Commonwealth Ship Designs (4)

[Steve Walmsley (OP)]

Technology
Due to its trading and manufacturing background, the Commonwealth has concentrated on industrial technology with missiles being its primary weapons. No fighters have been developed and energy weapon technology is very limited.

Researched Racial Capabilities:
Construction Rate: 12 BP
Mining Production: 20 Tons
Research Rate: 320 RP
Shipbuilding Rate: 900 BP
Terraforming Rate: 0.0012 atm

Example Ship Designs (Freighters, etc are similar to those of the other powers)

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Agincourt class Destroyer Escort    5000 tons     516 Crew     783 BP      Signature 100-420
4200 km/s     Armour 1     Shields 10-225     Sensors 1/0/0/0     Damage Control 0-0
Replacement Parts 5    

Ion Engine (7)    Power 60    Engine Efficiency 0.70    Armour 0    Exp 5%
Fuel Capacity 100,000 Litres    Range 123.4 billion km   (340 days at full power)
Beta R225/11 Shields (7)   Total Fuel Cost  74 Litres per day

Single 10cm Laser Turret (6x1)    Range 48,000km     TS: 13400 km/s     Power 3-3     RM 3    ROF 5        3 3 3 2 0 0 0 0 0 0
Point Defence Fire Control (2)    Max Range: 48,000 km   TS: 12800 km/s     79 58 38 17 0 0 0 0 0 0
Gas-Cooled Fast Reactor (3)     Total Power Output 27    Armour 0    Exp 5%

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Illustrious class Escort Cruiser    10000 tons     1016 Crew     1584 BP      Signature 200-720
3600 km/s    JR 3-50     Armour 1     Shields 18-225     Sensors 9/6/0/0     Damage Control 0-0
Replacement Parts 5    

JX Jump Drive     Max Ship Size 10000 tons    Distance 50k km     Squadron Size 3
Ion Engine (12)    Power 60    Engine Efficiency 0.70    Armour 0    Exp 5%
Fuel Capacity 200,000 Litres    Range 123.4 billion km   (396 days at full power)
Beta R225/11 Shields (12)   Total Fuel Cost  126 Litres per day

Single 10cm Laser Turret (9x1)    Range 48,000km     TS: 13400 km/s     Power 3-3     RM 3    ROF 5        3 3 3 2 0 0 0 0 0 0
Point Defence Fire Control (2)    Max Range: 48,000 km   TS: 12800 km/s     79 58 38 17 0 0 0 0 0 0
Gas-Cooled Fast Reactor (4)     Total Power Output 36    Armour 0    Exp 5%

High Resolution Thermal Sensor HRT3-9 (1)     Strength 9     Detect Signature 100: 9m km
Gravitational Pulse Sensor GP3-6 (1)     Strength 6     Detect Size 100: 6m km
Grav Pulse Detection Sensor PD1-2 (1)     Strength 2     Detect Strength 10: 20m km

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Tribal class Missile Destroyer    5000 tons     578 Crew     819 BP      Signature 100-420
4200 km/s     Armour 1     Shields 9-225     Sensors 9/0/0/0     Damage Control 0-0
Magazine 600    Replacement Parts 5    

Ion Engine (7)    Power 60    Engine Efficiency 0.70    Armour 0    Exp 5%
Fuel Capacity 100,000 Litres    Range 123.4 billion km   (340 days at full power)
Beta R225/11 Shields (6)   Total Fuel Cost  63 Litres per day

S4/30 Missile Launcher (6)    Missile Size 4    Rate of Fire 30
R900 Missile Fire Control  (1)    Range: 900k km
Sabre Anti-Ship Missile (96)  Speed: 18,000 km/s   Endurance: 44 secs    Range: 792k km   Warhead: 3    Size: 4
Gladius Fast Anti-Ship Missile (30)  Speed: 24,000 km/s   Endurance: 16 secs    Range: 384k km   Warhead: 3    Size: 4
Longsword Anti-Fighter Missile (24)  Speed: 24,000 km/s   Endurance: 16 secs    Range: 384k km   Warhead: 1    Size: 4

High Resolution Thermal Sensor HRT3-9 (1)     Strength 9     Detect Signature 100: 9m km

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Tribal Chief class Destroyer Leader    5000 tons     508 Crew     736 BP      Signature 100-420
4200 km/s    JR 3-50     Armour 1     Shields 9-225     Sensors 9/0/0/0     Damage Control 0-0
Magazine 200    Replacement Parts 5    

