So I decided I needed some warships...

[caretsr (OP)]

And these are what I came up with.  Can anyone give me any advice/constructive criticism or spot any flaws or any improvements I could make.

First up: frigates.  these were designed to be lighter support craft that can operate independently or in small groups, or as support for my destroyers.

The missile frigate:

Wolf class Missile Frigate    5,000 tons     477 Crew     899 BP      TCS 100  TH 500  EM 240
5000 km/s     Armour 4-26     Shields 8-300     Sensors 11/11/0/0     Damage Control Rating 13     PPV 16
Maint Life 4. 82 Years     MSP 337    AFR 66%    IFR 0. 9%    1YR 24    5YR 358    Max Repair 70 MSP
Magazine 356   

Internal Confinement Fusion Drive E3 (5)    Power 100    Fuel Use 30%    Signature 100    Armour 0    Exp 5%
Fuel Capacity 270,000 Litres    Range 324. 0 billion km   (750 days at full power)
Delta R300/7. 5 Shields (3)   Total Fuel Cost  23 Litres per day

Size 4 Missile Launcher (4)    Missile Size 4    Rate of Fire 30
Missile Fire Control FC64-R100 (1)     Range 64. 7m km    Resolution 100
Fireburst MK2 Anti Ship Missile Size-4 (89)  Speed: 40,000 km/s   End: 31. 2m    Range: 75m km   WH: 4    Size: 4    TH: 280 / 168 / 84

Active Search Sensor MR77-R100 (1)     GPS 7000     Range 77. 0m km    Resolution 100
Thermal Sensor TH1-11 (1)     Sensitivity 11     Detect Sig Strength 1000:  11m km
EM Detection Sensor EM1-11 (1)     Sensitivity 11     Detect Sig Strength 1000:  11m km

ECCM-2 (1)         ECM 20

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


and the antimissile frigate, designed to support the above ships:

Winter class Frigate    5,000 tons     433 Crew     1019 BP      TCS 100  TH 500  EM 450
5000 km/s     Armour 4-26     Shields 15-300     Sensors 11/11/0/0     Damage Control Rating 13     PPV 8
Maint Life 4. 81 Years     MSP 446    AFR 57%    IFR 0. 8%    1YR 32    5YR 476    Max Repair 140 MSP
Magazine 348   

Internal Confinement Fusion Drive E3 (5)    Power 100    Fuel Use 30%    Signature 100    Armour 0    Exp 5%
Fuel Capacity 255,000 Litres    Range 306. 0 billion km   (708 days at full power)
Delta R300/7. 5 Shields (6)   Total Fuel Cost  45 Litres per day

Size 1 Counter-Missile Launcher (    Missile Size 1    Rate of Fire 10
Missile Fire Control FC14-R1 (2)     Range 14. 8m km    Resolution 1
Defender MK2 Counter-Missile (352)  Speed: 40,000 km/s   End: 0. 5m    Range: 1. 1m km   WH: 1    Size: 1    TH: 386 / 232 / 116

Active Search Sensor MR15-R1 (1)     GPS 140     Range 15. 4m km    Resolution 1
Thermal Sensor TH1-11 (1)     Sensitivity 11     Detect Sig Strength 1000:  11m km
EM Detection Sensor EM1-11 (1)     Sensitivity 11     Detect Sig Strength 1000:  11m km

ECCM-2 (1)         ECM 20

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



As well as these, I designed some destroyers, and a command/sensor ship


Mainline destroyer:

Warrior class Destroyer    10,000 tons     977 Crew     1745 BP      TCS 200  TH 1000  EM 750
5000 km/s     Armour 5-41     Shields 25-300     Sensors 11/11/0/0     Damage Control Rating 26     PPV 40
Maint Life 4. 75 Years     MSP 654    AFR 133%    IFR 1. 9%    1YR 48    5YR 714    Max Repair 70 MSP
Magazine 720   

Internal Confinement Fusion Drive E3 (10)    Power 100    Fuel Use 30%    Signature 100    Armour 0    Exp 5%
Fuel Capacity 520,000 Litres    Range 312. 0 billion km   (722 days at full power)
Delta R300/7. 5 Shields (10)   Total Fuel Cost  75 Litres per day

