Vorlon Cruiser (Babylon Five):

Sometimes confused with the Vorlon transport because both ships have the same basic shape, this ship is none the less quite different. The Cruiser is more than twice the size of the transport, slightly more massive in shape, and its hull is of a reddish tint, instead of the greenish yellow of other Vorlon ships. In combat is shows its true colors: it has the armor and firepower of a very much larger vessel and is capable of destroying one of the smaller Shadow battleships (800 meter class) on its own. However, in a war zone it is usually escorted by 5 Vorlon Starfighters.

The entire cruiser is semi alive: it is a mixture of both organic and mechanical features. The hull of this ship is organic and can both repair itself and can adapt to attacks to reduce damage. No attack does full effect on the hull more than once. For some reason this particular class of Vorlon ship has a reddish color. It is not known if this is merely cosmetic, or if there is another reason for it.

Backing up this armor are powerful shields consisting of interwoven energy fields and layers of gravitational distortion. These shields are capable of absorbing large amounts of energy, be it directed energy or kinetic in nature. The only way to overload the shields is to pour a large amount of energy into them in a short time.

The cruisers weaponry was made up of a Quantum Gravitic Discharge Cannon which was quite a bit more powerful than that of the Transport. For point defense the ship had five Gravitic Lightning guns, which were really part of the ships hull.

The ships sublight propulsion consists of a powerful gravity drive system and a form of ion engines. Apparently the ion engines supply main thrust and the gravity drive supplements this and is used for maneuvering, giving the ship a maneuverability unmatched in cruisers of the younger races.

Although the Vorlons still use jumpgates to enter hyperspace, their system is far more advanced than that used by the younger races, and jumpgate formation and the traverse all take less than twenty seconds, a testimony to this ships immense power.

Since the ship is "alive" it has an intelligence similar to that of a sentient AI and so can perform difficult maneuvers on its own. It does not need a crew, but usually at least one Vorlon pilots the ship. On sensor readings the ship will read as a life form rather than as a ship. When its ECM is engaged it is very hard to detect.

This particular type of ship was not well known by the younger races, as it was most often deployed to war zones. Although it is likely that it has been seen quite often, it is equally likely that very few witnesses actually survived being attacked by one of these ships. Its firepower and maneuverability were unmatched by any other ship of its size, even among the First Ones, as was demonstrated when one of these ships eviscerated a Shadow Battleship with a single long volley.

When the Vorlons left the galaxy together with the rest of the first ones they most likely took all of their cruisers with them. If any of these ships are left in the galaxy, they can be found at the Vorlon Homeworld. However, the Vorlon Homeworld is still protected by automated defense systems, so there is a great distinction between finding and actually *getting* one of these ships....

Notes of game conversion:

For purposes of game balance, there are two different versions of the starship. One is designed with accelerations in terms of gravities (G) which can better interact better with other Babylon 5 ships such as Earth Force and the Narn military. The other is written to operate within the Three Galaxies and operated with Consortium and Kreeghor vessels.

Phase world version uses my revised phase world starship rules and can hold their own against most C.A.F and Kreeghor fighters. This version is recommended if you with to put them into Phase World as among equals. See Revised Starship Rules for Phase World / Three Galaxies for more details.

Moderate version uses Gs of acceleration but does not have reduced weapon ranges except for missiles. This version is useful for Mutants In Orbit, Phase World if used as a lower tech race, used with my Earth Force ships conversions for B-5, and as a possible crash on Rifts Earth. Listed is the formula to allow player and game masters to calculate the fighters velocity and distance traveled.

Velocity = Acceleration x Time + Initial Velocity

Distance Traveled = Acceleration x ½ x Time ² + Initial Velocity x Time

1 G = 32 feet (9.8 m) per second ²

Model: Vorlon Cruiser

Crew: The cruiser is flown by a Artificial Intelligence, and can carry a crew of up to twelve.(Boarding parties will have trouble due to the fact that a Vorlon is about as powerful as a low powered supernatural intelligence)

M.D.C. by Location:

	Quantum Gravitic Discharge Cannon (1):	16,000
	Gravitic Lightning Guns (5)	1,000 each
	[1] Bridge:	21,000
	[2] Ion Engines:	26,000
	[3] Gravity Drive Lobes (4):	15,000 each
	[4] Main Hull:	120,000
	[5] Variable Force Field:	12,000 a side (72,000 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 has no auxiliary bridge. If the bridge is destroyed the ship will fly itself, guided by telepathic commands from any crew member, but is -2 to dodge and -1 to hit with its gun.

[2] Destroying the Ion engine means that sublight acceleration is reduced by 60 % and maneuvering by 20 %.

