Icaria Thyella (Storm) class Light Cruiser:

Icaria is located on the nexus of several important trade routes. One might think that ships just travel straight between destinations but there are various reasons why ships tend to follow established trade routes. One issue although not the only one is that there are dead areas of the Three Galaxies.

Many of the trade routes which Icaria straddle are between far flung areas of the Consortium. In fact, Icaria has been offered membership in the Consortium several times. Each time the offers have been rejected by the population of the planet when brought up in referendums.

As a result of the massive trade through the system, Icaria is one of the most powerful systems economically in the Three Galaxies. There has long been concerns that a major power, especially the Trans-Galactic Empire, might try to invade the system. To protect the system, Icaria has a defense treaty with the Human Alliance but also has a powerful military.

As far as the defense treaty, the Human Alliance is allowed free transit for their ships through Icaria space and often one or more of their vessels are operating within Icaria space. In addition, the Icaria Navy often trains with the Human Alliance Navy.

The Icaria Navy is larger than most single systems powers and is extremely capable. Some system defense forces purchase warships from other navies. The Icaria Navy instead has extensive shipyards and builds their own warships although most of their older vessels are based at least loosely on Human Alliance designs. New designs tend to be less based on Human Alliance vessels.

The Thyella class light cruiser is now being replaced by the Niki class. The Thyella class is meant primarily as an escort design and is sometimes called an “Escort Cruiser.” The newer Niki class is far better armed for long range combat and is considered a multi-role vessel. The escort role currently being performed by the Thyella class light cruiser is to be taken over by the Aspis class destroyer.

As more Niki class cruisers enter service, the older light cruisers are being steadily retired. Still a fair amount remain in service. Retired Thyella class light cruiser are being offered for sale where they have been purchased by both other defense forces as well as mercenary companies. A few have actually been acquired by merchant fleets as escort for their vessels in areas of heavy piracy.

Even though the cruisers mount significant other weaponry, the main weaponry of the Thyella is considered to be the two long range missile batteries. With huge magazines, the missile batteries are designed to protect other vessels from both missile and fighter strikes. The long range missiles are also useful against other warships although not as effective as capital missile batteries.

Similar to most Icaria vessels, the Thyella does not mount any heavy lasers but instead mounts four 18 cm particle beams for direct fire combat against other warships. In addition, the light cruiser carries a heavy point defense battery consisting of four electromagnetic rail guns, six laser batteries, and six mini-missile batteries. The point defense battery is considered quite capable of dealing with missiles which leak through the long range missile batteries.

One criticism this vessel has received is that the Thyella class was expected to operate as a mine sweeper if needed. It lacks advanced mine hunting sensors however. As a result, even though its sensors were excellent when developed, they lack the resolution to be truly effective against mines. One would expect these ships to take quite a bit more damage when minesweeping than a ship with proper mine hunting sensors. There is some consideration being given towards developing a minesweeping variant of the Aspis class destroyer as a result.

These cruisers do mount powerful shields and are quite well armored. In fact, they are almost as well protected as the older but much larger Human Alliance Boadicea class cruiser. With the variable shields, the light cruiser actually has more powerful shields.

Similar to other Icaria navy designs, these ships were designed to be extremely fast. Their acceleration is comparable to the Hunter class destroyer and can reach up to four light years an hour when traveling faster than light. In order to provide power for the powerful drives, as well as shields and weapon system, the ship has an advanced anti-matter reactor for its time which is backed up by fusion plants.

Crew of the ship is a bit under two hundred with advanced automation allowing the ship to be operated by such a small crew. These light cruisers have no real provisions for troops although designed to carry up to twelve passengers. In some cases these light cruisers have been forced to act as flag ships, something which they are not well suited towards. There is also no secondary bridge, something which is relatively common for light cruisers but still sometimes criticized.

While there is no provision for troops, the light cruiser can embark up to six light fighters. In Icaria naval service, these are upgraded versions of the Human Alliance Vixen light fighter although other forces may decide to embark other light fighter models. In the future, the Icaria navy plans to replace the Vixen is service but it is likely that all Thyella class light cruisers will have been retired by then.

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-14.

Class: Light Cruiser.

Crew: 188 (16 Officers, 172 enlisted).

Troops: 8 fighter pilots and can carry up to 12 passengers in addition to troops and crew.

Vehicle, Robots, and Power Armors:

Fighter Compliment:

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

M.D.C. By Location:

	18 cm Particle Beam Batteries (4):	800 each
	Point Defense Electromagnetic Rail Gun Turrets (4):	150 each
	Double Barrel Point Defense Laser Turrets (6):	150 each
	Long Range Missile Batteries (2):	400 each
	Mini-Missile Launchers (6):	100 each
	Outer Hull Section (40 ft/12.2 m area):	150
	Inner Hull Section (40 ft/12.2 m area):	100
	[1] Bridge:	6,000
	Hanger Bay:	3,500
	[2] Main Engines (2):	8,000 each
	[3] Main Body:	22,000
	[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 0.90 percent of light per melee.

Atmospheric Propulsion: Maximum speed is 500 mph (805 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: 524.93 feet (160 meters).

Height: 100.07 feet (30.5 meters).

Width: 190.94 feet (58.2 meters).

Weight/Mass: 49,604 tons (45,000 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 1,655 tons (1,500 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 650 million 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 1.2 to 1.5 billion credits.

WEAPON SYSTEMS:

Four (4) Main 18 cm Particle Beam Batteries: These 18 cm particle beams are mounted in the top and bottom of the ship. Batteries can be fired up to 120 degrees toward the rear on either side (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: 3D6x100 M.D.C. each (6D6x100 M.D.C. for two).

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

Payload: Effectively Unlimited.
Four (4) 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: Long range 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 missiles one at a time or in volleys of two (2), eight (8), sixteen (16), or twenty-four (24) long range missiles per battery, 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 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 768 mini-missiles. Cargo hold has an additional 1,536 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