Wednesday, January 09, 2008
Tuesday, December 25, 2007
Quote of the Day
The Imperium will not be coerced. Any attempt to bend the Imperium to any will other than its own, by any means violent or non-violent, will be answered with deadly force.
-- Captain Sir John March Sterling, 1st Baron Windhaven, Imperial Navy, Retired. 110-624 (Third Imperium)
_
Friday, December 21, 2007
A Really Evil Idea, Updated, Reposted
THIS WAS ORIGINALLY POSTED ON THE TRAVELLER MAINING LIST:
A Really Evil Idea For A Traveller Campaign
by Leslie Bates, age 42
Over 10,000 years ago, a species called the An or the Anu discovered the jump drive. Over a period of about two centuries they explored and colonized twelve uninhabited worlds in nearby systems. They also discovered and colonized the planet Earth, which they called Ki. The native intelligent species, the Humans, were genetically modified and used as laborers on Ki and on the other Anu colonies.
Then something happened. A disaster, a civil war started by a dissident faction, or an invasion by a hostile species, called the Hunters of the Dawn, destroyed the Anu civilization. On Ki, a remnant of the Anu called the Anunnaki continued to dominate the natives until about 2000 to 3000 BC.
On Suhurmash, one of the Anu colony worlds, the surviving Humans have developed a high-tech civilization. By reverse engineering Anu relics they have begun to build their own jump ships.
The player characters are the crew of the first ship to reach the planet "Ki." While attempting to land at the site of the last known Anu colony on Ki, their TL-9 ship is fired on by two F-15's of the United States Air Force. After landing and meeting the locals, the crew is brought to the local leader. (You know, the guy with the mustache.) Who will be happy to help repair the ship in exchange for help against the attackers.
The date on the local calender is March 15, 2003.
Have a nice day.
More fun:
The PC's ship is a 40 year old type unarmed M subsidized merchant operating under an academic or corporate charter, their government didn't know and certainly wouldn't have sanctioned the expedition to Earth.
Suhurmash, the PC's homeworld, was politically unified before it hit TL 4 and only has about a dozen 100 ton armed couriers for use in SAR/courier missions.
Borrowing a page from the Glen Larson SF universe construction handbook, the 12 other Anu colonies were named for the 12 signs of the zodiac, in Sumerian.
Then today I had these thoughts:
Even more fun:
Your group of PC's could be a special op's unit that breaks into what the spooks believe is a WMD facility. What you actually find is a disk shaped starship (100 to 400 d-tons) with clear signs of missile damage. The surviving guards tell you that the crew was taken away.
You now have to go out and find the crew.
Good Luck.
Since we are borrowing a page from the Glen Larson SF universe construction handbook. We are naming the 12 other Anu colonies for the 12 signs of the zodiac in Sumerian. Here is the list of names as given by Zacharia Sitchin.
Guanna = Taurus
Mashtabba = Gemini
Dub = Cancer
Urgula = Leo
Absin = Virgo
Zibaanna = Libra
Girtab = Scorpio
Pabil = Sagittarius
Suhurmash = Capricorn
Gu = Aquarius
Simmah = Pisces
Kumal = Aries
Shamelessly stealing from Glen Larson again, we note that during the destruction of the Twelve Colonies that the Capricans were the least incompetent of all the humans, therefore we shall say that a high tech human civilization arose on the Anu colony world of Suhurmash. I originally favored Procyon as the location of this world, but I'm beginning to think that Tau Ceti may be better.
The dominant power on the planet during the TL4 period was the Adaman Empire, which was named for its founder, a humble herdsman who was called upon to lead his people out of...well...you get the idea.
Through a process of warfare and dynastic marriage, the Adamans had effectively unified their world before the development of the TL 5 military technology that made the First World War on Terra such a fun time for all. It also meant that the occasional re- equipping of "The Warriors" tended to be an exercise in keeping up with the civilians. As a result, Caprican...er...Adaman ironmongery is strictly LB Book One, nothing from Mercenary or later works.
As the Adamans ranged far and wide over their world they found smashed cities and fossilized remains of Anu as well as of humans. Adamans who built telescopes would see visible ruins of domed cities on the moon of Suhurmash. Needless to say, as soon as it was possible the Adamans sent several expeditions (with essentially Soviet level technology) to explore those ruins.
In the 100th year of the Unified Empire the first explorers found well preserved (by archaeological standards) examples of Anu technology, which the Adamans proceeded to reverse engineer.
With their first starships they began to explore and colonize the systems around them. Usually they found more ruins, sometimes with primitive Humans or Anu in or near them. They also found the Anu home world. Which had taken so much damage in the final cataclysm that the atmosphere had reverted to Type A-Exotic.
In 167th year of the Unified Empire, the first Adaman ship had reached the world listed on the ancient Anu charts as "Ki." To their horror they found the major nations of Ki fighting a planetary scale war with weapons that the Adamans had never even dreamed of. (Most of the army of the starfaring Adaman Empire at the time was still using lever action black-powder rifles and muzzle loading cannon.) The Adaman government immediately interdicted Ki and began a surveillance program.
Two bases were established in the system. The primary base was on the fourth planet. The forward surveillance post was set up on the satellite of Ki, which on the ancient Anu charts was called Kingu. This post with its supporting spacecraft was called the watch unit.
In 169th year of the Unified Empire, the watch unit observed the detonation of a nuclear explosive device in the desert of the minor northern continent. Shortly thereafter two more nuclear weapons were detonated over cities in a chain of islands off the eastern coast of the main northern continent.
