Early Jump Point Defense

[Omnivore (OP)]

I've gotten hammered early on a couple of game tries with nearby enemies and way too little military capability to counter them.    So after reading a number of posts on this forum, I came up with a fairly cheap tech-wise defense (hopefully!) centered around this missile:

Sprint II short range active homing missile

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Missile Size: 2 MSP  (0.1 HS)     Warhead: 4    Armour: 0     Manoeuvre Rating: 11
Speed: 10500 km/s    Engine Endurance: 16 minutes   Range: 10.0m km
Active Sensor Strength: 0.1758   Sensitivity Modifier: 60%
Resolution: 90    Maximum Range vs 4500 ton object (or larger): 100,000 km
Cost Per Missile: 1.5641
Chance to Hit: 1k km/s 115.5%   3k km/s 33%   5k km/s 23.1%   10k km/s 11.5%
Materials Required:    1x Tritanium   0.1053x Boronide   0.1758x Uridium   0.283x Gallicite   Fuel x47.5

Development Cost for Project: 156RP

I'm using it in two ways, first with a minimally sized mine variant as follows. 

Blackjack II Drift Torpedo

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Missile Size: 3 MSP  (0.15 HS)     Warhead: 0    Armour: 0     Manoeuvre Rating: 10
Speed: 0 km/s    Engine Endurance: 1 minutes   Range: 0.0m km
Thermal Sensor Strength: 0.2367    Detect Sig Strength 1000:  236,700 km
Cost Per Missile: 1.9424
Second Stage: Sprint II x1
Second Stage Separation Range: 100,000 km
Overall Endurance: 17 minutes   Overall Range: 9.6m km
Chance to Hit: 1k km/s 0%   3k km/s 0%   5k km/s 0%   10k km/s 0%
Materials Required:    1x Tritanium   0.2469x Boronide   0.4125x Uridium   0.283x Gallicite   Fuel x50.5

Development Cost for Project: 194RP

The second employment of the Sprint II takes advantage of something I wasn't making any early use of in previous games, 'fighter' designs and their independence from the shipyard limitations.   

Essex class Jump Point Defence Base

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500 tons     14 Crew     60.4 BP      TCS 10  TH 6  EM 0
600 km/s     Armour 1-5     Shields 0-0     Sensors 1/1/0/0     Damage Control Rating 0     PPV 5
Maint Life 32.66 Years     MSP 38    AFR 4%    IFR 0.1%    1YR 0    5YR 1    Max Repair 6 MSP
Intended Deployment Time: 223 months    Spare Berths 0    
Magazine 20    

6 EP Ion Drive (1)    Power 6    Fuel Use 15.75%    Signature 6    Exp 5%
Fuel Capacity 10,000 Litres    Range 22.9 billion km   (440 days at full power)

Hotshot Launcher (10)    Missile Size 2    Rate of Fire 6000
Missile Fire Control FC2-R90 (1)     Range 2.0m km    Resolution 90
Sprint II (10)  Speed: 10,500 km/s   End: 15.9m    Range: 10m km   WH: 4    Size: 2    TH: 38 / 23 / 11

Active Search Sensor MR1-R90 (1)     GPS 216     Range 1.4m km    Resolution 90
Thermal Sensor TH0.2-1 (1)     Sensitivity 1     Detect Sig Strength 1000:  1m km
EM Detection Sensor EM0.2-1.2 (1)     Sensitivity 1.2     Detect Sig Strength 1000:  1.2m 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 Fighter for production, combat and maintenance purposes

I couldn't afford the research points to get the entire way to box launchers but that turns out to be an advantage (I think) since I should be able to resupply the Essex groups with a collier in place.    I'm also planning to augment the Essex's poor sensor capabilities with a variant including the biggest sensor suite I can fit into 500 tons.    I'd welcome any comments or suggested improvements, thanks  

[metalax]

As you are already going to be mounting a decent sensor on another sattelite to be deployed alongside, I'd consider stripping the Essex entirely of sensors and cutting the maintainance life/deployment down to 10 years, using the saved space to cram on a few more launchers.

