Rim War forces?

[jappel]

I'm looking for canonical sources for information on ship types, stats, fleet composition & deployment, troop strengths and deployments, and any other similar data for the both the Imperials and the Sollies for the Rim War. I am aware of:

- CT Solomani Rim supplement
- Azhanti High Lighting
- CT Library Data
- GT Rim of Fire
- T20 Gateway book

I'm betting that DGP's Solomani & Aslan has some relevant info, but I've never seen a copy.

I'm also interested in any quality, well-thought-out non-canonical work-ups for this info.

Enquiring twisted minds want to know...

John

 

[mike wightman]

You should also have a look at Traveller's Aide #7 Fighting Ships which covers the Imperial ships of the Rim War era.

There is a forthcoming Traveller's Aide which will cover the Solomani ships of the time.

 

[jchurchill]

The GDW game Invasion Earth might be useful. The final battle of the Rim War....

 

[jappel]

D'oh! I actually knew about these, but had forgotten... Thanks!

John

 

[Antony]

Incidently how easy to convert to FF&S1 are the ships likely to be inthe Travellers Aid series? I ask because I have actually done a reasonable number of Solomani warships and am wondering how compatible these designs (once converted) will be.

 

[mike wightman]

They are designed using the T20 system which is very similar, and gives almost the same results as, High Guard.
Converting ships from T20/HG to FF&S takes time, but can be done.

 

[BrennanHawkwood]

Originally posted by jappel:
I'm looking for canonical sources for information on ship types, stats, fleet composition & deployment, troop strengths and deployments, and any other similar data for the both the Imperials and the Sollies for the Rim War. I am aware of:

- CT Solomani Rim supplement
- Azhanti High Lighting
- CT Library Data
- GT Rim of Fire
- T20 Gateway book

I'm betting that DGP's Solomani & Aslan has some relevant info, but I've never seen a copy.

I just flipped though my copy of DGP's Solomani & Aslan (one of my two jealously guarded DGP books) and did not find much of anything like you are looking for. The book covers the rim war in pretty broad terms, referring to fleets doing this and fleets doing that but no specific information beyond mentioning the Solomani Grand Fleet. The overall military information is also pretty general.

-- Blair

 

[BetterThanLife]

FASA, Adventure Class Ships Volume 2 has a 600T Frigate that may be from that age. It is TL14 so it may only be from the end of the war, but it would be about right if the two sides had equal TL. (And since they were a breakaway section of the Imperium there is no reason to believe that there would be a TL disparity.) Also there are several Solomani warships in the first three epic adventures.

 

[The Oz]

GT has a fair number of ships said to be from the time of the Rim War (and even earlier) but translating those into T20 or anything else involves a fair amount of work, and there's still not much on fleets or orders of battle.

 

[shield]

Check out the FASA high passage magazines.

No 5 has an imperial destroyer of the era + a one off imperial cruiser, one of the others has an solomani rimwar imperial battleship and its TL15 upgraded version.

Hope that helps

Richard

 

[jappel]

Thanks for the various pointers, folks.

-John

 

[Antony]

Going through one of the scenarious in AHL (based on the battle of Kagukhassaggan 2 in 1002), the Solomani in the closing days attempted to capture a TL14 AHL Fleet Intruder Bard Endeavour, the reasoning being that "recovery of the Bard Endeavour relatively intact with its high amperage tritium accelerator and sophisticated meson screen could mean the difference between victory and defeat for the Solomani independence movement."

Extrapolating from this statement, how could a single ship make such a difference? The conclusion would be either that the Solomani and Imperium had so few ships left by this time that one cruiser could turn the tide, or that the Solomani forces (the navy anyway) were primarily at a lower tech. (What TL was Earth in 1002 anyway?)

I would go for the tech lag. This does not mean that the Solomani had no TL14 vessels only that they were in the minority. This is partyl why most of the Solomani vessels (designed using FF&S1) on my web site are at TL13.

 

[rancke]

Originally posted by Antony:
I would go for the tech lag. This does not mean that the Solomani had no TL14 vessels only that they were in the minority. This is partyl why most of the Solomani vessels (designed using FF&S1) on my web site are at TL13.

