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Posted: Wed Dec 19, 2007 6:06 pm
by KLM
Aramanthus wrote: Does it have the Victorinox on the wall or the floor? :D


The kitchen is the only "swiss army knife" place, but compartments
(or a kitchen appliance) opens from everywhere... Well, not from the
floor (but from the ceiling yes :D )...

To be on-topic, I wonder how storage places on a starship look like.

My first guess is that the gravity is set to very low (so that stuff
dropped will eventually glide to the floor) and compartments
open from all walls, ceiling and floor included.

Adios
KLM

Posted: Wed Dec 19, 2007 7:05 pm
by Aramanthus
Wouldn't you want it set to just short of your races standard. That way you don't have the bone loss associated with zero-gee long duration operations. And the circulation system would function better too. Because isn't the heart affected by prolonged zero-gee?

Posted: Thu Dec 20, 2007 5:37 am
by KLM
Apply microgravity in cargo/storage area.

Normal gravity for living quarters (and bridge, etc.).

Maybe like 0,7 or even less gravity for engineering and weapon
stations during engagements, if something heavy needs to be
moved (like ammo).

Adios
KLM

Posted: Thu Dec 20, 2007 5:01 pm
by taalismn
Depends on how reliable and reliant you are on artificial gravity...
If using a microgravity situation, adjustable racks that can be locked to floor, walls, or ceiling, depending on personal orientation preference, for quickly sliding cargo about and accessing it as needed...stay-hooks and locking velcro/molecular seal tabs for tamping down cargo nets and other passive restraints....wall, floor, and ceiling florescent strips(or LEDs) for all-around, low-power lighting.

Posted: Thu Dec 20, 2007 6:22 pm
by Aramanthus
Well it does makes sense to use the micro-gravity in certain places in Starships.

Posted: Thu Dec 20, 2007 7:25 pm
by KLM
Also, starships - I guess - are designed with the
notion in mind, that sometimes the artifical gravity
fails.

I take that CG drives do not need to counter
acceleration onboard. I mean if you slap a
rocket on a ship, the whole structure must be
reinforced so that the engine block will not tear
itself off from the hull, and somehow the
effects of acceleration must be countered for
passengers and cargo.

CG however effectively is a free fall, so there
is no acceleration relatively to the floor, for
example, even if the ship takes a 40 g turn,
which would smear the crew on the walls
in the case of a different drive.

But back to starship designs, this means that
artifical gravitry can fail, while the ship/crew
does not loose manouverability - yet the
crew suffers from disorientation (see the
Rift cannon effect table - it also supports the
"freefall, no g-stress" theory ), and stuff (especially
liquids are messy) begins to float around.

Velctro is good for small stuff. But zero gravity
also means, that items do have inertia. Kinda
like a railroad car - there is little friction, so
it is possible to move one with bare human
strenght. But think about stopping one on
the loose... It takes as much effort as to start is.

The same applies to heavy equipment in
zero/microgravity - so velctro is not enough.

Adios
KLM

Posted: Thu Dec 20, 2007 7:31 pm
by Aramanthus
I usually include an acceleration compensator in my starships with a CG drive. That way they are safe from abrupt changes in direction if the CG drive fluctuates. At least it should protect them from drive failure and being splattered on the nearest bulkheads. Of course if it fails, then you are screwed, tattooed and glued.

Posted: Thu Dec 20, 2007 8:35 pm
by taalismn
MOveable lockable partition-bulkheads in the cargo bays...back the stuff in UPS style in modules, compress the areas cubic-space wise so there's less room for loose gear to float around in...use the open space for whatever...freefall hammocks, zero-gee lovemaking, hailai, etc...

Posted: Fri Dec 21, 2007 7:44 pm
by taalismn
FRom the DarkMaxx files...

WZ-XLF-099 ‘Bolt’ Super-Compact Fighter

“They’re all over us like mange-ticks on a Wulfen!”

The WZ Bolt is a Dwarven design for a light, fast, aerospace fighter. Taking advantage of their lighter weight high-power Lucerin-catalyzed fusion powerplants, WZ wa able to pack a powrful engine in a restrictively small frame. The WZ-XLF-099 Bolt is one of the smallest full-fledged starfighters available on the market today.
The Bolt is heavily armed for its size, with a mix of missiles and energy weapons, including advanced plasma cannons. Only the use of WZTech Yards’ proprietory Lucerin-fueled powerplant technology, with its compact size, makes a pint-sized virago like the Bolt possible at all. As it is, the ‘Bolt’ is one hot runner, its powerplant practically glowing with near overload to keep the combination of high thrust engines, rapid-fire energy weapons, and forcefields fed. The armor is modest, but still heavier than one would expect, and the Bolt mounts a fairly heavy forcefield.
Despite its streamlining, the Bolt is only a mediocre performer in atmosphere, with performance no better than average for aerospace planes. The four main high-pressure contra-grav plasma-pushers, however, can slam the ship up to extraordinarily high speeds in deep space, speeds normally associated with missiles, and give the Bolt impressive maneuverability. The downside of this extreme speed is the wear and tear on the engines; the propulsion venturis and chambers tend to burn out fast(three times faster than normal), and the field generation coils need to constantly retuned and re-gravitized on a regular basis. For routine-zealous and mechanically inclined species like the Dwarves, this punishing maintenance schedule doesn’t pose a problem, but other species, such as Ratlings, who are prone to neglect their hardware, this can quickly lead to problems.
The Bolt has been often compared to the faster and heavier CAF Scorpion. The WZ--XLF-099 is slightly more expensive than the basic SF-69, but is slightly more maneuverable. Long term, the Bolt is more expensive than the Scorpion in terms of maintenance costs, but its compactness makes it a good choice as a carrier defense fighter and station-based fighter.
The Bolt has been snapped up by a number of small-statured races like Dwarves, Gnomes, Ratlings, and Rypt, since its introduction. The Bolt saw its first hard combat test when the Star Dwarven asteroid colony of IronJaw Holdfast bought several dozen of the ‘toy fighters’ to defend against marauding Wulfen pirates of the Moonslayer Combine. The next time the Moonslayers hit the Holdfast, the sortied Bolts and Solace fighters caught them offguard. Though the Holdfast lost a third of its Bolts to the Wulfen Scorpions and Broadswords, the enemy fighter force limped away with less than a forth of their own original fighter complement, and lost both of their carriers when cruise missile-carrying Bolts tagged along under returning marauders in their drive shadow, got inside the carriers’ defenses, and delivered killing shots directly inside the hangar bays. Proof that the midge-like Bolt could take on and destroy even capital warships led to first quarter sales surpassing that of WZ’s other premiere light fighter, the Atom.
Type: WZ-XLF-099 Bolt
Class: Super Compact Aerospace Fighter
Crew: One(restricted to small-statured beings)
MDC/Armor by Location:
Main Body 480
Reinforced Cockpit 100
Wings(4) 100 each
Plasma Cannons(4) 60 each
Forcefield 600
Height:12 ft(4m)
Width:13.2 ft(4.4 m)
Length: 12.6 ft(4.2 m)
Weight: 3 tons
Cargo: Minimal; small space in crew compartment for a survival pack and sidearms
Powerplant: Lucerin-Catalyzed Nuclear Fusion w/ 18 year energy life
Speed:
(Atmosphere) Hover to Mach 2.5; transatmospheric.
(Sublight) Mach 15
(Kitsune Values: 20% of light speed; Accelerates/decelerates at 1.2% of light speed per melee)
(FTL) Not Possible
(Underwater) Not Possible
Bonuses: +5 to Dodge,+1 to Strike, +3 Initiative, +15% to Dogfighting manuvers
Market Cost: 31 million credits
Systems of Note:
Standard Starfighter Systems.
Weapons Systems:
1) Quad Double-Barrelled Plasma Cannons(4)---The Bolt mounts four double-barreled NiFire 270 Plasma Cannons, a new weapon acquired by WZ Tech Yards from an obscure galactic fringe confederation.
Range: 1.6 miles in atmosphere, 5 miles in space
(Kitsune Values: 5 miles in atmosphere, 500 miles in space)
Damage: 1d4x10+20 MD single plasma blast, 2d4x10+40 MD dual blast
1d6x100 MD for all four(8 ) plasma cannons firing simulatenously
Rate of Fire: ECHH
Payload: Effectively Unlimited

2) Light Tachyon Scatterguns(4)---Mounted on the ends of each small wing is a light tachyon scattergun. Though too low-powered to be effective anti-spacecraft weapons, their wide aperature cones of fire make them perfect for creating an active anti-missile umbrella in front of the ship.
Range: 1 mile in atmosphere, 4 miles in space w/ 150 ft wide arc*
(Kitsune Values:4 miles in atmosphere, 400 miles in space)
* Scatter width is reduced to 1/4th in atmosphere
Damage:1d6x10 MD per single cannon firing
Rate of Fire: EPCHH
Payload:Effectively Unlimited

3) Cruise Missile(1)---A single cruise missile can be slung under the main fuselage. A Long Range Missile can be substituted.
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: Single shot
Payload: 1

4) Missile Hardpoints(2)----A missile pylon is mounted on either side of the hull, able to accommodate ONE of the following:
a) Mini-Missile Pod---8 MMs
b) Short Range Missile Pod---4 SRMs
c)Medium Range Missile---1 per hardpoint
d) Rail Gun Pod
Range: 3.4 miles in atmosphere, 7 miles in space
(Kitsune Values: 7 miles in atmosphere, 700 miles in space)
Damage: 1d4 MD single shot, 4d6 MD per 12 shot burst, 1d4x10+10 MD per 24 rd burst, 2d6x10 MD per 60 rd burst, 4d6x10 MD per 120 shot burst
Rate of Fire: ECHH
Payload: 1,200 round drum (10 full-melee bursts)

Variants:
There are no variants of the Bolt currently available.

Posted: Fri Dec 21, 2007 7:45 pm
by taalismn
FRom the DarkMaxx files...

WZ-XLF-099 ‘Bolt’ Super-Compact Fighter

“They’re all over us like mange-ticks on a Wulfen!”

