Feazanthia
28-10-2007, 02:04
With the successful development of Project: Majiirian and an increase in funding from the Intergalactic Feazanthian Navy, Nabaali Shipworks Inc. was able to increase its holdings and facilities. While contracted to produce new Majiirian-class warships for the Navy, the company's R&D department was also eager to continue developing new projects. To that end, the company began making attempts at developing a "leaner, meaner Majiirian" in order to fill the heavy cruiser role long left vacant by the now-outdated Avatar Mk.I series.
Aiming to pump the Majiirian BBH (http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showthread.php?t=538685)'s incredible ballistic firepower into a lighter and cheaper hull, as Nabaali was unable to secure contracts for Sponson's third-generation helical accelerator technology. To make up for the loss of lighter, more efficient ion cannon weapons, Nabaali scrapped the idea of adding directed-energy weapons to the new warship completely much to the chagrin of older board members, who remembered the effort the Feazanthian people had gone through to acquire ion technology. The board was so put off, in fact, that the entire project was reassigned to a smaller, second-hand Empress-class mobile shipyard recently acquired from the Navy.
However, the smaller space with which to work turned out to be a boon to newly-christened Project: Arelian Defender. Using an older Avatar hull as a basis from which to work, the technicians assigned to the project were able to "field test" the abilities of the Empress MBY (which had just entered the Mk.II stage in the field) to repair and refit the warship on the front lines. Also, as the fleet still had an excess of Avatar hulls and the resources with which to produce them, the new cruiser would be more adaptable than its larger brother. Its lower mass would afford it higher acceleration, which was becoming desirable on the modern battlefield. And, they hoped, the weapon systems would strike fear into the hearts of the enemies of the Dominion.
Like the Majiirian, the Arelian Defender's offensive systems were centered around a quartet of tri-barreled twelve-hundred-millimeter Strategic Bombardment Arrays. These long-range weapons consisted of an immense linear rail accelerator, but instead of standard "dumb" munitions it was loaded with and deployed 30 gigaton-yield fusion missiles. The "cannon" acts as the missile's first stage, accelerating the weapon to a muzzle velocity of 25 km/s, slightly less than a standard unguided munition. However, unlike the less sophisticated railgun, the SBA's ordinance is able to acquire and track long-range targets, making adjustments to its course to compensate for combat maneuvers. The missile enables later than a standard equivalent as well, allowing for less time for the enemy to acquire and eliminate the threat. Without having to accelerate under its own power, the SBA's ordinance has significantly more fuel with which to maneuver. This gives the SBA greater accuracy and destructive force against long-range and evasive targets over standard missiles and railguns alike. The Arelian Defender, unlike the Majiirian however, mounts its 1200mm Strategic Bombardment Arrays in a "box" pattern, with one turret along the ventral and dorsal spines, and two turrets slung under the primary hull similar to the Avatar Mk.II's 640mm railguns.
Supplementing the SBA1200s are twenty-one 275mm electromagnetic-acceleration autocannons (AC275) in seven triple mounts. Though not having the range nor accuracy of the Strategic Bombardment Array, the AC275 has the benefits of multi-ammunition capability, shorter reload time, lower detectability, and lower cost. The Arelian Defender's unprecedented number of autocannons allows it to deliver devastating solid-core kinetic strikes against capital-class targets, or to cut swaths of destruction across strike craft lines with ferrous-cored "flak" rounds, though they are used in this role sparingly. The Arelian Defender also sports twenty-six 100mm autocannons in four quad mounts and four dual mounts. These are most often loaded with "flak" rounds to create a defensive perimeter around the ship difficult for strike craft and enemy guided munitions to penetrate. They can also be loaded with solid-core penetrators to add to the withering AC275 fire.
Though unable to launch the swarms of Hive-class attack drones of the Majiirian, the Arelian Defender does have a moderate guided weapons offensive system. A pair of long-range anti-capital torpedo tubes provide the "knockout punch" of two-hundred gigaton "Sledgehammer" high-velocity anti-capital ship torpedoes, or even the dreaded "Skipper" faster-than-light slipstream torpedo. These are supplemented by two, one-hundred cell reloadable VLS towards the aft of the ship in place of the Avatar's auxiliary exhaust ports (rendered obsolete by fifth-generation deuterium tokamak reactors) for 300 kiloton capital attack missiles (CAM300) and AGM-24 "Banshee" anti-strike craft missiles.
