Consortium Paladin Class Battleship (Modified Protector):
With the invention of the graser as a shipboard capital ship mount,
The Consortium Armed Forces need a battleship class to carry the new weapon
systems. Various different ship classes were proposed but most designs
were very expensive and the Protector class battleship were not that old
a ship class to be decommissioned. The CAF decided to take the Protector
class and modify them to carry the new weapon systems. The Bureau of Ships
decided to use this opportunity and repair several problems with the ship
class at the same time. The end result is a ship that is better defended
and carries more fighters for ship defense. The ships mission and roles
remaining virtually identical. The first Protector class battleship that
was refitted was the CFS Paladin. The plan is to slowly refit all Protector
class battleships to the same configuration as the CFS Paladin.
The ships shield, armor, sensors, and propulsion systems remain unchanged.
To replace or upgrade the systems would have cost more that the Consortium
of Civilized Worlds wished to spend on their modified Battleships. In addition,
the shields are as good as any warship within the Three Galaxies. The Protector
is also one of the fastest large warships. Sensor systems have been upgraded
throughout these battleships' service and are as good as any systems within
normal service.
The most major changes are in the ships direct fire weapon systems.
The ship retains the same number of cruise and long range missile launchers
that the standard Protector battleship mounts. Point defense weaponry including
mini-missile launchers are increased in number.
The Primary and Secondary laser batteries have been replaced by graser
mounts. The heavy laser cannons have been replaced by Graser mounts as
well. Grasers are Gamma Radiation Lasers and these weapon systems are just
entering service in the Three Galaxies. The advantages of these weapons
are that they are more powerful and longer ranged than lasers of the same
mount class. The lasers are being sold to the Human Alliance to upgrade
their fleet.
Because of the occasional encounters with enemy ships that cannot be
effected by energy weapons, the ship carries a more powerful projectile
mount the ship carries eight heavy mass drivers instead of the four heavy
gravity rail guns. Unlike the gravity rail guns, the mass driver was designed
around firing a single large projectile which inflicts far greater damage
although rate of fire is limited to about four rounds every fifteen seconds.
Range is twice that of the rail gun that the gravity mounts replace. The
projectiles are guided through a tachyon guidance system and have a gravity
based maneuvering system.
While initial designed for a single heavy projectile, a special projectile
breaks into eight smaller projectiles. While they inflict less damage combined
than the single heavy round, these smaller projectiles are useful against
small targets such as fighters, power armors, and especially missiles.
The weapon increases the long range point defense of the battleship. In
addition, the smaller projectiles are extremely effective in planetary
bombardment roles.
Standard point defense batteries are retained although the number of
weapon systems are increased compared with a standard Protector class battleship.
The Paladin upgrade mounts has twenty four point defense particle beams,
twenty four point defense rail guns, and twenty point defense mini missile
launchers. There has been discussion of replacing the lighter point defense
rail guns with GR-1000 Rail Guns carried on the Scorpion light fighter.
Much of the volume for the increased weapon systems are from the decreasing
of marines and marine equipment. The ship only have about one third of
the marines and marine equipment carried on the original Protector class
battleship. While this has decreased the ability of the ship to make planetary
assaults, this increased the amount of ships space that could be devoted
to weapon systems. This has also increased the number of fighters the ship
could carry allowing the ship to be better defended against fighter attacks.
The Six Battleram Robots have been replaced by Proctor class heavy fighters
because of the greater abilities of the heavy fighter. There is some consideration
given towards doing this on Warshield class cruisers as well. The ship
retains the six "Star Ghost" Phase Ships (see Rifts Phase World, page 162)
but in most fighter classes, the number of fighters have been doubled.
Due to the increased weapon systems, the ships crew has been increased.
Ship design uses modified starship speeds and weapon ranges. See
Revised
Starship Rules for Phase World for more details
Model Type: SB-87E
Class: Strategic Combat Starship
Crew: 1,670 (70 officers and 1600 enlisted)
Troop Capacity: 1,000 Marines (Typically 250 stay on board for
ship defense), 120 fighter pilots, 96 silverhawk pilots, and can carry
up to 200 passengers in addition.
