Starwind Kingdom “Concorde” class Heavy Star Frigate:

Even though the United Worlds Warlock is the best known magic oriented multi-system powers within the Three Galaxies, there are a number of others. Still, most are far smaller and encompass only a handful of systems. One of the largest magic oriented powers within the Three Galaxies, some believe second to the United World Warlock, is the Starwind Kingdom. In many ways they are quite different than the United Worlds Warlock in that they do not use the amount of conventional technology and are far more magic oriented.

The United Worlds Warlock mostly uses a form of faster than light travel known as Rifts Jump Drives and it is the best known of them. The Starwind Kingdom uses an alternate mystical form of faster than light travel known as “Cosmic Ley Line Sailing.” As one might surmise, the form of travel is limited to cosmic ley lines although one finds them connecting most of the star systems of the Three Galaxies. These ships actually unfurl sails to enable them to travel along ley lines. While ships can use they ley lines to travel between systems, often ships have to jump ley lines at nexus points. In addition, the propulsion will not work within a solar system due to the magic interference.

With a ley line speed of six light years per hour over a normal cosmic ley line, the Concorde is significantly slower than other Starwind Kingdom warship classes. As a ship gets bigger, the ship’s mass increases more rapidly than surface area. As such, the ship cannot carry as large a sail rig. The ship can travel faster on more power ley lines of course but will still be slower than smaller vessels on those same lines.

While the most powerful warship operated by the Starwind Kingdom, the Concorde class heavy frigate is not particularly well liked by its officers and crews. Even though far better armored than the White Rose class, most consider something to have been lost when the Concorde is compared to older vessel designs. In size, it similar in size to a number of cruisers operated by other powers in the Three Galaxies.

As with most starships in the Three Galaxies, a contra-grav propulsion system is used for normal space operations. Most of the older warships operated by the Starwind Kingdom have been upgraded to use similar propulsion systems although the Concorde has it integrated into the hull. With regard to power, the ship mounts a civilian fusion plant. Such systems are easier to maintain than many military systems and require smaller crews. Other than the propulsion system, the fusion reactor provides power primarily to the sensor systems.

While previous warship classes were upgraded greatly from their original weaponry, the Concorde class were designed to carry the weaponry they currently carry. They still do not have the power runs to operate conventional energy weaponry however and their weapon system remain enchanted type weapon systems. The standard broadside battery is completely deleted in the design without even any gun ports to mount them.

Weaponry consists of four “Focused Shockwave” cannon mounts, two forward firing heavy anti-ship lightning cannons, eight “Annihilate’ cannons mounted in turrets, twenty-four Gatling telekinetic guns, four capital missile launchers, and six medium range missile batteries. Compared to the White Rose II class, the two lightning cannons are more powerful although still have similar range. Payload for the missile launchers and batteries is also increased compared to the light frigate.

Some might think that starships operated by the Starwind Kingdom would not require a mystical energy battery because they do not have a Rifts Jump Drive but the weapon systems are powered by magic and there are a number of other enchantment that require large amounts of mystical energy as well. It was decided that the Concorde would mount the same mystical energy generator as the White Rose class.

For additional protection, the heavy frigate has an “Invincible Armor” force field. While it requires more mystical energy than an “Armor of Ithan” force field would, it also gives better protection. Often this ship engages vessels primarily armed with energy weapons. As protection against them, the ship also has an “Impervious to Energy” enchantment.

In common with other starships, the enchantment of “Invisibility: Superior” gives the ship excellent stealth when active. Early in the design process, there was consideration given towards giving the ship conventional life support. In the end, it was decided that the ship would retain the “Sustain” enchantment common to other starship designs operated by the kingdom.

Unlike most other ships build by the Starwind Kingdom, the Concorde is not constructed from enchanted wood. Instead it is constructed from advanced composites and alloys. Due to the size of the vessel, it was felt that it would have been too difficult to build the ship in the more traditional style of starships of the Starwind Kingdom. Some interior fittings however are still constructed from wood.

These frigates are not considered the works of art that the older classes are. The stern of the vessel is plainly finished instead of being highly decorative. In addition, the hull itself is considered fatter and less streamlined than older vessels. One major change is that the contra-grav propulsion system is flared into the hull itself instead of being mounted in the rear.