Still, it's a good design, fairly similar to how I get my initial defence up from a conventional start.

[Conscript Gary]

Ooh, that's clever. Maybe take out the engine entirely since jump points don't move. You'll have to manufacture a carrier to deploy them in, but with such a small design every bit of space counts.

As for the sensors, your missiles already have active sensors on them and again the static nature of defense means you can use waypoints to direct them if you encounter squadron jumps. So, offloading sensors is definitely something to consider, maybe forgoing actives at all.

[ThatBlondeGuy]

I actually really like this idea, and it's something I haven't done before, instead of using a carrier to drop off the jump defense stations couldn't you use a tug and a tractor beam - although i've never tried to tug a fighter before so it may not be possible - this should give you a bit more space/tonnage and perhaps even let you get some more guns on that platform.

[Omnivore (OP)]

Thanks for the suggestions 

The Essex class is meant to be the 'first wave' early jump point defense after, and with, mines.   That is why they have engines so that they can self deploy without needing boat bay or tractor beam RP.   After getting either or both techs, dropping engine is a great improvement though!  A similar idea is behind the sensors, the first few Essex will be all alone out there until the supporting designs get built.   After the dedicated sensor platforms are in place dropping the sensors off the next version of the Essex makes sense.

I've also been looking at improving the mines, going to a size 6 buoy with a pair of Sprint II's and a bigger on board passive sensor.   The size 6 mine would use the same launcher as a size 6 early warning sensor buoy to be deployed on the other side of the jump point.   I'm a bit worried that the thermal sensor on the Blackjack II might be too weak.

As far as carrier vs tug, early on a jump capable 'jeep' (ultralight) carrier is much cheaper on RP (1000 for boat bay) and can be built on the early shipyards without much (if any) expansion.   This greatly improves the mobility of the defense at a pretty modest cost.   The problem then becomes more one of logistics, needing either (or both) forward outpost colonies and jump capable colliers.

Using tractor beam tugs seems to me to be more a later game idea, especially when your shipyard capacity grows enough that the use of the fighter production lines isn't as beneficial.   At least it seems to me that tugs would go hand in hand with 'real' bases instead of the Essex style mini base.

Now if I could figure out how to make a viable beam weapon based Essex replacement without spending way too much RP, forward deployment logistics would get a *lot* simpler 

[niflheimr]

I've been using this in my game :

Code: [Select]

Iron Duke class Orbital Weapon Platform    313,300 tons     941 Crew     10585.8 BP      TCS 6266  TH 1440  EM 1500
229 km/s     Armour 8-410     Shields 50-300     Sensors 90/1/0/0     Damage Control Rating 21     PPV 458.28
Maint Life 0 Years     MSP 232    AFR 71386%    IFR 991.5%    1YR 58231    5YR 873467    Max Repair 300 MSP
Intended Deployment Time: 48 months    Spare Berths 0   
Magazine 3420    Habitation Capacity 50,000   

Boeing 50-360-0.041 Commercial Magneto-plasma Drive (4)    Power 360    Fuel Use 4.07%    Signature 360    Exp 4%
Fuel Capacity 1,050,000 Litres    Range 14.8 billion km   (746 days at full power)
Quantum3D-Pinnacle Delta R300/15 Shields (20)   Total Fuel Cost  300 Litres per day