Vehicles:
Power Armors & Robots:
| 96 | Silver Hawk Power Armors |
| 120 | Ground Pounder Power Armors |
Fighter Compliment:
| 24 | SF-69 CAF Scorpion Star Interceptor |
| 24 | BIF-67 Katana Star fighters |
| 12 | SF-101 Black Eagle Star fighters |
| 12 | SF-101I Storm Eagle medium interceptor |
| 6 | Star Ghost Starfighters |
| 6 | CAF LRF-25 Proctor Long Range Star Fighters |
Assault Shuttles:
Tanks & Other Vehicles:
| 12 | Phalanx Main Battle Tanks |
| 20 | Maniple IFV |
M.D.C. by Location:
| 100 cm Main Graser Batteries (2 - Each has 2 cannons): | 6,000 each |
| 28 cm Secondary Graser Cannons (2): | 1,500 each |
| 15 cm Support Graser Cannons (8): | 1,000 each |
| Heavy Mass Drivers (8): | 1,200 each |
| Cruise Missile Batteries (4): | 1,000 each |
| Long-Range Missile Batteries (8): | 600 each |
| Gravity Auto-cannons (24): | 200 each |
| Particle Beam Cannons (24): | 150 each |
| Mini-Missile Launchers (20): | 100 each |
| Outer Hull Section (40 ft/12.2 m area): | 200 |
| Inner Hull Section (40 ft/12.2 m area): | 120 |
| [1] Main Bridge: | 60,000 |
| [1] Auxiliary Bridge: | 60,000 |
| [1] Flag Bridge: | 60,000 |
| [2] Main Body: | 250,000 |
| Hangar Bay: | 75,000 |
| [3] Main Engines (2, top and bottom of the rear 1 /3 of the ship): | 60,000 each |
| [4] Variable Force Fields: | 15,000 on each side (90,000 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 both an auxiliary
bridge and a flag bridge. Even if all three 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 battleship 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] Destroying the main engines eliminates F.T.L. systems and reduces
maximum sublight speed by half.
[4] Shields positions can be varied and all could be combined in one
shield. Shields regenerate at the rate of 5% (4,500 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 0.9 percent of light per melee.
Atmospheric Propulsion: Maximum speed is 350 mph (563 kph),
can enter an atmosphere and can leave but is not designed for atmospheric
flight
Star Drive: Gravitonic drive; maximum speed: 6 light years per
hour.
Range: Carries enough life support and supplies for two years
of uninterrupted travel. This could be stretched to four years in an emergency.
Typical patrol missions lasts six months to one year.
Statistical Data:
Height: 600 feet (183 meters)
Width: 800 feet (244 meters)
Length: 4,000 feet (1,220 meters)
Mass/Weight: 15 million tons (13.6 million metic tons) fully
loaded, plus up to 500,000 tons (453,600 metric tons) of additional cargo.
Power System: Anti-matter; average energy life is 50 years.
The ship normally only goes 10 years between refueling and refitting.
Cargo: Cargo Hold can hold up to 500,000 tons (453,600 metric
tons) of additional material. 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 modifications to the Protector class cost 10
billion credits. The standard Protector class battleship costs 20 billion
credits to construct. These ship are not for sale outside the Consortium
Armed Forces (The ship will not even be sold to CCW member worlds.)
Weapon Systems:
- Two (2) 100 cm Main Graser Batteries (4 Main Grasers Total):
Two 100 cm grazer cannons are in each battery (four guns total). Each battery
can fire at two different targets or combine both attacks in a devastating
double blast that will take out most ships. By firing combined blasts,
they can core a planetoid with a few shots. The weapon mounts have about
a 25% increase in both range and damage over standard laser cannons of
the same size. The weapon mounts are mounted in the forward area of the
ship and can be angled up to 120 degrees aft (can only fire one cannon
at a target at that angle but can spin to be able to bring both batteries
to bear) and can fire at a 30 degree angle up or down. 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
weapon.
Maximum Effective Range: 150,000 miles (241,000 km) in space
and 150 miles (241 km) in an atmosphere.
Mega-Damage: 3D6x1,000 for a single blast, or 6D6x1,000 for
a double blast (both guns in the battery engaging the same target).
Rate of Fire: Each cannon can fire up to two times per melee
round (Battleship has 4 cannons so ship can fire a total of 8 single shots
from the main battery
Payload: Effectively unlimited.
- Two (2) 28 cm Heavy Graser Cannons:
Grazer cannons use focused
gamma radiation and are very powerful. The weapon mounts have about a 25%
increase in both range and damage over standard laser cannons of the same
size. These mounts are slightly less powerful than the main battery but
are quite powerful and any ship caught in the cannons fire will regret
the situation very quickly. Like the main battery, these cannons are capable
of destroying frigates in one hit or quickly crippling heavier vessels.
The cannons are mounted in the sides of the ship. Batteries can be fired
up to 180 degrees toward the rear on either side (can only fire one cannon
at a target at that angle but can spin to be able to bring both batteries
to bear) and can fire at a 45 degree angle up or down. Weapon has standard
penalties to hit fighters and small targets for large starship weaponry.
The weapon system cannot be used to engage targets while traveling at FTL
velocities.
Maximum Effective Range: 125,000 miles (201,000 km) in space
and 125 miles (201 km) in an atmosphere.
Mega Damage: 2D4x1000 MDC each and both can be combined for
a total of 4D4x1000.
Rate of Fire: Maximum of Two (2) times per melee per cannon.
Payload: Effectively Unlimited.
- Eight (8) 15 cm Graser Cannons:
Grazer cannons use focused
gamma radiation and are very powerful. The weapon mounts have about a 25%
increase in both range and damage over standard laser cannons of the same
size. These cannons are the support battery of the ship and while quite
powerful, they do not have the incredible firepower of the main battery
except when fired together. Batteries can be fired up to 180 degrees toward
the rear on either side and can fire at a 90 degree angle up or down. Weapon
has standard penalties to hit fighters and small targets for a large starship
weaponry. The weapon system cannot be used to engage targets while traveling
at FTL velocities.
