Raven Industries "Wild Weasel" class ECCM Corvette:


Even though an old design, the Human Alliance Ferret class corvette is one of the most common starships operated in the Three Galaxies. While both the Human Alliance and the Consortium operate these craft and have larger number in Mothball storage, many are operated by independent governments and mercenary companies. They are extremely popular with the Free Worlds Council who operate these craft in a number of roles. To be honest, the Free Worlds Council will take almost any ship they can get their hands on.


Not much work has been done to upgrade these ships. They were always considered semi-disposable and many owners do not consider them worth upgrading. Still, a number of companies have worked up designs to increase the capabilities. Most are straight forward upgrades but some are for new roles. There are versions which replace the cruise missile launcher with long range missile launchers to act as a Mine Sweeper. Other craft include a command and control corvette used by the Free Worlds Council which operate a command and control link replacing all reloads for the cruise missile launchers.


Raven Industries does something extremely similar with the Wild Weasel class ECCM corvette. The missile launchers are reduced from two reloads for the launcher to a single reload. As well, cargo space is vastly reduced. Instead, a powerful electronic counter measure system and sensor system is mounted. Otherwise, the ship is virtually unmodified with the standard secondary weapon mounts and shields. Still, the ships are fully reconditioned to an almost new condition.


The company does not recondition these ships but instead sells these ships directly. The publically given reason is that it is company policy not to be liable for any problems which may exist in ships but it has been suggested by others that there is a higher profit margin in resale than upgrades. The company will purchase old Ferret class corvettes to defray costs. These are then reconditioned and resold if they can be. Many are in extremely rough shape and mostly only useful for parts.


As with the original version of the corvette, the ship does not carry any fighters or troops onboard. One place that these ships are upgrades is in terms of electronics. The ships are given a full set of display and control systems. Otherwise, the new sensor systems would overload the crews ability to track and scan. A more powerful communication array is also added. The crew of the Wild Weasel is increased from sixteen to eighteen to handle the additional work load. Compared to fighters carry electronic counter measure gear, the Wild Weasel has a much extended range and generally increased capabilities. Another major advantage compared to the Panther is that without support craft, such as a carrier, these ships can operate outside of their home system.


Normal tactic involves these craft operating with a squadron of standard Ferret class corvettes. Numbers are often four to eight conventional corvettes to each "Wild Weasel." While the Consortium and Human Alliance do not operate these electronic warfare craft, something many officers would like to change, they are operated both by independent governments and by mercenary companies. Some members of the Consortium military would like a version based off the Cheetah class corvette. It should be a relatively easy redesign although the ship is already extremely tight.


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: Raven Industries EFL-04
Vehicle Type: ECCM Corvette
Crew: 18 (2 officers)


M.D.C. By Location:

Point Defense Rail Gun Turrets (2):150 each
Triple Barrel Defense Laser Turrets (2):150 each
Cruise Missile Battery:800
Mini-Missile Launchers (4):100 each
[1] Bridge:800
[2] Main Body:2,000
[3] Variable Force Field:800 a side (4,800 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] Depleting the M.D.C. of the main body will put the corvette 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] Shields positions can be varied and all could be combined in one shield. Shields regenerate at the rate of 5% (240 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 50 percent of the speed of light. Star Ship can accelerate/decelerate at the rate of 0.9 percent of light per melee.
Atmospheric Propulsion: Maximum speed is Mach 2, can enter an atmosphere because flight system is using contra grav.
Stardrive: Uses a Gravitonic Drive system that allows the ship to reach a maximum of 3.5 light years per hour.
Maximum Range: Effectively Unlimited by either drive system. Carries about one year worth of supplies on board.


Statistical Data:
Length: 115 feet (35.1 meters)
Height: 220 feet (67.1 meters)
Width: 80 feet (24.4 meters)
Weight: 1,800 tons (1,632.9 metric tons)
Power System: Fusion with a 25 year life span (fusion was far cheaper than anti-matter). 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 tons (18.14 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 take up by extra ammunition, armor, troops, weapons, engine, and other equipment.
Market Cost: 750 million credits


WEAPON SYSTEMS:

  1. Two (2) 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. Each rail gun is in a turret that can rotate 360 and has a 180 arc of fire. The rail gun still fires projectiles at incredible velocities compared to rail guns on Rifts Earth and projectiles are fired from rail guns at a significant fraction of the speed of light. It is used as an anti-starfighter and missile weapon and against targets that are impervious to energy. The weapon system cannot be used to engage targets while traveling at faster than light velocities.
    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.
  2. Two (2) 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.
  3. Cruise Missile Battery: 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, 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 dead 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. 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. Launcher is reloaded on the same melee and can be fired again on the next.
    Payload: 24 cruise missiles per battery. Ship has one reload of missiles (48 cruise missiles total)
  4. Four (4) 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 missiles one at a time or in volleys of four (4) or eight (8) missiles.
    Payload: 128 per launcher for a total of 512 mini-missiles. Cargo hold has an additional 512 mini-missile. Reloading launchers from cargo hold takes 1D6 minutes.


Special Systems:
The Wild Weasel carries all the standard equipment of a Phase World corvette including long range sensors and communications and carries additional jamming and sensor systems.


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Image drawn and copyrighted by Roman Kochnev (r_kochnev@hotmail.com) .

More Roman Kochnev artwork at The Science Fiction Art and Design Portfolio of Roman Kochnev


Writeup by Kitsune (E-Mail Kitsune).


Copyright © 2007, Kitsune. All rights reserved.


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