Quad Sony/Ceradyne 20cm C3 FU Laser Turret (4x4)    Range 320,000km     TS: 10000 km/s     Power 40-12     RM 5    ROF 20        10 10 10 10 10 8 7 6 5 5
Twin Blazeware 10cm C3 FU Pulse Laser Turret (4x2)    Range 150,000km     TS: 20000 km/s     Power 6-6     RM 5    ROF 5        3 3 3 3 3 2 2 1 1 1
QinetiQ 20cm Railgun V5/C3 (5x4)    Range 200,000km     TS: 5000 km/s     Power 12-3     RM 5    ROF 20        4 4 4 4 4 3 2 2 2 2
Point Blank Inc. S06 60-20000 PD Fire Control (1)    Max Range: 120,000 km   TS: 20000 km/s     92 83 75 67 58 50 42 33 25 17
Raytheon S08 160-10000 LR Ordinance Computer (1)    Max Range: 320,000 km   TS: 10000 km/s     97 94 91 88 84 81 78 75 72 69
Westinghouse Stellarator Fusion Reactor PB-3.15 (5)     Total Power Output 103.5    Armour 0    Exp 12%

Barrett/LM S1 Intercept Launcher (20)    Missile Size 1    Rate of Fire 10
M7 Aerospace S5 Cruise Missile Rack (20)    Missile Size 5    Rate of Fire 750
M7 Aerospace S3 Missile Rack (200)    Missile Size 3    Rate of Fire 450
 Defense Technologies FC30-R1 Fast Tracking AI (1)     Range 30.2m km    Resolution 1
Lockheed Martin FC121-R20 ALC Control AI (1)     Range 121.7m km    Resolution 20
G1 AAM 56k-2.8m-67.2% (600)  Speed: 56,000 km/s   End: 0.8m    Range: 2.8m km   WH: 1    Size: 1    TH: 224 / 134 / 67
G1 AML 3-302-101-36.2 Long Assault Missile (200)  Speed: 30,200 km/s   End: 55.8m    Range: 101.1m km   WH: 4    Size: 3    TH: 120 / 72 / 36
G1 AMs 3-348-55-41.8 Short Assault Missile (200)  Speed: 34,800 km/s   End: 26.7m    Range: 55.7m km   WH: 4    Size: 3    TH: 139 / 83 / 41
G1 CML1 252-300-328 Long Cruise Missile (60)  Speed: 25,200 km/s   End: 198.2m    Range: 299.6m km   WH: 4    Size: 5    TH: 109 / 65 / 32
G1 CML2 220-298-286 Long Cruise Missile (60)  Speed: 22,000 km/s   End: 225.7m    Range: 298m km   WH: 4    Size: 5    TH: 95 / 57 / 28

 M9 Defense Systems MR40-R1 CIWS Sweeper (1)     GPS 224     Range 40.3m km    Resolution 1
 Infotech Aerospace MR90-R20 Ladar Tracer (1)     GPS 2240     Range 90.2m km    Resolution 20
Blazeware  TH5-90 (70%) Cryogenic Thermarray (1)     Sensitivity 90     Detect Sig Strength 1000:  90m km

ECCM-2 (2)         ECM 20

[tryrar]

I've been using this in my game :

Code: [Select]

Iron Duke class Orbital Weapon Platform    313,300 tons     941 Crew     10585.8 BP      TCS 6266  TH 1440  EM 1500
229 km/s     Armour 8-410     Shields 50-300     Sensors 90/1/0/0     Damage Control Rating 21     PPV 458.28
Maint Life 0 Years     MSP 232    AFR 71386%    IFR 991.5%    1YR 58231    5YR 873467    Max Repair 300 MSP
Intended Deployment Time: 48 months    Spare Berths 0   
Magazine 3420    Habitation Capacity 50,000   

Boeing 50-360-0.041 Commercial Magneto-plasma Drive (4)    Power 360    Fuel Use 4.07%    Signature 360    Exp 4%
Fuel Capacity 1,050,000 Litres    Range 14.8 billion km   (746 days at full power)
Quantum3D-Pinnacle Delta R300/15 Shields (20)   Total Fuel Cost  300 Litres per day

