Battlecruiser place in a naval doctrine

Player Questions
1

Hi all. In my current campaign, I reached a point where it’s time to advance to capital combatants. And I noticed, that what I designed was in fact a Battleship that was just classified as a “Battlecruiser” because the word sound fancier. Checked my designs from previous campaigns, and they all fit the same box. Then, I did a quick sweep across the Forum and noticed, other players did basically the same.

So, the question is: did someone crack a tough nut of a Battlecruiser in Aurora? Because, I don’t see how to adapt that concept to our realities. Let’s check typical BC tasks.

  • reconnaissance: in-system, better performed by smaller craft like recon frigates, or even recon fighters; in enemy rear, is impossible due to JP mechanics (ok, may be somewhat possible if enemy rear JPs were surveyed beforehand, but ends with the 1st JP ambush encountered)
  • counter-reconnaissance: better performed by a JP ambush or a JP minefield, no need for an extremely expensive, huge ship chasing enemy scouts, which tend to be small and lightly armed, see p.1
  • commerce raiding: doesn’t work because of JP mechanics. Again, may be semi-viable for enemy rear systems surveyed beforehand, but only until your BC runs out of fuel/MSPs/luck on jumps. IRL that worked because BCs could refuel and restock in a sea, and sea was already mapped, which is not a case in Aurora. Tanker just won’t be able to get to the rendezvous point, and your scouts definitely won’t be doing grav survey under fire.
  • commerce protection: doesn’t work because commerce raiding doesn’t work. Yes, there is a certain spoiler race that does commerce raiding, but if you’re throwing something bigger than a corvette, or maybe a frigate/destroyer at most at that problem, what are you doing?
  • Battle fleet screen/fast wing: doesn’t work because how both combat and scouting in Aurora work. It is much better to clump all your principal combatants together, with all the PD ships and whatnot, into a single point than to allow enemy to pick your capital ships one-by-one by missile walleys. And there are no independent enemy scouts that warrant a big ship chasing after them, because of p.1 & 2.

Will be grateful for poking holes in my logic, and even more grateful for a realistic(ish) BC doctrine that checks at least several points.

2

I mean that depends entirely on what you as the player want to use the vessel for, and who you ask as per usual the term “Battlecruiser” especially in sci-fi or fantasy has been stretched quite wide & thin in contrary to it’s IRL usage.

In our Aurora game that me and my 2 friends run (5 years per person), we’re all military autists and one particularly is a heavy navy autist. Our navy is using similar tonnage as 1940 ish period, using this array

Hull Classes - V3
70k - 100k = BS
50k - 70k = DN
30k - 50k = BB
20k - 30k = BC
15k - 20k = CA
10k - 15k = CL
5K - 10k = DD
0.5k - 5k = FAC,FF, Corv, etc
0k - 0.5k = Fighter, Bomber, etc

We put the classification more on tonnage & speed rather than purpose, as Aurora makes it difficult in that manner. So a Battlecruiser design we have is this, 75years into our game.

Oh also, we’ve made a rule to NOT use shields, so it’s Armour or nothing. Gotta pay good for good armour :laughing:

Spatha Block 4 class Battlecruiser      27,926 tons       797 Crew       5,251.2 BP       TCS 559    TH 3,938    EM 0
7049 km/s      Armour 12-81       Shields 0-0       HTK 155      Sensors 1/1/0/0      DCR 22-7      PPV 129.92
Maint Life 1.35 Years     MSP 2,410    AFR 520%    IFR 7.2%    1YR 1,423    5YR 21,345    Max Repair 656.3 MSP
Troop Capacity 300 tons     Boarding Capable    Magazine 200 / 150    Cryogenic Berths 800    
Captain    Control Rating 5   BRG   AUX   ENG   CIC   FLG   
Intended Deployment Time: 6 months    Morale Check Required    

ID-3000/175-1312EP (3)    Power 3937.5    Fuel Use 115.78%    Signature 1312.5    Explosion 17%
Fuel Capacity 1,500,000 Litres    Range 8.3 billion km (13 days at full power)