Size 4 Missile Launcher (10)    Missile Size 4    Rate of Fire 30
Missile Fire Control FC64-R100 (2)     Range 64. 7m km    Resolution 100
Fireburst MK2 Anti Ship Missile Size-4 (180)  Speed: 40,000 km/s   End: 31. 2m    Range: 75m km   WH: 4    Size: 4    TH: 280 / 168 / 84

Active Search Sensor MR77-R100 (1)     GPS 7000     Range 77. 0m km    Resolution 100
Thermal Sensor TH1-11 (1)     Sensitivity 11     Detect Sig Strength 1000:  11m km
EM Detection Sensor EM1-11 (1)     Sensitivity 11     Detect Sig Strength 1000:  11m km

ECCM-2 (1)         ECM 20

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


Antimissile Destroyer:

Sentinel class Destroyer Escort    10,000 tons     931 Crew     1975 BP      TCS 200  TH 1000  EM 660
5000 km/s     Armour 5-41     Shields 22-300     Sensors 11/11/0/0     Damage Control Rating 26     PPV 30
Maint Life 4. 42 Years     MSP 802    AFR 123%    IFR 1. 7%    1YR 66    5YR 995    Max Repair 140 MSP
Magazine 710   

Internal Confinement Fusion Drive E3 (10)    Power 100    Fuel Use 30%    Signature 100    Armour 0    Exp 5%
Fuel Capacity 520,000 Litres    Range 312. 0 billion km   (722 days at full power)
Delta R300/7. 5 Shields (9)   Total Fuel Cost  68 Litres per day

Size 1 Counter-Missile Launcher (30)    Missile Size 1    Rate of Fire 10
Missile Fire Control FC14-R1 (6)     Range 14. 8m km    Resolution 1
Defender MK2 Counter-Missile (710)  Speed: 40,000 km/s   End: 0. 5m    Range: 1. 1m km   WH: 1    Size: 1    TH: 386 / 232 / 116

Active Search Sensor MR15-R1 (1)     GPS 140     Range 15. 4m km    Resolution 1
Thermal Sensor TH1-11 (1)     Sensitivity 11     Detect Sig Strength 1000:  11m km
EM Detection Sensor EM1-11 (1)     Sensitivity 11     Detect Sig Strength 1000:  11m km

ECCM-2 (1)         ECM 20

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


And a beam based Antimissile destroyer:


Phalanx class Destroyer Escort    10,000 tons     736 Crew     1910 BP      TCS 200  TH 1000  EM 600
5000 km/s     Armour 6-41     Shields 20-300     Sensors 11/11/0/0     Damage Control Rating 28     PPV 65. 28
Maint Life 3. 65 Years     MSP 955    AFR 100%    IFR 1. 4%    1YR 111    5YR 1664    Max Repair 235 MSP
Magazine 85   

Internal Confinement Fusion Drive E3 (10)    Power 100    Fuel Use 30%    Signature 100    Armour 0    Exp 5%
Fuel Capacity 595,000 Litres    Range 357. 0 billion km   (826 days at full power)
Delta R300/7. 5 Shields (   Total Fuel Cost  60 Litres per day

Phalanx Quad Gauss Turret (2x16)    Range 20,000km     TS: 20000 km/s     Power 0-0     RM 2    ROF 5        1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Fire Control S02 16-16000 (2)    Max Range: 32,000 km   TS: 16000 km/s     69 37 6 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Defender MK2 Counter-Missile (85)  Speed: 40,000 km/s   End: 0. 5m    Range: 1. 1m km   WH: 1    Size: 1    TH: 386 / 232 / 116

Active Search Sensor MR15-R1 (1)     GPS 140     Range 15. 4m km    Resolution 1
Thermal Sensor TH1-11 (1)     Sensitivity 11     Detect Sig Strength 1000:  11m km
EM Detection Sensor EM1-11 (1)     Sensitivity 11     Detect Sig Strength 1000:  11m km

ECCM-2 (1)         ECM 20

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


Finally, my command/sensor ship:

Watchman class Command Ship    22,000 tons     1981 Crew     6425 BP      TCS 440  TH 2200  EM 750
5000 km/s     Armour 8-69     Shields 25-300     Sensors 550/550/0/0     Damage Control Rating 32     PPV 0
Maint Life 2. 45 Years     MSP 4016    AFR 176%    IFR 2. 4%    1YR 923    5YR 13851    Max Repair 1400 MSP
Flag Bridge   

