Icaria Geráki (Falcon) class Light Carrier:

Located at the juncture of several major trade routes, Icaria is one of the flourishing independent star system in the Three Galaxies. Almost uncountable trade flows through the system and the system has a huge industrial base and an excellent education system.

The population of the system considers themselves fiercely independent. This has not stopped first the Human Alliance and later the Consortium to offer membership to the Icaria system. Each time the population has voted against the proposition. Other powers, including the Trans-Galactic Empire, have shown an interest in a less consensual relationship.

This fierce independence has not stopped the Icaria system from making agreements with the Human Alliance where the Human Alliance offers aid if the star system is threatened. In return, the Human Alliance has right of passage through Icaria controlled space. Often several Human Alliance vessels are operating in Icaria space, further dissuading potential hostile parties.

Even with strong allies such as the Human Alliance, the leaders of Icaria have always considered it essential to operate a large fleet. Several common arguments for this including that Human Alliance forces may not be available when required. Unsaid is the question is if Human Alliance will intervene when required. There have been other cases where allies have not helped when requested.

The Icaria navy operates around four active duty fleets, considered the largest the system can maintain. A certain number of ships are in refit at any one given time. With carriers, the Icaria navy maintains ten carriers with two in refit at any given time. Theoretically, five fleets could be maintained with one fleet made up of ships rushed from refit.

The Geráki (Falcon) class is currently in the process of being retired with six already retired in Icaria service and four currently in service. When the four last Aetos (Eagle) class carriers enter service, the last four Geráki class carriers are planned to be retired. The Aetos are a fair amount larger than the Geráki and carry far greater numbers of fighters. Well maintained, as the Geráki class light carriers are retired, they are sold to other interested parties including other star nations and mercenary forces.

One of the first indigenous designs, the Geráki class is largely based on the Human Alliance Dauntless class light carrier. The design is modernized greatly from the original Dauntless class and is a far more effective vessel. These upgrades include more powerful faster than life drives, greater acceleration, stronger shields, and an anti-matter power plant. The carrier could reach speeds up to four light years per hour and its acceleration allows it to evade most warships.

With the exception of fighters, the light carrier is armed primarily for self defense. This includes a pair of long range missile batteries, six mini-missile batteries, six point defense laser mounts, and six electromagnetic rail gun mounts. Over seven hundred long range missiles are carried, giving the Geráki class a much greater payload than the Dauntless class which it is based on. As with most carriers, it is not expected that the Geráki will operate along but instead be escorted by at least one light cruiser and several destroyers.

As the primary striking weapon of the carriers, the Geráki class carrier embarks a total of five squadrons of fighters, three of light fighters and two of medium fighters. For most of the carriers service they have embarked exclusively Human Alliance Osprey and Vixen designs although they have been extensively updated. Recently, Icaria has began manufacturing their own medium fighter known as the Kopis. Eventually, the plan is to replace all Ospreys in service with the new fighter. At the same time, the military is considering options to replace the Vixen. Two leading contenders are the Bearcat and ICE Hyena designs. If possible, Icaria wants to licence production.

These light carriers lack the extensive automation of the Aetos class and, even though far smaller, require a much larger crew. In addition, the older carriers lack an auxiliary bridge as well as true flag facilities. Often they have to operate as flag ships for the escort forces however. As far as marines, these light carriers do carry a small marine compliment consisting of forty marines and twenty power armor troops.

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

Model: INF-LC-04.

Class: Light Carrier.

Crew: 550 (50 Officers, 505 enlisted).

Troops: 40 marines (typically stay on board for ship defense), 120 fighter pilots, and 36 power armor pilots.

Vehicle, Robots, and Power Armors:

Power Armors:

Light Power Armors

Fighter Compliment:

	36	Light Starfighters (SF-109 Stríngla Light Fighter in Icaria service)
	24	Medium Starfighters (SF-106 Psaraetós Medium Fighter in Icaria service)

M.D.C. By Location:

	Point Defense Electromagnetic Rail Gun Turrets (6):	150 each
	Double Barrel Point Defense Laser Turrets (6):	150 each
	Long Range Missile Batteries (2):	600 each
	Mini-Missile Launchers (6):	100 each
	Outer Hull (40 ft/ 12.2 m Area):	150
	Inner Hull (40 ft/ 12.2 m Area):	80
	[1] Bridge:	8,000
	Hanger Bays (4):	3,000 each
	[2] Main Engines (2):	10,000 each
	[3] Main Body:	38,000
	[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 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 carrier 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 0.90 percent of light per melee.

Atmospheric Propulsion: Maximum speed is 350 mph (563 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 one year worth of supplies on board.

Statistical Data:

Length: 660.1 feet (201.2 meters).

Height: 172.2 feet (52.5 meters).

Width: 289.7 feet (88.3 meters).

Weight/Mass: 160,390 tons (145,500 metric tons).

Power System: Anti-Matter with a 25 year life span. The ship normally only goes 7 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 11,023 tons (10,000 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 taken up by extra ammunition, armor, troops, weapons, engine, and other equipment.

Market Cost: Ship would cost about 2 billion credits to manufacture in present time in the Three Galaxies not including missiles and fighter compliment. Ships are no longer being produced. When available, these ships can sell for 4 to 6 billion credits not including embarked craft.

WEAPON SYSTEMS:

Six (6) 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. When used in space, projectiles are fired from rail gun mounts 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.
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, 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 long range missiles one at a time or in volleys of two (2), eight (8), sixteen (16), or twenty-four (24) long range missiles per launcher, per melee attack.

Payload: 720 total, 360 long range missiles per battery.
Six (6) 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 768 mini-missiles. Cargo hold has an additional 2,304 mini-missile. Reloading launchers from cargo hold takes 1D6 minutes.

[ Altara TM, Brodkil TM, Bushido Industries TM, CAF TM, Catyr TM, CCW TM, Consortium of Civilized Worlds TM, Coyles TM, Free Worlds Council TM, Gene Splicers TM, K-Hex TM, Kankoran TM, Kittani TM, Kreeghor TM, Kydian TM, Machine People TM, M.D.C. TM, Mega-Damage TM, Metzla TM, M’Kri Hardware TM, Monro TM, Mutants in Orbit TM, Naruni Enterprises TM, Noro TM, Paradise Federation TM, Phase World TM, Psylite TM, Rifter TM, SAMAS TM, S.D.C. TM, Seljuks TM, Splugorth TM, Sunaj TM, Trans-Galactic Empire TM, Tri-Galactic Military Service TM, United Worlds Warlock TM, U.W.W. TM, Wolfen TM, and Zembahk TM are trademarks owned by Kevin Siembieda and Palladium Books Inc. ]

[ Beyond the Supernatural®, Heroes Unlimited®, Nightbane®, Ninjas & Superspies®, Palladium Fantasy®, and Rifts® are registered trademarks owned by Kevin Siembieda and Palladium Books Inc. ]

Writeup by Kitsune (E-Mail Kitsune).

Return