The Early Confederate Space Force (6.1)

[Anarade Relle (OP)]

Missile Destroyers, Generation I

The first combat Confederate trans-newtonian warship. Initially fielded as a measure of social control as elements in the regime were well aware of the potential of the threat of nuclear bombardment of the developing lunar and Martian colonies.

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Fah Shih class Destroyer    8,700 tons     131 Crew     697.06 BP      TCS 174  TH 200  EM 0
1149 km/s     Armour 4-37     Shields 0-0     Sensors 10/1/0/0     Damage Control Rating 2     PPV 16
Maint Life 1.62 Years     MSP 100    AFR 302%    IFR 4.2%    1YR 45    5YR 668    Max Repair 60 MSP
Intended Deployment Time: 12 months    Spare Berths 0    
Magazine 208    

NDS-2028 25 EP Nuclear Thruster (8)    Power 25    Fuel Use 85.5%    Signature 25    Exp 10%
Fuel Capacity 455,000 Litres    Range 11.0 billion km   (110 days at full power)

MIL-400 Missile Launcher (4)    Missile Size 4    Rate of Fire 60
MiGG SBM FC-2028 (1)     Range 76.4m km    Resolution 200

Model 29 Fleet Radar 50 (1)     GPS 12000     Range 50.9m km    Resolution 200
Thermal Sensor TH2-10 (1)     Sensitivity 10     Detect Sig Strength 1000:  10m km

This design is classed as a Military Vessel for maintenance purposes

The second Mark of the historic Fah Shih class the major improvements of this design was the usage of Duranium armor. Weight saved from the switch from pre-TN armor materials available allowed a significant increase of protection. Most importantly the replacement of the first generation thermal nuclear thrusters with modern nuclear pulse engines. Laid down only two years after production of the first two ships of the class the II mark became the "face" of the Confed Space Force. As with the first production one the Fah Shih's most glaring flaw, especially once serious war-gaming took place, was the disparity in the range of its missile armament and its electronics.

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Fah Shih II class Destroyer    8,700 tons     182 Crew     1126.1 BP      TCS 174  TH 480  EM 0
2758 km/s     Armour 6-37     Shields 0-0     Sensors 10/1/0/0     Damage Control Rating 3     PPV 24
Maint Life 3.07 Years     MSP 243    AFR 201%    IFR 2.8%    1YR 39    5YR 581    Max Repair 60 MSP
Intended Deployment Time: 12 months    Spare Berths 1    
Magazine 344    

NDS-2030 60EP Nuclear Pulse (8)    Power 60    Fuel Use 235.61%    Signature 60    Exp 15%
Fuel Capacity 895,000 Litres    Range 7.9 billion km   (32 days at full power)

MIL-400 Missile Launcher (6)    Missile Size 4    Rate of Fire 60
MiGG SBM FC-2028 (1)     Range 76.4m km    Resolution 200

Model 29 Fleet Radar 50 (1)     GPS 12000     Range 50.9m km    Resolution 200
Thermal Sensor TH2-10 (1)     Sensitivity 10     Detect Sig Strength 1000:  10m km

This design is classed as a Military Vessel for maintenance purposes

As part of the ongoing project to improve the availability of electronics for the Confederations warship arm the IIa run sports a improved Fire Control system to take advange of the theoritical range of the vulnerable P-433 Sepal.

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Fah Shih IIa class Destroyer    8,750 tons     183 Crew     1145.1 BP      TCS 175  TH 480  EM 0
2742 km/s     Armour 6-37     Shields 0-0     Sensors 10/1/0/0     Damage Control Rating 3     PPV 24
Maint Life 3.03 Years     MSP 245    AFR 204%    IFR 2.8%    1YR 40    5YR 600    Max Repair 60 MSP
Intended Deployment Time: 12 months    Spare Berths 0    
Magazine 344    

NDS-2030 60EP Nuclear Pulse (8)    Power 60    Fuel Use 235.61%    Signature 60    Exp 15%
Fuel Capacity 895,000 Litres    Range 7.8 billion km   (32 days at full power)

MIL-400 Missile Launcher (6)    Missile Size 4    Rate of Fire 60
MiGG SBM FC-2034 (1)     Range 162.9m km    Resolution 200
P-433 Sepal (86)  Speed: 12,000 km/s   End: 178.1m    Range: 128.2m km   WH: 7    Size: 4    TH: 40 / 24 / 12

Model 29 Fleet Radar 50 (1)     GPS 12000     Range 50.9m km    Resolution 200
Thermal Sensor TH2-10 (1)     Sensitivity 10     Detect Sig Strength 1000:  10m km

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

The Conquerer-class represents the latest in Confederate shipbuilding capability. Slightly bigger then the Fah Shih IIa the main changes between the two are the Conquerers enlarged magazine spaces, a Model 35 Fleet Radar 90 system and modestly enlarged fuel bunkerage. All older ships of the Fah Shih lineage are slotted to be refitted to the Conqueror standard.

