Lady Guinevere Missile Cruiser (Modified Kurganov Missile Cruiser):

There are not many Natasha Kurganov class missile cruisers in mercenary service but they are operated by a number of independent defense forces in fairly large numbers. They are generally less expensive than Warshield class cruisers and are far more readily available. Large numbers have been discarded by both the Human Alliance and the Consortium Armed Forces.

Even though still considered a capable designs, various modifications have been done to the design to increase their combat effectiveness. This includes the replacement of point defense batteries and even upgrading the main missile batteries. Few operators upgrade propulsion, armor, or the force fields of these missile cruisers. One of the more famous upgrades to the class is the Horatio Nelson operated by New Coventry.

One of the more extensively modified Kurganov class missile cruisers, the Lady Guinevere is operated by the Carohaise System, an independent system currently outside of Consortium controlled space although near the border. Even though outside of Consortium, the system has good relations with the Consortium of Civilized Worlds with the larger power having a keen interest in the system.

They have a reasonably capable navy with the bulk of the forces being retired Consortium and Human Alliance warships. The largest warship in the system navy are a pair of Natasha Kurganov class missile cruisers. Otherwise, the navy mostly consists of destroyers. Unlike many independent defense forces, the system military is considered quite well trained.

In addition to having good relations with the Consortium, the system has good relations with the Icaria system. While not as economically powerful as the Icaria system, the Carohaise System is reasonably well to do. The system does have limited shipyard facilities although does not have the ability to build anything like a cruiser. Does however have the ability to make extensive upgrades.

In common with most upgraded Kurganov class missile cruisers, the Lady Guinevere has the standard propulsion and shields of the class. Her sister was upgraded in a very similar manner. They were not considered worth upgrading and would have required extensive rebuilding. While not quite as far as the newer Warshield class, these older missile cruisers are still capable of operating at four light years an hour and the variable force fields are superior to those mounted on the Smasher class cruiser operated by the Trans-Galactic Empire.

In a similar fashion, the heavy 18 cm particle beams and the point defense electromagnetic rail guns are also retained. The older rail guns are still considered quite capable and are far easier to maintain than many gravity based rail guns. As a missile cruiser, it is also not expected that the Lady Guinevere will often have to engage in close range combat. Still, the heavy particle beams were considered worth retaining for those situations where the cruiser may end up engaging another warship in close combat. With the rail guns, there is some consideration given to replacing them with GR-1000 heavy point defense rail guns in the future.

Unlike the point defense rail guns, the original point defense lasers however have been stripped out and are replaced by twelve variable focus particle beams. Originally fitted to the Consortium Assault Shuttle, the particle beams are considered to be extremely effective against incoming missile volleys. They are also far less expensive than the Tachyon scatter beams used by New Coventry.

While some upgraded Kurganov class cruisers retain the original missile batteries, the missile batteries on the Lady Guinevere have been completely replaced. Modern capital and long range missile batteries have the ability to fire much greater volleys of missiles. Even though the launchers can fire larger missile volleys, magazine space is virtually unchanged. The Carohaise System does not have access to anti-matter and X-Ray laser warheads. As a result, the missile cruiser is generally armed with heavy fusion warhead missiles.

Finally, the eight mini-missile batteries have been replaced by six medium range missile batteries. Even though a modified civilian design, the medium range missile batteries are considered far more effective by most because of the far greater range. The ship does however carry far fewer medium range missiles in the ship’s magazine.

As an older class, the Kurganov class missile cruiser requires a relatively large crew compared to many newer cruisers. Many of the newer systems require smaller crews and additional automation further reduces crew compliment. As a result, the Lady Guinevere requires a crew of just less than two hundred and seventy, an approximate ten percent reduction in total crew.

It was decide to modify the hanger so that the missile cruiser might embark two light squadrons of ten light fighters each instead of a mixture of light and medium fighters. A total of twenty “I.C.E. Hyena” light fighters are usually embarked. In addition, a dozen Stormcrow power armors are usually embarked. While the cruiser retains the ability to embark up to eighty marines, usually only a skeleton troop compliment is embarked.

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: CL-23 (Modified).

Vehicle Type: Missile Cruiser.

Crew: 268 (22 Officers, 246 enlisted).

Troops: 80 marines maximum (commonly only 20 to 40 are embarked), 12 Stormcrow Pilots, and 30 Fighter Pilots.

Vehicles:

Power Armors & Robots:

SC-MM-1000 Stormcrow Space Combat Exoskeleton.

