Special Operations Transport (Heavy Trans-Galactic Empire Design):

Special Operations is generally the purview of Imperial Intelligence within the Trans-Galactic Empire. In some cases such operations are performed against their own military. Imperial Intelligence is limited in the number of ships as well as not having any ships larger than cruisers. Still, it is though that they operate a huge number of Q-Ships and Special Operations Transports. The Trans-Galactic Empire spreads rumors that these ships are operated by the Free Worlds Council, and it is even possible that one or two might be operated by them, most military analysts believe that the vast majority of these ships are operated by the Trans-Galactic Empire.

The general tactic when using "Special Operations Transports" is deception. These ships appear to be standard cargo ships, medium cargo vessels, until they close and deploy assault shuttles. Such tactics often work against the enemies of Imperial Intelligence, both internal and external. In many cases, the system defense forces will assume that these ships are standard merchant ships until it is too late. Early encounters with such ships have made the Free Worlds Council extremely cautious and all merchant ships are inspected before allowing them to go deep in system.

“Heavy” Special Operation Transports are built on medium sized merchant hulls similar to the "Cargo Master" class. They are better armed than lighter models and capable of dealing with tougher threats. When operated in numbers, these ships can even take on planetary defenses and large starships. There is a story of these ships being used to actually capture a Doombringer class dreadnought from a captain which the emperor was concerned was planning to rebel against him. There is a second version where he intended to defect to the Free Worlds Council. Several attempts have been made to verify this by Consortium Intelligence without any results.

It is believed that these ships are all built from the keel as Special Operations Transports and it is quite probable that the same yard which builds the cruiser class Q-Ships operated by the Trans-Galactic Empire builds these ships as well. If the Free Worlds Council operates any of this size class of Special Operation Transport which they actually build and not captured from the Empire, they are converted from merchant hulls and will be less tough than Kreeghor models. These ships are protected by variable shields which are identical to those carried on the Smasher class cruiser.

These ships are armed about equally to a Smasher class and in some ways might be considered superior in weaponry. It can operate as a Q-Ship although not quite as effectively as a true Q-Ship. These ships mount a battery which one might expect from a civilian design. This includes six laser batteries and six medium range missile launchers. The energy battery is standard although the missile launchers are modified for greater payload. The main battery is concealed in a similar manner to Q-Ships. The main weaponry, not including troops, is a 30 cm laser, four lighter 12 cm lasers, and a pair of capital missile launchers. There are eighty missiles per launcher instead of the fifty for the Smasher. For a concealed defensive battery, these ships mount sixteen mounts. Each mount has a mini-missile launcher with eight being gravity rail gun mounts and the other eight being laser mounts.

Even though purpose built as Special Operations vessels, these ships mount the drive systems of standard merchant hulls. These are not as fast as military drives although are actually more reliable and require lower maintenance. These ships do mount full military particle and radiation shielding. The power plants are fusion reactors, three reactors, instead of an anti-matter reactor which most warships carry. Sensor systems are upgraded to military standards. Due to these ships lacking in automation, they require a fairly large crew although the ships have a smaller crew than the same class of Kreeghor Q-Ship.

These ships are designed to be able to carry four "Rain of Death" assault shuttles in a concealed bay. Each one can carry up to two-hundred and fifty troops in normal body armor or two-hundred in power armors. Heavy ground vehicles are not carried aboard the special operations vessel. Normally these ships can carry two thousand troops standard or about sixteen hundred in power armors. In many cases these ship will carry troops in overloaded conditions. In these cases, a thousand more standard troops can be carried already embarked on the shuttles.

Optionally, eight hundred troops can be carried in the same manner in power armors. For most assault, power armor troops are preferred over standard armored troops. These ships also carry three squadrons of fighters, same as the Smasher class cruiser. Standard compliment are Flying Fang fighters. As far as it is known, Imperial Intelligence does not operate any Sharktooth light fighters and they would be far more obvious than the far more common Flying Fangs.

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: KRA-1250-SS
Vehicle Type: Special Operations Transport (Built on a Merchantman type hull)
Crew: 340 (45 Officers and 295 enlisted)
Troops: 2,000 Marines (1,600 in power armor) normal (3,000 Marines [2,400 in power armor] maximum), 24 shuttle crew, and 45 fighter pilots.

Vehicles:
Power Armors Compliment (Standard):

	1,000	IPA-WI-K Warlord Mark I Combat Suit
	600	IPA-WI-H Warlord Mark II Combat Suit

Power Armor Compliment (Overloaded):

	1,500	IPA-WI-K Warlord Mark I Combat Suit (500 Embarked in Shuttles)
	900	IPA-WI-H Warlord Mark II Combat Suit (300 Embarked in Shuttles)

Fighter Compliment:

FF-100 Standard Flying Fangs or FFB-120 Flying Fang Bombers (Carries 4 Cruise missiles)

Shuttle Compliment:

TIV-TTI "Rain of Death" Transports (Modified Civilian Shuttles may be carried)

M.D.C. By Location:

	Concealed 30 cm Heavy Laser Cannons (1):	1,000 each
	Concealed 12 cm Secondary Heavy Laser Cannons (8):	600 each
	Point Defense Laser Cannon Turrets (6):	500 each
	Concealed Point Defense Lasers / Missile Batteries (8):	250 each
	Concealed Point Defense GR Cannons/Missile Batteries (8):	300 each
	Concealed Cruise Missile Batteries (2, sides):	800 each
	Medium Range Missile Batteries (6):	300 each
	Concealed Shuttle Hangers (2):	3,000 each
	Concealed Fighter Hanger Doors (2):	2,500 each
	Outer Hull (40 ft/ 12.2 m Area):	120
	Inner Hull (40 ft/ 12.2 m Area):	100
	[1] Contra-Grav Engines (2):	8,000 each
	[2] Bridge:	10,000
	[3] Main Body:	55,000
	[4] Variable Force Field:	3,000 a side (18,000 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 Speical Operations Transport 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% (900 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 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 six months worth of supplies on board. Limit endurance to one month if carrying a maximum compliment of troops (supplies will last about four months but overcrowding conditions will take their toll).

