the system(no other attacks/actions are possible).
Having an Electronic warfare Skill gains a +15% bonus to operating this system.
Note that this only applies to received communications (the system filters them out from the jamming clutter) and sensory data received by that unit alone (other units cannot make use of it, unless they have an unaffected datalink/info-share with the ECCM equipped unit. Magic/psychic jamming is NOT affected by this system.


Weapons Systems:
1) Fuselage Guns(2)----Two energy weapons are mounted ahead of the cockpit in the top of the engine cowling.
a)Pulse Lasers
Range: 4,000 feet(8,000 ft/ 1.6 miles in space)
(Kitsune Values: 160 miles in space)
Damage: 4d6+2 per single shot, 2d4x10 for a triple pulse per single gun.
Rate of Fire: ECHH
Payload: Effectively unlimited

b) Enhanced Pulse Lasers---Longer-ranged versions of the previous weapons. These can be distinguished by the longer barrels protruding from the cowling.
Range: 6,000 feet(12,000 ft/ 2.4 miles in space)
(Kitsune Values: 240 miles in space)
Damage: 4d6+2 per single shot, 2d4x10 for a triple pulse per single gun.
Rate of Fire: ECHH
Payload: Effectively unlimited

c)Particle Beam Cannon---Seeing as the Jorgmundsons were supplying PS/ASI with skagerite for viritalium particle sources, it was deemed only right that some of that material should go back to the Jorgmundsons in the form of enhanced-performance particle beam weaponry. The twin ‘Slegge’ (hammer) LPBCs fitted to the F200A are exceptionally potent for their size and weight, but the viritalium cores require more frequent replacement than more conventional PBCs(after every 500 +1d4x100 shots).
Range: 5,000 ft in atmosphere, 2 miles in space
(Kitsune Values: 200 miles in space)
Damage: 2d4x10 MD per blast, 4d4x10 MD per dual blast.
Rate of Fire: ECHH
Payload: Effectively unlimited

2) Wing Guns(2)---Two fixed-forward firing guns are mounted in the wings. The prototypes were initially fitted with rapid-fire rail guns, but these proved to be adversely affected by magnetic flux in Jorgmundson’s magnetosphere, and the decision was made to switch to more complex, but less jam-prone, gravity cannons. PS developed the GR-100J specifically for the Jorgmundson Ministry of Defense, producing a weapon that was substantially lighter than the common-tech GR-100, by using more readily available local materials to produce superior superconductors and grav-coils. The establishment of a local factory to produce the improved cannons has been a win-win for the Jorgmundsons as they can produce a superior weapon locally, and readily sell any surplus production that doesn’t go to their armed forces. On their side, Paladin Steel may lose money from not being able to ship in weapons, but stands to get a nice royalty fee from every GR-100J sold.
Range: 6,000 ft in atmosphere, 3 miles in space
(Kitsune Values: 300 miles in space)
Damage: 1d6x10 MD per 10 rd burst
Rate of Fire: ECHH
Payload: 5,000 rds per gun

Alternatively, Pulse Lasers can be substituted:
* Enhanced Pulse Lasers--- These can be distinguished by the longer barrels protruding from the leading edges of the wings.
Range: 6,000 feet(12,000 ft/ 2.4 miles in space)
(Kitsune Values: 240 miles in space)
Damage: 4d6+2 per single shot, 2d4x10 for a triple pulse per single gun.
Rate of Fire: ECHH
Payload: Effectively unlimited

3)(Optional) Underwing Ordnance(2 hardpoints)
a) Bombs---Up to 250 lbs of freefall ordnance can be mounted on each hardpoint(that’s over TWICE what the original Brewster Buffalo could carry).
*250-lb Bomb----2d4x10 MD to 50 ft blast radius
b) Mini-Missiles---15-shot pod
c) Short Range Missiles---3-shot pod
d) Medium Range Missiles----1 per hardpoint

Options:
*Booster Rockets---Strap-on short-duration plasma-propulsion units, based on PS-made advanced missile motors, and meant to getting the ‘Buff’ up out of atmosphere in a hurry on a ‘hot’ scramble, and saving the fusion impulse jet for combat maneuvering. With the strap-ons, the F200A can hit Mach 6.6 on a climb-out, or Mach 18 on a zero-gee/vacuum boost, for roughly 90 seconds. Boosters are expendable one-use units.

*Chaff/Flare Pod
Range: Close Defense
Damage: None; similar to Triax-style chaff
01-50 Enemy Missile or volley detonates in chaff and threat is neutralized
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
Payload: 12 per launcher
Cost: 3,000 credits per launcher; additional flare/chaff bundles cost 200 credits each

*TW Enhancements---The TW PPE Powerstone integral to the powerplant allows for the quick addition of TW enhancements:
*Forcefield---Provides 50 MDC per 10 PPE/20 ISP pumped into the system; lasts 10 minutes per 10 PPE/20 ISP. Cost: 250,000 credits

*Impervious to Energy---5 minutes per 20 PPE. Cost: 170,000 credits

*Overdrive/Full Throttle---Increase maximum speed by 40% for 3 minutes, but -5% to piloting rolls(-20% for trick manuevers), 10 PPE per activation. Cost: 160,000 credits

*Golden Wings---This is the mechanical equivalent of Charismatic Aura, modified through the application of various Illusion magic. The idea here is not to avoid being seen, but to BE seen....Some analysts believe that this particular TW ap was devised by Techno-Wizards who were obsessed with the appearance of their new dream machines and wanted everyone to notice them. When activated, Golden Wings makes the aircraft seem to glow with a golden aura; the aircraft looks more powerful, more graceful, and more impressive than it otherwise might appear. The light seems to just catch it at the right angles, stirring music seems to rise in the background, and onlookers will be struck with awe at the approach of this magnificant flying machine. Enemies may be distracted from other actions to gape at and appreciate the vision of flight made tangible.
On the minus side, this TW ap may also make the aircraft look more dangerous than it really is, and attract the wrong sort of attention in the form of immediate missile and cannon salvoes to take out the most powerful threat first, or in a personal challenge by the enemy’s best ace, as many TW-pilots have learned to their considerable(and final) regret.
Range: Line of Sight
Duration: 6 minutes
Effects: Horror Factor of 16
Save: Onlookers must make a ‘disbelieve’ roll save versus magic
PPE Activation Cost: 10
Cost: 55,000 credits

*Doppleganger-Cloak----This amplification of the Multiple Images Spell allows the aircraft to project multiple ‘ghost’ images of itself(up to 3 separate images). These multiple images can carry out a series of pre-programmed ariel manuevars(can also simulate weapons fire/gun flashes, but only if the mothership is also firing at the same time), but must remain within a mile of the the projecting aircraft(or they vanish without a trace). Also note that the images don’t show up on radar or thermo-imaging, and cannot be used to fool homing missiles, though they DO give off a PPE trace similiar to the projecting aircraft.
Range: ‘Ghosts’ can be projected up to 5,000 ft away
Duration: 5 minutes per activation
PPE Activation Cost: 20 PPE per activation
Cost: 2 million credits

*Flicker-Dodge---A special capability, and one of FA’s signature creations: an application of the Astral Hole spell. This allows the aircraft to quickly dodge out of sight/reality, for a few seconds, or move up to 2000 ft sideways, up, down, or backwards , with a +2 to dodge while doing so. Typically, an aircraft can engage this system 6 times before needing to recharge the system on a Ley Line(takes about 24 hours), or the pilot can pump in 120 PPE per “flicker-dodge”.
Cost: 3 million credits

*Foo-Fighter Defense Drone System---A variant combination of the Magic Warrior and Ball Lightning spells, this TW-projector creates an attendant ‘parasite’ fighter to protect the aircraft and harass pursuers or intercept missiles. The Foo-Fighters are semi-autonomous and can be released/directed at specified targets then sent on their way to do their damage, or they can be remotely directed by a gunner/weapons officer on the generating aircraft. The Magic Warrior ‘drone’ can be chosen to appear to appear as a robot aircraft, smaller version of the aircraft, winged animal, flying knight, or a miniature whirlwind/air elemental accompanying the aircraft. Foo-Fighters attack by ramming or by firing short range bolts of eldritch lightning at their targets. Foo Fighters can be targetted and destroyed by conventional means, but Dispel Magic and Anti-Magic Cloud spells stop them dead. Multiple Foo-Fighters are also possible, though each materialized ‘escort’ costs an additional 60 PPE
Range: Typically the Foo-Fighter will stray no more than 6,000 ft from the creating aircraft.
MDC of Foo Fighter: 110
Speed: 400 MPH
Damage: Does 3d6+10MD per electrical bolt(1,500 ft range)
Duration: 10 melees (roughly 5 minutes) per activation
PPE Activation Cost: Costs 60 PPE per fighter per activation
Bonuses: Each Foo-Fighter has 5 actions/attacks per melee, +5 to strike, roll, and dodge, and +4 on initiative
Cost: 5 million credits


Variants:
*F200xD---(aka ‘Squirt’) Experimental model featuring a longer nose(+3.7 ft to length) holding paired Class 3 Grav-Props(in place of the single Class 4) driving a dual-’contra-rotating’ grav-prop. This variant thus increases the speed and forcefield strength.
Forcefield (300 front, 150 each side/top-bottom)
Speed: 525 MPH in atmosphere, Mach 11 in space( Mach 13 w/ booster)

Note: the following are re-imaginings/updates of spacecraft and concepts first presented by Kevin Siembda in his Mechanoid Trilogy, back in the day when Palladium was just starting up and feeling its space opera legs. These craft are updated with the Three Galaxies’ setting in mind, and the New Nigelian Confederation star-nation specifically.
(In the days before the internet and quick searches, short of a library dive or a good personal reference library, for RL structures of equivalent size to what KS was dreaming up, some of the vessel weight-to-payload ratios were pretty lopsided, so I’ve taken the liberty of adjusting some of the statistics in keeping with the ‘new edition’ vessels presented here. I’ve also taken great liberties in plugging the many gaps of description from the original material)

Civilian Ships
All of the designs from the Mechanoid Trilogy book are available for sale, with the stats unchanged(SDC becomes MDC), as basic ship templates. Both the Nigelian and Borealian shipyards churn out the basic hulls and a variety of drive systems for buyers to purchase, mix, and match to their needs. However, technological progress and acquisitions since coming to the Three Galaxies have led to many more systems becoming available; most notably contra-gravity drives and forcefields(including variable configuration forcescreens). More than anything else, the Confederation’s mass-production and sale of inexpensive, reliable, civil and commercial ship designs has earned the star-nation valuable trade credits from the surrounding sector. In fact, so successful has been the Confederation’s salesmanship that they’ve acquired a near-monopoly on commercial shipbuilding among the neighboring star systems.

Nigelian Cargo Shuttle

“These little ships are schizoid; from one angle they’re the epitome of grace, with smooth lines and a pearly shiny hull finish that wouldn’t be out of place on a star-yacht. Walk around the ends where you can see where the spanloading cargo bay cuts through the hull-plan, and you’ll be wondering how the hell the thing flies with that bulk screwing up the aerodynamics.”

