is staffed by a five man crew. A pilot, gunner, commander, navigator, and communications officer. The pilot, gunner and navigator are housed in the forward area of the vessel, where external camera feeds provide the entire crew with a digital "cockpit" view via specially-equipped helmets to allow for fine maneuvering and enable dog fighting. Meanwhile the commander and communications officer are housed within the hull; itself an armoured, double-hull design engineered to provide (cramped) interior access to as many of the craft's systems as possible, while maintaining the maximum amount of armour value, robustness and redundancy for the purposes of facilitating damage control. Each crew member is trained in such a way that they are not only completely interchangeable between each other's roles, but (provided access to the necessary materials and equipment) are capable of carrying out a full repair, refit and overhaul of their craft. As part of the Valkyrie Defense Initiative, access to both the craft and the training associated with it were made available to anyone with the ability to pay for (and, in the case of the training, graduate from) it.
--- Ship Characteristics: - The only "true" Carrier in the civilian sector, in the respect that the ship's equipment is geared entirely around launching, recovering, processing and supporting ships smaller then itself to exclusion of nearly everything else. Using the BattleField Enterprises (or Big Friggin' Engine in the case of the DriveStar) Bulwark drive system and mounting two Active Sensor arrays to monitor for suspicious activity; the
Quaker-Class is perhaps best known in Earth space for the being the namesake of the excellent Quaker Four-Square Sensor Suite. Regarded most fondly for it's reliability, it became a saying (and eventually a marketing slogan) that, "A Quaker doesn't lie...".
It's Hangar Decks can support a variety of craft, but the
Quaker is really meant to handle a quartet of thousand ton ships; namely the
Lewis,
Clark, and (later on) the
Higgs Higgins Class vessels. The
Lewis-Class is a Survey Ship, the
Clark-Class is a Colony Ship, while the
Higgs Higgins is an LCL or Landing Craft (Light) used later on in the game for transporting away teams, typically for protecting other away teams, diplomats or envoys. I may make a diplomatic / ambassador ship at a later time if i choose to use this ship at some point in my game.
--- Ship Doctrine:
- Honestly, it's really just a base of operations. You can basically do anything that the Hangar Bay tonnage permits. Best not to take into battle though, I made the Ranger-Class for that. A fitting trait... considering it's namesake.
--- Description of Role:
- Jack-of-All Trades, and with enough tonnage allocated to it... a master of at least one. The Quaker-Class is meant to roll all the functions of Survey, Colony, and Troop Transport into one Class of ship. hence the "Utility Carrier" designation.
Kangaroo-Class Colony Carrier:
-------------------------------------
Kangaroo class Colony Carrier 12,800 tons 102 Crew 943 BP TCS 256 TH 250 EM 0
976 km/s Armour 2-48 Shields 0-0 Sensors 1/1/0/0 Damage Control Rating 1 PPV 0
Maint Life 4.56 Years MSP 1046 AFR 1310% IFR 18.2% 1YR 82 5YR 1224 Max Repair 15.625 MSP
Intended Deployment Time: 56 months Flight Crew Berths 33
Hangar Deck Capacity 2000 tons Cryogenic Berths 6000
StarTech Systems Model B (4) Power 62.5 Fuel Use 13.26% Signature 62.5 Exp 5%
Fuel Capacity 2,340,000 Litres Range 248.0 billion km (2941 days at full power)
Strike Group
4x Joey Colony Ship Speed: 1010 km/s Size: 9.9
This design is classed as a Military Vessel for maintenance purposes
--- Ship Characteristics:
- The Kanagroo-Class is quite similar to the Tortoise in respect to how it accomplishes it's intended function. Sporting four little Joey-Class colony boats, and using the same StarTech Model B engines as the Tortoise; the Kangaroo can reach out to distant worlds by sheer weight of Fuel, Speed, and Life Support... or more riskily by "hopping" the little Joeys across a three month voyage. The Joeys themselves are quite nicely accommodated, with roomy and comfortable berths to help dissuade cabin-fevered madmen from cannibalizing the poor colonist-flavored popsicles.
--- Ship Doctrine:
- Just send it to the world you want to colonize, deploy the little "Joeys", bring them back to get more colonists, rinse, lather and repeat until the Kangaroo is empty. Then RTB and do it all again.
--- Description of Role:
- It makes little settlements.