Quad Sony/Ceradyne 20cm C3 FU Laser Turret (4x4)    Range 320,000km     TS: 10000 km/s     Power 40-12     RM 5    ROF 20        10 10 10 10 10 8 7 6 5 5
Twin Blazeware 10cm C3 FU Pulse Laser Turret (4x2)    Range 150,000km     TS: 20000 km/s     Power 6-6     RM 5    ROF 5        3 3 3 3 3 2 2 1 1 1
QinetiQ 20cm Railgun V5/C3 (5x4)    Range 200,000km     TS: 5000 km/s     Power 12-3     RM 5    ROF 20        4 4 4 4 4 3 2 2 2 2
Point Blank Inc. S06 60-20000 PD Fire Control (1)    Max Range: 120,000 km   TS: 20000 km/s     92 83 75 67 58 50 42 33 25 17
Raytheon S08 160-10000 LR Ordinance Computer (1)    Max Range: 320,000 km   TS: 10000 km/s     97 94 91 88 84 81 78 75 72 69
Westinghouse Stellarator Fusion Reactor PB-3.15 (5)     Total Power Output 103.5    Armour 0    Exp 12%

Barrett/LM S1 Intercept Launcher (20)    Missile Size 1    Rate of Fire 10
M7 Aerospace S5 Cruise Missile Rack (20)    Missile Size 5    Rate of Fire 750
M7 Aerospace S3 Missile Rack (200)    Missile Size 3    Rate of Fire 450
 Defense Technologies FC30-R1 Fast Tracking AI (1)     Range 30.2m km    Resolution 1
Lockheed Martin FC121-R20 ALC Control AI (1)     Range 121.7m km    Resolution 20
G1 AAM 56k-2.8m-67.2% (600)  Speed: 56,000 km/s   End: 0.8m    Range: 2.8m km   WH: 1    Size: 1    TH: 224 / 134 / 67
G1 AML 3-302-101-36.2 Long Assault Missile (200)  Speed: 30,200 km/s   End: 55.8m    Range: 101.1m km   WH: 4    Size: 3    TH: 120 / 72 / 36
G1 AMs 3-348-55-41.8 Short Assault Missile (200)  Speed: 34,800 km/s   End: 26.7m    Range: 55.7m km   WH: 4    Size: 3    TH: 139 / 83 / 41
G1 CML1 252-300-328 Long Cruise Missile (60)  Speed: 25,200 km/s   End: 198.2m    Range: 299.6m km   WH: 4    Size: 5    TH: 109 / 65 / 32
G1 CML2 220-298-286 Long Cruise Missile (60)  Speed: 22,000 km/s   End: 225.7m    Range: 298m km   WH: 4    Size: 5    TH: 95 / 57 / 28

 M9 Defense Systems MR40-R1 CIWS Sweeper (1)     GPS 224     Range 40.3m km    Resolution 1
 Infotech Aerospace MR90-R20 Ladar Tracer (1)     GPS 2240     Range 90.2m km    Resolution 20
Blazeware  TH5-90 (70%) Cryogenic Thermarray (1)     Sensitivity 90     Detect Sig Strength 1000:  90m km

ECCM-2 (2)         ECM 20

.........   Is this something you actually park at a Jump Point?!

[Steve Walmsley]

I've been using this in my game :

Code: [Select]

Iron Duke class Orbital Weapon Platform    313,300 tons     941 Crew     10585.8 BP      TCS 6266  TH 1440  EM 1500
229 km/s     Armour 8-410     Shields 50-300     Sensors 90/1/0/0     Damage Control Rating 21     PPV 458.28
Maint Life 0 Years     MSP 232    AFR 71386%    IFR 991.5%    1YR 58231    5YR 873467    Max Repair 300 MSP
Intended Deployment Time: 48 months    Spare Berths 0   
Magazine 3420    Habitation Capacity 50,000   

Boeing 50-360-0.041 Commercial Magneto-plasma Drive (4)    Power 360    Fuel Use 4.07%    Signature 360    Exp 4%
Fuel Capacity 1,050,000 Litres    Range 14.8 billion km   (746 days at full power)
Quantum3D-Pinnacle Delta R300/15 Shields (20)   Total Fuel Cost  300 Litres per day

