LOL, thats what I get for trying to post while the wife is hassling me... half of it gets missed.
To answer the question of design intent, lets call it an exam piece... the part I am finding difficult is matching the sensors, fire control, ranges, tracking speeds and weapons together into a cohesive "weapon", hence so many differing systems crammed into one hull. Add in the fact that engines changed drastically and I now have to re-learn that part as well.
We can call it a flat fail because I forgot to put power plants in (DOH!)
Have reduced mission length to 2.5 years, that has freed enough space for 2 reactors, so the guns now work.
The other intention of the design is that it is a starting stop gap; on turn zero yard space is extremely limited so until more yards can be built allowing simultaneous construction of more classes, I need to be frugal with the amount of designs or spend too much time re-tooling. If I go specialised right off the bat then I leave a dangerous gap. Something (even if extremely weak) has to be better than nothing.
I have already had to use SM mode to give myself a 2500 slipway for a GSV that MUST be naval, so, from a 4000, 6000 and 9000 space yard left, I need the 9000 to be for jump ships so I can ferry any military vessel. The 4000 I will use for a scout/missile boat as the sensors needed to get a missile target out to full run may as well be on the ship firing them. The 9000 will possibly be an escort carrier
That makes the multi role in question an escort while in fleet actions adding to overall PD, able to be detached for JP defence where the beams come into play or as a platform to upgrade from (yes, the shields are naff but can be upgraded into something better later). other than that, its at least a platform in place that can be replaced later when I have more yards and resource.
The other intent had indeed been as a basis for upgrade; if its not installed then its more of an effort to add later, yes? The other assumption is that as other components like armour and engines get upgraded, that will free up mass to be able to put large installations in of other types (launcher and magazine for example). Or did i get that wrong too?
Hope that explains the thinking behind it.
Now, to address each item in turn.
Fighter engine is slow... ok, the new engines are causing me trouble and it has a knock on effect to missiles (i'll get to that). saying that, the Tribal is 2000 and the fighter is over twice that speed... I had enough trouble getting engines small and powerfull enough to get it to that speed. saying that, I have sorted smaller FC and dropped armour that has freed enough mass to get me up to just under 5K... is that still to slow?
Fighter sensors... have played about, and have come up with this:
Venom class Fighter 460 tons 12 Crew 66.4 BP TCS 9.2 TH 30 EM 0
4347 km/s Armour 1-5 Shields 0-0 Sensors 1/1/0/0 Damage Control Rating 0 PPV 1
Maint Life 0 Years MSP 0 AFR 92% IFR 1.3% 1YR 6 5YR 97 Max Repair 22 MSP
Intended Deployment Time: 1 months Spare Berths 3
10 EP Nuclear Pulse Engine (4) Power 10 Fuel Use 138.35% Signature 7.5 Exp 12%
Fuel Capacity 10,000 Litres Range 2.8 billion km (7 days at full power)
Gauss Cannon R2-17 (1x2) Range 20,000km TS: 4347 km/s Accuracy Modifier 17% RM 2 ROF 5 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Gauss Fire Control S01 24-1250 (FTR) (1) Max Range: 48,000 km TS: 5000 km/s 79 58 38 17 0 0 0 0 0 0
Active Search Sensor MR3-R10 (FTR) (1) GPS 216 Range 3.4m km Resolution 10
This design is classed as a Fighter for production, combat and maintenance purposesSame speed as the original config Vampire, so could I slot one of those into a squadron of 6 and gain independent search for only a small drop in firepower?
main ship issues.
shields, I knew they were naff, installed as a placeholder for better ones when I research them and to maybe catch a leaker or blunt a beam. I'll call it an investment
engines, will go and re-work. I guess my question is do you now design and research large class specific engines (with all the added time penalties) rather than smaller generic modules? Have done so on this one, but in an initial draft of a new design it seems a good trick to build initially with 10EPs to get the tonnage right then do the big engines.
mismatch of turret tracking, will go and sort... might free up some mass for something else like it did on the fighter?
missiles. I'm happy that I got my FC in line with active search, so that's fine. I could increase the FC to take advantage of active ping from the missile scouts?
as far as actual missile ordnance goes, I had enough problems getting it go over 2000, which wouldn't be able to overhaul jack in a stern chase. Have gone back (now I know its possible) and have had another go... its getting easier. I even manages to work out how to offset fuel capacity to drop the range in line with FC and give it some wiggle to improve the hit chance.
with regard to a single launcher, if it is eventually destined to become a light DDE then the single launcher will either add to an existing salvo or be used for AMM. I had never envisaged it working solo, so a squadron of 3 is 3 launchers and mutual PD. I accept a size 2 launcher and low ammo is pants, but it was always due for upgrade. Have managed to rejig things, and I'm far happier with the results.
So, exam resit now I've given my expectations and taken some advice.
here goes...
Tribal class Cruiser 6,000 tons 147 Crew 851.48 BP TCS 120 TH 180 EM 60
2000 km/s Armour 3-29 Shields 2-450 Sensors 15/15/0/0 Damage Control Rating 2 PPV 14.71
Maint Life 2.1 Years MSP 177 AFR 144% IFR 2% 1YR 54 5YR 806 Max Repair 75 MSP
Intended Deployment Time: 30 months Spare Berths 1
Magazine 31
120 EP Intercooled Nuclear Pulse Engine (2) Power 120 Fuel Use 68% Signature 90 Exp 10%
Fuel Capacity 500,000 Litres Range 22.1 billion km (127 days at full power)
Beta R450/288 Shields (1) Total Fuel Cost 12 Litres per hour (288 per day)
15cm C3 Near Ultraviolet Laser (1) Range 180,000km TS: 3000 km/s Power 6-3 RM 3 ROF 10 6 6 6 4 3 3 2 2 2 1
Proposed Twin 10cm C3 Near Ultraviolet Laser Turret (1x2) Range 90,000km TS: 12000 km/s Power 6-6 RM 3 ROF 5 3 3 3 2 1 1 1 1 1 0
CIWS-120 MK1 (1x4) Range 1000 km TS: 12000 km/s ROF 5 Base 50% To Hit
Fire Control S04 96-3000 (1) Max Range: 192,000 km TS: 3000 km/s 95 90 84 79 74 69 64 58 53 48
Fire Control S04 24-12000 (1) Max Range: 48,000 km TS: 12000 km/s 79 58 38 17 0 0 0 0 0 0
Gas-Cooled Fast Reactor Technology PB-1.05 (2) Total Power Output 9.45 Armour 0 Exp 7%
Size 3 Missile Launcher (1) Missile Size 3 Rate of Fire 90
Missile Fire Control FC22-R40 (1) Range 22.7m km Resolution 40
Size 3 Mjolnir Anti-ship Missile (9) Speed: 10,000 km/s End: 111.2m Range: 66.7m km WH: 2 Size: 3 TH: 43/26/13
Size 1 Aegis Anti-missile Missile (4) Speed: 8,000 km/s End: 50.7m Range: 24.3m km WH: 1 Size: 1 TH: 29/17/8
Active Search Sensor MR3-R1 (1) GPS 60 Range 3.0m km Resolution 1
Active Search Sensor MR24-R100 (1) GPS 4800 Range 24.0m km Resolution 100
Thermal Sensor TH3-15 (1) Sensitivity 15 Detect Sig Strength 1000: 15m km
EM Detection Sensor EM3-15 (1) Sensitivity 15 Detect Sig Strength 1000: 15m km
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 purposeshow is it now?