As the nation on the minor northern continent began further atmospheric testing of nuclear bombs, the watch unit began to carry out a more aggressive surveillance program.
In 171th year of the Unified Empire, a 20 d-ton launch crashed in the desert outside of a nuclear bomber base on the minor northern continent. The Imperial leadership basically freaked out and forbade the use of such aggressive watch tactics in the future.
It was now feared that the inhabitants of Ki would reverse engineer Adaman technology and turn their attention to the skies of their world.
In 193th year of the Unified Empire, an expedition from the minor northern continent of Ki landed on a relatively flat area of Kingu. The commander of the watch unit at the time, who was named for the founder of the Empire, made contact with the Kian astronauts and basically read them the riot act.
The Kians would be permitted to send five more expeditions to Kingu, those expeditions were forbidden to land anywhere near the forward watch unit base or any Anu ruins on Kingu. Furthermore the Kians were forbidden to send manned expeditions to any other planet of their own system. Having heard the ruling of the watch unit commander, the two Kian astronauts were permitted to return to a water landing on Ki. The junior member of the Kian landing party was later compelled to seek psychiatric help.
Much to the annoyance of the watch unit the two dominant nations on Ki proceeded to launch manned orbital stations and send robot probes to the other planets. One robot from the North-Main continent came too close to a Adaman ship near the inner moon of the fourth planet and had to be destroyed. Another robot probe entered orbit around the largest gas giant in the system and effectively prevented its use as a refueling site.
During this time there was a great amount of acrimony on Suhurmash concerning the re-equipping of the armed forces to a higher tech level. The Warrior class by this time had taken the view that warfare was essentially an exercise in studliness. Even though the conversion of the army to TL 6 self-loading rifles and general purpose machineguns, which were basically copies of Kian weaponry, had gone relatively smoothly in spite of the usual griping about ammunition wastage and girly calibers. The army had virtually blocked the adoption of such "cowardly" weapons as grenades, mortars, and indirect firing artillery.
When the high command attempted to introduce the assault rifle, even those officers who were aware of the military technology situation on Ki refused to go along with the adoption of "kiddie- caliber" guns. Basically believing that the Kian adoption of such infantry weapons was an exploitable mistake.
As for combat uniforms, the prevailing belief in the armed forces was that a warrior could not be too flashy in appearance.
The one bright spot in the military picture was that the Cavalry arm was happy to trade in their riding beasts for the newfangled fighter spacecraft. Which were basically a beefed up version of the standard pilot trainer that was fitted with a pulse laser.
In 226th year of the Unified Empire, a privately owned Adaman ship broke the interdiction and attempted to land near the site of the last known Anu colony on Ki.
I'm finished droning now.
A Really Evil Idea For A Traveller Campaign
by Leslie Bates, age 42
Over 10,000 years ago, a species called the An or the Anu discovered the jump drive. Over a period of about two centuries they explored and colonized twelve uninhabited worlds in nearby systems. They also discovered and colonized the planet Earth, which they called Ki. The native intelligent species, the Humans, were genetically modified and used as laborers on Ki and on the other Anu colonies.
Then something happened. A disaster, a civil war started by a dissident faction, or an invasion by a hostile species, called the Hunters of the Dawn, destroyed the Anu civilization. On Ki, a remnant of the Anu called the Anunnaki continued to dominate the natives until about 2000 to 3000 BC.
On Suhurmash, one of the Anu colony worlds, the surviving Humans have developed a high-tech civilization. By reverse engineering Anu relics they have begun to build their own jump ships.
The player characters are the crew of the first ship to reach the planet "Ki." While attempting to land at the site of the last known Anu colony on Ki, their TL-9 ship is fired on by two F-15's of the United States Air Force. After landing and meeting the locals, the crew is brought to the local leader. (You know, the guy with the mustache.) Who will be happy to help repair the ship in exchange for help against the attackers.
The date on the local calender is March 15, 2003.
Have a nice day.
More fun:
The PC's ship is a 40 year old type unarmed M subsidized merchant operating under an academic or corporate charter, their government didn't know and certainly wouldn't have sanctioned the expedition to Earth.
Suhurmash, the PC's homeworld, was politically unified before it hit TL 4 and only has about a dozen 100 ton armed couriers for use in SAR/courier missions.
Borrowing a page from the Glen Larson SF universe construction handbook, the 12 other Anu colonies were named for the 12 signs of the zodiac, in Sumerian.
Then today I had these thoughts:
Even more fun:
Your group of PC's could be a special op's unit that breaks into what the spooks believe is a WMD facility. What you actually find is a disk shaped starship (100 to 400 d-tons) with clear signs of missile damage. The surviving guards tell you that the crew was taken away.
You now have to go out and find the crew.
Good Luck.
Since we are borrowing a page from the Glen Larson SF universe construction handbook. We are naming the 12 other Anu colonies for the 12 signs of the zodiac in Sumerian. Here is the list of names as given by Zacharia Sitchin.
Guanna = Taurus
Mashtabba = Gemini
Dub = Cancer
Urgula = Leo
Absin = Virgo
Zibaanna = Libra
Girtab = Scorpio
Pabil = Sagittarius
Suhurmash = Capricorn
Gu = Aquarius
Simmah = Pisces
Kumal = Aries
Shamelessly stealing from Glen Larson again, we note that during the destruction of the Twelve Colonies that the Capricans were the least incompetent of all the humans, therefore we shall say that a high tech human civilization arose on the Anu colony world of Suhurmash. I originally favored Procyon as the location of this world, but I'm beginning to think that Tau Ceti may be better.