Though called a ‘shuttle’, this compact utility spacecraft is fully capable of being fitted with FTL drives. Its unusual ‘wedged trimaran’ hull design with deep scalloped underhull makes atmospheric reentries rather spectacular with trapped plasma streaming out from under the down-curving wings, but the vessel is sturdy and serviceable, with little that can go wrong structurally with it. Its trimaran design and amphibious capabilities make it especially popular with the Ostrac for commuting to and from the watery suface of Nostra. These vessels are an extremely common sight around the NNC.
The NCS is so ubiquitous that the Nigelians didn’t even have an official name for the type. The Ostroc name ‘Dnow’(for a wavy seashell native to the original Ostroc homeworld), however, is catching on throughout the NCC, and most outsiders assume that’s the type’s official name. Bowing to public relations pressure, many Nigelian shipbrokers now advertise the NCS as the ‘Dnow’.

Type: NNC-CL480 NCS
Class: Large Shuttle/Small Freighter
Crew: 2+ up to 24 passengers
MDC/Armor by Location:
Main Body 3,000
Bridge 600
Engines 1,000
Communications Array(dorsal, rear) 300
Height: 22.9 m (75.5 ft)
Width: 19.8 m (65.5 ft)
Length: 47.5m (156.75 ft)
Weight: 400 tons
Cargo: 200 tons
Powerplant: Nuclear Fusion w/ 30 year energy life
Speed:
(Atmosphere) Hover to Mach 3; transatmospheric.
(Sublight) Mach 3.8
(Kitsune Values: 20% of light speed; Accelerates/decelerates at 0.38% of light speed per melee)
(FTL) Not standard equipment,but can be easily added at extra cost.
(Underwater) Can land on water and take off from it. Excellent surface-keeping capabilities(very stable, even in rough seas); can motor at 30 MPH, or skim, using wing-in-ground effect, at cruising speeds of 280 MPH.
Market Cost: 37 million credits
Systems of Note:
Standard Aerospace Craft Systems, plus:
*Thermal Resistant Heat-Refractory Tile Armor---Special heat-resistant materials designed for reentry vehicle shielding. Heat and plasma-based attacks do 1/4 damage. Note that this applies only to the underside and leading edges of the airframe.

Weapons Systems: None standard, but most buyers will add up to 3 weapons systems(of the point defense to light categories).

Auxiliary Craft: None

Options:
Few ‘Dnows’ last long in their factory basic form; most buyers will quickly have their ships modified to their own tastes/needs, usually adding more powerful powerplants and FTL drive units, although improved armor, forceshielding, and other systemry are also common modifications.

Variants:
There’s nearly as many variants on the NCS as there are aerospace concerns in the NNC. The Ostroc operate heavily-automated versions that compensate for their generally low IQs.

Nigelian Dantuex Ore Freighter

“Just your standard space-going coal scuttle, except that it’s rumored the Nigelian Reapers have outfitted some as Q-ships and pirates. “

Though a Nigelian design, the Dantuex is mass-produced by the Borealian yards. It is a fairly standard design, with a large capacity cargo hull(showing some of the streamline ‘scalloping’ common to Nigelian commercial craft), bridge and crew accommodation module dorsally mounted and amidships, and the nacelled engine array aft.
Cargo is typically moved through a nose hatch(allowing the ship to simply ‘plug into’ an orbital station lock) and conveyor system leading along the upper spine of the cargo section, though side and ventral hatches can also be used, especially if/when the ship is landed. The Dantuex carries a twelve man crew, but has accommodations for forty-eight; the ship often carries mining crews from outpost to outpost, or to and from their work rotations.
Dantuexes and their cousins are common throughout the NNC, carrying raw materials between the various resource worlds and asteroid belts. Dantuexes originally cost less than a similarly-sized Merchantman-class transport, though they have a better weight-to-payload capacity and are tougher, but as soon as the Nigelians caught on to that, the price of units sold outside the NNC crept up. Still, though, Dantuexes are becoming a common sight on the spacelanes in sectors around the Confederation as the reputation of these tough, hardworking, ships spreads(helped along by the hawking of Confederation sales pitch-men).

Type: NNC-C75 Dantuex
Class: Freighter, Medium
Crew: 12+up to 48 passengers.
MDC/Armor by Location:
Main Body 7,000
Bridge 900
Engine Mounts(4) 900 each
Height: 134.4m ( 443 ft)
Width: 122.8 m ( 405 ft)
Length: 142.5 m (470.25 ft)
Weight: 6,000 tons
Cargo: 46,000 tons
Powerplant: Nuclear Fusion w/ 30 year energy life
Speed:
(Atmosphere) Hover to Mach 3; transatmospheric.
(Sublight) Mach 3
(Kitsune Values: 20% of light speed; Accelerates/decelerates at 0.3% of light speed per melee)
(FTL) Most C75s still use old-style NC drives, such as the Gendo (1.25 light years/day) or the Leebarmin Hyper-Drive( .35 light years/day) because of their low cost and low maintenance. Longer-ranged freighters will typically be fitted with more modern CG-drives, although these tend to be in the 1-2 light years-per-hour range.
(Underwater) Can land on water and take off from it. Excellent surface-keeping capabilities(very stable, even in rough seas); can motor at 18 MPH

Market Cost: 111 million credits; those fitted with more modern FTL drive units typically cost about 132 million credits.
Systems of Note:
Standard Starship Systems

Weapons Systems: None standard, but most buyers will add up to four weapons in the PDS- to light-class categories. Up to two medium-class weapons stations can be mounted.

Auxiliary Craft:
Typically has provision for 1-2 small shuttlecraft docked in semi-recessed bays on the lower hull.

Variants:
Most variants of the Dantuex are industrial-specific modifications meant to carry different types of cargo, such as radioactve ores, liquid, or compressed gases. However, a few ships have been modified into security craft, either as anti-piracy ‘Q-ships’ mounting extra armor, variable shielding, and up to four medium-category weapons mounts. The NCC has also built a few ‘pcoket carriers’, using the hulls of ore carriers to hide internal hangar bays capable of operating up to twelve fighters.

Borealian B-BTC05 Transport Cruiser
“The BeeTeeCee’s so plain vanilla even its creators don’t bother calling it anything fancy, just ‘Transport Cruiser’. It’s about as basic as a transport gets, it’s easy to pilot, and easy to build. The Confed stamps ‘em out and sells them all up and down the Arm. Even then, the ships still don’t get a decent class-name, but if they did finally get one, I imagine it would be something like ‘Basic’.”

The BTC is a standard craft of the Confederation, with a design that is simple and instantly recognizable....The Borealian Transport Cruiser is a simple telescoping-diameter cylinder with a rounded bridge/life compartment at one end, a pair of stumpy horizontal stabilizers at the back, and another pair of trailing static-discharge/reactor cooling vanes at the rear. The BTC looks so simplistic that it’s joked that the Borealians turn the things out made from ‘large municipal sewer pipe and plumbing parts, put together in aerospace school shop class’.
Like most Confederation designs, the Transport Cruiser is small, light, and intended primarily for short-hop extrasolar excurions with its original drive systems, and really isn’t adequate as is for galactic duty. Its technology and materials are several generations behind Galactic standard, and the weight-to-payload ratio not particularly impressive. However, the design is readily modifiable, durable, there are few things that can break down with its rugged systems, the cost is a third of a standard Galactic merchantman, and the Borealians churn out the ships and plenty of spare parts for them, so they’re easy to get ahold of, and there are plenty of variants, from specialized cargo haulers to heavily automated models for use by the Ostroc. The Borealians sell plenty of them to small shipping companies and private enterprises, earning the Confederation much-needed foreign currancy.

Type: NNC-B-BTC05
Class: General Purpose Medium Transport Starship
Crew: 5+180 passengers
MDC/Armor by Location:
Main Body 3,600
Bridge 500
Engine Block 2,000
Forcefield
Height: 18.7 m (61.7 ft)
Width: 29.7m (98 ft)
Length: 84.2 m ( 277.8 ft)
Weight: 1,200 tons
Cargo: 400 tons. If not carrying passengers, the cabin space can be converted to hold an additional 200 tons.
Powerplant: Nuclear w/ 30 year energy life
Speed:
(Atmosphere) Hover to Mach 5(transatmospheric)
(Space) Mach 5
(Kitsune Values: 20% of light speed; Accelerates/decelerates at 0.5% of light speed per melee)
(FTL) Standard fit is 1 light year an hour.
(Underwater) The BTC can be easily modified for amphibious operation.

Market Cost: 43 million credits, 54 million credits for an upgraded model with 3 light year/hour drives.
Systems of Note:
Standard Starship Systems
Weapons Systems: None standard, but most buyers will add 1-3 small turrets to the nose, and 1-4 small turrets along the length of the body to carry point-defense weapons.

Options:
Post-market, the range of options applied to the BTC would fill several volumes of hardcopy. Most buyers install more powerful engines, shielding, different interior fittings and safety systems. A popular option is making the entire crew/passenger compartment a detachable lifeboat section. Folding solar wings and strap-on engine pods are other popular options.

Variants:
With so many BTCs, with their simple construction, plenty of variants exist, mostly specialized cargo types or personal transports. A common variant, costing only 39 million credits, is a stripped-down version that does away with the FTL drive and uses the space for an additional 60 tons of cargo, using the vessel as an in-system cargo transport or transatmospheric shuttle.


Borealian BCC-04 Cargo Cutter
“The Bories love chopping these things as soon as they come off the slips. Some get turned into swans, with the long dart-like fuselage and triangular aft hull emphasized, while others are made into ugly snapping turtles with more guns than a Kreeghor battleship. I even saw one that mounted the aft engine assemblies off three Transport Cruisers in place of the factory-standard engines. Somebody was looking to make a name for themselves for speed.”

Another case of NNC misleading nomenclature, the ‘Cargo Cutter’ is actually larger than the Transport ‘Cruiser’, has more cargo capacity and is faster, but is more expensive.
The BCC-04 has a long, flared, wedge appearance with an elongated ‘swan’ neck ending in a small streamlined bridge pod. The payload bays and engines are mounted aft in the thickest part of the hull. The BCC-04 is a ‘plain vanilla’ design fresh from the factory; it lacks forcescreens and weapons, which can be added later.
The ‘Cutter’ has massive lift-to-weight for its size, and fully loaded fairly groans in its structural members when powering up. Compared to their Nigelian-designed and -constructed counterparts, Borellian vessels tend to shorter operational lifespans before structural microfractures and other problems force them down; customers are often advised to operate their vessels at less than the rated maximum loads, if they mean to keep their vessels for the long term. The Borealians, on the other hand, tend to run their vessels hard and to the breaking point, returning the junkers to the factories to be scrapped and recycled, and new ships acquired fresh off the production line. Fortunately, the BCC is comparatively inexpensive, so acquiring a replacement is fairly easy.

Type: NNC-B-BCC-04
Class: Cargo Cutter, Utility
Crew: 6 +12 passengers/additional crew
MDC/Armor by Location:
Main Body 6,000
Bridge 700
Engine Block 5,000
Height: 19.8 m (65 ft)
Width: 84.7m (279.5 ft)
Length: 190.2 m (670 ft)
Weight: 6,000 tons
Cargo: 24,000 tons
Powerplant: Nuclear Fusion w/ 30 year energy life
Speed:
(Atmosphere) Hover to Mach 3; transatmospheric.
(Sublight) Mach 7
(Kitsune Values: 20% of light speed; Accelerates/decelerates at 0.7% of light speed per melee)
(FTL) 2 light years per hour

Market Cost: 120 million credits
Systems of Note:
Standard Starship Systems

Weapons Systems: None standard, but most buyers will add up to 12 weapons stations in the PDS- to light-weapons classes. The structure can handle up to 3 medium weapons.