In common with other vessel of the Starwind Kingdom, the hull form can be considered an elongated prolate spheroid. As with the other classes, there is a flattened deck where the “Annihilate” cannons and the Gatling cannons are mounted. Visible in the bow are the four capital missile launchers and the two heavy lightning cannons.

While the smaller classes of the Starwind Kingdom generally mount two sails on each corner, the two frigate classes mount three. However, the masts are similar in that they are in an “X” type pattern on the sides of the hull and fold down when not in use. In general, the masts are only folded out when on a ley line and ethereal sails appear on the masts. Otherwise, they are bare. In the front of the vessel is a spear line Bowsprit used to help control the vessel on a ley line.

Even though quite a bit larger than the White Rose class, the Concorde requires only a slightly larger crew. Even so, it has a far larger crew than most similar sized cruisers in the Three Galaxies. As with other Starwind Kingdom vessels, a large crew is required to man the masts and sails. Attempts to automated the function have failed to be effective. While on a cosmic ley line, they need constant adjustment in order to get the best performance. As with the White Rose class, the Concorde almost always has a sailing master in addition to the captain with the job being to command the riggers for the sails as well as navigating ley lines.

Currently these ships are the only vessels in the Starwind Kingdom that embark fighters. A total of two squadrons of light fighters are embarked. The Starwind Kingdom has yet to standardize fighter compliment across the fleet although usually individual vessels carry the same type of fighter or at least carry full squadrons of them. In order to reduce costs, the Starwind Kingdom has been acquiring a number of older light fighter classes. These include the Human Alliance Vixen, Wolfen Falx Supina, and the Venom light starfighter classes.

The marine compliment is also increased compared to previous classes with a maximum marine compliment of two hundred. Currently only about half of marines aboard the frigate are equipped with mystic power armor but the plan is to eventually fit all with the power armor. It is likely to be at least several years however until this is actually realized.

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: “Concorde” Cosmic Ley Line Heavy Frigate.

Vehicle Type: Cosmic Ley Line Frigate (Heavy).

Crew: 520 with usually at least six techno-wizard and six other spell casting types recommended but not absolutely needed.

Troops: 200.

Vehicles:

Power Armors & Robots:

200

Mystic Power Armors (Maximum - 100 common.)

Fighter Compliment:

Light Fighters (SF-9 Vixen, PBI-25 Falx Supina, and MSX-32 Venom Light Fighters common.)

M.D.C. by Location:

	Magical “Focused Shockwave” Cannons (4, top and bottom):	500 each.
	Main 18 inch Heavy Lightning Cannons (2):	1,000 each.
	Turret Mounted “Annihilate” Cannons (8):	600 each.
	Telekinetic Gatling Cannons (24, 12 each side):	100 each.
	Cruise Missile Launchers (4, bow):	800 each.
	Medium Range Missile Batteries (6, 3 each side):	300 each.
	Bowsprit (1):	480.
	[1] Foremasts (4, Forward Masts):	880 each.
	[1] Mainmasts (4, Middle Mast):	940 each.
	[1] Mizzenmasts (4, Rear Masts):	880 each.
	Hangar Bays (2):	4,000 each.
	[2] Main Contra-Grav Engines (2, sides / rear):	8,000 each.
	[3] Main Bridge:	6,800.
	[3] Main Body:	42,000
	[4] Magical “Invincible Armor” Force Field:	20,000.

Notes:

[1] Destruction of a mast will reduce speed along Ley Lines by one twelfth (1/12) for each mast lost.

[2] Destruction of a single contra-grav engine will reduce normal space acceleration by twenty-five percent (25%). Destruction of both engines means the ship is effectively dead in space.

[3] 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 frigate’s 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.

[4] Depleting the M.D.C. of the main body will put the frigate out of commission. All internal systems will shut down, including life support and internal gravity. The ship itself will be an unsalvageable floating wreck.

[5] This is not a variable force field, but a magical shield that must be completely depleted. Once the shield has been knocked down, it will cost 2,000 P.P.E. and require one minute (4 melee rounds) of spell casting to restore the force field. When knocked down, no additional damage beyond which destroyed the shield will be transferred to the cutter.

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 0.75 percent of light per melee.

