Vannes Tigress class Cruiser:

Vannes was a single planet entity settled from the Human Alliance. Initially, the system was far outside of Human Alliance controlled space. There were a number of potentially hostile neighbors and as a result there was a constant tension. In fact, there were several minor wars fought over the years although none were officially called “wars.” As a result of the situation, the system had an extremely large space navy.

The Sceptre class cruiser was for a long time the mainstay of their navy even though they build far more destroyers. They were based heavily on Human Alliance designs, especially the Boadicea class cruiser. Around two dozen of these cruisers were built in total. These were supported by around one hundred destroyers as well as other ships. Extensive ship building and fitting facilities were also built.

The Sceptre class cruiser eventually became obsolete. Weaponry was largely still quite capable but the cruisers were slow compared to newer vessels, the ships were too lightly armored, and the force fields were also considered unequal to battle. In addition, the sensors were not capable in modern electronic warfare environment.

Instead of developing a new cruiser design, it was decided to simply update the Sceptre class cruiser. It was considered upgrading already existing vessels ships but this was rejected for a number of reasons. The building of new ships would give system industries more work and better allow the system to retain their extensive ship building industries. In addition, rebuilding was not considered much less expensive than building in the first place with how much these ships would need to be stripped to replace the drives, power plant, and shields. Finally, there was concern that the hulls could not be rebuilt to withstand much greater damage.

This new class became the Tigress class Cruisers. There were still tensions but the situation had improved. As a result, the fleet was slightly reduced with sixteen of the new cruisers replacing the original two dozen Sceptre class cruisers. As they were introduced into service, some of the older cruisers were scrapped while some were put in reserve or sold. The reserve ships were also later sold as well.

The Human Alliance joined with several other powers to become the Consortium of Civilized Worlds. The Consortium expanded steadily. Eventually, Consortium engulfed the Vannes system. It was quite a battle but eventually there was a vote for the Vannes system to join the Consortium. With joining the Consortium, it was decided that they simply did not need the large fleet that they were maintaining.

The cruiser forces were eventually cut down from sixteen cruisers to four active cruisers and four reserve cruisers. The remainder were either sold or scrapped. Eventually, it was decided that the active Tigress class cruisers would be retired as well with them replaced by Consortium Warshield class cruisers. The four reserve Tigress class cruisers were retained however as mobilization assets. They remain today in reserve status and are periodically updated.

There was quite a lot of push back against the reduction of the fleet and the replacement of ships built in system with ships from the Consortium. It would cause the loss of shipbuilding industry within the system and make the system generally less independently. On the other side, it was argued that the system was already dependent on the Consortium. Eventually it was decided that the shipyards would mostly turned over to civilian building concerns leaving only military repair and refit facilities.

As well as industries, a lot of military personnel would have to be retired as well. Some naval personal found jobs in merchant fleets and mercenary companies. A few have even found their way to the Free Worlds Council forces. Unfortunately, due to downsizing in both the Human Alliance and Consortium forces, there was little ability for retired Vannes system defense forces personnel to join either one.

Unlike the Sceptre class, the Tigress class is powered by an anti-matter plant. Power output was far greater than the original plant with the anti-matter being less massive than the fusion plant it replaced. Only now do the latest generation of fusion plants produce a similar power amount but are still more massive. With new drives, the cruiser can reach a maximum of four light years per hour, quite fast for the time and still reasonably fast compared to modern vessels.

Far more powerful variable shields replace the original shields. These new variable shields are designed to be able to withstand sixty percent greater damage than the original shields. These shield generators were a bit more massive than the shields they replaced. With new materials, the hull can withstand around twenty-five percent greater damage than the original design could. Combined together, the Tigress is far tougher than the Sceptre class.

Weaponry is mostly unchanged. One change is that the magazines space for the capital missiles and long range missiles were both increased. A total of twelve reloads for capital missiles with 576 missiles carried. Long range missile payload is increased to 1152 missiles. Otherwise, the ship mounts two capital missile batteries and four long range missile batteries. One advantage the replacement Warshield class cruisers have is the ability to fire fifty percent greater volleys.

Energy weapon and point defense weaponry are completely unaltered. The ship mounts the same twin 28 cm heavy particle beams and four 18 cm heavy particle beams. There is some criticism of the 12 cm lasers carried on the Warshields which have replaced the Tigress class cruisers. The same twelve defensive electromagnetic rail guns and eight mini-missile batteries are carried as well. Neither weapon system has greater payload than what is carried on the Sceptre class.

