Vorlon Planet Killer Cannon (Babylon Five):
The ultimate Vorlon doomsday weapon, this huge craft was capable of turning a planet into a asteroid belt with a single blast. This horrifying weapon was deployed by the Vorlons near the end of the Shadow war, with the purpose of annihilating any possible weapons stockpile and base that the Shadows had ever left behind. On its mission it was escorted by a large fleet whose only tasks were to protect the Planet Killer from attacks and to mop up any surviving witnesses.
The deployment and use of this weapon was the first real indication of the magnitude and scope of the conflict that the younger races were involved in. It was also the eye-opener to the fact that, as far as morals were concerned, the Vorlons were no better than the Shadows. It might even be said that their moral point was worse: smelling an easy victory after captain Sheridan's Bombing of Za`Ha`Dume, the Vorlons escalated a furious Cold War situation between them and the Shadows into a full blown, no holds barred, winner take all war. The Shadows had also killed millions, directly and indirectly, but they had always done so in the knowledge that the survivors would gain strength from this trial: they were weeding out the unfit and weak races. The Vorlons had always given the impression of being shepherds and teachers to the younger races, and preached the philosophy that united all stood stronger. Their moral high ground forgotten, they now stood revealed as worse than their enemy, acting only for themselves with no thought of helping others at all, destroying worlds and murdering billions callously when a chance of final victory presented itself.
One of these huge weapons was destroyed near Coriana 6, and all the others in existence were taken away by the Vorlons when they moved beyond the Rim.
The planet killer was always escorted by a large fleet (Some 120 Dreadnoughts, 500 cruisers, and some 7300 Vorlon fighters, these figures are a minimum)
As with all Vorlon ships the Planet Killer was partially alive, a huge biomechanical construct. The entire hull was organic and could both repair itself and adapt to attacks to reduce damage. No attack did full damage more than once on the hull.
Backing up this armor were powerful shields consisting of interwoven energy fields and layers of gravitational distortion. These shields were capable of absorbing large amounts of energy, wether it was directed energy or kinetic in nature. The only way to overload the shields was to pour a enormous amount of energy into them in a short time. A group of First Ones ships did just that......
The ships sublight propulsion consisted of a powerful gravity drive system. No Ion engines were used in the design: A large sublight acceleration was not needed, all it had to do was come out of hyperspace, charge the cannon and annihilate whatever unfortunate planet it was aimed at. Evasive maneuvers must have seemed unlikely to have been needed.
Although the Planet killer was "alive" and had an intelligence similar to that of a sentient AI it needed a crew to perform its mission. On sensor readings the craft read as being made up of organic materials. When its ECM was engaged it was surprisingly hard to detect for such a large object.
Apart from the planet killing Gravitic Discharge cannon this craft was armed with 4 Quantum Gravitic Discharge Cannons like those on the Vorlon cruiser, although they were not capable of firing blasts on overload setting. it was also armed with 120 Quantum Gravitic lightning guns which were almost permanently set on point defense.
Note: This ship is very powerful and should be treated with caution. The Vorlon Planet Killer was written for completeness but the ship is not meant to be used in most games.
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 Planet Killer Cannon
Crew: The Planet Killer was flown by a Artificial Intelligence, and could carry a crew of up to 100,000.(Boarding parties would have had trouble due to the fact that a Vorlon is about as powerful as a low powered supernatural intelligence)
Vehicles: unknown, presumed many.
For game terms, give the ship 4000 Vorlon fighters
M.D.C. by Location:
Quantum Gravitic Discharge Cannon (4): |
9,000 each |
|
Quantum Gravitic Lightning gun (120): |
500 each |
|
[1] Forward Boom (4): |
300,000 each |
|
[2] Bridge: |
500,000 |
|
[2] Auxiliary Bridge: |
500,000 |
|
[3] Gravity Drive Lobes (3): |
250,000 each |
|
[4] Main Body: |
2,200,000 |
|
[5] Variable Force Field: |
50,000 a side (300,000 Total) |
Notes:
[1] The forward booms made up the "muzzle" of the cannon. Destroying one meant the cannon had a 20% chance to backfire upon firing, which would destroy the ship in a fireball of enormous size, annihilating EVERYTHING in a radius of 310 Miles (500 km)radius, doing 2D4x100,000 to all targets within 620 miles (1.000 km) radius, 1D4x10,000 to all targets within a 1240 miles (2000 km) radius, 2D6x1000 to all targets within a 2480 miles (4.000 km) radius, 2D4x100 to all targets within a 5000 miles (8.000 km) radius, and 1D4x10 MD to all targets within a 10.000 miles (16.000 km) radius. Destroying two or more of the booms meant the cannon could not be fired.
