Icaria Themistoklis class Heavy Cruiser:

Single system entities, unless they have something outstanding going for them such as having vast wealth in rare materials or being on important trading routes, usually have fairly small navies. One of the exceptions to this is the system of Icaria. With the system straddling the crossroads of several major trading routes, mostly between Consortium systems, it is an economic power house and can afford a large and capable fleet.

Of course because of its economic power, it also is a potential target for being taken over. Of course, the Trans-Galactic Empire might try to invade the system but there are other potential smaller enemies. Even though they have a long standing defense treaty with the Human Alliance, this might not stop an enemy who decides that possession is nine tenths of the law. As such, it has long been considered important to maintain a powerful fleet.

The population of the planet is also fiercely independent, otherwise the system would most likely have joined the Consortium long ago. The system has been offered Consortium membership several times and Human Alliance membership before that. Each time there was a referendum which was overwhelming voted down by the population.

Many system defense forces purchase their ships from other powers, often older discarded vessels. Again, the Icaria navy is an exception. The system has large shipbuilding facilities which can build vessels up to the size of Battlecruisers. The Icaria navy maintains a total of four active fleets and it is assumed that around one fifth of ships will likely be under refit at any given time. While far fewer usually are in such a status, these ships usually are in a stand down status. In emergency, a fifth fleet might be able to be created from these ships.

The fleet operates far more heavy cruisers than it does battlecruisers. Even so, they often act as flagships for destroyers and light cruisers. The newest class of heavy cruiser is the Amvrakia class which is slowly replacing the Themistoklis in active service. Still, a number of the older heavy cruisers remain in service. As the heavy cruisers are being retired, there are being generally sold to partially defray the costs of the newer vessels. These ships are finding their way into the hands of other system defense forces ad well as mercenary companies.

While the Amvrakia class mounts a lot of new technology developed within the Icaria system, the Themistoklis uses mostly Human systems. These ships have had regular electronic upgrades throughout their lives although the main weapon systems, shields, and drives have not been upgraded. It was decided that it would be more effective to replace the ships with new vessels. Even so, for their age, the Themistoklis are extremely capable warships.

Many system defense forces operate mostly in system craft but the Icaria has always maintained a force of mostly vessels capable of faster than light operations. The idea is that the navy need to be able to response potentially offensively to a threat. When built, the Themistoklis were some of the fastest heavy warships in operation with a faster than light speed of four light years per hour and an acceleration rivaling many destroyers. Powering this is a powerful anti-matter plant with fusion systems as backup.

Both well armored and mounting powerful shields for their time, these ships are designed to be extremely capable in both long range and close range combat. For close range combat, these heavy cruisers are fitted with two twenty eight centimeter particle beams and four eighteen centimeter particle beams. Unlike Human Alliance vessels, these ships do not mount any heavy lasers as support weaponry.

Even with the powerful energy weapon battery, it is expected that these cruisers will engage in long range missile combat far more frequently. For long range combat, these cruisers are fitted with two capital missile batteries and four long range missile batteries. Even though the missile launchers have not been replaced by newer systems, the missiles have been upgraded continuously. Unlike most smaller navies, the Icaria has the X-Ray laser warhead in their arsenal. A large percentage of the capital missiles carried in the magazines are X-Ray laser warheads.

Probably the biggest criticism of these vessels is that the point defense weaponry have not been upgraded. Instead, the ship mounts eight mini-missile launchers, eight point defense lasers, and eight point rail guns. Even though the rail guns are an older electromagnetic model, most of the criticism has been that the mini-missile launchers should be replaced by medium range missile batteries and that the lasers should be replaced by the variable focus particle beams carried on the newer heavy cruiser class.

With a crew of just a bit over three hundred, these cruisers require a significantly larger crew than the ships replacing them. Still, they mount extensive automation. These ships are only fitted with limited flag facilities for when they are expected to act as flagships. As with many Icaria ships, the Themistoklis embarks only limited troops aboard although, with forty troops able to be embarked, it does have a larger troop compliment than the newer heavy cruiser class. Usually ten of those operate light power armors.

