Duridel class Monitor:

The concept behind monitors are ships which are about the same size a heavy cruiser yet mount greater weaponry due to the fact that design endurance is reduced and are usually much slower than most cruisers. In general, they also do not mount faster than light engines due to being designed to operate purely within a star system. There are a few exceptions to this however. The space saved by these reductions results in a design which can mount heavier weapons and more armor. In addition, monitor designs can generally mount more powerful shields than a cruise might.

The designation “Monitor” derives from coastal defense vessels from the days of steam propelled ocean vessels. They were designed with heavy armor and powerful guns but were usually designed with low freeboard which did not allow for operation in open waters but instead were purely coastal vessels. Almost certainly, the best known of these vessels was the U.S.S. Monitor from the American Civil War.

There is much debate if an older cruiser is more effective than a more modern monitor. The cost of each is often similar and various military commanders chose one or the other depending on their perceived needs. Some leaders consider it essential that the their military forces can project power outside of their home system while others consider greater firepower in the system defense role to be more important.

Often the choice between cruisers and monitors is a political one as well. Many politicians consider monitors to be defensive ships which do not provoke other political parties or other governments. As a result, monitors are often an easier sell to some government leaders.

Due to the ships lacking faster than light drives, they normally need to be transported by other means. Sometimes they are carried already assembled in huge transport ships massing several million tons while others are assembled or constructed in star system which they operate within. Few system defense forces manufacture their own monitor designs although a do manage various upgrades and modifications.

The Duridel class monitor is based on the earlier Rockcastle class monitor but is outfitted with more modern systems and is far more powerful. The design for the Duridel is produced by several different yards which have been licenced over the years to manufacture the ship. Most of the yards originally produced the older monitor design previous. Most Duridel class monitors are shipped complete from the yards which they are manufactured. While it is generally more expensive to ship star ships fully assembled to the system which they are to be employed, builders of the ships claim that the monitors are stronger when fully assembled in the shipyard.

For the main energy battery of the monitor, the Duridel class mounts four heavy lasers (30 cm) in similar mounts to the particle beams carried on the Rockcastle class. The heavy lasers have a similar energy output but have greater range. While some modified versions of the Rockcastle monitor replace the lighter (12 cm) anti-capital ship lasers, the are retained in the Duridel class but are supplemented by a pair of heavy gravity rails (8 cm) for use against targets which are protected against energy weapons.

Point defense is greatly upgraded compared to earlier monitor classes. These ships mount twelve point defense particle beams, eight gravity based point defense rail guns, and six point defense mini-missile launchers. Some shipyards have considered replacing the standard particle beams to variable focus particle beams which can fire a scatter pattern for greater chance of intercepting missiles.

The ship carries a total of four capital missile batteries and four long range missile batteries. The monitor is able to fire greater number of missiles at one time than the older Rockcastle class and has more magazine volume although the ship still carries less reloads than a Warshield class cruiser. As with the Rockcastle class, both X-Ray laser warheads and anti-matter warheads are generally not available. Most common capital anti-ship missiles are multi-warhead fusion warheads. Other common warheads are decoy missiles.

More modern construction techniques and more advanced composites and alloys allows for a great increase in the ability of the monitor to survive damage compared to older ships. The shields are also far more powerful and can withstand around forty percent greater damage. The monitor’s acceleration is improved compared to older monitor classes but lags behind that of most cruiser designs. Due to greater power needs, it was decided to upgrade monitor to a powerful anti-matter reactor instead of a fusion reactor. In addition, the anti-matter power systems are more compact and allows for an increase in available internal space.

With the addition of advanced automation systems, the crew is reduced by around fifteen percent even with the additional weapon systems. Like most monitor classes, the Duridel does not have facilities for embarking marines or fighters. If fighters are required, they normal operate from the planet which the ship is protecting or from large orbital facilities.

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: MA-55.

Vehicle Type: Monitor.

Crew: 288 (ship can be run by 60 crew-members).

Troops: None.

Vehicles: None.