[3] Destroying a gravity drive lobe means that sublight acceleration is reduced by 10 % and maneuvering by 20 %(-1 penalty to dodge)Add on additional penalties per destroyed lobe.(This means that both drive systems have to be destroyed before the ship becomes a floating target)

[4] Depleting the M.D.C. of the body will destroy the cruiser, putting it out of commission. The cruiser will be a unsalvageable floating wreck. Both the hull and the ships systems have the ability to repair themselves. The ships hull and ships systems regenerate damage at the rate of 1D6x100 M.D.C. per minute. The ship can only repair up to half the total M.D.C. of a system or the main body.

[5] Shield positions are variable and can be combined into one shield. The shields regenerate at a rate of 5% (3,600 M.D.C.) per melee round.

Speed:

Driving on the Ground: Not Possible.

Sublight:

Phase World Version: Combined use of Ion and Gravity drive allows the ship to travel up to 60 percent of the speed of light. The ship can accelerate/decelerate at a rate of 1.5 percent of light per melee round.

Moderate Version: The Vorlon Cruiser does not have an effective top speed but is limited by acceleration. The Cruiser can reach a top acceleration of 15 G but standard is 7.5 G to reduce stress on engines.

Atmospheric Propulsion: Maximum speed is mach 20. Can enter atmosphere and leave.

Stardrive: Uses a hyperdrive system that allows the ship to reach a maximum of 150 light-years per hour. This means that the Cruiser can cover the three galaxies in about 4 weeks. The ship enters hyperspace by means of a jumpgate. This ship can use an already made jumpgate or can form its own jumpgate. Ship can also enter or leave hyperspace within an atmosphere but the ship must have very precise coordinates or it will open the hyperspace gate within the planet itself and the ship will destroy itself.

The Cruiser has enough power to open a jumpgate every round if so needed. Unlike the jumpgates of the younger races, this gate is not only formed, but also traversed after which it closes, all within one single round.

Maximum Range: Unlimited by all drive systems. It is not known how much supplies it carries with it, but it is safe to assume several years worth.

Special note:

Because the gravity drive is used for maneuvering, the entire cruiser can turn around and fire in every direction at will. However, making a turn or a evasive maneuver at high speed (above 5 percent of light, roughly 15000 km/s or 9300 miles/s) costs enough energy that the cruiser loses energy to the cannon. This means that control is less, imposing a -2 penalty on hit rolls. Also the grav-drive lobes have to extend, making them easier to hit(+2 to strike lobe).

Statistical Data:

Length: 733 feet (220 meters)

Height: 166 feet (50 meters) with drive lobes folded, 332 feet (100 meters) with lobes unfolded

Width: 166 feet (50 meters) with drive lobes folded, 332 feet (100 meters) with lobes unfolded

Weight: Unknown

Power System: Hyperspace Tap with an unknown duration.

Market Cost: No Vorlon ships have ever been for sale anywhere. Any race would pay trillions of credits for a working Vorlon Cruiser.

WEAPON SYSTEMS:

One (1) Quantum Gravitic Discharge Cannon: Smaller version of the gun carried by the dreadnought and somewhat more powerful than the gun of the White star. Firing arc is a 120 degree cone in front of the cruiser. Power setting is determined at beginning of melee round. If the ships hyperdrive is shut down and the power is channeled into the weapon system, the weapons damage can be quadrupled but the hyperdrive will take three minutes to be brought back on line. At overcharge the weapon does have standard penalties to use against small targets such as fighters. At medium power, the weapon has a penalty of -2 against small targets but does not suffer from size penalties. At Low setting, the cannon has +2 bonus to hit small targets and does not suffer from size penalties.
Due to the weapons nature, it does full damage to any target protected by the spell “Invulnerable to energy.”

Maximum Effective Range: 12,000 miles (19,300 km) in space and 120 miles (193 km) in atmosphere.

Mega Damage: low: 3D6x100 MD. Medium: 4D4x1,000 MD. Overcharge: 4D4x10,000 MD.

Range: 187 miles (300 km) in an atmosphere and 187,000 miles (300,000 km) in space.

Rate of Fire: Low: once per melee (beam last for full melee)but can be aimed at up to five different targets. When aimed at one target five times damage. Medium: once per melee (beam last for full melee)but can be aimed at up to three different targets. When aimed at one target triple damage. Overload: once per melee (beam last for full melee), one target only.
Five (5) Gravitic "Lightning" Gun: A small version of the guns found on the Dreadnought, thse guns are mainly used for point defense, and are not nearly as powerful as the other Vorlon weapons. Captain Sheridan was briefly targeted by one of these guns when he approached ambassador Kosh`s transport too closely. It is unlikely that the ship actually would have fired though. These guns are part of the ships semiorganic hull and can actually move around on it or when not needed are simply absorbed into the hull !! This means that when not under attack all guns are retracted into the skin, making them impossible to hit. Also this means that the guns may be distributed over the ship in whatever numbers the crew like. Rearranging the distribution can be done during combat, but during this the guns that are being moved cannot fire. Movement rate is one melee per 20 meters of hull to be transversed. Guns are -2 to hit during movement phase. Up to all 5 guns can be linked into one attack. The cannon has +2 bonus to hit small targets and does not suffer from size penalties.