250mm(UL)-640k/ROF30 (1)    Range 256,000km     TS: 7,049 km/s     Power 16-3     RM 40,000 km    ROF 30       
Single 200mm(UL)-400k/ROF30 Turret (1x1)    Range 256,000km     TS: 20000 km/s     Power 10-3     RM 40,000 km    ROF 20       
PB-4/200k (10)    Range 200,000km     TS: 7,049 km/s     Power 10-3    ROF 20       
Quad Turret - GC-30k/50-(17%) (4x12)    Range 30,000km     TS: 20000 km/s     Power 0-0     RM 30,000 km    ROF 5       
BFC(MW)-300/256k-9Kps (1)     Max Range: 256,000 km   TS: 9,000 km/s    ECCM-1     96 92 88 84 80 77 73 69 65 61
BFC(MW-PD)-300/192k-12Kps (1)     Max Range: 192,000 km   TS: 12,000 km/s    ECCM-1     95 90 84 79 74 69 64 58 53 48
SFR-95/16.76 (3)     Total Power Output 50.3    Exp 5%

DML-10 (15)     Decoy Size: 10    Hangar Reload 158 minutes    MF Reload 26 hours
BL-02 (100)     Missile Size: 2    Hangar Reload 70 minutes    MF Reload 11 hours
MFC-300/MSL-3.2M (1)     Range 35.8m km    Resolution 1   ECCM-1
M10 Decoy Missile (15)    Signature: 2000 tons    ECM-0    Size: 10
M2A3 "Space Cobra" AMM (100)    Speed: 37,500 km/s    End: 0.8m     Range: 1.8m km    WH: 1    Size: 2    TH: 125/75/37

AS-25/10kT-30M (1)     GPS 2100     Range 30.2m km    Resolution 200
AS-100/MSL-930K (1)     GPS 42     Range 10.3m km    MCR 930.8k km    Resolution 1
EM-10/8 (1)     Sensitivity 1.6     Detect Sig Strength 1000:  10m km
TH-10/8 (1)     Sensitivity 1.6     Detect Sig Strength 1000:  10m km

Electronic Warfare Jammers:   Sensor 1    Fire Control 2    Missile 2    

Ground Forces
1x Space H.Marines - 2348
2x Space Marines - 2348

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 design is classed as a Warship for auto-assignment purposes

For comparison, this is out Battleship.

We Came. We Stomped. We Laughed. III class Battleship      49,941 tons       1,072 Crew       8,822.5 BP       TCS 999    TH 4,500    EM 0
4505 km/s      Armour 25-120       Shields 0-0       HTK 285      Sensors 1/1/0/0      DCR 38-7      PPV 267.8
Maint Life 1.88 Years     MSP 4,591    AFR 713%    IFR 9.9%    1YR 1,658    5YR 24,870    Max Repair 750 MSP
Troop Capacity 500 tons     Boarding Capable    Magazine 200 / 250    Cryogenic Berths 1,000    
Captain    Control Rating 5   BRG   AUX   ENG   CIC   FLG   
Intended Deployment Time: 6 months    Morale Check Required    

ID-3000/200-1500EP (3)    Power 4500    Fuel Use 161.66%    Signature 1500    Explosion 20%
Fuel Capacity 4,000,000 Litres    Range 8.9 billion km (22 days at full power)

250mm(UL)-640k/ROF30 (1)    Range 256,000km     TS: 4,505 km/s     Power 16-3     RM 40,000 km    ROF 30       
Triple 200mm(UL)-400k/ROF30 Turret (5x3)    Range 256,000km     TS: 12000 km/s     Power 30-9     RM 40,000 km    ROF 20       
Quad Turret - GC-30k/50-(17%) (20x12)    Range 30,000km     TS: 20000 km/s     Power 0-0     RM 30,000 km    ROF 5       
BFC(MW-PD)-300/192k-12Kps (1)     Max Range: 192,000 km   TS: 12,000 km/s    ECCM-1     95 90 84 79 74 69 64 58 53 48
BFC(MW)-300/256k-9Kps (1)     Max Range: 256,000 km   TS: 9,000 km/s    ECCM-1     96 92 88 84 80 77 73 69 65 61
SFR-95/16.76 (4)     Total Power Output 67    Exp 5%

