Q-Ship (Consortium Design / Cruiser Size Class):

Q-Ships are a simple concept. They are military type ships designed to appear as merchant vessels but are designed to carry far more firepower and are usually armored far better than true merchant vessels. There are a variety of different size classes with some of the largest being converted Cargo Master designs. These type of ships can be either converted merchant vessels which have been virtually completely rebuilt or can be new construction vessels. These ships serve a variety of missions. Of course, they are highly useful as bait against pirates either by itself or in a convoy. A pirate ship will come in to capture one of these ships and the Q-Ship will open up with its main batteries. Of course sometimes these ships will act as pirates themselves and several militaries operate such ships as privateers. Some of the more belligerent powers such as the Trans-Galactic Empire operate these ships in an initial first strike role and Q-Ships are often used for special operations. In the final role, normally smaller Q-Ships are used.

When similar ships are used as pirate ships, sometimes they are refitted by the pirates using abandoned facilities or facilities which they have recently captured. As well, it is well known that several Governments support pirates although due to the political situation, nothing concrete can be presented. Such groups include the Trans-Galactic Empire who is considered one of the worst offenders. Even sometimes more reputable governments get caught up in such situations. There have been cases where governments though they were constructing such ships for legitimate groups and the ship ends in the hands of pirates.

Still, most Consortium built Q-Ships are operated in the hands of groups who are legally allowed to operate such a vessel. One of the most famous of the Q-Ships is named the Troubadour. It a converted Cargo Master class medium merchant and is operated by an Independent Defense Force within the Consortium of Civilized Worlds. The ship has a record that few true Consortium Military vessels can match. It has destroyed or captured over two hundred pirate ships since being converted to a Q-Ship. Several of them have been Smasher class cruisers which the Trans-Galactic Empire claim went rogue. The Consortium accepts the official line in public but in reality are highly suspicious.

The design listed here is based off the Cargo Master hull like the Troubadour is. The ship itself is the size of a large heavy cruiser and is close to a thousand feet in length. The weapon systems and other equipment carried on the vessel in mostly of Consortium design although similar vessels using Kreeghor hardware are also built. The ship is designed to be able to defend itself from most cruisers even heavy cruisers but is likely to get into severe trouble against a battlecruiser or anything larger. This design is assumed to either be a fully reconstructed vessel or one which has been built from the keel out as a new vessel. Those which are built from the keel out normally have additional internal armor and compartmentalization compared to those which have been rebuilt. Due to this, the new construction vessels are tougher and are able to withstand additional damage. All vessels have the bridge armored to withstand additional damage from hits on the bridge. While the bridge carries greater armor, the ship still only has a single bridge. The ship carries more powerful shields than is standard for merchant ships and are similar in power level to those carried on Warshield class cruisers. While the standard merchant propulsion system is retained, the increase in weapon means that far more power is required and the fusion reactor is not enough to produce enough power. As a result, the ship has three additional fusion reactors to provide additional power.

Due to the potential of attacks from pirates, most ships carry at least some light weaponry. This includes the Cargo Master class merchant ship. The ship carries six point defense laser mounts and six medium range missile batteries. These are retained on the Q-Ship converted design although the medium range missile batteries are modified both to increase the payload and rate of fire. Still, the true firepower of the ship is in concealed weapon systems which take up most of the cargo space in the vessel. Of course compared to the smaller Q-Ships, these ships have far more space for weaponry. The concealed weapons on some designs are hidden under plates which can be jettisoned while other designs use powered hatches which open to fire weaponry. There are various tactics which captains of Q-Ships. What some captains will do is to allow an enemy ship to get close and then suddenly fire all weapons while the other ship still thinks that they are a standard merchant vessel. This is especially effective against pirates operating comparatively light vessels. Instead of carrying lasers, the ship carries heavy particle beam weaponry as the main battery. While shorter ranged, the damage and rate of fire is greater on a per mount basis. Many of these come from decommissioned or converted heavy cruisers or secondary batteries on battleships. These are backed by four heavy rail gun mounts and eight secondary heavy laser mounts. Because the ships may be expected to duel at long range with missiles at long range, the ships carry a heavy missile battery including a pair of cruise missile launchers and four long range missile launchers. This gives the ship approximately the same missile firepower as a Warshield class cruiser. Payload is about fifty percent greater then a Warshield which allows for prolonged missile duels. Of course, the Cargo Master hull masses about three times that of a Warshield. Twelve variable focus particle beams are also concealed on the ship along the sides. These concealed mounts are used for point defense against missiles and as close in defense against fighters and power armors.

