[RAN] Modelling a modern Navy in traveller

[veltyen]

SMALLCRAFT

Helicopter analog

There are a variety of helicopters operated by the RAN. However their specifications and duties tend to overlap so strongly that I've condensed them into a single design.

The three utility/combat naval helicopters are
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NHI_NH90
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Westland_Sea_King
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sikorsky_S-70

There are another couple of helicopters that could be involved. Those aren't covered by this design - the training helicopters would be smaller and cheaper, the heavy lift helicopters (chinooks) would be more similar to the LC60.

These are multirole craft. Eyeball scouting, medium lift, troop insertion, medical evac, anti-submarine warfare (in a traveller sense this would be deploying remote sensor drones) as well as limited air support and strike capabilities.

This is a big ask for a single craft, it is unlikely to be able to do all of these tasks well.

Type 13 Defensive Utility Craft ("Steel Duck")
Multirole smallcraft
Hull: 30 dTon needle/wedge
TL: 13
Type: Smallcraft
Computer: Model/3 (Reduced Avionics (1))
Maneuver Drive: 5G
Power Plant: TL13 Fusion. 4 EP
Power Plant Fuel: 2 weeks
Armour: Light (AR4)
Fittings: None by default, see Cargo/mission bay
Weapons: 3 multipurpose pods - equivalent to a triple missile turret
Ammo: 12 rounds secure storage plus up to 9 mounted in pods
Cargo: 7 dTon (mission specific bay)
Crew: 3 (Pilot, Co-pilot/Engineer, Gunner)
Cost: 27.4 MCr

While the normal weapon pod loadout is for a triple missile system, it is not uncommon to see them swapped out for sensor drone launchers or countermeasure pods (sandcasters). It is also possible to swap in an energy weapon (such as a single pulse laser) - but the corresponding drop in craft performance is generally considered detrimental to the ducks survivability. In a combat situation the duck will then act as a harrasment agent, firing off as many missiles as possible before running away to rearm, or at least be out of harms way.

The mission bay and the cockpit are able to be isolated, though like most vessels this size the duck does not have a dedicated airlock.

Common missions:

VIP/long range transport The mission bay is equipped with 12 smallcraft couches and a fresher. This does allow the duck to move personnel significant distances in relative comfort. It is not uncommon to see the ducks that are stationed at bases to be semi-permanently kitted out this way.

Transport With combat webbing strung up in the bay as many as 14 troops in battle dress, or 28 troops in combat armour can be shunted short distances in safety, if not comfort. Alternatively a small vehicle (such as a scout tank) could also potentially be carried. Lastly 7 dTon of emergency supplies can make a significant difference in disaster relief.

Combat drop drill With this drill the duck comes in to land at a specified point. While on rapid descent the vessel will pepper the target with missiles to clear the area, on landing exit all carried troops with maximum haste before launching again.

Dumb drop A common name for two similar drills. The duck comes over a target and evacuates the mission bay while still moving. The objects inside will become sucked out, but hopefully will land near a designated target area. There are two drills involved here, in one case the objects in the mission bay will be dumb drop munitions (ie. bombs), in the other case it would involve HALO gravchute/gravbelt troops.

Big Ears Deployment of sensor drones. Either from a vac-suited crewman manhandling drones out of the depressurised mission bay, or fired from a weapon pod that is mounting a drone launcher system. The same skills and mission profile also apply when deploying both smart and dumb mines.

                          dTon     MCr     Power
Needle/Wedge Hull         30       3.6
Bridge                    -6       0.15
Computer Model/3          -2.2    12.6    -1       3/1/3/3 - reduced Avionics
5G Drive                  -4.2     2.1    -1.5
Power Plant               -4      12       4
PP Fuel                   -2   
Armour                    -3       0.3             TL13, AR4
Triple Missile Turret     -1       3.35   
Missile Magazine(12)      -0.6     0.12       
Mission Bay               -7

Total Cost: 27.4 MCr (Discounted from 34.22)
Remaining Power: 1.5 (Agility 5)

 

[Whipsnade]

I was trying to keep the "mission profile" from each class of vessel, translated heavily obviously, but not thinking specifically of any particular location/system/political situation.

Veltyen,

Exactly, and those various "mission profiles" need to fold into the navy's overall "mission profile".

Yes and no. It may surprise you from a US perspective, but Australia is a big fish (in a tiny tiny little pond)...