DML-10 (25)     Decoy Size: 10    Hangar Reload 158 minutes    MF Reload 26 hours
BL-02 (100)     Missile Size: 2    Hangar Reload 70 minutes    MF Reload 11 hours
MFC-50/MSL-1.3M (1)     Range 14.6m km    Resolution 1   ECCM-1
M10 Decoy Missile (25)    Signature: 2000 tons    ECM-0    Size: 10
M2A3 "Space Cobra" AMM (100)    Speed: 37,500 km/s    End: 0.8m     Range: 1.8m km    WH: 1    Size: 2    TH: 125/75/37

AS-300/MSL-1.6M (1)     GPS 126     Range 17.9m km    MCR 1.6m km    Resolution 1
AS-300/10kT-104M (1)     GPS 25200     Range 104.8m km    Resolution 200
TH-10/8 (1)     Sensitivity 1.6     Detect Sig Strength 1000:  10m km
EM-10/8 (1)     Sensitivity 1.6     Detect Sig Strength 1000:  10m km

Electronic Warfare Jammers:   Sensor 1    Fire Control 2    Missile 2    

Ground Forces
5x Space H.Marines - 2348

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 design is classed as a Warship for auto-assignment purposes

As you can notice, our Battlecruiser is smaller by 20k tons, but has heavy armaments in terms of a interchangeable Fixed Laser OR Particle Lance, along with fixed Particlebeams & AA, less armour but speedy. While the Battleship is s heavy uparmoured ship with large turrets, heavy AA and a fixed Laser. Both also have a wide array of missiles mostly AMMs.

Task we use the BC for is escorting the BB along with a large complement of DDs, CLs & CAs. When encountering threats, if a DD, CL or particularly CAs can’t be used the BC is sent in to recon and chase.

When in a fleet battle, when or if the enemy fleet starts fleeing, the BC is sent to chase with a large escort force (consisting of DDs and CLs), to catch up to either send boarding marines, completely wreck the fleeing ships or chase them until they encounter the JP.

In contrary to BCs, the BB’s main purpose is to be a anchor of threat, particularly against missile heavy opponents, OR guarding JPs with their very heavy armour able to slug it out for hours against any hostile threat.

Is this a game optimal playstyle? Hell no, we enjoy recreating IRL navy standards from 1910 → 1990, with large supplement of Destroyers, Light Cruisers and more.

But it is certainly one example of a navy doctrine me and my friends use :smiley:

3

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Also this being how our fleet is lay’d out, so far we got 4 of these fleets in various sectors of space as their operating theatre with their own patrols, refueling, rearming and army complements.

4

Speaking from my limited experience:

  • recon - agree
  • counter-recon - agree
  • commerce raiding - though there might be classes better suited, I think this can work. Especially if paired with fast tanker and maybe 1-2 recon craft that carry only sensors.
  • commerce protection - agree
  • battle screen - agree

I think one way to make beam BCs work (in raiding), are 3 things, though I’ve yet to test this design myself:

  1. Treat them as anti-beam ships, equipped with particle lances (or mayybe most long-range lasers) and shoot from the furtherst possible range

  2. high speed to dictate distance (fuel usage can be mitigated by presence of fast tanker)

  3. Armor them quite less than battleships, as in this way they won’t need to tank damage, even if dishing out will take a while. Looking at it by role, not tonnage - Beam BB and CA close in and need to tank, BC (in this way) not that much.

EDIT: Also, boarding craft w/marines might be useful to capture crippled ships.

5

World War 2 in space. :slight_smile:

Some traditional designations and the attached roles just don’t translate into Aurora’s world model very well (I am looking at you, Galleon. Self-escorting merchantman, my a**).
It does have a fancy ring to it though and so, if you are ready to take artistic license in the name of the “rule of cool” go right ahead. I know I do.