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Conqueror I class Destroyer    8,900 tons     194 Crew     1235.32 BP      TCS 178  TH 480  EM 0
2696 km/s     Armour 6-38     Shields 0-0     Sensors 1/1/0/0     Damage Control Rating 3     PPV 28
Maint Life 2.82 Years     MSP 260    AFR 211%    IFR 2.9%    1YR 48    5YR 715    Max Repair 80 MSP
Intended Deployment Time: 12 months    Spare Berths 2    
Magazine 412    

MDS-2035 60EP Nuclear Pulse (8)    Power 60    Fuel Use 209.43%    Signature 60    Exp 15%
Fuel Capacity 1,030,000 Litres    Range 9.9 billion km   (42 days at full power)

MIL-400 Missile Launcher (7)    Missile Size 4    Rate of Fire 60
MiGG SBM FC-2034 (1)     Range 162.9m km    Resolution 200
P-433 Sepal (103)  Speed: 12,000 km/s   End: 178.1m    Range: 128.2m km   WH: 7    Size: 4    TH: 40 / 24 / 12

Model 35 Fleet Radar 90 (1)     GPS 16000     Range 90.5m km    Resolution 200
Cruisers, Generation I

Difficulties of developing a active sensor system within the size limits imposed by the Fah Shih led to the design and procurement of the Model 35 Area Search Radar 181 installation. Double the size of a Model 29 the Model 35 takes advantage of size years of development in EM emissions and active sensor technology. No thermal sensor arrays have been included thanks to the availability of the sensors on the Fah Shih class. The Achilles design team took advantage of the availability of a 12,700-ton slipway to increase the armor protection and missile armament of the basic Fah Shih design. Making a break from the operational design characteristics of the Fah Shih the Achilles is envisioned of a deployment time of up to a year and thus carries enough spares and has enough engineering spaces to meet that standard, with a reasonable safety overhead, but not needlessly exceed it. Envisioned as squadron leaders for the Fah Shih fleet only two cruisers have been constructed.

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Achilles class Missile Cruiser    12,700 tons     268 Crew     1680.02 BP      TCS 254  TH 720  EM 0
2834 km/s     Armour 7-48     Shields 0-0     Sensors 1/1/0/0     Damage Control Rating 3     PPV 40
Maint Life 1.53 Years     MSP 248    AFR 430%    IFR 6%    1YR 120    5YR 1806    Max Repair 160 MSP
Intended Deployment Time: 12 months    Spare Berths 0    
Magazine 424    

MDS-2035 60EP Nuclear Pulse (12)    Power 60    Fuel Use 209.43%    Signature 60    Exp 15%
Fuel Capacity 1,335,000 Litres    Range 9.0 billion km   (36 days at full power)

MIL-400 Missile Launcher (10)    Missile Size 4    Rate of Fire 60
MiGG SBM FC-2034 (1)     Range 162.9m km    Resolution 200
P-433 Sepal (106)  Speed: 12,000 km/s   End: 178.1m    Range: 128.2m km   WH: 7    Size: 4    TH: 40 / 24 / 12

Model 35 Area Search Radar 181 (1)     GPS 32000     Range 181.0m km    Resolution 200


Fleet Support

Perhaps the most important class of starships in Confed service. Thanks to the restrictions of range and fuel bunkerage in line ships. The Confed Military Staff envisions a large flotilla of such tankers supporting the battleline of Fah Shih destroyers and Achilles class cruisers on deployment. As the design has been in continuous production since the development of large-scale commercial nuclear pulse drives some eleven have been launched. The first examples of the class were instrumental in supporting the grav and geo survey of the Solar system by establishing fuel depots in the asteroid belt and on various outer system moons.

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Tanker-1 class Tanker    10,000 tons     70 Crew     596.5 BP      TCS 200  TH 500  EM 0
2500 km/s     Armour 1-41     Shields 0-0     Sensors 1/1/0/0     Damage Control Rating 1     PPV 0
MSP 37    Max Repair 25 MSP
Intended Deployment Time: 3 months    Spare Berths 2    

100 EP Commercial Nuclear Pulse Engine (5)    Power 100    Fuel Use 11.93%    Signature 100    Exp 5%
Fuel Capacity 3,130,000 Litres    Range 472.3 billion km   (2186 days at full power)

This design is classed as a Commercial Vessel for maintenance purposes

My conventional 6.1 start. Went in with a few guidelines for the Confederation. Firstly, if I didn't have scientist for a field I would avoid it beyond a basic amount of research investment. I didn't have a Sensor Expert for quite some time so between 2029 and 2035 the amount of research in that field was severely restricted. Secondly I would make early designs in according to what my power might reasonably come up with coming from a utter lack of practical TN combat experience. Just to make it interesting. Shipyards and slipways are pretty limited so my first anti-missile escorts are only in construction now (2040). They're also likely to be refitted upon launching now that I have a sensor expert to replace the rudimentary anti-missile sensors. Besides the anti-missile capability Confed plans for a dedicated command control ship with extensive thermal and EM sensors. Probably huge fuel tanks and a decent amount of armoured plate. Planned improvements in composite armor, missile reload, magazine and Ion drives should see the first Generation II designs by 2043-4 in order to supplement and then replace the first generation fleet.

In general the new focus on crew deployment and fuel efficiency/use has added some interesting new dynamics to early-game design. I found it incredibly easy to get a huge range on nuclear-pulse missiles, but on the other hand the in-character decision to use Resolution 200 sensors in order to make use of that range will probably (and gloriously) cause some troubles once they run into powers that use small ships. Perhaps a player controlled alien power making use of a very handy game feature that makes multiple powers much, much, easier to use.