HAFS Chevalier class Escort Cruiser:

The Human Alliance Navy was originally a hodgepodge of different vessel with different capabilities. Their combat abilities were simply too different to operate together. The situation is understandable since the Human Alliance Militaries was formed by combining the independent militaries of the various planets who founded the Human Alliance. Still, the situation was intolerable and designs were created for new ships which would form the core of the military forces. Cruisers, or their equivalent, have always been the foundation of successful navies. As such, initial construction was concentrated on cruiser designs. One of these was the Boadicea class cruiser which was considered by most to be a heavy cruiser. The other was the Chevalier class light cruiser which role was to ask as an escort ship. Destroyer designs of the time were considered too lightly armed and the Chevalier class was designed to fulfill a similar but could be much heavier armed. Some considered the Chevalier to be an "Escort Cruiser." Large number of these light cruisers were built and they served as both escorts in task forces and as convoy escorts. The large number of long range missile launchers made they very dangerous to marauding fighters and great for long range missile defense roles.

Later, the Ferret class corvette was introduced but the small attack ship was not considered a replacement for the "Escort Cruiser" and was considered primarily a strike ship. The Chevalier class were not as fast as newer cruiser designs such as the Kurganov class missile cruiser and Everest class gun cruisers. There were plans to design an light cruiser of similar combat capabilities to the Chevalier class with a higher sublight and faster than light class. Unfortunately, the new light cruiser class was canceled due to budget constraints. The role of escort for fast carriers and battleships were performed by the heavier Kurganov and Everest class due to a lack of having anything else suitable. The Chevalier class still existed in large numbers and performed the same role for older vessels and convoys.

Like most of the other class designed around the time of the Chevalier class, the ship was considered by the Consortium Navy to simply be too slow. The role was performed by Wolfen Hunter class destroyers. While the destroyer's missile batteries do not have the range of the Chevalier's missile batteries, the destroyer requires a fraction of the crew. The Human Alliance retained the class as escort for convoys but the ships were slowly retired. At first, the old light cruisers were considered too old to discard and were put in mothball but later were sold off or scrapped. Presently, the Human Alliance does not have any standard Chevalier class light cruiser but they still operate a variant of the old cruiser design. As well, some are still operated by Independent Defense Forces within the Human Alliance. Small numbers are also operated outside of Consortium space in both government militaries and mercenary forces. A small number have found there way into the hands of the Free World Council. A few Chevalier class light cruiser have been upgraded to more modern standards but most remain mostly unchanged from their original design.

Interesting is the fact that both the Human Alliance and the Consortium have developed designs to fill the same role as the Chevalier class. Both designs are much smaller than the Chevalier class and are of the destroyer / frigate classes. The Consortium has developed the "Long Bow" class Patrol Ship which is a modified Scimitar class with long range missile batteries replacing the heavy G-Cannons. The Human Alliance developed the Soyakaze class Escort Corvette. The ship is even smaller than the Longbow class patrol ship but has a very limited payload of long range missiles. Bushido Industries has also designed ships to fill similar roles.

Main weaponry for the Chevalier class are two long range missile batteries. These batteries have a greater payload per launcher than the Boadicea although total payload is less. The Chevalier does not mount any cruise missile batteries. The long range missile batteries are backed up with four mini-missile batteries for point defense. For energy weapons, the escort cruiser mounts two 18 cm particle beams but does not mount any additional heavy weaponry. The particle beams are longer ranged than most lasers available when the ship was designed. The mini-missile launchers are supported by four point defense lasers and four point defense rail guns.

Unlike most later ship classes, the Chevalier class does not rely on a anti-matter power system but instead uses a fusion reactor. While the fusion reactor is much larger than an anti-matter power plant of the same output, the system is both safer and far less expensive to maintain. Probably the largest weakness of the Chevalier is the ship’s shields. The shields are only slightly better than to those carried on most modern destroyers. The hull is stronger than most destroyers but modern cruisers of a similar mass are far tougher. Sublight acceleration and faster than light speed were considered excellent when first designed but are both far less than those in modern vessels.

The vessel was designed to be able to carry up to four medium fighters. During Human Alliance naval service, the Osprey medium starfighters was the most common fighter. While some surviving vessel carry this fighter due to its cost and availability, newer fighter are often carried as well. Common newer fighters carried include Naruni Broadsword and Fire Eater Fighters as well as the Bushido Industries Katana Fighter. Some crews have also chosen to replace the four medium starfighters with a half squadron (6 fighters) of light starfighters. Unlike the Boadicea class cruiser, the Chevalier does not have facilities for marines. As well, the ship does not have a second bridge although the ship can be partially run through engineering.

Unlike virtually any ships as old as the Chevalier class cruiser, the Human Alliance operates a variant of the escort cruiser. This is the Cobra class minesweeper. About two hundred are split between active and reserve forces. The ship replaces the 18 cm long range particle beams with a powerful direction minesweeping search sensor. The sensor system combines radar, neutrino sensors, gravitic sensors, and tachyon based sensors of high resolution mine hunting. It is planned that a minesweeping variant of the Soyakaze corvette will replace the Cobra class minesweeper but it is planned that about fifty of the old minesweepers will be retained in the inactive reserve fleet.

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:	CL(E)-07	Chevalier class Escort Cruiser
	CL(MS)-07	Cobra class Minesweeper

Vehicle Type: Escort / Light Cruiser or Minesweeper
Crew: Chevalier class Escort Cruiser: 212 (16 Officers, 196 enlisted), Cobra class Minesweeper: 248 (22 Officers, 226 enlisted)
Troops: 8 fighter pilots.