[2] In reality this is how much damage needed to be done for a weapon to hit the bridge through the ship’s armor. This ship had a auxiliary bridge. If both bridges were destroyed the ship would fly itself, guided by telepathic commands from any crew member, but was -2 to dodge and -1 to hit with all guns.
[3] Destroying a gravity drive lobe meant that sublight acceleration. was reduced by 10 % and maneuvering by 20 %(-1 penalty to dodge)Add on penalties per destroyed lobe.
[4] Depleting the M.D.C. of the body would destroy the planet killer, putting it out of commission. The craft would be a unsalvageable floating wreck. (10 percent chance of a explosion as under [1] if cannon was partially charged)
Both the hull and the ships systems had the ability to repair themselves. The ships hull and ships systems
regenerated damage at the rate of 1D6x1000 M.D.C. per minute. The ship could only repair up to half the total
M.D.C. of a system or the main body.
[5] Shield positions were variable and could be combined into one shield. The shields regenerated at a rate of 5%
(15.000 M.D.C.) per melee round.
Speed:
Driving on the Ground: Not Possible.
Sublight:
Phase World Version: Use of gravity drive allows for a acceleration of 0.3 percent of light per melee. Maximum speed 60 percent of light.
Moderate Version: The Vorlon Planet Killer does not have an effective top speed but is limited by acceleration. The vessel can reach a top acceleration of 3 G but standard is 1.5 G to reduce stress on engines.
Atmospheric Propulsion: Not possible
Stardrive: Used a hyperdrive system that allowed the ship to reach a maximum of 150 light-years per hour. This means that the planet killer could cover the three galaxies in about 4 weeks. The ship entered hyperspace by means of a jumpgate. This ship could use an already made jumpgate (If the jump gate is large enough) or could form its own jumpgate.
The planet killer 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 carried with it, but it is safe to assume several years worth.
Statistical Data:
Length: 4 miles (6,400 meters)
Height: 2 miles (3,200 meters)
Width: 3.5 miles (5,600 meters)
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 hundreds of trillions of credits for a working Vorlon Planet Killer (probably paying by deficit spending).
WEAPON SYSTEMS:
One (1) Planet Killer Cannon: This huge weapon makes up about two thirds of the entire planet killer. It functions on much the same principle as the weapon mounted on the Vorlon dreadnought, only it stores a huge amount of Gravitic energy before firing. The weapon is very cumbersome and can only be aimed by pointing the entire craft at the target. Against planets the weapon is horribly effective: The gravity wave it fires is capable of disrupting the core of a Earth sized planet and breaking it up into a asteroid belt. In a single blast......
Against unmoving targets it is a good weapon. Against moving targets it is virtually useless: the weapon cannot be fired on a low setting and takes 40 melee rounds to charge(10 minutes). During this time the energy buildup is very clear on all sensors. While the Planet Killer Cannon is being charged, the ship cannot fire any other weapon systems. Anyone still loitering in front of the cannon after it has charged Really can`t move or is incredibly stupid.....
Should it be fired at targets smaller than 1000 km diameter it has a penalty of -6 to hit. Smaller than simply large targets(battleship and lower) are - 16 to hit and get a chance at a full dodge without penalties. It still can be dangerous however: the beam is very concentrated for its size, but that is relative, leakage can still inflict horrible amounts of damage to ships near the blast. Due to the weapons nature, it does full damage to any target protected by the spell “Invulnerable to energy.”
