Bushido Industries Hekireki (Thunder) class Destroyer:

Even though Bushido Industries is generally pleased with their Raiden class light cruiser, there was a perceived need for a vessel to bridge the gap between Corvette and Cruiser. A destroyer could fight opponents that a corvette would not have the firepower to deal with and would be much less expensive than a cruiser design would be. They considered purchasing designs from other manufactures but in the end they decided to go with their own design. The design has many similarities to their previous light cruiser design but is still considered an excellent design.

It is rumored that these ships have had several altercations with Naruni Enterprises vessels while escorting convoys. Bushido Industries has refused to comment and Naruni Enterprises has denied having any engagement with Bushido Industries vessels. They claim that Bushido Industries is passing false rumors in order to damage Naruni Enterprises reputation.

The ship has only entered production but several organizations are already looking at the design for potential purchase. As of yet, none of the new destroyer design has been sold to outside interests but if all works out well, Bushido Industries plans to increase production and begin selling the design.

Like the Raiden, the Hekireki is partially modular in design. The ship has modular mounts for the main missile system and the ship can carry either two long range missile batteries or one cruise missile battery. The cruise missile battery is used for strike rolls and the long range missile batteries are normally used in defensive roles. There has been some experimenting with the idea of operating the vessels in pairs, one vessel armed with a cruise missile battery and the other carrying two long range missile batteries. The two ships working together would effectively be the equivalent of a cruiser in terms of missile firepower although they would still have a much smaller payload. Even the Hekireki with cruise missile launchers has reasonable defensive capability and carries two medium range missile batteries for mid-range anti missile defense. For close in defense, the ship carries six combination rail gun and variable focus particle beams on ball mounts. These mounts were first carried on the Bisento class heavy fighter.and are also carried on the Raiden class Light Cruiser. The vessels do carry a limited amount of firepower in heavy energy weapons. The ship carries two twelve-centimeter laser cannon mounts.

These ships are about equal to most other destroyer designs in terms of armor and shielding. Where they excel is in terms of speed. They are actually faster than some older fighter designs at accelerating in normal space and are very fast in Faster Than Light travel. They are not quite as fast as the Raiden in FTL travel but are faster than most destroyer designs including the Hunter and Scimitar classes.

If these ships have any weakness, it is the fact that they carry no fighters. Still, the fact that their firepower exceeds that of a Kreeghor Berserker in virtually every category means that few vessels want to tangle with a Hekireki on a one on one basis. Several design features such as the large cargo bay in several destroyer classes and the amount of supplies that are carried onboard are reduced compared to most other destroyer designs.

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: BIC-04-M

Vehicle Type: Destroyer

Crew: 56 (8 Officers, 48 enlisted).

Troops: None

Vehicle, Robots, and Power Armors: None

M.D.C. By Location:

	12 cm Heavy Laser Cannons (2 - Front):	800 each
	Combined GR-1000 Rail Gun / Particle Beam Cannon Turret (6):	400 each
	Cruise Missile Batteries (Varies):	1,000 each
	Long Range Missile Batteries (Varies):	600 each
	Medium Range Missile Batteries (2):	500 each
	Outer Hull (40 ft/ 12.2 m Area):	150
	Inner Hull (40 ft/ 12.2 m Area):	100
	[1] Bridge:	1,500
	[2] Main Engines (2):	1,000 each
	[3] Main Body:	5,000
	[4] Variable Force Field:	1,000 a side (6,000 Total)

Notes:

[1] In reality this is how much damage needs to be done for a weapon to hit the bridge through the ship’s armor. This ship does not have an auxiliary bridge. Even if the bridge is destroyed, the ship can still be piloted from engineering but the 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.

[2] Destroying the main engines means that the ship faster than light propulsion systems are destroyed and maximum sublight speed is reduced by half.

[3] Depleting the M.D.C. of the main body will put the destroyer out of commission. All internal systems will shut down, including life support and internal gravity. The ship itself will be an unsalvageable floating wreck.

[4] Shields positions can be varied and all could be combined in one shield. Shields regenerate at the rate of 5% (300 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 60 percent of the speed of light. Star Ship can accelerate/decelerate at the rate of 1.1 percent of light per melee.

Atmospheric Propulsion: Maximum speed is Mach 2 (1482.9 mph / 2386.5 kph), can enter an atmosphere and can leave but is not designed for atmospheric flight.

Stardrive: Uses a Gravitonic Drive system that allows the ship to reach a maximum of 6 light years per hour.

Maximum Range: Effectively Unlimited by either drive system. Carries about six months worth of supplies on board.

Statistical Data:

Length: 430 feet (131.1 meters).

Height: 68 feet (20.7 meters).

Width: 105 feet (32.0 meters).

Weight: 8,200 tons (7,438.9 metric tons)

Power System: Anti-Matter with a 20 year life span. The ship normally only goes 10 years between refueling and refitting.

Cargo: Cargo holds are scattered about the ship that allows for carrying up to 80 tons of cargo in addition to the 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. Most of the ship’s spaces are taken up by extra ammunition, armor, troops, weapons, engine, and other equipment.

