With the construction of the new Independence class Battle Carrier, the CAF knew they would need assault carriers to carry troops for planetary assaults. The Admirals in the CAF did not want to invest large amounts of their budget into building new Assault Carriers either. Even as it authorized the construction of the new Battle Carriers, the Consortium government already was balking at the cost of the new vessels.

After weighing various options, the best option seemed to be converting Packmaster class carriers to planetary assault carriers. As soon as the first Independence class carrier was commissioned, the CFS Dire Wolf was placed in a shipyard to be rebuilt. It was decided to make as austere a conversion as possible so to reduce the cost of conversion and not cut into the budget for the Battle Carriers.

The original plan was to convert about half of the Packmaster class Carriers to the Assault Carrier role. The other half was planned to be replaced by Independence class Battle Carriers. The replaced ships would be placed in Mothball status and some of the Intrepid class carriers in Mothball status would most likely be scrapped. As planned, the program would require quite a few years and standard Packmaster carriers would still remain in service for a long period of time. Due to cost concerns, there is some doubt about the whole program.

In the assault carrier conversion, the carrier's hull is only slightly modified with decreasing the number of fighter bays and the increasing of troop areas. The carrier also retains the same shields as the original Packmaster class carrier. There was some discussion of increasing the armor of the carrier but the expenses involved would have put the conversion of these vessels over the planned budget. The Dire Wolf class is actually more fragile than the Human Alliance Intrepid class carrier.

Weapon systems received only relatively minor modification. The biggest change is that the two capital missile batteries are replaced by a pair of long range missile batteries. Even if not converted to assault carrier role, the navy leaders would like to replace the original capital missile batteries with long range missile batteries. The long range missile batteries are not quite as useful against larger warships ships but can still be used effectively against warships especially destroyers and frigates. They are more flexible than the capital missile launchers, able to engage fighters and missiles. The long range missile batteries are quite a bit smaller than the capital missile batteries that they replace.

It was decided that the heavy energy weapon battery of two 20 cm laser cannons as the carriers main energy weapon battery and four 12 cm laser cannons as the carriers secondary energy weapon battery would be retained. Part of this was simply due to cost but it was also seen that the energy battery is extremely useful for planetary bombardment and also useful at dissuading frigates and destroyers. Replacing the battery with Graser cannons, even though more powerful on an individual basis, was rejected due to cost. Point defense is also unmodified with twelve point defense particle beams, eight point defense rail guns, and twelve mini-missile launchers. As a second line of defense against missiles and fighters, they are extremely effective.

As an assault carrier, the Dire Wolf class assault carrier reduces the number of fighters carried by the carrier drastically and replaces them with ground assault vehicles. A compliment of around five hundred fighters are carried on the Packmaster carrier while the Dire Wolf only carries a fighter compliment of one hundred and twenty. The conversion also completely eliminates the embarked heavy fighters. Due to a shortage of Black Eagle fighters, some older Osprey class fighters are likely to fill the lack on new fighters. The elimination of much of the fighter compliment allowed the assault carrier to double the amount of ground assault forces embarked aboard the vessel. The Dire Wolf carries a total of 10,000 ground assault troops, compared to 5,000 for the Packmaster, including those that operate ground assault power armors. While embarked troops is doubled, the number of assault shuttles is only increased for fifty to sixty. Unless a base or planet is well defended, this assault carrier has the embarked forces to occupy the location.

Starship design uses modified starship speeds and weapon ranges. See Revised Starship Rules for Phase World for more details.