Standard fighter compliment is a dozen light fighters. On most vessels in Icaria service, this is the Human Alliance SF-9 Vixen light fighter. Most have been heavily upgraded and should be considered extremely capable. The Icaria military is looking at replacing the Vixen with a more advanced design, possibly based on the Consortium SF-135 Bearcat design. Even so, most likely the remaining Themistoklis will have been retired from Icaria service by then. Those that have been retired and are being operated by other governments or by mercenary companies may operate a variety of different light fighter designs.

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-HC-12.

Class: Heavy Cruiser.

Crew: 308 (24 Officers, 284 enlisted).

Troops: 30 marines (typically stay on board for ship defense), 12 fighter pilots, and 10 power armor pilots.

Can carry up to 20 passengers in addition to troops and crew (generally flag personnel).

Vehicle, Robots, and Power Armors:

Power Armors:

Light Power Armors

Fighter Compliment:

Light Starfighters (SF-109 Stríngla Light Fighter in Icaria service)

M.D.C. By Location:

	28 cm Main Particle Beam Batteries (2):	1,500 each
	18 cm Secondary Particle Beam Batteries (4):	1,000 each
	Point Defense Electromagnetic Rail Gun Turrets (8):	150 each
	Double Barrel Point Defense Laser Turrets (8):	150 each
	Cruise Missile Batteries (2):	800 each
	Long Range Missile Batteries (4):	500 each
	Mini-Missile Launchers (8):	100 each
	Outer Hull Section (40 ft/12.2 m area):	150
	Inner Hull Section (40 ft/12.2 m area):	100
	[1] Bridge:	9,000
	[1] Auxiliary Bridge:	9,000
	Hanger Bays (2):	4,000 each
	[2] Main Engines (3):	8,000 each
	[3] Main Body:	42,000
	[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. This ship does have an auxiliary bridge. The ship can still be piloted from engineering but ship is -3 to dodge. All weapon systems will be at local control. Weapon hits near the bridge can injure crew members near the bridge.

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

[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] 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: 813.65 feet (248 meters).

Height: 124.67 feet (38 meters).

Width: 146.00 feet (44.5 meters).

Mass/Weight: 189,597 tons (172,000 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 6,000 tons (5,443 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 2.2 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 sell for 4.5 to 6.5 billion credits.

WEAPON SYSTEMS:

Two (2) 28 cm Main Particle Beam Batteries: In the front of the ship are two 28 cm particle beam cannons. These can be fired forward and can be angled up to 120 degrees aft (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: 1D4x1000 M.D.C. each (Both can be linked for 2D4x1000 M.D.C. for both.)

Rate of Fire: Maximum of three (3) times per melee per particle beam.

Payload: Effectively Unlimited.
Four (4) 18 cm Secondary Particle Beam Batteries: These 18 cm particle beams are mounted in the sides of the ship. Batteries can be fired up to 180 degrees toward the rear on either side (can only fire two cannons at a target at that angle but can spin to be able to bring both batteries to bear) and can fire at a 45 degree angle up or down. Only two cannons can be fired as one volley. 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 (Two can be linked for 6D6x100 M.D.C. for both.)

Rate of Fire: Maximum of three (3) times per melee per particle beam.

Payload: Effectively Unlimited.
Eight (8) 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 guns 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 guns inflict 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: 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) Cruise Missile Batteries: Missiles have 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 unpowered, 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.)

Rate of Fire: Can fire missiles one at a time or in volleys of two (2), eight (8), sixteen (16), or twenty-four (24) per launcher, per melee round, for a maximum of 48 cruise missiles per melee round. Launchers are reloaded on the same melee round and can be fired again on the next.

Payload: 48 total, 24 cruise missiles per launcher. Ship has 10 reload of missiles (480 cruise missiles reloads total).
Four (4) Long Range Missile Batteries: Missiles have 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.)

Rate of Fire: Can fire 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: 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 mini-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 2,048 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