Paladin Steel/Aegis Stellar Industries Asteroid-Cruisershttp://i408.photobucket.com/albums/pp164/taalismn/S9000042-Artwork_of_mining_of_asteroids-SPL.jpghttp://i408.photobucket.com/albums/pp164/taalismn/S9000043-Artwork_of_Asteroid_mining-SPL.jpg “That asteroid? It just changed direction! It’s heading right for us! And it ain’t alone!”
“That ain’t no asteroid!”
“Our workship? Did I forget to mention it’s ARMED?”
Asteroid-ships are hardly new in the Three Galaxies and elsewhere; many societies build mobile space stations that nominally qualify as spacecraft, using asteroids as bases. Some even qualify as starships, being meant to travel between star systems, usually at slower-than-light/relativistic velocities, as sleeper ships or generational starships, and a few cultures fit these constructs with FTL drives of various sorts and quality. This latter approach is what PS/ASI has done, using their acquired Gorang gravitic technology(magic?).
Asteroid ships are attractive because they are fairly easy to build; if one has access to a good -sized asteroid and is already proficient in asteroid mining, it’s a simple matter to tunnel in and hollow it out, and fit it with internal compartments, typically constructed using refined metals made from the asteroid itself, and maneuvered about slowly using slag byproduct as reaction mass. The mass of the asteroid provides thick and cheap protection from the hazards of deep space such as the radiation of the solar wind. Meters of thick rock and nickel-iron make for good protection from radiation. This thickness also provides a fair amount of low/no-cost protection against other hazards as well, such as lighter-calibre projectile and energy weapons. Finally, there’s the SIZE; even a small-sized asteroid of five hundred meters or larger can provide a lot of potential space for facilities to be built inside or mounted outside. Modification is relatively easy with the addition of new external turrets and modules, and the fitting of extra generators and powerplants to power more systems. Under the right circumstances, and with some attention to disguising the obvious artificial features of the asteroid-ship, a converted asteroid can also appear as nothing more than another random space-rock, making for a good long-term surveillance platform.
For many, converting a sky-rock into a colony ship or battlewagon is a cheap, low-cost alternative to constructing large ship tonnage without having to invest in massive shipyards. For PS/ASI, Asteroid-Cruisers allow for the relatively quick construction of very impressive mobile industrial complexes, factory-ships, heavy transports, and mobile weapons platforms, the initial rock often providing much of the needed metals and minerals for its conversion and reconstruction.
The shortcomings of Asteroid Cruisers are that they aren’t reinforced for acceleration and deceleration like a proper ship; they maneuver very slowly and without extensive forcefield shielding and inertial damping, tend to have to be run up to speed slowly, and braked equally slowly to prevent stress fracturing of their ‘hulls’(i.e., the asteroid rock matrix). Their sheer mass, though impressive, translates into large energy expenditures if performing any sort of short term and drastic course corrections. Asteroid Cruisers are also slow and obvious; there’s nothing stealthy about a large mass of rock and metal making deliberate course changes and velocity adjustments across a solar system.
Furthermore, as protective as all that rock may be, it lacks the per-unit(square meter/ton) protection value of manufactured armor. Weapons blast far more easily through rock far more effectively than they would through layered armor, and against battlecruiser-strength weapons in concerted barrage, even several dozen meters of nickel-iron can be ablated away within a few minutes of combat(for this reason. ‘bare wall compartments’ are rare aboard Asteroid Cruisers; each section of the interior hull is a self-sealing double-walled habitat module).
That having been said, the Asteroid Ships of PS/ASI have an advantage enjoyed only by a very few; FTL propulsion. While the CG propulsion capabilities of star nations like the CCW and TGE seem to (currently) have an upper limit to the mass that a CG field can safely envelope and efficiently move, the Gorang-derived drive used by PS/ASI is able to push quite large modified rocks beyond the light barrier, a feat only reliably done by the UWW’s own World Eater ‘flying mountains’. As the UWW uses magitech propulsion to rift-fold their asteroid-ships from location to location, and the Gorang drive seems to be at least partially ISP-based, magic seems to be able to accomplish what pure technology cannot. However, PS/ASI has not been able to make the Gorang-derived drive work on anything other than modified asteroids and comets; purely artificial spacestations have not been able to be moved via the drive(at least 50% of the vehicle’s mass has to consist of a natural body; asteroid or comet).