One justification I can think of, off the top of my hat, would be a differentiation between short-ranged, short deployment Battleships (which in Aurora can be just as fast as any “Destroyer” you can design) and longer ranged, longer deployment Battlecruisers, that either sacrifice some armament or have to be a fraction bigger.
Caveat: The difference would be specific to your campaign and the next game your doctrine might not even use ship types like this.
That warning applies regardless.
As an example I like to have (from magneto-plasma onward) 30kton combatants, with a pair of 300% engines that are labelled “Interceptor” - because that is what they are supposed to do.
They are carrier-based for strategic mobility and have to be, because of their abysmal fuel efficiency.

6

Hm, agree, the fast wing thingie might work if paired with a heavy RP. I just throw missiles at fleeing enemy. But, in a “no missiles / short-ranged torpedoes only” game, that task may require a fast and big combatant. Still, a single checkpoint only though.

That tanker will need speed higher than enemy beam combatants, and PD & armor beefy enough to withstand the missiles. It will require a tanker of its own :slight_smile: But agree, it may be viable at end-game tech levels, will test that if campaign gets to that point.

Yeah missed potential to differentiate BBs and BCs by range and not purpose. I tend to build all principal combatants to the same speed, range and deployment time standards, to avoid need to send half of the fleet back home if a tanker wasn’t in a position. But still, we’re talking about just a reclassified BB that happened to be a bit longer-legged here, not a “true” BC.

7

We are not kinkshaming here. :slight_smile:
What is and isn’t a big enough difference to be considered “true” is up to individual players in their individual games.

1 Like
8

True, sorry if my answer was rude. Definitely didn’t intend it to be so.

1 Like
9

No worries, all in good sport.

I see now, that my post was slightly off-topic anyway, because OP wanted assistance in the creation of a wet-navy Battlecruiser equivalent and I tried to encourage them to build whatever the (rude word) they wanted and call it a Battlecruiser.

1 Like
10

That’s exactly what I was doing all my previous campaigns :smiley:

1 Like
11

Not necessarily - one could have a tanker in a subfleet, that when a contact is made (or before suspected contact), it detaches and scoots away a bit, while warships close in.

12

A bit of context I omitted: my sacrificial goat (crossed out) JP scout fighter got smoked by a sizeable ambush. Knowing some of the ships encountered, I estimated their combined salvo well in hundreds, both ASMs and AMMs, plus a ton of beams. So, I started to wonder, how to deal damage to their rear without losing half of my fleet before battle even begins. And that led to that “true BC” rabbit hole.

13

I don’t like the terms mush-up emerged in XXc with cruisers. In my games cruisers are designed for cruising (long-term operations with limited logistical support). Light cruisers provide the ability by themselves with a minimal combat power, battlecruisers are either much larger then battleships (the same combat ability + authonomy) or they are squadron ships the same size as battleships, yet with the primary role of providing jumping abilities and/or authonomy to the battleships, heavy cruisers are somewhere between (and I rarely build them).

JP mechanics makes cruisers nearly useless for raiding operations and it’s an ineffective concept against spoiler raiders, so I usually build them to cover survey fleets and the newst colonies and patrol uninhabited systems inside the settled space where and when I still have no station with a destroyer or two to intercept raiders and generally enforce interstellar law locally (a bit of roleplay).

3 Likes
14

This topic comes up enough that I can link an old Reddit post here and augment it below.

In my own settings, a battlecruiser typically looks like one of the following:

  • Intermediate class between Cruiser and Battleship to backfill a gap in fleet capabilities (e.g., to use a shipyard in that intermediate tonnage range or to provide a smaller “capital” combatant for small frontier fleets).
  • Classical battlecruisers with battleship-size guns and displacement but thin armor in exchange for higher speed (e.g., pre-WWI Fisher-type, WW2 Alaska-type).
  • WWI German-style battlecruisers with battleship-size displacement and armor/defenses but weaker guns in exchange for higher speed.
  • Capital cruisers in a two-fleet doctrine where the cruiser fleet has long endurance (e.g., factor of 3-4x longer fuel range, deployment time, maintenance life) and the battle fleet has short endurance in exchange for better combat punch and/or survivability. In this doctrine, the cruiser fleet would have BCs as capitals and CAs/CLs as screens, while the battle fleet would have BBs or CVs as capitals and DDs as screens.

