The Scimitar class patrol vessel is an excellently constructed ship but the reality is that, for the thousands of Scimitars on active duty, these ships are not really the preferred escort for most battle groups and in a missile battle commonly become in real trouble. Ships such as the Trans-Galactic Empire Berserker class attack vessel can overwhelm the Scimitar with capital missile volleys. Often admirals preferred the Hunter as an escort because its medium range missiles were able to give at least some area coverage. As well, cruisers will often be assigned roles which a patrol vessel would be better served.

Prior to the decision to convert a number of standard Scimitar patrol vessels, there was already a minesweeper version armed similar to how the conversion of the Scimitar was planned. In a few cases these minesweepers were used quite successfully as escorts. Originally it was planned to built a new escort class would be build and various designs were considered but with the idea of converting Scimitar class being converted, this has dropped in priority.

Several contractors are trying to fight the upgrade of these vessels because the development of a new escort class promises vast revenues. Senior fleet officers have been fighting for the upgrade but government representative are feeling the pressure from the companies and the refits have been delayed. The Admirals realizing that these upgrade need to be done have come up with a cleaver subterfuge. The Scimitar class patrol vessels get listed as damaged and need of repair while the reality is that they are being refitted to the new configuration.

Instead of using civilian yards, the work is being completed in military shipyards. There are only a fraction of the number of military yards compared to civilian yards and as a result, the time period required to refit the patrol ships will be far longer than they wished but at least some can get refitted. These refits allow a number of the cruisers assigned to escort duties to be reassigned from such duties. Because the modified patrol vessels are designed to fight at long range such as a long bow.

The Long Bow'a hull, shields, and propulsion are unmodified from a standard Scimitar but due to weapon changes, the computers and sensors systems needed to be modified. The main modifications is in the patrol vessel's weapon systems. The two 12 cm heavy laser cannons have been retained although the eventual plan is to replace the lasers with grasers. However, both of the heavy 8 cm G-Cannons have been removed. In their place, two long range missile batteries have been added. To make room for the missiles for the batteries, two of the fighters were also eliminated as well as most of the cargo space. While the missiles can be used against other ships, the primary purpose of the batteries is for anti-missile defense of the patrol ship and to protect other ships as well. The point defense battery of four particle beams and eight mini-missile batteries are retained. The long range missile batteries require a slightly larger crew. At the same time, the number of marines is reduced. Much of the extra berthing of the Scimitar is eliminated.

As stated previously, the Shark class minesweeper actually pre-dates the Long Bow class even though the two designs are extremely similar. The main difference between the Shark Minesweeper and the Long Bow Patrol Ship is that the two 12 cm heavy laser cannons. Instead the minesweeper carries a powerful directional sensor which combines radar, neutrino sensors, gravitic sensors, and tachyon based sensors.

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

Model Type:	SFFG-22	Long Bow class Patrol Ship
	MSF-20A	Shark class Minesweeper

Vehicle Type: Frigate Combat Ship or Minesweeper
Crew: Long Bow: 116 (12 Officers and 104 Enlisted), Shark Minesweeper: 135 (18 Officers and 117 Enlisted)
Troops:
Long Bow: 80 (8 fighter pilots & crew, 10 silverhawk pilots, 12 ground pounder pilots, and 60 standard marines)
Shark Minesweeper: 18 (8 fighter pilots & crew and 10 silverhawk pilots)

Vehicle, Robots, and Power Armors:
Power Armors:

	12	SH-CCW100 Silver Hawk Power Armors
	10	CAF-PA-10 Ground Pounder Power Armors

Fighter Compliment:

4

SF-69 CAF Scorpion Star Interceptor

M.D.C. By Location:

	12 cm Heavy Laser Cannons (2 - Long Bow only):	800 each
	Sensor Suite (Replaces main battery on Shark Minesweeper):	1,000
	Point Defense Particle Beam Cannons (4):	150 each
	Long Range Missile Batteries (2):	600 each
	Mini Missile Launchers (8):	100 each
	Fighter Hanger Bay Door	500
	[1] Main Engines (2)	1,200 each
	[2] Bridge:	2,000
	[3] Main Body:	5,000
	[4] Variable Force Field:	1,000 a side (6,000 Total)

Notes:
[1] Destroying the main engines means that ship F.T.L. propulsion systems are destroyed and maximum sublight speed is reduced by half.
[2] In reality this is how much damage needs to be done for a weapon to hit the bridge through the ships armor. This ship does not have an auxiliary bridge. Even if the bridges is destroyed, 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.
[3] Depleting the M.D.C. of the main body will put the destroyer out of commission. All internal systems will shut down, including life support and internal gravity. The ship itself will be an unsalvageable floating wreck.
[4] Shields positions can be varied and all could be combined in one shield. Shields regenerate at the rate of 5% (300 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 0.8 percent of light per melee.
Atmospheric Propulsion: Maximum speed is Mach 2, 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 5 lightyears per hour.
Maximum Range: Effectively Unlimited by either Drive system. Carries about one year worth of supplies on board and has a small hydroponic section.

Statistical Data:
Length: 500 feet (152 meters).
Height: 80 feet (24.4 meters).
Width: 140 feet (42.6 meters).
Weight: 12,500 tons (11,339.8 metric tons)
Power System: Anti-Matter with a 50 year life span. The ship normally only goes 10 years between refueling and refitting.
Cargo: Small cargo hold that can carry up to 400 ton (360 metric tons) of cargo not including standard compliment of supplies and ammunition. Hold is 20 x 20 x 40 feet in dimensions (6.1 x 6.1 x 12.2 meter). 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: 450 million for a Long Bow with new weapon systems. The Black Market or the Kreeghor would offer several times it's value for an undamaged completely working ship. Minesweeper version costs 520 Million credits. Cost does not include embarked craft.

WEAPON SYSTEMS:

1. Two (2) 12 cm Heavy Laser Cannons: 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. Up to two may be fired as one volley. Replaced by sensor suite on Shark Minesweeper.
   Maximum Effective Range: 16 miles (25.8 km) through atmosphere and 16,000 miles (25,800 km) in space.
   Mega Damage: 2D6x100 MDC each. Both laser cannons can be combined for 4D6x100 Mega Damage.
   Rate of Fire: Maximum of Two (2) times per melee each.
   Payload: Effectively Unlimited.
2. Four (4) 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.
3. 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 Missile Tables 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.
4. Eight (8) 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 Missile Tables 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 1,024 mini-missiles. Cargo hold has an additional 2,048 mini-missile. Reloading launchers from cargo hold takes 1D6 minutes.

Sensor System of Note for Minesweeper:

• High Powered Mine Hunting Sensor System (Shark Minsweeper): Replaces 12 cm lasers on Shark Minesweeper. This system includes radar, neutrino sensors, gravitic sensors, and tachyon based sensors. This is an active sensor system with a range of 1,550,000 miles (2,500,000 km / 8.34 light seconds) and covers a 15 degree radius cone. As stated, the system is an active system and is easily detected but gives a bonus or +20% to read sensory rolls to detect targets and a +4 on weapon systems when aiming at targets with the cone. Targets that are invisible but the invisibility is not specific to gravity sensors will also be detected. The other ships sensors are at civilian level except the ships close range fire control sensors.

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By Kitsune (E-Mail Kitsune).

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