J5000 Jump Drive     Max Ship Size 5000 tons    Distance 50k km     Squadron Size 3
Ion Engine (7)    Power 60    Engine Efficiency 0.70    Armour 0    Exp 5%
Fuel Capacity 100,000 Litres    Range 123.4 billion km   (340 days at full power)
Beta R225/11 Shields (6)   Total Fuel Cost  63 Litres per day

S2/15 Missile Launcher (5)    Missile Size 2    Rate of Fire 15
R900 Missile Fire Control  (1)    Range: 900k km
Dagger Point Defence Missile (80)  Speed: 24,000 km/s   Endurance: 33 secs    Range: 792k km   Warhead: 1    Size: 2
Bayonet Light Missile (20)  Speed: 12,000 km/s   Endurance: 66 secs    Range: 792k km   Warhead: 2    Size: 2

High Resolution Thermal Sensor HRT3-9 (1)     Strength 9     Detect Signature 100: 9m km
Grav Pulse Detection Sensor PD1-2 (1)     Strength 2     Detect Strength 10: 20m km

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Vanguard class Survey Cruiser    5000 tons     505 Crew     902 BP      Signature 100-420
4200 km/s    JR 3-50     Armour 1     Shields 0-0     Sensors 9/0/3/0     Damage Control 0-0
Replacement Parts 10    

J5000 Jump Drive     Max Ship Size 5000 tons    Distance 50k km     Squadron Size 3
Ion Engine (7)    Power 60    Engine Efficiency 0.70    Armour 0    Exp 5%
Fuel Capacity 300,000 Litres    Range 370.3 billion km   (1020 days at full power)

High Resolution Thermal Sensor HRT3-9 (1)     Strength 9     Detect Signature 100: 9m km
Grav Pulse Detection Sensor PD1-2 (1)     Strength 2     Detect Strength 10: 20m km
Gravitational Survey Sensors (3)   3 Survey Points

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Victory class Missile Cruiser    10000 tons     1236 Crew     1651 BP      Signature 200-720
3600 km/s     Armour 1     Shields 18-225     Sensors 9/0/0/0     Damage Control 0-0
Magazine 1600    Replacement Parts 10    

Ion Engine (12)    Power 60    Engine Efficiency 0.70    Armour 0    Exp 5%
Fuel Capacity 150,000 Litres    Range 92.6 billion km   (297 days at full power)
Beta R225/11 Shields (12)   Total Fuel Cost  126 Litres per day

S4/30 Missile Launcher (15)    Missile Size 4    Rate of Fire 30
R1200 Missile Fire Control (2)    Range: 1200k km
Sabre Anti-Ship Missile (240)  Speed: 18,000 km/s   Endurance: 44 secs    Range: 792k km   Warhead: 3    Size: 4
Gladius Fast Anti-Ship Missile (100)  Speed: 24,000 km/s   Endurance: 16 secs    Range: 384k km   Warhead: 3    Size: 4
Longsword Anti-Fighter Missile (60)  Speed: 24,000 km/s   Endurance: 16 secs    Range: 384k km   Warhead: 1    Size: 4

High Resolution Thermal Sensor HRT3-9 (1)     Strength 9     Detect Signature 100: 9m km
Grav Pulse Detection Sensor PD1-2 (1)     Strength 2     Detect Strength 10: 20m km

Starting Fleet
6x Agincourt class Destroyer Escort
6x Atlas class Freighter
6x Botany Bay class Colony Ship
2x Brunel class JGCS
5x Gaia class Terraformer
2x Illustrious class Escort Cruiser
3x Prospector class Science Vessel
2x Resolution class Jump Freighter
4x Tribal class Destroyer
2x Tribal Chief class Destroyer Leader
3x Vanguard class Survey Ship
4x Victory class Missile Cruiser

Steve

[Erik L]

No GeoSurvey ships?

Tribal and Tribal Leader have enough differences that targetting could be modified to take out the Leader class first, thus negating any JP escapes.

[Father Tim]

Agincourt DEs have no sensors, and 50% more power than needed for their weapons.  Maybe you should consider installing a smaller power plant and/or reducing the shields to fit in a few detectors.

[Steve Walmsley (OP)]

No GeoSurvey ships?

There are geo survey ships but I didn't include those ship designs that were similar to the designs of the US or Manchurians

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Prospector class Science Vessel    3750 tons     370 Crew     716 BP      Signature 75-300
4000 km/s    JR 3-50     Armour 1     Shields 0-0     Sensors 1/0/0/3     Damage Control 0-0
Replacement Parts 10    

J3750 Jump Drive     Max Ship Size 3750 tons    Distance 50k km     Squadron Size 3
Ion Engine (5)    Power 60    Engine Efficiency 0.70    Armour 0    Exp 5%
Fuel Capacity 100,000 Litres    Range 164.6 billion km   (476 days at full power)

Geological Survey Sensors (3)   3 Survey Points

Tribal and Tribal Leader have enough differences that targetting could be modified to take out the Leader class first, thus negating any JP escapes.