Much of the ship’s cargo bays are configured as fighter bays. The Q-Ship does not carry as many fighters as most light fleet carriers but the fighter compliment is still considerable. A total of thirty-six medium starfighters or forty-eight light starfighters can be carried onboard. This is fully equal to the Kreeghor Smasher class cruiser. Common medium fighter types include the Katana fighter and small fighters include the Scorpion, Bobcat, and Tanto light fighters. Sometimes a mixture of medium and light fighters will be carried. Usually twenty four light starfighters (or two squadrons) along with eighteen medium starfighters (one and a half squadrons) will be carried. In some cases, Kittani Robot Fighters or Avenger Power Armors are carried in the place of light starfighters. In addition to carrying the fighters, the ship can also carry up to two hundred and forty twenty small to medium power armors. These are commonly used during boarding operations. The most common power armor design is the silverhawk power armor or its knock offs. Other common power armors include the K-Universal Power Armor and the New Coventry Combat Environment Power Armors. Large Power armors such as the Avenger, Glitter boy, or Kittani Robot Fighters cannot be carried in place of the light or medium power armors.

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: CRA-1565-Q
Vehicle Type: Q-Ship (Converted Medium Freighter design)
Crew: 320 (40 Officers and 280 Enlisted)
Troops: 360 Marines, 72 fighter pilots

Vehicles:
Power Armors:

240

Light Power Armors (Commonly Silver Hawk or K-Universal Power armors).

Fighter Compliment:

	48	Small Starfighters (Common fighters include Scorpion, Tanto, and Bobcat fighters)
	or
	32	Medium Starfighters (Common Fighters include the Katana fighter as Naruni designs)

M.D.C. By Location:

Rebuilt Vessel:

New Construction:

Concealed Main Particle Beam Batteries (4):	1,500 each	2,000 each
Concealed Support Heavy Laser Cannons (6):	650 each	750 each
8 cm G-cannon Turrets (4):	650 each	800 each
Laser Batteries (6):	500 each	500 each
Concealed Variable Focus Particle Beam (12):	200 each	300 each
Concealed Cruise Missile Batteries (2):	800 each	1,000 each
Concealed Long Range Missile Batteries (4):	400 each	600 each
Medium Range Missile Batteries (6):	300 each	450 each
Concealed Fighter Hanger Doors (2):	3,000 each	4,000 each
Outer Hull (40 ft/ 12.2 m Area):	125	150
Inner Hull (40 ft/ 12.2 m Area):	100	100
[1] Contra-Grav Engines (2):	10,000 each	12,500 each
[2] Bridge:	12,000	15,000
[3] Main Body:	65,000	75,000
[4] Variable Force Field:	5,000 side (30,000 total)	5,000 side (30,000 total)

Notes:
[1] Destroying the main engines means that the ship’s faster than light systems are destroyed and maximum sublight speed is reduced by half.
[2] 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.
[3] Depleting the M.D.C. of the main body will put the Q-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.
[4] Shields positions can be varied and all could be combined in one shield. Shields regenerate at the rate of 5% (1,500 M.D.C.) per melee

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 maximum due to civilian shields. Star Ship can accelerate/decelerate at the rate of 0.5 percent of light per melee. Ship has had the merchant radiation and particle shields replaced with military ones.
Atmospheric Propulsion: Maximum speed is 250 mph (402 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 2.5 light years per hour.
Maximum Range: Effectively Unlimited by either drive system. Carries about two years worth of supplies on board for the ship’s crew.