M.D.C. By Location:

	30 cm Main Laser Cannons (4, Front):	1,500 each.
	12 cm Heavy Laser Cannons (4, Sides):	800 each.
	8 cm G-cannon Turrets (2, Sides):	800 each.
	Point Defense Gravity Rail Guns (8):	200 each.
	Point Defense Particle Beam Cannons (12):	150 each.
	Cruise Missile Batteries (2):	1,000 each.
	Long Range Missile Batteries (4):	600 each.
	Mini Missile Launchers (6):	100 each.
	Outer Hull (40 ft/ 12.2 m Area):	200.
	Inner Hull (40 ft/ 12.2 m Area):	125.
	[1] Bridge:	15,000.
	[1] Secondary Bridge:	15,000.
	[2] Main Engines (2):	20,000 each.
	[3] Main Body:	80,000.
	[4] Variable Force Field:	8,000 a side (48,000 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 also has an auxiliary bridge. Even if both bridges are taken out, 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.

[2] Destroying the main engines means that maximum sublight speed is reduced by half.

[3] Depleting the M.D.C. of the main body will put the Monitor 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% (2,400 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 0.75 percent of light per melee.

Atmospheric Propulsion: Maximum speed is 400 mph (644 kph), can enter an atmosphere and can leave but is not designed for atmospheric flight.

Stardrive: The ship carries no stardrive.

Maximum Range: Effectively Unlimited by either Drive system. Carries about one year worth of supplies on board.

Statistical Data:

Length: 815 feet (248.4 meters).

Height: 255 feet (77.7 meters).

Width: 428 feet (130.5 meters).

Weight/Mass: 218,000 tons (197,800 metric tons).

Power System: Anti-Matter with a 50 year life span. The ship normally only goes 10 years between refueling and refitting. Backed up with emergency fusion plants.

Cargo: Cargo holds are scattered about the ship that allows for carrying up to 1,000 tons (907.18 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. Most of the ship’s spaces are taken up by extra ammunition, armor, troops, weapons, engine, and other equipment.

Market Cost: 2.5 billion credits.

WEAPON SYSTEMS:

Four (4) 30 cm Heavy Laser Cannons: In the front and sides of the ship are four 30 cm heavy laser cannons. These can be fired forward and can be angled up to 120 degrees aft (can only fire one cannon at a target at that angle but can spin to be able to bring both batteries to bear) and can fire at a 30 degree angle up or down Weapon has standard minuses to hit fighters and small targets for large starship weaponry. The barrels can be fired either forward or behind and can be rotated 60 degrees horizontally or vertically.

Maximum Effective Range: 100,000 miles (161,000 km) in space and 100 miles (161 km) in an atmosphere.

Mega Damage: 1D6x1000 M.D.C. each and two can be combined for a total of 2D6x1000.

Rate of Fire: Maximum of two (2) times per melee per cannon.

Payload: Effectively Unlimited.
Four (4) 8 cm Heavy Rail Guns: Used as one of the ship’s secondary batteries. They are used against targets that are impervious to energy as well. System can be operated by a gunner or a gunner program (+2 to strike, 3 Attacks per melee) and can rotate 180 degrees. Heavy rail gun projectiles come out of the heavy rail guns at a significant fraction of the speed of light when fired in space. When fired in an atmosphere, projectile velocities are slower to prevent them from burning up but still are at hypersonic speeds. They have the standard penalties for capital scale weaponry to strike small targets such as fighters and other such small targets.

Maximum Effective Range: 10,000 miles (16,100 km) in space, range is 10 miles (16.1 km) in an atmosphere.

Mega Damage: 1D4x100 M.D.C. per 80 round burst each.

Rate of Fire: Equal to the combined hand to hand attacks of the gunner (usually 4 or 5).

Payload: 32,000 rounds each (400 bursts).
Four (4) 12 cm Heavy Laser Cannons: Laser cannons are used against frigates and as against heavily reinforced targets. Two are located on either side of ship. Weapon has standard minuses to hit fighters and small targets. The barrels can be can be rotated 180 degrees in all directions. Only two cannons can 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 M.D.C. each or 4D6x100 for two.

Rate of Fire: Maximum of two (2) times per melee each laser cannon.