Due to the weapons nature, it does full damage to any target protected by the spell “Invulnerable to energy.”

Maximum Effective Range: 1,200 miles (1,930 km) in space and 12 miles (19,3 km) in atmosphere.

Mega-Damage: Maximum: 5D6x10 MD

Rate of Fire: Maximum: 6 times per melee.

Payload: Effectively Unlimited.

Special Equipment:

Adaptive Hull: The cruiser has the ability to adapt to attacks on it. Once a specific attack has been used against the ship, it will adapt to that attack and any attack of that type that is encountered afterwards will only do 20% of their normal damage in the next engagement. Variable frequency weapons such as variable frequency lasers can be reset to do full damage once this is discovered. The adaption takes about five hours to be completed.
Advanced Sensors: As a member of the first ones, the Vorlons have some of the most advanced senors ever designed. The Sensors are so advanced it is assumed that the Vorlon ship’s sensors ignore all forms of non magical cloaking and ECM. This includes cloaking and ECM from Phase World and other alternative universes as well as all forms from the Babylon 5 Universe.
ECM: The Vorlon Cruiser is, like all Vorlon ships, fitted with advanced ECM. This ECM prevents targeting systems from ships of the younger races from being able to lock on. An attacker would be at -10 to strike the ship and only if within visual range (approximately 500 miles). Missiles would have a 95% chance of being unable to achieve a lock on target as well. Rifts Earth and Mutants in orbit would be treated to be at the level of technology of most of the younger races. The only exceptions among the younger races are the Minbari and Centauri races who are far more advanced than any of the younger races but are still no where close to the First Ones level. The Vorlon Cruiser would be detected as little more than a ghost on either races sensors and they would have penalties of -8 to strike beyond visual range and -4 to strike at visual ranges. Missiles would also be more effective, at first engagement missiles would have a 80% chance of being unable to achieve a lock, but after several engagements, the jamming could be partially adjusted for, with missiles being able to achieve lock with a 30 % chance of being unable to achieve lock. Phase World, Macross 2, and Robotech sensors would be treated to be at the level of technology of the Minbari and Centauri. Battlestar Galactica, Star Trek, and Star Wars would also be treated to be at this level of technology. The sensors of the races of the First Ones would not suffer any penalties and would be able to strike normally. This included the Minbari / Ranger White Star class and the Drahk Raider as well.
Sentient Ship: The Cruiser is alive, and probably quite aware of what it is and what its doing. It will not take orders from a non Vorlon. The ship should be considered to be a powerful neural intelligence in terms of Rifts. This computer can pilot the ship at 98%, has 5 attacks per round, and has +9 to strike, +12 to dodge, and +5 to initiative (these include all bonuses). If a full crew is onboard it will be able to fire at will and will have +12 to strike, +14 to dodge and +7 to initiative.

Extra Notes:

Ramming: Should the crew of the Cruiser decide to ram another ship, the Quantum Gravitic Discharge Cannon is set on overload and fired into the enemy ship. In the melee after this the Cruiser will approach at full acceleration and combine all of its shields in the frontal arc of their setting. It will then proceed to ram the enemy vessel at the place its Quantum Gravitic Discharge Cannon struck. Damage done is equal to the total amount of M.D.C. of the combined shields. Should the M.D.C. of the enemy ship at that location be less than the combined Vorlon shields M.D.C., no damage is done to the Cruiser and damage is only subtracted from the shields. Should the enemy vessel have more combined M.D.C. at the hit location than the cruisers shields damage is first subtracted from the shields. Remaining damage done to both ships is calculated according to normal rules. After ramming, the cruiser shield are strained. The shields will only operate at up to half their normal value and regenerate damage on the basic of the present shield level not the original. This damage will take 1D4 hours to repair. Because the cruiser is very maneuverable it is +4 to strike vs. large targets (heavy cruiser sized & up), no bonus for medium targets and -4 to ram vs. small targets when ramming.

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Technical information sourced partially from Babylon 5 Technical Manual!

Writeup by Mischa (E-Mail Mischa) and by Kitsune (E-Mail Kitsune).

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