Fighter Compliment:

Ross Aerospace MSX-128-ICE “I.C.E. Hyena” Light Starfighters.

M.D.C. By Location:

	18 cm Main Particle Beam Batteries (2):	1,200 each.
	Point Defense 15 mm Electromagnetic Rail Gun Turrets (8):	150 each.
	Variable Focus Particle Beam Cannon Turrets (12):	150 each.
	Cruise Missile Batteries (4):	800 each.
	Long Range Missile Batteries (4):	500 each.
	Medium Range Missile Batteries (6):	400 each.
	Outer Hull (40 ft/ 12.2 m Area):	150.
	Inner Hull (40 ft/ 12.2 m Area):	100.
	[1] Bridge:	8,000.
	[1] Auxiliary Bridge:	8,000.
	Hanger Bay:	10,000.
	[2] Main Engines (2):	10,000 each.
	[3] Main Body:	35,000.
	[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 also has an auxiliary bridge. Even if both bridges are taken out, 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% (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 0.95 percent of light per melee.

Atmospheric Propulsion: Maximum speed is 450 mph (724 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 4.0 light years per hour.

Maximum Range: Effectively Unlimited by either drive system. Carries about four years worth of supplies on board.

Statistical Data:

Length: 650 feet (198.1 meters).

Height: 250 feet (76.2 meters).

Width: 350 feet (106.7 meters).

Weight: 145,000 tons (131,700 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 2,000 tons (1,814.4 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: A unmodified Natasha Kurganov class cruiser would cost about 1.8 billion credits to manufacture in present time in the Three Galaxies. Ships are no longer being produced. When available, such ships sell for 3.6 to 4.2 billion credits. As refitted, the Artemisia would probably be worth around 5.8 to 7.0 billion credits. Cost does not include embarked craft.

WEAPON SYSTEMS:

Two (2) 18 cm Main Particle Beam Batteries: These 18 cm particle beams are mounted in the forward area 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 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 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 gun uses 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.
Twelve (12) Variable Focus Particle Beam Mounts: These particle beams are copied from those carried on the CAF Assault Shuttle and will fire a very powerful narrow beam and can fire a scatter effect that is less powerful but is capable of striking multiple targets. The weapon system is quite useful against missiles although the cone is not as wide as Tachyon cannon sprays are (Gives +2 bonus vs fast moving targets such as missiles.) Weapons are mounted in turrets that can rotate 360 and have a 180 arc of fire. Each mount can be operated by a gunner or a gunner program (+2 to strike, 3 Attacks per melee).

Maximum Effective Range: 300 miles (480 km) in space and 3 miles (4.8 km) in an atmosphere.

Mega Damage: Single Target: 4D6x10 per blast. Wide Beam: 5D6 to all targets within a 5,000 foot (1,524 meter) diameter area. When fired as a wide beam, the cannon cannot be used on targets closer than 5,000 feet (1,524 meters) away.

Rate of Fire: Equal to the combined hand to hand attacks of the gunner (usually 4 or 5).

Payload: Effectively Unlimited.
Four (4) Cruise Missile Batteries: Missile has a top speed of Mach 25 in an atmosphere and has an acceleration of 10% of light per turn (far faster than any starship) in space. 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 set 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 dead is at -25% to detect.) missiles have penalties to hit small targets but are all considered smart missiles. These are modern Consortium missile batteries similar to those carried on a number of warships. Batteries can launch on multiple targets each at the same time.

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. each and Fusion multi-warheads inflict 3D6x100 M.D.C. each.)

Rate of Fire: Can fire cruise missiles one at a time or in volleys of two (2), eight (8), sixteen (16), or thirty-two (32) cruise missiles per battery, per melee round, for a maximum of 128 cruise missiles per melee. Launchers are reloaded on the same melee and can be fired again on the next.

Payload: 128 total, 32 cruise missiles per launcher. Ship has 6 reload of missiles (768 cruise missile reloads total).
Four (4) Long Range Missile Batteries: Long range missile has a top speed of Mach 20 in an atmosphere and has an acceleration of 8% of light per turn (faster than any starship) in space. 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 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 dead is at -25% to detect.) 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 / 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 thirty-two (32) long range missiles per battery, per melee attack.

Payload: 960 total, 240 long range missiles per battery.
Six (6) Medium Range Missile Batteries: Replacing the mini-missile batteries, these are standard merchant type batteries modified for greater magazine space. 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) missile per melee attack.

Payload: 128 medium range missiles per battery for 768 total.

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Writeup by Kitsune (E-Mail Kitsune).

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