Vehicle, Robots, and Power Armors:
Fighter compliment can vary with 6 Light Starfighters replacing 4 Medium Starfighters.
Fighter Compliment:

Medium Starfighters (Commonly the SF-6 Osprey Starfighters)

M.D.C. By Location:

	18 cm Particle Beam Batteries (2 - Chevalier Cruiser Only):	800 each
	Sensor Suite (Replaces main battery on Cobra Minesweeper):	1,000
	Point Defense Rail Gun Turrets (4):	150 each
	Double Barrel Defense Laser Turrets (4):	150 each
	Long Range Missile Batteries (2):	400 each
	Mini-Missile Launchers (4):	100 each
	Outer Hull (40 ft/ 12.2 m Area):	120
	Inner Hull (40 ft/ 12.2 m Area):	80
	[1] Bridge:	4,000
	Hanger Bay:	2,000
	[2] Main Engines (2):	5,000 each
	[3] Main Body:	15,000
	[4] Variable Force Field:	1,200 a side (7,200 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 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’s faster than light systems are destroyed and maximum sublight speed is reduced by half.
[3] Depleting the M.D.C. of the main body will put the cruiser 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% (360 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 420 mph (676 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 2.5 light years per hour.
Maximum Range: Effectively Unlimited by either drive system. Carries about four years worth of supplies on board.

Statistical Data:
Length: 478 feet (145.7 meters)
Height: 105 feet (32.0 meters)
Width: 185 feet (56.4 meters)
Weight/Mass: 44,000 tons (40,000 metric tons)
Power System: Fusion with a 10 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 2,000 tons (1,814.369 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: Chevalier class Escort Cruiser would cost about 400 million credits and Cobra class Minesweeper would cost about 450 millions to manufacture in present time in the Three Galaxies. Ships are no longer being produced. When available, these ships sell for 500 to 800 million credits.

WEAPON SYSTEMS:

Main 18 cm Particle beam batteries (2): These 18 cm particle beams are mounted in the forward area of the ship. Batteries can be fired up to 120 degrees toward the rear on either side (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. The weapon system cannot be used to engage targets while traveling at faster than light velocities. Replaced by sensor suite on Cobra Minesweeper.
Maximum Effective Range: 70,000 miles (112,650 km)in space and 70 miles (112.7 km) in an atmosphere.
Mega Damage: 3D6x100 M.D.C. each (6D6x100 M.D.C. for two)
Rate of Fire: Maximum of three (3) times per melee per particle beam.
Payload: Effectively Unlimited.
Four (4) Point Defense 15 mm Electromagnetic Rail Guns: Unlike most of the rail guns used on Phase World / Three Galaxies starships, these are standard electromagnetic rail guns. They are used as an anti-starfighter and missile weapon and against targets that are impervious to energy. Each rail gun is in a turret that can rotate 360 and has a 180 arc of fire. Projectiles are fired from rail guns at a significant fraction of the speed of light. The weapon system cannot be used to engage targets while traveling at faster than light velocities. Rail guns use 15 mm depleted uranium projectiles.
Maximum Effective Range: 16 miles (26 km) through atmosphere and 800 miles (1,290 km) in space.
Mega-Damage: Rail gun inflicts 3D6x10 M.D.C. for an 80 round burst.
Rate of Fire: Equal to the combined hand to hand attacks of the gunner (usually 4 or 5).
Payload: 16,000 Rounds (200 Bursts) each cannon.
Four (4) Point Defense 2 cm Lasers in Double Mounts: used as an anti-starfighter and missile weapon. Each laser turret 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: 2.5 miles (4 km) miles through atmosphere and 250 miles (402.3 km) in space.
Mega-Damage: 2D6x10 M.D.
Rate of Fire: Equal to the combined hand to hand attacks of the gunner (usually 4 or 5).
Payload: Effectively Unlimited
Two (2) Long Range Missile Batteries: Missile has 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, launcher, and missile. When drive goes dead, 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 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. Batteries have a lower number of actual launchers than the modern CAF long range missile batteries and each launcher is slightly larger in size.
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 missiles one at a time or in volleys of two (2), eight (8), sixteen (16), or twenty-four (24) missiles per battery, per melee attack.
Payload: 720 total, 360 long range missiles per battery.
Four (4) Mini-Missile Launchers: These are missile turrets used for point defense against enemy fighters and missiles. Missile has a top speed of Mach 10 in an atmosphere and in space has an acceleration of 2% of light per turn (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.
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 missiles one at a time or in volleys of four (4) or eight (8) missiles.
Payload: 128 per launcher for a total of 512 mini-missiles. Cargo hold has an additional 2048 mini-missile. Reloading launchers from cargo hold takes 1D6 minutes.

Sensor System of Note:

High Powered Mine Hunting Sensor System (Cobra class Minesweeper): Replaces 18 cm particle beams on Cobra Minesweeper. This system includes radar, neutrino sensors, gravitic sensors, and tachyon based sensors. This is an active sensor system with a range of 1,242,740 miles (2,000,000 km / 6.6 light seconds) and covers a 15 degree radius cone. As stated, the system is an active system and is easily detected but gives a bonus of +15% to read sensory rolls to detect targets and a +4 on weapon systems when aiming at targets with the cone. Targets that are invisible but the invisibility is not specific to gravity sensors will also be detected.

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Writeup by Kitsune (E-Mail Kitsune).

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