As listed in the linked post, there’s a lot of other possibilities, but I think these hew closest to how a traditional wet navy would think of battlecruisers historically.

6 Likes
15

Well, that depends (doesn’t it always in Aurora?).
If you can get further intelligence on them that would always help you decide what to do.
I’d also think about the thing that obsoleted wet navy battleships and battlecruisers both: Carriers.
And multi stage cruise missiles.

Good hunting.

16

Yup carriers could solve that problem. But, this campaign I decided to try without them. Not a strict “no hangars” rule, more like “no dedicated carriers” rule. And now I’m suffering as a consequence lol.

Did a bit of theory-crafting and end up with this ducking thing:

Oskil class Battlecruiser (P)      32,000 tons       1,087 Crew       32,238.1 BP       TCS 640    TH 2,458    EM 20,580
32000 km/s    JR 3-1500      Armour 4-89       Shields 686-535       HTK 141      Sensors 120/120/0/0      DCR 43-13      PPV 12.6
Maint Life 1.34 Years     MSP 27,278    AFR 248%    IFR 3.4%    1YR 16,322    5YR 244,823    Max Repair 12,800 MSP
Hangar Deck Capacity 3,000 tons     Troop Capacity 100 tons     Magazine 278 / 0    
Captain    Control Rating 4   BRG   AUX   ENG   FLG   
Intended Deployment Time: 6 months    Flight Crew Berths 60    CDE 75%    Morale Check Required    

J32000(3-1500) Military Jump Drive (JDE 21)     Max Ship Size 32000 tons    Distance 1500k km     Squadron Size 3
Solid Core AM Drive EP10240.00 (2)    Power 20480    Fuel Use 28.28%    Signature 1228.80    Exp 20%
Fuel Capacity 2,046,000 Litres    Range 40.7 billion km (14 days at full power)
Omicron S343 / R535 Shields (2)     Recharge 535 seconds (1.3 per second)

Particle Beam-12 (400k, 15s) (2)    Range 400,000km     TS 32,000 km/s     Power 30-10    ROF 15       
Direct Fire Control R600-TS31250 (SW) (10%) (2)     Range 600,000 km   TS 31,250 km/s    ECCM-4    
Gas-core Anti-matter Power Plant R21 (1)     Total Power Output 21    Exp 5%

Size 1 Missile Launcher (150 s) (2)     Missile Size: 1    ROF 150
PD Missile Fire Control FC13-R1 (20%) (1)     Range 13.5m km    RES 1   ECCM-4   EH-80
PD Radar Buoy (3.5 m) (39)    Speed 0 km/s    Range 0m km    WH 0    Size 1    TH: 0 / 0 / 0
Neptune (55 k/s, 75m) (40)    Speed 55,080 km/s    Range 76m km    WH 16    Size 5    TH: 7,711 / 15,422 / 30,845
Thermal Buoy (9.1 m) (39)    Speed 0 km/s    Range 0m km    WH 0    Size 1    TH: 0 / 0 / 0

Active Search Sensor AS91-R20 (20%) (1)     GPS 1800     Range 91.9m km    RES 20   ECCM-4   EH-80
PD Radar AS21-R1 (20%) (1)     GPS 36     Range 21.4m km    MCR 1.9m km    RES 1   ECCM-4   EH-80
Thermal Sensor TH3.00-120.00 (1)     Sensitivity 120     Detect 1000:  86.6m km
EM Sensor EM3.00-120.00 (1)     Sensitivity 120     Detect 1000:  86.6m km

Electronic Warfare Jammers:   Sensor 4    Fire Control 5    Missile 5    

Strike Group / Ground Forces
2x Vampire mk2 Bomber   Speed: 10241 km/s    Size: 10
2x Shark mk2 Buoy Deployment Craft   Speed: 10241 km/s    Size: 10
2x Gravsurvey Pod Fast Gravitational Survey Shuttle   Speed: 10241 km/s    Size: 10
1x Marine Squad - 2194

Missile to hit values are target speeds in km/s for 100% / 50% / 25% chance to hit

This design is classed as a Military Vessel for maintenance purposes
This design is classed as a Carrier for auto-assignment purposes

It should be accompanied by few parasites.