The WZ Bolt is a Dwarven design for a light, fast, aerospace fighter. Taking advantage of their lighter weight high-power Lucerin-catalyzed fusion powerplants, WZ wa able to pack a powrful engine in a restrictively small frame. The WZ-XLF-099 Bolt is one of the smallest full-fledged starfighters available on the market today.
The Bolt is heavily armed for its size, with a mix of missiles and energy weapons, including advanced plasma cannons. Only the use of WZTech Yards’ proprietory Lucerin-fueled powerplant technology, with its compact size, makes a pint-sized virago like the Bolt possible at all. As it is, the ‘Bolt’ is one hot runner, its powerplant practically glowing with near overload to keep the combination of high thrust engines, rapid-fire energy weapons, and forcefields fed. The armor is modest, but still heavier than one would expect, and the Bolt mounts a fairly heavy forcefield.
Despite its streamlining, the Bolt is only a mediocre performer in atmosphere, with performance no better than average for aerospace planes. The four main high-pressure contra-grav plasma-pushers, however, can slam the ship up to extraordinarily high speeds in deep space, speeds normally associated with missiles, and give the Bolt impressive maneuverability. The downside of this extreme speed is the wear and tear on the engines; the propulsion venturis and chambers tend to burn out fast(three times faster than normal), and the field generation coils need to constantly retuned and re-gravitized on a regular basis. For routine-zealous and mechanically inclined species like the Dwarves, this punishing maintenance schedule doesn’t pose a problem, but other species, such as Ratlings, who are prone to neglect their hardware, this can quickly lead to problems.
The Bolt has been often compared to the faster and heavier CAF Scorpion. The WZ--XLF-099 is slightly more expensive than the basic SF-69, but is slightly more maneuverable. Long term, the Bolt is more expensive than the Scorpion in terms of maintenance costs, but its compactness makes it a good choice as a carrier defense fighter and station-based fighter.
The Bolt has been snapped up by a number of small-statured races like Dwarves, Gnomes, Ratlings, and Rypt, since its introduction. The Bolt saw its first hard combat test when the Star Dwarven asteroid colony of IronJaw Holdfast bought several dozen of the ‘toy fighters’ to defend against marauding Wulfen pirates of the Moonslayer Combine. The next time the Moonslayers hit the Holdfast, the sortied Bolts and Solace fighters caught them offguard. Though the Holdfast lost a third of its Bolts to the Wulfen Scorpions and Broadswords, the enemy fighter force limped away with less than a forth of their own original fighter complement, and lost both of their carriers when cruise missile-carrying Bolts tagged along under returning marauders in their drive shadow, got inside the carriers’ defenses, and delivered killing shots directly inside the hangar bays. Proof that the midge-like Bolt could take on and destroy even capital warships led to first quarter sales surpassing that of WZ’s other premiere light fighter, the Atom.
Type: WZ-XLF-099 Bolt
Class: Super Compact Aerospace Fighter
Crew: One(restricted to small-statured beings)
MDC/Armor by Location:
Main Body 480
Reinforced Cockpit 100
Wings(4) 100 each
Plasma Cannons(4) 60 each
Forcefield 600
Height:12 ft(4m)
Width:13.2 ft(4.4 m)
Length: 12.6 ft(4.2 m)
Weight: 3 tons
Cargo: Minimal; small space in crew compartment for a survival pack and sidearms
Powerplant: Lucerin-Catalyzed Nuclear Fusion w/ 18 year energy life
Speed:
(Atmosphere) Hover to Mach 2.5; transatmospheric.
(Sublight) Mach 15
(Kitsune Values: 20% of light speed; Accelerates/decelerates at 1.2% of light speed per melee)
(FTL) Not Possible
(Underwater) Not Possible
Bonuses: +5 to Dodge,+1 to Strike, +3 Initiative, +15% to Dogfighting manuvers
Market Cost: 31 million credits
Systems of Note:
Standard Starfighter Systems.
Weapons Systems:
1) Quad Double-Barrelled Plasma Cannons(4)---The Bolt mounts four double-barreled NiFire 270 Plasma Cannons, a new weapon acquired by WZ Tech Yards from an obscure galactic fringe confederation.
Range: 1.6 miles in atmosphere, 5 miles in space
(Kitsune Values: 5 miles in atmosphere, 500 miles in space)
Damage: 1d4x10+20 MD single plasma blast, 2d4x10+40 MD dual blast
1d6x100 MD for all four(8 ) plasma cannons firing simulatenously
Rate of Fire: ECHH
Payload: Effectively Unlimited

2) Light Tachyon Scatterguns(4)---Mounted on the ends of each small wing is a light tachyon scattergun. Though too low-powered to be effective anti-spacecraft weapons, their wide aperature cones of fire make them perfect for creating an active anti-missile umbrella in front of the ship.
Range: 1 mile in atmosphere, 4 miles in space w/ 150 ft wide arc*
(Kitsune Values:4 miles in atmosphere, 400 miles in space)
* Scatter width is reduced to 1/4th in atmosphere
Damage:1d6x10 MD per single cannon firing
Rate of Fire: EPCHH
Payload:Effectively Unlimited

3) Cruise Missile(1)---A single cruise missile can be slung under the main fuselage. A Long Range Missile can be substituted.
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: Single shot
Payload: 1

4) Missile Hardpoints(2)----A missile pylon is mounted on either side of the hull, able to accommodate ONE of the following:
a) Mini-Missile Pod---8 MMs
b) Short Range Missile Pod---4 SRMs
c)Medium Range Missile---1 per hardpoint
d) Rail Gun Pod
Range: 3.4 miles in atmosphere, 7 miles in space
(Kitsune Values: 7 miles in atmosphere, 700 miles in space)
Damage: 1d4 MD single shot, 4d6 MD per 12 shot burst, 1d4x10+10 MD per 24 rd burst, 2d6x10 MD per 60 rd burst, 4d6x10 MD per 120 shot burst
Rate of Fire: ECHH
Payload: 1,200 round drum (10 full-melee bursts)

Variants:
There are no variants of the Bolt currently available.

Posted: Mon Dec 24, 2007 7:17 pm
by taalismn
When DarkMaxx paid off his fans with ‘vanity’ ships, he created this monster for Aramanthus...I’m finishing stating it out so he can hang it on his tree in time for Christmas...


WZ-MAP-A Aramanthus Multi-Function Artificial Planetoid
“So...What perversion of science will we be building today before lunch?”
----Anonymous Shipyard Foreman, Aramanthus Station #2, Thundercloud Galaxy.

The powers of the Three Galaxies would soil themselves if they knew about these massive space stations. Fortunately, nobody outside WZ knows about the existance of these super-shipyards. WZTechYards only has three WZ-MAP-As and they keep their locations well-hidden, though it’s suspected that they keep one station in each of the Three Galaxies. These stations give WZTechYards an ace-in-the-hole reserve production capacity and ultra-high-security research and development facilities for especially sensitive design projects. It is believed that WZ acquired these massive stations from their extradimensional patrons, the J!Ng, but other possible patrons/origin sources have included the Technis Sardye, the Ailysha, and various Ancient races.
Fortunately for the peace of mind of anyone fearful of killer artificial planetoids ravaging entire solar systems, despite their size, the WZ-MAP-As sport only defensive weaponry(if you count superheavy ship-blasters as ‘defensive’). Anyone foolhardy enough to attack one is still going to be savaged by heavy defenses, not to mention am attendant defensive fleet(WZ typically holds back its best hardware to defend its own assets). WZ keeps these stations well away from populated sectors of the Three Galaxies, and well off the more travelled spacelanes, to minimize the chances of prying eyes spying them and asking too many questions.
The basic Aramanthus design is of a large spheroid, even larger than the Pacifica stations, quadra-sected by several large canyon-like opennings that allow for easy access to internal shipyards and material processing bays. Raw materials, including entire asteroids and cometary nuclei, are drawn into these canyons, dismantled by selective fire from the defensive weapons mounts, and pulled apart and in by tractor beams to be refined and processed into construction materials, reaction mass, and other useful items. The whole is surrounded by two orbiting concentretic rings, each ‘strung’ with four smaller spheroid sub-stations. The rings act as field emitters for the stations’ powerful drive and defensive fields, but also contain manufacturing and materials processing facilities(each ring contains several dozen independently rotating sub-rings that can be sped up or slowed down and subjected to different EM and gravitic fields while molten materials are injected into special molds and shaping chambers within them). The sub-node stations contain smaller shipyard facilities, defensive armaments, fighter bays, and visitor housing(though typically clients are housed in auxiliary stations orbiting nearby, apart from the factory-station).
Touring the interior of one of these stations in a heavily shielded inspection pod is the thrill of a lifetime...miles-wide sub-bays and channels open up from the main canyons, thousands of machines and pods working away refining materials, assembling structures, building ships and other constructs....Open-hearth fusion furnaces spraying light and radiation in pyrotechnic displays, vast sheets of rapidly-cooling metals and ceramics being drawn from the hot hearts of vacuum smelters, exotic radiations glowing as materials are specially hardened and treated, small nebular clouds of various chemicals and gases sprayed into and onto various materials, distortions from extreme localized gravity field gradiants where construction requires extremes of gravity, the constant sparkle of laser, plasma, and particle beam torches and welders lighting even the darker portions of the interior. These massive industrial moboplexes have been compared variously to manmade visions of hell, materialist heavens, a saint’s workshop, and even the Cosmic Forge!
WZTechYards doesn’t allow much information out about the Aramanthuses; even inside their own organization, but the few outsiders allowed to see one have always come away awed.
(Given the size of these massive constructs it is impossible to detail every aspect of these complexes in anything less than a 12 gigabyte datapad presentation, so the following is a capsule summary of major details).

