Faced with multiple hostile NPRs threatening widely spread out colonies, I was forced to go on the defensive in several systems. As a quick fix I was able to build and deploy the following missile pods around the most dangerous jump points, using a small FAC carrier originally intended for other purposes to deploy and reload them.
Missile Pod class Missile Base 493 tons 4 Crew 58.1 BP TCS 9.85 TH 0 EM 0
1 km/s Armour 1-5 Shields 0-0 Sensors 1/1/0/0 Damage Control Rating 0 PPV 7.5
Maint Life 11.38 Years MSP 18 AFR 7% IFR 0.1% 1YR 0 5YR 4 Max Repair 16 MSP
Intended Deployment Time: 108 months Spare Berths 0
Magazine 50
Size 5 Box Launcher (10) Missile Size 5 Hangar Reload 37.5 minutes MF Reload 6.2 hours
Small Missile Fire Control FC38-R100 (1) Range 38.4m km Resolution 100
BGM-N55-3A Sabre Anti-Ship Missile (10) Speed: 26,000 km/s End: 73.8m Range: 115.2m km WH: 6 Size: 5 TH: 112/67/33
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
Missile Pod-S class Missile Base 500 tons 8 Crew 85.1 BP TCS 10 TH 0 EM 0
1 km/s Armour 1-5 Shields 0-0 Sensors 1/1/0/0 Damage Control Rating 0 PPV 5.25
Maint Life 9.51 Years MSP 27 AFR 8% IFR 0.1% 1YR 1 5YR 8 Max Repair 32 MSP
Intended Deployment Time: 108 months Spare Berths 0
Magazine 35
Size 5 Box Launcher (7) Missile Size 5 Hangar Reload 37.5 minutes MF Reload 6.2 hours
Small Missile Fire Control FC38-R100 (1) Range 38.4m km Resolution 100
BGM-N55-3A Sabre Anti-Ship Missile (7) Speed: 26,000 km/s End: 73.8m Range: 115.2m km WH: 6 Size: 5 TH: 112/67/33
Small Search Sensor MR25-R100 (1) GPS 3200 Range 25.6m km Resolution 100
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
These two pods classes, usually deployed in sets of 2x Sensor and 8x Missile, are perfect for just forgetting about for about a year unless something hostile came through, in which case reloading becomes a little bit more micromanagery than hoped for but still worked well.
More recently I've added a further line of defence, massively armoured single engined 'Monitors' to sit directly on top of the jump point. They're great for handling lone raiders while the rest of the fleet is elsewhere and mean I don't have to worry about reloading the missile pods after every scout. I currently keep two on station with two back home, and switch them out only when damaged or when they exceed deployment. To speed things up I generally attach a fast tug to take them to and from, although their fuel is sufficient for one or two systems if you don't mind it taking a few months. Note the original Tower class had a hanger capacity to provide on the spot repair and overhaul, but this proved not to be needed. I went with weapons I already had ready - ideally a few plasma carronades would be nice, but the spinal laser at point blank range has been pretty effective so far!
As the attachment should show, I'm pretty happy with how this arrangement is working out so far! A major attack will likely roll right over these defences though,so it is only a stop-gap solution.
Tower class Monitor 15,000 tons 383 Crew 2637.4 BP TCS 300 TH 200 EM 0
666 km/s Armour 12-54 Shields 0-0 Sensors 1/1/0/0 Damage Control Rating 7 PPV 74
Maint Life 5.16 Years MSP 2769 AFR 257% IFR 3.6% 1YR 174 5YR 2603 Max Repair 240 MSP
Intended Deployment Time: 48 months Flight Crew Berths 11
Hangar Deck Capacity 1000 tons
200EP (X1.25/0.6) Magneto-plasma Drive (1) Power 200 Fuel Use 94.33% Signature 200 Exp 12%
Fuel Capacity 1,100,000 Litres Range 14.0 billion km (242 days at full power)
25cm Spinal UV Laser (20/640k) (1) Range 256,000km TS: 5000 km/s Power 16-4 RM 4 ROF 20 16 16 16 16 12 10 9 8 7 6
20cm UV Laser (15/400k) (6) Range 256,000km TS: 5000 km/s Power 10-4 RM 4 ROF 15 10 10 10 10 8 6 5 5 4 4
100mm Railgun (5/30kkm) (10x4) Range 30,000km TS: 5000 km/s Power 3-3 RM 3 ROF 5 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
RG Fire Control S04 48-6000 (2) Max Range: 96,000 km TS: 6000 km/s 90 79 69 58 48 38 27 17 6 0
Laser Fire Control 256kkm-6000kms (2) Max Range: 256,000 km TS: 6000 km/s 96 92 88 84 80 77 73 69 65 61
Stellarator Fusion Reactor Technology PB-1 (20) Total Power Output 60 Armour 0 Exp 5%
AMM Active Search Sensor MR19-R1 (1) GPS 240 Range 19.2m km MCR 2.1m km Resolution 1
This design is classed as a Military Vessel for maintenance purposes
Tower II class Monitor 15,000 tons 404 Crew 3215.6 BP TCS 300 TH 250 EM 0
833 km/s Armour 21-54 Shields 0-0 Sensors 1/1/0/0 Damage Control Rating 7 PPV 92
Maint Life 5.28 Years MSP 1938 AFR 257% IFR 3.6% 1YR 116 5YR 1742 Max Repair 168 MSP
Intended Deployment Time: 48 months Spare Berths 0
250EP Fusion Rocket (X1.25/0.5) (1) Power 250 Fuel Use 78.61% Signature 250 Exp 12%
Fuel Capacity 1,190,000 Litres Range 18.2 billion km (252 days at full power)
25cm Spinal UV Laser (20/640k) (1) Range 320,000km TS: 5000 km/s Power 16-4 RM 4 ROF 20 16 16 16 16 12 10 9 8 7 6
20cm UV Laser (15/400k) (8) Range 320,000km TS: 5000 km/s Power 10-4 RM 4 ROF 15 10 10 10 10 8 6 5 5 4 4
100mm Railgun (5/30kkm) (12x4) Range 30,000km TS: 5000 km/s Power 3-3 RM 3 ROF 5 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Laser Fire Control 320kkm-6000kms (2) Max Range: 320,000 km TS: 6000 km/s 97 94 91 88 84 81 78 75 72 69
R-AMM Fire Control S04 24-12000 (2) Max Range: 48,000 km TS: 12000 km/s 79 58 38 17 0 0 0 0 0 0
Tokamak Fusion Reactor Technology PB-1 (18) Total Power Output 72 Armour 0 Exp 5%
AMM Active Search Sensor MR18-R1 (1) GPS 168 Range 18.5m km MCR 2.0m km Resolution 1
This design is classed as a Military Vessel for maintenance purposes