Statistical Data:
Length: 950 feet (289.6 meters)
Height: 330 feet (100.6 meters)
Width: 320 feet (97.5 meters)
Weight: 330,000 Tons (300,000 metric tons)
Power System: Fusion with a 20 year life span. Carries four reactors onboard. The ship normally only goes 5 years between refueling and refitting.
Cargo: Cargo holds are scattered about the ship that allows for carrying up to 20,000 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 take up by extra ammunition, armor, troops, weapons, engine, and other equipment.
Market Cost: 4.5 billion credits for a rebuilt ship and 5.5 billion credits for a new built vessel. Most builders will only sell starship to allied governments (To keep out of the hands of Pirates) although many still find their way into other's hands.

WEAPON SYSTEMS:

Four (4) Concealed Main Particle Beam Batteries: In the front of the ship are four 28 cm particle beams in concealed mounts. 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 (Two can be linked for 2D4x1000 M.D.C. for two)
Rate of Fire: Maximum of three (3) times per melee per particle beam.
Payload: Effectively Unlimited.
Four (4) Concealed 8 cm Heavy Rail Guns: Used as one of the ship’s secondary batteries and are all mounted near the front of the ship in concealed mounts. These cannons replace the ships forward laser mounts and are far more effective. They are used against targets that are impervious to energy as well. System can be operated by a gunner or a gunner program (+2 to strike, 3 Attacks per melee) and can rotate 180 degrees. Projectiles are fired from rail guns at a significant fraction of the speed of light.
Maximum Effective Range: 10,000 miles (16,100 km), range is 10 miles (16.1 km) in an atmosphere.
Mega Damage: 1D4x100 M.D.C. per 80 round burst each.
Rate of Fire: Equal to the combined hand to hand attacks of the gunner (usually 4 or 5).
Payload: 32,000 rounds each (400 bursts).
Six (6) Concealed 12 cm Heavy Laser Cannons: Used as one of the ship’s secondary batteries and are mounted in concealed mountings. Two 12 cm laser cannons on a side may be combined as one attack or used separately. The weapon system cannot be used to engage targets while traveling at faster than light velocities. Weapon has standard penalties to hit fighters and small targets. The barrels can be can be rotated 180 degrees in all directions. Up to two may be fired as one volley.
Maximum Effective Range: 16 miles (25.8 km) through atmosphere and 16,000 miles (25,800 km) in space.
Mega Damage: 2D6x100 M.D.C. each. Two laser cannons can be combined for 4D6x100 Mega Damage.
Rate of Fire: Maximum of two (2) times per melee each.
Payload: Effectively Unlimited.
Six (6) Laser Batteries: Original weapon system. 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: 200 miles (322 km) in space and 4 miles (6.4 km) in an atmosphere.
Mega Damage: 3D6x10 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.
Twelve (12) Concealed Variable Focus Particle Beam Mounts: Mounted in concealed 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.
Two (2) Concealed Cruise Missile Batteries: Uses engines to conceal the anti-matter or fusions warheads and all batteries fire forward. Missile has 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, battery, 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 starships (Great for hitting bases and planets because target does not move and missile, when unpowered, is at -25% to be detected.) Cruise missiles have penalties to hit small targets but are all considered smart missiles. This battery is copy of the CAF batteries. 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.)
Rate of Fire: Can fire missiles one at a time or in volleys of two (2), eight (8), sixteen (16), or thirty-two (32) missiles per battery, per melee round, for a maximum of 64 missiles per melee. Batteries are reloaded on the same melee and can be fired again on the next.
Payload: 64 total, 32 cruise missiles per battery. Ship has 16 reload of missiles (1024 cruise missile reloads total.)
Four (4) Concealed Long Range Missile Batteries: Like the Cruise missile battery, these weapon mounts are concealed. 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. Launchers can launch on multiple targets each.
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 thirty-two (32) missiles per launcher, per melee attack.
Payload: 1,280 total, 320 long range missiles per launcher.
Six (6) Medium Range Missile Batteries: A slightly modified version of the medium range missile batteries carried on a normal Freight Master. They can fire larger volleys and have a much larger payload than the launchers originally carried. 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), eight (8), or sixteen (16) missiles per battery.
Payload: 160 per battery for a total of 960 medium range missiles.

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Writeup by Kitsune (E-Mail Kitsune).

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