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Modified Zentraedi Salan Scout “Archeron”:

Along with the Zentraedi destroyer known as the Terrible, several other Zentraedi ships have found their way to the Three Galaxies. One of the more common Zentraedi ship classes is known as the Salan Scout. In fact it is believed that there may be as many as half a dozen of these ships in the Three Galaxies.

The Salan Scout is considered a comparatively tiny vessel by the standards of ships in the Robotech Universe but is actually a fairly large vessel by the standards of the Three Galaxies. In fact, it is larger than most heavy cruisers although is still a bit smaller than most battlecruisers. For that reason, it is hard to designate the ship class with some calling it a heavy cruiser while others calling it a battlecruiser. It might be best to call the ship a nasty customer and simply be done with it.

The Archeron herself is often allied with the Terrible along with several other ships where they form a loose confederation of military vessels which all were originally Zentraedi vessels. They sometimes work with the REF forces within the Three Galaxies while at other times are more independent.

The crew itself was predominantly female Zentraedi like the Terrible although actually even in greater numbers than the larger vessel. Most of these operated the Queadlunn-Rau Battle Suit, better known as the Zentraedi Female Power Armor. It was decided to replace these with the Bushido Industries “NuStinger” armors. Around one hundred in total are embarked.

In addition to the “NuStinger” armors, around the same number of Silver Hawk space power armors are also embarked. Together they make a very effective space armor force. For self defensive roles aboard ship as well as ground roles, a large number of K-Universal power armors were acquired.

Unlike the Terrible, the Archeron never embarked any Veritech Fighters onboard although there were a number of fighter pods originally embarked. These were replaced by more conventional space fighter designs from the Three Galaxies, mainly various Bushido Industries designs. For the most part these fighters are the Katana and Tanto fighters although a number of other fighters are also embarked in smaller numbers. These include four Bisento heavy fighters which are normally operated in the long range scouting role. A number of Bushido Ninja-To and Promethean Star Ghost fighters complete the compliment. These fighters carry special stealth systems which actually make the fighters insubstantial although the stealth fighters especially the Star Ghosts are ruinously expensive.

Some of the pilots of the new fighters were female Zentraedi who retrained themselves, many previously operating the fighter pods, but most of the new fighters are manned by humans from the Three Galaxies. It should be noted than a handful of other sentient beings also make up the ship’s crew. There are a handful of Wolfen, Catyr, and even a tiny number of Machine People as members of the crew. The Silver Hawk power armors are also mostly operate by non Zentraedi as well.

As one might expect, the Zentraedi themselves have been micronised to reduce crew requirements and increase efficiency. One secondary advantage of this is that the Archeron was able to be refitted with a secondary bridge in addition to the primary bridge. In addition, crew quarters are also vastly improved compared to original shipboard quarters.

As the scout ship was armed originally, the Archeron had an impressive energy weapon battery but lacked the kind of missile punch carried on most starships in the Three Galaxies. Unlike the Terrible, the Archeron was refitted soon after it found its way into the Three Galaxies. The main energy weaponry, main laser and heavy lasers, were retained but all other weapon systems were removed and replaced with more effective weapon systems developed in the Three Galaxies. To be able to fit the additional weaponry, the mecha compliment had to be reduced significant so that they could be accommodated. Even so, the ship carries a starfighter compliment comparable to many light carriers.

Missile weaponry was most important to upgrade. Originally the ship only mounted a total of ten long range missiles launchers. Instead the upgraded Archeron mounts a pair of capital missile batteries and four long range missile batteries. These batteries closely match those aboard a Consortium Warshield class cruiser although the Zentraedi vessel carries almost twice as many cruise missiles onboard. Unfortunately, the Archeron does not normally carry anti-matter warheads but instead carries multi-warhead fusion for capital missiles.

Even with the upgrades to the missile weaponry, the upgraded scout ship is not really designed for heavy missile battle but instead is designed to engage at direct fire weapon range. The original light lasers were removed as a result and they were replaced by heavy anti-ship rail guns in the same manner as the Terrible was. These have far better range and are able to deal with potential targets which might be impervious to energy weaponry.

Unlike the Terrible, the Archeron was not fitted with any close range point defense weaponry prior to ending up in the Three Galaxies. It was however decided to upgrade the scout ship in a similar manner. These include the mounting of heavy point defense gravity rail guns, variable focus particle beams, and scatter shot mini-missile launchers. Combined together, these batteries give the Archeron excellent close range point defense.

As one might expect, the ship has been significantly rebuilt including the addition of far greater armor. In comparison, the Archeron carries slightly greater armor than the Tri-Galactic Military Service Wyvern class pocket battleship although the Archeron is a bit larger as well. The variable force fields are from the Wyvern class and allow the ship to withstand fire without the hull being exposed directly.