The dominant power on the planet during the TL4 period was the Adaman Empire, which was named for its founder, a humble herdsman who was called upon to lead his people out of...well...you get the idea.
Through a process of warfare and dynastic marriage, the Adamans had effectively unified their world before the development of the TL 5 military technology that made the First World War on Terra such a fun time for all. It also meant that the occasional re- equipping of "The Warriors" tended to be an exercise in keeping up with the civilians. As a result, Caprican...er...Adaman ironmongery is strictly LB Book One, nothing from Mercenary or later works.
As the Adamans ranged far and wide over their world they found smashed cities and fossilized remains of Anu as well as of humans. Adamans who built telescopes would see visible ruins of domed cities on the moon of Suhurmash. Needless to say, as soon as it was possible the Adamans sent several expeditions (with essentially Soviet level technology) to explore those ruins.
In the 100th year of the Unified Empire the first explorers found well preserved (by archaeological standards) examples of Anu technology, which the Adamans proceeded to reverse engineer.
With their first starships they began to explore and colonize the systems around them. Usually they found more ruins, sometimes with primitive Humans or Anu in or near them. They also found the Anu home world. Which had taken so much damage in the final cataclysm that the atmosphere had reverted to Type A-Exotic.
In 167th year of the Unified Empire, the first Adaman ship had reached the world listed on the ancient Anu charts as "Ki." To their horror they found the major nations of Ki fighting a planetary scale war with weapons that the Adamans had never even dreamed of. (Most of the army of the starfaring Adaman Empire at the time was still using lever action black-powder rifles and muzzle loading cannon.) The Adaman government immediately interdicted Ki and began a surveillance program.
Two bases were established in the system. The primary base was on the fourth planet. The forward surveillance post was set up on the satellite of Ki, which on the ancient Anu charts was called Kingu. This post with its supporting spacecraft was called the watch unit.
In 169th year of the Unified Empire, the watch unit observed the detonation of a nuclear explosive device in the desert of the minor northern continent. Shortly thereafter two more nuclear weapons were detonated over cities in a chain of islands off the eastern coast of the main northern continent.
As the nation on the minor northern continent began further atmospheric testing of nuclear bombs, the watch unit began to carry out a more aggressive surveillance program.
In 171th year of the Unified Empire, a 20 d-ton launch crashed in the desert outside of a nuclear bomber base on the minor northern continent. The Imperial leadership basically freaked out and forbade the use of such aggressive watch tactics in the future.
It was now feared that the inhabitants of Ki would reverse engineer Adaman technology and turn their attention to the skies of their world.
In 193th year of the Unified Empire, an expedition from the minor northern continent of Ki landed on a relatively flat area of Kingu. The commander of the watch unit at the time, who was named for the founder of the Empire, made contact with the Kian astronauts and basically read them the riot act.
The Kians would be permitted to send five more expeditions to Kingu, those expeditions were forbidden to land anywhere near the forward watch unit base or any Anu ruins on Kingu. Furthermore the Kians were forbidden to send manned expeditions to any other planet of their own system. Having heard the ruling of the watch unit commander, the two Kian astronauts were permitted to return to a water landing on Ki. The junior member of the Kian landing party was later compelled to seek psychiatric help.
Much to the annoyance of the watch unit the two dominant nations on Ki proceeded to launch manned orbital stations and send robot probes to the other planets. One robot from the North-Main continent came too close to a Adaman ship near the inner moon of the fourth planet and had to be destroyed. Another robot probe entered orbit around the largest gas giant in the system and effectively prevented its use as a refueling site.
During this time there was a great amount of acrimony on Suhurmash concerning the re-equipping of the armed forces to a higher tech level. The Warrior class by this time had taken the view that warfare was essentially an exercise in studliness. Even though the conversion of the army to TL 6 self-loading rifles and general purpose machineguns, which were basically copies of Kian weaponry, had gone relatively smoothly in spite of the usual griping about ammunition wastage and girly calibers. The army had virtually blocked the adoption of such "cowardly" weapons as grenades, mortars, and indirect firing artillery.
When the high command attempted to introduce the assault rifle, even those officers who were aware of the military technology situation on Ki refused to go along with the adoption of "kiddie- caliber" guns. Basically believing that the Kian adoption of such infantry weapons was an exploitable mistake.
As for combat uniforms, the prevailing belief in the armed forces was that a warrior could not be too flashy in appearance.
The one bright spot in the military picture was that the Cavalry arm was happy to trade in their riding beasts for the newfangled fighter spacecraft. Which were basically a beefed up version of the standard pilot trainer that was fitted with a pulse laser.
In 226th year of the Unified Empire, a privately owned Adaman ship broke the interdiction and attempted to land near the site of the last known Anu colony on Ki.
I'm finished droning now.
Monday, November 19, 2007
Thought for the Day
"I've run into no small number of so-called Christian pacifists during my years as a naval attache. They've invariably hit me with the verse, 'he who lives by the sword, dies by the sword.' At which point I ask them, 'who's holding the other sword?' Not one of them has ever answered that question."
-- Admiral Elizabeth Weymouth. Ursa Major Confederation Navy.
_
-- Admiral Elizabeth Weymouth. Ursa Major Confederation Navy.
_
Monday, October 08, 2007
Tuesday, October 02, 2007
Monday, September 10, 2007
Marine Motivation
It not an either/or proposition.