Model Type: LCS-700
Class: Strategic Carrier Ship.
Crew: 1,250 crew members (including officers).
Troop Capacity: Has 1,500 pilots and co-pilots, and carries 10,000 additional troops

Vehicles:
Power Armors & Robots:

	320	SH-CCW100 Silver Hawk Power Armors
	2,400	CAF-PA-10 Ground Pounder Power Armors
	200	CAF-AR-20 Bombard Infantry Robots
	30	BR-CCW2000 Battleram Robots

Fighter Compliment:

	60	SF-69 CAF Scorpion Star Interceptor
	30	BIF-67 Katana Star fighters
	30	SF-6 Osprey Starfighters or SF-101 Black Eagle Star fighters

Assault Shuttles:

60

SAS-12 CAF Assault Shuttles

Tanks & Other Vehicles:

	300	MBT-35 Phalanx Main Battle Tanks
	400	IFV-100 Maniple Infantry Fighting Vehicle

M.D.C. by Location:

	20 cm Main Laser Batteries (2):	1,200 each
	12 cm Secondary Laser Batteries (4):	800 each
	Long Range Missile Batteries (2):	800 each
	Gravity Auto-cannons (8):	200 each
	Particle Beam Turrets (12):	150 each
	Mini-Missile Launchers (12):	100 each
	Hangar Section (Lower 1/2 of the Ship):	60,000
	[1] Bridge:	15,000
	[1] Auxiliary Bridge:	15,000
	[2] Main Body:	80,000
	[3] Variable Force Field:	5,000 a side (30,000 Total)

Notes:
[1] In reality this is how much damage needs to be done for a weapon to hit the bridge through the ships armor. This ship also has an auxiliary bridge. Even if both bridges are taken out, the ship can still be piloted from engineering but ship is -3 to dodge and all weapon systems will be at local control. Weapon hits near the bridge that do not penetrate the ships integrity can injure crew members on or near the bridge.
[2] Depleting the M.D.C. of the main body will put the carrier out of commission. All internal systems will shut down, including life support and internal gravity. The ship itself will be an unsalvageable floating wreck.
[3] Shields positions can be varied and all could be combined in one shield. Shields regenerate at the rate of 5% (1,500 M.D.C.) per melee round.

Speed:
Driving on the Ground: Not Possible.
Sublight: Has a special sublight engine that allows the ship to travel up to 60 percent of the speed of light. Star Ship can accelerate/decelerate at the rate of 0.7 percent of light per melee.
Atmospheric Propulsion: Maximum speed is 200 mph (322 kph), can enter an atmosphere and can leave but is not designed for atmospheric flight
Stardrive: Uses a Gravitonic Drive system that allows the ship to reach a maximum of 4 lightyears per hour.
Maximum Range: Effectively Unlimited by either Drive system. Carries about one years worth of supplies on board, but can be stretched to two in an emergency.

Statistical Data:
Height: 1,000 feet (305 meters)
Width: 1,000 feet (305 meters)
Length: 5,253 feet (1,600 meters)
Mass/Weight: 50 million tons (45.4 Million Metric Tons) fully loaded, plus can carry an additional 5 million tons of cargo.
Power System: Anti-matter; average energy life of 50 years. The ship normally only goes 10 years between refueling and refitting.
Cargo: Cargo holds are scattered about the ship that allows for carrying up to 5 million tons (4.54 million metric tons) of cargo in addition to standard compliment of supplies and ammunition. Each enlisted crew member has a small locker for personal items and uniforms. Ships officers have more space for personal items. Most of the ships spaces are taken up by extra ammunition, armor, troops, weapons, engine, and other equipment.
Market Cost: The Assault Conversion cost 4 billion credits. The Packmaster class carrier costs 20 billion credits to construct. The ship is not for sale outside the Consortium. Cost does not include embarked craft.