It was decided to retain the original propulsion systems. While the sublight acceleration is on the slow side compared to most warships built in the Three Galaxies, the jump drives make the Archeron extremely fast at traversing light years between systems. Strategically, the ships can be used in ways which most other ships in the Three Galaxies cannot especially with the ability to take a fleet of vessels with it. They do have to be within an eighty kilometer radius of the scout ship however.

While originally the ship used only a Reflex heat pile for power, this has been supplemented with an anti-matter reactor. The anti-matter reactor is far more efficient in a mass compared to the energy output of the reactor. Otherwise, the electronics have been upgraded to modern standards especially the sensor systems. Carries a full suite of sensor systems for most warships operating in the Three Galaxies.

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

Vehicle Type: Salan Scout.

Class: Space Fold Scout (Would be considered a Heavy Cruiser / Battle Cruiser by Phase World terms).

Crew: 480 (50 officers and 430 Enlisted).

Troops: 925 (200 Starfighter Pilots, 200 Robot Pilots, 500 K-Universal Pilots, and 25 shuttle pilots).

Mecha Compliment:

Power Armors / Robots: 700 total.

Starfighters: 128 total.

Assault Shuttles: 2 total.

M.D.C. by Location:

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

[3] Destruction of main thruster main engine will reduce the ships acceleration by 40% for each engine destroyed, destruction of Secondary engines will reduce the ships acceleration by 15%. With all engines destroyed, the ship will only be able to accelerate at 5% of normal acceleration using maneuvering thrusters.

[4] Shields positions can be varied and all could be combined in one shield. Shields regenerate at the rate of 5% (2,400 M.D.C.) per melee round.

Speed:

Driving on the Ground: Not possible but can land on a planet if absolutely necessary.

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 0.5 percent of light per melee.

Space Fold: The ship is estimated to travel a total of 100 light years per hour in normal space and 500 light years per hour in deep space such as between galaxies. This allows the ship to travel between even galaxies very rapidly. Note: When the Archeron uses its space fold, it will also transport all vessels /objects within 2 or 3 miles (3.2 to 4.8 km.) The ship can further expand its fold drive to transports all ships in a 50 mile (80.5 km) radius. Fold drive does not work deep in a gravity well (Gravity wells interfere with fold drives.)

Planet Bound: The Archeron can land on a planet if absolutely necessary, but is not designed to maneuver in an atmosphere (uses anti-gravity and conventional propulsion.)

Maximum Range: Unlimited, Combined power systems give it an estimated life of 50 years of constant use. Sublight engines and space fold offer virtually infinite range. Carries three years of supplies that could be stretched to five in an emergency.

Statistical Data:

Length:                1,640 feet (500 meters).

Width:                 615 feet (197.5 meters).

Height:                432 feet (131.7 meters).

Weight/Mass:      11.5 million tons (10.4 million metric tons).

Power System: Anti-Matter with a 50 year life (normally goes 10 years between refueling and refitting) and has a Reflex Heat Pile System to power protoculture systems. Backed up with emergency fusion plants.

Gravitational Control System: Internal and External.

Cargo: Cargo holds are scattered about the ship that allows for carrying up to 300,000 tons (272.2,000 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 ammo, armor, troops, weapons, engine, reaction mass, equipment, and hydroponics.

Market Cost: The captain will not sell the ship. Without factory support, one of these ships would cost about 10 billion credits each. The Kreeghor, Naruni, and the Black Market would be willing to pay hundreds of billions of credits for one of these ships for examples of the particle beam, the special long range laser cannons, and the fold drive system.

Weapon Systems:

1. One (1) Main Laser Cannon (a.k.a Mega-Lasers): Mounted in the front end of the Zentraedi Scout Ship, the cannon has a greater rate of fire than the original. The Mega Lasers has standard penalties to strike fighters and other small targets. These weapons are capable of destroying frigates and destroyers in one strike and wrecking cruisers in a few hits.

   Maximum Effective Range: 200,000 miles (320,000 km) in space and 100,000 miles (160,000 km) in an atmosphere.

   Mega-Damage: 2D4x1000.

   Rate of Fire: Each cannon can fire ONCE per melee.

   Payload: Effectively Unlimited.

2. Forty (40) Old style Zentraedi style Laser Turrets: Each turret can rotate 360 degrees with a 180 degree arc of fire. Each Turret can rotate 360 and has a 180 arc of fire. These weapon systems have standard penalties to strike small targets. While the weapons are not linked together, some groups may wish to combine rolls to decrease bookkeeping. The number of cannons is based on the number carried on Marduk ships.

   Maximum Effective Range: 200,000 miles (320,000 km) in space and 100,000 miles (160,000 km) in an atmosphere.

   Mega-Damage: 1D4x100 each (can be group in groups of ten for 1D4x1000 for damage purposes)

   Rate of Fire: Each turret can fire twice (2) per melee.