PS/ASI constructs its Asteroid-Cruisers in one of two ways; the first is to take a good-sized(kilometer or bigger) rock and burrow into it, then outfit the tunnels with reinforced modules, connect them together, then outfit the rest of the ‘ship’ as needed.
The other process is more complicated; a suitable metal-rich asteroid is taken, cored out, and a central shaft stuffed with ice. The asteroid is then placed at the focus of several large solar reflectors set up to concentrate the heat(sometimes assisted by large solar-powered lasers or microwave beamers) and set to slowly spinning. As the heat permeates the asteroid, the rock and metal melt, and eventually the heat percolates down to the ice core, which sublimates, generating steam. The expanding gas pressure inflates the molten rock and metal ‘balloon’ to the desired size, at which point the heating is slowed down, the gas vapor released and re-condensed for reuse, and the asteroid finished by the fitters.
The sheer amount of space on an Asteroid Cruiser means that it can be fitted with all manner of facilities not found aboard smaller conventional starships. Large enclosed repair facilities, manufactories, recreation and agricultural space, and the like make Asteroid Ships destinations unto themselves. They often serve as depot vessels and the support motherships of task forces of smaller ships, who use the facilities aboard them to repair, maintain, and rehabilitate their equipment and crews.
PS/ASI typically outfits its Asteroid Cruisers as mobile factory complexes, allowing their Contract Engineering Corps to move to work sites(asteroid belts, moons, or planetary orbit) and set up shop onsite with relative ease. Others are set up as exploration and deep space surveillance platforms, frequently operating as motherships to squadrons of smaller scout and search-and-rescue craft. A handful have been quietly constructed as dedicated warships, mainly acting as system-defense carriers and orbital fortresses.
PS/ASI generally operates these massive vessels only in the Rim, Fringe, and outer worlds. Few core worlds of the CCW and other stellar kingdoms/organizations that PS/ASI does traffic with are willing to allow such massive vessels, with the easy capability of becoming relativistic planet-smashing missiles, near the more densely populated regions of the Three Galaxies(while ignoring the many more smaller threats presented by smaller, less visually imposing, craft).
Type: PS/ASI-CGBB Asteroid Cruiser
Class: Asteroid Cruiser(equiv. Heavy Cruiser/Battleship/Carrier/Heavy Transport/Mobile Industrial Complex-Tender)
Crew: Varies from 1,000-10,000, plus provision for up to x3 its complement in additional troops/passengers.
Most also have a contingent of 1,000-4,000 work robots.
MDC/Armor by Location:
Main Body*(Varies) 1d10x10,000 - 2d6x100,000
Internal Modules(Varies)(10-50) 4,000-10,000 each
External Domes(Varies)(4-50) 3,000-10,000 each
Forcefields(Used to protect specific locations) 500-2,000
**Variable Forcefields(Overall protection) 5,000- 18,000 each side( 30,000-120,000 total)
Typical Construction Features:
Solar Mirrors 3,000 each
Hangar Bays 3,000-5,000 each
Large Ship Slip/Anchorage 5,000-10,000 each
Small Sensor Dishes(many) 400 each
Deep Space Antennae Clusters(6-25) 2,500 each
“Arecibo Array” Large Sensors(1-6) 3,500 each
Rocket Stacks 500-1,000 each
Factory Sheds 1,000-9,000 each
AgroDomes 3,000-5,000 each
Skycranes(4-20) 500-1,000 each
Heavy Tractor Beams(4-40) 500 each
Medium Tractor Beams(8-50) 300 each
Targeting/Light Tractor Beams (12-60) 200 each
Capital Weapons Mount 500 each
Heavy Weapons Mount 500 each
Medium/Light Weapons Mount 500 each
Point Defense Weapons Mount 500 each
*This is the nickel-iron and rock bulk of the former asteroid, and takes DOUBLE damage from kinetic weapons, such as rail guns and explosive missiles
**Shield Refresh Rate is 20% per melee due to the larger dedicated generators.
Size: Varies; ‘Natural’ Asteroids range in diameter from 1,000 ft to 5 miles; the smaller ones tend to more irregularly shaped, while the larger tend to be more spherical.
Melted and reshaped ‘ballooned’ asteroids tend to have more uniform shapes and sizes, though even then there is variation, depending on the starting asteroid and the ultimate purpose of the resulting cruiser.
