I built a fleet around a decisive battle doctrine. Four carriers haul advanced railgun PD fighters around, and two missile cruisers have ultra-long range cruise missiles and mountains of AMM launchers to supplement my carriers. Available to supply my fleet are tankers and a marine transport ship. Unfortunately, my inexperience has revealed a lot of problems in my designs, which I'll describe as I go. I've researched the next tech level of engines, so now is the perfect time to change things up. Note: I play with jump gates enabled on all jump points, which is why I'm too lazy to invest in building jump drives.
This is mycurrent carrier design. I have four of these guys-
Agincourt-Wiseman class Carrier 48 450 tons 829 Crew 5277.9 BP TCS 969 TH 2000 EM 0
2063 km/s Armour 6-118 Shields 0-0 Sensors 1/1/0/0 Damage Control Rating 100 PPV 0
Maint Life 6.14 Years MSP 4404 AFR 375% IFR 5.2% 1YR 200 5YR 3007 Max Repair 125 MSP
Intended Deployment Time: 60 months Flight Crew Berths 1
Hangar Deck Capacity 20000 tons Cryogenic Berths 1000
HAULER 50HS 500 EP Commercial Internal Fusion Drive (4) Power 500 Fuel Use 5.3% Signature 500 Exp 5%
Fuel Capacity 1 010 000 Litres Range 70.8 billion km (397 days at full power)
CIWS 6/5 TS16K (10x6) Range 1000 km TS: 16000 km/s ROF 5 Base 50% To Hit
MILTEC-GDR-AS S250TN RES 8250tn R-148m (1) GPS 17325 Range 148.4m km Resolution 165
MILTEC-GDR-AM S250tn R 1.25m (1) GPS 105 Range 11.6m km MCR 1.3m km Resolution 1
ECM 20
Strike Group
10x Kirusu PD-T4M3 MR Rail Fighter Speed: 12000 km/s Size: 10
1x Kirusu PD-T6M1 MS Rail Fighter Speed: 16000 km/s Size: 10
12x Kirusu PD-T6M2 MS Rail Fighter Speed: 16000 km/s Size: 10
3x Doujinshi T6 Boarding Pod Speed: 28455 km/s Size: 9.84
3x Zappa BD-T6M1 MS Microwave Fighter Speed: 16000 km/s Size: 10
5x Kirusu PD-T6M3 MS Rail Fighter Speed: 16000 km/s Size: 10
6x Kirusu PDL-T7 MS Rail Fighter Speed: 17204 km/s Size: 9.3
(all the "Kirusu" are point defense fighters...most of mine are obsolete)
This design is classed as a Military Vessel for maintenance purposes.
All in all, I'm pretty happy with the way my carriers are performing in battle.
However, I'm considering stripping them of their CIWS. Build point for build point, PD fighters around twice as good as my CIWS, and I have no intentions of using my carriers for jump point assaults. My point defense has performed really well in my combat against NPR and against spoilers.
I'm considering stripping them of most of their engines, and having tugs transport them in battle. It would increase speed and save on maint life. Do I leave one engine, for emergencies, or do I leave two, for even more redundancy? I have some, really bad experiences where lack of redundancy in my designs completely screwed me over.
Agincourt-Footdragger Mk3 class Carrier 49 450 tons 826 Crew 6159.25 BP TCS 989 TH 625 EM 0
631 km/s Armour 6-120 Shields 0-0 Sensors 6/6/0/0 Damage Control Rating 110 PPV 0
Maint Life 4.8 Years MSP 4892 AFR 391% IFR 5.4% 1YR 349 5YR 5238 Max Repair 156.25 MSP
Intended Deployment Time: 36 months Flight Crew Berths 706
Hangar Deck Capacity 32000 tons
T7M2 TUG DRIVE 625 EP (1) Power 625 Fuel Use 3.54% Signature 625 Exp 5%
Fuel Capacity 1 885 000 Litres Range 193.5 billion km (3549 days at full power)
MILTEC-GDR-AS S250TN RES 8250tn R-148m (1) GPS 17325 Range 148.4m km Resolution 165
MILTEC-GDR-AM S250tn R 1.25m (1) GPS 105 Range 11.6m km MCR 1.3m km Resolution 1
Thermal Sensor TH1-6 (1) Sensitivity 6 Detect Sig Strength 1000: 6m km
EM Detection Sensor EM1-6 (1) Sensitivity 6 Detect Sig Strength 1000: 6m km
ECM 20
This design is classed as a Military Vessel for maintenance purposes
Kate Beaton class Missile Cruiser 53 650 tons 1199 Crew 10918.04 BP TCS 1073 TH 4950 EM 0
4613 km/s Armour 7-126 Shields 0-0 Sensors 1/1/0/0 Damage Control Rating 74 PPV 324