Internal Confinement Fusion Drive E3 (22)    Power 100    Fuel Use 30%    Signature 100    Armour 0    Exp 5%
Fuel Capacity 1,100,000 Litres    Range 300. 0 billion km   (694 days at full power)
Delta R300/7. 5 Shields (10)   Total Fuel Cost  75 Litres per day

Active Search Sensor MR1540-R100 (1)     GPS 140000     Range 1,540. 0m km    Resolution 100
Active Search Sensor MR154-R1 (1)     GPS 1400     Range 154. 0m km    Resolution 1
Thermal Sensor TH50-550 (1)     Sensitivity 550     Detect Sig Strength 1000:  550m km
EM Detection Sensor EM50-550 (1)     Sensitivity 550     Detect Sig Strength 1000:  550m km

ECM 20

This design is classed as a Military Vessel for maintenance purposes


Now for all the notes on design strategy/deployment intention:

All ships are designed to be able to operate without support or sensor coverage from another ship, if necessary.
Hull sizes will be in nice multiples or 1000.
All ships are equipped with shields, even if they may not be that effective at this tech level, both for RP purposes and because shields, even weak one's, reduce repair.
All fleet ships should have the same speed.
Frigates are for use as cheap defensive ships, or as support ships.  they will mostly operate in small groups combining both frigate types.
Destroyers were intended to operate mostly with the support of a command ship, and with all three types of destroyers in a fleet.
The command ship is for;
A: The use of a flag bridge (by the way, could someone explain what this does.  I think it involves officers, but am otherwise unsure)
B: To serve as a long range sensor during battles (the other ships are intended to have sensors matching their engagement ranges where possible)
C: To serve as a target for enemy ships, hence the relatively thick armor and shields

Any advice would be appreciated (including unrelated advice, but mostly to do with these ships).  I want to iron out any major flaws before these start getting deployed.  Also, by where I'm at in the game (20 years in), is my tech advancing slowly or fast compared to most peoples'?

Thanks.

[Erik L]

First thing I'd do is improve your missile reload rate tech. Lots.

Flag bridges are used to put task force command structures in. You create a task force command and put officers in it, you can then put them on a flag bridge. They give their bonuses to the fleet the flag bridge is in.

[Hawkeye]

All ships look quite nice, so I only found a few nitpicks

Personally, I don´t bother with ECCM on beam escorts. I have never used and have never seen the AI use ECM on missiles, so I don´t consider this necessary.

Your maintenance life is on the generous side, but not excessively so, your range (fuel capacity) however is quite a bit. I´d probably half that.

I´d probably use the saved mass to up the armor/shield a bit, cause they are a little light in that departement.

[TheDeadlyShoe]

Personally, I don´t bother with ECCM on beam escorts. I have never used and have never seen the AI use ECM on missiles, so I don´t consider this necessary.

-->you need eccm if you intend to dual-role as a beam warship.

[Hawkeye]

-->you need eccm if you intend to dual-role as a beam warship.

Yes, but the gauss turrets are soooo short ranged, I can´t realy envision them in a anti-ship role.
Yes, against a lower tech (read slower) enemy, they possibly could be used, but I would consider having to use a dedicated beam(gauss)-PD plattform in an anti-shipping role an act of desperation. Now, if those would be 15cm laser turrets, things would be quite different.

[caretsr (OP)]

so after reading your comments, I halved the range on the destroyers, added at least one layer to the armor on each, and in some cases added an extra shield.  The command ship has had it's size increased to boost it's defensive abilities, and I designed two new destroyers for close-range beam work.  I left the frigates as they were.

New command ship:

Watchman class Command Ship    25,000 tons     2128 Crew     7034 BP      TCS 500  TH 2500  EM 1500
5000 km/s     Armour 12-76     Shields 50-300     Sensors 550/550/0/0     Damage Control Rating 38     PPV 0
Maint Life 2. 87 Years     MSP 4924    AFR 178%    IFR 2. 5%    1YR 879    5YR 13192    Max Repair 1400 MSP
Flag Bridge   

Internal Confinement Fusion Drive E3 (25)    Power 100    Fuel Use 30%    Signature 100    Armour 0    Exp 5%
Fuel Capacity 750,000 Litres    Range 180. 0 billion km   (416 days at full power)
Delta R300/7. 5 Shields (20)   Total Fuel Cost  150 Litres per day