Maximum Effective Range: 20,000 miles (32,200 km) in space and
20 miles (32.2 km) in an atmosphere.
Mega Damage: 3D6x100 MDC each or two can be combined for a total
of 6D6x100.
Rate of Fire: Maximum of Two (2) times per melee per cannon.
Payload: Effectively Unlimited.
- Eight (8) 20 cm Heavy Mass Drivers:
This weapon replaced
the heavy G-Cannon turrets because the G-Cannons did not inflict enough
damage on targets and when ships are against other ships that had the spell
impervious to energy, the problem was a severe handicap. A new weapon system
was developed around the concept of firing a massive high density projectile
at a target at incredible velocity. The projectile masses around half a
ton and relies on pure kinetic energy instead of explosives.
The weapon system is not unguided but instead has limited maneuverability
using a low powered contra-grav system. Guidance is through a relatively
short range tachyon guidance system (Gives +3 to strike.) Because of the
low maneuverability of the projectile, it has standard penalties to hit
small targets such as fighters, power armors, and missiles. When projectile
reaches maximum range, it is no longer guided but can be used effectively
against unmoving targets in a similar manner to missiles (has same penalties.)
The projectile is slower than light speed and cannot be used effectively
when the starship is traveling at faster than the speeds of light.
In addition to a single heavy anti-starship projectile, the mass drive
can fire a larger projectile containing eight smaller kinetic kill projectiles.
Like the full scale projectile, each smaller projectile is guided and is
extremely effective against smaller target such as missiles, power armors,
and fighters. These smaller projectiles are extremely useful as addition
point defense against missiles. These projectiles are also guided by a
relatively short range tachyon guidance system (Gives +3 to strike.) Unlike
missiles, volleys of four or more of these projectiles can be dodged. So
that projectiles can be fired through an atmosphere, the main projectile
casing is fitted with a heat shield.
Each mass driver is mounted in a special turrets that are partially
recessed into the ships hull. The turrets have a limited firing arc. Each
has a 30 degree arc of fire. Four mounts are in the front of the ship and
two mounts are on the sides of the ship. The ship will make radical side
turns to allow the side launchers to fire forward if on a direct approach
to the target.
Maximum Effective Range: 20,000 miles (32,200 km) in space with
range of 40 miles (64.4 km) in an atmosphere.
Mega Damage: Standard Kinetic Projectiles: 2D6x100+200
MDC each (optional rule is that projectiles gets a critical on a natural
18, 19, or 20 due to its high penetration.) Sub-Caliber Kinetic Projectiles:
2D6x10 MDC per projectile (8 smaller projectiles per larger projectile
- optional rule is that projectiles gets a critical on a natural 18, 19,
or 20 due to its high penetration.)
Rate of Fire: Maximum of four per melee (Each larger projectile
when loaded with sub caliber kinetic projectiles has eight projectiles.)
Payload: 100 projectiles for each mass driver (800 total) -Usually
70 standard and 30 sub-caliber loaded projectiles per mass driver.
- Twenty Four (24) 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 weapons at a significant fraction of 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.
- Twenty Four (24) Point Defense Particle Beams:
These weapons
are used for anti-missile, anti-power armor, and anti-star fighter defense.
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.
- Four (4) Cruise Missile Batteries:
Missile has a top speed
of Mach 25 in an atmosphere and in space has an acceleration of 10% of
light per turn (far faster than any starship). Whether weapons can be shot
down is calculated from the speed of target, launching starship, and missile.
When drive goes dead, missile will still cruise unless preset to self destruct
or receives a destruct code 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.) See Modified starship rules for more details,
Cruise missiles have minuses to hit small targets but are all considered
smart missiles. This launcher is a standard CAF launcher. Batteries can
launch on multiple targets each at the same time.
Maximum Effective Range: Missile range is 8000 miles (12,875
km) in an atmosphere and 4,000,000 miles (6,437,376 km/ 21.5 light seconds)
in space
Mega-Damage & Properties: See
Phase World
Missiles for details (Anti-Matter inflicts 4D6x100 MDC).
Rate of Fire: One at a time or in volleys of 2, 8, 16, or 32
per launcher, per melee round, for a maximum of 128 missiles per melee.
Launchers are reloaded on the same melee and can be fired again on the
next.
Payload: 128 total, 32 cruise missiles per launcher. Ship has
20 reload of missiles (2560 cruise missile reloads total).
- Eight (8) 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: 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: 2560 total, 320 long range missiles per launcher.
- Twenty (20) 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) mini-missiles.
Payload: 128 per launcher for a total of 2,560 mini-missiles.
Cargo hold has an additional 2,560 mini-missile. Reloading launchers from
cargo hold takes 1D6 minutes.
Other Systems:
- Battlelink Main Control System: The Main Battlelink computer provides
the Paladin with the ability to share targeting data with other capital
ships in the area, which provides all ships participating in the link with
improved targeting solutions and hit chances, both for their point defense,
as well as their capital weapon systems. For more information regarding
the Battlelink, go to
Phase World Battle Link.
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Kevin Siembieda and Palladium Books Inc. ]
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By Kitsune (E-Mail Kitsune).
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