Trinity-Class Colony Carrier:
---------------------------------
Trinity class Colony Carrier 6,000 tons 79 Crew 614.75 BP TCS 120 TH 125 EM 0
1041 km/s Armour 1-29 Shields 0-0 Sensors 1/1/0/2 Damage Control Rating 2 PPV 0
Maint Life 5.14 Years MSP 1128 AFR 144% IFR 2% 1YR 71 5YR 1070 Max Repair 100 MSP
Intended Deployment Time: 60 months Flight Crew Berths 12
Hangar Deck Capacity 750 tons Cryogenic Berths 1200
StarTech Systems Model A (1) Power 125 Fuel Use 8.84% Signature 125 Exp 5%
Fuel Capacity 690,000 Litres Range 234.0 billion km (2601 days at full power)
Pioneer Consolidated Search System (1) GPS 1000 Range 5.0m km Resolution 100
Geological Survey Sensors (2) 2 Survey Points Per Hour
Strike Group
3x Longdark Colony Ship Speed: 3000 km/s Size: 5
This design is classed as a Military Vessel for maintenance purposes
--- Ship Characteristics:
- The Trinity-Class is just a smaller Kangaroo with three smaller "Joeys" and a Geosurvey Module.
--- Ship Doctrine:
- Use it like a Kangaroo with a Geosurvey Module, that is, while the Longdark-Class Colony Ships are doing their thing, you survey the planet in the meantime. One thing unique to the Trinity is the ability to survey a trio worlds and deploy Longdarks to each of them as you deem fit.
--- Description of Role:
- It's a one-eyed, three-horned, rock-finding people mover!
Colony Ships:
----------------
Caravan-Class Colony Ship:
--------------------------------
Caravan class Colony Ship 25,000 tons 211 Crew 1598 BP TCS 500 TH 350 EM 0
700 km/s Armour 5-76 Shields 0-0 Sensors 1/1/0/0 Damage Control Rating 28 PPV 4
Maint Life 4.24 Years MSP 4320 AFR 625% IFR 8.7% 1YR 386 5YR 5791 Max Repair 87.5 MSP
Intended Deployment Time: 48 months Flight Crew Berths 36
Hangar Deck Capacity 1000 tons Cargo 5000 Cryogenic Berths 20000 Cargo Handling Multiplier 5
BFE Drivestar (2) Power 175 Fuel Use 65% Signature 175 Exp 10%
Fuel Capacity 4,050,000 Litres Range 44.9 billion km (741 days at full power)
SecuriTech Civil Defense Laser 10cm (1) Range 30,000km TS: 1250 km/s Power 3-0.25 RM 1 ROF 60 3 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Valkyrie 2mm Gauss Nose-Turret (2x1) Range 10,000km TS: 10000 km/s Power 0-0 RM 1 ROF 5 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Fire Control S01 20-1250 (1) Max Range: 40,000 km TS: 1250 km/s 75 50 25 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Class-1 Military Reactor (1) Total Power Output 1 Armour 0 Exp 5%
InteliTech Farsight GS200-02 (1) GPS 4000 Range 14.1m km Resolution 200
Quaker Four Square Sensor Suite (1) GPS 2000 Range 10.0m km Resolution 100
Strike Group
2x Hare Survey Craft Speed: 1100 km/s Size: 10
This design is classed as a Military Vessel for maintenance purposes
--- Ship Characteristics:
- My preferred Colony Ship, the Caravan-Class is a robust and Role-Play friendly Colony Ship. The class exhibits good armour protection and features Damage Control apparatus to further defend both crew and colonist. Designed for a transit spanning up to two years, the Caravan-Class features more a more than nominal on-board sensors package optimized for detecting objects massing five to ten thousand tons. Armed with a single SecuriTech Civil Defense laser (10cm) supported by a pair of the same turrets found on Valkyrie-Class Interceptors for use on soft targets once the vessel is planet-side.(i.e. dangerous indigenous lifeforms, predatory flora and fauna, freaky alien space stuff, stuff I don't like, etc.) While it's Hangar Bay and Flight Crew Berths are optimized for a pair of Hare-Class Survey Ships with which to carry out Orbital Geological Surveys in support of the colony, the Caravan-Class can also accept one or more Canary-Class Scout Fighters or a complement of four Valkyrie-Class Interceptors for protection. The Caravan would go on to spawn a Freighter Variant.