Recon fighter:

Shark mk2 class Buoy Deployment Craft (P)      500 tons       14 Crew       373 BP       TCS 10    TH 12    EM 0
10241 km/s      Armour 1-5       Shields 0-0       HTK 4      Sensors 40/20/0/0      DCR 0-0      PPV 0.6
Maint Life 11.31 Years     MSP 223    AFR 6%    IFR 0.1%    1YR 3    5YR 48    Max Repair 168 MSP
Magazine 4 / 0    
Lieutenant Commander    Control Rating 1   
Intended Deployment Time: 3 months    CDE 75%    Morale Check Required    

Fighter Solid Core AM Drive EP102.40 (1)    Power 102.4    Fuel Use 18.10%    Signature 12.288    Exp 8%
Fuel Capacity 20,200 Litres    Range 40.2 billion km (45 days at full power)

Size 1 Box Launcher (4)     Missile Size: 1    Hangar Reload 50 minutes    MF Reload 8 hours
PD Missile Fire Control FC13-R1 (20%) (1)     Range 13.5m km    RES 1   ECCM-4   EH-80
PD Radar Buoy (3.5 m) (2)    Speed 0 km/s    Range 0m km    WH 0    Size 1    TH: 0 / 0 / 0
Thermal Buoy (9.1 m) (2)    Speed 0 km/s    Range 0m km    WH 0    Size 1    TH: 0 / 0 / 0

Active Search Sensor AS39-R1 (1)     GPS 120     Range 39.1m km    MCR 3.5m km    RES 1   ECCM-4
Thermal Sensor TH1.0-40.0 (20%) (1)     Sensitivity 40     Detect 1000:  50m km
EM Sensor EM0.5-20.0 (1)     Sensitivity 20.0     Detect 1000:  35.4m km

Vampire mk2 class Bomber (P)      500 tons       8 Crew       208.3 BP       TCS 10    TH 12    EM 0
10241 km/s      Armour 1-5       Shields 0-0       HTK 3      Sensors 4/0/0/0      DCR 0-0      PPV 3.75
Maint Life 12.15 Years     MSP 136    AFR 6%    IFR 0.1%    1YR 2    5YR 25    Max Repair 102.4 MSP
Magazine 25 / 0    
Lieutenant Commander    Control Rating 1   
Intended Deployment Time: 3 months    CDE 75%    Morale Check Required    

Fighter Solid Core AM Drive EP102.40 (1)    Power 102.4    Fuel Use 18.10%    Signature 12.288    Exp 8%
Fuel Capacity 20,200 Litres    Range 40.2 billion km (45 days at full power)

Size 5 Box Launcher (5)     Missile Size: 5    Hangar Reload 111 minutes    MF Reload 18 hours
Missile Fire Control FC146-R40 (20%) (1)     Range 146.4m km    RES 40   ECCM-4   EH-80
Neptune (55 k/s, 75m) (5)    Speed 55,080 km/s    Range 76m km    WH 16    Size 5    TH: 7,711 / 15,422 / 30,845

Eyeball Thermal Sensor TH0.1-4.0 (1)     Sensitivity 4     Detect 1000:  15.8m km

Gravsurvey Pod Fast class Gravitational Survey Shuttle (P)      500 tons       13 Crew       416.5 BP       TCS 10    TH 12    EM 0
10241 km/s      Armour 1-5       Shields 0-0       HTK 3      Sensors 4/0/5/0      DCR 0-0      PPV 0
Maint Life 4.54 Years     MSP 130    AFR 8%    IFR 0.1%    1YR 10    5YR 153    Max Repair 300 MSP
Lieutenant Commander    Control Rating 1   
Intended Deployment Time: 2.4 months    CDE 75%    Morale Check Required    