Auxiliary Craft: None, but many operators purchase provision for 1-2 small shuttlecraft docked in semi-recessed bays on the upper hull.

Variants:
Like most Borealian mass-production designs, there are literally hundreds of variants of the BCC-04, depending on operators’ needs, whims, and budget. Some variants do away with internal cargo bays in favor of an open framework for carrying modular cargo pods. Others dispense with cargo bays in favor of passenger acconmodations(100-600 depending on cabin fittings and trip duration). A number of sub-types strengthen internal structure at the expense of cargo capacity. Accessory systems such as forcefields, armaments, additional avionics and sensory gear are common add-ons.
A common modification, given the swan-like neck of the design, is to build in a jettisonable bridge/lifeboat, allowing the crew to escape in event of a catastrophe structural failure or disaster overtaking the rest of the ship.
The most common variant, the BCC-04A, is a sublight freighter limited to local space operations; it costs 180 million credits and lacks an FTL drive system. Many operators don’t even take it down into gravity wells and atmosphere, using it as a pure space freighter, using orbital platforms or cargo lighters to transfer their payloads. This greater reduces the strain of maximum loading on the vessels’ sueprstructure.

Nigelian SHLT-07 ‘Nester’ Deep Space Tug

“Hey, brother of mine, heard you lost a score when it went down in the hydrosphere of that planet. Well, guess you weren’t identified by the crew because guess who got the salvage contract on the wreck? Want a second shot at claiming the prize, or you can sit back and let us work it instead?”

The latest incarnation of the venerable N-SHLT deep space tug is the -07 series, designed to take on the new universe the Nigelian Confederates find themselves in.
While a perfect innocuous vessel commonly seen working diligently in the spacelanes and orbital industrial complexes of the NNC , its allies and clients, the N-SHLTs have also acquired a reputation for being corsairs, the vessels often appearing, heavily modified for speed and armament, in the hands of ‘renegades’. These vessels have been known to cruise up to unsuspecting commercial vessels or space stations. then open up on them with concealed weaponry, before using their cargo manipulators and tractor beams to grab ahold of cargo modules or entire crippled ships, and then vanish with them into warp. ‘Nesters’ are also acquiring a reputation for wandering around the fringes of other systems, picking up any interesting-looking techno-garbage and salvage.
The Nester’s rounded lower hull, meant mainly as a bumper against space debris, also makes the vessel well-suited for amphibious operations. This allows the tug to make planetary oceanic landings in search of surface salvage that other spacecraft cannot go after. It is not uncommon to find mixed Nigelian-Ostroc crews aboard SHLTs that make a regular practice of taking on aquatic salvage jobs.
The rear hull sports a heavy gantry fitted with multiple robotic arms and towing attachments. Several auxiliary engines are mounted in repositionable external nacelles allowing the tug to agily move itself around large structures and wrecks. The hull itself is both heavily armored for the ship’s size and contains heavy radiation shielding for approaching ‘hot’ wrecks and debris. Backing this material protection is a heavy commercial forcefield. While weaponry is not standard, the Nester is usually armed with ‘utility projectors’; lasers and other energy projectors used for carving up wreckage, vaporizing dangerous debris, destroying traps, and as point defense.
It’s interesting to note that the class name, ‘Nester’, means ‘Swift and Strong’ in Nigelian, but it is also synonymous with the term ‘Highwayman’ after a legendary pre-space travel Nigelian outlaw who called himself ‘Nester’.

Type: NCC-N-SHLT -07 ‘Nester’
Class: Deep Space Heavy Lift Tug
Crew: 6+ 1-16 additional passengers/crew(typically salvage and safety specialists)
MDC/Armor by Location:
Main Body 2,900
Bridge 800
Sensor/Communications Array 300
Engine Arrays(2) 900 each
Auxiliary Maneuvering Engines(2) 500 each
Heavy Manipulator Arms(6) 250 each
Forcefield 2,000
Height: 23.8 m (78.5 ft)
Width: 22.9 m (75.5 ft)
Length: 38 m (125 ft)
Weight: 900 tons
Cargo: 100 tons
Powerplant: Nuclear Fusion w/ 30 year energy life
Speed:
(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) 3 light years per hour
(Underwater) Fully Amphibious; can land on and take off from water, and can motor underwater at about 30 MPH. Maximum operating depth of 5,000 ft.
Market Cost: 240 million credits
Systems of Note:
Standard Starship Systems, plus:
*Grappling Arms(6)---These are big robotic manipulator arms mounted on a common pedestal turret at the rear of the ship. They are meant for coarse brute-force manipulation, rather than precision work, and are fitted with magnetic and molecular adhesion grips. Their tool-ends, however, are modular, and many operators outfit them with plasma cutters(4d6x10 MD per full melee of cutting), microwave emitters, and other tools useful for dismantling wrecks.

*Magnetic Grapples---Several extendable plates and towline grapples at the back can grip hulls with magnetic paneling. Some operators will replace/supplement these with molecular adhesion panels, allowing a greater variety of materials to be attached.

*Tractor Beam(Heavy) ---1 mile range, 1,200 ton tow capacity.

*Auxiliary Maneuvering Engines(2)---These are small swivel-mounted engine pods on extendable stalks that can be used to adroitly manuever the tug next to a ship, barge, or wreck and position it accordingly. They give the ship’s pilot a +5% to piloting skill for close-in maneuvers.

Weapons Systems:
None standard, but most salvage operators will mount 1-2 point defense or light weapons for dealing with space debris and cutting away at wreckage.
Pirate and privateer vessels are known to mount substantially heavier weaponry, up to a medium-class weapon and 1-3 light weapons.

Auxiliary Craft:
None standard, but most salvage operators will carry 1-2 EVA pods or cargo runabouts to assist in salvage work.

Variants:
The Nigelian Brotherhood is known to operate Nesters modified with such features as extra weaponry, sensor jammers, stealth screening, and more powerful engines.

Just wondering if ship posts are limited to just 3 Gal. tech, or can i post one with tech from Robotech as well? Because I have a design that uses a peace of tech that I haven't seen anybody use. I am going to change some things to fit the 3 Gal.

rem1093 wrote:Just wondering if ship posts are limited to just 3 Gal. tech, or can i post one with tech from Robotech as well? Because I have a design that uses a peace of tech that I haven't seen anybody use. I am going to change some things to fit the 3 Gal.

Palladium's got a NO CONVERSIONS policy, which includes fanstuff inspired by any of the past media. You CAN post just descriptive fluff, such as 'this vessel sports three heavy laser cannons salvaged from Zentraedi warships' but you can't include playable stats.

NNC Military Spacecraft
As with their civilian designs, the New Nigelian Confederation is playing catch-up, adapting their older designs to the newer common domain technologies available in the Three Galaxies. The results are often a hodgepodge of design features. Nigelian-designed vessels tend to favor speed, stealth, and higher-end technologies, while Borelian-produced craft are more modular and utilize lower standard technologies for ease of mass-production.

Borealian BF-25 Neva III Fighter

“The Borries still tend to fly combat like they’re counting liters of fuel; conservative and close to base. They’re still not used to contragrav systems, but they’re learning, and the Neva’s a good platform for doing that. What with the modular systems, they’re getting experience in all the various ways ceegee drive fighters can perform missions. It’s also inexpensive and easy for them to manufacture, so they can distribute a common warcraft across their entire organization, so just about everybody’s familiar with it.”

The original fighter designs that the Borealians brought into the Confederation were heavy, slab-armored, and hobbled by their primitive propulsion systems; a liquid-fuelled fusion torch drive that ate reaction mass at a prodigious rate, and left the three-man fighter with a horribly limited operational range. When the Confederation became aware of the fighter capabilities of the rest of the galaxy, they knew that the Borealian fighter force had to be re-equipped, and fast. Borealian industry, aided by Nigelian industrial espionage and Gendo technical advisories, proved up to the challenge, quickly retrofitting older ships with new low-end galactic technology, while tooling up to produce newer ships with more refined versions of the more advanced technologies available.
The latest Type BF-25(Third Generation) Borealian Fighter reflects the changes that have been wrought in Confederation space technology since galactic contact. While the bulk of the design has been lifted from the old torch-fighters, in the three-crew configuration, twin drives on either side, and a rear tank, the propulsion units are now more efficient dual contragrav and fast ion drives(fitted with 3D-vectoring thrusters) powered by a more advanced MHD fusion reactor system. The overall design is slightly squatter and more streamlined, the hull being reinforced by a wrap-around ‘rumble cage’ that provides additional armor protection. Space in the large cabin that was originally appropriated for passengers/mission specialists has now been devoted to avionics cabinets(though the BF-25 still has a very roomy cockpit) Without the restrictive need for fuel tankage, the fighter’s rear reaction mass tank has now been replaced with a modular pod that can be used to carry troops, EW gear, or additional weaponry, greatly increasing the versatility of the BF-25 Fighter. Though the NNC has not yet mastered the technology necessary for a variable forcefield compact enough to be installed on fighters, they have incorported a standard high-energy commercial-grade monoscreen forcefield into the BF-35.
Compared to the smaller, single-pilot, fighters common to the worlds of the Three Galaxies’ major powers, the BF-25 is a lumbering heavy fighter-bomber or patrolcraft, but its ability to mount heavy weapons pods gives it a versatility not to be underestimated. Its relatively high speed also make it an effective fighter-bomber, and even with smaller, more agile, craft now entering NNC service, the Neva III is expected to remain as the heavy striker and jack-of-all-trades of the main NNC squadron-lines.

Type: NC-B-F25c Neva III
Class: Heavy Aerospace Fighter
Crew: Three, plus room for 1-3 additional passengers/crew
MDC/Armor by Location:
Main Body 900
Reinforced Crew Compartment 250
Particle Beam Turret 120
(Optional) Modular Pod 250
Forcefield 900

Height: 25 ft
Width: 55 ft
Length: 75 ft(85 ft with pod attached)
Weight: 75 tons (90 tons with modular pod attached)
Cargo: Small space in crew cabin for survival gear; see also Modular Pod
Powerplant: Nuclear w/ 20 year energy life
Speed:
(Atmosphere) Hover to Mach 8( transatmospheric/orbital insertion)
(Space) Mach 10 (Mach 9 with rear pod attached)
(Kitsune Values: 40% of light speed; Accelerates/decelerates at 1% of light speed per melee)
(FTL) The BF-25 is NOT fitted for FTL operations unless fitted with an FTL Booster Pod(rarely done)
Market Cost: 42 million credits
Systems of Note:
Standard Starfighter Systems
Weapons Systems:
1) Twin-Barrel Particle Beam Turret----The main direct-fire armament of the BF-25 is a large twin-barrel particle beam cannon mount just below the cockpit pod.
Range: 1.8 miles in atmosphere, 3.6 miles in space
(Kitsune Values: 3.6 miles in atmosphere, 360 miles in space)
Damage: 4d6x10 MD single blast, 8d6x10 MD double blast
Rate of Fire: ECHH
Payload: Effectively Unlimited