That doesn't surprise me at all because I deployed and trained with the RAN during my time in the USN. (I've also visited Oz and the surrounding region on business many, many times.)

That's one reason why I brought up the frontier system navy versus Core system navy issue. You see, not only have I trained and deployed with the RAN, I also trained and deployed with what passes for a Canadian navy too.

Assuming the USN fills the role of the Imperial Navy, i.e. all the "heavy lifting" jobs which deal with major issues like the Zhos and Swordies, the RAN would by like the Collace system navy; i.e. an Imperial allied force that tackles local/regional issues like Trexalon or unrest/crises in District 268.

Collacian navy would require much more interstellar force projection assets than the system navy belonging to Syroe, just one parsec from Capital.

At the moment the mission profile of the RAN tends more towards humanitarian aid, disaster recovery and policing support, though there is a frigate off doing coastal work in the gulf.

And a frontier system navy will be doing all those same jobs.


Regards,
Bill

 

[far-trader]

...I also trained and deployed with what passes for a Canadian navy too.

:rofl:

...hey!



So (if you don't mind a small drift veltyen), just speculating for fun, where do you think the Canadian Navy would be on the Imperial scale? Arden Federation? Smaller?

 

[Whipsnade]

:rofl:

...hey!

Dan,

Let me explain that my experience with the Canadian navy dates from the first half of the 1980s, a period that was arguably the post-WW2 nadir of that force. When you remember that Canada's assigned role in NATO was ASW and that for most of the 80s, aside from a few maritime patrol aircraft, Canada had no modern ASW platforms and that most of her vessels dated from the 50s, you'll understand my analysis.

Of course since then the Canadian navy has been essentially reborn. They're operating a fine class of frigates, some very nice patrol boats, and even a few area air defense destroyers. They even bought new submarines, although Britain basically conned them into buying the boats they did. Those SSKs have had many problems and far better subs could have been bought cheaper from Germany or Sweden. IIRC, one of them has been operational for all of 150 days in the last seven years.

Here's an anecdote about how far the Canadian navy had sunk, pun intended. When in 2003 they assigned one of their new SSKs to Esquimalt in British Columbia, she was the first Canadian sub to based in the Pacific in thirty years.

So (if you don't mind a small drift veltyen), just speculating for fun, where do you think the Canadian Navy would be on the Imperial scale? Arden Federation? Smaller?

It may be an interstellar polity, but given Arden's total population, I'd think that would be a nice ballpark estimate. Squinting at Canada's current operational ships, how do a dozen 400dTon patrol craft, the same number of SDBs, and 3 or 4 of the Valor-class missile corvettes from TNE sound? Throw in a Broadsword or two, shuttles, tugs, and some other small craft, plus two fighter wings, and a couple of merchantmen, and I think you'd have a nice little force for Arden.


Regards,
Bill

 

[rancke]

It may be an interstellar polity, but given Arden's total population, I'd think that would be a nice ballpark estimate. Squinting at Canada's current operational ships, how do a dozen 400dTon patrol craft, the same number of SDBs, and 3 or 4 of the Valor-class missile corvettes from TNE sound? Throw in a Broadsword or two, shuttles, tugs, and some other small craft, plus two fighter wings, and a couple of merchantmen, and I think you'd have a nice little force for Arden.

Arden? That would be the world with a GWP of MCr64,000,000? Assuming it has a military budget of 5% of GWP (more than the average Imperial world, but less than many pocket empires), it would have a naval budget of MCr1,920,000, allowing it to maintain a fleet worth MCr19,200,000. That would be local credits, of course, so if it bought its ships from a TL15 world, it would have to pay with an exchange rate of 1:5, reducing the size of the fleet by a factor 5, but that would still amount to 3.8 trillion credits worth of TL15 ships.

The nearest TL15 world is quite a way off, though. It's much more likely that Arden would be buying most of its ships from Chronor, a TL13 world. That would give an exchange rate of 1:3.5, giving it a fleet of almost 5.5 trillion credits worth of TL13 ships.

EDIT: The effective size of the navy would be less, though, because of maintenance problems. The vessels would either have to be jump-capable or to have transports capable of ferrying them to a world where they can be maintained. If Sheyou has the capacity to maintain them all, each vessel will be away for maintenance ~10% of the time.



