Bushido Industries Irako Maru Medium Merchant Vessel:

There are thousands of times more merchant ships carrying cargo around the Three Galaxies than there are warships. In many ways, the medium sized vessels are the lynchpin of the whole trading system. While better know for military hardware, Bushido Industries also produces a number of merchant ship designs. Their own cargo gets carried in these ships and their own military fleets were developed in large part to protect they own merchant fleets. The company also sells these ships both inside and outside of the Consortium. Even so, they only make up a very small fraction of the ships even within the Consortium compared to something like eighty percent of Bushido Industries products are transported in their own hulls.

More Irako Maru class vessels have been produced than any other class of merchant ships built by Bushido Industries. As well, Bushido Industries operates more of these vessels than any other classes of merchant ships which they build. With a cargo capacity of three hundred thousand metric tons, it has sixty times the cargo carrying capacity of Bushido Industries small merchant vessel design. These ships are configured to carry a variety of different cargos including vehicles, bulk cargos, and containerized cargo types. Containers are sealed and can be shuffled between ships rapidly. In addition, the containers can have their own controlled environments for specialized cargos.

With a faster than light speed of three and a half light years per hour, the Irako Maru class is among the faster merchant vessels operated within the Three Galaxies. There are definitely faster vessels but there are far more slow merchant vessels. Some older merchant vessels are as slow as one and a half light years per hour. As fast as some older Human Alliance warships, it is actually faster than some older Trans-Galactic Empire warships. Most newer warships however are faster than the Irako Maru class.

As with most merchant vessels, the Irako Maru is available without any weaponry. Unfortunately, there are many areas in the Three Galaxies that are not real safe. As such, most merchant vessels are armed. Standard weaponry is two medium range missile batteries, with one hundred and sixty missiles per launcher, and eight point defense particle beam mounts. The particle beams are similar to the particle beams mounted on several Bushido Industries fighters including the Katana. It used larger components due to mass and volume being less critical. An advantage is that the weapon system requires much less upkeep. The ships are fairly tough and are protected by a non-variable force field.

There is also a military version of the Irako Maru class. While called a "military version", the ships are also operated by various civilian merchant lines. In fact, a large percentage of the ships operated by Bushido Industries itself are the heavier armed "military version." Now, these ships are operated by several militaries and mercenary companies. While the hull is not reinforced, it does carry a far more powerful variable force field. It also is heavier armed. Some retain the standard particle beams but many upgrade the point defense weaponry to combination variable focus particle beams and heavy rail gun. In addition, the ship mounts two additional medium range launchers for four total. These ships have better sensors than standard versions of the vessel.

These vessels are designed to be operated by small crews for their size. Standard crew is forty-eight with six officers. Crew quarters are considered very comfortable. Some crews consider the advanced automation a bit finicky but crews still like the reduced crew work load. One reason why there may be problems with systems is because many merchant lines attempt to skimp on proper maintenance. Owners who properly maintain their Irako Maru class ships have far less problems.

This starship design uses modified starship speed and weapon range rules. See Revised Starship Rules for Phase World / Three Galaxies for more details.

Model Type: BIM-04-M
Vehicle Type: Medium Freighter
Crew: 48 (6 Officers and 42 Ordinary Crew)

Vehicles:

Mini-Tugs (Provision for cargo transport, not always carried)

M.D.C. By Location:

Standard:

Military:

[1] Point Defense Particle Beam Mounts (8):	100 each	100 each
[1] Combined Rail Gun / Particle Beams (8):	None	400 each
[1] Medium Range Missile Batteries (2 or 4):	500 each	500 each
Outer Hull (40 x 40 ft/ 12.2 m x 12.2 Area):	125	125
Inner Hull (40 x 20 ft/ 12.2 m x 12.2 Area):	75	75
[2] Bridge:	5,000	5,000
[3] Main Engines (2):	6,500 each	6,500 each
[4] Main Body:	28,000	28,000
[5] Force Field:	5,000 (Regular)	3,000 side (18,000 total)

Notes:
[1] These weapon systems are optional for standard models of the vessel although most military vessels will be armed. Military vessels will be armed with either the particle beam mounts of the combination rail gun / particle beam mounts. As well, standard models will mount a two medium range missile battery while military vessels will usually mount four.
[2] In reality this is how much damage needs to be done for a weapon to hit the bridge through the ship’s hull. This ship does not have an auxiliary bridge. Even if the bridge is destroyed, the ship can still be piloted from engineering but ship is -3 to dodge and all weapon systems will be at local control. Weapon hits near the bridge that do not penetrate the ships integrity can injure crew members on or near the bridge.
[3] Destroying the main engines means that the ship’s faster than light systems are destroyed and maximum sublight speed is reduced by half.
[4] Depleting the M.D.C. of the main body will put the merchant ship out of commission. All internal systems will shut down, including life support and internal gravity. The ship itself will be an unsalvageable floating wreck.
[5] Standard ship shields are not variable regenerate at the rate of 5% (250 M.D.C.) per melee round. Military versions carry variable shields (all could be combined in one shield) and shields regenerate at the rate of 5% (900 M.D.C.) per melee round.