Weight: Several million tons
Cargo: Capacity varies, but typically around 500,000-1 million+ tons.
Powerplant: Combination Nuclear Fusion/TechnoWizardry Power Generators. Estimated energy life between reactor refueling/refurbishing is 60 years. Often the Asteroid Cruiser can gather and refine its own fuel through ramscoops and auxiliary ships gathering materials.
Supplemental power provided by solar arrays and electromagnetic tethers(in the latter case, when orbiting around planets with string magnetic fields).
In addition to the gravitic propulsion (typically centered somewhere at the core of the former asteroid), most PS/ASI Asteroid Cruisers can use several ‘rocket stacks’(actually large fusion plasma thrusters) for gross physical course corrections(typically no more than Mach 2 on these thrusters alone).
Speed:
(Atmosphere) Hover to 300 MPH; no altitude limitation and is transatmospheric.
(Sublight) Can accelerate at up to 0.8 gees/Mach 8
(Kitsune Values) 60% of light speed, and can accelerate/decelerate at 0.8% of light speed per melee
(FTL) Typically can travel along at 2-3 light-years an hour
(Underwater) Not possible
Market Cost: Asteroid Cruisers start at around 10 billion credits and scale up, depending on the size and features.
Systems of Note:
*Full Sensor Suite---Specialized sensor pallets include radiation detectors and counters, spectrographic analysis devices, gravitic sensors, electromagnetic activity readers, and optics packages.
*Long Range Radar---Phased Array Search and Early Warning Radars---Maximum Resolution Range of 300,000 miles(about 500 miles in atmosphere).
*Laser Targeting-------100,000 miles(about 50 miles in atmosphere)
*Communications Suite:---Long Range Radio and Video---Typical range of 200-500 miles in atmosphere(x1,000 in space)
*Optical Tracking Clusters----The equivalent of automated telescopes and binoculars, these systems are constantly scanning the surrounding area(and in space, the starscape), using advanced pattern-recognition software to look for anomalies(objects and phenomena), as well as helping to fix the asteroid-cruiser’s position.
*’Arecibo Arrays’(1-6)---These are giant fixed-dish multispectral antennae that look like they fill in craters on the asteroid, and have diameters from 800-1,000 ft. Depending on the size and purpose of the Cruiser, there may be as many as six of these massive arrays. Though large and crude compared to more modern sensor arrays available from the CCW, these arrays make up for it in raw radiation gathering power. Arecibo Arrays have extreme range of 10 million miles, and can detect FTL wakes out to 35 light years.
*Onboard Life Support Plant, Factories(typically heavily automated autofacs), Hangar Space, Living Quarters, Repair and Assembly Shops, Warehousing, and Engineering Laboratories. The onboard facilities, supplied with materials, can produce spare parts and ammunition for the onboard complement of troops and aerospacecraft, and can do limited prototyping and small-batching production of vehicles.
Depending on the primary purpose of the Asteroid Cruiser and its size, the onboard facilities can be specialized for one or more special purposes, such as chemical engineering, shipbuilding, antimatter production, agriculture, or the like.
*AgroDomes---Many Asteroid Cruisers feature surface-mounted ‘AgroDomes’, essentially high-tech enviro-habitats or greenhouses, their hulls permeable to visible light, but screened for more dangerous levels of radiation, that take advantage of ambient star/sunlight to nourish foliage and agriculture. These domes provide supplemental food, oxygen and water recycling, and recreational areas for crews. Some AgroDomes are specially fitted so as to be detachable, and can even make successful atmospheric reentry, allowing them to be detached from a Cruiser and used to provide support for space and planetary colonies and other facilities. A typical AgroDome is 100 ft tall, 200 ft wide at base, and has 3,000 MDC, but some are larger.
*Skycranes(4-20) ---These are massive multi-jointed lifting apparatus used for loading cargos in-atmosphere that are too big to be carried aboard by a lighter. Because of the peculiar nature of the gravitic field surrounding the asteroid-ship, the skycrane is a giant jointed arm that positions a lifting cradle or lift-head that uses its own gravitic drive(or, in the case of the less wealthy Gorang clans, JATO pods) to lift out of the ship’s own gravitic field until the planet’s gravity can take over. Then the crane reels out up to a mile of heavy cable to the surface, where the lift cradle picks up whatever needs to be lifted. Once the cargo is lifted back to the edge of the asteroid-ship’s gravitic field, the crane arm reverses orientation and works like a conventional crane to lower the payload to the surface of the asteroid.