Type: WZ-MAP-A Aramanthus
Class: Artificial Planetoid/Space Base/Techyard
Crew: 10 million, plus 100 million semi-autonomous roboid labor-units
MDC/Armor by Location:
Main Body 500,000,000
Outer Hull per 100 ft Section 1600
Inner Ring 18,000,000
Outer Ring 25,000,000
Ring Stations(8 ) 10,000,000 each
Outer Hull per 100 ft Section 1,200
Particle Beam Cannons(100) 25,000 each
Heavy Laser Batteries(200) 18,000 each
Secondary Laser Batteries(400) 10,000 each
Tachyon Skynet Projectors(600) 800 each
Long Range Plasma Torpedo Launchers(300) 1,000 each
Medium Gravity Cannons(800) 700 each
Cruise Missile Batteries(60) 1,000 each
Long Range Missile Batteries(200) 900 each
Medium Range Missile Batteries(400) 600 each
Short Range Missile Batteries(550) 400 each
Point Defense Laser/Missile Turrets(1,000) 200 each
Variable Forcefields(Main Body)(8 sides)( 300,000 each side, 2,400,000 total)
Variable Forcefields(Ring Stations)(6 sides)( 45,000 each side, 270,000 total)
Diameter:(Planetoid Core) 225 miles(360 km)
(Inner Ring) 337.5 miles(540 km)
(Outer Ring) 437.5 miles(700 km)
(Ring Stations) 12 miles
Weight: 1+ billion tons
Cargo: Several hundred million tons of raw materials and processed goods/production.
Powerplant: Zero-Point Energy Crystal Dimensional Tap
Auxiliary Fusion Powerplants and Solar Cells
Speed:
(Atmosphere) Not Possible
(Sublight) 0.47 % of light speed, Accelerates/decelerates at 0.4% of light speed per melee
(FTL) 4.25 light years per hour
(Underwater)Not Possible
Market Cost: Not for sale......estimated to cost trillions of credits...
Systems of Note:
Standard Starship Systems, plus:
*Life Support---Effectively Self-Contained Ecosystem...as long as there’s power, there’s life, and the stations’ robot maintenance units and synth-facs draw in raw materials from the surrounding space and solar winds to create fresh air, water, and food for the crew. Extensive hydroponics bays provide backup ‘lungs’(filtration and purification of air and water) as well as a source of more ‘natural’ foodstuffs. Even if the main powerplant were to be shut down, WZ engineers figure that the station could sustain life for at least 200 years off auxiliary systems and existing stockpiles.

*Long Range Sensors---Extreme range of 25 million miles.

*Long Range Astrometric Sensors---These sensors are the equivalent of a military early warning array(something that has military authorities quite vexed) though they’re somewhat slower at detecting small targets like military craft(takes three times as long) due to their being calibrated for stellar phenomenoa. However, the arrays can still pick up the FTL fingerprint of starships travelling up to 100 light years away, and can detect the gravity wells of planets and planetoids(of down to Plutonian size) up to 80 light years away within minutes of scanning(rather than days of observation). Can also measure solar flux from as far away as 30 light years away.
Furthermore, the Aramathus’s advanced gravitic sensors can pick up interdimensional Rift activity at 100 light years, and large singularities, such as black holes, at nearly twice that range.

*Tractor Beams---The Aramanthus mount multiple tractor beams for moving material from ship construction slip to slip, drawing in raw materials, and expelling non-recyclable wastes.
Heavy Mounts(200)----Effectively each rated for 20,000 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).
Medium mounts (800)----Effectively each rated for 1,000 tons dead weight, but can be used for imparting small changes in momentum/direction to ships/structures several times that mass.
Range: 5 miles in space(NOT usable in atmosphere)(Kitsune Values: 5,000 miles in space).
5,500 light mounts with range of 80 miles, and rated for 200 tons.

*Grav-Boosters---These are repulsor beams used to deflect asteroids and stellar debris. Mounted on the Aramanthus stations and boosted by the Zero Point Dimensional Shunt, they can serve to boost ships away from the station(at up to Mach 6, or 0.6% of light speed per melee) , or, at higher accelerations, extend the range of missiles by as much as 50%, flinging them away from the station for a considerable distance before their drives are ignited. They can also be used to fling large pallets of debris/junk out of the station for disposal, or into the path of oncoming ships, like a massive shotgun shell(treat as a Type Three meteor shower, doing 1d4x10 MD per minute, or Type-Four, 2d6x100 MD per minute for extremely heavy/densely spaced debris in the path of an onrushing ship) .

*Gravitic Stealth---By special electronic warfare systems and modulation of the gravitic fields, the station can mimic the EM emissions and gravitic ‘dimple’ of a minor gas giant or large ice-ball world on long range sensors...Since such worlds are a centi-credit a dozen in the Three Galaxies, such worlds tend not to attract much attention from geo-galactic surveyors. Scout vessels would have to close within range to do an optical/spectrographic scan to determine that the planetoid isn’t what it appears to be.

*Internal Sectioning---The interior of the Aramanthus is variously sectioned off by phsyical bulkheads, airlock doors, standard and specialized forcefields, and other safeguards to contain intruders and internal explosions/toxic leaks. Also, various internal security measures are in place, ranging from simple monitoring and remote locking hatchways in low-risk areas to quite elaborate automated security systems in high priority areas. In addition, the various robot units can be pressed into service as security units.

Weapons Systems:
1)Particle Beam Cannons(100x5)--These are massive five-barreled weapons turrets...about 6 are mounted on each Inner Ring Station, the remainder on the main hull.
Range: 50 miles in atmosphere, 150 miles in space
(Kitsune Values: 150 miles in atmosphere,150,000 miles in space)
Damage: 1d6x1,000 MD per single blast, 5d6x1,000 MD per full turret salvo
Rate of Fire: Twice per melee
Payload: Effectively Unlimited

2)Heavy Laser Batteries(200)
Range: 30 miles in atmosphere, 100 miles in space
(Kitsune Values: 100 miles in atmosphere, 100,000 miles in space)
Damage: 1d4x1,000 MD per blast
Rate of Fire: 5 shots per melee
Payload:Effectively Unlimited

3)Secondary Laser Batteries(400)
Range: 8 miles in atmosphere, 18 miles in space
(Kitsune Values: 18 miles in atmosphere, 18,000 miles in space)
Damage: 4d6x100 MD per blast
Rate of Fire: Six times per melee
Payload:Effectively Unlimited

4) Medium Gravity Cannons(800)
Range:18 miles in space
(Kitsune Values:18,000 miles in space)
Damage: 2d4x100 MD per burst, or 1d4x100 MD to a 150 ft wide area at half range, 4d6x10 MD to a 400 ft wide area at maximum range
Rate of Fire: EGCHH(usually 4-6 bursts per melee)
Payload: 5,000 bursts per gun

5) Tachyon Skynet Projectors(600)---These are ‘super’ versions of the Tachyon Scattergun, and are capable of projecting wide area zones of short range destruction that only the most heavily shielded fighters and missiles can effectively pass through.
Range:18 miles (30,000 m) in space w/ 8 mile wide arc
(Kitsune Values: 18,000 miles in space w/ 24 mile wide arc)
Damage:2d4x100 MD per single cannon firing
Rate of Fire: EPCHH
Payload:Effectively Unlimited

6) Long Range Plasma Torpedo Launchers(300)---These weapons generate ‘packets’ of plasma and are guided along their way by the magnetic fields generated in the outer rings.
Range: 30 miles in space
(Kitsune Values: 30,000 miles in space)
Damage: 1d4x1,000 MD to a 1,000 ft blast radius.
Rate of Fire: Three times per melee
Payload: Conditionally Unlimited

7 ) Cruise Missile Batteries(60)---These are concealed in bays on the central planetoid
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 1-50 each launcher
Payload: 1,000 each launcher. Additional missiles may be stored in the cargo holds and reloaded within 15 minutes(1 ton of cargo per 6 missiles)
Note that with factory facilities for more ammunition only a few miles away, and hyperfast cargo transfer tubes deep inside the hull, the launchers have effectively a limitless supply of ammunition, with production able to keep up with expediture for most combat situations.

8 )Long Range Missile Batteries(200)---These are installed in missile ‘beds’ or ‘farms’ on the planetoid’s surface
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 1-80
Payload: 800 per launcher. Additional missiles may be stored in the cargo holds and reloaded within 15 minutes(1 ton of cargo per 6 missiles)
Note that with factory facilities for more ammunition only a few miles away, and hyperfast cargo transfer tubes deep inside the hull, the launchers have effectively a limitless supply of ammunition, with production able to keep up with expediture for most combat situations.

9) Medium Range Missile Batteries(400)---Mounted on both the main planetoid and outrigger satellites, these launchers are typically launched in swarms to deter the approach of fighters and 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 1-36
Payload: 1440 missiles each launcher. Additional missiles may be stored in the cargo holds and reloaded within 15 minutes(1 ton of cargo per 24 missiles)
Note that with factory facilities for more ammunition only a few miles away, and hyperfast cargo transfer tubes deep inside the hull, the launchers have effectively a limitless supply of ammunition, with production able to keep up with expediture for most combat situations.

10) Short Range Missile Batteries(550)---These are virtually ‘point-blank’ defensive launchers mounted on the main planetoid and outrigger platforms, for intercepting fighters and missiles.
Range:Varies by Missile Type
(Kitsune Values: 10 miles in atmosphere, 500 miles in space)
Damage:Varies by Missile Type
Rate of Fire: Volleys of 1-10
Payload: 640 per launcher. Additional missiles may be stored in the cargo holds and reloaded within 15 minutes
Note that with factory facilities for more ammunition only a few miles away, and hyperfast cargo transfer tubes deep inside the hull, the launchers have effectively a limitless supply of ammunition, with production able to keep up with expediture for most combat situations.

11) Point Defense Laser/Missile Turrets(1,000) ---WZ added these combination double-laser/mini-missile turrets(based on well-tested CCW hardware). These are mounted all over the planetoid, rings, and outrigger stations.
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 1-10
Payload: (Rail Gun) Effectively Unlimited
(Mini-Missiles) 640 mini-missiles per turret; additional mini-missiles can be carried as cargo(typically takes 2d6 minutes to reload from the holds).

12)EM/Gravitic Distortion Field---By special modulation of its outer electro-magnetic and gravitic shields, the Aramanthus can create distortions and bursts of EM/gravitic turbulance and chaos that can cause small ships to lose control, fry the systems of smaller craft, and confuse the sensors of larger craft.
Range: 50,000 mile radius
Damage: *CG-drive fighters and small craft will suddenly find their speed reduced by HALF, and piloting skill rolls are -15%, reduce bonuses to Roll and Dodge by HALF. There’s also a 25% chance per melee of permanently burning out the CG drives of fighters, robots, and missiles entering the field at full strength. Larger vessels will find their drive speed/efficiency reduced by 20%, and a -5% applied to maneuering rolls.
45% chance of jamming even advanced missile guidances and deflecting them, same for robots, power armors, and fighters...75% chance for less advanced missile types.
40% chance of temporarily jamming the sensors of larger vessels for 1d6 melees; NO bonuses to initiative, strike, and dodge while the sensors are down, and navigation rolls are -15%.
Rate of Fire: Can remain up indefinitely
Payload: Effectively Unlimited

13) Experimental Weapons----As a factory complex, the Aramanthus mounts, at any one time, anywhere from 50-2,000 experimental weapons being tested on external stands. While the heaviest weapons are typically tested at remote sites in desert systems at a remove from the station, the test-weapons being tried on on the station itself can be quite powerful in their own right, or demonstrate special properties like shield-penetration, extreme accuracy, magic, spacial distortion, extremely rapid fire, or other qualities that can prove effective in combat.