Hans

 

[veltyen]

Arden? That would be the world with a GWP of MCr64,000,000? Assuming it has a military budget of 5% of GWP (more than the average Imperial world, but less than many pocket empires), it would have a naval budget of MCr1,920,000, allowing it to maintain a fleet worth MCr19,200,000. That would be local credits, of course, so if it bought its ships from a TL15 world, it would have to pay with an exchange rate of 1:5, reducing the size of the fleet by a factor 5, but that would still amount to 3.8 trillion credits worth of TL15 ships.

The nearest TL15 world is quite a way off, though. It's much more likely that Arden would be buying most of its ships from Chronor, a TL13 world. That would give an exchange rate of 1:3.5, giving it a fleet of almost 5.5 trillion credits worth of TL13 ships.


Hans

Throw in ground based COACC fighters then to round out the difference. Couldn't be any more then a couple of tens of thousands.

 

[Icosahedron]

Arden? That would be the world with a GWP of MCr64,000,000? Assuming it has a military budget of 5% of GWP (more than the average Imperial world, but less than many pocket empires), it would have a naval budget of MCr1,920,000, allowing it to maintain a fleet worth MCr19,200,000. That would be local credits, of course, so if it bought its ships from a TL15 world, it would have to pay with an exchange rate of 1:5, reducing the size of the fleet by a factor 5, but that would still amount to 3.8 trillion credits worth of TL15 ships.

The nearest TL15 world is quite a way off, though. It's much more likely that Arden would be buying most of its ships from Chronor, a TL13 world. That would give an exchange rate of 1:3.5, giving it a fleet of almost 5.5 trillion credits worth of TL13 ships.

EDIT: The effective size of the navy would be less, though, because of maintenance problems. The vessels would either have to be jump-capable or to have transports capable of ferrying them to a world where they can be maintained. If Sheyou has the capacity to maintain them all, each vessel will be away for maintenance ~10% of the time.



Hans

I've seen figures like these quoted several times (sorry to pick yours, Hans). Does the maintenance budget include logistics and support? What is the tail/teeth ratio for a typical force? Your entire budget can't be spent on warships.

 

[rancke]

I've seen figures like these quoted several times (sorry to pick yours, Hans).

Not at all. I have been known to be mistaken, you know.

Does the maintenance budget include logistics and support? What is the tail/teeth ratio for a typical force? Your entire budget can't be spent on warships.

It's not. The rules I'm using (TCS) requires spending 10% of the cost of the ships per year to keep them flying. That's more than enough to account for logistics, support and peacetime replacement.


Hans

 

[veltyen]

So (if you don't mind a small drift veltyen), just speculating for fun, where do you think the Canadian Navy would be on the Imperial scale? Arden Federation? Smaller?

Drift?

I've only been here a little while so I have no idea what you mean by drift.

 

[veltyen]

SMALLCRAFT

Landing Craft

One problem with doing a project like this over months or years, is sometimes you come back to it and have no idea why you made the choices you did last time.

This is one of those cases. The vessels that these are translated from are two landing craft, specifically the
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LCM-8
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LCVP

In hindsight the LCM-8 should be a 120 dTon shuttle, and the LCVP, well the LCVP could be anything. I strongly suspect that it may in fact be a Higgins boat, which would be about a 20 dTon shuttle - and an extremely antiquated one at that. Alternatively it could be a British LCVP (probably a Mark 3 or 4 rather then the current Mark 5). Either way the LCVP only exists on one specific near retirement transport vessel that is about 30 years old.

The LCM-8's on the other hand are on multiple vessels, as well as independently operated by the Army as well.

So why are they 60 and 90 dTon? At this point in time your guess is as good as mine.

I'm doing both of these at once mostly because the conversion ended up with them being very similar.

Landing Craft 60 dTon (LC60) and Landing Craft 90 dTon (LC90)
Shuttle
Hull: 60/90 dTon needle/wedge
TL: 13
Type: Smallcraft
Computer: Model/2 (Reduced Avionics (1))
Maneuver Drive: 2G
Power Plant: TL13 Fusion. 1.8 EP/2.7 EP
Power Plant Fuel: 4 weeks

LC60
Armour: Light (AR3)
Cargo: 35 dTon
Crew: 4
Cost: 17.4 MCr

LC90
Armour: None
Weapon: Triple missile turret - no dedicated ammo storage
Fittings: Stateroom, Fresher
Cargo: 55 dTon
Crew: 6
Cost: 26 MCr

Landing craft are relatively simple to explain. Capital ships don't want to be that close to being shot at, and also tend to need specifically designed landing zones to land successfully. A landing craft on the other hand needs some flat ground to land on, and is hopefully cheap enough that its loss won't be crippling.