   Payload: Effectively Unlimited.

3. Four (4) 8 cm Heavy Rail Guns: Used as one of the ship’s secondary batteries. They are used against targets that are impervious to energy as well. System can be operated by a gunner or a gunner program (+2 to strike, 3 Attacks per melee) and can rotate 180 degrees. Heavy rail gun projectiles come out of the heavy 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.

   Maximum Effective Range: 10,000 miles (16,100 km) in space, range is 10 miles (16.1 km) in an atmosphere.

   Mega Damage: 1D4x100 M.D.C. per 80 round burst each.

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

   Payload: 32,000 rounds each (400 bursts).

4. Twelve (12) GR-1000 Heavy Point Defense Rail Guns: Gravity rail guns are in a turret that can rotate 360 and has a 180 arc of fire. The GR-1000 Rail Guns both are more powerful and have more range than the conventional rail guns and is the same rail gun which is carried in the C.A.F. Scorpion Starfighter. Considered extremely effective even compared to other gravity rail guns. Even so, the mounts are not really for use against capital ships but can devastate a fighter quickly. They are also extremely effective against targets which are imperious to energy. Rail gun rounds are fired out of rail gun at a significant fraction of the speed of light. Gravity rail gun uses a 30 mm projectile. The weapon system cannot be used to engage targets while traveling at faster than light velocities.

   Maximum Effective Range: 16 miles (26 km) through atmosphere and 1,600 miles (2,575 km) in space.

   Mega-Damage: Rail gun inflicts 4D6x10 M.D.C. for a 40 round burst.

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

   Payload: 10,000 Rounds (250 bursts) each cannon.

5. Twelve (12) Variable Focus Particle Beam Mounts: These particle beams are copied from those carried on the CAF Assault Shuttle and will fire a very powerful narrow beam and can fire a scatter effect that is less powerful but is capable of striking multiple targets. The weapon system is quite useful against missiles although the cone is not as wide as Tachyon cannon sprays are (Gives +2 bonus vs fast moving targets such as missiles.) Weapons are mounted in turrets that can rotate 360 and have a 180 arc of fire. Each mount can be operated by a gunner or a gunner program (+2 to strike, 3 Attacks per melee).

   Maximum Effective Range: 300 miles (480 km) in space and 3 miles (4.8 km) in an atmosphere.

   Mega Damage: Single Target: 4D6x10 per blast. Wide Beam: 5D6 to all targets within a 5,000 foot (1,524 meter) diameter area. When fired as a wide beam, the cannon cannot be used on targets closer than 5,000 feet (1,524 meters) away.

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

   Payload: Effectively Unlimited.

6. 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. This launcher is a standard CAF launcher. Launchers can launch on multiple targets each.

   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 thirty-two (32) cruise missiles per battery, per melee round, per melee round, for a maximum of 64 missiles per melee. Launchers are reloaded on the same melee and can be fired again on the next.

   Payload: 64 total, 32 cruise missiles per battery. Ship has 16 reload of missiles (1,024 cruise missile reloads total.)

7. 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. Launchers can launch on multiple targets each.

   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 long range missiles one at a time or in volleys of two (2), eight (8), sixteen (16), or thirty-two (32) long range missiles per battery, per melee attack.

   Payload: 1,280 total, 320 long range missiles per battery.

8. Eight (8) Scatter Mini-Missile Launchers: While these launchers can fire normal mini-missiles, they can also fire a new scatter style mini-missile. The mini-missile splits into four smaller even smaller missiles. The hope is that this weapon will be very effective against missiles although it will normally require more than one warhead per missile being hit. One huge advantage is that the four smaller missile strikes the target as a volley preventing the target from dodging. The disadvantage is that the missiles have about half the range a normal mini-missile has. Normal mini-missiles may be used as well. 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: Special Multi-Warheads: Scatter Missile range is 1 mile (1.6 km) in an atmosphere and 50 miles (80 km) in space. Conventional Warheads: Mini-Missile range is 2 miles (3.2 km) in an atmosphere and 100 miles (161 km) in space.

   Mega-Damage: Special Multi-Warheads: Convention Fragmentation: 3D6 for one smaller missile and 1D6x10 for all four smaller missiles. K-Hex Fragmentation or Plasma: 4D6 for one smaller missile and 2D4x10 for all four smaller missiles. Conventional Warheads: 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) missiles.

   Payload: 128 per launcher for a total of 1,024 mini-missiles. Cargo hold has an additional 2,048 mini-missile. Reloading launchers from cargo hold takes 1D6 minutes. Half the mini-missiles are standard and the other half are special multi-warheads.

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Writeup by Kitsune (E-Mail Kitsune).

Copyright © 2006 & 2015, Kitsune. All rights reserved.

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