Icaria Manticos class Heavy Cargo Ship:

The Icaria system is one of the most economically powerful star systems within the Three Galaxies. However, without the massive trade which travels through the system, it would never have grown to be much more than a nominal star system, one of many thousands within the Three Galaxies. A huge amount of cargo is trans-shipped between vessels.

Some systems would have simply depended on trade but extensive shipbuilding facilities have long been important to both the system’s government and trade leaders. These include virtually all classes of vessels from small cargo shuttles to the largest cargo vessels. Of course only a relatively small number of shipyards built the largest of vessels and are built in comparatively small number.

Large cargo vessels, while operated in relatively small numbers, are economically the most efficient vessels. A single large merchant vessel can carry the cargo of one hundred or more medium sized vessels. Generally however these large vessels only operate between first tier star systems and cargo hubs. As a result, medium sized merchant vessels are far more common.

The Manticos class is the most common heavy merchant design built in the Icaria star system. The design shares many features with the Noemi class medium merchant vessel. While not a new design, it is still a reasonably advanced design. However, there are far more advanced merchant designs within the Three Galaxies including the Star Emperor class fast clipper.

As with most large cargo vessels, these ships are generally configured for specific cargos. Some are designed as bulk carriers. A common bulk cargo is ore but might include a vast number of different kinds of cargo. Some are also designed to carry special containers which carry individual cargoes. These containers may have their own environmental controls for special cargos. There are even some versions of the vessel which carry vehicles to various destination. There are a few large cargo vessels which are designed to carry different cargo types as well. In some cases a vessel might be converted to carrying a different cargo type but may take extensive rebuilding.

While the Manticos class is not as far as the Star Emperor class large clipper, it is one of the faster merchant vessels of its size. In fact, it is capable of operating at faster than light speeds of up to three and a half light years per hour. Acceleration is less impressive but still pretty decent for a merchant vessel the size of the Manticos class. Of course, compared to most military vessels, it is quite slow with regards to its acceleration. An advanced fusion plant provides power for the massive vessel.

As is common with most Icaria merchant designs, the Manticos class is designed with extensive automation. Most large merchant vessels require of approximately one hundred while the Manticos class requires a crew of less than eighty. Both the officers and ordinary crew have their own staterooms. In addition, the massive vessels have a small hydroponic system to extend operations and to allow for fresh food. A fair number of crews like to spend time in the gardens as well. There is the provision for up to one hundred passengers although they are rarely carried.

While a small number of these large merchant vessels are unarmed, the vast majority carry at least some weaponry. Standard weaponry includes a pair of long range missile batteries, eight medium range missile batteries, and sixteen point defense laser mounts. These ships also most a light defensive force field. There are a number of owners who increase the weaponry to four long range missile batteries, twelve medium range missile batteries, and twenty-four point defense laser mounts. Even so, few mount variable force fields instead of standard force fields. Unlike the smaller Noemi class, the Icaria navy does not operate any large cargo ships.

As with the medium cargo vessel, there are several shipyards giving thought to an upgraded version of the vessel. The main upgrade would be a more powerful fusion plan and an upgraded propulsion system. There is some concern however that the design might not sell as well as their might wish with the Star Emperor class heavy clipper already filling that role.

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: INF-HM-158.

Vehicle Type: Heavy Merchant Vessel.

Crew: 78 (12 Officers and 66 Ordinary Crew).

Passengers: Can carry 100 passengers.

Vehicles:

Light Shuttles (for crew emergencies but can be used for light cargo).

M.D.C. By Location:

	[1] Point Defense Laser Cannon Turrets (16 or 24):	250 each.
	[1] Medium Range Missile Batteries (8 or 12):	300 each.
	[1] Long Range Missile Batteries (2 or 4):	500 each.
	Outer Hull (40 x 40 ft/ 12.2 m x 12.2 Area):	100.
	Inner Hull (40 x 20 ft/ 12.2 m x 12.2 Area):	75.
	[2] Bridge:	10,000.
	[3] Main Engines (2):	12,500 each.
	[4] Main Body:	58,000.
	[5] Standard Force Field:	12,000.