Primary mission is ship to planet transport. Preferably not under fire - there are better vessels for that task. The crafts can also be used for planet to planet transport, and intraplanetary transport. To that end the army also operates several LC90's independently to facilitate ground movement and logistics.

That said, some armour or minimal weapons can be considered insurance, as while a landing crafts loss is not crippling it is also not pleasant. The LC90 is also modified from the default design (which has a 60 dTon cargo capacity - but no crew facilities) to allow the use of the craft to operate independently for much longer periods of time.

[b]LC60[/b]
                          dTon     MCr     Power
Needle/Wedge Hull         60       7.2
Bridge                   -12       0.3
Computer Model/2          -1.6     6.2              2/1/2/2 - reduced Avionics
2G Drive                  -3       2.1    -1.2
Power Plant               -1.8     5.4     1.8
PP Fuel                   -1.8   
Armour                    -4.8     0.48             TL13, AR3
Cargo                     -35

Total Cost: 17.4 MCr (Discounted from 21.7)
Remaining Power: 0.6 (Agility 1)


[b]LC90[/b]
                          dTon     MCr     Power
Needle/Wedge Hull         90      10.8
Bridge                   -18       0.45
Computer Model/2          -1.6     6.2              2/1/2/2 - reduced Avionics
2G Drive                  -4.5     3.15   -1.8
Power Plant               -2.7     8.1     2.7
PP Fuel                   -2.7   
Triple Missile Turret     -1       3.35
Stateroom                 -4       0.5
Fresher                   -0.5     0.002
Cargo                    -55

Total Cost: 26 MCr (Discounted from 32.55)
Remaining Power: 0.9 (Agility 1)

If I keep going by weight then the next two ships (the Balikpapan and Armidale) are the ones most likely for use by players. Both 300 dTon.

 

[FreeTrav]

That would be referring to the phenomenon known as 'topic drift', where instead of focussing on the specific topic that started the thread, the topic gets progressively less relevant. It's a common occurrence in just about any sort of forum in which "conversations" can take place.

 

[BlackBat242]

Ok... while veltyen has only been a member here since 2004, he does have over 1,300 posts.

I took it to be a joke... didn't you?

 

[veltyen]

Ok... while veltyen has only been a member here since 2004, he does have over 1,300 posts.

I took it to be a joke... didn't you?

Nah mate, I'm from Straya. No sense of humour here.

On the other hand I was thinking of bringing up the huge size of computers that need to be in these craft. Does anyone think the size is perhaps a little large?

 

[veltyen]

UTILITY

Landing Craft Heavy

The Balikpapan design on first glance looks like an upsized LCV-8 and pretty much that is what is it.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Balikpapan_class_landing_craft_heavy

While a ship-to-shore mission carrying troops and material from larger transport vessel is one of the vessels tasks, alternatively it is capable of also carrying a significant quantity of material on its own and delivering this to its target.

The amount of material is quite impressive, 3 MBT's or 13 APC's or 400 troops for short range delivery in ship to shore mode, a similar amount can be delivered over moderate seas, meaning that in traveller terms, this is certainly a jump capable vessel.

Landing Craft Heavy (LCH)
Light Transport Starship
Hull: 300 dTon needle/wedge
TL: 13
Type: Jump capable transport
Computer: Model/2
Maneuver Drive: 1G
Jump Drive: 2 Parsec
Jump Fuel: 1 x Jump 2
Power Plant: TL13 Fusion 6 EP
Power Plant Fuel: 8 weeks
Armour: None
Accommodation: 5 Staterooms
Fittings: None
Weapons: 1 triple Missile turret, 1 triple Sandcaster turret
Ammo: 30 rounds missile in magazines, 30 rounds sand
Cargo: 160 dTon
Crew: 9
Cost: 93.3 MCr

Mission and role of the LCH sit uncomfortably between that of a true transport vessel and a landing boat, expected to do both roles.

Large cargo doors facilitate the delivery of vehicles in a rapid deployment roll-on/roll-off configuration, and with mobile habitats aboard as much as an entire infantry company can be carried between systems.

