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Tri-Galactic Military “Pepper Box” Cruise Missile Launching System:

“Pepper Box” capital missile launchers as they became known are extremely useful. They give the ability to boost the number of missiles carried on a ship. They can be used to carry decoys and create massive volleys of missiles as well. A large ship can boost the number of missiles fired by hundreds and even a destroyer can boost a single missile volley by over a dozen missiles.

As far as know, Captain Terry Cindy Mayfair of the New Coventry Defense Forces was the first to develop this type of launcher although mines were developed previously which were at least marginally similar. The Pepper Boxes can also be used as mines although have to be linked to another computer.

Still, the idea was extremely easy to copy and a number of groups almost immediately decided to copy the system. One of these was the Mercenary Company known as the Tri-Galactic Military. It one of the largest Mercenary Companies in the Three Galaxies. The company began producing the missile launchers for both their own forces and for export.

The ones developed by the mercenary company are slightly different than those developed by New Coventry. Instead of having four capital missiles, each launcher carries five capital missiles. As a result, the launcher is octagon shaped instead of square. The design is based on a mine design which was produced by the mercenary company. Unlike the New Coventry version, there are no pepper box launcher models which are designed to operate independently.

One might not understand why the missiles are not mounted externally as they are carried on many fighters but the reasoning is simple. Over long periods of time, externally mounted missiles will take radiation and particle damage. The tubes also slightly boost the missiles initial acceleration. The central area of the launcher contains the linking computers to control the missiles from the launching ships.

These capital missile launchers are designed to use the ship as the main fire control. As such, they need to stay less than two thousand kilometers away from the ship. Stations can also do the same job as far as fire control in most cases. All are designed with excess capacity which these launchers take advantage of. An older ship might have less ability to operate these launchers. As well, some ships have been modified with extra targeting ability to operate more launchers. Due to the launchers having additional missiles, ships can control fewer launchers than the four shot launchers in most cases.

Larger ships can control more missile launchers. A general rule is that a destroyer can use four of these launchers for twenty missiles. A light cruiser might be able to control ten of these launchers for fifty missiles. A heavy cruiser can control twelve of these launchers for sixty missiles. The pocket battleship can control sixteen of these launchers for eighty missiles. Battlecruisers can control around twenty-four of these launchers for volleys of one hundred and twenty missiles. Battleships can control around forty of these launchers for around two hundred missiles. Large stations might be able to control even more missiles. In some cases, a carrier will mount a pair of these for decoys.

As with the New Coventry launchers, these launchers mount a drive system so that they can detach from the ship before firing missiles. The drive system is a bit slower than the drive on the New Coventry missile launcher with an acceleration about twenty percent less than the New Coventry models. Still, it is able to keep up with most capital ships. The launchers only have minimal radiation shielding which means missiles will degrade if operated at a high fraction of the speed of light for any long period of time. They have a minimal duration fusion reactor to power drive and command systems.

These launchers uses modified starship speed and weapon range rules. See Revised Starship Rules for Phase World / Three Galaxies for more details.

Model Type: TMS-PPB-05

Vehicle Types:Unmanned Cruise Missile Launcher

Crew:None, Unmanned

M.D.C. By Location:

Notes:

[1] Depleting the M.D.C. of the main body will put the launcher out of commission. Launcher has a self destruct system to prevent capture. It inflicts 2D4x100 M.D.C. to all targets within 50 feet (15 meters.)

Speed:

Driving on the Ground: Not Possible.

Sublight: Has a special sublight engine that allows the launchers to travel up to 99 percent of the speed of light theoretically, but normally limit their speed because of several factors. Launcher normally limits is speed to that of the ship carrying it because the launcher is virtually useless if outside of the range it can use the fire control of the ship that is using them. The launchers also do not have independent radiation and particle shielding so outside of the shielding of the ship that is using them for support they have a 1% chance of failure if moving faster than 20 percent of the speed of light. Launcher can accelerate/decelerate at the rate of 1.0 percent of light per melee.

Stardrive: None

Atmospheric Propulsion: Maximum speed is Mach 2.0 (1,320 mph / 2,125 kph), can enter an atmosphere because flight system is using contra grav.

Maximum Range: Effectively Unlimited by Drive system.

Statistical Data:

Length: 40 feet (12.2 meters).

Height: 20 feet (6.1 meters).

Width: 20 feet (6.1 meters).

Weight: 18 tons (16.3 metric tons) empty and 30.5 tons (26.3 metric tons) fully loaded with five cruise missiles

Power System: Fusion with two (2) year life span.

Cargo: None (Does not include missile tubes)

Market Cost: 30 Million Credits

WEAPON SYSTEMS:

1. Five (5) Cruise Missile Launchers: 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.

   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), three (3), four (4), or five (5). A ship can control multiple launch systems at the same time.

   Payload: One (1) Cruise Missiles each launcher for a total of five (5) cruise missiles (no reloads)

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Writeup by Kitsune (E-Mail Kitsune).

Copyright © 2013, Kitsune. All rights reserved.

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