HMS Unicorn: The forerunner of the Light Fleet Aircraft Carrier?
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In a recent comment to Part 2 of my recent blog posts about the 1942 Light
Fleet Aircraft Carriers, Martin Rapier mentioned the apparent 'luxury'
enjoyed...
48 minutes ago
1 comment:
The Earth Alliance has a GOD, or Global Orbital Defense-grid hanging over every planet and colony that it possesses. The bulk of these defense-grids is made up of Aegis satellites, with some defense-grids only numbering a few dozen of these satellites, while the Earth defense-grid numbers a few hundred of these weapon platforms. The GOD in its present form came into existence after the Earth-Minbari war, when the need was recognized for a line of defense that would be able to take out lots of enemy ships without undue personnel losses. Thus the GOD system was born, a layer of killer satellites that could be controlled from ground bases.
The Aegis satellite is almost entirely made up of weapons, munitions, armor, and power systems. The main weapon is a huge long range particle beam. This weapon requires prodigious amounts of energy, but is more powerful than any weapon that Earth Force has ever mounted on a starship. Because there is no radiation shielding used in the weapon, it is not advised for any personnel to be aboard of the satellite when it is firing. The radiation produced in each firing is enough to kill unshielded persons at once. Mounted on the exterior of the satellite are three huge radiators that are used to cool the Particle Beam between firings.
The secondary weapon systems are two Long Range Missile launchers. These can be used against both capital ships and fighters. The final weapon systems are three pulse cannons for point defense.
The Aegis satellite carries a reasonable amount of armor, and also carries a interceptor grid, although this is not of the same power as that of even the smallest capital ship.
Model: GOD satellite
Class: Aegis Satellite
Crew: None (fully automated)
Vehicle Compliment:
None
MDC by Location:
Particle Beam Cannon: 1,000
Medium Pulse Cannons (3): 300each
Missile Launchers (2) : 1,000 each
[1] Main Body: 6,000
[2] Radiators (3) : 200 each
[2] Interceptor Grids (6): 500 per side
Notes:
[1] Depleting the MDC of the main body will put the satellite out of commission. All internal systems will shut down, including life support. The satellite itself will be an unsalvageable floating wreck.
The radiators are used only to cool the Particle Beam Cannon between firings. If one radiator is destroyed, the cannon cannot be fired for two rounds, instead of one. with each additional radiator destroyed, cooling down period is increased with another round.
[3] The Interceptor Grid gives only partial defense against energy weapons and as the system absorbs more damage this percentage of damage will be reduced. The system will absorb up to 1,000 MDC per side. Initially, the system will absorb 80% of damage from plasma weapons and pulse cannons (Actually another style of plasma cannon - does not work at this higher efficiency on other weapon systems that fire in pulses). This is because is it much easier to disperse plasma than an actually energy beam. The system does not absorb damage from rail guns, other projectile weapons, and from missiles. Initially, the ships will also absorb 40% of other styles of energy weapons as well (This includes non plasma style pulse weapons as well). For every 50 MDC that the system absorbs, the system will be reduced in effectiveness by 10% for subsequent strikes (Example: If an Interceptor Grid absorbs 100 MDC, the Interceptor Grid will only absorb 60% of plasma damage and 20% of the damage for any other energy weapon when struck next.) The defense grid recovers at the rate of 100 MDC per minute. The missile decoy portion of the system is described separately below.
Speed:
Driving on the Ground: Not Possible.
Space Propulsion: The GOD satellite only has navigational thrusters for attitude and directional changes. It cannot travel any real distance with them.
Atmospheric Propulsion: The GOD satellite cannot operate within an atmosphere. If the satellite enters an atmosphere, it will crash.
Stardrive: Not applicable
Maximum Range: Not applicable
Statistical Data
Height: 495 feet (148.5 meters)
Length: 1,000 feet (300 meters)
Width: 1052.3 feet (315.7 meters)
Weight: 660,000 tons (600,000 metric tons)
Power System: 2 General Fusion C-200 Fusion Reactors (4 year duration). However, it is recommended that the drive and power system have routine maintenance every 2 years.