True, if they knew the Tribal Leader had a jump drive. Its going to be difficult to know which enemy ships have a particular ability until you see it in action.

Steve

[Steve Walmsley (OP)]

Agincourt DEs have no sensors, and 50% more power than needed for their weapons.  Maybe you should consider installing a smaller power plant and/or reducing the shields to fit in a few detectors.

It did originally have sensors but I ended up with the final design for two reasons. This ship is an escort so it isn't designed to operate independently and can therefore rely on the sensors of whatever it is escorting. Removing the sensors allowed me to include redundancy in fire control and power systems. This ship can lose a reactor and a fire control system without its fighting capability being affected. In Aurora, a lack of redundancy can result in a cheap 'mission kill' so I am trying to add redundancy where possible.

Steve

[Erik L]

Tribal and Tribal Leader have enough differences that targetting could be modified to take out the Leader class first, thus negating any JP escapes.

True, if they knew the Tribal Leader had a jump drive. Its going to be difficult to know which enemy ships have a particular ability until you see it in action.

Steve

Once they open fire, the recycle time on the missiles will give them away as a separate class.

[Steve Walmsley (OP)]

Tribal and Tribal Leader have enough differences that targetting could be modified to take out the Leader class first, thus negating any JP escapes.

True, if they knew the Tribal Leader had a jump drive. Its going to be difficult to know which enemy ships have a particular ability until you see it in action.

Once they open fire, the recycle time on the missiles will give them away as a separate class.

They will be identified as a separate class but that doesn't mean the enemy will know they are jump ships.

Steve

[Randy]

Steve wrote:

in response to Father Tim pointing out: Agincourt DEs have no sensors.


It did originally have sensors but I ended up with the final design for two reasons. This ship is an escort so it isn't designed to operate independently and can therefore rely on the sensors of whatever it is escorting. Removing the sensors allowed me to include redundancy in fire control and power systems. This ship can lose a reactor and a fire control system without its fighting capability being affected. In Aurora, a lack of redundancy can result in a cheap 'mission kill' so I am trying to add redundancy where possible.

But don't you need to be able to detect the target before you can fire on it?

(I assumed that each ship needed to be able to detect a target before they could lock on a fire control system...)

The flaw with this design is that it can never operate alone - not even in an emergency. Without any sensors, if on its own, it could never fire back. And if in a fleet, it looses the ship with sensors, it is dead meat - no matter how many fire controls or reactors it has...

 You've traded flexability and one vulnerability for lack of flexability and a different vulnerability. I'd have put in at least a minimal sensor so at least it could defend itself...

[Erik L]

Tribal and Tribal Leader have enough differences that targetting could be modified to take out the Leader class first, thus negating any JP escapes.

True, if they knew the Tribal Leader had a jump drive. Its going to be difficult to know which enemy ships have a particular ability until you see it in action.

Once they open fire, the recycle time on the missiles will give them away as a separate class.

They will be identified as a separate class but that doesn't mean the enemy will know they are jump ships.

Steve

Very true... But lighter fire usually indicates a command ship. Very tasty target.

[Steve Walmsley (OP)]

Very true... But lighter fire usually indicates a command ship. Very tasty target.

Or a freighter

Steve

[Erik L]

Very true... But lighter fire usually indicates a command ship. Very tasty target.

Or a freighter

Steve

Is there an actual viable freighter design for the same tonnage as the Tribal/Tribal Leader?

[Steve Walmsley (OP)]

But don't you need to be able to detect the target before you can fire on it?

(I assumed that each ship needed to be able to detect a target before they could lock on a fire control system...)

The flaw with this design is that it can never operate alone - not even in an emergency. Without any sensors, if on its own, it could never fire back. And if in a fleet, it looses the ship with sensors, it is dead meat - no matter how many fire controls or reactors it has...

 You've traded flexability and one vulnerability for lack of flexability and a different vulnerability. I'd have put in at least a minimal sensor so at least it could defend itself...

You can fire on any contact; you dont have to detect it yourself. Also, don't forget that all ships also have a minimum passive sensor strength of 1, whether they have any actual sensors or not. Try designing a ship with no sensors and you will see a 1 in the passive strength part of the design display, which for the Agincourt is therefore "Sensors 1/0/0/0". This won't detect anything at a great distance but it should be plenty for something within the Agincourt's limited targeting range, even if it was operating solo for some reason.

Steve