And yes, it's a bit hard on the Lefties.
(Cue diabolical laughter.)
_
Thursday, September 06, 2007
Wednesday, September 05, 2007
Saturday, September 01, 2007
Friday, August 31, 2007
Wednesday, August 08, 2007
Trivia
The words "ULTIMA RATIO CIVITUM" is engraved on every personal weapon, crew served weapon, and on a special plate installed on all military vehicles and spacecraft of the Freyan armed forces and the armed forces of the Confederation of Ursa Major.
Yes, I know (Ayn) Rand said that a gun is not an argument two centuries ago...
My grandfather once told me that were it not for the distance and the vacuum of space (between Eos and Freya) it would have been possible to hear the Eosians sneering at us for that particular practice.
Of course that sneering ended after their world was invaded and occupied by the Neomarxists.
-- Admiral Elizabeth Weymouth, Lectures on History and Moral Philosophy.
Now some people think it is a bit silly of us to engrave a phrase in ancient Latin on our weapons, vehicles, and spacecraft.
But consider this, all of our g-carriers, tanks, and other military vehicles are designed to carried aboard standard commercial starships. The dimensions of the cargo holds are in turn determined by the dimensions of the old Terran ISO-cargo containers which are still in common use. The dimensions of the standard cargo containers were originally determined by the requirement that they be carried on a standard railroad flatcar. The dimensions of the railroad flatcar was in turn determined by width of the wheels and tracks. This standard was adopted in imitation of the standard width of carts and wagons built in the British Isles, which used wagon trails first marked out in the time of the Roman Empire. Which in turn used a standard width chosen by a wagon builder in Ancient Rome.
Now, given the influence that a unnamed Ancient Roman wheelwright had on the design and deployment of military technology in the twenty-third century, is it really that silly of us to adopt an Ancient Latin slogan for our own use?
-- Ibid.
Monday, August 06, 2007
A Message From Rob Devenport
Hello,
Yes, the TML and all of TravellerCentral.com are down. I'm using an
old subscriber list to notify everyone, so if you've unsubscribed in
the last several months, I apologize for sending this to you. And if
I've missed anyone that you know of, please let them know the status.
A couple days ago, a cracker penetrated the TravellerCentral.com
server and deleted all files, possibly in retaliation for Tod stopping
an attack a month ago where someone tried to usurp the server and set
up their own rogue mail server. The recent backups are lost (and Tod
had been within a week of putting a new backup system online too).
He's going to go back to an older backup and rebuild the system (with
tightened security measures).
Since he doesn't believe the attacker overwrote files but just mucked
up the inodes, he's hopeful that much of the user data can be
recovered - it will just take a good deal of time.
The plan is to get the server and basic services (mail server) back up
as soon as practical, I think maybe within a few days, then get user's
data back if possible, which may take a few weeks.
I'll send more details as they become available, or if you have
questions, let me know. With luck you won't hear from me, but from the
list when it's up again.
And as for that cracker miscreant, I just hope they get within range
of my FGMP...
Rob Davenport
TML listmom2
_
Yes, the TML and all of TravellerCentral.com are down. I'm using an
old subscriber list to notify everyone, so if you've unsubscribed in
the last several months, I apologize for sending this to you. And if
I've missed anyone that you know of, please let them know the status.
A couple days ago, a cracker penetrated the TravellerCentral.com
server and deleted all files, possibly in retaliation for Tod stopping
an attack a month ago where someone tried to usurp the server and set
up their own rogue mail server. The recent backups are lost (and Tod
had been within a week of putting a new backup system online too).
He's going to go back to an older backup and rebuild the system (with
tightened security measures).
Since he doesn't believe the attacker overwrote files but just mucked
up the inodes, he's hopeful that much of the user data can be
recovered - it will just take a good deal of time.
The plan is to get the server and basic services (mail server) back up
as soon as practical, I think maybe within a few days, then get user's
data back if possible, which may take a few weeks.
I'll send more details as they become available, or if you have
questions, let me know. With luck you won't hear from me, but from the
list when it's up again.
And as for that cracker miscreant, I just hope they get within range
of my FGMP...
Rob Davenport
TML listmom2
_
Saturday, August 04, 2007
Quote of the Day
More intellectual background stuff.
_
As a rule when all other factors are equal it is the numerically larger military unit that will prevail. Therefore it is the task of those who raise, train, and deploy the armed forces of a nation to see to it that all other factors are never equal.
-- E.N. Keller, The Concept of War
_
Thursday, August 02, 2007
Quote of the Day
In literature and cinema there is a concept, the idiot plot, a scenario that only occurs because one or more characters behaved like idiots.
Of all the worlds of the Human Union one world had the industrial might, and thus the potential to create military power, to stop the Freyani.
March1, the oldest and most populous of the Human colonies, the capital of Humanity in the post-Yellowstone2 era, did nothing.
Nothing was done when the Freyani secretly build a navy and cut loose from Humanity.
Nothing was done when the Freyani and their Objectivist allies hunted down and murdered the Progressive activists and the Gordonian3 warriors who liberated the planets Konkin and Eos from capitalist oppression.4
Nothing was done when the Freyani sent the fleet carrier Victorious across Human Union space -- unimpeded -- to commit the Gordonian Holocaust.5
Nothing was done when the Freyani mercilessly crushed the Republic of Aurore.
When Oliver Richard Kaiser, and the last and greatest leader of Humanity, tried to rouse the people to resist the Freyani, it was too late.
