Astra class Space Liner:

Even older than the Michelangelo class star liner, officially all Astra class Space Liners are suppose to have been retired. In fact, the Consortium of Civilized Worlds has made an effort to make sure all of these liners have been retired. Of course, you never know what you might encounter when you get far from the major civilizations. There are rumor of these ships still somehow patched together and carrying passengers in sparsely settled areas of space. Most are probably considered unsafe even by the standards of when they were built. Of course many owners do not care.

At one time there were thousands of Astra class liners in service. While other similar liner classes performed similar service, the Astra class was the most common liner class of the time. At one time, these liners could be seen in almost every star system.

Passenger capability of the liners was one thousand standard in reasonable comfort. Later liner classes added far more in amenities. Of course some ships were built without most of these the amenities and had the ability to carry fifteen to eighteen hundred passengers. Any remaining liners likely have stripped out the ships for maximum carrying capabilities. As with safety concerns, the owners of any remaining Astra class liners probably care little about passenger comforts and instead want as many passengers aboard.

Total crew originally was around one hundred and fifty with around one hundred and twenty additional stewards. Of course, those with more basic amenities carry a smaller steward compliment. It should be expected that any remaining Astra space liners are probably operated by the dregs of spacers, many with drug or other problems. In addition, most crews are probably short handed and these vessels might even be operated by a skeleton crew. Most probably have few stewards aboard.

Unlike later liner classes, the Astra class were build to mostly civilian cargo ship standards. It made them far less safe than later liners which took lessons from warship designs. At the time the ships were designed, it was not perceived that they would need to be protected any more than a merchant ship. Hull scantlings were not reinforced as with the later Michelangelo class

As well, the ship’s drives were pure civilian merchant systems instead of systems similar to military types. Warships find it extremely easy to catch these ships with a top speed of one and a half light years per hour maximum and an acceleration less than half that of a Boadicea class cruiser. Most modern liners are built to have both a faster than light speed and a normal space acceleration similar to medium warships. The fusion plants were designed to operate for only five years between being refueled although it is likely any remaining ships have these plants stretched to the limit.

Many Astra class liners were completely unarmed although some did carry limited weaponry for self defense. These include two medium range missile launchers and four light laser batteries. Each medium range missile launcher has twenty-four medium range missiles four forty-eight total. More can be carried in the cargo holds but have to be manually loaded. As well as being unarmed, many have no shields although some do carry light non variable shields.

As one might expect, some had been upgraded with military variable shields and heavier weaponry but these were a small minority. In addition to the standard weaponry, these include two long range missile batteries, two additional medium range missile batteries, and four rail gun mounts. In addition, medium range missile payload is increased. Even though better able to defend itself, the hull of these space liners are unmodified and cannot withstand any greater damage than the standard Astra class liner. Still, the weaponry means that it is not likely that a destroyer or frigate will press the issue. Crew compliment is increased slightly on these ships with crews of around two hundred and fifty. Most of these ships were used as military transports and had basic amenities only. Usual troop compliment is around three thousand although far more cramped than a liner version.

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: LQX-650
Vehicle Type: Star Liner (Obsolete)

Crew:	Liner	150 (20 Officers and 130 Ordinary Crew) with 120 Stewards (60 in some)
	Troop Transport	245 (35 Officers and 210 Enlisted Crew)
Passengers:	Liner	1,000 Passengers (1,500 / 1,800 in some)
	Troop Transport	3.000 Troops

Vehicles:
Shuttles:

Passenger Shuttles

M.D.C. By Location:

Liner:

Troop Transport:

Point Defense Laser Cannon Turrets (4):	180 each (Optional)	180 each
Point Defense Rail Gun Turrets (4):	None	150 each
Long Range Missile Batteries (2)	None	400 each
Medium Range Missile Batteries (2 or 4)	220 each (2 - Optional)	220 each (4)
Outer Hull (40 x 40 ft/ 12.2 m x 12.2 Area):	80	80
Inner Hull (40 x 20 ft/ 12.2 m x 12.2 Area):	60	60
[1] Bridge:	1,500	1,500
[2] Main Engines (2):	2,000 each	2,000 each
[3] Main Body:	15,000	15,000
[4] Force Field	1,000 total (Optional)	1,200 a side (7,200 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 liner 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 liner shields are not variable regenerate at the rate of 5% (250 M.D.C.) per melee round - if mounted. Many vessels do not mount any shields. Troop Transports carry variable shields (all could be combined in one shield.) Shields regenerate at the rate of 5% (360 M.D.C.) per melee round.
(Hit locations assume a ship in good condition. For a ship in less than optimal condition, roll 1D6 and multiply by ten. Reduce all hit locations by that amount.)

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. Star Ship can accelerate/decelerate at the rate of 0.3 percent of light per melee.
Atmospheric Propulsion: Maximum speed is 200 mph (321.9 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 1.5 light years per hour.
Maximum Range: Effectively Unlimited by either drive system. Carries about two years worth of supplies on board.

Statistical Data:
Length: 868 feet (264.57 meters)
Height: 263 feet (80.16 meters)
Width: 395 feet (120.40 meters)
Weight: 280,000 Tons (254,000 metric tons)
Power System: Fusion with a 12 year life span. The ship is suppose to only goes 5 years between refueling and refitting although many crews stretch it.
Cargo: Cargo holds are scattered about the ship that allows for carrying up to 12,000 tons (10,890 metric tons) of cargo in addition to standard compliment of supplies and ammunition. These cargo spaces are used for both passengers' luggage/cargo and to carry contracted cargo.
Market Cost: 450 million credits standard armed liner. Reduce cost by 50 million without standard luxuries. Reduce cost by 50 million credits for unarmed versions. Troop transport versions cost approximately 650 million credits.

WEAPON SYSTEMS:

Four (4) Laser Batteries (Optional): Carried on armed versions of the liner and troop transport versions. Weapon system is used as an anti-missile, anti-power armor, and anti-star fighter. Weapons system has no penalties to hit fighters and small targets and can be operated by a gunner or a gunner program (+2 to strike, 3 Attacks per melee). The weapon system cannot be used to engage targets while traveling at faster than light velocities.
Maximum Effective Range: 100 miles (161 km) in space and 2 miles (3.2 km) in an atmosphere.
Mega Damage: 2D4x10 M.D.C. each.
Rate of Fire: Equal to the combined hand to hand attacks of the gunner (usually 4 or 5).
Payload: Effectively Unlimited.
Four (4) Point Defense 15 mm Electromagnetic Rail Guns (Troop Transports): Carried on troop transport versions. 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. Cannon uses a 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.
Two (2) Long Range Missile Batteries (Troop Transports): Carried on troop transport versions. 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) missiles per battery, per melee attack.
Payload: 240 total, 120 long range missiles per battery.
Two (2) or Four (4) Medium Range Missile Batteries (Optional): Armed liner versions of this ship carry two mounts while troop transports carry four of these 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 (See revised Phase World / Three Galaxies missile tables for details.)
Rate of Fire: Can fire missiles one at a time or in volleys of two (2), four (4), or eight (8) missiles per battery
Payload: Armed Liner: 24 per battery for a total of 48 medium range missiles. Troop Transport: 120 per battery for a total of 480 medium range missiles.

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Writeup by Kitsune (E-Mail Kitsune).

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