In the alternative, after seeing footage of the CCW’s Black Eagle fighter(which the BF-25 resembles in its general twin-engined, broad-winged configuration) in action with its nose-mounted GR-cannon, some later BF-25s have been refitted with a twin railgun/GR cannon mount. Better range, equivalent damage, but ammo-dependent. Still, it provides a good kinetic punch against targets immune to energy weapons. Ironically, while the NNC has great expertise with energy weapons, it hasn’t yet ironed out its difficulties manufacturing high-damage projectile weapons such as rail guns and GR-cannons.
Range: 7 miles in atmosphere, 14 miles in space
(Kitsune Values: 7 miles in atmosphere, 700 miles in space)
Damage: 4d6x10 MD per 20 rd burst, 8d6x10 MD double burst(40 rds)
Rate of Fire: ECHH
Payload: 500 bursts per cannon

2) Wing Missile Launchers(2)----Just outboard of the engine nacelles, either side of the ship, is a stub-wing pylon. Originally meant to be fitted with Nigelian/Gendo-made Intelligent Long Range Missiles(IRLMs), the BF-25 has been modifed to be able to accommodate Galactic-standard LRMs and Cruise Missiles.
Range: Varies by Missile Type
Damage:Varies by Missile Type
Rate of Fire: Volleys of 1-2
Payload: 1 Cruise Missile or 4 LRMs per wingpoint pylon

3) Chaff/Flare Launchers(2)---Mounted under each wing are decoy countermeasure launchers.
Range: Close Defense
Damage: None; similar to Triax-style chaff
01-50 Enemy Missile or volley detonates in chaff and threat is neutralized
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
Payload: 16 per launcher (32 total)

4) (Optional) Rear Systems Pod----At the expense of added weight and a slight reduction in speed(Maximum speed of Mach 9 with the pod attached), the BF-25 can be fitted with a modular systems pod in place of the no longer necessary reaction mass tank. This pod can be used to transport a squad of troops, making the fighter into a light transport, a missile/bomb pod for fighter-bomber operations, a cargo module, or an electronic warfare station. Other variants include extra sensors and living accommodations for long-range patrols, experimental weapons pods, and space mine launchers.
a) Troop Carrier---Can hold 12 passengers; can be outfitted to be ejected and
parachute/retro-rocket to the surface.

b) Missile/Bomb Pod---can hold the following;
96 Mini-Missiles
OR 32 Short Range Missiles
OR 16 Medium Range Missiles
OR 8 Long Range Missiles

c) EW Pod---Requires an additional crew member to manage the EW systems.
-Sensor Jamming---Jams and distorts radar returns in a 25 mile radius of the spacecraft in a 90 mile radius(90,000 miles in space).
*EW Suite---A powerful radar and communications jamming suite. Enemy sensor(IR, laser)-guided weapons are -6 to strike the craft, radar-guided weapons are -5 to strike.
*Electronic Cloaking---Thanks to the sophisticated EW suite, the spacecraft enjoys a -50% on enemy sensor rolls to be detected by radar, although the active jamming may tip off observers that there;s something out there, but not its exact location.
*Communications Jamming---Onboard computers give a +15% to operators’ ECM skills when attempting to jam enemy radar/communications, or counter enemy jamming. Effective jamming range is 300 miles(300,000 miles in space).

d) Cargo Pod---Can hold 15 tons of gear; can be outfitted to be ejected and
parachute/retro-rocket to the surface.

e) Heavy Rail Guns(2)----Two rapid-fire heavy massdriver cannons can be deployed from the top of the pod, firing forward along the axis of the fighter. The pod contains a large ammunition supply, allowing the guns to fire for prolonged engagements.
Range: 12,000 ft in atmosphere, 6 miles in space
(Kitsune Values: 6 miles in atmosphere, 600 miles in space)
Damage: 3d6x10 MD per 10 rd burst, per single gun, double for simultaneous burst from both guns
Rate of Fire: ECHH
Payload: 500 bursts per gun(1,000 bursts total)

f) Heavy Laser
Range: 4 miles in atmosphere, 8 miles in space
(Kitsune Values: 8 miles in atmosphere, 800 miles in space)
Damage: 1d6x100 MD per blast
Rate of Fire: Two shots per melee maximum
Payload: Effectively Unlimited

g) Heavy Plasma Cannon(4)
Range: 10,000 ft in atmosphere, 4 miles in space
(Kitsune Values: 2 miles in atmosphere, 200 miles in space)
Damage: 2d4x10+10 MD per blast. All four cannon firing simultaneously do 8d4x10+40 MD.
Rate of Fire: EGCHH
Payload: Effectively Unlimited
Bonuses: +1 to strike
(Optional) Plasma Cannon Modifications:
NNC engineers have been experimenting, using technology acquired from other sources, to improve the effectiveness of the main gun:
-Plasma Scattershot---This modifies the cannon to fire a ‘shotgun’ blast of smaller plasma pulses that do less damage, but cover an area of effect. Does 1d6x10 MD to a 25 ft wide area.
-Enhanced Plasma Emission---Also known as ‘Hotshotting’, this enhances the damage potential of the plasma by feeding enriched deuterium gas into the plasma chamber. This causes the plasma to burn hotter, doing 4d6x10 MD per blast. The liquified deuterium is stored in pressurized cryogen tanks in and on the aft hull, that provide enough remass for 60 supercharged shots.

h) Minelayer Pod---Used to seed freefloating space mines in planetary orbits, or across the path of other spacecraft. The pod can hold 60 light mines(2d6x10 MD to a 40 ft blast radius), 30 medium mines(4d6x10 MD to a 40 ft blast radius), 10 heavy mines(1d4x100 MD to a 40 ft blast radius), or 10 shield disruptor mines(knocks out a forcefield for 1d4 melees). Other types can be carried as available.

i) FTL Booster Pod---This pod carries a more advanced(by NNC standards) Three Galaxies-style FTL drive that can push the fighter up to 4 light years per hour. In general, the drive is good for ‘jumps’ of 24 light years before needing an hour to recharge.

taalismn wrote:

rem1093 wrote:Just wondering if ship posts are limited to just 3 Gal. tech, or can i post one with tech from Robotech as well? Because I have a design that uses a peace of tech that I haven't seen anybody use. I am going to change some things to fit the 3 Gal.

Palladium's got a NO CONVERSIONS policy, which includes fanstuff inspired by any of the past media. You CAN post just descriptive fluff, such as 'this vessel sports three heavy laser cannons salvaged from Zentraedi warships' but you can't include playable stats.

Ill do the fluff later today and then you tell me if I can post stats, ok.

Another reworked Mechanoids Trilogy design:

Borealian BLF-27 ‘Krikker’ Light Starfighter

“As a missile boat the Krikker can hold its own with the Scorpion and the Broadsword. It’s still lacking in legs, even next to the bigger and older Nevas, so they can’t escort the fighter-bombers cheek-to-jowl all the way to a strike, but as fighter cover for their troops, it can dogfight a lot more agily than the bigger Confederation fighters. No wonder the Borries liken it to a knifefighter’s switch-scalpel.”

The discovery that much of the rest of the Three Galaxies the New Nigelian Confederation found itself in were using advanced technology and compact fightercraft like the CCW Scorpion, TGE Flying Fang, or Naruni Broadsword, came as an unpleasant surprise. Even the most optimistic Confederation pilot recognized that the NNC’s own fighter force was composed of lumbering, undergunned, behemoths that fairly wallowed compared to their 3G contemporaries. While the Nigelians scrambled to acquire fighters from outside sources, or produce knockoff copies, and Gendo engineers worked to reverse-engineer examples of 3G technologies, the Borealians looked to producing their own smaller fighters, an effort soon also taken up by Nigelian engineers. The Borealians were first to field their new design, however, a fact that they are very proud of.
The BLF-27 is an adaptation of the Borealian Scout Ship, modified to take advantage of new technologies. Excess structure has been carved away from the original design, the airframe strengthened and lengthened, and the passenger compartment that was integral to the original modified into a weapons bay. A Gendo-engineered copy of an NE-SF10 Broadsword’s main engine replaces the original plasma thruster system. The original fixed-position down-swept wings/radiator panels on the sides have been modified to fold, allowing for easier stowage aboard carrier vessels(and incidentally earning the BLF-27 its unofficial name of ‘Krikker’, after a folding knife popular with Borealian street-toughs).
Even with Gendo assistance, however, the Borealians haven’t quite perfected producing variable forcefields, so the BLF-27 carries a standard monoplanar defense screen for protection.
The BLF-27 is still fairly heavy and slow compared to 3G designs like the Flying Fang and the Scorpion, but it’s a revolution over the previous BF-25. The new BLF-27 is considered THE new ‘hot stick’ amongst NNC fighter crews, especially the Borealians, who feel that they’ve finally stolen a march on the Nigelians. Borealian pilots are clamoring for assignment to the new fighters as they roll off the assembly lines, and many can hardly wait to transfer out of their qualifying BF-25s. The transition isn’t going as smoothly as hoped, however, as the single-seater BLF-27s take a lot more attention and endurance to fly than the larger and roomier crew-served BF-25s, and may early retreads to the smaller fighter haven’t been able to make the transition ro flying solo.
Borealian industry has begun large-scale mass-production( at two massive production plants on New Boreal and Byros) of the new fighter to serve the expanding military forces, and the type is expected to become increasingly common across the Confederation as it is deployed to existing units and carrier platforms.
The original Borellian Scout Ship, and various permutations of, remains in production, mainly as a civilian vessel.

Type: NC-B-LF-27 Krikker
Class: Light Starfighter
Crew: One
MDC/Armor by Location:
Main Body 500
Crew Compartment 200
Wings(2) 140 each
Forcefield 700
Height: 15.5 ft
Width: 23 ft w/ outer wings folded, 36 ft wingspan fully deployed
Length: 29 ft
Weight: 33 tons
Cargo: Small space behind pilot’s seat for a survival pack and sidearm(s)
Powerplant: Nuclear-Fusion w/ 20 year energy life
Speed:
(Atmosphere) Hover to Mach 3; transatmospheric.
(Sublight) Mach 8
(Kitsune Values: 40% of light speed; Accelerates/decelerates at 0.8% of light speed per melee)
(FTL) Not possible
(Underwater) Not possible
Market Cost: 57 million credits
Systems of Note:
Standard Starfighter Systems, plus:

*Pilot Ejection Module---The entire front end of the BLF-27 can detach from the rest of the ship and become a lifepod. It has full atmospheric reentry capability, drogue chute, and floats.