Unfortunately, the Arelian Defender shares a weakness with the larger Majiirian in its minimal point-defense system. Should any small craft get past the missiles and 100mm flak fire, the Arelian Defender only has four gimbal-mounted 50mm hull defense autocannons. Also, the Avatar strike craft bay has been completely reconfigured to produce and store ammunition, and thus the Arelian Defender cannot service and support smaller vessels. These two traits leave the Arelian Defender's sensitive weapon subsystems open to attack from smaller craft. This, combined with only a basic sensor suite and almost no electronic warfare equipment, makes the Arelian Defender nearly incapable of independent action and pigeonholes it to fleet operations with an established tactical network. Should the fleet's TacNet be compromised, the Arelian Defender could very well be left comparatively deaf and blind. In addition to this, the odd configuration of the weapon systems gives the Arelian Defender the greatest advantage in a head-on confrontation, with all weapons pointing forward. However, approaches from the rear and sides are significantly harder to defend against.
The Arelian Defender's passive defenses are standard for all capital- and super capital-classed ships in the Intergalactic Feazanthian Navy. Outer armor consists of an advanced mix of composite carbon-titanium-A underlayer, fibersteel mesh, and an outer ceramic shell. The Arelian Defender's internal bracing system uses a series of internal cross bracings and honeycombs that made the ships surprisingly resistant to battle damage; ships using this system are very heavy, but are able to remain operational despite sustaining breaches to all compartments and losing 90% of their armor (according to battlefield reports, never actually tested under controlled conditions). Shielding is the standard SENTINEL system, handled by the warship's third-generation A.I. The SENTINEL actively tracks incoming threats and, should they get past the CIWS weapons, will activate an active forcefield in front of the target's trajectory for the scant milliseconds it takes for the object's force to be completely dissipated. In order to save power, this force field is deployed via microscopic nanobots which jettison themselves from the ship at the start of battle and are fed power directly from the ship's fusion reactor. This allows for the warship to project a forcefield only in the areas that are under threat, instead of projecting an energy-consuming field around the entire ship.
The ship uses a pair of trinity-based toroidal deuterium tokamak reactor systems, each consisting of two auxiliary cores which are capable of "supercharging" the main core in times of high power requirements. These reactors are cooled by a combination of a laser induced slurry of ions chilled to near absolute zero and, in extreme situations, venting excess heat to the vacuum of space. The ship's power systems carry a high amount of redundancy, and all modules carry independent battery systems to minimize disruption of power due to combat damage.
Though the Arelian Defender is considered a "black sheep" project by Nabaali Shipworks Inc.'s board of executives, the Feazanthian Navy has expressed a strong desire to add this ship-of-the-line to their arsenal in the Milky Way campaign. It is believed the superior firepower of the warship will give Feazanthian forces the edge against the strange, advanced technology of the Milky Way's myriad empires.
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Statblock
Arelian Defender CB
Heavy Cruiser
Developer: Nabaali Shipworks Inc.
Length: 800m
In use by: Intergalactic Feazanthian Navy, Dominion Defense Force (limited deployment), Hegemony Honor Guard (three cruisers on loan from IFN)
Crew: <CLASSIFIED>
Primary Armament:
12x 1200mm Strategic Bombardment Arrays (SBA1200) in four triple mounts (30 gigaton warhead strength)
21x 275mm autocannons (AC275) in seven triple mounts
2x Anti-Capital Ship torpedo silo for 200 gigaton "Sledgehammer" or "Skipper" AntiCap Torpedoes
Secondary Armament:
16x 100mm autocannons (AC100) in four quadruple mounts
10x 100mm autocannons (AC100) in five dual mounts
2x 100-cell VLS (variable warhead strength/missile type)
CIWS Armament:
4x 50mm autocannons (AC50) in four gimbal mounts
Armor:
Composite carbon-titanium-A battleplate
Fibersteel mesh underlayer
Outer ceramic shell
Avatar-series internal bracing
Shield: SENTINEL system
Slipstream Rating: Short Jump
Arelian Defender CB (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v296/dafeaz/Future%20Tech/ADbeautyshot.jpg?t=1193366145) profile.
Arelian Defender CB detachment of the 78th "Wraiths of Sajuuk" CVBG (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v296/dafeaz/Future%20Tech/AD-Asrendduel.jpg) engaging Hegemony Honor Guard cruisers in fleet exercise.
Arelian Defenders launching CAM300 volleys (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v296/dafeaz/Future%20Tech/ADVLS.jpg) during fleet exercise (see above).
Arelian Defender CB detachment in field testing (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v296/dafeaz/Future%20Tech/ADpiratefight.jpg) against two pirate carriers. No IFN forces lost.
Arelian Defender CB detachment engaging pirate raiders. (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v296/dafeaz/Future%20Tech/ADcargodefense.jpg) Also shown: Sponson Bishop-class transport (civilian), HSF-25A "Avenger" squadron
Arelian Defender CB (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v296/dafeaz/Future%20Tech/ADbigbattle.jpg) and HHG cruiser engaging Collective forces (simulated).