Because the leaders of the planet March and Humanity in General refused to act a new dark age has descended upon us as we now live under the grinding oppression of the Freyan Empire.6
-- Anthony Ellsworth, The Empire of Greed
Sounds like the fellow is a bit biased...
1. Alpha Centauri A-Three. Named for President John March, the successor to President Dick Cheney and founder of the Omaha Pact.
2. Extinction event. The super volcano in Yellowstone National Park erupted on September 4, 2182, burying most of North America in ash, and effectively terminating agriculture on the planet for at least five years. Roughly 99 percent of the Human Race died in the subsequent disorders.
3. A morally darker version of the Dorsai.
4. Needless to say the folks on Eos and Schwartz (the renamed planet Konkin) have a different view of the relevant events.
In the decades following the Yellowstone Event a practice had evolved where if a resource extraction firm could not obtain a sufficiently favorable deal from a local government they would invent a "liberation front" -- usually a handful of crackpots in the back room of a leather bar -- and hire a Gordonian military contractor to put the liberation front into power.
Armand Marteau, the owner of Spinward Mining, wanted control of lanthanum deposits on Eos, a planet settled by descendants of the Peikoff Faction of the Objectivist Movement. Because his agents could not create a front on Eos, they instead created one on the planet Konkin, a Libertarian Anarchist colony named after Libertarian Anarchist author Samuel Edward Konkin III. The new "sovereign" state then staged a "liberation" of Eos.
The first Freya Pact, an alliance of three worlds -- Freya, Galtswelt, and New Texas -- carried out the liberation of Eos. The red stooges were hunted down and given no quarter. On the other hand the Gordonian mercenaries immediately surrendered and attempted to redeem their repatriation bonds.
The Interim Committee that governed Eos refused to the honor the bonds. In their view the mercenaries were not soldiers of a legitimate state but were instead paid members of a homicidal conspiracy. In other words, they were willing capital criminals.
The ground troops from Freya and Galtswelt carried out the order to execute the mercenaries. The contingent from New Texas refused to carry out the execution of mercenaries in their custody. The New Texas forces and their prisoners were then ordered off the planet Eos. Thus breaking the first Freya Pact.
To this day the Eosians see the government of New Texas as accessories after the fact of the mass murder of Eosian citizens.
The remnant of the pact forces went on to liberate the planet Konkin.
5. The Gordonian private military contractors and their corporate sponsors carried out a vendetta against Eos and the remaining members of the first Freya Pact through legal and other means.
It was after the judicially staged murder of two members of the Eos Interim Committee, who were on a diplomatic mission to March, that drastic action was taken.
A chain of fuel caches was secretly created which allowed a task force centered on the newly built light fleet carrier Victorious to make on unimpeded transit to Gordonia and carry out a high yield nuclear bombardment of the planet's industrial and population centers.
This effectively terminated the vendetta.
6. Riiiiigt. The Society of Consent is sooooo oppressive to some people...
_
Monday, July 30, 2007
UMCS VALLEY FORGE
Yes, I've seen the film SILENT RUNNING... No, we don't allow lunatic greenies aboard our ships.
-- Commodore John Weymouth, Commander of Valley Forge Task Force.
Although the Poor Richard class escort carrier could do a fairly good job of supporting their big sisters, the Victorious class light fleet carriers, they still had the tactical disadvantage of being two-gee ships in an otherwise four-gee fleet. The Navy Department decided to replace the Poor Richard with a vessel that could carry the same fighter-group and accelerate at four gees in a thousand displacement-ton hull. Thus was born the Valley Forge class support carrier.
A dispute arose within the Navy Department and the Confederation Senate over the number of Valley Forge support carriers (which some wags referred to as an ultra-light carrier) that were to be built. Four or six? A compromise was eventually reached where the navy would build eight support carriers.
Part of the reason for building eight support carriers was the reorganization of the Main Force or Battle fleets.
The Main Force of the Ursa Major Confederation Navy was originally divided into three battle fleets: The Coreward Fleet based at Eos; The Central Fleet based at Galtswelt; And the Rimward Fleet based at Freya. Each battle fleet was originally centered on a Victorious class light fleet carrier and its group of escorts.
Under the reorganization, the Rimward Fleet at Freya which was closest to the most likely potential belligerent, the Auroran Empire, would have two Victorious class and two Valley Forge class carriers. The Coreward Fleet at Eos, facing the potentially hostile Republic of New Texas, would get one Victorious class and two Valley Forge class carriers. The Central Fleet at Galtswelt would receive the four remaining Valley Forge class carriers. The old Poor Richard class escort carriers would be independently based, one at Freya, two at Galtswelt, and one at Eos, in support of convoy escort or Marine landing forces as required.