Weapons Systems:
1) Forward Particle Beam Cannons(2)----Mounted in the sides of the forward fuselage, just behind the crew compartment, are two double-barreled particle beam cannons reverse-engineered from the Mechanoid Wasps’.
Range: 4,000 ft in atmosphere, 2 miles in space
(Kitsune Values: 2 miles in atmosphere, 200 miles in space)
Damage: 1d6x10 MD single blast, 2d4x10 MD simultaneous double blast. 4d4x10 MD for a dual blast from both cannns simultaneously.
Rate of Fire: ECHH
Payload: Effectively unlimited

2) Internal Weapons Bay----The passenger compartment has been replaced with an internal rotary weapons bay.
a) Mini-Missiles---48
b) Short Range Missiles---24
c) Medium Range Missiles---12
d) Long Range Missiles----4
e) Cruise Missiles----2
f) Freefall Bombs---Equiv. to missiles, only DOUBLE the blast radius. ‘Smart’ munitions are typically carried.

g) Plasma Turret--- Due to the Confederation’s long study of Mechanoid weaponry, the Confederation’s plasma weaponry enjoys ranges superior to the plasma weapons of most other stellar powers.
Range: 6,500 ft in atmosphere, 2.4 miles in space
(Kitsune Values: 2.4 miles in atmosphere, 240 miles in space)
Damage: 1d4x10 MD per single blast
Rate of Fire: ECHH
Payload: Effectively Unlimited

h) Heavy Plasma Cannon(1)---Mounted in a fixed forward-firing blister is a large plasma cannon. The weapon is a slightly modified version of that mounted on the HMPT-150 hovertank.
Range: 10,000 ft in atmosphere, 4 miles in space
(Kitsune Values: 4 miles in atmosphere, 400 miles in space)
Damage: 2d4x10+10 MD per blast
Rate of Fire: ECHH
Payload: Effectively Unlimited
(Optional) Plasma Cannon Modifications:
NNC engineers have been experimenting, using technology acquired from other sources, to improve the effectiveness of the main gun:
-Plasma Scattershot---This modifies the cannon to fire a ‘shotgun’ blast of smaller plasma pulses that do less damage at shorter range, but cover an area of effect. Does 1d6x10 MD to a 25 ft wide area, maximum range 5,000 ft.
-Enhanced Plasma Emission---Also known as ‘Hotshotting’, this enhances the damage potential of the plasma by feeding enriched deuterium gas into the plasma chamber. This causes the plasma to burn hotter, doing 4d6x10 MD per blast. The liquified deuterium is stored in pressurized cryogen tanks in the aft hull, that provide enough remass for 40 supercharged shots.

i) Ion Cannon
Range: 7,250 ft in atmosphere, 2.5 miles in space
(Kitsune Values: 1.5 miles in atmosphere, 150 miles in space)
Damage: 4d6+10 MD per single blast. DOUBLE for a double-barreled blast
Rate of Fire: ECHH
Payload: Effectively unlimited


3) Underbody Hardpoints(2)---Mounted close to the main body in the ventral cavity between the main hull and the wing box are two hardpoints capable of carrying every missiles. One cruise missile or long range missile can be carried per hardpoint.

4) Underwing Hardpoints(6, 3 each wing)---Mounted on the underside of the outer wing panels are three small hardpoints for carrying light ordnance. Each hardpoint can accommodate ONE of the following:
a) Mini-Missiles---15 shot pod
b) Short Range Missiles---3 shot pod
c) Medium Range Missiles---1 per hardpoint
d) Freefall Bombs---Equiv. to missiles, only DOUBLE the blast radius. ‘Smart’ munitions are typically carried.

5) Chaff/Flare Launchers(2)---Mounted under each wing are decoy countermeasure launchers.
Range: Close Defense
Damage: None; similar to Triax-style chaff
01-50 Enemy Missile or volley detonates in chaff and threat is neutralized
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
Payload: 12 per launcher (24 total)

Variants:
*BLF-27B----This is simply a regional variant, built at the Byros production faciliies, that replaces the heavily-framed and angular window-paned cockpit canopy of the New Boreal-manufactured BLF-27A models with a raised, single-piece bubble canopy. The -27B canopy has the same protective values and better direct visual perspective, but otherwise doesn’t affect the fighter’s performance in any other way. Pilots are divided equally as to the better configuration; dogfighters contend that in visual-range combat, especially in atmosphere, the -B model is superior, while -A model adherents maintain that the heavier-framed canopy has better electronic HUDs and radiation protection.

*BLSR-27C---This is ironically a retro-engineering version of the BLF-27, restoring it to its Scout Ship/Light Shuttle configuration. The central ordnance bay has been replaced with a life support module and seating for 8 people. The need to produce side-door access means that internal weapons capacity and both double-barreled particle beam cannons have been removed. A single-barrel particle beam replaces the cruise missile hardpoints, and the underwing hardpoints have been retained.

*BLRQ-27----Drone version, developed as a heavy recon platform, decoy, and expendable missile(typically loaded to the gills with six Cruise Missile warheads as MIRVs).

The Star Wolf is a hunter killer, anti ship vessel. Originally, designed to hunt and destroy pirate command and control ships. It was quickly found that it performed even better then expected and the ship was put up against lager more powerful ships. The ship is small, with an organic design with sooth surfaces, (is shaped like that of a squid).There are no protrusions, even the engines are recessed into the body. Maneuverability is controlled an advanced gravity control system. The ship carries no fighters, and has a small crew, with all the available space being used for armor and weapons.
The Star Wolf has several prototype systems. The armor is made of a Plasma resistant composite that is stronger and lighter then most ships of its size. Wile the it does carry missiles launcher both forward and aft its main weapon is a new omni-directional Partial beam. Unlike most weapons the Partial beam has no barrel but instead uses the entire hull as an energy conductor, allowing it to fire in any direction, from any part of the ship. The ship also has a three-dimensional holographic generator that uses the ships gravitational field generators and force field, to mask itself as almost anything.


p.s. sorry if the name was already used. and that its short

Nigelian Spata III Fighter
“The Spata’s classed as a fighter, but it’s actually more like a cutter or patrol boat. It’s got the legs for deep space patrol, and heavy armaments, but it lacks the agility of smaller single- and two-seater fighters. The Nihggees know that, though, so they tend to be smart about using their ships, and try to pull the smaller attackers in where the Confeds can use the heavier guns of the Spata to best advantage, at least until they can acquire snub-fighters of their own.”

The pride of the Nigelians, the ‘Spata’ fighter was the premiere long-range heavy fighter of the Confederation. Contact with the Galactic militaries, such as the CCW, showed the Spata to be wholly inadequate; an undergunned and virtually unarmored kite of a ship roughly the size of a CCW patrol corvette. Confederation engineers went back to the drafting boards to figure out how to retain the best qualities of the existing design, while updating it to Galactic standards.
The recently unveilled Spata III has been developed to remedy the shortcomings of the Nigelian fighter force. Using the original Spata as the basis, the Spata III retains the downbeat-winged stingray planform with its gimballed rear thruster pods and high tail/bridge structure, but replaces most of the internal systems with more modern Galactic-standard technology. The design retains the large crew cabin, with capsule-bunks and both kitchenette and sanitary facilities, allowing for more comfortable long-duration missions and patrols. Like the Proctor(its nearest equivalent), the Spata III is fitted with an integral FTL drive system, allowing it to operate extra-solar. Roughly equivalent to the CCW’s Proctor-class heavy fighter, the Spata III is well-suited for long range recon, ship escort, and deep space assault missions.
Despite the fact that the Spata III has only recently begun deployment with the Nigelian military, almost as many have already shown up in the hands of Nigelian corporate enforcers, mercenaries, and private exploration/resource exploitation groups.

Type: NC-NF-133 Spata III
Class: Long Range Aerospace Fighter
Crew: 3+ 1-6 passengers
MDC/Armor by Location:
Main Body 1,000
Reinforced Crew Compartment 400
Tri-Laser Array 500
Point Defense Turret 180
Wings(2) 400 each
Forcefield 1,200
Height: 12.6m (41.5 ft)
Width: 16.9m (55.7 ft)
Length: 27 m (89 ft)
Weight: 106 tons
Cargo: Small 5ft x 5ft x 7 ft closet-style compartment in crew pod
Powerplant: Nuclear w/ 25 year energy life
Speed:
(Atmosphere) Hover to Mach 5, transatmospheric
(Space) Mach 12
(Kitsune Values: 40% of light speed; Accelerates/decelerates at 1.2% of light speed per melee)
(FTL) 3 light years per hour

Market Cost: 57 million credits
Systems of Note:
Standard Starship Systems, plus:
*Enhanced Sensors---These are top-grade military sensors acquired through trade/espionage with the Three Galaxies. The systems fitted to the Spata III can track and track spacecraft in local space at 240,000 miles and FTL activity at 10 light years.

Weapons Systems:
1) Tri-Laser Array---The original rather anemic laser array was removed, and NNC engineers took advantage of the Spata’s large size to mount a more powerful tri-barrel system using short-ranged starship lasers.
Range: 2 miles in atmosphere, 4 miles in space
(Kitsune Values: 4 miles in atmosphere, 400 miles in space)
Damage: 4d6x10 MD single blast, 8d6x10 MD double blast, and 12d6x10 MD for a triple barrel burst
Rate of Fire: ECHH
Payload: Effectively Unlimited

2) Point Defense Particle Beam Turret---Mounted in the bridge ‘sail’ is a point defense turret patterned after the quad-array particle beamer mounted on the NNC’s HMPT-150 hovertank.
Range: 5,000 ft in atmosphere, 2.5 miles in space
(Kitsune Values: 5,000 ft in atmosphere, 100 miles in space)
Damage: 1d6x10 MD single blast, up to 4d6x10 MD for a full quad-shot burst.
Rate of Fire: EGCHH. Under computer control, it gets 4 attacks per melee(at +5 to strike)
Payload: Effectively Unlimited

3) Underwing Pylons(2)---Mounted under each wing is a pod for missile ordnance. Each pod can hold the following;
a) Short Range Missiles---32 per hardpoint
b) Medium Range Missiles---16 per hardpoint
c) Long Range Missiles---8 per hardpoint
d) Cruise Missiles---2 per hardpoint

Variants:
Variants of the Spata-III are typically systems modifications using newly-acquired technologies, the most common being refitting the design with variable forcefields (400 MDC per side, 2,400 MDC total). Other variants sighted replace the tri-laser array with three particle beam cannons for shorter range, but greater damage( 2 miles in atmosphere, 4 miles in space, but each cannon does 6d6x10 MD per blast, 18d6x10 MD for all three barrels firing simultaneously)

*NF-133Dx---Experimental model mounting three Heavy Plasma Cannon similar to those available to the Neva and Krikker fighters. Each cannon does 2d4x10+10 MD per blast or 6d4x10+30 MD for all three firing simultaneously. The array can also fire a spray of plasma bolts that do 1d6x10 MD to a 25 ft wide area, maximum range 5,000 ft., or 4d4x10 MD to a 50 ft wide area for all three cannons firing simultaneously.

*NF-133EW---Electronic Warfare variant of the Spata III. It sacrifices the dorsal laser turret and one of the forward lasers for EW antennae(the wings are also re-shaped to incorporate extra electronics space. The suite fitted to the Spata is more powerful than that available to the Neva fighter, courtesy of the Nigelians’ better contacts in the galactic Black Market.
Enemy sensor(IR, laser)-guided weapons are -7 to strike the craft, radar-guided weapons are -6 to strike.
*Electronic Cloaking---Thanks to the sophisticated EW suite, the spacecraft enjoys a -70% on enemy sensor rolls to be detected by radar, although the active jamming may tip off observers that there;s something out there, but not its exact location.
*Communications Jamming---Onboard computers give a +15% to operators’ ECM skills when attempting to jam enemy radar/communications, or counter enemy jamming. Effective jamming range is 500 miles(500,000 miles in space).

*NF-133G---’Gunfighter’ variant mounting three G-cannons in the nose, and four extra underwing hardpoints(total of six). The G-cannons have a range of 3 miles in atmosphere, 6 miles in space, each cannon does 2d6x10 MD per 10 round burst(6d6x10 MD for all three cannons firing simultaneously), and has 1,000 bursts magazine capacity per cannon.