Quad Sony/Ceradyne 20cm C3 FU Laser Turret (4x4)    Range 320,000km     TS: 10000 km/s     Power 40-12     RM 5    ROF 20        10 10 10 10 10 8 7 6 5 5
Twin Blazeware 10cm C3 FU Pulse Laser Turret (4x2)    Range 150,000km     TS: 20000 km/s     Power 6-6     RM 5    ROF 5        3 3 3 3 3 2 2 1 1 1
QinetiQ 20cm Railgun V5/C3 (5x4)    Range 200,000km     TS: 5000 km/s     Power 12-3     RM 5    ROF 20        4 4 4 4 4 3 2 2 2 2
Point Blank Inc. S06 60-20000 PD Fire Control (1)    Max Range: 120,000 km   TS: 20000 km/s     92 83 75 67 58 50 42 33 25 17
Raytheon S08 160-10000 LR Ordinance Computer (1)    Max Range: 320,000 km   TS: 10000 km/s     97 94 91 88 84 81 78 75 72 69
Westinghouse Stellarator Fusion Reactor PB-3.15 (5)     Total Power Output 103.5    Armour 0    Exp 12%

Barrett/LM S1 Intercept Launcher (20)    Missile Size 1    Rate of Fire 10
M7 Aerospace S5 Cruise Missile Rack (20)    Missile Size 5    Rate of Fire 750
M7 Aerospace S3 Missile Rack (200)    Missile Size 3    Rate of Fire 450
 Defense Technologies FC30-R1 Fast Tracking AI (1)     Range 30.2m km    Resolution 1
Lockheed Martin FC121-R20 ALC Control AI (1)     Range 121.7m km    Resolution 20
G1 AAM 56k-2.8m-67.2% (600)  Speed: 56,000 km/s   End: 0.8m    Range: 2.8m km   WH: 1    Size: 1    TH: 224 / 134 / 67
G1 AML 3-302-101-36.2 Long Assault Missile (200)  Speed: 30,200 km/s   End: 55.8m    Range: 101.1m km   WH: 4    Size: 3    TH: 120 / 72 / 36
G1 AMs 3-348-55-41.8 Short Assault Missile (200)  Speed: 34,800 km/s   End: 26.7m    Range: 55.7m km   WH: 4    Size: 3    TH: 139 / 83 / 41
G1 CML1 252-300-328 Long Cruise Missile (60)  Speed: 25,200 km/s   End: 198.2m    Range: 299.6m km   WH: 4    Size: 5    TH: 109 / 65 / 32
G1 CML2 220-298-286 Long Cruise Missile (60)  Speed: 22,000 km/s   End: 225.7m    Range: 298m km   WH: 4    Size: 5    TH: 95 / 57 / 28

 M9 Defense Systems MR40-R1 CIWS Sweeper (1)     GPS 224     Range 40.3m km    Resolution 1
 Infotech Aerospace MR90-R20 Ladar Tracer (1)     GPS 2240     Range 90.2m km    Resolution 20
Blazeware  TH5-90 (70%) Cryogenic Thermarray (1)     Sensitivity 90     Detect Sig Strength 1000:  90m km

ECCM-2 (2)         ECM 20

So playing with maintenance off then ?

Steve

[niflheimr]

Yes - I have a few stations in deep space so I had to simulate maintenance with a dice and paper to allow them to work Otherwise each station that size would need 20-40k maintenance supplies per year ...

[metalax]

Well you could use them as actual orbital defense over a colony and support them via maintainace facilities. Many, many maintainance facilities.

[niflheimr]

Supporting something like this station orbiting Epsilon Eridani would require an insane number of maintenance facilities Even my Io Orbital Base is 300kt . I guess you can see what type of game I'm playing ...