Payload: Effectively Unlimited.
Eight (8) 20 mm Point Defense Gravity Rail Guns: Used as an anti-starfighter and missile weapon with rail gun being effective against targets that are impervious to energy. Each rail gun is mounted in a turret that can rotate 360 and has a 180 arc of fire. When used in space, projectiles are fired from rail gun at a significant fraction of the speed of light. When used in an atmosphere, projectile velocities are slower to prevent them from burning up but still are at hypersonic speeds. The gravity rail guns fire 20 mm projectiles.

Maximum Effective Range: 2 miles (3.2 km) through atmosphere and 200 miles (320 km) in space.

Mega-Damage: Rail guns inflict 2D4x10 M.D.C. for a 20 round burst.

Rate of Fire: Equal to the combined hand to hand attacks of the gunner (usually 4 or 5).

Payload: 10,000 Rounds (500 Bursts) each cannon.
Twelve (12) 25 mm Point Defense Particle Beams: These weapons are used for anti-missile, anti-power armor, and anti-star fighter defense. Each particle beam is in a turret that can rotate 360 and has a 180 arc of fire. The weapon system cannot be used to engage targets while traveling at faster than light velocities.

Maximum Effective Range: 600 miles (960 km) in space and range is 6 miles (9.6 km) in atmosphere.

Mega Damage: 3D6x10 M.D.C. each.

Rate of Fire: Equal to the combined hand to hand attacks of the gunner (usually 4 or 5).

Payload: Effectively Unlimited.
Two (2) Cruise Missile Batteries: Missiles have a top speed of Mach 25 in an atmosphere and have an acceleration of 10% of light per turn (far faster than any starship) in space. Whether missiles can be shot down is calculated from the speed of target, launching starship, and missiles. When drive goes dead, missiles will continue to travel in a straight line unless set to self destruct or receives a destruct code, but have very low odds of hitting star ships (Great for hitting bases and planets because target does not move and missiles, when unpowered, are at -25% to be detected.) Cruise missiles have penalties to hit small targets but almost always smart missiles. Batteries can launch on multiple targets each at the same time. These are modern Consortium missile batteries similar to those carried on a number of warships.

Maximum Effective Range: Cruise 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 (Fusion multi-warheads inflict 3D6x100 M.D.C. each.)

Rate of Fire: Can fire cruise missiles one at a time or in volleys of two (2), eight (8), sixteen (16), or thirty-two (32) cruise missiles per launcher, per melee round, for a maximum of 64 cruise missiles per melee. Launchers are reloaded on the same melee and can be fired again on the next.

Payload: 64 total, 32 cruise missiles per battery. Ship has 8 reload of missiles (512 cruise missile reloads total).
Four (4) Long Range Missile Batteries: Missiles have a top speed of Mach 20 in an atmosphere and have an acceleration of 8% of light per turn (faster than any starship) in space. Whether missiles can be shot down is calculated from the speed of target, launcher, and missiles. When drive goes dead, missiles 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 target does not move and missiles, when unpowered, are at -25% to be detected.) Long range missiles do not have penalties to hit small targets, unlike cruise missiles, and are almost always smart missiles. Batteries can launch on multiple targets each at the same time.

Maximum Effective Range: Long 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 long range missiles one at a time or in volleys of two (2), eight (8), sixteen (16), or thirty-two (32) long range missiles per launcher, per melee attack.

Payload: 1,280 total, 320 long range missiles per battery.
Six (6) Mini-Missile Launchers: These are missile turrets used for point defense against enemy fighters and missiles. Missiles have a top speed of Mach 10 in an atmosphere and have an acceleration of 2% of light per turn in space. This is slightly faster than any starship except if it is exceeding it maximum safe acceleration. Batteries can launch on multiple targets each at the same time. Mini-Missiles in the Phase World / Three Galaxies setting are normally smart missiles.

Maximum Effective Range: Mini-Missile range is 2 miles (3.2 km) in an atmosphere and 100 miles (161 km) in space.

Mega-Damage: Varies with mini-missile type (See revised Phase World / Three Galaxies missile tables for details.)

Rate of Fire: Can fire mini-missiles one at a time or in volleys of four (4) or eight (8) mini-missiles.

Payload: 128 per launcher for a total of 768 mini-missiles. Cargo hold has an additional 1,024 mini-missile. Reloading launchers from cargo hold takes 1D6 minutes.

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Writeup by Kitsune (E-Mail Kitsune).

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