Nigelian NLF-136 Light Fighter
(aka ‘Night-Dart’)

“The One-Thirty-Six looks a lot like a shuttle with its clean lines and basic design; the Nigelians are sure to use that to their advantage fooling opponents into underestimating them. Word is, they already have, and that the Brotherhood’s been testing the new fighters on the other side of the galaxy.”

The NLF-136 arose from the same requirement as the Borealian BLF-27 Light Starfighter; the need to produce a native NNC design that could match the rest of the Three Galaxies’ stables of smaller and more advanced fighters. Like the Borealians, the Nigelians chose to use an existing small craft, the Nigelian Scout, as the basis of the new fighter, and development followed virtually in parallel, with the two design teams making the same cuts and modifications. Development of the Nigelian fighter was delayed, however, because the Nigelian team chose to wait on the acquisition of a more powerful 3G powerplant. Rather than use the cheaper and less powerful NE-SF10 Broadsword engine the Borealians were using, the Nigelians used their more sophisticated black market contacts to sniff around for a better engine, and managed, by no small amount of skullduggery, to get ahold of a Bushi Federation-built BIF-67 Katana Fighter. The Katana’s propulsion system was reverse-engineered by the Gendo, and a locally-produced copy incorporated into the new XNLF-136, where it proved MOST satisfactory during tests. With the more powerful engine in place, the project could be sped to final development, qualification, and certification for production.
The NLF-136 takes most of its design from the Nigelian Scout, with a longer, more streamlined and flared shape than the boxy BLF-27. Despite being longer, the NLF-136 is lighter than its Borealian contemporary, with a ‘waverider’-shaped hull distinctive of Nigelian design.
The NLF-136 copies the BLF-27’s weapons layout of twin nose-mounted cannon and an internal weapons bay, but the thin triangular hull lacks the wing hardpoints of the Borealian design. Instead, the cunning Nigelians have elected to incorporate both stealth armor sheathing and a variable forcefield into their fighter.
Despite the later roll-out, the Nigelian crews training on the NFL-136 are smugly waiting to steal back thunder from the Borealians who have been happily crowing about their new BLF-27s. The neater delta-lined NLF-136 is faster and more agile, though more expensive to produce. Moreover, the design is being groomed as the new elite ‘top gun’ of the New Nigelian Confederation’s aerospace forces, with a primarily Nigelian cadre of fighter pilots assigned to it. Even before it has been issued to the NNCAF, however, it’s been rumored that the new fighter has been field-tested already by far-ranging reaver units operating far from the NNC’s borders.

Type: NC-NLF-136
Class: Light Starfighter
Crew: 1+1 passenger
MDC/Armor by Location:
Main Body
Crew Compartment 200
Variable Forcefields 300 each side( 1,800 total)
Height: 4.1 m(13.5 ft)
Width: 7m(23 ft)
Length: 13.6 m(44.8 ft)
Weight: 30 tons
Cargo: Small space behind pilot’s seat for a survival pack and sidearm(s)
Powerplant: Nuclear-Fusion w/ 20 year energy life
Speed:
(Atmosphere) Hover to Mach 3; transatmospheric.
(Sublight) Mach 13
(Kitsune Values: 40% of light speed; Accelerates/decelerates at 1.3% of light speed per melee)
(FTL) Not possible
(Underwater) Not possible
Market Cost: 76 million credits
Systems of Note:
Standard Starfighter Systems, plus:
*Stealth----Reduces the sensor signature of the ship by 50% at ranges more than 6,000 ft

*Advanced Flight Controls/Fire Control----The Night-Dart is very responsive, and has a +2 to strike, and +2 to dodge.

*Pilot Ejection Module---The entire pilot’s compartment can detach from the rest of the ship and become a lifepod. It has full atmospheric reentry capability, drogue chute, and floats.

Weapons Systems:
1) Nose Laser Cannons(2)----The Nigelians decided to go with longer-ranged lasers instead of particle beams, and went with more powerful types as well.
Range: 1.5 miles in atmosphere, 3 miles in space
(Kitsune Values: 1.5 miles in atmosphere, 150 miles in space)
Damage: 2d4x10 MD single blast, 4d4x10 MD double-barreled blast.
Rate of Fire: EGCHH
Payload: Effectively Unlimited

2) Internal Weapons Bay----The passenger compartment has been replaced with an internal rotary weapons bay.
a) Mini-Missiles---48
b) Short Range Missiles---24
c) Medium Range Missiles---18
d) Long Range Missiles----4
e) Cruise Missiles----2
f) Freefall Bombs---Equiv. to missiles, only DOUBLE the blast radius. ‘Smart’ munitions are typically carried.
g) Plasma Turret--- Due to the Confederation’s long study of Mechanoid weaponry, the Confederation’s plasma weaponry enjoys ranges superior to the plasma weapons of most other stellar powers. Unlike the BLF-27, the NLF-136 mounts TWO of these cannon in its bay.
Range: 6,500 ft in atmosphere, 2.4 miles in space
(Kitsune Values: 2.4 miles in atmosphere, 240 miles in space)
Damage: 1d4x10 MD per single blast
Rate of Fire: ECHH
Payload: Effectively Unlimited

Variants:
The NLF-136 is too new and specialized to yet have any variants, and the design constraints don’t allow much in the way of modification. The Night-Dart is likely to see only upgrades in its avionics, though reportedly Gendo engineers are working on developing stealthed ordnance pods that could possibly be used to house external jammers or strike weapons(bombs, missiles).

rem1093 wrote:The Star Wolf is a hunter killer, anti ship vessel. Originally, designed to hunt and destroy pirate command and control ships. It was quickly found that it performed even better then expected and the ship was put up against lager more powerful ships. The ship is small, with an organic design with sooth surfaces, (is shaped like that of a squid).There are no protrusions, even the engines are recessed into the body. Maneuverability is controlled an advanced gravity control system. The ship carries no fighters, and has a small crew, with all the available space being used for armor and weapons.
The Star Wolf has several prototype systems. The armor is made of a Plasma resistant composite that is stronger and lighter then most ships of its size. Wile the it does carry missiles launcher both forward and aft its main weapon is a new omni-directional Partial beam. Unlike most weapons the Partial beam has no barrel but instead uses the entire hull as an energy conductor, allowing it to fire in any direction, from any part of the ship. The ship also has a three-dimensional holographic generator that uses the ships gravitational field generators and force field, to mask itself as almost anything.


p.s. sorry if the name was already used. and that its short

"Omni-Directional Particle Beam'...using the hull as the cyclotron? Ouch....

Holographic camou. combined, with, I presume, fake ID spoofers? I can see this as an effective anti-pirate Q-ship; sucker the bastards into thinking you're a freighter, then beam-nuke'em no matter what approach they take.

Promising start. I'd throw in some more developmental fluff and you'll want lots of point defense in an anti=piracy cruiser for dealing with fighters, missiles, and boarders(like spacesuited pirates and power armors), and a boarding team/group of your own, but that's just my preference....

[b]Nigelian Assault Cutter[/b]

“The Nigelians’ cultural heritage as pirates shows through in this ship; it’s small, sleek, fast, and agile. It lacks the firepower to take on heavier ships, but get enough of these sharks together, and they CAN wolfpack a heavy cruiser to pieces.”

The Nigelian-built ‘Assault Cruiser’ was the premiere fast strike warship of the Confederation; a small, agile, well-armed shark-shaped warcraft that served quite ably to drive off pirates, hunt down smugglers, and, when used properly, could inflict serious damage on larger ships. When contact with the Galactics showed the Assault Cruiser to be little better than a heavy fighter or customs cutter, rather than scrap the AC and buy better Galactic designs, the proud Nigelians elected to modify the newly-redesignated Assault Cutter to be better suited for the Galactic arena.
The Assault Cutter shares the same skate/ray-shaped forward hull and raised conning tower-bridge as the Spata Fighter, but has a longer rear fuselage, large central drive bloc, and twin tail booms, rather than the fighter’s cluster of engine nacelles. Cruise missiles are now carried internally and the forward canards play host to both two heavy missile launchers and an advanced sensor array. The upper hull mounts a powerful PBCannon backed by three point defense laser turrets. The hull is modified with stealth materials to reduce the ship’s overall sensor signature, while several countermeasure launchers have been added to decoy enemy attention away from the ship in the event it IS spotted.
The Assault Cutter is not designed for long range operations, being too small to support adequate accommodations for crew comfort on prolonged tours of duty. Typically, a squadron of three to six Assault Cutters will operate from a larger support ship, such as a Borealian Assault Transport Cruiser, or modified King-class starfreighter.
Given the Nigelians’ close association with the galactic Black Markets and pirate economies, however, it is not surprising that quite a few older upgraded Assault Cruisers, and not more than a few Assault Cutters, have found their way into the hands of ‘renegades’---Nigelian privateers, claim-jumpers, and Black Market enforcers.

Type: NCC-NAC-10
Class: Light Corvette
Crew: 9+1-12 passengers/troops
MDC/Armor by Location:
Main Body 2,500
Bridge 700
Forward Wings/Missile Launchers(2) 500 each
Tail Wings(2) 900 each
Medium Particle Beam Cannon Turret 360
Laser Turrets(3) 180 each
Variable Forcefields 300 each side( 1,800 total)

Height:12.1 m (39.9 ft)
Width: 19.5m (64 ft)
Length: 38.7 m (127.7 ft)
Weight: 720 tons
Cargo: 60 tons
Powerplant: Nuclear w/ 50 year energy life
Speed:
(Atmosphere) Hover to Mach 3; transatmospheric.
(Space)Mach 12
(Kitsune Values: 50% of light speed; Accelerates/decelerates at 1.2% of light speed per melee)
(FTL) 4 light years per hour
Market Cost: 455 million credits
Systems of Note:
Standard Starship Systems, plus:
*Stealth Hull---75% chance of avoiding all forms of detection. By default, sensor-guided weapons are -3 to strike the ship.

*Extended Range Sensors----Can track and track spacecraft in local space at 280,000 miles and FTL activity at 12 light years.

Weapons Systems:
1) Particle Beam Turret---Mounted in a dorsal turret is a powerful double-barrelled medium particle beam cannon.
Range: 4 miles in atmosphere, 8 miles in space
(Kitsune Values: 4 miles in atmosphere, 4,000 miles in space)
Damage: 1d6x100 MD single blast, 2d6x100 MD double-barrel blast
Rate of Fire: Three shots (per barrel) per melee round.
Payload: Effectively Unlimited

2) Laser Turrets(3)---Mounted around the hull are three laser PDS turrets.
Range: 1.5 miles in atmosphere, 3 miles in space
(Kitsune Values: 1.5 miles in atmosphere, 150 miles in space)
Damage: 2d4x10 MD single blast, 4d4x10 MD double-barreled blast.
Rate of Fire: EGCHH
Payload: Effectively Unlimited

3) Cruise Missile Launcher---Mounted in the ventral bow is a cruise missile launcher. Holds 12 CMs and can volley up to 6 at a time.

4) Long Range Missile Launchers(2)--Mounted in the forward ‘canards’ are two LRM launchers, each with capacity for 24 LRMs(48 total), and can volley them in salvoes of 1-6 at a time. The Nigelians are fond of putting various shield-disruptor warheads on their LRMs, taking down the monoplanar fields of merchantmen and disrupting the variable shields of warships.