--- Ship Doctrine:
- When you want to colonize a planet, load up the Caravan with your bright-eyed rocketeers, five-thousand tons of whatever you might want to help support them, and your choice of support craft. Then send it over to the planet you want to put the colony on. Dispatch your support vessels (if applicable), land, and deploy your colonists and your cargo. Take-off, RTB, lather, rinse and Repeat.
--- Description of Role:
- Colonize... ALL THE WORLDS!!!
Settler-Class Colony Ship:
----------------------------------
Settler class Colony Ship 3,500 tons 39 Crew 144.75 BP TCS 70 TH 125 EM 0
1785 km/s Armour 1-20 Shields 0-0 Sensors 1/1/0/0 Damage Control Rating 2 PPV 0
Maint Life 13.27 Years MSP 1052 AFR 49% IFR 0.7% 1YR 11 5YR 166 Max Repair 31.25 MSP
Intended Deployment Time: 12 months Spare Berths 0
Cryogenic Berths 1000
StarTech Systems Model A (1) Power 125 Fuel Use 8.84% Signature 125 Exp 5%
Fuel Capacity 100,000 Litres Range 58.2 billion km (377 days at full power)
This design is classed as a Military Vessel for maintenance purposes
--- Ship Characteristics:
- It's an Explorer-Class, except it colonizes things.
--- Ship Doctrine:
- Use it to colonize planets and junk. Works well in conjuction with the Explorer-Class.
--- Description of Role:
- SPEEDY SPEED BOI!
Joey-Class Colony Ship:
-----------------------------------
Joey class Colony Ship 495 tons 4 Crew 51 BP TCS 9.9 TH 10 EM 0
1010 km/s Armour 2-5 Shields 0-0 Sensors 1/1/0/0 Damage Control Rating 0 PPV 0
Maint Life 0 Years MSP 0 AFR 99% IFR 1.4% 1YR 3 5YR 47 Max Repair 5 MSP
Intended Deployment Time: 3 months Spare Berths 2
Cryogenic Berths 1000
StarTech Systems Model C (2) Power 5 Fuel Use 99% Signature 5 Exp 10%
Fuel Capacity 25,000 Litres Range 9.2 billion km (105 days at full power)
This design is classed as a Fighter for production, combat and maintenance purposes
--- Ship Characteristics:
- The Joey-Class Colony Ship is designed for use with the Kangaroo-Class Colony Carrier although it can be used effectively in conjunction with a Quaker-Class Utility Carrier as well. Containing a thousand Cryo-Trays, the Joey-Class can colonize worlds at a rate of ten-thousand people per trip when carried four at a time in a Kangaroo-Class Colony Carrier.
--- Ship Doctrine:
- Fossy about for a good planet, park yer 'roo in orbit and ferry down all them blokes and sheilas with ya little Joeys.
--- Description of Role:
- laughs in Australian
Longdark-Class Colony Ship:
-----------------------------
Longdark class Colony Ship 250 tons 3 Crew 27.5 BP TCS 5 TH 15 EM 0
3000 km/s Armour 1-3 Shields 0-0 Sensors 1/1/0/0 Damage Control Rating 0 PPV 0
Maint Life 0 Years MSP 0 AFR 50% IFR 0.7% 1YR 1 5YR 19 Max Repair 5 MSP
Intended Deployment Time: 1 months Spare Berths 2
Cryogenic Berths 200
StarTech Systems Model C (3) Power 5 Fuel Use 99% Signature 5 Exp 10%
Fuel Capacity 10,000 Litres Range 7.3 billion km (28 days at full power)
This design is classed as a Fighter for production, combat and maintenance purposes
--- Ship Characteristics:
- This is a Fighter-Sized Colony Ship designed for use with the Trinity-Class Colony Carrier. The Longdark-Class serves as a landing craft for the Colonists, and as a lifeboat later in the game. it features one month of life support, two spare berths worth of leg room for the crew, and nearly enough fuel for the whole trip. The Longdark is notoriously fast for a ship for it's cost tech level. As such, the Longdark would go on to serve as a premier Lifeboat long after it's usefulness as a Colony Ship waned, continuing to serve in the Imperialist Syndicate Navy and abroad for decades to come.
--- Ship Doctrine:
- Preferred doctrine is to pull into orbit of the planet you want to colonize in a Trinity-Class Colony Carrier, then begin your Geological Survey with the Trinity while your Longdarks head down to colonize. Alternatively, you can release the colonists roughly a month ahead of the attending Trinity(s) and either go back for more or catch up and conduct the survey when you're in orbit. It is also possible to use individual Longdarks to colonize a single world each, with the Trinity's capacity that would total to three worlds, after which you would perform the above.