Atmospheric Propulsion: Maximum speed is 160 mph (257.5 kph), can enter an atmosphere and can leave on contra-grav propulsion but is not designed for atmospheric flight. Masts need to be folded down when the ship is operating in an atmosphere.

Star Drive: Special Cosmic Ley Line travel. Ship travels along cosmic ley lines only and can only switch ley lines at nexus points. Can only be used outside of star systems with a maximum speed of 6.0 light years per hour on an average cosmic ley line. Can travel faster on more powerful cosmic ley lines and slower on less power cosmic ley lines.

See full description of Cosmic Ley Line travel for full details.

Range: Effectively Unlimited by either propulsion system. Life support is “Sustain” spell and has effectively virtually unlimited duration (Requires 48 P.P.E. or 96 I.S.P. and has a duration of eight days per activation.)

Statistical Data:

Height: 76 feet (23.16 meters) for the main hull with sails retracted and 104 feet (31.70 meters) including “Directed Shockwave” Cannons.

Sails extend in an “X” type pattern. With sails extended, height is 812 feet (247.50 meters). Foremasts are 504 feet (153.62 meters) each. Mainmasts are 522 feet (159.11 meters) each. Mizzenmasts are 496 feet (151.18 meters) each.

Width: 96 feet (29.26 meters) with sails retracted. With sails extended, width is 832 feet (253.59 meters).

Length: 648 feet (197.51 meters) for the main hull and 722 feet (220.07 meters) with the bowsprit.

Weight / Mass: 114,542 tons (103,910.8 metric tons).

Power System: Advanced Fusion with a 10 year life span. The frigate also has a P.P.E. generator that produces 4,800 P.P.E. per hour / 20 P.P.E. per melee round and can hold up to 12,000 P.P.E. in storage.

Cargo: Cargo holds can hold up to 6,000 tons (5,443.1 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, propulsion, and other equipment.

Market Cost: Cost to construct is around 3.2 billion credits. These ships have never been made for sale but would likely between 4 billion and 6 billion credits if sold. Cost does not include any embarked mystic power armors.

WEAPON SYSTEMS:

Four (4) Magical “Focused Shockwave” Cannons: Two is mounted above the hull while the other two are mounted below. While the standard shockwave fires a wave in all directions, focused shockwave is more concentrated in the form of a cone. While still useful against missiles, the system is effective against other vessels as well. It is a far longer ranged version of the eight level spell “Focused Shockwave.” Unfortunately, the spell can only be activated once per melee and requires magical energy every time it is activated. The system does not affect people and equipment on the deck or rigging of the ship.

Maximum Effective Range: 4,000 miles (6,440 km) in space and 40,000 feet (12,200 meters) in an atmosphere in a cone. Cone is ten percent as wide as the distance the cone is from the ship. At maximum range in space, cone will be 400 miles (644 km) wide.

Mega Damage: 2D4x10 to all targets within cone of effect (S.D.C. objects will be completely destroyed). Unlike the normal shockwave enchantment, this spell enchantment will inflict greater damage to larger ships. Destroyer sized ships (greater than 1,000 tons but less than 40,000 tons) have damage multiplied by 5, light cruiser sized ships (greater than 40,000 tons but less than 100,000 tons) have damage multiplied by 10, heavy cruiser sized ships (Greater than 100,000 but less 1 million tons) have damage multiplied by 20, and the truly huge ships like heavy cargo ships and battleships (1 million tons and greater) have damage multiplied by 100. The system also inflicts knock back as per the spell “Focused Shockwave” on website. In space, missiles hit by the shockwave will have a -6 to strike if not outright destroyed and small craft pilots have to make a piloting roll at -30%.

Rate of Fire: Once per melee round per cannon.

Payload: One each cannon, requires 35 P.P.E. to be activated again.
Two (2) 18 inch Heavy Lightning Cannons: These cannons are mounted in the bow of the heavy frigate and are quite powerful. They actually are both longer ranged and more powerful than the fireball guns mounted on the Dwarven Iron Ship. The fire control for the cannons is not designed to lock onto any targets smaller than frigates, but the cannons can be used to bombard planets as well.

Maximum Effective Range: 32,000 miles (50,000 km) in space and 32 miles (50 km) in an atmosphere.

Mega Damage: 1D6x1,000 each cannon.

Rate of Fire: Maximum of two (2) times per melee per cannon (A total of 4 blasts).

