Icaria Noemi class Medium Cargo Ship:

Even though an independent system, the system of Icaria is extremely powerful economically. In fact, it is one of the most powerful single star systems within the Three Galaxies. On the junction of several trade routes, the system’s life blood is trade. Ships from all over the Three Galaxies pass through the system, often trans-shipping cargoes in the Icaria system.

In addition to being a major hub for cargo ships, the system has significant ship building facilities. While their various warship designs most attract attention, the system builds far more merchant vessels than they do warship classes. They build almost all classes of merchant vessels. This includes small cargo shuttles, fast couriers, small cargo vessels, medium cargo vessels, and even large cargo vessels. Only a comparatively small number of shipyards built the largest cargo vessels.

While large cargo vessels can carry much larger cargos and light merchant designs can be economically operated in areas with marginal economies, medium merchant vessels can be considered the backbone of trade within the Three Galaxies. In fact, more cargo is actually carried by medium merchant vessels through space controlled by the Icaria system than other classes of merchant vessels.

One of the most common designs manufactured by the Icaria system is the Noemi class medium cargo vessel. It is not a particularly new design and there are newer designs such as the Star Witch class fast clipper. Even so, the Noemi class continues selling quite well. Several shipyards within the Icaria system produce virtually identical designs as well.

One reason why medium cargo vessels are so important is that a single ship can carry fifty or more times more cargo than a single light merchant design. The Noemi class can carry up to three hundred thousand metric tons of cargo. Some ships are designed to carry cargo containers while others carry built cargos. While less common, there are also versions which carry vehicles. Given enough time, these ships can be converted between these various configurations but most remain as built.

The container ship version of the Noemi class carries huge numbers of sealed containers to various places around the Three Galaxies. If a cargo needs its own special environment, it is maintained by special equipment on the container itself. One of the main advantages of containers is that it make trans-shipping easier with many cargos. Individual cargo containers are destined for specific destinations.

While the Star Witch class is quite a bit faster, these medium cargo vessels are considered relatively fast with a top speed of three and a half light years per hour. In common with most merchant designs, power is provided by a fusion plant instead of an anti-matter reactor. Fusion reactors tend to be more massive however they are far safer than anti-matter and require less maintenance as well.

As far as crew, these ships are designed to be operated by quite small crew with extensive automation. Standard crew for the Noemi class is only around fifty-two total. Many similar sized merchant vessels require much larger crews in comparison. Compared to warships, crew quarters are comparatively comfortable including quarters for ordinary crew.

While some owners elect to operate unarmed versions of the cargo vessel, most owners do operate armed versions of the vessel. Standard weaponry for the merchant vessel are six medium range missile batteries and eight point defense laser batteries. In addition these ships are fitted with light defensive force fields. Even so, these ships are in trouble if engaged by a larger warship.

Unlike the Runa class light cargo design, the Icaria navy does operate the Noemi class medium cargo vessels in significant numbers. Most of these cargo ships operate in the fleet collier role. A fleet operating outside of the home system will need resupply of missiles, other ordnance, repair parts, and materials for the crew of the vessels.

Noemi class medium cargo vessels operated by the Icaria navy are upgraded to better be able to deal with threats although they are still normally escorted. These upgrades include mounting of military class shields instead of civilian shields and have a greater medium range missile payload. Heavier weaponry was rejected for the ships to keep costs down.

The Icaria system has seized a great many vessels with a number operated by the military supplementing the Noemi class. Recently, the system has seized a number of Star Witch class clippers. A number were converted into repair ships and were designated the Kythira class. A number of others have been operated in the fast collier role because the Noemi class cannot keep up with the newest warship classes.

As a result of the Noemi class being unable to keep up with the newer Icaria warship designs, the navy is looking towards replacing the Noemi class in military service. The navy feels they require a support vessel able to reach four and a half or five light years per hour. It will be some time before the Noemi class due to the navy being fully committed to upgrading their navy.

There are several proposals for replacement designs. One is to simply to purchase a number of the Star Witch class. This is seen as bad for the system’s shipbuilding industries. A second it too if production of the Star Witch could simply be licenced. That has the advantage of still reducing development costs although there are concerns about being able to get the licences required.

The final proposal is to develop an upgraded version of the Noemi class. Presently, this is the preferred idea and the navy has been assisting with the research and development of the upgraded design. In addition to being faster than the original Noemi class, upgrading the weaponry is under consideration with the ship mounting a single long range missile battery and upgraded point defense weaponry to variable focus particle beams.

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-MM-128.

Vehicle Type: Medium Merchant Vessel.

Crew: 52 (8 Officers and 44 Ordinary Crew).

Passengers: Can carry 20 passengers.

Vehicles:

Mini-Tugs (Provision for cargo transport, not always carried).

M.D.C. By Location:

	Point Defense Laser Cannon Turrets (8):	250 each.
	Medium Range Missile Batteries (6):	300 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.
	[1] Bridge:	4,500.
	[2] Main Engines (2):	5,500 each.
	[3] Main Body:	25,500.
	[4] Standard Force Field (Civilian Versions):	5,000.
	[4] Variable Force Field (Military Versions):	4,000 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 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.

[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 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.

[4] Standard ship shields are not variable and regenerate at the rate of 5% (250 M.D.C.) per melee round. Military versions carry variable shields (all could be combined in one shield) and 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 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 0.6 percent of light per melee.

Atmospheric Propulsion: Maximum speed is 300 mph (483 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 3.5 light years per hour.

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

Statistical Data:

Length: 951.44 feet (290.0 meters).

Height: 346.13 feet (105.5 meters).

Width: 323.16 feet (98.5 meters).

Mass/Weight: 385,810 tons (350,000 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 331,000 tons (300,000 metric tons) of cargo in addition to crew’s supplies. Each ordinary crew member or passenger has a small locker for personal items and uniforms. Ship’s officers have more space for personal items.

Market Cost: 1.2 Billion credits (Military versions about 1.8 billion and non armed version about 1.0 billion).

WEAPON SYSTEMS (Optional):

Eight (8) Point Defense 2 cm Lasers in Double 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.
Six (6) Medium Range Missile 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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