5) Countermeasure Launchers(2)----Mounted in each tail boom is a countermeasure launcher capable of firing missile- and sensor-decoys.
The first is simple sensor-reflective chaff and thermo-flares. These countermeasures are inexpensive and very effective against lower-end targeting systems and sensor equipment(such as that used by nations equivalent to the Coalition States on Rifts Earth), but are ineffectual against more advanced technology.
Range: Close Defense
Damage: None; similar to Triax-style chaff
01-50 Enemy Missile or volley detonates in chaff and threat is neutralized
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.
In space, anything flying at high speed through the cloud will take 2d6 MD +1d6 MD per every 100 miles of speed over 670 MPH.
Reduce APMs/combat bonuses/ speed by half for 1d4 melees
Payload: 36

The second system releases a nanotech swarm of active jamming pods and decoys that are programmed to emulate a spacecraft’s sensor signature, or, at the very least, bury enemy tactical communications in ‘white noise’.
Effective Range:25 mile jamming radius
Duration: 5 minutes per pod-spray
Effects: Jams radio signals(75% chance of jamming military band command-guidance ordnance), and 60% chance of deflecting ordinary missiles.
Payload: 18 swarm packs

The third system uses modified grav-pack drives and signal projectors to create a moving pattern of sensor signatures. The grav-pack mini-missile drives can go for 10 minutes before self-destructing, and can either be remotely directed or run a pre-set pattern.
Effective Speed: Mach 6
Duration: 10 minutes per pod
Effects: The decoys have a 70% chance of fooling enemy sensor operators and expert systems. They are are also +2 to enemy sensor-guided munitions to strike, increasing the chance that the missiles will elect to pursue the ‘louder’ sensor signature(the missile rolls to strike for both the original ship and each decoy deployed....highest to strike roll determines which target the missile(s) go after).
Payload: 15 decoys are carried, and can be deployed singly, or in ‘packs’ of 1-3.

Variants:
*Courier----This variant fills in the space between the tail booms with an extended propulsion unit for greater speed and acceleration; Mach 15 and 5.5 light years per hour.

*DeepStriker----An attack variant of the Courier, sharing the larger engine, but also mounting a large particle beam cannon semi-recessed along the ventral hull, replacing the CML.
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

taalismn wrote:

rem1093 wrote:The Star Wolf is a hunter killer, anti ship vessel. Originally, designed to hunt and destroy pirate command and control ships. It was quickly found that it performed even better then expected and the ship was put up against lager more powerful ships. The ship is small, with an organic design with sooth surfaces, (is shaped like that of a squid).There are no protrusions, even the engines are recessed into the body. Maneuverability is controlled an advanced gravity control system. The ship carries no fighters, and has a small crew, with all the available space being used for armor and weapons.
The Star Wolf has several prototype systems. The armor is made of a Plasma resistant composite that is stronger and lighter then most ships of its size. Wile the it does carry missiles launcher both forward and aft its main weapon is a new omni-directional Partial beam. Unlike most weapons the Partial beam has no barrel but instead uses the entire hull as an energy conductor, allowing it to fire in any direction, from any part of the ship. The ship also has a three-dimensional holographic generator that uses the ships gravitational field generators and force field, to mask itself as almost anything.


p.s. sorry if the name was already used. and that its short

"Omni-Directional Particle Beam'...using the hull as the cyclotron? Ouch....

Holographic camou. combined, with, I presume, fake ID spoofers? I can see this as an effective anti-pirate Q-ship; sucker the bastards into thinking you're a freighter, then beam-nuke'em no matter what approach they take.

Promising start. I'd throw in some more developmental fluff and you'll want lots of point defense in an anti=piracy cruiser for dealing with fighters, missiles, and boarders(like spacesuited pirates and power armors), and a boarding team/group of your own, but that's just my preference....

Fluff is one of my problems, I have a tendency to ether go short or so long I start to ramble. For defense, I was thinking of using bits. Having movable point defense would be better then static one, because then can be focused wherever they are needed and be they would harder to destroy. Also when they are not deployed they make the ship look less capable. You are right about the need for a boarding party.

Borealian Mulraven Battlecruiser

“The Borries learned a lot from watching the rest of the Three Galaxies at war, and they certainly applied their lessons to their new generation of warship. The Mulraven’s still got some weaknesses, but overall it’s a MUCH more effective weapon than what they were previously deploying. Almost horrifically so....those plasma cannns of theirs can reach out and touch enemies at INSANE ranges, and they’ve learned how to bank the shots in atmosphere so a grounded transport can bombard targets over the horizon from them. ‘Borealian sunrises’ is becoming quite the curse among those who have faced the Borries.”

Before contact with the rest of the Three Galaxies, the biggest military ship in the Nigelian Confederation was the massive Borealian Battlecruiser, a half-kilometer of military might. However, when the Confederation met the CCW and TGE, it became apparent that Confederation vessel classification fell short of the Galactic standard; the mighty Borealian Battlecruiser would be classed as a Frigate in terms of firepower in the navies of any other Galactic power, and a rather poorly designed one at that. Despite being nearly three times the size of the CCW’s Warshield Cruisers, the pre-contact Borealian battlecruisers were more equivalent to a Scimitar frigate in terms of capabilities, and early contacts with the Borealian main battle line showed the impressive-looking battlecruisers to be, in the words of one CCW commander,”more bluff than bluster, tin foil dreadnoughts with flash-laser armaments”.
With such comments making their way, courtesy of Nigelian military intelligence, to the desks of the NNC shipyards, clearly substantial changes in NNC military design were in order. With the assistance of the Nigelian technology-brokers and financiers, the Borealians have worked hard to modify the old Battlecruiser design to bring it up to date and more capable of facing off against anticipated Three Galaxies opponents.
The newest construction, the Mulraven class, is a slightly smaller, but no less impressive, and much more capable, version of the old Borealus class that the Three Galaxies first encountered.
The modern Mulraven Borealian Cruiser is more of a troop transport than a battlecruiser; the ship carries in standard configuration two battalions of troops, two squadrons of Assault Cannons, and three squadrons of heavy fighters(the latter launch from a bay in the rear of the ship).
The Mulraven retains the general layout of the original model; a central hull flanked by two large external engine pods, with ventral and dorsal gundecks. However, the redesigned hull has a more angular look,the rear hull and engine pods are reinforced in a triangular secondary hull, and multiple banks of defensive weapons now line the hull, covering most approach angles. The design retains the distinctive twin heavy plasma cannon turrets on the dorsal surface, but augments the single nose-turreted laser cannon with five additional turrets mounted about the hull for point-defense. The reinforced engine nacelles now sport forcefield projector arrays on their forward ends, positioned so as to afford maximum protection to troops and vehicles disembarking from the forward deployment hatches.
The large size of the Mulraven, built along the lines of the older Borealus-class ships that were designed with longer travel times with slower drive technologies, means that even with the greater number of systems incorporated, the troop complement still has plenty of room to bounce around in. The large cargo bays can be reconfigured into staging and practice areas, allowing the troops to keep their physical skills sharp when on long transits and tours of duty. The same large bays allow massive amounts of equipment and supplies to be carried, allowing the ships and their complements to operate in the field for extended periods of time.
The Mulraven serves with both the NNC Homefleets and the Borealian Armed Mercantile Association’s mercenary fleets; the latter ships have already seen considerable action in the course of merc ops(with the details of the combats being passed back on to the shipyards and design facilities). As the Mulraven replaces them in all branches of service, the older Borealuses are being withdrawn and refitted as dedicated cargo transports in secured space(though some refits replace the original heavy armaments with beefed-up point defense systems).

Type: NC-B-Z7c Mulraven
Class: Troop Transport/BattleCruiser
Crew: 250+144 Aerospace Craft Crew and 1,400 passengers/troops
MDC/Armor by Location:
Main Body 140,000
Bridge 4,000
Rear Hangar Deck 5,000
Heavy Plasma Cannons(2) 1,000 each
Heavy Laser Turrets(6) 700 each
Particle Beam Cannons(8 ) 500 each
Long Range Missile Launchers(4) 500 each
Point Defense Turrets(16) 180 each
Variable Forcefields 10,000 each side( 60,000 total)
Height: 74.8m ( 247 ft)
Width: 175.74 m (580 ft)
Length: 505.56 m (1,668 ft)
Weight: 130,500 tons
Cargo: 8,000 tons in addition to the standard troop load.
If not carrying troops and vehicles, the Mulraven can carry an additional 50,000 tons of cargo
Powerplant: Nuclear w/ 35 year energy life
Speed:
(Atmosphere) Hover to Mach 6 (Transatmospheric)
(Space) Mach 10
(FTL) 4 light years an hour
Market Cost: 25 billion credits
Systems of Note:
Standard Starship Systems
Weapons Systems:
1) Plasma Cannons (2)---The Confederation is one of the few star-nations who use plasma cannons as primary weapons aboard their warships, having either developed or acquired more advanced plasma weapons technology than others. The Borealian Battle Transport carries two massive plasma projector assemblies in dorsal turrets, where they have full arc of fire when the ship is grounded.
Range: 200 miles in atmosphere(200,000 miles in space)
(Kitsune Values: 200 miles in atmosphere, 200,000 miles in space)
Damage: 1d4x1,000 MD per blast to 100 ft blast radius
Rate of Fire: Once per cannon every two melees(30 seconds)
Payload: Effectively unlimited

2) Laser Turrets(6)----The first few combat encounters of Three Galaxies warships and the original Battlecruisers underscored the need for more point defense systems, and the Borealians have made sure that the Battle Transport is adequately protected with ample secondary laser armaments. The Borellians’ first choice for a weapon, however, was a reverse-engineered Mechanoid weapon with incredible range, but lukewarm low damage. Efforts to up the damage of the ‘plinkers’ have thus far proven unsuccessful, so some Mulravens have been refitted with shorter-ranged, but more damaging, 3G standard medium laser cannons.
Range: 216 miles in atmosphere( 432 miles in space)
(Kitsune Values: 216 miles in atmosphere, 216,000 miles in space)
Damage: 6d6 +50 MD per blast
Rate of Fire: 4 times per melee
Payload: Effectively Unlimited

In the alternative, more conventional, more powerful, but shorter-ranged, laser cannons can be mounted.
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
Rate of Fire: Each barrel can fire four times per melee
Payload: Effectively Unlimited

3) Particle Beam Cannons(8 )---Another byproduct of reverse-engineering Mechanoid weapons, the Mulraven’s PBC batteries have incredible range for PBCs, but lack hitting power.
Range: 216 miles in atmosphere( 432 miles in space)
(Kitsune Values: 216 miles in atmosphere, 216,000 miles in space)
Damage: 1d6x5 MD per blast
Rate of Fire: Twice per melee
Payload: Effectively Unlimited

In the alternative, more conventional, more powerful, and more rapid-firing, but shorter-ranged, particle beam cannons can be mounted.
Range: 7 miles in atmosphere, 14 miles in space
(Kitsune Values: 14 miles in atmosphere, 14,000 miles in space)
Damage: 3d6x100 MD per cannon
Rate of Fire: Each barrel can fire three times per melee
Payload: Effectively Unlimited

4) Long Range Missile Launchers(4)----Large-scale missile launcher systems are fairly new to Borealian military planning; in the past they used highly accurate selective-strike ‘intelligent’ missile launchers to surgically strike targets. Observations of the Three Galaxies at war, however, showed that quantity, as well as quality, was the equation, and so Borealian engineers copied reliable 3G ‘missile massacre’ systems and incorporated them into the Mulraven.
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: 1-20 missiles can be fired in one volley
Payload: 100 LRMs per launcher. Additional missiles may be stored in the cargo holds and reloaded within 30 minutes(1 ton of cargo per 12 missiles)

5) Point Defense Particle Beam Turrets(16) ----Point defense weapons of light caliber were not part of original Borellian naval architecture. Several encounters with Mechanoid Wasps(albeit fortunately after the Mechanoids apparently went into decline in their home universe and the left-behinds could no longer field the MASSIVE numbers they had in the past) brutally taught the Borellians otherwise. Still, the Borealus Battlecruisers the Borellians came to the Three Galaxies with were still inadequately outfitted with point defense, relying heavily on fighters and Assault Cannon-craft for protection. With the new generation of construction, NNC naval architects saw an opportunity to address the Borealuses’ shortcomings by building in proper PDS coverage. The Borellian engineers decided to install the same double-barrel particle beam cannon as was secondary armament on the Agakhan Assault Cannons as PDS weapons on the Mulraven.
Range: 1.5 miles in atmosphere, 3 miles in space
(Kitsune Values: 1.5 miles in atmosphere, 150 miles in space)
Damage: 2d6x10 MD single blast, 4d6x10 MD double blast
Rate of Fire: ECHH
Payload: Effectively unlimited

Auxiliary Craft:
*48 Heavy Fighters or 60 Light Fighters
*36 Assault Cannons
*60 Armored Skimmers

StarKing-class StarFreighter
“Big, spacious, and capable; those are the StarKing’s big selling points. And the Confederation’s location out on the Fringe where the stellar density goes down and you NEED big freighters with good cruising range, means the Confederation gets to sell a LOT of these monsters.”

