Aurora 4x
C# Fiction => General C# Fiction => Topic started by: AlStar on May 04, 2020, 12:38:01 PM
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In the darkness, a single electronic eye blinked. A mote of metal, riding on a puff of nuclear flame, had violated the ancient boundaries. Systems that had laid dormant for millennia woke as power flowed into them. Powerful sensors reached out through millions of miles of the void, bringing the tiny ship into crystal-clear focus. An impassive command is called, and in answer two dozen missiles hurtle forth. In a blinding flash of light, the mote is gone.
* Time Passes *
The eye awakens again. Now three motes of metal approach, their course directly for the planet that the eye orbits in its eternal vigil. The ancient structure rumbles as missiles are loaded and fired, a single volley for each mote. Beams of coherent light reach out from the ships, grasping for the missiles that hurtle towards them. One, its programming slightly degraded by the eons of disuse, falls to the crude weapons - the rest do not. Nuclear fire tears into the ships, vaporizing metal and flesh. However, once the explosions have cleared, the motes remain. They are battered things, bleeding oxygen into the void. They turn around, attempting to flee from their fate, limping along at whatever speed their remaining engines can produce. A second volley of missiles is sent, and the ships stop their flight.
* Time Passes *
Six motes now violate the ancient borders. The aether around them boils with protective energy as they speed towards the Guardian. Missiles fly out through the void, their sleek forms promising death. Once again, the ships fight back, their beams of light firing more accurately now. Explosions pock the incoming swarm, and half a dozen are stopped short of their goal. The rest pounce upon their prey, swatting away the protective energies and digging deep into the metal beneath. The first volley fails to stop the intruders, as does the second, and even the third. The fourth, however, finds only broken metal and bodies floating in space.
* Time Passes *
Seven ships approach; three of the same type that had previously failed, four displaying the increased size and signature returns that signal more advanced shields and additional weaponry. Missiles fly and space boils with coherent light, metal slugs, and atomic fire. Armor buckles and breaks, engines explode. Three ships explode into wrecks, while two more stop dead in space, all engine activity dead. Only two ships remain on course, limping through space towards the planet. The artificial mind prepares to annihilate these final bastions of resistance... then stops, as error messages glow red in its mind - the magazines report only a single load of missiles remain. Desperate calls are made to the manufactory, to collier ships, to the armament pits... all return timeout errors. The Guardian is on its own.
The ships close to within mere tens of thousands of kilometres. The beams of light - so ineffectual against the missiles - burn through the protective plating of the Guardian, scoring deep hits and damaging internal systems. Sensing that the time is right, the final salvo belches forth at minimal range. The targeted intruder craft buckles under the annihilating fire, its systems go dark, and its puny biological crew dies.
However, one ship remains - and its weapons retain their bite. Salvo after salvo punch through armor. Distress signals go out, unheeded. The Guardian's electronic eye blinks, then shuts forever; its vigil over the world it was entrusted has ended.
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Ooooh. Could you share your ship specs and intel on the precursor artifact? very cool RP.
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Ooooh. Could you share your ship specs and intel on the precursor artifact? very cool RP.
Sure, if you like. The original fleet to get dusted was one of my survey ships:
Able Mk II class Exploration Ship 8,802 tons 191 Crew 945 BP TCS 176 TH 400 EM 0
2272 km/s Armour 3-37 Shields 0-0 HTK 49 Sensors 5/5/2/2 DCR 6 PPV 15
Maint Life 3.87 Years MSP 402 AFR 103% IFR 1.4% 1YR 42 5YR 636 Max Repair 100 MSP
Sheikh Control Rating 1 BRG
Intended Deployment Time: 48 months Morale Check Required
Massett Turbines Commercial Improved Nuclear Pulse Engine EP200.0 (2) Power 400 Fuel Use 6.19% Signature 200 Explosion 5%
Fuel Capacity 500,000 Litres Range 165.2 billion km (841 days at full power)