I agree with you that the technology is what the Solomani are after, but keeping in mind that the Imperium by this time is borderline TL15 (this is a few years before the Imperium officially turns TL 15), I'm inclined to believe that the two systems mentioned are TL 15 contraptions in a TL 14 hull.


Hans

 

[BetterThanLife]

If you look at "The Solomani Rim" you will find that both sides of the border have lots of TL-F worlds. Remember that the Solomani Autonomous Region was an older more established and, before Margaret, politically favored part of the Imperium. I don't see much of a TL disparity between both sides of the war. It isn't as if the Solomani were an outside agressor. They were part of the System. I figure some Tech break throughs occurred during the war, as they always do, but at the start of teh war both sides were technologically equivalent.

 

[Antony]

Checking the history of FI-6333 Bard Endeavour she would have been only 8 years old at the time of her loss at the battle of Kagukhassaggan 2. The class was still being built in its original configuration which means straight TL14 systems.

The scenario description seems to stress the partical accelerator and meson screens as wanted items. Perhaps rather than a complete lag across the board the Confederation by the end of the Rim War was only lagging in a few areas?

However I just dug out my battered copy of Alien Module 6 Solomani.
Refer to the world generation section on page 30

"Worlds are generated in the same manner as in basic Traveller. However the maximum tech level of the Solomani Confederationis 14 (1 less than the Imperial 15).."

Now based on the publication date of this supplement I would assume it was for current play ie 1101 or thereabouts.

For a century earlier this is still likely true to some extent but with perhaps a lower percentage of TL14 worlds in the Confederation, and thus a smaller portion of its fleets were at full TL14 standard.

What does this say of the imperium at this time? Were the AHLs the best technology available from 990-1002 (The AHL was laid down in 991)?

Was a history of some of the other major classes ever done, ie when were the first Tigress, Plankwell, Atlantic class etc built?

 

[BetterThanLife]

A TL-14 version of the Atlantic is in TA-7. As a new Cruiser class. Designed to incorporate TL-15 parts when they become available. TL-14 versions of the two DEs from Supp-9 also make their early appearance in TA-7. ALl three of these ships were stated as being around for a while in Supp-9. The Gazelle is mentioned in TA-7 thogh the Ramada has TL-15 components the Gazelle/Firey is only TL-14. (And supposed to be the next generation of CE.)

There is a Batron of Kokirraks at Anapabar, in the early 990s, according to Gateway Domain, but I think that is actually an error and should read Perishers.

Originally posted by Antony:
Checking the history of FI-6333 Bard Endeavour she would have been only 8 years old at the time of her loss at the battle of Kagukhassaggan 2. The class was still being built in its original configuration which means straight TL14 systems.

The scenario description seems to stress the partical accelerator and meson screens as wanted items. Perhaps rather than a complete lag across the board the Confederation by the end of the Rim War was only lagging in a few areas?

However I just dug out my battered copy of Alien Module 6 Solomani.
Refer to the world generation section on page 30

"Worlds are generated in the same manner as in basic Traveller. However the maximum tech level of the Solomani Confederationis 14 (1 less than the Imperial 15).."

Now based on the publication date of this supplement I would assume it was for current play ie 1101 or thereabouts.

For a century earlier this is still likely true to some extent but with perhaps a lower percentage of TL14 worlds in the Confederation, and thus a smaller portion of its fleets were at full TL14 standard.

What does this say of the imperium at this time? Were the AHLs the best technology available from 990-1002 (The AHL was laid down in 991)?

Was a history of some of the other major classes ever done, ie when were the first Tigress, Plankwell, Atlantic class etc built?

 

[Liam Devlin]

With KUDOS to ANtony, I had some of his TNE versions from the Tne-list mail in my files, and converted these for this very purpose--ahh SERENDIPITY!<grn>

 

[Liam Devlin]

CONSORT- CLASS ESCORT CARRIER, SOLOMANI
CONFEDERATION NAVY

The Consort class escort carrier dates back to the First Solomani Rim War
and was originally designed to provide fighter cover for important civilian
convoys in times of conflict. A number were later sold to larger corporations and converted into bulk carriers. Other examples went to provincial navies, client states and independent states not allied to the Imperium or Aslan. The Consorts were designed to carry up to fifty fifteen displacement ton light fighters which although not a match for a heavy fighter in one on ones were more than adequate when used in groups, and in concert with other convoy escorts, against most convoy raiders. In higher threat regions the fighter complement could be doubled due to the spacious nature of the hangers, though crew accommodations would become more cramped.-Antony, CoTI.

