Advice for a Navy

[dr125 (OP)]

Hello, I've been playing Aurora for a while now, but never posted here.   In my latest game, the Terran Empire has encountered the Prespoilers and another race, both of which are guarding fully habitable planets.   Intel is very limited on both, but the former appears to be very advanced (over 11k observed speed) while the latter (at least as of contact six years ago) is not ( 2 ships with a speed of 2600 and TH 440, the only ships observed, though it was by a survey ship with limited sensors.  ) I have resolved to take over the apparently less advanced race and then use that as a base for attacking the nearby system of spoilers.   However i am having trouble coming up with a good navy configuration.   I have to restrict the large ships to three types due to my shipyards.   I currently have a standardized fleet on the drawing board relying on detecting the enemy at long range, giving an overwhelming first strike and in the worst case having a strong beam defense roughly inspired bu the Soviets in Steve's campaign.   I don't like my lack of AMM's but I can't find a good way to stick them on.   Is there any advice you can give?

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Ark Royal class Strike Cruiser    15,000 tons     300 Crew     2600 BP      TCS 300  TH 2400  EM 0
8000 km/s     Armour 5-54     Shields 0-0     Sensors 1/1/0/0     Damage Control Rating 7     PPV 51
Maint Life 1.19 Years     MSP 758    AFR 257%    IFR 3.6%    1YR 551    5YR 8263    Max Repair 400 MSP
Intended Deployment Time: 3 months    Spare Berths 1   
Magazine 340   

TerraPower E-800 Main Drive (3)    Power 800    Fuel Use 35%    Signature 800    Exp 10%
Fuel Capacity 500,000 Litres    Range 17.1 billion km   (24 days at full power)

Mk. I ML/SU (68)    Missile Size 5    Hangar Reload 37.5 minutes    MF Reload 6.2 hours
Missile Fire Control FC239-R160 (4)     Range 239.0m km    Resolution 160
Missile Fire Control FC37-R16 (4)     Range 37.8m km    Resolution 16
MG-N-110 (68)  Speed: 25,600 km/s   End: 100.7m    Range: 154.7m km   WH: 5    Size: 5    TH: 204/122/61

ECCM-1 (4)         ECM 10

Missile to hit chances are vs targets moving at 3000 km/s, 5000 km/s and 10,000 km/s

This design is classed as a Military Vessel for maintenance purposes



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Invincible class Escort Cruiser    15,000 tons     406 Crew     2575 BP      TCS 300  TH 2400  EM 0
8000 km/s     Armour 4-54     Shields 0-0     Sensors 1/1/0/0     Damage Control Rating 9     PPV 65.12
Maint Life 1.56 Years     MSP 966    AFR 199%    IFR 2.8%    1YR 457    5YR 6850    Max Repair 400 MSP
Intended Deployment Time: 3 months    Spare Berths 3   

TerraPower E-800 Main Drive (3)    Power 800    Fuel Use 35%    Signature 800    Exp 10%
Fuel Capacity 500,000 Litres    Range 17.1 billion km   (24 days at full power)

15cm C3 Near Ultraviolet Laser (8)    Range 180,000km     TS: 8000 km/s     Power 6-3     RM 3    ROF 10        6 6 6 4 3 3 2 2 2 1
Twin Gauss Cannon R2-50 Turret (4x4)    Range 20,000km     TS: 16000 km/s     Power 0-0     RM 2    ROF 5        1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Fire Control S04 32-16000 (2)    Max Range: 64,000 km   TS: 16000 km/s     84 69 53 37 22 6 0 0 0 0
Fire Control S08 128-8000 (2)    Max Range: 256,000 km   TS: 8000 km/s     96 92 88 84 80 77 73 69 65 61
Stellarator Fusion Reactor Technology PB-1 (8)     Total Power Output 24    Armour 0    Exp 5%

ECM 10

This design is classed as a Military Vessel for maintenance purposes



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Illustrious class Command Ship    15,000 tons     337 Crew     2940 BP      TCS 300  TH 2400  EM 0
8000 km/s     Armour 10-54     Shields 0-0     Sensors 120/80/0/0     Damage Control Rating 9     PPV 0
Maint Life 1.5 Years     MSP 1103    AFR 199%    IFR 2.8%    1YR 553    5YR 8302    Max Repair 400 MSP
Intended Deployment Time: 3 months    Spare Berths 2   
Flag Bridge    Cryogenic Berths 1600   

TerraPower E-800 Main Drive (3)    Power 800    Fuel Use 35%    Signature 800    Exp 10%
Fuel Capacity 500,000 Litres    Range 17.1 billion km   (24 days at full power)

Active Search Sensor MR67-R16 (1)     GPS 3360     Range 67.2m km    Resolution 16
Active Search Sensor MR8-R1 (1)     GPS 105     Range 8.4m km    Resolution 1
Active Search Sensor MR198-R140 (1)     GPS 29400     Range 198.8m km    Resolution 140
Thermal Sensor TH15-120 (1)     Sensitivity 120     Detect Sig Strength 1000:  120m km
EM Detection Sensor EM10-80 (1)     Sensitivity 80     Detect Sig Strength 1000:  80m km

ECM 10

This design is classed as a Military Vessel for maintenance purposes
There will be only a one or two command ships before I retool the shipyard to build a jump escort for the fleet, though in the meantime jump gates are also an option.   