14) Artificial Plasma Storm---This is a weapon of last resort, as it requires shutting down entire sections of the station, powering down others, and evacuating entire blocks. The station’s main powerplants are then run into plasma overproduction, then vented, emergency forcefields and magnetic induction fields used to channel the resultant plasma overflux outside the station at the attackers.
Range: 120 miles in space
(Kitsune Values: 1,200,000 miles in space)
Damage: Creates a cloud of plasma roughly 400 miles wide/in diameter that burns for 2d4x10 minutes. Anything caught in its path takes 1d4x100 MD per melee round. Has similar effects to sensors and heating/cooling systems as described in RDB 6: Three Galaxies, pg. 24...piloting rolls inside the plasma are -30% and sensor readings are at -15%, with range reduced to 1/3 normal.
Rate of Fire: Once every 6 hours
Payload: Conditionally Unlimited

15) Magic?-----The J!Ng are known to be TechnoWizards with an affinity for crystal-based device magic. It seems strange that the massive Aramanthus platforms do not exhibit magical energies or systemry, but it IS an option...Whether the stations are concealing magical weaponry or it just hasn’t been fitted yet, magical defenses and offensive weaponry CANNOT be ruled out in any encounter with the stations.

Aux. Craft:
50 Capital Warships(cruiser class or better).
70,000 aerospace fighters
30,000 heavy robot vehicles
45,000 EVA Bots, Space Pods, Maintenance Lighters, Shuttles

Also typically has a virtual constellation of 3d6x100 defense satellites and remote weapons platforms around it.

Posted: Wed Dec 26, 2007 6:46 pm
by Lenwen
I am curious as to something about star ships an thier fire power . How would a Rune Shield stand up to thier firepower any feed back would be greatly appreciated .


-Lenwen.

Posted: Wed Dec 26, 2007 8:16 pm
by taalismn
A Rune Shield would be a simple physical barrier...I'd say it could survive the heaviest battleship laser blast, but unless you were sucked up behind it, and had some additional protection, you'd likely get killed falling into the hole the battleship laser carved underneath/behind you, plasma backwash from the sides, and/or depletion of oxygen by the blast in your immediate vicinity...essentially the shield would survive, plus whichever appendage of yours was strapped to its back...The shield would have to have additional protective spells/features to keep you safe all by itself.
This makes finding Rune Weapons and shields pretty exciting....buried in magma, for instance, when some high tech foe played a heavy plasma cannon across a battlefield and vaporizing the unprotected parts of the weapons' bearers....

Posted: Thu Dec 27, 2007 4:25 am
by KLM
Option "B" is that the shield on a successfull parry
entirely protects the wearer - be the attack a single
(infantry) laser blast, the flechette cloud of a Boom
Gun or the explosion of a cruise missile.

Of course, the secondary effects (like falling into the crater,
with large chunks of molten stuff falling on your head, etc. )
still able to kill and bury most wielders.

-------

It is up to the GM - whether he wants to Rune Items something
which enables the wielder to go against starships, along with
his Cosmo Knight companion, or not...

For my part, even Cosmo Knights better think twice before
attacking even a frigate head-on.

Adios
KLM

Posted: Thu Dec 27, 2007 4:15 pm
by taalismn
It's the Marty the Martian Rune Helmet rule...If you can crouch up behind it/inside it and make a successful roll to roll after surviving the initial hit...

But that Rune Codpiece ain't gonna save the important parts of you...

Posted: Fri Dec 28, 2007 5:07 am
by Lenwen
Ok haha lets go this rout then folks . Lvl 10 Vampire holding the Rune shield . :lol: 100% impervious to heat/fire/plasma . Now not holding anything back and the Vampire holding the Rune Shield .... Could the StarShip's Main weapon system take out or destroy either of them ?


-Lenwen.

P.S. The Vampire has no business being out there he just volunteered to hold the damned rune shield :D I am just curious as to wether a starship of any size is cappable of destroying said rune shield . then ya'll said the blast hole an molten stuff so I said ok try this on fur size .. haha what do you guys think then could ANY known starship of any size destroy the Shield or not ?

Posted: Fri Dec 28, 2007 8:56 am
by KLM
The only "canon" starship weapon which is capable to destroy
a rune item is probably the Rift Cannon - on a lucky result.

Adios
KLM

Posted: Fri Dec 28, 2007 10:59 am
by taalismn
The vampire's safe on this one....but the camouflaged Naruni Broadsword hovering nape of the earth, with refitted wood and silver gravity cannons, with its superior angle shot under the rune shield, gets 'im... :D

Posted: Fri Dec 28, 2007 2:36 pm
by Lenwen
Hey hey hey ... party foul I never seen a roll for that ... means the Naruni Broadsword having altered its cannons for wooden flashette's forgot that when things freeze they increase in size ... Thus when it attempted to fire the wooden flechette from its mini rail gun system the increased size plugged the hole of the cannon an thus did 2d6X10 dammage to the system an knocked out all weapon systems for 2d6 minutes ..

:lol:

-Lenwen.

Posted: Fri Dec 28, 2007 2:50 pm
by taalismn
"We here at Naruni take into account the rigors of environment when approving our weapons for alteration...thus we recommend using the stats listed in Manuel 1433(Gravity Cannons, Modification of) with regards to Ammunition, Wooden, and thermal expansion/contraction...Or else use our pre-fabricated Series AV400-1000 Rounds, already optimized for use in our rail- and gravitic-cannons, and assured to give those pesky bloodsuckers serious heartbreak."

Posted: Fri Dec 28, 2007 3:37 pm
by Lenwen
D O H ....






-Lenwen.

Posted: Fri Dec 28, 2007 4:23 pm
by taalismn
...The Naruni have been at this for centuries...They know what they're doing. :D

Posted: Sat Dec 29, 2007 4:08 am
by KLM
Lenwen wrote:Hey hey hey ... party foul I never seen a roll for that ... means the Naruni Broadsword having altered its cannons for wooden flashette's forgot that when things freeze they increase in size ... Thus when it attempted to fire the wooden flechette from its mini rail gun system the increased size plugged the hole of the cannon an thus did 2d6X10 dammage to the system an knocked out all weapon systems for 2d6 minutes ..

:lol:

-Lenwen.


That is a critical botch on your IRL physics skill (only water increases
size if frozen), and on the Weapon Systems skill of the character,
because onboard guns are known to freeze-jam even before WWII,
so - surprise - it was a fairly common design element to divert some
of the exhaust of the (piston) engine, to heat the guns in the wing
(as well as serving as a de-iceing device)..

Adios
KLM

Posted: Sat Dec 29, 2007 7:15 pm
by taalismn
Jamming Rail/Grav Guns should go under the Starship Flaws thread...especially if using non-factory standard ammo...

Posted: Tue Jan 01, 2008 6:13 am
by Aramanthus
Nice ships Taalismn! I love what you did to my namesake! It is freaking AWESOME!!!!

Posted: Tue Jan 01, 2008 3:13 pm
by taalismn
Aramanthus wrote:Nice ships Taalismn! I love what you did to my namesake! It is freaking AWESOME!!!!


You're welcome...Happy New Year and Welcome Back!

Posted: Wed Jan 02, 2008 3:43 am
by Aramanthus
Since I was back at home I sort of needed some down time away from the forum for inner peace.

Posted: Wed Jan 02, 2008 4:43 pm
by taalismn
So'right...inner peace is sorta hard to find around here...Zen Masters are over in the Ninjas & Superspies forums...here, they're just insignificant dots on the fire control displays...

Posted: Wed Jan 02, 2008 4:49 pm
by Aramanthus
:D Your funny!~ But with what happened during the last two months of 2007, I need to find some inner peace!

Posted: Thu Jan 03, 2008 6:37 pm
by taalismn
Peace is relative...chaos is always lurking in the wings, waiting to remind you who's boss..

Posted: Thu Jan 03, 2008 6:59 pm
by Aramanthus
I need some reprieve from everything that has happened. I don't want it to get worse! God help me no! I need things to turn around!

Posted: Fri Feb 08, 2008 6:10 am
by KLM
Nycto-dread

The Kittanii, fascinated by living creatures and having a thing for
near-organic, heavily mechanized designs - like the Serpent PA,
or the Dragon Dreadnoughts - were inspired by Earth's (?) dinosaurs.

Nyctosaurus (meaning "night lizard") with its large crest was a
perfect candidate for the Kittanii aesthetic, and when a dedicated
hit&run vessel (in the destroyer leader/light cruiser) category
was needed, the Nycto-Dread was born.

The ship, as a technological vessel is not really impressive,
thought have a few whopping parameters (its stealth), but
few beings were not touched by its appearence.
Most Splugorth intelligences keep themselves to the ancient
"divide et impera" motto, besides High Lords were just as
inspired by the giant mechanised beast, so no Nycto-dreads
were allowed to roam without a High Lord command staff,
and a few definitely Splugorth touches.

The vessels' appearance is - surprise :D - very close to a
Nyctosaurus, with giant folding wings (but instead of leather
they have very fine and thin mesh, serving as microwave
sails), a large crest or the head (the actual body of the ship)
a relatively small body and - where the anatomical paralell
ends - four legs, each capable of grasping.

The "head" houses most engineering equipment (engines,
life support, sensors, weaponry, quarters and some storage
space, mainly for the stuff of the commanding High Lords),
the wings are the backup/stealth microwave sail "drive", and
the body houses the rather large fighter and small craft
wing, as well as the main storage place for slaves and loot.