Consort-class Escort Carrier
Class: Starship, Type EC
EP Output: 1525 (450 extra)
50dt Bay: Particle Accelerator(x4), Attack Bonus +4 (+4USP), Damage 4d12 +4d10 radiation. Range Increment 45,000km.
3x Batteries of ten: xx3 Beam Laser (x30), Attack Bonus +9 (+9USP), Damage 9d8. Range increment 30,000km.
3x Batteries of ten: xx3 Sandcaster (x30), Defense Bonus +9 (+9 USP).
Tech Level: 13
Agility: 3 Initiative: +3
Size: Huge (15,000dt)
Streamlining: Streamlining, Close (Box)
AC: 18 ( +3 Agility, +7 Armor, Huge–2) AR: 7
SI: 512
Jump Range: 3 Acceleration: 2
Fuel: 10,057 Duration: 4 weeks
Repulsors: 0 Nuclear Dampers: USP 6 Meson Screens: USP 9 Black Globes: 0
Crew: 324 (11x Command, 5x Bridge, 82x Engineering, 76x Gunnery, 76x FLT, 27x Mechanics, 2x Medical, 45x Service)
Staterooms: 169 Small Cabins: 0 Bunks: 0 Couches: 0 Low Berths: 0
Main Computer: Model/6fib Sensor Range: Extreme Long(Model/6) Comm. Range: Extreme Long (Model/6)
Cargo Space: 224.8dtons
Cost: Mcr8246.592 (new) excludes supplies and subcraft.
Atmospheric Speeds: NoE = 875kph Cruising = 2825kph Maximum = 3500kph
Other Equipment: Fuel Scoops, Fuel Processor. Hangar for 2x 30dtn ship’s boats; Hangar for 50x 15dton FTRs, 1x 40dt Pinnaces (Not Included); 1x Launch Tube for 15dt FTRs. 1x Launch port each Pinnace, and ship’s boat.
TAS Form 3.1 (Condensed) Ship’s Data (Commercial)

Installed Components Tonnage Cost EP Notes
Hull (close) SL cylinder +15,000 Mcr900 - -
Bridge controls -200 Mcr33 - -
Computer/fib -1.2 Mcr140.4 -5 Model/6
· Flt Avionics -2.0 (Mcr4.5) - Model/5
· Sensors -1.8 (Mcr 4.2) - Model/6
· Communications -1.2 (Mcr3) - Model/6
Jump Drive 3 -600 Mcr2400 -450 -
Jump Fuel -4500 - - -
Maneuver drive 2 -750 Mcr600 -450 -
Power plant-D -1525 Mcr4575 +1525 -
Power plant Fuel -1525 - - -
Hard Points (x60) - Mcr0.6 - -
50dt Bay PAW (x4) -200 Mcr120 -80 -
3x Beam Laser (x30) -90 Mcr30 -30 TL-D (+1 USP)
3x Sandcasters (x30) -90 Mcr22.5 - TL-D (+2 USP)
Nuclear Damper (2) -40 Mcr90 -60 -
Staterooms (12xCommand) -32 Mcr16 - single occupancy
Staterooms (314x Crew) -628 Mcr314 - double occupancy
Med Bay (x2) -16 Mcr10
Hangar (50x 15dt FTRs) -1650 - - -
Hangar (1x 40dt Pinnaces) -44 - - -
Hangar (2x 30dt Ships Boats) -66 - - -
Eng. Shops (3x Ftrs) -18 Mcr3
Eng Shop (4x ship) -24 Mcr4
Armor (7) -2100 Mcr1050 - -
Extra Airlocks (48) -144 Mcr0.24
Cargo -79 - - -
Totals Mcr10308.74 singly (8246.592 with 20% discount)

Converted to T20 from TNE design by Antony of CoTI by Liam Devlin, CoTI.