Code: [Select]

Babylon 4 class Orbital Habitat    724,750 tons     3408 Crew     30076.5 BP      TCS 14495  TH 1800  EM 0
124 km/s     Armour 5-718     Shields 0-0     Sensors 1/1/0/0     Damage Control Rating 21     PPV 505.35
Maint Life 0 Years     MSP 285    AFR 382009%    IFR 5305.7%    1YR 334294    5YR 5014409    Max Repair 1400 MSP
Intended Deployment Time: 96 months    Flight Crew Berths 0   
Hangar Deck Capacity 107500 tons     Magazine 2350    Habitation Capacity 100,000    Tractor Beam     

Boeing 50-360-0.041 Commercial Magneto-plasma Drive (5)    Power 360    Fuel Use 4.07%    Signature 360    Exp 4%
Fuel Capacity 25,050,000 Litres    Range 152.6 billion km   (14247 days at full power)

Quad Sony/Ceradyne 20cm C3 FU Laser Turret (5x4)    Range 320,000km     TS: 10000 km/s     Power 40-12     RM 5    ROF 20        10 10 10 10 10 8 7 6 5 5
Twin Blazeware 10cm C3 FU Pulse Laser Turret (5x2)    Range 150,000km     TS: 20000 km/s     Power 6-6     RM 5    ROF 5        3 3 3 3 3 2 2 1 1 1
MetalStorm CIWS-200 (3x2)    Range 1000 km     TS: 20000 km/s     ROF 5       Base 50% To Hit
QinetiQ 20cm Railgun V5/C3 (5x4)    Range 200,000km     TS: 5000 km/s     Power 12-3     RM 5    ROF 20        4 4 4 4 4 3 2 2 2 2
Raytheon S08 160-10000 LR Ordinance Computer (5)    Max Range: 320,000 km   TS: 10000 km/s     97 94 91 88 84 81 78 75 72 69
Point Blank Inc. S06 60-20000 PD Fire Control (5)    Max Range: 120,000 km   TS: 20000 km/s     92 83 75 67 58 50 42 33 25 17
Tokamak Fusion Reactor Technology PB-1.15 (3)     Total Power Output 138    Armour 0    Exp 12%
Westinghouse Stellarator Fusion Reactor PB-3.15 (3)     Total Power Output 62.1    Armour 0    Exp 12%

Longbow/Boeing S10 Torpedo Tubes (10)    Missile Size 10    Rate of Fire 75
Barrett/LM S1 Intercept Launcher (50)    Missile Size 1    Rate of Fire 10
Sikorsky S3 External Missile Racks (50)    Missile Size 3    Hangar Reload 22.5 minutes    MF Reload 3.7 hours
M7 Aerospace S5 Cruise Missile Rack (50)    Missile Size 5    Rate of Fire 750
Velocity Systems FC496-R120 Ordinance Control Link (5)     Range 496.9m km    Resolution 120
 Defense Technologies FC30-R1 Fast Tracking AI (5)     Range 30.2m km    Resolution 1

 M9 Defense Systems MR40-R1 CIWS Sweeper (2)     GPS 224     Range 40.3m km    Resolution 1
Raytheon Large Interferometer Array MR1781-R50 (1)     GPS 70000     Range 1,781.9m km    Resolution 50

ECCM-2 (3)         ECM 30

[Prince of Space]

You've got me curious, niflheimr.  Those Quinetiqs are hull-mounted railguns on habitats that move at less than 250 km/s.  Is there a practical reason for them? Their to-hit chance would be horrible against any ship that isn't already crippled and engineless.

[niflheimr]

Any hull-mounted weapon will track at the rate of your turret tracking 10% gear technology. In this case 5000 km/s .

[Charlie Beeler]

Any hull-mounted weapon will track at the rate of your turret tracking 10% gear technology. In this case 5000 km/s .

Incorrect.  

Hull mounted weapons have a tracking speed of either the ships max speed or the current base beam fire control tech, which ever is greater.  To benefit from turrets tracking speeds the weapon must be in a turret.  To benefit from beam fire controls that have above standard tracking speeds the weapon(s) must be turret mounted.

So in the case of the railguns in question your BFC tech must be 5k/kps.  

[niflheimr]

You are right , I always confuse the two techs