Fighter Solid Core AM Drive EP102.40 (1)    Power 102.4    Fuel Use 18.10%    Signature 12.288    Exp 8%
Fuel Capacity 15,200 Litres    Range 30.2 billion km (34 days at full power)

Eyeball Thermal Sensor TH0.1-4.0 (1)     Sensitivity 4     Detect 1000:  15.8m km
Phased Gravitational Sensors (1)   5 Survey Points Per Hour

So the idea is:

  • do a squadron jump and pray to RNG gods to land outside of beam range
  • outrun ASMs (enemy has ASMs much faster than 32k but those seem to be deployed in limited numbers; vast majority are 32k)
  • shield-tank AMMs
  • run as fast and as far as it can
  • when well outside of active scanners range, shut down the shields and reduce speed to minimize heat signature, crawl into a hiding spot, while pooping buoys every now and then
  • deploy parasites: 1 strike group (2 Vampires + 1 Shark) to do commerce raiding, 1 survey group (2 Gravsurvey pods + 1 Shark) to map JPs
  • When another JP is found, repeat until low on fuel or missiles
  • Wreck havoc in their rear, force the blockading fleet to leave (not sure that will work as NPRs have simplified MSP usage AFAIK, and maybe even fuel too?)

Obviously it is a guaranteed way to lose a very expensive ship and its crew, but heck - why not throw some theories at a wall and see what sticks?..

1 Like
17

Ooooh, I never yet reached the antimatter age. This looks fun.

So how do you like this:

Pohjola class Interceptor      28,800 tons       460 Crew       10,589.9 BP       TCS 576    TH 11,520    EM 7,140
20000 km/s      Armour 5-83       Shields 238-476       HTK 146      Sensors 0/0/0/0      DCR 26-9      PPV 160
Maint Life 1.38 Years     MSP 5,975    AFR 255%    IFR 3.5%    1YR 3,398    5YR 50,964    Max Repair 2,880 MSP
Captain of the List    Control Rating 1   BRG
Intended Deployment Time: 3 days    CDE 50%    Morale Check Required

Magneto-plasma Drive  EP5760.00 (2)    Power 11520    Fuel Use 225.00%    Signature 5760    Exp 30%
Fuel Capacity 1,251,000 Litres    Range 3.48 billion km (48 hours at full power)
Epsilon S119 / R476 Shields (2)     Recharge 476 seconds (0.5 per second)

25.0cm C5 Far Ultraviolet Laser (8)    Range 320,000km     TS 20,000 km/s     Power 16-5     ROF 20
Particle Beam-6 (8)    Range 240,000km     TS 20,000 km/s     Power 15-5    ROF 15
Gauss Cannon R400-100 (8x4)    Range 40,000km     TS 20,000 km/s     Power 0-0     ROF 5
Direct Fire Control R320-TS20000 (20%) (1)     Range 320,000 km   TS 20,000 km/s    ECCM-3
Direct Fire Control R160-TS20000 (20%) (2)     Range 160,000 km   TS 20,000 km/s    ECCM-3
Stellarator Fusion Reactor R80 (1)     Total Power Output 80.3    Exp 5%

Active Search Sensor AS92-R200 (20%) (1)     GPS 11200     Range 92.4m km    RES 200   ECCM-3   EH-80

Electronic Warfare Jammers:   Sensor 4    Fire Control 4    Missile 4

This design is classed as a Military Vessel for maintenance purposes
This design is classed as a Warship for auto-assignment purposes

If you adopt the principle, yours obviously will go MUCH faster and be that much harder for missiles to hit. Color me envious.
The whole combination is an interstellar tug to provide strategic mobility, a driveless hangar station to house and maintain the battle component and the Pohjola itself. That might even fit your no carrier doctrine, if sold right.

For a jump point assault you might want to modify a few of those with jump engines and sensors to replace the beams.

Have fun.

2 Likes