Valley Forge-Class Support Carrier
Ship: Valley Forge
Class: Valley Forge
Type: Support Carrier
Architect: UMCN Bureau of Ships
Tech Level: 11
USP
CVS-A7244E2-050000-30000-0 MCr 717.593 1 KTons
Bat Bear 4 2 Crew: 60
Bat 4 2 TL: 11
Cargo: 28, Fuel: 270, EP: 40, Agility: 3
Craft: 1 x 50T Modular Cutter, 1 x 30T Fuel Module, 8 x 15T Kurnass Fighter-Interceptor, 12 x 6T Dagger Attack Fighter
Fuel Treatment: On Board Fuel Purification
Architects Fee: MCr 6.856 Cost in Quantity: MCr 580.474
Detailed Description
HULL: 1,000 tons standard, 14,000 cubic meters, Dispersed Structure Configuration
CREW: Pilot, Navigator, 8 Engineers, Medic, 6 Gunners, 29 Flight Crew, 14 Other Crew
ENGINEERING: Jump-2, 4G Manuever, Power plant-4, 40 EP, Agility 3
AVIONICS: Bridge, Model/5fib Computer
ARMAMENT: 2 Triple Beam Laser Turrets organised into 2 Batteries (Factor-3)
DEFENCES: 8 Triple Sandcaster Turrets organised into 4 Batteries (Factor-5)
CRAFT: 50 ton Modular Cutter (Crew of 1, Cost of MCr 30), 30 ton Fuel Module (Cost of MCr 2), 8 x 15 ton Kurnass Fighter-Interceptors (Crew of 2, Sold Separately), 12 x 6 ton Dagger Attack Fighters (Crew of 1, Sold Separately)
FUEL: 270 Tons Fuel (2 parsecs jump and 28 days endurance, plus 30 tons of additional fuel), No Fuel Scoops, On Board Fuel Purification Plant
MISCELLANEOUS: 30 Staterooms, 28 Tons Cargo
COST: MCr 692.448 Singly (incl. Architects fees of MCr 6.856), MCr 548.474 in Quantity, plus MCr 32.000 of Carried Support Craft
CONSTRUCTION TIME: 120 Weeks Singly, 96 Weeks in Quantity
COMMENTS: The Valley Forge class support carrier (sometimes called an ultra-light carrier) was constructed to replace the Poor Richard class escort carrier in the role of supporting main fleet operations. There is additional accomodation for a task force commander and 13 support staff
A total of eight units were constructed. Valley Forge, Ticonderoga, Cowpens, and Bunker Hill were built at Galtswelt. Waterloo, Blenheim, Salamanca, and Agincourt were built at Freya.
_
Wednesday, July 25, 2007
UMCS BONHOMME POOR RICHARD
Poor Richard-Class Escort Carrier
Ship: Poor Richard
Class: Poor Richard
Type: Escort Carrier
Architect: Galtswelt Shipbulding
Tech Level: 11
CVE-6722222-050000-30000-0 MCr 293.268 600 Tons
Bat Bear 2 2 Crew: 35
Bat 2 2 TL: 11
Cargo: 11, Fuel: 158, EP: 12, Agility: 1
Craft: 50T Modular Cutter, 30T Fuel Module, 6 x 15T Kurnass Fighter-Interceptor, 12 x 6T Dagger Attack Fighter
Fuel Treatment: On Board Fuel Purification
Architects Fee: MCr 2.613 Cost in Quantity: MCr 241.014
Detailed Description
HULL: 600 tons standard, 8,400 cubic meters, Dispersed Structure Configuration
CREW: Pilot, Navigator, 3 Engineers, Medic, 4 Gunners, 25 Flight Crew
ENGINEERING: Jump-2, 2G Manuever, Power plant-2, 12 EP, Agility 1
AVIONICS: Bridge, Model/2 Computer
ARMAMENT: 2 Triple Beam Laser Turrets organised into 2 Batteries (Factor-3)
DEFENCES: 4 Triple Sandcaster Turrets organised into 2 Batteries (Factor-5)
CRAFT: 50 ton Modular Cutter (Crew of 1, Cost of MCr 30), 30 ton Fuel Module (MCr 2.000), 6 x 15 ton Kurnass Fighter-Interceptors (Crew of 2, Sold Separately), 12 x 6 ton Dagger Attack Fighters (Crew of 1, Sold Separately)
FUEL: 158 Tons Fuel (2 parsecs jump and 28 days endurance, plus 26 tons of additional fuel), No Fuel Scoops, On Board Fuel Purification Plant
MISCELLANEOUS: 17.5 Staterooms, 11 Tons Cargo
COST: MCr 263.881 Singly (incl. Architects fees of MCr 2.613), MCr 209.014 in Quantity, plus MCr 32.000 of Carried Craft
CONSTRUCTION TIME: 99 Weeks Singly, 79 Weeks in Quantity
COMMENTS: Even with the construction of the Victorious class fleet carriers there was still a perceived need in the UMCN for ships to replace the ageing and less than ideal units of the Ranger class in the escort carrier role.
All four units of the Poor Richard class ("Bonhomme" was considered to be a bit too Froggish) were built at Galtswelt and were named for old American or British aircraft carriers.