Statistical Data:
Length: 950 feet (289.6 meters)
Height: 330 feet (100.6 meters)
Width: 340 feet (103.6 meters)
Weight: 352,740 tons (320,000 metric tons)
Power System: Fusion with a 20 year life span. Carries three 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 6,000 tons (5,450 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: 3.2 billion credits for a rebuilt ship.

WEAPON SYSTEMS:

One (1) 30 cm Concealed Heavy Laser Cannon: Cannons are identical to the main cannon of the Smasher but is mounted in a concealed mount. The cannons mounts are located on the top front of the starship and are used as anti-capital ship weapons and can take out frigates in one shot and can do large amounts of damage to bases or larger starships. The Laser cannons can be combined together or each one 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 for a large weapon system. The barrels can be fired either forward and can be rotated 60 degrees horizontally or vertically.
Maximum Effective Range: 100,000 miles (161,000 km) in space. and 100 miles (161 km) in an atmosphere.
Mega Damage: 1D6x1000 M.D.C.
Rate of Fire: Maximum of once per melee per cannon.
Payload: Effectively Unlimited.
Four (4) 12 cm Concealed Heavy Laser Cannons: These weapons are scattered in concealed mounts around the ship and are the ship’s secondary energy weaponry. The weapon systems, like the primary laser cannons, are designed for anti-capital ship and anti-installation. They have the standard penalties for capital scale weaponry to strike small targets such as fighters and other such small targets. Each laser in mounted in a turret that has a 360 degree rotation and a 90 degree arc of fire. Up to two cannons may be combined as one volley or all weapons may be targeted individually. The weapon system cannot be used to engage targets while traveling at faster than light velocities.
Maximum Effective Range: 16,000 miles (25,750 km) in space and 16 miles (25 km) in an atmosphere.
Mega-Damage: 1D6x100 + 100 M.D. each (2D6x100 + 200 for two cannons)
Rate of Fire: Two per cannon per melee or two double blasts
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.
Two (2) Concealed Cruise Missile Batteries: Uses engines to conceal the anti-matter or fusions warheads and all batteries fire forward. The ship carries batteries with ten cruise missile launchers each to launch cruise missile. 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) in space. 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 other 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. Each battery can be used to launch against multiple targets but is rarely used that way.
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: Volleys of 10 per launcher, per melee round, for a total of 40 missiles per melee. Launchers are reloaded on the same melee and can be fired again on the next.
Payload: 160 total, 80 cruise missiles per launcher
Six (6) Medium Range Missile Batteries: A slightly modified version of the medium range missile batteries carried on a normal Merchantman with an increased payload. 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: 64 per battery for a total of 368 medium range missiles.
Eight (8) Point Defense Concealed Lasers/Mini Missile Batteries: Weapons are mounted around the ship in concealed mounts for point defense. Each turret can rotate 360 and has a 180 arc of fire. Weapons are mounted around the ship for point defense. 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) in space. Missile launchers 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. Lasers have a range of 2 miles (3.2 km) in an atmosphere and 100 miles (161 km) in space.
Mega-Damage: Laser cannon inflicts 3D4x10 M.D. per blast. Mini-Missiles vary by mini-missile type (See revised Phase World / Three Galaxies missile tables for details.)
Rate of Fire: Equal to the combined hand to hand attacks of the gunner (usually 4 or 5). Mini-Missiles are fired one at a time or in volleys of two (2) or four (4) mini-missiles.
Payload: Laser has effectively unlimited payload. Has 32 mini-missiles at each launcher (256 total, can carry potentially several times more in storage holds).
Eight (8) 22 mm Concealed GR Rail Gun/Mini Missile Batteries: Weapons are mounted around the ship in concealed mounts for point defense. Each turret can rotate 360 and has a 180 arc of fire. Projectiles come out the rail guns at a significant fraction of the speed of light. 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). Missile launchers 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. Gravity Rail guns have a range of 4 miles (6.4 km) in an atmosphere and 200 miles (362 km) in space.
Mega-Damage: GR-Cannon inflicts 3D6x10 M.D. for a 40 round burst. Mini-Missiles vary by mini-missile type (See revised Phase World / Three Galaxies missile tables for details.)
Rate of Fire: Equal to the combined hand to hand attacks of the gunner (usually 4 or 5). Mini-Missiles are fired one at a time or in volleys of two (2) or four (4) mini-missiles.
Payload: GR Cannon has 8000 rounds/ 200 Bursts each, has 32 mini-missiles at each launcher (256 total, can carry potentially several times more in storage holds.)

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Writeup by Kitsune (E-Mail Kitsune).

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