The vessels own "mundane" capabilities are a bit underdesigned
for its size but still formidable. The main gun in the "beak" is
plasma ejector, with a long range pulse mode (thought still
shorter than most cruiser main guns) and a close combat
"dragonbreath" mode, used against larger vessels or missile
swarms.
The most used weaponry are however the four rapid-firing
LRM launchers, delivering the dreaded Yazhing "capture" drones,
but also having a healthy payload of conventional missiles.
The last cruiser/frigate-class item is a precision pulse laser battery
in the long prehensive tail.

The secondary weapon array consists eight CG railgun batteries,
four on the head, and one in each arm/leg, these are comparable
to the ones on the Hunter class destroyers.

For point defense the vessel carries 20 K-2000 Twin Scorpion
drones, as well as 30 K-1000 Spider gun-drones.

As a last measure, a tipical Kittanii touch was added ie.
energised claws/stingers on the appendages.

This is while impressive, is still under the capabilities of most
cruisers, but the vessels are also equipped by an array of Eye
of Eylor "bumps", each projecting a defense field (Armor of Ithan)
serving as point defense (call lightning) and finally adding to the
vessels stealth capabilities (Shadow meld and Invisibility superior).

Type: Nycto-dread
Class: Scout Cruiser
Crew: 64 Kittanii for crewing the ship and guns, skeleton crew
is about 12 (before system failures begin to crop up). A
command staff of 7 High Lords is standard, plus the crew
for the fighter wing - tipically two Stellantula Slaver barges,
with about a dozen Altaran Warrior Women, and 24 Kittanii
pilots for the fighters - usually Transformable Robo-fighters
or Serpent PA's with Caltrop pods. On a surface raid mission
the compliment is 12 fighters (Caltrop or Robo) and 36 Serpent or
Manling PA's.
In a straight out war, where slave-hunting is not a priority,
the vessel can pack up to 48 fighters OR 144 PA's.
Under "normal" conditions, the slave pens can accomodate
up to 4000 human sized beings, placed in suspended animation
in the slime-filled chambers (like canned sardines).

MDC/Armor by Location:
Main Body (Head) 20000
Bridge (Crest) 10000
Neck (shielded, -4 to hit) 8000
Wings(2) 10000 each
"Body"(fighter and cargo bay): 25000
Legs (4) 12500 each
Beak (plasma cannon) 12500
Tail (laser canon) 5000
Missile launchers (on head, 4) 600 each
CG emplacements (3 on head, 1 on the body) 400 each
Eyes of Eylor (21, small targets -4 to hit) 600 Each

Forcefield 6*3000 variable
Armor of Ithan 5000, 3 times per day
Height:150 ft (50m)
Width:60 ft(20 m) w/o wing, wingspan is 600 feet (200m)
Length: 120 ft(40 m) plus tail for a further 150 feet (50 meter), so
it can stab targets even directly before the craft.

Weight: 40000 tons empty, 55000 fully loaded
Cargo: see above
Powerplant: fusion with 10 ears life. However it can
scoop interstellar dust (or hydrogen from gas giants or even
from water) for fuel, so the only limitation is the reactor's shielding
which have to be changed in every 3 to 5 decades.
Also have the EoE array, capable of storing 8000 PPE, regenerating
400 per hour.

Speed:
(Atmosphere) Hover to Mach 4; transatmospheric.
(Sublight) Mach 10
(FTL) CG 3 lys/h
Microwave sail 200 c (about 0,5 ly/day)
(Underwater) Mach 2, depth tolerance is about a mile
Bonuses: +3 to Dodge flying, but only against targets 10+ km away, +3 to Strike with long range direct firing weapons, +2 to strike with claws or beak, +4 to strike with tail in melee, +3 to parry, +3 Initiative, +10% to Dogfighting manuvers against frigates and bigger.
Market Cost: 1,3 billion credits plus magic and biowizardry - not aviable.
Systems of Note:
Standard Cruiser systems
Microwave sail stealth drive
Magic systems
Slime tanks for slaves

...to be continued

Adios
KLM

Posted: Fri Feb 08, 2008 6:55 am
by KLM
Nycto-dread, part 2

Weapon systems:

1, Plasma Beak
1a, Pulse mode
Range: 30 km in space, 3,6 km in atmosphere, 1 km underwater
Damage: d4*100 MD per shot, 2d6*100 MD per triple burst
RoF: 5 single shots or 2 triple bursts

1b, "Dragonbreath"
Range: 1 km cone, 300 meters wide
Damage: 2d6*10 to human sized targets (including missiles), 4d6*10
to target between 3 to 6 meters, d4*100 to most fighters or robots,
3d6*100 against cruisers and up
RoF: Once per melee

1c, Stab
Range: reach
Damage: 2d4*10 for and unergized stab, d4*1000 MD of powered
(usually cuts a fighter in half, or leaves a 4 meter diameter hole
in most starship hulls)

2, LRM launchers (4)
Range and damage as per missile
RoF: 6 salvoes of up to 4 missiles each per battery
Payload: 374 missiles in the feed system per battery,
can be reloaded in a rate of 48 missiles per minute
from cargohold

3, Tail
3a, Sniper laser
Range: 40 kms in space, 12 kms in atmosphere, 4 kms underwater
Damage: 3d6*10 MD single shot, d4*100 per triple burst
RoF: each shot or burst costs as one action of the gunner, however
the laser cannot fire more than 10 shot (3 triple burst and a single)
in one melee, and the internal capacitor hold enough juice for
40 shots and recharges at a rate of 2 per melee

3b, Stinger
Range: 50 meters reach

Damage: 2d4*10 for unergised stab, 3d6*100 for energised
stab, and can "harpoon" targets of they fail their roll with impact
rolls with a -3 modifier
4d6 for normal swipe, 3d6*10 for energised swipe.
A tail swipe usually hits up to 2d8 human sized targets,
if they come too close.
RoF: 3 times per melee

4, CG turrets (4)
Identical to the ones on the hunter destroyers

5, Arms/legs
5a, CG guns
As above, one gun per appendage

5b, Melee
Claw: 2d6*10 MD unenergised, 3d6*100 MD enegised
Punch: 2d4*10 and d6*100
Crush/tear: d4*10 and 2d6*100
RoF: all four arms/legs are operated by one Kittanii, HtH is
usually 8 per melee

-------------------------------------
Magic systems:
21 Eye of Eylor "bulbs", each can project a
Call Lightning (for 8d6 MD), 3 times per melee

They can also project and Armor of Ithan (reduce
field strenght by 200 MD for each Eye destroyed)
for 5000 MDC, three times per day

Shadow meld: -42% to sensor skills for those looking for
the vessel, each Eye destroyed lessens this penalty by 2%.
Uses 400 PPE per hour.

The High Lords on board, using their own formidable
PPE reserves (as well as the ships 8000 PPE) can also
cast spells.

Defensive spells cost 50 times as standard, but protect
the whole ship. Offensive spells cost 100 times, but have
their range increase 20 times and their damage 10 times.
Detection spells also cost 100 times, but have their range
increase a whopping 1000 times.

As a third (althought rather carefully used) mode of FTL,
the Nycto-dread can ley line phase 3 times a day.

Range is only limited by the lenght of the Ley line, however
the crew must prepare the vessel (takes 15 to 20 minutes,
missing it causes d4*100 MD), the actual incantation takes
10+2d6 melees and 4000 PPE, and upon arrival the crew
suffers from vertigo and disorientation for about 30 minutes,
during that time they are -2 or -20% to each roll, as well as
-2 actions per melee (the High Lords themselves are not
penalised).

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

First desing in 2008, and it is February. Shame on you, people! :lol:

Adios
KLM

Posted: Fri Feb 08, 2008 2:05 pm
by glitterboy2098
not a bad ship. but a few points.

1) "microwave sails", AKA Magnetic sails, don't need any physical sail like light sails do. you might want to consider rewriting that bit to make the mesh covered 'wings' as the magnetic field generators, instead of the sails themselves.

2) magsails would be STL only.

3) magsails tend to be very weak propulsion systems, so a mach 2 or 3 speed in space only would be more consistent. (technically, magsails could reach pretty good velocities, but the acceleration is really really low, hundreths of a G. a great low power propulsion systems if you don't mind taking a long time to get anywhere in a system. since palladium has it's weird mechanics, putting the top speed at a low number keeps to the feel of the drive without having to rewrite the game)

obviously the mach 10 can be left for the CG drive. :)

Posted: Fri Feb 08, 2008 2:59 pm
by taalismn
We seem to have remembered this at about the same time :D

Devian Astron Nagan-class Corvette

“We call this fire control pattern MG-1...for ‘Meatgrinder’”

The Nagan-class Corvette is a small, light, warship produced by the CCW-based shipyards of Devian Astron, a company that has enjoyed modest success in manufacturing largely defensive weapons systems for the general market.
The Nagan-class has been described as looking like a badmitten-birdy poised on its skirt and four fared-in nacelles. It is a ‘tail sitter’, maneuvering in atmosphere and landing with its decks oriented vertically along its long axis.
The Nagan-class has little in the way of heavy weaponry or offensive capabilities; its configuration is intended more for policing and picket duties more than anything else. Its point defenses are excellent, however, with a large array of rapid-fire short range weaponry and interceptor missile systems, directed by a superb and well-tested fire control system. Because the Nagan has more guns than crewmembers, it relies on extensive automation to direct its weapons; a bridge-display touchscreen menu offers the gunnery officers a variety of customizable fire-control patterns and target prioritization programs. Thus, it is often deployed in squadrons to protect other vessels from fighters and missiles, the squadron deployed and interlinked so as to offer the optimal fields of fire against fighter and missile attacks. Against heavier vessels, Nagans are far less capable.
Armor is modest on the Nagan; it is heavily armored for its size, but still lacks the sort of protection to allow it to stand up in a slugging match with the batteries of heavier warships. The high-rating variable forcefields do offset this vulnerability somewhat, but Nagan crews are advised to avoid prolonged firefights.
The Nagan is reasonably fast....faster than the civilian ships it is intended to escort, but not fast enough to pursue the faster fighter types being deployed by the powers of the Three Galaxies. The DynaDyne 400 CG propulsion unit has been boosted by four Spari-Candun Hyern-Drives in the landing legs, allowing the Nagan to hit speeds of Mach 8...enough to match a Scimitar Frigate for speed, but barely enough to respond to an oncoming TGE Berserker. This speed is adequate for contending with second-echelon fighters and modifed civilian equipment, but keeps the Nagan from operating in zones too close to major galactic borders, where more advanced commerce raiders are likely to operate.
The Nagan’s lack of boarding troops and cargo space further limits its versatility. It cannot be used effectively to intercept and board smugglers and other craft, nor can it operate independently for long duration missions. It is best used in formations with support vessels, or in systems where additional units can be called in should the Nagan be able to disable and capture another vessel.
Nagans are found in a number of militaries and paramilitary organizations across the Three Galaxies. The CCW member states often deploy them as system cutters and local space defense ships, but the CAF has not officially adopted the Nagan in any numbers. Many corporate security groups deploy Nagans for convoy escort and station security duties.
A squadron of early-model Nagans are known to have been deployed in the Central Alliance before the formation of General Noldek’s pan-sector government. Brought in by one of the many planetary nation-states in the impoverished region, the warships at one time were arguably the ost powerful ships in their corner of space, and helped cement the grip of the local despotic Remadon regime over trade in the region. When a lack of spare parts for the space drives effectively grounded most of the ships, the government still made use of them, landing four of the ships and making them into fortifications around the Presidential Palace, where their abundant firepower could sweep approaches to the government complex and stave off rioters and would-be revolutionaries. When General Noldek and his CyberHawks landed on Austeran, their first order of business was to march up into the fire of the palace defenses, their massive bionic bodies soaking up and shedding railgun and laser fire, before General Noldek personally toppled one of the starship/towers and continued on to confront President Ramadon IV in his party headquarters. The surviving sentry towers are still part of the refurbished CA Governmental Complex today, though they have been stripped of much of their armament.