The StarKing is a Nigelian design for a superheavy long-range bulk cargo carrier. It’s an improved model of the ‘King’ freighter previously used, and addresses many of the problems of that class; though heavier, the StarKing is much more durable and capable. The cargo bays have also been refitted to be more modular, allowing the ships to be quickly modified to accommodate a variety of different cargo configurations, from bulk dry goods to cryogenic liquid fuels.
The StarKing is streamlined and fully capable of operating in an atmosphere, but more often than not, operators prefer to keep it out of an atmosphere or gravity well, and will use shuttles or an orbital annex to load cargo. However, where such procedures or facilities aren’t available or feasible(especially on the fringe worlds), the ability to land directly becomes very useful.
Slow and lumbering by Galactic standards, the StarKing is still one of the Confederation’s hottest sellers, especially to outside concerns that want inexpensive heavy-hauling capabilities, or to those who want something faster and tougher than a Dray-class tender.
It is rumored that at least one StarKing has been modified by the Brotherhood into a covert operations fighter carrier, its large cargo bays converted to conceal facilities for basing several squadrons of fighters and several assault shuttles/combat pinnaces.

Type: NNC-N-C24 StarKing
Class: Heavy Star Freighter
Crew: 37+ 144 passengers
MDC/Armor by Location:
Main Body 32,000
Bridge 2,000
Shuttle Bay 800
Engines(4) 3,000 each
Forcefield 2,000
Height: 201.6 m (665.28 ft)
Width: 368.4 m (1,215.7 ft)
Length: 497.5m (1,640.1 ft)
Weight: 150,000 tons
Cargo: 94,000 tons
Powerplant: Nuclear w/ 50 year energy life
Speed:
(Atmosphere) Hover to Mach 3; transatmospheric.
(Space) Mach 6
(Kitsune Values: 20% of light speed; Accelerates/decelerates at 0.6% of light speed per melee)
(FTL) 3 light years per hour(many operators will typically upgrade this to 4-5 ly/h. especially for traversing the greater distances of the Rim)
Market Cost: 498 million credits
Systems of Note:
Standard Starship Systems, plus:
*Docking Collars(2)----Two external docking collars with extending tubeways for servicing additional starships docked to the StarKing. Typically used for accommodating Nigelian Cargo Shuttles. StarKing operators will frequently carry two of the large NCSes externally(cannot land in atmosphere/gravity wells with them attached) for moving cargoes where appropriate orbital facilities are not available.

Weapons Systems: None standard, but has provision for up to 16 weapons stations with PDS or Light weaponry. Some have been known to be modified with up to six medium weapons or even three heavy weapons stations.
Most operators beefing up the weapons will also typically upgrade the shielding as well, upping the monoplanar MDC or investing in variable shielding.

Auxiliary Craft:
Typically 2 shuttles, but has provision for carrying up to 6 fighters

Variants:
Most variants of the Starking focus on faster FTL and specialized cargo carriage. A few have been outfitted as starliners, with passenger capacities varying between 400-4,000 passengers, depending on accommodations and life support requirements.
The military operates several troop transports, able to carry 5,000 troops. These variants typically max out on point defense capability, shields, and engine speed.

Jaworska Type-II2 System Defense Destroyer

“I’d like the Jawos a lot better if it wasn’t for their main weapon mounting; edge on, you can only bring about eight cannons to bear on a target. You can engage targets above and below you with all sixteen, but that means presenting a target profile that’s a starship-sized bull’s eye of the sort TGE gunners just LOVE punching through.”
---Captain Gayar Torogson, Free Worlds Council

The Jaworska were a humanoid(related to ogres and humans) people with a developing starfaring culture when the TransGalactic Empire rolled over them about three hundred years ago. The Jaworska put up a stiff fight, but superior technology, superior numbers, and sheer bloody-minded strategies ruled the outcome in the Empire’s favor. Seeing the writing on the wall, many Jaworska fled to sancturies like the CCW or Independent worlds, where they became assimilated within a generation into alien cultures. Within another century, Jaworskan culture all but disappeared, the expatriates too dispersed to start a new society in exile, and their homeworld stamped and remolded into a Kreeghor-run factory world. Even on their homeworld, the Jaworska have become a minority, as the population has been shipped offworld to serve Imperial labor needs, and both slaves and workers from other worlds shipped in, under an Imperial government that has claimed the best property for themselves.
About all that remains visibly of the Jaworska are a few hundred starships, including warships, that have been sold off by refugees needing the money, or which failed to make the trip to the TGE breakers(the Kreeghor clan responsible for running the Jaworskan system is notorious for its organized crime connections). It is thus not uncommon to find Jaworskan starcraft moldering in second- and third-hand spacecraft lots, or toiling away in low-grade work details in TGE systems, until the ships fall apart.
The Type-II2 is one of the more common of the Jaworskan warships available on the market. A robust design for its level of technology, the Type-II2 was produced in large numbers (at least 400 ships) to bolster the Jaworskan defenses.
The Type-II2 has a flattened spheroid main hull girdled by rings of armor, with a long armored engine nacelle attached to the upper rear of the sphere. With a lack of advanced forcefield generation technology available to them, the Jaworskans armored their spacecraft rather more than more advanced civilizations, using alternating layers of spaceformed foamed alloys and ceramics. Armament is energy-based, consisting mainly of a large number of particle beam cannons(the Jaworskans favored damage over range), an array of point defense lasers, and one or two misisle launchers.
Meant for system defense, operating not far from bases and resupply, the Type-II2 is not particularly comfortable, with the fighting compartments and crew quarters often being one and the same. This trend became even more pronounced in later models as the war swept closer to their homeworlds, and supply bays and crew quarters often shared the same space as ships loaded up with extra munitions and repair parts with the real danger of being cut off from quick resupply. Their CG drive systems are early-tech, with a translight speed that fairly crawls compared to more modern systems, but which was perfectly suited for traversing the small region of space the Jaworska claimed prior to their fall.
One of the great ironies of the Jaworskan fall is that the Kre-Ronii clan that currently runs the Jaworskan homeworld with an iron fist, has a reputation for taking guns and warships confiscated from Imperial conquests, and running them across TGE borders to sell for a profit to various mercenary concerns. So far the Imperial government hasn’t taken the Kre-Ronii to task for this, considering the sales part of ‘destabilization efforts’ in the border territories, but the fact is that the Kre-Ronii have been diverting far more captured war material from impound and destruction than they are registering with the TGE auditors. Nor are they paying particularly close attention to what’s happening to the hardware after they’ve sold it....The fact is, a great deal of the equipment is being bought up by anti-TGE concerns and smuggled right back across the borders to dissident factions like the Free Worlds Council. Not surprisingly, the FWC has acquired a large number of ex-Jaworskan Type-II2s in this manner, using them to bolster the defenses of various FWC worlds or chopping and modifying them into more effective warcraft.

Type: JC-Type-II2
Class: Destroyer
Crew: 80
MDC/Armor by Location:
Main Body 9,000
Bridge 2,000
Main Engines 5,000
Battery Turrets(16) 350 each
Point Defense Laser Arrays(4) 350 each
Long Range Missile Launchers(2) 400 each
Forcefield 2,000
Height: 52 ft
Width: 220 ft
Length: 463 ft
Weight: 9,000 tons
Cargo: 400 tons
Powerplant: Nuclear Fusion with 30 year energy life
Speed:
(Atmosphere) Hover to Mach 3; transatmospheric.
(Sublight) Mach 6
(Kitsune Values: 60% of light speed; Accelerates/decelerates at 0.6% of light speed per melee)
(FTL) 2 light years per day
(Underwater) Not Possible
Market Cost: A fully armed and operational Type-II2 would cost about 900 million credits
Systems of Note:
Standard Starship Systems
Weapons Systems:
1)Medium Particle Beam Cannons(16) ---The main weapons of the Type-II2 are sixteen turreted particle beam cannon, mounted around the rim of the main discus-shaped hull. While formidable, the particle beams contributed to the undoing of the Jaworskan navy when the TGE learned they could outrace and outrange the slower Type-II2s, picking at them from beyond the destroyers’ particle beam range.
The mounting of the cannons along the rim of the main hull is such that eight cannons can be brought to bear on targets along the plane of the hull. All sixteen cannons can be brought to bear on targets above or below the plane of the ship.
Range: 4 miles in atmosphere, 8 miles in space
(Kitsune Values: 8 miles in atmosphere, 8,000 miles in space)
Damage: 1d4x100 MD per cannon
Rate of Fire: 4 times per melee
Payload: Effectively Unlimited

2) Point Defense Laser Arrays(4)---One multi-barrel PDS turret is mounted on both the top and bottom hubs of the main hull, and two more laser turrets are mounted straddling the main engine boom.
Range: 3 miles in atmosphere, 6 miles in space
(Kitsune Values: 6 miles in atmosphere, 600 miles in space)
Damage: 6d6x10 MD per rapid-fire burst
Rate of Fire: EGCHH
Payload: Effectively Unlimited

3) Long Range Missile Launchers(2)---A lomg range missile launcher is mounted in each hemisphere of the hull, forward.
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: 120 per launcher; additional missiles may be carried as cargo, and reloaded from storage.

Auxiliary Craft:
2 Shuttles

Variants:
The Free Worlds Council has a varient of the Type-II2 that tries to address the ships’ lack of speed by grafting on a more powerful Class IV Silmdecker engine stripped from old TGE transports. This modification boosts the top speed to Mach 9. The variant also removes four of the particle beam cannon turrets and replaces them with longer-ranged HI laser cannons. When variable forcefield generators are available, they are sometimes fitted, offering an effective shield strength of 900 MDC per side(5,400 MDC total).
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
Rate of Fire: 4 times per melee
Payload: Effectively Unlimited