Speed:
Driving on the Ground: Not Possible.
Sublight: Has a special sublight engine that allows the ship to travel up to 20 percent of the speed of light maximum due to civilian shields. Some have military class shields and can reach 60 percent of the speed of light. Star Ship can accelerate/decelerate at the rate of 0.7 percent of light per melee.
Atmospheric Propulsion: Maximum speed is 400 mph (643.7 kph), can enter an atmosphere because flight system is using contra grav.
Stardrive: Uses a Gravitonic Drive system that allows the ship to reach a maximum of 3.5 light years per hour.
Maximum Range: Effectively Unlimited by either drive system. Carries about two years worth of supplies on board (Can be stretched to three years in an emergency.)

Statistical Data:
Length: 918.64 feet (280.0 meters)
Height: 329.72 feet (100.5 meters)
Width: 377.30 feet (115.0 meters)
Mass/ Weight: 391,320 tons (355,000 metric tons)
Power System: Advanced Fusion with a 20 year life span. The ship normally only goes 5 years between refueling and refitting.
Cargo: Cargo holds are scattered about the ship that allows for carrying up to 330,700 tons (300,000 metric tons) of cargo in addition to standard compliment of supplies and ammunition. Each enlisted crew member has a small locker for personal items and uniforms. Ship’s officers have more space for personal items.
Market Cost: 1.2 Billion credits (Military versions about 1.8 billion and non armed version about 1.0 billion)

WEAPON SYSTEMS:

Eight (8) Point Defense Mounts: Standard versions of the vessel mount eight standard particle beam mounts. Some warships mount the same but some substitute combined mounts with a variable focus particle beam and a heavy GR-1000 Rail Gun. These second mounts are far more effective but are also more expensive. Turrets have 360 rotation and 120 degree arc of fire and can be controlled by gunners or be controlled from the bridge of the merchant ship.
1. Standard Particle Beam Mounts: Particle beam is similar to the particle beam mounted in many Bushido Industries fighters including the Katana although uses larger components due to being far less critical as far as volume and mass. The weapon system cannot be used while the ship is traveling at faster than light velocities.
  Maximum Effective Range: 4 miles (6.4 km) through atmosphere and 200 miles (321.8 km) in space.
  Mega-Damage: 2D6x10 per blast
  Rate of Fire: Equal to the combined hand to hand attacks of the gunner (usually 4 or 5).
  Payload: Effectively Unlimited.
2. Combination GR-1000 Rail Gun/Particle Beam Cannon Mounts: Mounted in turrets are one GR-1000 Rail Gun with a particle beam above the rail gun laser cannons. Both weapons can be fired together if the weapons are within range and both are controlled by the turret gunner.
  - Variable Focus Particle Beam Mounts (1 each mount): The particle beam is copied from those carried on the CAF Assault Shuttle and will fire a very powerful narrow beam and can fire a scatter effect that is less powerful but is capable of striking multiple targets. The weapon system is quite useful against missiles although the cone is not as wide as Tachyon cannon sprays are (Gives +2 bonus vs fast moving targets such as missiles.) The weapon cannot be used while the ship is traveling at FTL speeds.
    Maximum Effective Range: 300 miles (480 km) in space and 3 miles (4.8 km) in an atmosphere.
    Mega Damage: Single Target: 4D6x10 per blast. Wide Beam: 5D6 to all targets within a 5,000 foot (1,524 meter) diameter area. When fired as a wide beam, the cannon cannot be used on targets closer than 5,000 feet (1,524 meters) away (Combined particle beam [on heavy setting] and rail gun inflicts 8D6x10).
    Rate of Fire: Equal to the combined hand to hand attacks of the gunner (usually 4 or 5).
    Payload: Effectively Unlimited.
Two (2) or Four (4) Medium Range Missile Batteries: Standard models mount one medium range missile battery while military versions mount two medium range missile batteries. Weapon system is used for hitting enemy robots, fighters, and against incoming cruise missiles. Like other Phase world systems, weapon system range and speed has been greatly increased compared to Rifts Earth systems. Missile has a top speed of Mach 15 in an atmosphere and in space has an acceleration of 6% of light per turn. Batteries can launch on multiple targets each at the same time.
Maximum Effective Range: Medium range missile have a range of 160 miles (257.5 km) in an atmosphere and 80,000 miles (128,750 km/0.43 light seconds) in space.
Mega-Damage: Varies with medium range missile type (See revised Phase World / Three Galaxies missile tables for details.)
Rate of Fire: Can fire missiles one at a time or in volleys of two (2), four (4), eight (8), or sixteen (16) missiles per battery.
Payload: 160 medium range missiles per battery.

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Writeup by Kitsune (E-Mail Kitsune).

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