A standard skycrane array will have over 5,000 ft of cable and a lifting capacity of 400 tons each. Larger ‘cranes may have much more cabling available and lift capacities in the thousand ton-plus capacity.
*Grappling Arms(many)---Typically found around factory sheds and hangar bays, these massive four-jointed multi-position robotic arms are used for grappling onto objects, shoving about cargo pods, and doing heavy duty work. Each has a reach of 200 ft, and has a four-fingered gripper, electromagnetic head, spotlight, and stereoscopic video camera at the end. They’re not agile or fast enough to be very useful in melee combat, but if they can catch an object, they can punch for 1d6x10 MD, or crush for 2d6x10 MD(2 attacks). Each arm typically has 200-400 MDC each.
*Heavy Tractor Beams(4-40)-------Long range heavy duty emitters with a range of 80 miles, and able to handle up to 1,000 tons each
Range: 80 miles in space(NOT usable in atmosphere)(Kitsune Values: 80,000 miles in space).
*Medium Tractor Beams(8-50)---Smaller emitters used for handling small craft and cargo containers. 500 ton capacity each
Range: 5 miles in space(NOT usable in atmosphere)(Kitsune Values: 5,000 miles in space).
*Targeting Tractor Beam Projectors(12-60) ----Intended less for grabbing hold of other ships and more for guiding Plasma Torpedoes(or deflecting incoming missiles...roll to strike; a successful ‘hit’ means that the missile is -4 to reacquire the target). Rated at 100 tons haul weight.
Range: 5 miles in space(NOT usable in atmosphere)(Kitsune Values: 5,000 miles in space).
*Stealth---Forget about it; unless you’ve lucked into some POWERFUL alien technology, you’re not going to be able to render a giant mile-wide asteroid-ship invisible. However, you can still damp down radio and thermal emissions, and even reduce the reflection from surface structures to reduce the chances anybody will detect the artificial portions of the asteroid ship. The Asteroid Cruiser MIGHT pass for a normal asteroid at extreme range, provided the locals haven’t thoroughly charted the paths of the local sky rocks already. Active alternatives include brute force jamming of a broad spectrum of radar and radio frequencies, letting everybody in the area know that there’s something there, but not exactly WHERE, short of direct visual contact. If the AC has sufficient material stocks, another active system is to pump out a cloud of fine grit and microparticles around the vessel, giving it the appearance of a comet, and obscuring both accurate radar and optical readings of the object.
Weapons Systems:
As no two Asteroid Cruisers are exactly alike, and because they are so large, as to provide plenty of space for multiple weapons, their armament configurations vary from ‘ship’ to ship.
Note: See Rifts Dimension Book Six: The Three Galaxies, pgs 127-130 for additional information on the various classes of weapons.
1) Capital-class Weapons:
An Asteroid Cruiser will generally have 2-4 Capital Weapons mounts, but, depending on the Cruiser’s size and function, may have as many as 50-60 capital weapons mounts.
Typical weapons of this class seen on Asteroid Cruisers include the following:
a) Heavy Nuclear Missile Launcher--These weapons were developed from early efforts to create an Alliance equivalent of the Galactic-level Cruise Missiles. The effort wasn’t entirely successful; the weapons have the range and warhead yield, but lack the advanced targeting and AI systemry of their galactic counterparts. They are also very large weapons, roughly the size of small SLBMs, making them fairly easy targets for Three Galaxies-standard point defense systems. To compensate for their lack of accuracy, PS mounted the heaviest nuclear warheads they could come up with in the Long Lance II missiles, counting on pure brute city-buster force to carry the day when more precise targeted strikes cannot. Paladin Steel has retained these weapons for special attack purposes, such as orbital platform strikes and attacks on massed enemy formations. These weapons are designed strictly for deep space use, and are NOT for use on surface targets; such use is BANNED by PS/VFS/GNE policy.
These weapons are typically mounted in large battery launchers set in the body of the asteroid.