The four units of the class were:
Poor Richard
Warrior
Enterprise
Hornet
Ship: Poor Richard
Class: Poor Richard
Type: Escort Carrier
Architect: Galtswelt Shipbulding
Tech Level: 11
CVE-6722222-050000-30000-0 MCr 293.268 600 Tons
Bat Bear 2 2 Crew: 35
Bat 2 2 TL: 11
Cargo: 11, Fuel: 158, EP: 12, Agility: 1
Craft: 50T Modular Cutter, 30T Fuel Module, 6 x 15T Kurnass Fighter-Interceptor, 12 x 6T Dagger Attack Fighter
Fuel Treatment: On Board Fuel Purification
Architects Fee: MCr 2.613 Cost in Quantity: MCr 241.014
Detailed Description
HULL: 600 tons standard, 8,400 cubic meters, Dispersed Structure Configuration
CREW: Pilot, Navigator, 3 Engineers, Medic, 4 Gunners, 25 Flight Crew
ENGINEERING: Jump-2, 2G Manuever, Power plant-2, 12 EP, Agility 1
AVIONICS: Bridge, Model/2 Computer
ARMAMENT: 2 Triple Beam Laser Turrets organised into 2 Batteries (Factor-3)
DEFENCES: 4 Triple Sandcaster Turrets organised into 2 Batteries (Factor-5)
CRAFT: 50 ton Modular Cutter (Crew of 1, Cost of MCr 30), 30 ton Fuel Module (MCr 2.000), 6 x 15 ton Kurnass Fighter-Interceptors (Crew of 2, Sold Separately), 12 x 6 ton Dagger Attack Fighters (Crew of 1, Sold Separately)
FUEL: 158 Tons Fuel (2 parsecs jump and 28 days endurance, plus 26 tons of additional fuel), No Fuel Scoops, On Board Fuel Purification Plant
MISCELLANEOUS: 17.5 Staterooms, 11 Tons Cargo
COST: MCr 263.881 Singly (incl. Architects fees of MCr 2.613), MCr 209.014 in Quantity, plus MCr 32.000 of Carried Craft
CONSTRUCTION TIME: 99 Weeks Singly, 79 Weeks in Quantity
COMMENTS: Even with the construction of the Victorious class fleet carriers there was still a perceived need in the UMCN for ships to replace the ageing and less than ideal units of the Ranger class in the escort carrier role.
All four units of the Poor Richard class ("Bonhomme" was considered to be a bit too Froggish) were built at Galtswelt and were named for old American or British aircraft carriers.
The four units of the class were:
Poor Richard
Warrior
Enterprise
Hornet
UMCS VICTORIOUS
Victorious-Class Light Fleet Carrier
Ship: Victorious
Class: Victorious
Type: Light Fleet Carrier
Architect: Freyaspace Corporation
Tech Level: 11
USP
CVL-B7244E3-050000-32000-0 MCr 1,655.287 2.4 KTons
Bat Bear 8 62 Crew: 175
Bat 8 62 TL: 11
Cargo: 47, Fuel: 676, EP: 96, Agility: 3 Shipboard Security Detail: 2
Craft: 3 x 50T Modular Cutter, 1 x 30T General Purpose Module, 15 x 15T Kurnass Fighter-Interceptor, 30 x 6T Dagger Attack Fighter
Fuel Treatment: On Board Fuel Purification
Architects Fee: MCr 15.633 Cost in Quantity: MCr 1,342.629
Detailed Description
HULL: 2,400 tons standard, 33,600 cubic meters, Dispersed Structure Configuration
CREW: 12 Officers, 163 Ratings
ENGINEERING: Jump-2, 4G Manuever, Power plant-4, 96 EP, Agility 3
AVIONICS: Bridge, Model/5fib Computer
ARMAMENT: 6 Triple Beam Laser Turrets organised into 6 Batteries (Factor-3), 2 Single Plasma Gun Turrets organised into 2 Batteries (Factor-2)
DEFENCES: 16 Triple Sandcaster Turrets organised into 8 Batteries (Factor-5)
CRAFT: 3 x 50 ton Modular Cutters with Fuel Modules(Crew of 1, Cost of MCr 30), 30 ton General Purpose Module (Cost of MCr 2), 15 x 15 ton Kurnass Fighter-Interceptors (Crew of 2, Sold Separately), 30 x 6 ton Dagger Attack Fighters (Crew of 1, Sold Separately)
FUEL: 676 Tons Fuel (2 parsecs jump and 28 days endurance, plus 100 tons of additional fuel), No Fuel Scoops, On Board Fuel Purification Plant
MISCELLANEOUS: 90 Staterooms, 47 Tons Cargo (Includes 20 additional berths for the Task Force commander and staff.)
COST: MCr 1,578.919 Singly (incl. Architects fees of MCr 15.633), MCr 1,250.629 in Quantity, plus MCr 92 of Carried Support Craft
CONSTRUCTION TIME: 135 Weeks Singly, 108 Weeks in Quantity
COMMENTS: The Victorious class light fleet carrier was the first effort by the navy of the newly formed Confederation of Ursa Major (a.k.a the Freya Pact) to build a true multi-role carrier that could keep up with its own escorts.
There were some critics who believed that the embarked fighter group of 45 fighters was too small to be truly effective. This lead to calls to build a larger ship that could carry 75 fighters in three "full" squadrons, or to trade off maneuver drive and power plant capacity in order to carry a larger force.
The problem with building a larger ship was that the existing design for the Victorious class had already come close to the upper allowable size, -- fifty-percent of shipyard capacity -- for construction in the yards on Freya and Galtswelt at that time in the early years of the Confederation. The navy, especially its Freyani cadre, also had extensive experiece with the slow merchant vessels that had been converted to "escort" carriers and had strongly objected to building any new ships that were slower than the escorting frigates and destroyers. This objection was reinforced by the inclusion of twenty additional personnel berths on board in order to allow Victorious class ships to used as the flagships of the carrier task forces.
Of the three units of the class, Victorious and Intrepid were built at Freya, and Glorious was built at Galtswelt.
