Rockcastle class Monitor:

In general, monitors are ships that are about the same size of a heavy cruisers yet pack far greater firepower due to the fact that they have lower endurance compared to similar sized cruisers, pack less engines, and do not have faster than light drive systems. The space freed up is used for heavier weaponry and greater armor than might otherwise be practical. There are some unusual designs which use the designation “Monitors” which do mount faster than light drives but are the exception.

The history of the monitor is pretty interesting. When coal fired steam ships on the oceans were a new advancement, the Northern States of United States on Earth constructed a very slow ship with heavy armor and two heavy guns. This ship was the U.S.S. Monitor. As time went on, the ship class called Monitor evolved into a few different classes of ships but all designs were designed for coastal use with heavy guns and heavy armor. When classes of starships were being names, in many cases old naval terms were being used. Because the monitor fit quite well in the terms of a heavily armed inter system ship.

Many system defense forces cannot afford cruisers or other faster than light capable ships so they purchase monitors. Due to the reduced mobility of monitors, many system forces that can afford cruisers will tend purchase them instead. In some cases, political forces will also cause system governments to prefer monitors over cruisers for their defense forces. Some system defense forces do operate both ships capable of faster than light operations and purely in system forces.

Because these ships lack any form of faster than light drives, these vessels are either constructed in system, shipped on large ships, or shipped in parts and assembled in system. Few system defense forces have their own facilities to manufacture these monitors. Some however have modified their monitors in various manners including upgrading weaponry.

The Rockcastle class Monitor is a comparatively older monitor design based on older Human Alliance cruiser designs. The original manufacture has been long out of business although the design is still produced by other manufactures. More modern monitors replace the weaponry with newer weapon systems but the basic hull design is the same. As time goes on, more and more of the manufacturing facilities for the old type monitor are upgrading to produce various upgraded design.

The Monitor carries four heavy (28 cm) particle beams which is supported by four lighter (12 cm) anti-capital ship lasers. In some later versions of this ship the particle beams have been replaced by longer ranged lasers and the lighter lasers have been replaced in part or total by heavy rail guns. Point defense weaponry is considered pretty decent although are not equal to modern standards. These ships have six electromagnetic point defense rail guns, six point defense lasers, and four point defense mini-missile launchers. Several different upgrades have been done to more modern monitors. Some include simple upgrades on the weapon systems and some include weapons that fire a wide spray.

These ships carries two old style capital missile batteries and four long range cruise missile launchers, also of an older design. In few cases will anti-matter warheads be available and X-Ray laser warheads are also extremely rare in ships operated by system defense forces. Otherwise, most modern missiles are available including smart and even brilliant missiles. Decoy missiles are also generally available. These launchers have been upgraded to larger capacity launchers in later ships of the this design in many cases.

The shield are pretty powerful but are bulky compared to more modern units. More modern units can output about 20% more power. Power for these monitors is produced by a fusion reactor instead of an anti-matter plant. Some more modern designs based on the Rockcastle upgrade this to an anti-matter reactor. As far as drives, even many cruisers, even those far older than the Rockcastle design, have greater acceleration than the monitor.

Because they are operated within friendly systems, they do not carry fighters or marines because fighters and troops are expected to be operated from the planets which they are protecting or from fixed orbital facilities. In some cases, theses monitors may be escorted by cargo ships that fill the roll of carrier or troop transport. More modern versions of these monitors have been able to reduce the ship’s crew by a small amount using increased automation.

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: MA-22.

Vehicle Type: Monitor.

Crew: 344 (ship can be run by 75 crew-members).

Troops: None.

Vehicles: None.

M.D.C. By Location:

	28 cm Main Particle Beam Batteries (4):	1,500 each.
	12 cm Support Heavy Laser Cannons (4):	750 each.
	Point Defense Rail Gun Turrets (6):	150 each.
	Triple Barrel Defense Laser Turrets (6):	150 each.
	Cruise Missile Batteries (2):	800 each.
	Long Range Missile Batteries (4):	500 each.
	Mini-Missile Launchers (4):	100 each.
	Outer Hull (40 ft/ 12.2 m Area):	150.
	Inner Hull (40 ft/ 12.2 m Area):	100.
	[1] Bridge:	12,000.
	[1] Auxiliary Bridge:	12,000.
	[2] Main Engines (2):	15,000 each.
	[3] Main Body:	55,000.
	[4] Variable Force Field:	5,000 a side (30,000 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 maximum sublight speed is reduced by half.

[3] Depleting the M.D.C. of the main body will put the monitor 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 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 0.6 percent of light per melee.

Atmospheric Propulsion: Maximum speed is 400 mph (644 kph), can enter an atmosphere and can leave but is not designed for atmospheric flight.

Stardrive: The ship carries no stardrive.

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

Statistical Data:

Length: 810 feet (246.9 meters).

Height: 260 feet (79.2 meters).

Width: 430 feet (131.1 meters).

Weight/Mass: 210,000 tons (190,500 metric tons).

Power System: Advanced Fusion with a 25 year life span. The ship normally only goes 7 years between refueling and refitting.

Cargo: Cargo holds are scattered about the ship that allows for carrying up to 1,000 tons (907.18 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: 1.3 billion credits. Upgraded versions will range from 1.5 to 2.2 Billion credits.

WEAPON SYSTEMS:

Four (4) 28 cm Main Particle Beam Batteries: In the front and sides of the ship are four 28 cm particle beam cannons. 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.

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 both.)

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

Payload: Effectively Unlimited.
Four (4) 12 cm Heavy Laser Cannons: Laser cannons are used against frigates and as against heavily reinforced targets. Two are located on either side of ship. Weapon has standard penalties to hit fighters and small targets. The barrels can be can be rotated 180 degrees in all directions. Only two cannons can 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 or 4D6x100 for two.

Rate of Fire: Maximum of two (2) times per melee each laser cannon.

Payload: Effectively Unlimited.
Six (6) 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 (40.2 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) Cruise Missile Batteries: 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 unpowered, 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 (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 twenty-four (24) cruise missiles per launcher, per melee round, for a maximum of 96 cruise missiles per melee. Launchers are reloaded on the same melee and can be fired again on the next.

Payload: 48 total, 24 cruise missiles per battery. Ship has 8 reload of missiles (384 cruise missiles reloads total.)
Four (4) Long Range Missile Batteries: 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 individual 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 (2,89700 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 twenty-four (24) long range missiles per launcher, per melee attack.

Payload: 960 total, 240 long range missiles per launcher.
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 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 512 mini-missiles. Cargo hold has an additional 1,024 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