Market Cost: 200 million to construct. These ships will eventually be sold on the open market and Bushido Industries will likely sell them with a 75% markup (350 million credits.)

WEAPON SYSTEMS:

Modular Missile Batteries: The Hekireki is constructed so that it can carry one of two different configurations of primary missile batteries. These batteries are put in during construction and it would be a major operation for a shipyard to change them out although it is not impossible. A Hekireki can carry one cruise missile battery or two long range missile batteries.
1. Cruise Missile Battery (1): Missiles have a top speed of Mach 25 in an atmosphere and in space has an acceleration of 10% of light per turn (far faster than any starship.) Whether weapons can be shot down is calculated from the speed of target, launching starship, and missile. When drive goes dead, the missile will continue to travel in a straight line unless preset to self destruct or receives a destruct code but has very low odds of hitting star ships (Great for hitting bases and planets because the target does not move and missile, when unpowered, is at -25% to be detected.) See modified starship rules for more details - Cruise missiles have penalties to hit small targets but are all considered smart missiles. This battery is a standard CAF battery. The Battery can launch on multiple targets each at the same time.
  Maximum Effective Range: Missile range is 8,000 miles (12,875 km) in an atmosphere and 4,000,000 miles (6,437,376 km/ 21.5 light seconds) in space
  Mega-Damage & Properties: See revised Phase World / Three Galaxies missile tables for details (Anti-Matter multi-warheads inflict 5D6x100 M.D.C. each.)
  Rate of Fire: Can fire missiles one at a time or in volleys of two (2), eight (8), sixteen (16), or thirty-two (32) missiles per melee round (Can be combined with additional batteries). Battery is are reloaded on the same melee and can be fired again on the next.
  Payload: 32 cruise missiles in battery. Ship has 4 reload of missiles (128 cruise missiles reloads) per battery.
2. Long Range Missile Batteries (2): Missiles have a top speed of Mach 20 in an atmosphere and in space has an acceleration of 8% of light per turn (faster than any starship.) Whether weapons can be shot down is calculated from the speed of target, battery, and missile. When drive goes dead, the missile will continue to travel in a straight line unless set to self destruct but has very low odds of hitting star ships (Great for hitting bases and planets because the target does not move and missile, when unpowered, is at -25% to be detected.) Long range missiles do not have penalties to hit small targets unlike cruise missiles and are all considered smart missiles. Batteries can launch on multiple targets each at the same time.
  Maximum Effective Range: Missile range is 3,400 miles (5,470 km) in an atmosphere and 1,800,000 miles (2,897,000 km/9.7 light seconds) in space.
  Mega-Damage & Properties: See revised Phase World / Three Galaxies missile tables for details (Fusion warheads inflict 2D4x100 M.D.C. each.)
  Rate of Fire: Can fire missiles one at a time or in volleys of two (2), eight (8), sixteen (16), or thirty-two (32) missiles per battery, per melee attack.
  Payload: 160 per launcher for a total of 320 long range missiles.
Two (2) 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. Missiles have 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: 160 miles (257.5 km) in an atmosphere and 80,000 miles (128,750 km/0.43 light seconds)
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), or eight (8) missiles per battery.
Payload: 160 per launcher for a total of 320 medium range missiles.
Two (2) 12 cm Heavy Laser Cannons: These cannons are mounted in the front of the vessel. The weapon system cannot be used to engage targets while traveling at faster than light velocities. Weapons have standard penalties to hit fighters and small targets. The barrels can be can be rotated 180 degrees in all directions. Both cannons may be fired as one volley.
Maximum Effective Range: 16 miles (25.8 km) through atmosphere and 16,000 miles (25,800 km) in space.
Mega Damage: 2D6x100 MD each. Both laser cannons can be combined for 4D6x100 Mega Damage.
Rate of Fire: Maximum of two (2) times per melee each.
Payload: Effectively Unlimited.
Combination GR-1000 Rail Gun/Particle Beam Cannons Ball Turret (6): Mounted in turrets are one GR-1000 Rail Gun with a particle beam above the rail gun laser cannons. Turrets are main defensive weapons of the starship and they inflict a huge amount of damage. Both weapons can be fired together if the weapons are within range and both are controlled by the turret gunner. The turrets may be put under the bridges control. Turrets have 360 rotation and 120 degree arc of.
- GR-1000 Rail Gun (1 each mount): Very powerful rail gun mounted in turret. This is the same weapon system that is mounted in the nose of the Scorpion starfighter. The weapon cannot be used while the ship is traveling at FTL speeds.
  Maximum Effective Range: GR-1000 Rail Guns: 16 miles (26 km) through atmosphere and 1,600 miles (2,575 km) in space.
  Mega Damage: GR-1000 Rail Guns: 40 round burst inflicts 4D6x10 M.D. (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: 10,000 rounds (250 Bursts)
- 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 faster than light 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.

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Writeup by Kitsune (E-Mail Kitsune).

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