When acting as part of a major mobilisation the LCH will accompany a larger transport vessel carrying material for the first wave of deployment and at the last minute board vehicle crew from the parent vessel before returning to act more as a traditional shuttle. The LCH would have to be left behind however in the case of J3 and J4 mobilisations, as it cannot keep up with the larger vessels, and they would have to rely on the landing craft carried onboard.

The weapons on the vessel are purely as a deterrent. This is not a combat vessel in any regard, and in any dangerous situation would need to be accompanied by appropriate escort.

Transport limits are similar to the RAN vessel it is based on. 20 G-Carriers, 320 Battledress troops, 640 combat armoured troops or more likely a combination of the above for ship to shore transport. For independent operation where troops are carried on board for system transit this is likely to only be 80 troops or so, even less if they have significant material needs such as accompanying vehicles.

As a PC ship the upgraded avionics, sensors and communications arrays are likely to be stripped out, along with the turrets. This adds another 6 dTon of "cargo" space in odd locations (can you say smuggling space), and a "cost" of about 85 MCr (for the purposes of determining maintenance) but is likely to only be 30-60 MCr to purchase depending on age and local demand for ships. The ship would thus be similar to both a far trader and a type R merchant, but with the advantage of being designed to cope with relatively adhoc and rough landings.

                          dTon     MCr     Power
Needle/Wedge Hull         300      36
Bridge                    -20       1.5
Computer Model/2           -2       8           
Jump Drive (2)             -9      36      -6
Jump Fuel                 -60
1G Drive                   -6       9       -3
Power Plant                -6      18       6
PP Fuel                   -12  
Triple Missile Turret      -1       3.35   
Missile Magazine(30)       -1.5     0.3
Triple Sandcaster Turret   -1       1.85
Sand (30)                  -1.5     0.012
Staterooms(5)             -20       2.5       
Cargo                    -160

Total Cost: 93.3 MCr (Discounted from 116.5)
Remaining Power: 3 (Agility 1)

 

[FreeTrav]

I plead slow-wittedness, due to work-related distraction and likely uncaffeinatedness.

 

[veltyen]

COMBAT

Patrol Boat

Australian patrol boats have an interestingly high profile, not least because of a couple of highly successful TV dramas set on them, "Patrol Boat" http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patrol_Boat_(TV_series) in 1979 and 1983, "Sea Patrol" http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sea_Patrol_(TV_series) from 2007 onwards. Oddly both series also change ship midway through, the original from an attack class to a fremantle class, and Sea Patrol from a fremantle class to an armidale class.

Being a relatively recent design, and high profile as mentioned, means that there is a lot of information available.

Wikipedia entry
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Armidale_class_patrol_boat
Manufacturers site
http://www.austal.com/index.cfm?objectID=696021DA-A0CC-3C8C-D939D60FAC0C3C2E
RAN entry
http://www.navy.gov.au/Category:Armidale_Class

As a side note austal is also in the process of tendering for several US naval contracts and has lots of interesting schematics and images for those as well, if you are in to that kind of thing.

Rather exact numbers of how many people can be accommodated are available. That number (49) I have tried to maintain, as is the number of cabins and staterooms listed for this class. On the other hand the Armidale has two RHIB's, which I've dropped to a single Lifeboat for space reasons.

In naval terms this is definitely not a boat, able to traverse very long distances in almost any conditions, leaving a conundrum in what to call a really small ship.

Amygdala Class Patrol Vessel
Hull: 300 dTon needle/wedge
TL: 13
Type: light warship
Computer: Model/4 (avionics (2),communications (3))
Maneuver Drive: 3G
Jump Drive: 4 Parsec
Jump Fuel: 1 x Jump 4
Power Plant: TL13 Fusion 23 EP
Power Plant Fuel: 4 weeks
Armour: None
Accommodation: 4 Staterooms, 7 Cabins, 5 Staterooms as general quarters.
Fittings: Fuel scoops
Weapons: 1 triple Missile turret, 2 triple Pulse Laser turrets
Ammo: 20 rounds missile in magazines
Subcraft: Lifeboat
Cargo: 8 dTon
Crew: 21
Cost: 175 MCr

The Amygdala class patrol vessel is a good candidate for a military flavoured campaign, being small enough that a plethora of NPC crewmembers can be kept to a minimum, while having an extremely flexible mission profile.