Range: 1,000 miles(4,000 miles in space)
(Kitsune Values: 3,400 miles in atmosphere, 1,800,000 miles in space)
Damage: 2d4 x 1,000 MD to a 2.6 mile destruction radius in space
Rate of Fire: Volleys of 1-24
Payload: 24 missiles per launcher
(Option) PS Long Lance IV---The Long Lance IV is the next generation heavy anti-spacecraft missile from PS, and was developed after the abysmal failure of most of the launched Long Lance IIs to reach the target during the Dreadnought Crisis . This SLBM-sized weapon is smarter, heavier, and carries its own ECM and countermeasures decoy launchers to give it a better chance of penetrating a target’s defenses. The Long Lance IV is available to both the Falx and the Javelin-class cruisers.
Range: 1500 miles(6,000 miles in space)
(Kitsune Values: 3,400 miles in atmosphere, 1,800,000 miles in space)
Damage: 2d4 x 1,000 MD to a 2.6 mile destruction radius in space
Bonuses/Special:
*ECM----The missile has its own expert system and EW transmitters for jamming enemy radar, as well as evading their sensors. The missile is -6 for guided weapons to strike. 60% chance of evading radar detection to begin with.
*Flare/Chaff Launchers(1, 6 bundles)
Damage: None; similar to Triax-style chaff
01-50 Enemy Missile or volley detonates in chaff and threat is 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
b)Mass Drivers---Military grade massdrivers are illegal, and PS/ASI abides by treaties, but industrial massdrivers are commonplace tools of space-based industry. And it’s no secret that with a little modification, these reaction drives and material transporters can be turned into deadly bombardment weapons. Besides a solid ‘slug’ of rock and asteroid metal, the devices can also throw proximity-fused fragmentors that break apart like a giant shotgun shell, spraying a wider area with hypervelocity shrapnel(this is more effective against ships and other maneuverable targets).
Typical militarized massdriver:
Range: 500 miles in space
(Kitsune Values: 50,000 miles in space)
Damage:(Kinetic Penetrator) 1d4x1,000 MD against space targets, 1d6x10,000 MD if fired at a planetside target.
(Multi-Munition Fragmentor) 6d6x10 MD to 800 ft radius.
Rate of Fire: Once every five minutes.
Payload: Usually has about 20-30 ten-twenty round ‘shells’ ready to fire.
Penalty: -10 to strike ship-sized targets for slugs, -3 to strike for fragmentors.
c) SuperHeavy Laser Array----Sometimes disguised as a solar system laser communications array or laser launch/propulsion system.
Range: 60 miles in atmosphere, 200 miles in space
(Kitsune Values: 200 miles in atmosphere, 200,000 miles in space)
Damage: 4d6x10,000 MD per blast
Rate of Fire: Once every ten minutes(40 melees)
Payload: Effectively unlimited
d)Heavy Laser Arrays---Smaller, more flexible turreted laser arrays, often mounted 2-4 in a turret.
Range: 50 miles in atmosphere, 100 miles in space
(Kitsune Values: 100 miles in atmosphere, 100,000 miles in space)
Damage: 1d4x1,000 MD
Rate of Fire: Once every other melee
Payload: Effectively unlimited
e) Heavy Particle Beam Cannon----Truly SERIOUS arrays of these weapons may feature 3-4 weapons in a single turret/array.
Range: 30 miles in atmosphere, 100 miles in space
(Kitsune Values: 100 miles in atmosphere, 100,000 miles in space)
Damage: 3d6x1,000 MD per blast
Rate of Fire: Once per melee
Payload: Effectively Unlimited
g) Multiplexors----- Many Asteroid Cruisers mount large TW Multiplexor arrays based on those PS developed for warships and spacestations, and to provide extra protection. The typical installation fits the Cruiser with four PPE generators(4 PPE Generators and regenerates at 50 PPE per hour(200 PPE per hour total). Each also has an adjacent PPE Battery Bank, that can hold up to 1,000 PPE each(1,200 PPE total per mounting) and a large TW Spell Projection Array.
The current model of Starship Multiplexor can carry up to six separate spells, typically of high-level space spells(See Rifts: Fleets of the Three Galaxies).
At most times, three of the Multiplexors are fitted for space and the remaining three armed with atmospheric spells:
(Atmosphere Configuration)
- Create Fog(10 PPE per activation, duration of 1 hour per activation, 1,500 ft radius)
- Atmosphere Manipulation(110 PPE per activation, duration of 8 hours per activation, 10 mile range)
-Anti-Magic Cloud(140 PPE per activation, duration of 15 minutes per activation, 5 mile range, 300 ft radius area of effect)
- Summon and Control Rain(200 PPE per activation, duration of 8 hours per activation, 80 mile range, 8 mile area of effect)
- Wind Blast (40 PPE per activation, instant duration, 1 mile range, 2d4x10+30 MD per blast, +6 to strike, and aircraft/fliers struck by the blast are -25% to their Piloting rolls.