--- Description of Role:
- Avoiding Graboids is good for your health. "Federal-Colonial Prospector's Guide"
Clark-Class Colony Ship:
----------------------------------
Clark class Colony Ship 1,000 tons 11 Crew 87 BP TCS 20 TH 10 EM 0
500 km/s Armour 2-8 Shields 0-0 Sensors 1/1/0/0 Damage Control Rating 1 PPV 0
Maint Life 18.14 Years MSP 54 AFR 8% IFR 0.1% 1YR 0 5YR 5 Max Repair 5 MSP
Intended Deployment Time: 6 months Spare Berths 0
Cryogenic Berths 2000
BFE Stalwart (1) Power 10 Fuel Use 16.97% Signature 10 Exp 5%
Fuel Capacity 50,000 Litres Range 53.0 billion km (1227 days at full power)
This design is classed as a Military Vessel for maintenance purposes
--- Ship Characteristics:
- A slower, smaller ship; the Lewis-Class is another Colony Ship. The ship has an absurd fuel and maintenance range, but is really only meant for half year deployments when operating without a tender. Designed for use with the Quaker-Class Utility Carrier (UCV) and to be used alongside the Lewis-Class Geosurvey Ship; the Clark-Class sports a respectable colonist capacity for a thousand tonner, and is just as serviceable (if not even more so) than it's sister ship.
--- Ship Doctrine: - While it was intended for use with the
Quaker-Class Utility Carrier, the
Clark is still a Colony Ship and as such it's roles is still to carry-out the colonization the of other worlds. It
IS better with an attending ship than without, however, and as such it is wise to pair it with
SOME method of mid-mission resupply.
--- Description of Role:
- "The Clark-Class... there and back again, guaranteed.*", Sales spin for the Clark-Class Colony Ship
Survey Ships:
----------------
Explorer-Class Survey Ship:
---------------------------------
Explorer class Survey Ship 3,500 tons 42 Crew 216.75 BP TCS 70 TH 125 EM 0
1785 km/s Armour 1-20 Shields 0-0 Sensors 1/1/0/1 Damage Control Rating 1 PPV 0
Maint Life 7.68 Years MSP 1039 AFR 98% IFR 1.4% 1YR 31 5YR 466 Max Repair 100 MSP
Intended Deployment Time: 12 months Spare Berths 1
StarTech Systems Model A (1) Power 125 Fuel Use 8.84% Signature 125 Exp 5%
Fuel Capacity 100,000 Litres Range 58.2 billion km (377 days at full power)
Geological Survey Sensors (1) 1 Survey Points Per Hour
This design is classed as a Military Vessel for maintenance purposes
--- Ship Characteristics:
- A modestly-sized Survey Ship, the Explorer-Class is nimble, robust and capable of operating for a full year away from any sufficient resupply point. The crew quarters are augmented by a set of eight additional berths for which to station Liaisons, Geologists, Overseers, Passengers, etc... or just to be littered with crew clutter and / or junk food, beer coolers, places to play canasta or whatnot. She's also a fast ship... not quite record-breaking Kessel Run material, but a fast ship.
--- Ship Doctrine:
- It conducts Geological Surveys during year-long deployments, and that's about it.
--- Description of Role:
- Find... ALL THE ORES!!!
Lewis-Class Geosurvey Ship:
----------------------------------
Lewis class Geosurvey Ship 1,000 tons 29 Crew 255 BP TCS 20 TH 10 EM 0
500 km/s Armour 1-8 Shields 0-0 Sensors 1/1/0/2 Damage Control Rating 1 PPV 0
Maint Life 8.03 Years MSP 159 AFR 8% IFR 0.1% 1YR 4 5YR 66 Max Repair 100 MSP
Intended Deployment Time: 6 months Spare Berths 1
BFE Stalwart (1) Power 10 Fuel Use 16.97% Signature 10 Exp 5%
Fuel Capacity 50,000 Litres Range 53.0 billion km (1227 days at full power)
Pioneer Consolidated Search System (1) GPS 1000 Range 5.0m km Resolution 100
Geological Survey Sensors (2) 2 Survey Points Per Hour
This design is classed as a Military Vessel for maintenance purposes
--- Ship Characteristics:
- A slower, smaller ship; the Lewis-Class is another Geosurvey Ship. The ship has an absurd fuel and maintenance range, but is really only meant for half year deployments when operating without a tender. Designed for use with the Quaker-Class Utility Carrier (UCV) and to be used alongside the Clark-Class Colony Ship; the Lewis-Class nevertheless is still serviceable as an independent vessel.