Styrrson Electronics 10cm C1 Visible Light Laser (5) Range 60,000km TS: 2,272 km/s Power 3-1 RM 20,000 km ROF 15
Styrrson Electronics Beam Fire Control R60-TS3750 (1) Max Range: 60,000 km TS: 3,750 km/s 78 62 47 31 16 0 0 0 0 0
Styrrson Electronics Pebble Bed Reactor R15-PB10 (1) Total Power Output 15.2 Exp 7%
Stigeus Warning & Control Active Search Sensor AS3-R1 (1) GPS 10 Range 4m km MCR 434.4k km Resolution 1
Hjallison-Kúsison Active Search Sensor AS18-R100 (1) GPS 1000 Range 18.5m km Resolution 100
Hjallison-Kúsison Thermal Sensor TH1.0-5 (1) Sensitivity 5 Detect Sig Strength 1000: 17.7m km
Hjallison-Kúsison EM Sensor EM1.0-5 (1) Sensitivity 5 Detect Sig Strength 1000: 17.7m km
Geological Survey Sensors (2) 2 Survey Points Per Hour
Gravitational Survey Sensors (2) 2 Survey Points Per Hour
This design is classed as a Military Vessel for maintenance purposes
The first encounter was against a trio of Barracudas:
Barracuda class Cruiser 11,286 tons 236 Crew 1,040 BP TCS 226 TH 938 EM 0
4153 km/s Armour 6-44 Shields 0-0 HTK 66 Sensors 5/5/0/0 DCR 9 PPV 25
Maint Life 4.17 Years MSP 518 AFR 113% IFR 1.6% 1YR 48 5YR 716 Max Repair 70.3125 MSP
Sheikh Control Rating 1 BRG
Intended Deployment Time: 18 months Morale Check Required
Nowicki Aeromarine Ion Drive EP187.50 (5) Power 937.5 Fuel Use 24.11% Signature 187.5 Explosion 7%
Fuel Capacity 1,000,000 Litres Range 66.1 billion km (184 days at full power)
Garst & Fang 15.0cm C1 Near Ultraviolet Laser (5) Range 60,000km TS: 4,153 km/s Power 6-1 RM 30,000 km ROF 30
Styrrson Electronics Beam Fire Control R60-TS3750 (1) Max Range: 60,000 km TS: 3,750 km/s 78 62 47 31 16 0 0 0 0 0
Florian Turbines Gas-Cooled Fast Reactor R6-PB20 (5) Total Power Output 30 Exp 10%
Hjallison-Kúsison Active Search Sensor AS18-R100 (1) GPS 1000 Range 18.5m km Resolution 100
Stigeus Warning & Control Active Search Sensor AS3-R1 (1) GPS 10 Range 4m km MCR 434.4k km Resolution 1
Hjallison-Kúsison Thermal Sensor TH1.0-5 (1) Sensitivity 5 Detect Sig Strength 1000: 17.7m km
Hjallison-Kúsison EM Sensor EM1.0-5 (1) Sensitivity 5 Detect Sig Strength 1000: 17.7m km
This design is classed as a Military Vessel for maintenance purposes
The second was against a half-dozen Barracuda Mk IIs (I actually misremembered while writing my story - I got them mixed up with the Mk IIIs, which have gauss batteries):
Barracuda Mk II class Cruiser 11,492 tons 262 Crew 1,117.2 BP TCS 230 TH 938 EM 450
4079 km/s Armour 6-45 Shields 15-450 HTK 72 Sensors 5/5/0/0 DCR 11 PPV 25
Maint Life 5.32 Years MSP 668 AFR 96% IFR 1.3% 1YR 39 5YR 592 Max Repair 70.3125 MSP
Sheikh Control Rating 1 BRG
Intended Deployment Time: 18 months Morale Check Required
Nowicki Aeromarine Ion Drive EP187.50 (5) Power 937.5 Fuel Use 24.11% Signature 187.5 Explosion 7%
Fuel Capacity 1,000,000 Litres Range 65 billion km (184 days at full power)
Jellinek Defence Beta S15 / R450 Shields (1) Recharge Time 450 seconds (0 per second)
Garst & Fang 15.0cm C1 Near Ultraviolet Laser (5) Range 80,000km TS: 4,079 km/s Power 6-1 RM 30,000 km ROF 30
Edge Electronics Beam Fire Control R80-TS6000 (1) Max Range: 80,000 km TS: 6,000 km/s 88 75 62 50 38 25 12 0 0 0
Florian Turbines Gas-Cooled Fast Reactor R6-PB20 (5) Total Power Output 30 Exp 10%
Hjallison-Kúsison Active Search Sensor AS18-R100 (1) GPS 1000 Range 18.5m km Resolution 100
Stigeus Warning & Control Active Search Sensor AS3-R1 (1) GPS 10 Range 4m km MCR 434.4k km Resolution 1
Hjallison-Kúsison Thermal Sensor TH1.0-5 (1) Sensitivity 5 Detect Sig Strength 1000: 17.7m km
Hjallison-Kúsison EM Sensor EM1.0-5 (1) Sensitivity 5 Detect Sig Strength 1000: 17.7m km
This design is classed as a Military Vessel for maintenance purposes
The Mk III is basically a Mk II with these bolted on:
Card Quad Klakkrson Armaments Gauss Cannon R200-33.00 Turret (5x12) Range 20,000km TS: 8000 km/s Power 0-0 RM 20,000 km ROF 5
Gaddison Beam Fire Control R20-TS8000 (1) Max Range: 20,000 km TS: 8,000 km/s 50 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
My intelligence window shows the Precursor base as 19,500 tons, with 4 layers of armor, and 22 size 6 missile launchers. The missiles themselves are nasty buggers that travel at 35,200 km/s, and are just this side of impossible to hit (lasers were getting an 8-10% chance to hit, while the gauss batteries were getting 4%).
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Oof! Sounds like a fun time all around.
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Updated the OP with the remainder of the story.