-Calm Storms (20 PPE per activation, duration of 3 hours per activation, 10 mile range)
(Space Configuration)
-Space Dust(150 PPE per activation, duration of 10 hours per activation, 500 mile range---500,000 mile Kitsune range, and 100 mile radius)
-Solar Flare(250 PPE per activation, duration of 1d6 hours +5 hours per activation, 1,200 mile range---120,000 mile Kitsune range )
-Summon Meteor Shower(150 PPE per activation, duration of 10 minutes per activation, 3 mile range---300 mile Kitsune range)
-Summon Ion Storm--Can generate up to a Level/Magnitude 5 ion storm (150-250 PPE per activation, duration of 1d6x10 minutes per activation, 10 mile range---1,000 mile Kitsune range)
-Gravity Well(550 per activation, duration of 50 minutes per activation, 400 mile range---40,000 mile Kitsune range, 100 mile radius )
-Create Nebula(500 per activation, duration of 10 hours per activation, 20 mile range---2,000 mile Kitsune range, 5 mile diameter)
2) Heavy Weapons:
An Asteroid Cruiser will generally have 10-30 Heavy Weapons mounts, but, depending on the Cruiser’s size and function, may have as many as 70-80 heavy weapons mounts.
Typical weapons of this class seen on Asteroid Cruisers include the following:
a)Cruise Missile Launchers
Range: Varies by missile type(speed and range x4 in space)
(Kitsune Values: 3,400 miles in atmosphere, 1,800,000 miles in space)
Damage: Varies by missile type
Rate of Fire: Volleys of 1-10
Payload: 40 missiles per launcher, ready to fire. Additional missiles may be loaded from storage(typically takes 15-30 minutes)(1 ton of cargo per 6 missiles).
b)Long Range Missile Launchers---Though not as powerful individually as the CMLs, LRMLs tend to make up the difference by launching in volume. The ‘standard’ LRML described here is derived from the main launchers of the PS/ASI Javelin Missile Cruiser/Frigate.
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: From 1-32 missiles can be fired in one volley
Payload: 160 LRMs per launcher-pod. Additional missiles may be stored in the cargo holds and reloaded within 30 minutes(1 ton of cargo per 12 missiles)
-ML/MLRS-240 Heavy Missile Launcher---A retractable trainable box missile launcher. Military experts from Rifts Earth would immediately recognize this as the adapted launcher from the Iron Bolt Missile Vehicle, complete with top mounted mini-missile launcher. Though it has less immediate fire capacity than the larger battery described above, the ML/MLRS-240 has the advantage of combing two weapons systems in one, making it a popular choice for both anti-ship and point defense.
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:(LRMs) From 1-6 missiles can be fired in one volley
(MMs) From 1-10 missiles can be fired in one volley
Payload: 12 LRMs and 120 MMs per launcher-pod. Additional missiles may be stored in the cargo holds and reloaded within 30 minutes(1 ton of cargo per 12 missiles)
c) Heavy Massdriver Cannons---Paladin Steel hasn’t yet perfected G-Cannon technology, so it makes do with large conventional electromagnetic massdrivers. The following is a typical 450mm massdriver type:
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: 200 shells per cannon. Additional shells may be stored in the cargo holds and reloaded within 30 minutes(3 shells per ton of cargo)
Penalty: -5 to strike fighter-sized targets
d)Heavy Laser Cannon----Turrets of 2-4 cannons; another derivative of PS/ASI’s warship programs.