Notes:

[1] Lightly armed versions mount sixteen point defense lasers, eight medium range batteries, and two long range missile batteries. Heavily armed versions mount twenty-four point defense lasers, twelve medium range missile batteries, and four long range missile batteries. Vessel can also be purchased unarmed.

[2] In reality this is how much damage needs to be done for a weapon to hit the bridge through the ship’s hull. 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.

[3] Destroying the main engines means that the ship’s faster than light systems are destroyed and maximum sublight speed is reduced by half.

[4] Depleting the M.D.C. of the main body will put the merchant vessel out of commission. All internal systems will shut down, including life support and internal gravity. The ship itself will be an unsalvageable floating wreck.

[5] Shields are not variable. Shields regenerate at the rate of 5% (600 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 20 percent of the speed of light maximum due to civilian shields. Some have military class shields and can reach 60 percent of the speed of light. Star Ship can accelerate/decelerate at the rate of 0.45 percent of light per melee.

Atmospheric Propulsion: Maximum speed is 100 mph (161 kph), can enter an atmosphere and can leave but is not designed for atmospheric flight. The ship would likely come apart in an atmosphere and are only operated in space.

Stardrive: Uses a Gravitonic Drive system that allows the ship to reach a maximum of 3.5 light years per hour.

Maximum Range: Effectively Unlimited by either drive system. Carries about two years worth of supplies on board and a small hydroponic section for the small crew but normally does not operate for that long without resupply.

Statistical Data:

Length: 6,725.72 feet (2,050.0 meters).

Height: 1,035.10 feet (315.5 meters).

Width: 1,379.59 feet (420.5 meters).

Mass/Weight: 35.27 million tons (32 million metric tons).

Power System: Advanced Fusion with a 25 year life span. The ship normally only goes 5 years between refueling and refitting.

Cargo: Can carry up to 44.09 million tons (40 million metric tons) of cargo in addition to crew’s supplies. Each ordinary crew member has a small locker for personal items and uniforms. Ship’s officers have more space for personal items.

Market Cost: 12.5 billion credits (heavily armed versions cost approximately 15 billion and unarmed versions approximately 10.5 billion credits.)

WEAPON SYSTEMS (Optional):

Sixteen (16) or Twenty-Four (24) Point Defense 2 cm Lasers in Double Mounts: Standard versions are armed with sixteen mounts while heavily armed versions are usually armed with twenty-four mounts. Used as an anti-starfighter and missile weapon system. 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) or Four (4) Long Range Missile Batteries: Standard versions of the vessel mount two batteries while heavily armed versions mount four 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 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 battery, per melee attack.

Payload: Standard Versions: 512 total, Heavily Armed Versions: 1,024 Total (256 long range missiles per battery.)
Eight (8) or Twelve (12) Medium Range Missile Batteries: Standard versions of the vessel mount eight batteries while heavily armed versions mount twelve batteries. Missile has a top speed of Mach 15 in an atmosphere and in space has an acceleration of 6% of light per turn. Normally used for anti-fighter and point defense. Batteries can launch on multiple targets each at the same time.

Maximum Effective Range: Medium Range Missile range is 160 miles (257.5 km) in an atmosphere and 80,000 miles (128,750 km/0.43 light seconds) in space.

Mega-Damage: Varies with medium range missile type (Multi-warhead heavy warheads inflict 5D6x10 M.D.C. each - See revised Phase World / Three Galaxies missile tables for details.)

Rate of Fire: Can fire medium range missiles one at a time or in volleys of two (2), four (4), or eight (8) medium range missiles per battery.

Payload: Standard version carries twenty-four (24) missiles per battery for a total of one hundred and forty-four (144) medium range missiles. Military versions carries thirty-two (32) missiles per battery for a total of one hundred and ninety-two (192) medium range missiles.

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Writeup by Kitsune (E-Mail Kitsune).

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