Maximum Effective Range: 561,000 miles (900,000 km) in space.
Mega Damage: The main beam is 2 miles in diameter and 3 lightseconds long. Destroys Planets. In other words: DESTROYS absolutely EVERYTHING IN ITS PATH. No saves whatsoever, NO shield can withstand it (yes, that includes all Macross pinpoint barriers and Invid Hive full shields). The beam also has a periphery in which targets will also be effected. It does does 2D6x100.000 MD in a range of 3 miles from the beam, 4D6x10.000 MD up to 10 miles from the beam, 6D6x1.000 MD up to 20 miles from the beam, 3D4x100 MD up to 40 miles and 2D6x10 MD up to 80 miles from the beam, to all targets in that area!
Rate of Fire: once per 40 melees. Gun cannot be charged while in Hyperspace, must be charged in normal space. After charging it MUST be fired.
Four (4) Quantum Gravitic Discharge Cannon: Smaller version of the gun carried by the dreadnought and almost identical in power to the gun of the White star. Firing arc is a full 360 degrees . Power setting is determined at beginning of melee round. 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. Each mount has a 360 degree rotation and 180 degree arc of fire. Most often used when enemies try to use corvettes and frigates as very large fighters. Due to the weapons nature, it does full damage to any target protected by the spell “Invulnerable to energy.”
Maximum Effective Range: 187 miles (300 km) in an atmosphere and 187,000 miles (300,000 km) in space.
Mega Damage: low: 3D6x100 MD. Medium: 2D6x1,000 MD.
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.
One Hundred and Twenty (120) Quantum Gravitic "Lightning" Gun: Virtually identical to the weapon found on the Vorlon Fighter, These cannons are used to defend the ship against whatever cannot be hit with the fission guns. They are most oftedn used on their lowest setting to provide a effective point defense against large swarms of fighters and missiles. 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 200 meters of hull to be transversed. Guns are -2 to hit during movement phase. Up to 5 guns can be linked into one attack. Power setting is determined at beginning of melee round. At maximum power 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 Minimum setting, the cannon has +2 bonus to hit small targets and does not suffer from size penalties. Each mount has a 360 degree rotation and 180 degree arc of fire.
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: Maximum: 1D6x1,000+1000 M.D. each. Medium: 3D6x100 M.D. each. Minimum: 1D6x100 M.D.
Rate of Fire: Maximum: once per melee. Medium: 3 times per melee. Minimum: 5 times per melee.
Payload: Effectively Unlimited.
Special Equipment:
Adaptive Hull: The Planet Killer had the ability to adapt to attacks on it. Once a specific attack had been used against the ship, it would adapt to that attack and any attack of that type that was encountered afterwards would only be at twenty percent effectiveness in the next engagement. Variable frequency weapons such as variable frequency lasers could be reset to do full damage once this was discovered. The adaption took 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 Planet Killer was, like all Vorlon ships, fitted with advanced ECM. This ECM prevented targeting systems from ships of the younger races from being able to lock on. An attacker would be at -6 to strike the ship and only if within visual range (approximately 5000 miles). Missiles would have a 90% 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 Planet Killer would be very hard to detect on either races sensors and they would have penalties of -4 to strike beyond visual range and no penalties 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. All of this was only until the cannon had been charged for 10 melees however. The enormous energy buildup would then show through the ECM, reducing its effectiveness by 50 %. After another 10 rounds of charging the ECM was not effective at all. The last 10 rounds of charging meant that the planet killer was +5 to strike by other ships, even those of the younger races.
Sentient Ship: The Planet Killer was alive, and aware of what it was and what it was doing. It would not take orders from a non Vorlon.
The craft should have been considered to be a powerful neural intelligence in terms of Rifts. This computer could pilot the ship at 98%, could fire all weapons with half normal attacks, and had +5 to strike, and +4 to initiative (these included all bonuses). If a full crew was onboard it would have been able to fire all weapons at will and would have had +7 to strike, +2 to dodge and +7 to initiative.
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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.)
Rifts Conversion Copyright © 1998, 1999, & 2013, Mischa & Kitsune. All rights reserved.