Organisationally these ships are multicrewed, with three permanent crews per every two ships. Rather then arranging for crew leave in a piecemeal fashion the crew signs out wholesale being assigned to leave or shore duty a third of the time. This allows the crews to be more closely knit, minimising disruption.

Accommodation is a little unusual in that apart from the permanent staterooms and cabins the equivalent of another 5 staterooms can be made up in the generous general quarters of the vessel, the life support and environmental controls for the vessel being designed to cope with this as needed. On the plus side that does mean that the galley is unusually large, and with a normal complement on board the ship is not as crowded as it could be.

Unlike many military vessels the patrol vessel is almost always going to be operating independently.

Missions are pretty much what you would expect from a ship of this class.

Patrol
Move through a preplanned path dealing with any issues along the way. Pull over or pursue then inspect suspicious vessels or anomalies. Lend assistance to stranded craft as needed and otherwise follow rather broad operational guidelines.

Interdiction
Intercept and inspect vessels going to a particular destination. Depending on the operational parametres of the interdiction this could be to limit specific cargo transmission (customs/contraband) or all vessels. Turn back all vessels that do not comply.

Surveillance
Can be very similar to Patrol, except announcing presence would be rarer. Can also be specific targets (worlds, systems) or vessels.

Insertion
Transfer a small team to a target location. This, and resuce/evacuation is the reason for the additional life support.

                          dTon     MCr     Power
Needle/Wedge Hull         300      36
Bridge                    -20       1.5
Computer Model/4           -3      22.8     -3     Avionics-2, Comms-3
Jump Drive (4)            -15      60      -12
Jump Fuel                -120
3G Drive                  -24      12       -9
Power Plant               -23      69       23
PP Fuel                   -23
Fuel Scoops                         0.3  
Triple Missile Turret      -1       3.35           USP-3
Missile Magazine(20)       -1       0.2
Triple Pulse Laser Turrets -2       5.2     -6     USP-4 (or 2xUSP-3)
Smallcraft bay            -10       0.02
Staterooms(9)             -36       4.5       
Cabins(7)                 -14       1.75
Cargo                      -8

Total Cost: 175 MCr (Discounted from 216.6)
Remaining Power: 6 (Agility 2)

 

[Whipsnade]

Veltyen,

Another great design! Please keep them coming.

Will your navy have a mix of TLs?


Regards,
Bill

 

[veltyen]

Veltyen,

Another great design! Please keep them coming.

Will your navy have a mix of TLs?


Regards,
Bill

Only slightly.

Some of the smallcraft are lower TL, representing an ability to build in more locations. The future ships (if I get around to modeling them - the Hobart and Canberra, and possible the combined duty small ship) are TL14. Otherwise the build standard is 13.

 

[veltyen]

UTILITY

Survey Launch

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paluma_class_motor_launch

Shallow water coastal survey is an important task. Accurate maps are a huge advantage over inaccurate maps.

As such the Paluma is a small craft with a shallow draft and excellent sensors and bottom mapping capabilities.

In the OTU this craft would probably belong to the scouts rather then the navy, but when you only have a handful you would group them under the same organisation. The equivalent in the USA would be operated by the NOAA or the USGS.

Percyon Class Planetary Survey Vessel
Hull: 360 dTon needle/wedge
TL: 13
Type: Survey/Science vessel
Computer: Model/7 (avionics (2),communications (2))
Maneuver Drive: 2G
Jump Drive: 2 Parsec
Jump Fuel: 2 x Jump 2
Power Plant: TL13 Fusion 21.4 EP
Power Plant Fuel: 4 weeks
Armour: Minimal (AR1)
Accommodation: 15 Staterooms
Fittings: 2 laboratories (map rooms)
Weapons: 1 triple Missile turret, 1 triple Sandcaster turret
Ammo: 30 rounds missile in magazines, 30 rounds Sand
Subcraft: 1x Lifeboat
Cargo: 15 dTon
Crew: 15
Cost: 191 MCr

The percyon class is used for mapping. Seeing things. Mapping them. As such it has outstanding sensors, but apart from that not a lot going for it. The small device launching system is functionally identical to a missile launcher designed for combat, and could be used for such at a pinch, but normally launches nothing more combative then the occasional sounding charge.

The little armour it has is more to stop leakage coming in and disrupting the sensors then to turn an enemies anger.