Payload: Needs 1,500 P.P.E. per day to function.
Eight (8) “Annihilate” Cannons: Mounted in turrets on the heavy frigate, these cannons are extremely powerful and act as the secondary weaponry of the frigate. The cannon fires a black sphere which is magically contained anti-matter. It inflicts incredible damage to the target although range is limited compared to heavy lasers. Weapons system, when used hit fighters and small targets, has half the normal penalties to hit due to sophisticated fire control. The barrels can be fired either forward or behind and can be rotated 60 degrees horizontally or vertically.

Maximum Effective Range: 10,000 miles (16,000 km) in space and 10 miles (16 km) in an atmosphere.

Mega Damage: 2D4x100 M.D.C. each.

Rate of Fire: four (4) times per melee per cannon.

Payload: Needs 300 P.P.E. per day to function.
Twenty-Four (24) Telekinetic Gatling Cannons: Mounts have been enchanted by a series of spells so the cannons act as a more powerful version of the Telekinetic Machine gun. This increases the weapons damage and instead of being reloaded, the cannons must be recharged by the spell Telekinesis and 100 P.P.E. once per month. The cannon does full damage to targets that are impervious to energy. Additional optics and fire control have been added to enable the system to track and target small craft and missiles.

Maximum Effective Range: 200 miles (320 km) in space and 2 miles (3.2 km) in an atmosphere.

Mega Damage: 12D6 each.

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

Payload: Unlimited, although the spells (100 P.P.E. each cannon) on each must be renewed every month whether the cannon have been used or not.
Four (4) Cruise Missile Launchers: From scrapped or upgraded Wolfen warships and mounted to either side of the bow of the vessel. Missiles have a top speed of Mach 25 in an atmosphere and have an acceleration of 10% of light per turn (far faster than any starship) in space. Whether missiles can be shot down is calculated from the speed of target, launching starship, and missiles. When drive goes dead, missiles will continue to travel in a straight line unless set to self destruct or receives a destruct code, but have very low odds of hitting star ships (Great for hitting bases and planets because target does not move and missiles, when unpowered, are at -25% to be detected.) Cruise missiles have penalties to hit small targets but are almost always smart missiles. While missiles are only launched at the rate of one at a time, the ship’s computer has special software that allows all the missiles to hit a target at the same time for the purpose of making the point defense of a target more easily overwhelmed. This is done by slowing down the initial acceleration of missiles and by setting some for delayed activation although the target must be at least 30 seconds away (2 melee rounds) with regard to flight time. Missiles are then considered to only have an acceleration of 5% of light for the first turn. Batteries can launch on multiple targets each at the same time although rarely are.

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: One cruise missiles per melee attack (special software allows 4 to 8 cruise missiles to be launched as one volley depending on gunner’s hand to hand attacks) per launcher. This allows total volleys of 16 to 32 cruise missiles to be launched in one melee round.

Payload: 80 cruise missiles each for 320 total.
Six (6) Medium Range Missile Batteries: Batteries are mounted on the port and starboard sides of the ship and replace broadside cannons. Weapon system is used for hitting enemy robots, fighters, and missiles (both cruise and long range missiles.) Missiles have a top speed of Mach 15 in an atmosphere and have an acceleration of 6% of light per turn in space. Weapon system can be used on multiple targets simultaneously. Mounts are basically a civilian model with a greater payload.

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) medium range missiles per melee attack.

Payload: One-Hundred and Sixty (160) medium range missiles per battery (960 medium range missiles total.)
Techno-Wizard Modifications: The “Concorde” has the following Techno-Wizard Modifications built into the ship. These require P.P.E. or I.S.P. from the ships crew or P.P.E. battery.

Special Features:

Impervious to Energy (8th Level)

80 P.P.E. or 160 I.S.P.

Invisibility-Superior (8th Level)

80 P.P.E. or 160 I.S.P.

Sustain (8th Level)

48 P.P.E. or 96 I.S.P.

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Writeup by Kitsune (E-Mail Kitsune).

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Special Features:	Impervious to Energy (8th Level)	80 P.P.E. or 160 I.S.P.
	Invisibility-Superior (8th Level)	80 P.P.E. or 160 I.S.P.
	Sustain (8th Level)	48 P.P.E. or 96 I.S.P.