HAFS Natasha Kurganov class Missile Cruiser:

Predating the foundation of the Consortium of Civilized Worlds, the Natasha Kurganov was the backbone of Human Alliance cruiser forces. It replaced the Boadicea class cruiser in front line service and was extremely advanced when first introduced. Even today, even though eclipsed by newer designs in Consortium Service, is still surprisingly capable.

When the Consortium Armed Forces Navy was formed from the forces of Human Alliance Forces Navy and Wolfen fleets, these ships were an important part of those fleets and production of these cruisers continued by the Consortium of Civilized Worlds until the Warshield cruiser program was began. Between the Human Alliance and Consortium production, more Kurganov class cruisers were build than virtually any other class.

These cruisers have an incredible history. The Kurganov class missile cruisers have served in virtually every major military action the C.A.F. ever was involved in. Decorations won by the crews of these ships in the war the Consortium of Civilized Worlds fought against the Kreeghor Empire show records rarely matched by any other warships. They showed an immense ability to both withstand and dish out damage.

Even today, there are still a small number of these ships remaining in active duty in the Consortium Navy and many more sit in Consortium mothball fleets waiting to be needed again. The Human Alliance continues to operate large numbers of these missile cruisers and several Independent Defense Forces within the Consortium also operate these cruisers as the backbone of their forces. In addition, these ships can be commonly seen in various mercenary fleets although not the most common ship found in their fleets. Most mercenaries operate destroyers with the Hunter class being among the most common.

The concept of the Kurganov class missile cruisers, with its large number of missile batteries, can be seen in later ship designs including the Warspite class cruiser developed by New Coventry. The new Greyhound class cruiser developed by the Human Alliance also carries an extremely heavy missiles array. A number of upgrades have also been developed for the Kurganov class to keep it current in a modern fleet environment.

As with other older Human Alliance designs, a number of these missile cruisers have found their way in the hands of the Free Worlds Council. One of these is the F.W.S. Reprisal. Even though far older than the ships it engaged, the ship was able to engage and defeat a pair of Kreeghor Smasher class cruisers in a single battle. It waited until it got in to within long range missile range, firing the long range missiles batteries at the fighters to keep them occupied while firing all of capital missiles against a single Smasher class cruiser. This was able to rapidly overwhelm the Empire's cruiser defenses and the Reprisal switched to the second Smasher. The Kurganov class is capable of firing more capital missiles in a single volley than both of the Kreeghor vessels.

In developing the design, the engineers sacrificed heavy energy weaponry for greater ability to launch missiles. The only heavy energy weaponry the ship carries are two 18 cm particle beams which gives the ship a powerful long range energy but no backup beam weaponry. Energy output is also less than in modern energy weaponry. Because of the light energy battery, the Human Alliance developed the Everest class 'Gun Cruiser.' When the Warshield class was developed, the Consortium decided to go with a more balanced design.

The vessel is built around mounting four capital missile batteries and four long range missile batteries. The cruiser can fire as many capital missiles in a single volley as the much larger Yamato class battleship which was developed around the same time. Newer missile batteries such as those on the Warshield class cruiser can fire more capital missiles per battery but the Kurganov class can still fire fifty percent more capital missiles in a single volley than the much newer Consortium design. The Human Alliance missile cruiser will also empty its magazines faster than the Consortium design however. Individual missile launchers are bulkier on the Kurganov than newer ships.

Point defense weaponry is considered about equal to the newer Consortium cruiser. The Kurganov class mounts eight point defense rail guns, eight double laser mounts, and eight mini-missile launchers. The rail guns are an older electromagnetic rail gun but are still quire effective.

The shield generators were sixty percent more powerful than those of the Boadicea class cruiser and the missile cruiser was also far better armored. The new Warshield does mount far better shields than the Kurganov and is even better armored as well. When first laid down, the Kurganov class was one of the faster ships both in father than light travel and in acceleration in normal space. While most warships had a maximum faster than light speed of three and a half light years per hour, the missile cruiser could reach four light years per hour. Newer cruisers are faster but the Kurganov is still considered decent. Previous warships also used fusion reactors but the Kurganov, as well as most of the larger warships developed during the same period are power by an anti-matter reactor.

In most of these cruisers still on active duty with either the Consortium or Human Alliance, the original fighter compliment have been replaced by newer fighter and vehicle designs including the Scorpion, Black Eagle, and Katana fighters. Originally the Vixen and Osprey classes made up the fighter compliment and some of the Human Alliance and Consortium cruisers in mothball, these old fighters can still be found embarked in the hangers. Of course many cruisers have been stripped of fighters. Ships in service of other navies or with mercenary forces may embark completely different fighter classes. The ship does not carry any Battleram assault robots but otherwise carries the same number of fighters. The ship carries fewer marines than a Warshield with the marines are primarily used for ship defense.