Maint Life 3.12 Years MSP 6596 AFR 523% IFR 7.3% 1YR 1017 5YR 15257 Max Repair 1050 MSP
Intended Deployment Time: 36 months Spare Berths 0
Flag Bridge Magazine 4588
MIL-TEC 1650 EP Internal Fusion Drive (3) Power 1650 Fuel Use 104.91% Signature 1650 Exp 16%
Fuel Capacity 1 505 000 Litres Range 4.8 billion km (12 days at full power)
S1 AMM Launcher ROF5 (60) Missile Size 1 Rate of Fire 5
S8 Launcher (33% Reduction) (100) Missile Size 8 Rate of Fire 800
M2T4 MFC R750K-RES1 (3) Range 6.9m km Resolution 1
Mid-Guider MFC R87.7m RES 8000 (1) Range 87.6m km Resolution 160
MiniGuider MFC R8.75m RES8000 (20) Range 8.8m km Resolution 160
ASM-FAR MFC R1314m-RES8000 (1) Range 1 314.9m km Resolution 160
T7 R1.7m AMM TAR=26250km/s (1303) Speed: 62 500 km/s End: 0.4m Range: 1.7m km WH: 1 Size: 1 TH: 875/525/262
S1T7 MINI-ASM WAR4 TAR 8620 (200) Speed: 57 500 km/s End: 7.6m Range: 26.4m km WH: 4 Size: 1 TH: 287/172/86
ASM-M R86.8m HC 50.1 S7-T6 (275) Speed: 29 500 km/s End: 49m Range: 86.8m km WH: 16 Size: 7 TH: 167/100/50
S7 ASM-TORP R64.4m HC 32.4 (180) Speed: 16 200 km/s End: 66.2m Range: 64.4m km WH: 16 Size: 7 TH: 108/64/32
(I have no idea what the ammo composition really ought to be. Right now, I have 10,000s of AMMs and a shortage of ASMs.)
MILTEC-GDR-AM S250tn R 1.25m (2) GPS 105 Range 11.6m km MCR 1.3m km Resolution 1
GRAVDAR RES 8000TN Active Search Sensor MR1460-R160 (1) GPS 168000 Range 1 461.0m km Resolution 160
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 purposes
This missile cruiser is designed to be able to operate independently to patrol systems and defend borders. Massive amounts of AMMs provide missile defense, and I hoped to outrange enemy combatants using multistage missiles. In skirmish range, I can also use size one antiship missiles with my antimissile launchers.
This is the next generation I have on paper
Kate Beaton M3LR AMM class Missile Cruiser 55 500 tons 1084 Crew 9164.04 BP TCS 1110 TH 2500 EM 0
2252 km/s Armour 7-129 Shields 0-0 Sensors 1/1/0/0 Damage Control Rating 70 PPV 324
Maint Life 4.37 Years MSP 6160 AFR 492% IFR 6.8% 1YR 519 5YR 7789 Max Repair 1050 MSP
Intended Deployment Time: 45 months Flight Crew Berths 12
Hangar Deck Capacity 2000 tons Magazine 4588
T7M2 TUG DRIVE 625 EP (4) Power 625 Fuel Use 3.54% Signature 625 Exp 5%
Fuel Capacity 805 000 Litres Range 73.7 billion km (379 days at full power)
S8 Launcher (33% Reduction) (100) Missile Size 8 Rate of Fire 800
S1 AMM Launcher ROF5 (60) Missile Size 1 Rate of Fire 5
MiniGuider MFC R8.75m RES8000 (20) Range 8.8m km Resolution 160
Mid-Guider MFC R87.7m RES 8000 (1) Range 87.6m km Resolution 160
M2T4 MFC R750K-RES1 (6) Range 6.9m km Resolution 1
ASM-FAR MFC R1314m-RES8000 (1) Range 1 314.9m km Resolution 160
ASM-M R86.8m HC 50.1 S7-T6 (475) Speed: 29 500 km/s End: 49m Range: 86.8m km WH: 16 Size: 7 TH: 167/100/50
S7 ASM-TORP R64.4m HC 32.4 (180) Speed: 16 200 km/s End: 66.2m Range: 64.4m km WH: 16 Size: 7 TH: 108/64/32
NOT ACTUALLY RESEARCHED SHIP DETECTOR RES 25000TN Active Search Sensor MR329-R500 (1) GPS dunno, but really really noticeable Range 3287.0m km Resolution 500
MILTEC-GDR-AM S250tn R 1.25m (2) GPS 105 Range 11.6m km MCR 1.3m km Resolution 1
ECCM-2 (1) Strike Group
1x BR-Micro T7 Microwave Fighter Speed: 17029 km/s Size: 7.34
1x BRD-Meson T7 Meson Fighter Speed: 18274 km/s Size: 6.84
3x BRD-CRYO T7 Cruiser Speed: 29274 km/s Size: 8.54
1x California Mk4 Bait Satellite Speed: 1 km/s Size: 0.14
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 purposes
I'm 100% changing this design over to use commercial engines instead of high powered military ones. My tanker fleet simply can't support moving this thing around. Also, I'm adding a hangar and a small fighter group made purely to board random alien spacecraft this ship might run into on its patrols.