Weapon Systems:

1. Two (2) 20 cm Heavy Laser Cannons: These cannons are used to engage any large ships, including destroyers and frigates, that come into range and when Packmaster engages in orbital bombardment. The Laser cannons can be combined together or each one used separately. The weapon system cannot be used to engage targets while traveling at FTL velocities. Weapon has standard penalties to hit fighters and small targets for a large energy battery.
   Maximum Effective Range: 100,000 miles ( 160,000 km) in space, or 100 miles (160 km) in an atmosphere.
   Mega-Damage: 1D4x1,000 per single blast or 2D4x1,000 per double blast.
   Rate of Fire: Two double blasts or two single blasts each (4 total per battery).
   Payload: Effectively unlimited.
2. Four (4) 12 cm Laser Cannons: These cannons are used to engage frigates or low altitude orbital bombardment. The four cannons are aimed in two separate directions; two cannons can engage the same target, but not all four. The weapon system cannot be used to engage targets while traveling at FTL velocities. Weapon has standard minuses to hit fighters and small targets. The barrels can be can be rotated 180 degrees in all directions.
   Maximum Effective Range: 16 miles (25.8 km) through atmosphere and 16,000 miles (25,800 km) in space.
   Mega Damage: 2D6x100 MDC each. Two laser cannons can be combined for 4D6x100 Mega Damage.
   Rate of Fire: Maximum of Two (2) times per melee each.
   Payload: Effectively Unlimited..
3. Eight (8) Point Defense Rail Guns: Used as an anti-Starfighter and missile weapon and against targets that are impervious to energy. Each Rail Gun is in a turret that can rotate 360 and has a 180 arc of fire. Projectiles come out of launchers at close to the speed of light. Cannon uses a 20 mm projectile. The weapon system cannot be used to engage targets while traveling at FTL velocities.
   Maximum Effective Range: 2 miles (3.2 km) through atmosphere and 200 miles (320 km) in space.
   Mega-Damage: 20 round burst does 2D4x10 M.D.
   Rate of Fire: Equal to the combined hand to hand attacks of the Gunner (usually 4 or 5).
   Payload: 10,000 Rounds (500 Bursts) each cannon.
4. Twelve (12) Point Defense Particle Beams: These weapons are used for anti-missile, anti-power armor, and anti-star fighter defense. Each Particle Beam is in a turret that can rotate 360 and has a 180 arc of fire. The weapon system cannot be used to engage targets while traveling at FTL velocities.
   Maximum Effective Range: 600 miles (960 km) in space and range is 6 miles (9.6 km) in atmosphere.
   Mega Damage: 3D6x10 MDC each.
   Rate of Fire: Equal to gunners hand to hand (Usually 4 or 5).
   Payload: Effectively Unlimited.
5. Two (2) Long Range Missile Batteries: Missile has a top speed of Mach 20 in an atmosphere and in space has an acceleration of 8% of light per turn (faster than any starship). 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 do not have minuses to hit small targets unlike cruise missiles and are all considered smart missiles. Batteries can launch on multiple targets each at the same time.
   Maximum Effective Range: Long Range Missile range is 3400 miles (5470 km) in an atmosphere and 1,800,000 miles (2,897,000 km/9.7 light seconds) in space.
   Mega-Damage & Properties: See Phase World Missiles for details (Fusion inflicts 2D4x100 MDC).
   Rate of Fire: One at a time or in volleys of 2, 8, 16, or 32 per launcher, per melee attack.
   Payload: 512 total, 256 long range missiles per battery. Ship has an additional 5,120 long range missile for fighter reloads but can be used for the ship as well.
6. Twelve (12) Mini-Missile Launchers: These are missile turrets used for point defense against enemy fighters and missiles. Missile has a top speed of Mach 10 in an atmosphere and in space has an acceleration of 2% of light per turn (slightly faster than any starship except if it is exceeding it maximum safe acceleration). Batteries can launch on multiple targets each at the same time.
   Maximum Effective Range: Mini Missile range is 2 miles (3.2 km) in an atmosphere and 100 miles (161 km) in space
   Mega-Damage: Varies with mini-missile type (See Phase World Missiles for details.)
   Rate of Fire: Can fire missiles one at a time or in volleys of four (4) or eight (8) missiles
   Payload: 128 per launcher for a total of 1,536 mini-missiles. Cargo hold has an additional 2,304 mini-missile. Reloading launchers from cargo hold takes 1D6 minutes.

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By Kitsune (E-Mail Kitsune).

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