With the greater automation, the Tigress class cruiser does have a smaller crew than the Sceptre class although still greater than the Warshield. Troop compliment remains the same at eighty personnel with twenty additional personnel in power armor. Recently, some ships have began carrying a complement of Silverhawk space power armors or various “knock off” designs.

While additional magazine space was partially from the smaller size of the reactor, the fighter compliment is also reduced to make way for additional magazine space. Sixteen medium fighters replace the original twenty fighters. Some groups operating these ships presently increase fighter compliment by carrying light fighters in place of some or all of the heavy fighters. Twenty four light fighters can be carried or eight medium fighters and twelve light fighters can be carried.

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: VCA-28

Vehicle Type: Cruiser

Crew: 320 (25 Officers, 295 enlisted).

Troops: 80 marines (half typically stay on board for ship defense), 24 fighter pilots, and 20 power armor pilots

Vehicle, Robots, and Power Armors:

Fighter compliment can vary with 24 Light Starfighters or 12 Light Starfighters / 8 Medium Starfighters replacing the 16 Medium Starfighters.

Power Armors:

Light Power Armors

Fighter Compliment:

(Originally the VFA-01A Starhawk but varies greatly)

M.D.C. By Location:

	Main 28 cm Particle Beam Batteries (2):	1,500 each
	Secondary 18 cm Particle Beam Batteries (4):	1,200 each
	Point Defense Electromagnetic Rail Gun Turrets (12):	150 each
	Cruise Missile Batteries (2):	800 each
	Long Range Missile Batteries (4):	500 each
	Mini-Missile Launchers (8):	100 each
	Outer Hull (40 ft/ 12.2 m Area):	150
	Inner Hull (40 ft/ 12.2 m Area):	100
	[1] Bridge:	8,000
	[1] Auxiliary Bridge:	8,000
	Hanger Bay:	10,000
	[2] Main Engines (2):	10,000 each
	[3] Main Body:	35,000
	[4] Variable Force Field:	4,000 a side (24,000 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 the ship’s faster than light systems are destroyed and maximum sublight speed is reduced by half.

[3] Depleting the M.D.C. of the main body will put the cruiser 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% (1,200 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 0.75 percent of light per melee.

Atmospheric Propulsion: Maximum speed is 300 mph (480 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 4.0 light years per hour.

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

Statistical Data:

Length: 620 feet (188.98 meters).

Height: 150 feet (45.72 meters).

Width: 240 feet (73.15 meters).

Weight/Mass: 142,000 tons (128,800 metric tons)

Power System: Anti-Matter 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 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, engine, and other equipment.

Market Cost: Ship would cost about 1.6 billion credits to manufacture in present time in the Three Galaxies (not including fighters or power armors.) Ships are no longer being produced. When available, these ships sell for 3 to 4.5 billion credits.

WEAPON SYSTEMS:

Two (2) Main 28 cm Particle Beam Batteries: In the front of the ship are two 28 cm particle beam cannons. Weapon has standard penalties to hit fighters and small targets. 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. The weapon system cannot be used to engage targets while traveling at faster than light velocities.

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 (Both 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) Secondary 18 cm Particle Beam Batteries: These 18 cm particle beams are mounted on the sides of the ship. Batteries can be fired up to 120 degrees toward the rear on either side (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. The weapon system cannot be used to engage targets while traveling at faster than light velocities.

Maximum Effective Range: 70,000 miles (112,650 km)in space and 70 miles (112.7 km) in an atmosphere.

Mega Damage: 3D6x100 M.D.C. each (6D6x100 M.D.C. for two)

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

Payload: Effectively Unlimited.
Twelve (12) 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 guns 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.
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 (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) per battery, per melee round, for a maximum of 48 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 12 reload of missiles (576 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 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 (2,897,000 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 missiles one at a time or in volleys of two (2), eight (8), sixteen (16), or twenty-four (24) per battery, per melee attack.

Payload: 1152 total, 288 long range missiles per battery.
Eight (8) 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) mini-missiles.

Payload: 128 per launcher for a total of 1,024 mini-missiles. Cargo hold has an additional 3072 mini-missile. Reloading launchers from cargo hold takes 1D6 minutes.

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Writeup by Kitsune (E-Mail Kitsune).

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