Active Search Sensor MR1540-R100 (1)     GPS 140000     Range 1,540. 0m km    Resolution 100
Active Search Sensor MR154-R1 (1)     GPS 1400     Range 154. 0m km    Resolution 1
Thermal Sensor TH50-550 (1)     Sensitivity 550     Detect Sig Strength 1000:  550m km
EM Detection Sensor EM50-550 (1)     Sensitivity 550     Detect Sig Strength 1000:  550m km

ECM 20

This design is classed as a Military Vessel for maintenance purposes

My new beam assault ship:

Cavalier class Destroyer    10,000 tons     1061 Crew     2048. 5 BP      TCS 200  TH 2000  EM 750
10000 km/s     Armour 5-41     Shields 25-300     Sensors 11/11/0/0     Damage Control Rating 15     PPV 30
Maint Life 3. 8 Years     MSP 640    AFR 160%    IFR 2. 2%    1YR 69    5YR 1042    Max Repair 154 MSP

Internal Confinement Fusion Drive E3 (20)    Power 100    Fuel Use 30%    Signature 100    Armour 0    Exp 5%
Fuel Capacity 275,000 Litres    Range 165. 0 billion km   (190 days at full power)
Delta R300/7. 5 Shields (10)   Total Fuel Cost  75 Litres per day

20cm C4 Near Ultraviolet Laser (5)    Range 256,000km     TS: 10000 km/s     Power 10-4     RM 3    ROF 15        10 10 10 7 5 5 4 3 3 3
Laser Fire Control S08 128-8000 (1)    Max Range: 256,000 km   TS: 8000 km/s     96 92 88 84 80 77 73 69 65 61
Magnetic Confinement Fusion Reactor Technology PB-1 (1)     Total Power Output 20    Armour 0    Exp 5%

Active Search Sensor MR77-R100 (1)     GPS 7000     Range 77. 0m km    Resolution 100
Thermal Sensor TH1-11 (1)     Sensitivity 11     Detect Sig Strength 1000:  11m km
EM Detection Sensor EM1-11 (1)     Sensitivity 11     Detect Sig Strength 1000:  11m km

ECCM-2 (1)         ECM 20

This design is classed as a Military Vessel for maintenance purposes


And it's escort, made by modifying the Phalanx

Gunslinger class Destroyer Escort    10,000 tons     807 Crew     2013. 5 BP      TCS 200  TH 2000  EM 750
10000 km/s     Armour 6-41     Shields 25-300     Sensors 11/11/0/0     Damage Control Rating 14     PPV 32. 64
Maint Life 2. 08 Years     MSP 503    AFR 200%    IFR 2. 8%    1YR 156    5YR 2334    Max Repair 235 MSP

Internal Confinement Fusion Drive E3 (20)    Power 100    Fuel Use 30%    Signature 100    Armour 0    Exp 5%
Fuel Capacity 310,000 Litres    Range 186. 0 billion km   (215 days at full power)
Delta R300/7. 5 Shields (10)   Total Fuel Cost  75 Litres per day

Phalanx Quad Gauss Turret (1x16)    Range 20,000km     TS: 20000 km/s     Power 0-0     RM 2    ROF 5        1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Fire Control S02 16-16000 (1)    Max Range: 32,000 km   TS: 16000 km/s     69 37 6 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Active Search Sensor MR15-R1 (1)     GPS 140     Range 15. 4m km    Resolution 1
Thermal Sensor TH1-11 (1)     Sensitivity 11     Detect Sig Strength 1000:  11m km
EM Detection Sensor EM1-11 (1)     Sensitivity 11     Detect Sig Strength 1000:  11m km

ECCM-2 (1)         ECM 20

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



I'll also focus on boosting missile reload tech until I reach a decent value (6? so AMM launchers can fire every 5 seconds) before I design the next generation of warships.
Also, a question mostly unrelated to ships, but I'll put it here anyway, because it is partially related, and it's only one question: if you have enough scientists to literally have one researching everything (too many military academies), with one lab each, is it better to do that or to only have a few researching in each area, with more labs?

[Hawkeye]

As scientists increase their bonus a lot faster when they are actively researching, I usually have one in each field with a single lab. This one acts as a backup, in case the leading scientist in that field buys it.
The leading scientist gets as many labs as possible to do the actual research.