I'm considering adding a really, really big ass-sensor just so that I know where everything is in a system when I run into it. The NPRs I'm fighting use big-ass ships, and if I could have a higher scanner resolution, I would. I've done the math, and any shipyard tooled to produce a ship like this can also be tooled to produce a non-command variant without the expensive scanners. The reason I don't use passives is that I have almost no research into thermal sensors.
I'm seriously thinking about getting rid of the reduced size (33%) Size 8 Missile Launchers and replacing them with hangars and a box-launcher parasite craft, or at least putting in reduced size (25%) launcher instead.
I've considering getting rid of long-ranged missile launchers entirely, and shifting over entirely to size one anti-ship missiles. However, against the fairly weak PD of the enemies I'm fighting, I find that unnecessary. The long range fire control is supposed to be able to break up formations if a massive doom fleet is incoming, and to finish off fleets that are retreating from mid-range. However, I don't know if that even makes sense to try for. I haven't actually been able to make good use of superrange. I do, however, still see value in longrange missile fire for sole-patrolling missile cruisers to be able to do Freedom of Navigation patrols of frontier systems.
The question of box launcher-hangars versus ordinary launchers still applies. Also, I still have the option of using tugs and reducing the number of engines for increased speed and reduced cost, as seen below.
Kate Beaton-Boxer M3LR AMM class Missile Cruiser 53 000 tons 1149 Crew 7965.94 BP TCS 1060 TH 1250 EM 0
1179 km/s Armour 7-125 Shields 0-0 Sensors 1/1/0/0 Damage Control Rating 70 PPV 60
Maint Life 3.18 Years MSP 5697 AFR 449% IFR 6.2% 1YR 849 5YR 12738 Max Repair 1050 MSP
Intended Deployment Time: 45 months Flight Crew Berths 0
Hangar Deck Capacity 17000 tons Magazine 3788
625 EP T7 Hauler Drive (2) Power 625 Fuel Use 4.42% Signature 625 Exp 5%
Fuel Capacity 805 000 Litres Range 61.8 billion km (607 days at full power)
S1 AMM Launcher ROF5 (60) Missile Size 1 Rate of Fire 5
ASM-FAR MFC R1314m-RES8000 (1) Range 1 314.9m km Resolution 160
MiniGuider MFC R8.75m RES8000 (20) Range 8.8m km Resolution 160
Mid-Guider MFC R87.7m RES 8000 (1) Range 87.6m km Resolution 160
M2T4 MFC R750K-RES1 (6) Range 6.9m km Resolution 1
GRAVIDAR-PD S2500TN R 12.57M (1) GPS 1050 Range 115.5m km MCR 12.6m km Resolution 1
MILTEC-GDR-AM S250tn R 1.25m (2) GPS 105 Range 11.6m km MCR 1.3m km Resolution 1
This design is classed as a Military Vessel for maintenance purposes
In this carrier space, I can fit about 200 Size 8 box launchers with 2 fire controls, each capable of striking a billion kilometers away. Unfortunately, I'd need to devote a shipyard to making a parasite craft.
Blade Runner M5 C-LR class Monitor 413 tons 14 Crew 66.9 BP TCS 8.25 TH 30 EM 0
3636 km/s Armour 3-4 Shields 0-0 Sensors 1/1/0/0 Damage Control Rating 0 PPV 3
Maint Life 12.38 Years MSP 25 AFR 5% IFR 0.1% 1YR 0 5YR 5 Max Repair 12 MSP
Intended Deployment Time: 56 months Spare Berths 0
LR -MIL T7 15 EP Magnetic Fusion Drive (2) Power 15 Fuel Use 13.81% Signature 15 Exp 6%
Fuel Capacity 10 000 Litres Range 31.6 billion km (100 days at full power)
INCAP R1.5/C3 High Power Microwave (1) Range 15 000km TS: 4000 km/s Power 3-3 RM 1.5 ROF 5 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Monitor BFC S5 R48-TS4000km/s (FTR (1) Max Range: 48 000 km TS: 4000 km/s 79 58 38 17 0 0 0 0 0 0
POW3 Magnetic Confinement Fusion Reactor Technology PB-1 (1) Total Power Output 3 Armour 0 Exp 5%
Surveyor's Scanner Active Search Sensor MR5-R500 (1) GPS 1050 Range 5.2m km Resolution 500
This design is classed as a Fighter for production, combat and maintenance purposes
I have a couple dozen of these, just to patrol my local neighborhood. I also have meson variants, which are pretty much identical aside from having 10cm mesons.