 

[Liam Devlin]

KIEV CLASS LIGHT FLEET CARRIER, SOLOMANI
CONFEDERATION NAVY

The Kiev class light fleet carriers were originally laid down as the “Independence”-class the beginning of the First Solomani Rim war. The names were changed following the loss of Terra to the Third Imperium the end of this conflict. Also as a consequence the Third Imperium recovered a number of almost complete Kiev’s' from yards on Terra and these entered service with the Imperium. The Kiev’s have a relatively low endurance and the fighter complement as originally planned was considered inadequate, being ten light recon fighters and thirty heavy fighters, typically this was doubled at the cost of some overcrowding in crew spaces.-Antony, CoTI.

Kiev-class Light Carrier
Class: Starship, Type LC
EP Output: 1957 (900 extra)
50dt Bay: Bomb-pumped Laser Missile (x14), Attack Bonus +8 (+8USP), Damage 8d10+8d6.
3x Batteries of ten: xx3 Beam Laser (x30), Attack Bonus +9 (+9USP), Damage 9d8. Range increment 30,000km.
3x Batteries of ten: xx3 Sandcaster (x30), Defense Bonus +9 (+9 USP).
Tech Level: 13
Agility: 3 Initiative: +3
Size: Huge (30,000dt)
Streamlining: Streamlining, Close (Box)
AC: 18 (+3 Agility, +7 Armor, Huge–2) AR: 7
SI: 550
Jump Range: 3 Acceleration: 3
Fuel: 10,057 Duration: 4 weeks
Repulsors: 0 Nuclear Dampers: USP 9 Meson Screens: USP 9 Black Globes: 0
Crew: 1006 (12x Command, 5x Bridge, 107x Engineering, 150x Gunnery, 496x FLT, 144x Mechanics, 4x Medical, 90x Service)
Staterooms: 361 Small Cabins: 0 Bunks: 0 Couches: 0 Low Berths: 0
Main Computer: Model/6fib Sensor Range: Extreme Long(Model/6) Comm. Range: Extreme Long (Model/6)
Cargo Space: 461.79dtons
Cost: Mcr10431.6 (new) excludes supplies and subcraft.
Atmospheric Speeds: NoE = 875kph Cruising = 2825kph Maximum = 3500kph
Other Equipment: Missile Magazine (x15), 1000 Missiles (20 Shots per bay). Fuel Scoops, Fuel Processor. Hangar for 30x 50dtn FTRs; Hangar for 400x 15dton FTRs, 3x 40dt Pinnaces (Not Included) 1x Launch tube for 50dt FTRs; 2x Launch Tube for 15dt FTRs. 1x Launch port each Pinnace.
TAS Form 3.1 (Condensed) Ship’s Data (Commercial)

Installed Components Tonnage Cost EP Notes
Hull (close) SL Box +30,000 Mcr1800 - -
Bridge controls -200 Mcr33 - -
Computer/fib -1.2 Mcr140.4 -5 Model/6
· Flt Avionics -2.0 (Mcr4.5) - Model/5
· Sensors -1.8 (Mcr 4.2) - Model/6
· Communications -1.2 (Mcr3) - Model/6
Jump Drive 3 -600 Mcr2400 -450 -
Jump Fuel -9000 - - -
Maneuver drive 3 -1200 Mcr600 -450 -
Power plant-D -1957 Mcr5871 +1957 -
Power plant Fuel -1957 - - -
Hard Points (x60) - Mcr0.6 - -
50dt Bay Msl (x14) -700 Mcr168 - -
3x Beam Laser (x30) -90 Mcr30 -30 TL-D (+1 USP)
3x Sandcasters (x30) -90 Mcr22.5 - TL-D (+2 USP)
Meson Screen-D (5) -150 Mcr250 -2 -
Nuclear Damper (3) -60 Mcr135 -90 -
Staterooms (12xCommand) -32 Mcr16 - single occupancy
Staterooms (178x Crew) -712 Mcr355 - double occupancy
Staterooms (272x FLT/Mech.)-1088 Mcr136 - “ “
Med Bay (x4) -32 Mcr20
Hangar (400x 15dt FTRs) -6600 - - -
Hangar (30x 50dt FTRs) -660 - - -
Hangar (3x 40dt Pinnaces) -132 - - -
Eng. Shops ( 7x Ftrs) -42 Mcr7
Eng Shop (5x ship) -30 Mcr5
Armor (7) -4200 Mcr1050 - -
Emergency Low berths -
Cargo -461.79 - -
Totals Mcr13039.5 singly (10431.6 with 20% discount)

Converted to T20 from TNE design by Antony of CoTI by Liam Devlin, CoTI.