The lead ship of this class of cruisers was named after Commodore Natasha Kurganov. In a war between the fledgling Human Alliance Forces Navy and a non human race that was attempting to destroy New Terra, the fleet under her command was able to stop a fleet twice her fleets size and save New Terra. Unfortunately, she died in the battle. Ships still in service of the Consortium Armed Forces or in mothballs and in service in the Human Alliance Forces Navy are named after famous officers in Human Alliance Forces Navy on earlier ships or in the any of the member races navies for ship of this class that were built after the Forming of the C.C.W.

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-23
Vehicle Type: Missile Cruiser
Crew: 295 (25 Officers, 270 enlisted)
Troops: 80 marines, 10 Silverhawk Pilots (in some cases), and 24 to 30 Fighter Pilots

Vehicles: Ship not in the C.A.F. or H.F.N. fleets may have totally different types of vehicles as ships compliment but numbers will be about the same for the various classes of vehicles. Compliments can also be a mix between old and new compliments.
Old Compliment:
Fighter Compliment:

	8	SF-9 Vixen Light Starfighters
	4	SF-6A Osprey Medium Starfighters (Attack)
	4	SF-6I Osprey Medium Starfighters (Interceptor)

New / Modern Compliment:
Power Armors & Robots:

SH-CCW100 Silverhawk Attack ExoSkeleton

Fighter Compliment:

	8	SF-69 CAF Scorpion Star Interceptor
	8	BIF-67 Katana Starfighters or SF-101 Black Eagle Starfighters

M.D.C. By Location:

	18 cm Main Particle Beam Batteries (2):	1,200 each
	Point Defense Electromagnetic Rail Gun Turrets (8):	150 each
	Double Barrel Point Defense Laser Turrets (8):	150 each
	Cruise Missile Batteries (4):	800 each
	Long Range Missile Batteries (4):	500 each
	Mini-Missile Launchers (8):	100 each
	Outer Hull (40 ft/ 12.2 m Area):	150
	Inner Hull (40 ft/ 12.2 m Area):	100
	[1] Bridge:	8,000
	[1] Auxiliary Bridge:	8,000
	Hanger Bay:	10,000
	[2] Main Engines (2):	10,000 each
	[3] Main Body:	35,000
	[4] Variable Force Field:	4,000 a side (24,000 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 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% (1,200 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 0.95 percent of light per melee.
Atmospheric Propulsion: Maximum speed is 450 mph (724 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 4 light years per hour.
Maximum Range: Effectively Unlimited by either drive system. Carries about four years worth of supplies on board.

Statistical Data:
Length: 650 feet (198.1 meters)
Height: 250 feet (76.2 meters)
Width: 350 feet (106.7 meters)
Weight: 145,000 tons (131,700 metric tons)
Power System: Anti-Matter with a 25 year life span. The ship normally only goes 7 years between refueling and refitting.
Cargo: Cargo holds are scattered about the ship that allows for carrying up to 4,000 tons (3,628.7 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: Ship would cost about 1.8 billion credits to manufacture in present time in the Three Galaxies. Ships are no longer being produced. When available, these ships sell for 3.6 to 4.2 billion credits. Cost does not include embarked craft.

WEAPON SYSTEMS:

Two (2) 18 cm Main Particle Beam Batteries: 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.
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 both)
Rate of Fire: Maximum of three (3) times per melee per particle beam.
Payload: Effectively Unlimited.
Eight (8) 15 mm Electromagnetic Point Defense Rail Gun Mounts: 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. Rail guns use 15 mm depleted uranium projectiles. The weapon system cannot be used to engage targets while traveling at faster than light velocities.
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.
Eight (8) Point Defense 2 cm Lasers in Double Mounts: Mounts primarily 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
Four (4) Cruise Missile Batteries: Missile has 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, 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 target does not move and missile when dead 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. Batteries can launch on multiple targets each at the same time. Batteries have a lower number of actual launchers than the modern CAF cruise missile batteries and each launcher is slightly larger in size.
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 (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 twenty-four (24) missiles per battery, per melee round, for a maximum of 96 missiles per melee. Launchers are reloaded on the same melee and can be fired again on the next.
Payload: 96 total, 24 cruise missiles per battery. Ship has 8 reload of missiles (768 cruise missiles reloads total.)
Four (4) 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: 960 total, 240 long range missiles per battery.
Eight (8) 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) mini-missiles
Payload: 128 per launcher for a total of 1,024 mini-missiles. Cargo hold has an additional 3,072 mini-missile. Reloading launchers from cargo hold takes 1D6 minutes.

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Writeup by Kitsune (E-Mail Kitsune).

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