Cargo: None
Cost: 500 million credits to construct
Weapon Systems:
1. Heavy Particle Beam Cannon (1): This cannon is simply a huge particle beam cannon. This cannon is so powerful that even the satellites two fusion reactors only supply enough power to fire it every other round. The Cannon has a 30 degree arc of fire. (Every firing the cannon floods the interior of the satellite with 3D6x10 SDC of radiation) Author Note: The source on this weapon system lists the revised weapons range as 1,000,000 km. It has been reduces to fit more with Palladium frameworks
Combat Bonuses: +3 to Strike (use standard minuses to hit star fighters and small targets).
Mega Damage: 3D6x1000 per Particle Beam blast.
Range: 87 miles (140 km) in an atmosphere and miles 87,000 miles (140,000 km) in space.
Rate of fire: Once every other melee (Beam lasts one entire round).
Payload: Effectively Unlimited.
2. Medium Pulse Cannons (3): These cannons fire rapid fire bursts of super charged Plasma. Similar to heavier pulse cannons but the weapons are of lower output and have a shorter range. The weapons are derived from Centauri systems that the Narns copied but are not as powerful as the original Centauri weapon system was. Weapons are used as both anti-star Fighter and for point defense. Each mount has a 360 degree rotation and 180 degree arc of fire. Mounts are located on the top, and bottom of the sattalite. Author Note: The source on this weapon system lists the weapons range as 180,000 km. It has been reduces to fit more with Palladium frameworks and the weapon scale
Combat Bonuses: +3 to Strike (does not have minuses to hit star fighters).
Mega Damage: 6D6x10 per cannon
Range: 11.1 miles (18 km) in an atmosphere and 1,120 miles (1,800 km) in space
Rate of fire: Five times per melee
Payload: Effectively Unlimited.
3. Two (2) Long Range Missile Batteries: Each missile launcher holds 24 missile tubes plus reloads. The two launchers are totally independent of each other. These launcher are both used to launch anti-ship strikes and to launch against starfighters. Missiles are assumed to accelerate at 2 times normal mach speed in Gs greater than the starships speed when used in space. Since star ships will no longer engage at rock throwing distances, whether weapons can be shot down is calculated from the speed of target, launcher, and missile. When drive goes dead, missile will still cruise unless set to self destruct but has very low odds of hitting star ships (Great for hitting bases and planets because target does not move and missile when dead at -25% to detect.) Long range missiles are all considered smart missiles. Each of these launchers can be targeted and fired at multiple targets.
Combat Bonuses: +5 to strike for smart missile.
Range: varies with missile type, long range missiles (Powered range is 8 x normal in space (Go to Revised bomb and missile table).
Mega-Damage & Properties: Varies with warhead type (Go to Revised bomb and missile table). Heavy fusion is 2D4X100 MDC
Rate of fire: One at a time or in volleys of 1, 2, 4, 6, 12, or 24 per battery melee attack, for a maximum of 48 missiles launched per melee.
Payload: 4 reloads per launch tube for a total payload of 120 long range missiles per launcher, for a total of 240 missiles per satellite.
4. Missile Decoy System: These systems launches clouds of chaff and electromagnetic decoys around the ship. This system is the final part of the interceptor grid. The decoy cloud will remain around the ship for a period of time The system is a series of decoy launchers that are placed around the satellite. Even if the main interceptor system is not functional, this system will still operate.
Mega-Damage: any vehicle flying through take 2D6 MDC.
Effects:
1. Has a 50% chance of confusing or deflecting missiles from most younger races. This system does not work on missiles from Centauri, Minbari, or other Race with similar or more advance missile systems.
2. Disguises satellites radar signature. This gives a -2 penalty to strike. (Does not work on Centauri, Minbari, and races that are as advanced or more advanced than the Centauri and Minbari)
The chaff will take five melees to disburse.
Range: Satellite and 1,000 feet (305 m) radius around satellite
Rate of fire: Once (1) Per Melee.
Payload: 10
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