 

[Liam Devlin]

Scorpion-class Fighter F-15-D, Solomani Navy

The 20ton Scorpion light fighter series is the commonest design in use for her size by the Solomani Confederation. The F14 Scorpion class of light fighter was at one time the most numerous light fighter used by the Solomani Confederation in the First Rim War. It was still in service in large numbers with second line Solomani forces up to the final collapse, and was used both as a subordinate craft on some larger starships, and as a planetary based fighter. The -C variant was the most numerous types, the earlier -A and -B variants having been upgraded to the -C model. The earlier versions mostly differed in the weaponry fitted.-Antony

Scorpion-class Fighter, Solomani Navy
Class: Smallcraft , F-20-D14C
EP Output: 3.6(1 excess)
Tech Level: 13
Single Fixed HP: Pulse laser, attack bonus +2 (+2USP) damage 2d10, range increment 45,000km.
Agility: 6 (+6 EP) Initiative: +6 (+6 agility)
Size: Small (15 tons)
Streamlining: Streamlined AF cylinder
AC: 21 (+6 agility, +1 size, + 4 Armor)
AR: 4
SI: 85
Jump Range: 0 Acceleration: 4-G
Fuel: 4 tons Duration: 4 weeks
Repulsors: 0 Nuclear Dampers: 0 Meson Screens: 0 Black Globes: 0
Crew: 1
Staterooms: 0 Small Cabins: 0 Bunks: 0 Couches: 1 Low Berths: 0
Main Computer: Model/3 Sensor Range: Medium (Model/1) Comm. Range: Medium (Model/1)
Cargo Space: 0.05 dtons
Cost: Mcr23.22 (new)
Atmospheric Speeds: NoE = 1475kphCruising = 4425kph Maximum = 5900kph
Other Equipment: 4x SL grapples for 4x 7dtn Bomb-pumped Laser Missiles (Attack bonus +5(+5USP),Damage 5d10+5d6, Range increment 90,000km. or 4x Recce/EW drone Missiles.
TAS Form 3.1 (Condensed) Ship’s Data (Commercial)

TL9 Design Specifications
Components Installed Size Cost EP Notes
15-ton streamlined AF cylinder +15 Mcr1.5 - -
Control surfaces -0.75 Mcr0.075 - -
Armor (4) -1.6 Mcr 2 - 0.4dtons/AR
Bridge Controls -0.3 Mcr0.1 - -
Model/3Computer -0.3 Mcr12.6 -1 EP Model/3
Flight Avionics -0.4 (Mcr0.9) - Model/1
Medium Range Sensors -0.9 (Mcr1.8) Model/3
Medium Range Communications -0.6 (Mcr1.5) - Model/3
4-G Acceleration -1.65 Mcr0.825 -0.6 EP -
TL-D Fusion Power Plant -3.6 Mcr10.8 +3.6 EP -
Fuel -3.6 - - -
1 Small Craft Couches -0.25 Mcr0.025 - -
1 Hard point - Mcr0.1 - -
Fixed Pulse Laser -1 Mcr1 -1EP -
Cargo - 0.05 - - -
Totals +0 Mcr 29.025(Mcr 23.22 with 20% standard design discount)


Armed Variants:
· Scorpion RF-20-D14D uses same 4G acceleration, +6Agility engines, but sacrifices armor for second seat, and second Model/3 computer. Cost: 41.65 Mcr/ 33.32 Mcr with discount. External fitting for 2x 7dtn missiles. The RF-20-D14-D Scorpion-class light fighter was designed at the same time as the F14C Scorpion class light fighter, with which it shares many components.

Note: Created by Antony, COTI for TNE; converted to T20 By Liam Devlin, CoTI.