[Nightstar]

Well, a couple things pop out at me. 

Speed.  You still can't outrun spoilers, but you're way faster than the weaker race.  Even accounting for a few years of tech and military vs.  survey drives, it seems fast.  Plus, do you really need to dictate range? After your alpha strike goes off, you have no need to stay at range, unless you want to run away.  You have very impressive laser banks against anything trying to get in beam range. Seems okay on second thought.

Missile warhead.  It just seems really low to me.  Are you working with poor missile tech? You're probably better off switching most of your agility for warhead anyway.

Gauss turrets.  Gauss firerate 2? with only twice the tracking speed of your ships? If you're keeping that speed, I bet railguns would work better.  Two railguns plus reactor is 7 hs, 28 cost.  (and roughly equivalent to your dual turret) Crew requirements may be worse, but you could also downgrade your firecontrols to compensate.

AFR.  If you don't expect to lose this fleet in combat, the maintenance costs are going to be pretty high, even with regular overhauls.

Thinking it over, it looks pretty solid overall.  Against an enemy with a similar fleet size, alpha cuts it down enough for your point to handle missiles, and your beams finish them off.  If your alpha takes out less than half the enemy fleet, run away, get a reload, come back.

[Anarade Relle]

I suggest increasing the intended deployment time for these designs. It can wait until a refit through if you need and if the intended operation won't go over.

[dr125 (OP)]

The new and improved Invincible class, though i might exchange two lasers for railguns. 

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Invincible class Escort Cruiser    15,000 tons     423 Crew     2774 BP      TCS 300  TH 2400  EM 0
8000 km/s     Armour 5-54     Shields 0-0     Sensors 1/1/0/0     Damage Control Rating 6     PPV 50
Maint Life 0.98 Years     MSP 694    AFR 300%    IFR 4.2%    1YR 706    5YR 10594    Max Repair 400 MSP
Intended Deployment Time: 4 months    Spare Berths 2   

TerraPower E-800 Main Drive (3)    Power 800    Fuel Use 35%    Signature 800    Exp 10%
Fuel Capacity 500,000 Litres    Range 17.1 billion km   (24 days at full power)

15cm C3 Near Ultraviolet Laser (8)    Range 180,000km     TS: 8000 km/s     Power 6-3     RM 3    ROF 10        6 6 6 4 3 3 2 2 2 1
100mm Railgun MK. I (6x4)    Range 30,000km     TS: 8000 km/s     Power 3-3     RM 3    ROF 5        1 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Fire Control S08 128-8000 (4)    Max Range: 256,000 km   TS: 8000 km/s     96 92 88 84 80 77 73 69 65 61
Stellarator Fusion Reactor Technology PB-1 (14)     Total Power Output 42    Armour 0    Exp 5%

ECM 10

This design is classed as a Military Vessel for maintenance purposes

And the updates missiles for the Ark Royal, I haven't chosen between the 111 which has actives or the 112 without them but a larger warhead.

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Ark Royal class Strike Cruiser    15,000 tons     295 Crew     2597 BP      TCS 300  TH 2400  EM 0
8000 km/s     Armour 5-54     Shields 0-0     Sensors 1/1/0/0     Damage Control Rating 6     PPV 51
Maint Life 1 Years     MSP 649    AFR 300%    IFR 4.2%    1YR 647    5YR 9705    Max Repair 400 MSP
Intended Deployment Time: 4 months    Spare Berths 1   
Magazine 340   

TerraPower E-800 Main Drive (3)    Power 800    Fuel Use 35%    Signature 800    Exp 10%
Fuel Capacity 500,000 Litres    Range 17.1 billion km   (24 days at full power)

Mk. I ML/SU (68)    Missile Size 5    Hangar Reload 37.5 minutes    MF Reload 6.2 hours
Missile Fire Control FC239-R160 (4)     Range 239.0m km    Resolution 160
Missile Fire Control FC37-R16 (4)     Range 37.8m km    Resolution 16
MG-N-111 (1)  Speed: 25,600 km/s   End: 100.7m    Range: 154.7m km   WH: 7    Size: 5    TH: 111/66/33
MG-N-112 (1)  Speed: 25,600 km/s   End: 100.7m    Range: 154.7m km   WH: 9    Size: 5    TH: 119/71/35

ECCM-1 (4)         ECM 10

Missile to hit chances are vs targets moving at 3000 km/s, 5000 km/s and 10,000 km/s

This design is classed as a Military Vessel for maintenance purposes
[code]
I also slightly increased the deployment time for the Illustrious.  [/code]

[dgibso29]

Be aware, if you use the 111s, their actives will light off the moment they launch - Somewhat annoying if you are going for a stealthy attack (See: Steve's NATO campaign.)

[TheDeadlyShoe]

another option is to combine the ships.  at 15kt you largely lose the benefits of specialization; you could fit half beam and half missile armament on your ships quite easily.

pretty much personal choice though.