---
Concept by Kenny "Tel'Quessir" Koh and the Homeworld: Point Defense Systems staff. Weapons by Alex "acelynham" Lynham. Used with their kind permission. Check them out here (http://pds.hwaccess.net) and help support the introduction of Newtonian Physics and real-life naval doctrine into the Homeworld universe.
Aiming to pump the Majiirian BBH (http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showthread.php?t=538685)'s incredible ballistic firepower into a lighter and cheaper hull, as Nabaali was unable to secure contracts for Sponson's third-generation helical accelerator technology. To make up for the loss of lighter, more efficient ion cannon weapons, Nabaali scrapped the idea of adding directed-energy weapons to the new warship completely much to the chagrin of older board members, who remembered the effort the Feazanthian people had gone through to acquire ion technology. The board was so put off, in fact, that the entire project was reassigned to a smaller, second-hand Empress-class mobile shipyard recently acquired from the Navy.
However, the smaller space with which to work turned out to be a boon to newly-christened Project: Arelian Defender. Using an older Avatar hull as a basis from which to work, the technicians assigned to the project were able to "field test" the abilities of the Empress MBY (which had just entered the Mk.II stage in the field) to repair and refit the warship on the front lines. Also, as the fleet still had an excess of Avatar hulls and the resources with which to produce them, the new cruiser would be more adaptable than its larger brother. Its lower mass would afford it higher acceleration, which was becoming desirable on the modern battlefield. And, they hoped, the weapon systems would strike fear into the hearts of the enemies of the Dominion.
Like the Majiirian, the Arelian Defender's offensive systems were centered around a quartet of tri-barreled twelve-hundred-millimeter Strategic Bombardment Arrays. These long-range weapons consisted of an immense linear rail accelerator, but instead of standard "dumb" munitions it was loaded with and deployed 30 gigaton-yield fusion missiles. The "cannon" acts as the missile's first stage, accelerating the weapon to a muzzle velocity of 25 km/s, slightly less than a standard unguided munition. However, unlike the less sophisticated railgun, the SBA's ordinance is able to acquire and track long-range targets, making adjustments to its course to compensate for combat maneuvers. The missile enables later than a standard equivalent as well, allowing for less time for the enemy to acquire and eliminate the threat. Without having to accelerate under its own power, the SBA's ordinance has significantly more fuel with which to maneuver. This gives the SBA greater accuracy and destructive force against long-range and evasive targets over standard missiles and railguns alike. The Arelian Defender, unlike the Majiirian however, mounts its 1200mm Strategic Bombardment Arrays in a "box" pattern, with one turret along the ventral and dorsal spines, and two turrets slung under the primary hull similar to the Avatar Mk.II's 640mm railguns.
Supplementing the SBA1200s are twenty-one 275mm electromagnetic-acceleration autocannons (AC275) in seven triple mounts. Though not having the range nor accuracy of the Strategic Bombardment Array, the AC275 has the benefits of multi-ammunition capability, shorter reload time, lower detectability, and lower cost. The Arelian Defender's unprecedented number of autocannons allows it to deliver devastating solid-core kinetic strikes against capital-class targets, or to cut swaths of destruction across strike craft lines with ferrous-cored "flak" rounds, though they are used in this role sparingly. The Arelian Defender also sports twenty-six 100mm autocannons in four quad mounts and four dual mounts. These are most often loaded with "flak" rounds to create a defensive perimeter around the ship difficult for strike craft and enemy guided munitions to penetrate. They can also be loaded with solid-core penetrators to add to the withering AC275 fire.
Though unable to launch the swarms of Hive-class attack drones of the Majiirian, the Arelian Defender does have a moderate guided weapons offensive system. A pair of long-range anti-capital torpedo tubes provide the "knockout punch" of two-hundred gigaton "Sledgehammer" high-velocity anti-capital ship torpedoes, or even the dreaded "Skipper" faster-than-light slipstream torpedo. These are supplemented by two, one-hundred cell reloadable VLS towards the aft of the ship in place of the Avatar's auxiliary exhaust ports (rendered obsolete by fifth-generation deuterium tokamak reactors) for 300 kiloton capital attack missiles (CAM300) and AGM-24 "Banshee" anti-strike craft missiles.
Unfortunately, the Arelian Defender shares a weakness with the larger Majiirian in its minimal point-defense system. Should any small craft get past the missiles and 100mm flak fire, the Arelian Defender only has four gimbal-mounted 50mm hull defense autocannons. Also, the Avatar strike craft bay has been completely reconfigured to produce and store ammunition, and thus the Arelian Defender cannot service and support smaller vessels. These two traits leave the Arelian Defender's sensitive weapon subsystems open to attack from smaller craft. This, combined with only a basic sensor suite and almost no electronic warfare equipment, makes the Arelian Defender nearly incapable of independent action and pigeonholes it to fleet operations with an established tactical network. Should the fleet's TacNet be compromised, the Arelian Defender could very well be left comparatively deaf and blind. In addition to this, the odd configuration of the weapon systems gives the Arelian Defender the greatest advantage in a head-on confrontation, with all weapons pointing forward. However, approaches from the rear and sides are significantly harder to defend against.
