Huntress class Light Cruiser:

While the warships produced by the major powers such as the Consortium of the Civilized World and Trans-Galactic Empire dominate the Three Galaxies. Secondary Powers include the Human Alliance, United World Warlock, Wolven, and Free Worlds Council. Still, there are many minor powers are around the Three Galaxies. Some of these powers operate ships but by larger powers but some do build their own vessels. Presently, New Coventry is one of the most prominent of minor power but there are plenty of others.

The Huntress class light cruiser is one of those classes which was produced by a minor power. Several systems got together to build these light cruisers. These systems were just outside of Consortium of Civilized Worlds and were able to take advantage of Consortium technology. A total of two dozen light cruisers were built in total before production ceased. This was caused by several different factors. First, the systems went into an economic slump. Second, there was a serious disagreement between the systems who had been working together, partially due to the economic situation but was simmering already. It almost resulted in war and might still.

The basic design for the Huntress class Light Cruiser appears to be loosely based on the old Human Alliance Chevalier class escort cruiser. The design also has many similarities to the later and much smaller Consortium Long Bow class patrol ship. The technology of the Huntress class is slightly below that of Consortium Designs and in some cases uses civilian components in an effort to reduce production costs. Much of the military hardware is of slightly older designs. Still, the vessel is definitely a reasonably well designed warship for a first attempt.

Power for the light cruiser is an anti-matter plant. Mass wise, anti-matter plants are far more efficient and compact than fusion plants. Maximum acceleration for the Huntress class is equal to that of the Warshield class cruiser but faster than light speed is less with a maximum speed of four light years per hour. There are a few civilian classes that are actually faster than the Huntress. These ships are comparatively lightly armored compared to a Warshield class cruiser and have much weaker shields, equal to that of a Trans-Galactic Empire Smasher class cruiser. There is no provision for an emergency bridge on the Huntress class.

As far as weaponry, these ships are designed more for defensive firepower than offensive firepower. They do not mount any capital missile launchers but instead mount long range missile launchers. These are much more flexible and can be used against both capital ships and fighters. A total payload of six hundred and forty missiles are carried. As a primary energy battery, these light cruisers mount a pair of 20 cm lasers just like the Warshield but the Huntress does not carry the secondary 12 cm laser or 8 cm heavy gravity rail guns.

As a cost saving measure, the point defense batteries are older systems. In most cases, the electromagnetic rail guns are just as useful as the more modern gravity rail guns. Before the economic downturn, the yards were considering replacing the light laser battery with variable focus particle beams but this idea has been shelved for the time being at least.

These light cruisers have a much smaller troop compliment than a Warshield class cruiser although one of their roles is customs. These ships carry only a single half squadron of light fighters compared to six light fighters and six medium fighters for the larger Consortium cruiser. Scorpion and Bobcat class light fighters are most often carried. A total of eighty troops can be embarked with about twenty of them usually operating power armors. In some cases, ten of these power armors might be Silverhawk space armors.

A single one of these cruisers has been captured by pirates. One of the systems which had been part of the planetary coalition which built these ships was attacked by the pirate group known as the Widow’s fleet. The fleet was able to overwhelm the defense forces and the captain of the cruiser Cyrah surrendered his ship intact to the pirates. In the same battle, the pirate vessel ”Blood Raven” was crippled but the light cruiser was a fair trade for the pirates.

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

Vehicle Type: Escort / Light Cruiser
Crew: 140 (16 Officers, 124 enlisted)
Troops: 12 Fighter Pilots, 20 Power Armor Troopers, 60 Standard Marines.

Vehicle, Robots, and Power Armors:
Power Armors:

Light / Medium Power Armors

Fighter Compliment:

Light Starfighters

M.D.C. By Location:

	20 cm Main Laser Cannons (2, Front):	1,200 each
	Point Defense Rail Gun Turrets (6):	150 each
	Double Barrel Defense Laser Turrets (6):	150 each
	Long Range Missile Batteries (2):	600 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:	6,000
	Hanger Bay:	4,000
	[2] Main Engines (2):	7.500 each
	[3] Main Body:	20,000
	[4] Variable Force Field:	3,000 a side (18,000 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 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% (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 60 percent of the speed of light. Star Ship can accelerate/decelerate at the rate of 0.85 percent of light per melee.
Atmospheric Propulsion: Maximum cruise speed is Mach 1 (741.5 mph / 1,193.3 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 two years worth of supplies on board.

Statistical Data:
Length: 508.53 feet (155.0 meters)
Height: 116.47 feet (35.5 meters)
Width: 179.13 feet (54.6 meters)
Weight/Mass: 49,604 tons (45,000 metric tons)
Power System: Anti-Matter with a 30 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 2204.62 tons (2,000 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. Most of the ship’s spaces are take up by extra ammunition, armor, troops, weapons, engine, and other equipment.
Market Cost: Huntress class Light Cruisers cost around eight hundred million credits to construct. Ships are no longer being produced. If available, these ships sell for 1.2 to 2.0 billion credits.

WEAPON SYSTEMS:

Two (2) 20 cm Heavy Laser Cannons: Cannons are located on the front of the starship and are used as anti-capital ship weapons and can take out frigates in one shot and can do large amounts of damage to bases or larger starships. The Laser cannons can be combined together or each one used separately. They cannot be used faster than the speed of light. Weapon has standard penalties 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. The weapon system cannot be used to engage targets while traveling at faster than light velocities.
Maximum Effective Range: 100,000 miles (161,000 km) in space. and 100 miles (161 km) in an atmosphere.
Mega Damage: 1D4x1000 M.D.C. each and can be combined for a total of 2D4x1000.
Rate of Fire: Maximum of two (2) times per melee per cannon.
Payload: Effectively Unlimited.
Six (6) Electromagnetic 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.
Six (6) 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, battery, 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.
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 2, 8, 16, or 32 per battery, per melee attack.
Payload: 640 total, 320 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 4,096 mini-missile. Reloading launchers from cargo hold takes 1D6 minutes.

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Writeup by Kitsune (E-Mail Kitsune).

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