Note: These weapons typically fire in salvos of three(all three guns in a turret firing simultaneously)
Range: 16 miles in atmosphere, 1,600 miles in space
(Kitsune Values)16 miles in atmosphere, 16,000 miles in space
Damage: 2d6x100 MD per blast. 6d6x100 MD for a triple burst
Rate of Fire: Twice per melee
Payload: Effectively unlimited
e)Heavy Particle Beam Cannon
Range: 10 miles in atmosphere, 40 miles in space)
(Kitsune Values: 40 miles in atmosphere/ 40,000 miles in space)
Damage: 1d4x1,000 MD per salvo
Rate of Fire: Twice per melee
Payload: Effectively unlimited
f) Solar Cannon---Though not designed as weapons, these massive solar focusing dishes can be refocused and pivoted to strike targets with concentrated sunlight, sending temperatures soaring and exceeding the limits of most safety and shipboard coolant systems. Lesser craft and power armors are literally boiled to death. In the past, this feature has been used to ‘cook’ rotating asteroids for materials...PS hopes to also use it to superheat asteroids, spin them, then ‘lathe’ them into shape as space habitats! However, the Solar Mirrors are slow, hard to track targets, and woefully limited in their weapons capabilities. Solar Cannon are also dependent on ambient light; they are most efficient in regions of 1.2 AU or less from a star, and far less effective to useless the further one gets from a sun. These arrays are also used for illuminating planetary surfaces with reflected light, and for focusing heat on such materials as ice, in order to melt it. Industrial Asteroid Cruisers may sport as many as ten of these arrays for working on various large projects.
Range: 10 miles
(Kitsune Values: 1,000 miles in space)
Damage: 2d4x100 MD per full melee of tracking
Rate of Fire: Once per melee
Payload: Effectively unlimited
Penalties: -2 to strike targets 100 ft or larger, -6 to strike anything smaller
g) Heavy Plasma Torpedo Launchers---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: 25 miles in atmosphere, 100 miles in space
(Kitsune Values: 100 miles in atmosphere, 100,000 miles in space)
Damage: 2d4x1,000 MD to a 100 ft blast radius per missile
Rate of Fire: Two shots per melee
Payload: Effectively Unlimited
3) Medium/Short Range Weapons---Backing the main Heavy weapons will be batteries of Short to Medium rating weapons. In general, there will typically be 2-5 times as many of these lighter classification weapons as Heavy weapons, arrayed to give all-around coverage and mutually-supporting fire.
Typical weapons of this class seen on Asteroid Cruisers include the following:
a) Heavy Kinetic Cannon---These are heavy-duty triple-barrel rail cannon mounts from PS’s Orbital warship programs.
Range: 10 miles(40 miles in space)
(Kitsune Values: 40 miles in atmosphere/ 40,000 miles in space)
Damage: 1d4x100 MD per 80 rd burst, 2d4x100 MD double cannon burst, 3d4x100 MD per triple cannon burst
Rate of Fire: ECHH
Payload: 32,000 rds(400 bursts) per cannon before needing reloading from stores(takes about 15 minutes)
b) Heavy Ion Gattler---This is a quad array of heavy ion cannon.
Range: 8 miles in atmosphere, 16 miles in space
(Kitsune Values: 16 miles in atmosphere, 16,000 miles in space)
Damage: 2d4x100 MD per blast per single cannon, 8d4x100 MD for all three cannons firing simultaneously
The ion blasts can also be ‘shotgun spread’, doing HALF normal damage to everything in a 30-degree arc out to HALF normal range.
Rate of Fire: 4 shots per melee
Payload: Effectively Unlimited
c)Heavy Laser Cannon---Two-three gun turrets, another PS’s Orbital warship program off-the-shelf component.
Note: These weapons typically fire in salvos of three(all three guns in a turret firing simultaneously)
Range: 16 miles in atmosphere, 1,600 miles in space
(Kitsune Values)16 miles in atmosphere, 16,000 miles in space
Damage: 2d6x100 MD per blast. 6d6x100 MD for a triple burst
Rate of Fire: Twice per melee
Payload: Effectively unlimited
d)Medium Laser Turrets----These are simply laser turrets from the existing Javelin/Assegai production lines, mounted on the asteroid-ship.
Range: 7 miles in atmosphere, 14 miles in space
(Kitsune Values: 14 miles in atmosphere, 14,000 miles in space)
Damage: 2d4x100 MD per single blast, 4d4x100 double-barreled blast
Rate of Fire: 4 times per melee
Payload: Effectively Unlimited
e) Light Plasma Torpedo Launchers
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
f) Medium Range Missile Launchers
Range: Varies by missile type(speed and range x4 in space)
(Kitsune Values: 160 miles in atmosphere, 80,000 miles in space)
Damage: Varies by missile type
Rate of Fire: Volleys of 1, 2, 4, 5, or 10
Payload: 100 missiles per launcher, 200 missiles total, reloading from the cargo hold takes 1d6 minutes(1 ton of cargo per 24 missiles)
4) Point Defense Weapons---For close-in defense, even civilian-application Asteroid Cruisers will mount multiple arrays of PDSWs. Like the larger S/M weapons, there will generally be 2-10 times the number of PDSWs as Heavy weapons.