Type: CCW-DA-R-423
Class: Picket Corvette
Crew: 30
MDC/Armor by Location:
Main Body 4,000
Bridge 1,200
Short Range Lasers(8 ) 100 each
Mini-Missile Launchers(10) 80 each
Point Defense Rail Guns(12) 80 each
Point Defense Lasers(16) 60 each
*Variable Forcefields 900 per side, 5,400 total

*Shield Refresh Rate is 15% per melee
Height: 95 ft
Width: 95 ft
Length: 200 ft
Weight: 9,000 tons
Cargo: 200 tons
Powerplant:Nuclear Fusion w/ 50 year energy life
Speed:
(Atmosphere) Hover to Mach 3; transatmospheric.
(Sublight) Mach 8
(Kitsune Values: 50% of light speed; Accelerates/decelerates at 0.8% of light speed per melee)
(FTL) 3.5 light years per hour
(Underwater) Not Possible
Market Cost: 210 million credits
Systems of Note:
Standard Starship Systems, plus:

*Advanced Fire Control ----The Nagan uses the Hal-Zoda IV Rapid-Response Fire Control System that uses a combination of phased-array radar and multi-spectral sensors to spot and track inbound targets, and direct weapons fire onto them with great accuracy. The system enjoys a +3 to strike with all weapons, and actually has a +10% chance of spotting stealthed fighters and missiles(although the system’s relatively short range of 50,000 miles precludes it being used effectively as a long range early warning system).
Firelinking via radio, hypercomm, or comlaser, gives the firelinked ships an additional +1 to Initiative and +1 to strike, but the comlinks are also susceptible to jamming via ECM or laser aerosols.

Weapons Systems:
1)Short Range Lasers(8 ) ---These are the heaviest weapons on the Nagan and are typically used for attacking fighters. Up to four of them can be brought to bear on the same target.
Range:2 miles in atmosphere, 6 miles in space
(Kitsune Values: 6 miles in atmosphere, 6,000 miles in space)
Damage: 6d6x10 MD per blast
2d6x100 MD for four lasers firing on the same target simultaneously
Rate of Fire: EGCHH; typically 4-6 times per melee
Payload: Effectively Unlimited

2)Mini-Missile Launchers(10) ---Ten rapid-fire mini-missile launchers can launch salvo after salvo into space to meet oncoming fighters and missiles.
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 1-10 each, typically 1-3 times per melee
Payload: 100 mini-missiles per launcher(1,000 total)

3)Point Defense Rail Guns(12) ---Conventional electromagnetic launchers that throw out enough projectiles to shred missiles. Up to 3 rail guns can be brought to bear on the same target simultaneously.
Range: 1 mile in atmosphere, 3 miles in space
(Kitsune Values: 3 miles in atmosphere, 3,000 miles in space)
Damage: 1d6x10 MD per 20 rd burst
Rate of Fire:EGCHH, or 6 bursts per melee in automated mode
Payload: 300 bursts per cannon.

4)Point Defense Lasers(16) ---Spotted around the ship are over a dozen pulse-laser blisters. Up to 4 lasers can be brought to bear on the same target simultaneously.
Range: 1 mile in atmosphere, 3 miles in space
(Kitsune Values: 3 miles in atmosphere, 3,000 miles in space)
Damage: 1d4x10 MD per blast
Rate of Fire: EGCHH, or 7 shots per melee in automated mode
Payload: Effectively Unlimited

Auxiliary Craft:
4 Lifeboats

Variants:

*DA-CR-423C---This is the general purpose ‘commerical’ model, commonly named the ‘Joron’, of the Nagan offered on the open market. The CR-432C removes weaponry but for four pulse lasers and four rail guns, drops the variable forcefields to a standard-model 2,000 MDC-rated generator, operates with only 18 crewmembers, and uses the freed-up space for up to 900 tons of cargo. The CR-432C is also slightly faster, able to hit speeds of Mach 7.5. It retails at 110 million credits; still rather pricy for its cargo capacity, but its high turn of speed makes it popular with couriers, runners, and some asteroid scouts.

*CCW-R423M---This is a variant deployed by the Machine People of the CCW that is wholly automated. Though not sentient, the R423M is tactically capable enough to be able to operate autonomously and generate its own basic battleplans in response to designated enemies entering its patrol area. The Machine People have, with Devian Astron’s permission, begun selling a limited number of refit kits to allow modification of other Nagans into R423Ms.
R423Ms enjoy a +1 to Initiative in combat(+2 when firelinked), and weapons fire at maximum rate of fire.
The R423Ms still carry two lifeboats(these are typically deployed remotely in response to rescue calls), but the other two lifeboat slots have been modified into launch racks for up to 4 decoy pods or light battlelites.

*HC-R423B----Military business analysts were surprised when Hartigal Combine signed a licensing agreement with Devian Astron to license-produce their own version of the Nagan, the HC-R423B. Though details are still sketchy, the few glimpses of the Hartigal version of the Nagan have generated uncharacteristic excitment about the usually overlooked design. Hartigal has apparently clad the HC-R423B in low sensor-visibility materials(20% chance of being detected by radar and lidar sensors), added a sensor jamming capability(65% chance of confusing and deflecting standard-type missiles, 25% chance of fouling ‘smart’ missiles), replaced the long range lasers with six heavier plasma cannons(1 mile atmospheric range/3 miles in space, 1d6x100 MD per blast), and have fitted the missile launchers with the ability to fire ‘cluster’ warheads that open up to deploy swarms of micro-missiles( mini-missile explodes into a storm of 50 micromissiles---Targeted fighters and missiles in a mile-wide area are -6 to dodge, and will get hit by 1d4x10 micromissiles, doing 6d6 MD each). The Hartigal vessels are also rumored to be able to hit speeds of Mach 9, thanks to the replacement of the DynaDyne 400 engine with a more powerful Panhelion DeepDrive 1800. The HC-R423B is reportedly 25% more expensive than a standard Nagan, but if the reports about its capabilities are true, then it’s still a bargain, and potential buyers are likely to line up for the chance to purchase the ships.
The HC-R423B is believed to have been first deployed in the heavily-contended Gandon Point, where several Naruni ‘commerce cutters’, while ‘investigating suspected vessels for contraband’ came under fire from a previously undetected escort force, now believed to be HC-R423Bs.

Posted: Fri Feb 08, 2008 4:19 pm
by KLM
glitterboy2098 wrote:not a bad ship. but a few points.

1) "microwave sails", AKA Magnetic sails, don't need any physical sail like light sails do. you might want to consider rewriting that bit to make the mesh covered 'wings' as the magnetic field generators, instead of the sails themselves.


Microwave sail, aka microwave sail :D is detailed in Aliens Unlimited, Galaxy Guide, page 158 - and there they do need a mesh-like sail.

However, that version (lacking CG "boost") is limited to "factor 50" ie.
50 times c - not in the case of the Nycto-Dread.

Also, some numerical data might need some fine tuning, but I did not
bothered with comparisons - mea culpa.

Adios
KLM

Edited: Yeah, as far as I see, the wikipedia-version is true to the
laws of reality, but frankly just too many things aren't working
by the laws of our reality in that dimension. So, for my part
I leave it as it is.

Posted: Fri Feb 08, 2008 4:29 pm
by KLM
taalismn wrote:We seem to have remembered this at about the same time :D

Devian Astron Nagan-class Corvette


Not bad, but going under the higher end of fighter weapons
(like the ones mounted on the Scorpion) is dangerous.

I would say an MRM launcher or two is an easy and
cheap solution.

Adios
KLM

Posted: Fri Feb 08, 2008 6:36 pm
by Aramanthus
Excellent ships! I've got to work on mine! I will soon enough!

Posted: Fri Feb 08, 2008 9:27 pm
by taalismn
KLM wrote:
taalismn wrote:We seem to have remembered this at about the same time :D

Devian Astron Nagan-class Corvette


Not bad, but going under the higher end of fighter weapons
(like the ones mounted on the Scorpion) is dangerous.

I would say an MRM launcher or two is an easy and
cheap solution.

Adios
KLM



The Nagan's rather a point defense ship, built with slightly behind the times technology....hence, it's cheap....but yes, an upgrade is in order....Ironically, the Machine People version was originally going to mount two MRM launchers with 60 missiles each in place of the lifeboats....
May have to re-instate that initial thought, as per your suggestion :D

Posted: Sat Feb 09, 2008 1:27 am
by Aramanthus
Why not. Create it! I promise I'll get mine done soon enough. Although I have to retire earlier tonight than I usually do, because I have early start tomorrow. Funereal of a friends Dad.