On the other hand it could be considered one of the more relaxed serving locations in the navy. Good accommodations, excellent computing facilities and a very small chance of being shot at in anger.

                          dTon     MCr     Power
Needle/Wedge Hull         360      43.2
Armour (AR1)              -14.4     1.44
Bridge                    -20       1.8
Computer Model/7           -4      49       -7     Avionics-2, Comms-2
Jump Drive (2)            -10.8    43.2     -7.2
Jump Fuel                -144
2G Drive                  -18      12.6     -7.2
Power Plant               -21.4    64.2     21.4
PP Fuel                   -21.4
Triple Missile Turret      -1       3.35           USP-3
Missile Magazine(30)       -1.5     0.3
Triple Sandcaster Turret   -1       1.85           USP-4 
Sand Storage               -1.5
Smallcraft bay            -10       0.02
Staterooms(15)            -60       7.5       
Virtual Mapping space     -16      10
Cargo                     -15

Total Cost: 191 MCr (Discounted from 238.5)
Remaining Power: 7.2 (Agility 2)

 

[veltyen]

SUPPLY

Fleet Oiler

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMAS_Sirius_(O_266)

Not a lot you can say about an oiler. Ships need fuel, and an oiler is basically a mobile fuel station that comes to you.

The Sirius is a civilian oiler that was purchased because it was cheaper to do so. As such it doesn't have military class electronics, or for that matter any weapon mounts whatsoever.

This does make it relatively easy to model.

The vessel does have a couple of serious failures in conversion. For starters the minimum number of maintenance crew (75) is larger then the real world ships full complement (60), secondly the requirement for a fantastic computer and avionics kit (again due to minimum size issues) means that the "saving" from having civilian class electronics is more then lost.

Sirius Supply Vessel
Hull: 25,000 dTon needle/wedge
TL: 13
Type: Fleet Oiler
Computer: Model/5 +FIB
Maneuver Drive: 2G
Jump Drive: 4 Parsec
Jump Fuel: 1 x Jump 4
Power Plant: TL13 Fusion 1006 EP
Power Plant Fuel: 4 weeks
Accommodation: 125 Staterooms
Fittings: Fuel Scoops, 2x Engineering Shop, 1x Vehicle Maintenance shop, 2x Sickbay, 6x Airlocks, 10x Fuel Purification plants, 1x Laboratory
Weapons: None whatsoever (Crew smallarms)
Subcraft: 10x Lifeboat, 4x Defensive Utility Craft
Cargo: 142 dTon
Additional Fuel Tankage: 9000 dTon
Crew: 175
Cost: 10 GCr

The largest vessel of the fleet, but because of its role definitely not the flagship. A converted civilian gas giant skimmer bought by the navy for just these duties. Its huge size allows it to skim fuel at an incredible rate, which along with its copious fuel storage space (over 80% of the ship is fuel tanks) gives the option of force projection, either for its own fleet or its allies.

However the vessel does represent a target at the same time, the critical supply nature of the vessel means that it is never without escort, at minimum the 4 ducks carried on board, but more normally a pair or more of warships will be running guard.

The ship has extensive redundancy to allow continued operation. There are 4 power plants (2x500EP, 2x3EP) for example, as well as a full backup computer and electronics systems onboard.

Crew Breakup is 75 service, 36 engineering, 28 flight, 25 command and 11 officers.

                         dTon     MCr     Power
Needle/Wedge Hull       25000    3000
Bridge                   -500     125
Computer Model/5          -10     100        -3       +FIB
Jump Drive (4)          -1250    5000     -1000
Jump Fuel              -10000
2G Drive                -1250     875      -500
Power Plant             -1006    3018      1006
PP Fuel                 -1006
Fuel Scoops                        25
Fuel Purification         -50       0.3               [1]
Fuel Tankage            -9000
Smallcraft bays          -286       0.562             [2]
Staterooms(125)          -500      62.5     
Fittings                    -      19                 [3]
Cargo                    -142

Total Cost: 10 GCr (Discounted from 12225.4)
Remaining Power: 503 (Agility 2)

[1] 7 hours/2000 dTon refined
[2] 10x Lifeboat, 4x DUC
[3] From Bridge space allowance: 
Airlocks
Vehicle Maintenance Shop
Engineering Shop(x2)
Sickbay (x2)
Laboratory