The Arelian Defender's passive defenses are standard for all capital- and super capital-classed ships in the Intergalactic Feazanthian Navy. Outer armor consists of an advanced mix of composite carbon-titanium-A underlayer, fibersteel mesh, and an outer ceramic shell. The Arelian Defender's internal bracing system uses a series of internal cross bracings and honeycombs that made the ships surprisingly resistant to battle damage; ships using this system are very heavy, but are able to remain operational despite sustaining breaches to all compartments and losing 90% of their armor (according to battlefield reports, never actually tested under controlled conditions). Shielding is the standard SENTINEL system, handled by the warship's third-generation A.I. The SENTINEL actively tracks incoming threats and, should they get past the CIWS weapons, will activate an active forcefield in front of the target's trajectory for the scant milliseconds it takes for the object's force to be completely dissipated. In order to save power, this force field is deployed via microscopic nanobots which jettison themselves from the ship at the start of battle and are fed power directly from the ship's fusion reactor. This allows for the warship to project a forcefield only in the areas that are under threat, instead of projecting an energy-consuming field around the entire ship.
The ship uses a pair of trinity-based toroidal deuterium tokamak reactor systems, each consisting of two auxiliary cores which are capable of "supercharging" the main core in times of high power requirements. These reactors are cooled by a combination of a laser induced slurry of ions chilled to near absolute zero and, in extreme situations, venting excess heat to the vacuum of space. The ship's power systems carry a high amount of redundancy, and all modules carry independent battery systems to minimize disruption of power due to combat damage.
Though the Arelian Defender is considered a "black sheep" project by Nabaali Shipworks Inc.'s board of executives, the Feazanthian Navy has expressed a strong desire to add this ship-of-the-line to their arsenal in the Milky Way campaign. It is believed the superior firepower of the warship will give Feazanthian forces the edge against the strange, advanced technology of the Milky Way's myriad empires.
---
Statblock
Arelian Defender CB
Heavy Cruiser
Developer: Nabaali Shipworks Inc.
Length: 800m
In use by: Intergalactic Feazanthian Navy, Dominion Defense Force (limited deployment), Hegemony Honor Guard (three cruisers on loan from IFN)
Crew: <CLASSIFIED>
Primary Armament:
12x 1200mm Strategic Bombardment Arrays (SBA1200) in four triple mounts (30 gigaton warhead strength)
21x 275mm autocannons (AC275) in seven triple mounts
2x Anti-Capital Ship torpedo silo for 200 gigaton "Sledgehammer" or "Skipper" AntiCap Torpedoes
Secondary Armament:
16x 100mm autocannons (AC100) in four quadruple mounts
10x 100mm autocannons (AC100) in five dual mounts
2x 100-cell VLS (variable warhead strength/missile type)
CIWS Armament:
4x 50mm autocannons (AC50) in four gimbal mounts
Armor:
Composite carbon-titanium-A battleplate
Fibersteel mesh underlayer
Outer ceramic shell
Avatar-series internal bracing
Shield: SENTINEL system
Slipstream Rating: Short Jump
Arelian Defender CB (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v296/dafeaz/Future%20Tech/ADbeautyshot.jpg?t=1193366145) profile.
Arelian Defender CB detachment of the 78th "Wraiths of Sajuuk" CVBG (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v296/dafeaz/Future%20Tech/AD-Asrendduel.jpg) engaging Hegemony Honor Guard cruisers in fleet exercise.
Arelian Defenders launching CAM300 volleys (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v296/dafeaz/Future%20Tech/ADVLS.jpg) during fleet exercise (see above).
Arelian Defender CB detachment in field testing (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v296/dafeaz/Future%20Tech/ADpiratefight.jpg) against two pirate carriers. No IFN forces lost.
Arelian Defender CB detachment engaging pirate raiders. (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v296/dafeaz/Future%20Tech/ADcargodefense.jpg) Also shown: Sponson Bishop-class transport (civilian), HSF-25A "Avenger" squadron
Arelian Defender CB (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v296/dafeaz/Future%20Tech/ADbigbattle.jpg) and HHG cruiser engaging Collective forces (simulated).
---
Concept by Kenny "Tel'Quessir" Koh and the Homeworld: Point Defense Systems staff. Weapons by Alex "acelynham" Lynham. Used with their kind permission. Check them out here (http://pds.hwaccess.net) and help support the introduction of Newtonian Physics and real-life naval doctrine into the Homeworld universe.