Posted: Sat Feb 09, 2008 11:31 am
by taalismn
Fixed the darn (8)

Posted: Sun Feb 10, 2008 4:03 am
by Aramanthus
LOL I figured you'd notice the little rug rat! :D

Posted: Sun Feb 10, 2008 4:08 pm
by taalismn
It's the techno-gremlins..
Anybody come up with some ideas on imp-proofing starships against them?

Posted: Mon Feb 11, 2008 3:36 am
by Aramanthus
How about special zappers which draw them to them. When they touch the zapper it teleports them into a escapeproof cell. To be used in biowizardy if they could be sold to a sploogy.

Posted: Tue Feb 12, 2008 4:47 pm
by taalismn
Like lightning rods that channel them into traps or magic disipators?
That could take some doing, but it would be a real godsend if it could be rigged up...

Posted: Tue Feb 12, 2008 5:53 pm
by glitterboy2098
the best way to gremlin proof a ship would be to wrap the vital bits in a mesh of copper wire. also doubles as EMP protection :)

best way is to have some friendly mages rig up a circle of protection like on the windjammer frigate in SB4. then they can't even enter the ship.

Posted: Tue Feb 12, 2008 6:28 pm
by taalismn
glitterboy2098 wrote:the best way to gremlin proof a ship would be to wrap the vital bits in a mesh of copper wire. also doubles as EMP protection :)

best way is to have some friendly mages rig up a circle of protection like on the windjammer frigate in SB4. then they can't even enter the ship.


The equivalent of 'rat funnels' on steamship hawser lines? :D

Posted: Tue Feb 12, 2008 8:40 pm
by Aramanthus
That would be an interesting method for controlling those little brats.

Posted: Fri Mar 14, 2008 1:54 pm
by taalismn
Been awhile...

Kish Dralmin-class Heavy Fighter
“Drishlan has my children....the Genesplicer expects me to comply with his demands because my clan is poor and can do little against him....It is true, Mogaven, that my band boasts but eight Dralmin...hardly an imposing force....But I have already spoken with Vaydresh Soken of the Soken-Saber Clan, Moben Rang of FrostRock, and Lord Ardun of Bastion...I have set aside my pride to entreat Chesen the Golden for help...All have agreed with me...This interloper cannot be allowed to dictate our affairs, nor hold our kin against us, so we must set aside our differences to smash this monster!....Between us we have forty-two Dralmin fighters, and THAT is not a force to be ignored!”

The Kishandral suffer from several millenia of being Splugorth slaves, a role that bred most of the innovation and creativity out of them. Thus, when the Free Kish worlds were abandoned by their Splugorth overlords, the Kish were some time in clawing their way back to spacefaring, using what scraps of technological knowhow the Splugorth had left them. Despite this, the Kish worlds have managed to produce a few halfway decent and surprisingly effective designs in recent ages. The Dralmin is one such design that has been adopted by Kish military forces, pirates, and mercenaries alike.
The Dralmin is based on a heavy aerospace plane design, and has a fat, flattened oval or melon-shaped fuselage with broad, forward-sweeping, and downturned wings that merge seamlessly with the main hull. A large bulging underbelly bay can be outfitted for various purposes, including weapons or cargo, allowing the same ship design to serve numerous purposes. Construction is sturdy, and the ships can take a surprising amount of abuse without serious compromise of structural integrity. The Dralmin, however, carries only a standard monoplanar forcefield for protection. The integral weapons systems are energy-based; an array of powerful fixed-forward lasers, and two smaller point-defense turrets guarding the ship’s rear arcs.
The engines are based on older Kittani designs that have been duplicated and studied by the Kish for several centuries. The result is a power and propulsion system that is reliable, low-maintanence, and without any frills or surprises...and decidedly mediocre in performance, compared to more modern fighter-rated engines. The inclusion of a low-powered FTL propulsiion system gives the Dralmin greater range of operations, though speed is little better than most merchantmen.
The overall package is of a sturdy, reliable, vessel that can be maintained and piloted without a great deal of sophisticated equipment or talent, and which can hold its own against most opponents in a straightout fight. With the proper modular weapons fitout, the Dralmin can inflict serious damage on any vessels it can catch(and certainly can overpower most civilian ships in the Three Galaxies), but against more modern craft with greater agility and better weapons, the Dralmin is at a substantial disadvantage.
The Dralmin(or variations thereof) are encountered in almost ALL Kish star systems...and in equal proportion in official government and private hands....This includes Kishandral mercenary and pirate groups, further confusing matters of identification. Even more frustrating is the fact that the Kish have no qualms about selling the Dralmin on the open market; the ship is small, sturdy, and inexpensive enough to appeal to a variety of non-Kish concerns, such as runners, pirates, and mercs. Roughly equivalent to the CCW Proctor-class Heavy Fighter, the Dralmin has been modified to far more roles(including a great many it isn’t designed for), given the continuing Kishandral problems with innovation and wholly new design(the Kish tend to be rather conservative in their design philosophies, sticking with what they KNOW works, and spinning off hundreds of derivatives of the previously proven design).
Type: HFK-FPG-05 Dralmin
Class: Heavy Fighter/Corvette
Crew: 5 +1-6 passengers
MDC/Armor by Location:
Main Body 2,000
Reinforced Crew Compartment 800
Wings(2) 400 each
Forcefield 1,900
Height: 32 ft
Width: 68 ft
Length: 55 ft
Weight: 400 tons
Cargo: 15 tons
Powerplant: Nuclear Fusion w/ 28 year energy life
Speed:
(Atmosphere) Hover to Mach 3; transatmospheric.
(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
Market Cost: 200 million credits for the basic Dralmin(no modular weapons)
Systems of Note:
Standard Starship Systems
Weapons Systems:
1) Laser Cannons(4)---The Dralmin mounts four forward-firing laser cannons, two in midwing, and the remaining pair in the wing roots. The Kish favor a relatively inexpensive to produce germanium-arsenide crystal-based laser design that is notably more compact than similar weapons in the greater Three Galaxies, allowing the weapons to be protectively buried inside the body of the wings.
Range: 2 miles in atmosphere, 4 miles in space
(Kitsune Values: 4 miles in atmosphere, 400 miles in space)
Damage: 2d4x10 MD per single blast, 4d8x10 MD per quadruple blast(counts as one attack)
Rate of Fire: EGCHH
Payload: Effectively Unlimited

2) Short Range Pulse Lasers(4, 2x2)---For close-in defense, the Dralmin mounts two twin-barrelled pulse laser turrets on its dorsal backside.
Range: 1 mile in atmosphere, 3 miles in space
(Kitsune Values: 3 miles in atmosphere, 300 miles in space)
Damage: 4d6 MD single shot, 1d6x10 MD per pulse burst
Rate of Fire: EGCHH
Payload: Effectively Unlimited

3) Modular Ventral Weapons Bay---The Dralmin’s lower hull has a modular bay/tray that can be configured for a variety of different mission-specific fitouts. The following are the most common configurations, but Dralmins have been known to carry scientific scanning pallets, mega-bombs, mine-layers, and jamming pods. ONE of the following configurations can be mounted:
a) Mini-Missiles----160 MMs(volleys of 1-20)
b) Short Range Missiles----80 SRMs(volleys of 1-20)
c) Medium Range Missiles---40 MRMs(volleys of 1-5)
d) Long Range Missiles-----18 LRMs(volleys of 1-6)
e) Cruise Missiles----5 CMs
f) Freefall Bombs---Roughly equivalent in numbers and damage to missiles, but DOUBLE the blast radius
g) Rail/Gravity Guns(2)
Range: 6 miles in atmosphere, 12 miles in space
(Kitsune Values: 12 miles in atmosphere, 1,200 miles in space)
Damage: 4d6x10 MD per single cannon 20 rd burst(only fires bursts)
8d6x10 MD for a synchronized burst(counts as one attack)
Rate of Fire: EGCHH
Payload: 300 bursts per cannon
h) Laser Cannon(2)
Range: 2 miles in atmosphere, 4 miles in space
(Kitsune Values: 4 miles in atmosphere, 400 miles in space)
Damage: 2d4x10 MD per single blast, 4d4x10 MD per dual blast(counts as one attack)
Rate of Fire: Four times per melee
Payload: Effectively Unlimited
i) Ion Cannon(3)
Range: 1. 3 miles in atmosphere, 3 miles in space
(Kitsune Values: 3 miles in atmosphere, 300 miles in space)
Damage: 2d6x10 MD per single blast, 6d6x10 MD for all three cannons firing simultaneously(counts as one attack)
Rate of Fire: EGCHH
Payload: Effectively Unlimited
j) Plasma Cannon(2)
Range: 1 mile in atmosphere, 2 miles in space
(Kitsune Values: 2 miles in atmosphere, 200 miles in space)
Damage: 5d6x10 MD per blast, 1d6x100 MD per dual blast(counts as one attack)
Rate of Fire: Five times per melee
Payload: Effectively Unlimited
k) Particle Beam Cannon(2)
Range: 1.5 miles in atmosphere, 3 miles in space
(Kitsune Values: 3 miles in atmosphere, 3,000 miles in space)
Damage: 1d4x100 MD single blast, 2d4x100 MD dual blast(counts as one attack)
Rate of Fire: Twice per melee
Payload: Effectively Unlimited
l) Cargo---In place of weaponry, up to 25 tons of additional cargo, a surface vehicle, or 2-6 hovercycles can be carried instead.
m) Passenger Pod---This outfits the pod to carry additional passengers/prisoners/slaves. Can carry an additional 6 people in (relative) comfort, or up to 25 prisoners/slaves in cramped/inhumane conditions.

Variants:
The list of variants of the Dralmin could fill a book unto itself. The Dralmin has been around long enough that the design has been mutated even by the stodgy Kishandral into various forms as necessity has dictated; rather than scrap damaged Dralmins, the Kish typically simply remove parts that can be used on other ships and renovate what’s left into a tug, shuttlecraft, atmospheric transport aircraft, oreven submarines and ground transports....