A typical PDSW turret will have 200 MDC
Typical weapons of this class seen on Asteroid Cruisers include the following:
a) 40mm Rapid-Fire Guns(mounted in 2-4 gun mounts)
Range: 2.6 miles in atmosphere, 6 miles in space
(Kitsune Values: 2.6 miles in atmosphere, 2,600 miles in space)
Damage:(Proximity Fuzed Fragmentation) 3d6 MD to 15 ft blast radius(30 ft in space)
(Armor Piercing Tracer) 5d6 MD single shot
(High Explosive Tracer) 4d6 MD to 10 ft blast radius( 20 ft in space)
Rate of Fire: EPCHH, typically in bursts of 5-10 rounds. Six attacks per melee in automated mode
Payload: Effectively Unlimited; large ammunition supplies.
Radar Targeting Bonus: +3 to strike
b)Laser PDS
Range: 1 mile in atmosphere,4 miles in space
(Kitsune Values: 4 miles in atmosphere, 400 miles in space)
Damage: 2d6x10 MD per blast
Rate of Fire: ECHH, six attacks per melee in automated mode
Payload: Effectively unlimited
Radar Targeting Bonus: +4 to strike
c)Laser/Mini-Missile PDS----These are standard CCW-pattern dual laser/mini-missile launchers that have been installed fro close-in defense.
Range: (Lasers) 4,000 ft in atmosphere/2 miles in space
(Kitsune Values: 2 miles in atmosphere /200 miles in space)
(Mini-Missiles) 1 mile in atmosphere/2 miles in space
(Kitsune Values: 2 miles in atmosphere/ 100 miles in space)
Damage:(Lasers) 1d6x10 MD per blast
(Mini-Missiles) Varies by Missile Type
Rate of Fire:(Lasers) EGCHH, or auto-fire; 6 attacks per melee
(Mini-Missiles) Volleys of 1-8
Payload: (Rail Gun) Effectively Unlimited
(Mini-Missiles) 32 mini-missiles per turret; additional mini-missiles can be carried as cargo(typically takes 2d6 minutes to reload from the holds).
(Option)---The Mini-Missile launcher component of these turrets can be modified to fire the “S-Sting” ‘Smart Mini-Missile -----The S-Sting(for ‘Space Stinger’) is an attempt to adapt the guidance systems and accuracy of the ‘Black Talon’ L-SAM to a space-based missile. The missile resembles a rather stubby cylinder with a blunt-nosed optical cluster and protruding verniers(extend after launching), owing to the fact that the vacuum of space negates the need for streamlining the weapon.
Note that the ‘S-Sting’ has only limited effectiveness in an atmosphere....HALF bonuses in a thin atmosphere and weak gravity well like Mars’, and NO bonuses, and HALF range in a thick atmosphere and standard gravity like Earth’s.
Range: 4 miles in atmosphere, 32 miles in space
(Kitsune Values: 4 miles in atmosphere/ 400 miles in space)
Damage: 2d6x10 MD to a 15 ft blast radius
Bonuses: +7 to strike
d)Slayer -D Quad- Laser Cannon(PS-RFL-40D)---A slightly more powerful quad-laser system with a higher rate of fire.
Range: 6,000 ft in atmosphere(4 miles in space)
(Kitsune Values: 4 miles in atmosphere/ 400 miles in space)
Damage: 2d10 MD single shot, 2d4x10 MD short burst (four shots, one from each barrel), or 4d4x10 MD medium burst (eight shots, two from each barrel in sequence).
Rate of Fire: EPCHH
Payload: Effectively unlimited
Auxiliary Craft:
Asteroid Cruisers typically have 1-6 separate hangar facilities for small craft; usually a large main bay and a number of smaller bays for maintenance craft. They will also have provision for docking 4-10 larger craft(starships).
Fighter/small craft complements can vary from 100-600 craft(the larger, as yet unrealized, asteroid cruisers are projected as having capacity for as many as 2,000 small craft).
abtex wrote:Veritas476 wrote:Does anyone remember where the background for PS was in this enormous thread?
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