--- Ship Doctrine:
- While it was intended for use with the Quaker-Class Utility Carrier, the Lewis is still a Geosurvey Ship and as such it's roles is still to conduct Geological Surveys. It IS better with an attending ship than without, however, and as such it is wise to pair it with SOME method of mid-mission resupply.
--- Description of Role:
- "The Lewis-Class, obtaining Unobtanium or your money back*", Sales spin for the Lewis-Class Geosurvey Ship
Tortoise-Class Survey Vessel:
-----------------------------------
Tortoise class Survey Vessel 10,700 tons 87 Crew 796.5 BP TCS 214 TH 250 EM 0
1168 km/s Armour 4-43 Shields 0-0 Sensors 1/1/0/1 Damage Control Rating 2 PPV 0
Maint Life 4.29 Years MSP 1093 AFR 457% IFR 6.4% 1YR 95 5YR 1432 Max Repair 100 MSP
Intended Deployment Time: 56 months Flight Crew Berths 12
Hangar Deck Capacity 500 tons
StarTech Systems Model B (4) Power 62.5 Fuel Use 13.26% Signature 62.5 Exp 5%
Fuel Capacity 2,250,000 Litres Range 285.4 billion km (2828 days at full power)
Pioneer Consolidated Search System (1) GPS 1000 Range 5.0m km Resolution 100
Geological Survey Sensors (1) 1 Survey Points Per Hour
Strike Group
1x Hare Survey Craft Speed: 1100 km/s Size: 10
This design is classed as a Military Vessel for maintenance purposes
--- Ship Characteristics:
- My preferred Survey Ship, the Tortoise sports good armor and flexibility in the form of it's Hangar Bay. With a ten year deployment, and two and a quarter million liters worth of fuel, the Tortoise can operate far and wide across galaxy and provide plenty of gas for the little Hare-Class boat that acts as the "Survey" part of this ship. True to the Aesop fable as well, when it comes to the Tortoise and the Hare, the Tortoise is just a hair faster. Like the Caravan-Class, the Tortoise also boasts a Freighter Variant.
--- Ship Doctrine:
- Send the Tortoise to the place you want to survey, then dispatch the Hare to do the surveying.
--- Description of Role:
- It finds rocks and stuff.... With Style!
Hare-Class Survey Craft:
-----------------------------
Hare class Survey Craft 500 tons 12 Crew 122.5 BP TCS 10 TH 11 EM 0
1100 km/s Armour 1-5 Shields 0-0 Sensors 1/1/0/1 Damage Control Rating 0 PPV 0
Maint Life 0 Years MSP 0 AFR 100% IFR 1.4% 1YR 40 5YR 594 Max Repair 100 MSP
Intended Deployment Time: 3 months Spare Berths 1
StarTech Systems Model D (1) Power 11.25 Fuel Use 47.25% Signature 11.25 Exp 7%
Fuel Capacity 25,000 Litres Range 19.0 billion km (200 days at full power)
Geological Survey Sensors (1) 1 Survey Points Per Hour
This design is classed as a Fighter for production, combat and maintenance purposes
--- Ship Characteristics:
- While just a bit slower than it's fable-named mothership, nevertheless the Hare is still reasonably quick in it's own right. Sporting three months of provisions for it's crew and an extra berth for which to furnish a single single passenger; the Hare can allow for the inclusion of an overseer or liasion (i.e. a geologist, etc.)
--- Ship Doctrine:
- The preferred Survey Ship of Radagast the Brown, proper doctrine for the Hare is to pull up inside it's attending Tortoise and then deploy to conduct it's survey. When that is complete it either returns to it's tender to head to the next site, or if it is within an appropriate range, head off to the next site on it's own.
--- Description of Role:
- The Hare-Class Survey Craft is a Fighter-Sized Geological Surveyor, and as such is utilized to conduct Geological Surveys from orbit. Unfortunately, as the Hare-Class is completely unarmed and thinly skinned with armour; it is unable to fulfill the role of croaking toad. le sigh