Posted: Fri Mar 14, 2008 1:58 pm
by taalismn
Free Worlds Council Fire of Oratory-class Special Operations Frigate
(aka ‘Gas Bag’, ‘Bomb-Chucker’, ‘Blow Hard’)

“Introducing a colony of cryocryptoid jellies into the deuterium tanks of the TGESS Annslauthor was risky enough, but it seems we picked up a bonus for all our hard work...Seems when those cryogen-eating slimies finally reached critical population mass and started spewing digestive juices, the Annslauthor was buddy-fueling one of the TGE’s research stations out in the Choza Sector, where we haven’t been able to get. The same explosion that gutted the battlecruiser also took out the research station.”
---’Cryptos’, anonymous FWC freedom fighter, in a report to Revolution Command on Good Hope.

The FWC’s _Fire of Oratory_ class frigates are another product of the FWC ‘Black Academy’, the unofficial and publicly unacknowledged stellar guerrilla combat(what others would call terrorism) school that aims to serve the rebellion by taking the war to far flung sectors of the TransGalactic Empire. Though many assert that the Free Worlds are only justified in fighting for their freedom and independence, and that anything more extreme invites a barely-justified self-defense reaction on the part of the TGE, the radical backers of the Black Academy argue that the FWC can only survive as long as the TGE has neither the opportunity nor the time to marshal its massive ressources to grind the handful of FWC worlds apart. To that end, disrupting the TGE economy and logistical organization across multiple sectors, as well as hitting military assets when they are at their most vulnerable, is key to the FWC’s survival.
Like its fellow privateers and Q-ships, the Fire of Oratory-class frigates are built along the lines of common commercial and industrial craft found throughout the TGE...In this case, the ship design is that of a gas-harvester, with its massive central spherical pressure hull and outstretched refinery tubes....
In reality, only half of the auxiliary gas collection/condensation tanks are functional as industrial gear, and the main tank has only 30% of its rated capacity...the rest is dedicated to concealed weaponry and hangar space. The remote-operated workpods and gas-scoops often carry concealed sensor gear, and can be used to deploy stealth sensor packages or mines, and many of the ship’s work shuttles have concealed smuggling compartments(with the hangar bays having concealed accessways so that operatives can board the shuttles unseen, even with Imperial inspectors aboard. ‘Dead spaces’...regions of hull that are designated on schematics as being empty or as part of the ship’s infrastructure, waste tanks, and other hard-to-access areas, conceal weapons turrets and missile launchers. Additional armor has been added to key areas, and power systems and radiation shielding shifted to where it can conceal the unauthorized additions to the ship’s structure. The ship is a multipurpose mobile platform for guerilla activity.
Mission profiles for Fire of Oratory class ships vary; they typically work as shuttles, moving teams of saboteurs and special operatives to target systems deep inside the TGE where their actions can help damage the imperial war machine and foment rebellion in regions far from the declared FWC systems. Another favorite tactic of the Fire of Oratory crews is to offload cargoes of refined gases that have been doctored or chemically tainted with special chemicals or encapsulated nanites that can take days, even weeks, to work...often by turning stored industrial fluids and gases corrosive or volatile, damaging equipment from the inside, ideally well after the delivery ship has left the area. Other special operations frigates lay sensor-stealthed mines in TGE industrial and resource systems, slowing, if not altogether stopping, production. In a few cases, the ships may openly ambush Imperial units after approaching them under the guise of being a resupply ship or crippled commercial vessel. This latter approach is usually VERY carefully considered or is an act of desperation, as, despite their heavy armaments, the frigates are ill-equipped for sustained combat against ships of the line. Most missions of Fire of Oratory class ships, however, are deliberately uneventful...actually going about refuelling various imperial outposts, while all the time moving supplies and operatives, and gathering information of enemy activities.
As with all FWC ‘Black Academy’ vessels, the numbers of Fire of Oratory conversions are a closely guarded secret, to prevent the true extent of their operations from being revealed to the wrong eyes. Estimates by the few outside analysts aware of the class vary wildly, anywhere from a few dozen to over a hundred ships moving throughout TGE space, supporting the rebellion.

Type:FWC-FS-03X
Class: Industrial Gas Harvester/Special Operations Frigate
Crew: 300 + capacity for up to 1,000 ‘workers’
MDC/Armor by Location:
Main Body 16,000
Bridge 4,000
Central Gas Storage Sphere 13,000
Main Hangar Bay(central sphere) 9,000
Utility Craft Bays(2) 5,000 each
Medium Laser Cannons(20) 400 each
Light Laser Cannons(40) 200 each
Long Range Missile Batteries(4) 500 each
Heavy Rail Guns (8 ) 500 each
GR Gun/Missile Point Defense Batteries(8 ) 400 each
*Variable Forcefields 1,500 per side, 9,000 total

*Shield Refresh Rate is 10% per melee

Height: 1,000 ft (the diameter of the central gas storage sphere)
Width: 1,800 ft
Length: 3,250 ft
Weight: 14 million tons
Cargo: Holds about the ship can hold some 400,000 tons of cargo (typically only 30% of which is actually legitimate Imperial-ordered goods, used as a cover for the rest of the contraband)
The central tank can hold some 2 million tons of liquified gases(1/3 of what it SHOULD be)
Powerplant:Nuclear Fusion w/ 50 year energy life
Speed: (Atmosphere) Not Possible
(Sublight) Mach 7
(Kitsune Values: 50% of light speed; Accelerates/decelerates at 0.7% of light speed per melee)
(FTL) 5 light years per hour
(Underwater) Not Possible
Market Cost: Similarly equipped ships could cost 600 million credits
Systems of Note:
Standard Starship Systems, plus:

*Stealth Systems----Passive stealth systems allow the ship to conceal its system emissions by as much as 75%, and conceal its interior configuration from external scans with 80% effectiveness.

*Transponder Mimic---The Fire of Oratory class can mimic the drive and transponder signatures of up to 100 other similar vessels

*Self-Destruct System---Every FWC crew knows how the TGE treats rebels and guerillas, and the prospect of capture is a fate worse than death...And to compromise the capabilities of the FWC in the process....The Fire of Oratory-class mounts a powerful self-destruct package that completely obliterates the ship and does 1d6x1,000 MD to a 2 mile radius around the ship.

*Refinery Systems---The ship retains some of its refinery capability, allowing it to maintain the pretense of a harmless industrial craft and, incidentally, extend its mission duration and provide other rebel craft and units with raw materials.

*Rapid-Dump Sensor Jamming---Less sophisticated than the advanced systems used by such ships as the Hidden Valor, the Fire of Oratory can jam enemy sensors by ‘leaking’ gas and fine debris under certain circumstances....Faking a deterium gas leak to mask the sensor signature of a sneakpod launch, for instance. Typically, such a cloud lasts for 2d4 minutes,and renders enemy sensors -15%+1d10% to accurately make out details inside the cloud.

Weapons Systems:
1) Medium Laser Cannons(20)---The Fire of Oratory fairly bristles with medium-range laser cannons hidden on retracting turret-mounts.
Range:8 miles in atmosphere, 16 miles in space
(Kitsune Values: 16 miles in atmosphere, 16,000 miles in space)
Damage: 1d6x100 MD per cannon, or 4d6x100 for four cannon firing simultaneously!
Rate of Fire: Each barrel can fire four times per melee
Payload: Effectively Unlimited

2)Light Laser Cannons(40)---These are short-range laser cannons that make up in numbers what they lack in power and range...About HALF of these weapons are mounted out in plain sight, as part of the Gas Collector’s complement of anti-meteoroid/anti-bandit defenses, and inspection of their power-draw will find them within the 1d4x10-1d6x10 damage range, but these readings are false, and another twenty weapons are mounted in concealed pop-up turrets. These weapons have proven particularly effective against fighters and missiles.
Range:1 mile in atmosphere, 2 miles in space
(Kitsune Values: 2 miles in atmosphere, 200 miles in space)
Damage: 2d6x10 MD per burst
Rate of Fire: EGCHH(usually 5-6)
Payload: Effectively Unlimited

3)Long Range Missile Batteries(4)
Range: Varies by Missile Type
(Kitsune Values: 3,400 miles in atmosphere, 1,800,000 miles in space)
Damage:Varies by Missile Type
Rate of Fire: Volleys of 1-20
Payload: 100 per launcher; additional missiles may be carried and loaded from cargo, but will take at least 30 minutes(1 ton of cargo per 12 missiles)

4) Heavy Rail Guns (8 )---These are Phalanx-style rapid-fire railguns used to throw ‘swarms’ of super-dense projectiles at fighters, missiles, and the less-well armored supply stations and support facilities of the TGE. The mini ore refineries can easily manufacture the metal-and-regolith slag ammunition from asteroids, meaning that re-supply of these ‘spray’ weapons is not a problem.
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, or 8d6x100 for all four cannon firing simultaneously!
Rate of Fire: Each barrel can fire four times per melee
Payload: Effectively Unlimited

5) GR Gun/Missile Point Defense Batteries(8 )---Standard Imperial point defense weapons turrets. The use of Imperial weaponry designs also allows the FWC ships to use pirated stocks of spare parts and ammunition.
Range:(GR Gun) 1 mile in atmosphere, 2 miles in space
(Kitsune Values: 2 miles in atmosphere, 200 miles in space)
(Mini-Missiles)Varies by Missile Type
(Kitsune Values: 2 miles in atmosphere, 100 miles in space)
Damage:(GR Gun) 3d6x10 MD per 40 rd burst
(Mini-Missiles)Varies by Missile Type
Rate of Fire:(GR Gun) EGCHH
(Mini-Missiles) Volleys of 1-4
Payload:(GR Gun) 8,000 rounds each turret
(Mini-Missiles) 32 missiles per turret. Additional missiles may be stored in the cargo holds and reloaded within 15 minutes(1 ton of cargo per 96 missiles)

Auxiliary Craft: (Standard Configuration)
30 Remote Control Gas-Harvesters
10 Work Shuttles

The concealed central bay has capacity for up to 40 fighters or half that number of attack shuttles or 4,000 mines.

Variants:
The one major variant of the Fire of Oratory class is the so-called ‘Easy Listener’ model, which is configured not for combat, but for covert deep surveillance of TGE ship movements and communications. The Easy Listener uses its converted main storage tank to conceal a large ELINT array capable of passively listening in on broad spectrum EM and gravitic activity. Ships of this class wander far and wide, listening in on enemy military activity and communications(typically while engaged in ‘routine’ gas-harvesting from any nearby nebulae or gas giants) and passing the gathered data back via stealth courier to FWC command.