_
Ship: Victorious
Class: Victorious
Type: Light Fleet Carrier
Architect: Freyaspace Corporation
Tech Level: 11
USP
CVL-B7244E3-050000-32000-0 MCr 1,655.287 2.4 KTons
Bat Bear 8 62 Crew: 175
Bat 8 62 TL: 11
Cargo: 47, Fuel: 676, EP: 96, Agility: 3 Shipboard Security Detail: 2
Craft: 3 x 50T Modular Cutter, 1 x 30T General Purpose Module, 15 x 15T Kurnass Fighter-Interceptor, 30 x 6T Dagger Attack Fighter
Fuel Treatment: On Board Fuel Purification
Architects Fee: MCr 15.633 Cost in Quantity: MCr 1,342.629
Detailed Description
HULL: 2,400 tons standard, 33,600 cubic meters, Dispersed Structure Configuration
CREW: 12 Officers, 163 Ratings
ENGINEERING: Jump-2, 4G Manuever, Power plant-4, 96 EP, Agility 3
AVIONICS: Bridge, Model/5fib Computer
ARMAMENT: 6 Triple Beam Laser Turrets organised into 6 Batteries (Factor-3), 2 Single Plasma Gun Turrets organised into 2 Batteries (Factor-2)
DEFENCES: 16 Triple Sandcaster Turrets organised into 8 Batteries (Factor-5)
CRAFT: 3 x 50 ton Modular Cutters with Fuel Modules(Crew of 1, Cost of MCr 30), 30 ton General Purpose Module (Cost of MCr 2), 15 x 15 ton Kurnass Fighter-Interceptors (Crew of 2, Sold Separately), 30 x 6 ton Dagger Attack Fighters (Crew of 1, Sold Separately)
FUEL: 676 Tons Fuel (2 parsecs jump and 28 days endurance, plus 100 tons of additional fuel), No Fuel Scoops, On Board Fuel Purification Plant
MISCELLANEOUS: 90 Staterooms, 47 Tons Cargo (Includes 20 additional berths for the Task Force commander and staff.)
COST: MCr 1,578.919 Singly (incl. Architects fees of MCr 15.633), MCr 1,250.629 in Quantity, plus MCr 92 of Carried Support Craft
CONSTRUCTION TIME: 135 Weeks Singly, 108 Weeks in Quantity
COMMENTS: The Victorious class light fleet carrier was the first effort by the navy of the newly formed Confederation of Ursa Major (a.k.a the Freya Pact) to build a true multi-role carrier that could keep up with its own escorts.
There were some critics who believed that the embarked fighter group of 45 fighters was too small to be truly effective. This lead to calls to build a larger ship that could carry 75 fighters in three "full" squadrons, or to trade off maneuver drive and power plant capacity in order to carry a larger force.
The problem with building a larger ship was that the existing design for the Victorious class had already come close to the upper allowable size, -- fifty-percent of shipyard capacity -- for construction in the yards on Freya and Galtswelt at that time in the early years of the Confederation. The navy, especially its Freyani cadre, also had extensive experiece with the slow merchant vessels that had been converted to "escort" carriers and had strongly objected to building any new ships that were slower than the escorting frigates and destroyers. This objection was reinforced by the inclusion of twenty additional personnel berths on board in order to allow Victorious class ships to used as the flagships of the carrier task forces.
Of the three units of the class, Victorious and Intrepid were built at Freya, and Glorious was built at Galtswelt.
_
Tuesday, July 24, 2007
Before And After
Starjammer Procyon-Class Bulk Cargo Carrier
Ship: Starjammer Procyon
Class: Starjammer Procyon
Type: Bulk Cargo Carrier
Architect: Eurospace
Tech Level: 11
USP
MH-A711121-000000-00000-0 MCr 306.099 1 KTons
Bat Bear Crew: 7
Bat TL: 11
Cargo: 540, Passengers: 8, Fuel: 212, EP: 10, Agility: 1
Craft:, 1 x 50T Modular Cutter, 1 x 30T Fuel Module
Fuel Treatment: On Board Fuel Purification
Architects Fee: MCr 2.741 Cost in Quantity: MCr 251.279
Detailed Description
HULL: 1,000 tons standard, 14,000 cubic meters, Dispersed Structure Configuration
CREW: Pilot, Navigator, 2 Engineers, Steward, Medic, 1 Flight Crew
ENGINEERING: Jump-1, 1G Manuever, Power plant-1, 10 EP, Agility 1
AVIONICS: Bridge, Model/2 Computer
ARMAMENT: None
CRAFT: 1 x 50 ton Modular Cutter (Crew of 1, Cost of MCr 30.000), 1 x 30 ton Fuel Module (Cost of MCr 2.000)
FUEL: 212 Tons Fuel (2 parsecs jump and 28 days endurance, plus 2 tons of additional fuel), No Fuel Scoops, On Board Fuel Purification Plant
MISCELLANEOUS: 15.0 Staterooms, 16 Low Berths, 8 High Passengers, 540 Tons Cargo
COST: MCr 276.840 Singly (incl. Architects fees of MCr 2.741), MCr 219.279 in Quantity, plus MCr 32.000 of Carried Craft
CONSTRUCTION TIME: 120 Weeks Singly, 96 Weeks in Quantity
COMMENTS: The Starjammer Procyon was designed and constructed by Eurospace Industries as a replacement for the Procyon Conveyer class bulk cargo carrier.
Ranger-Class Escort Carrier
Ship: Ranger (ex-Freyaspace Starjammer Dubhe)
Class: Ranger
Type: Escort Carrier
Architect: Eurospace Industries - Converted by the Freyaspace Yards on Freya
Tech Level: 11
USP
CVE-A711122-050000-40000-0 MCr 325.965 1 KTons
Bat Bear 4 1 Crew: 67
Bat 4 1 TL: 11
Cargo: 24, Fuel: 270, EP: 10, Agility: 0
Craft: 1 x 50T Modular Cutter, 1 x 30T Fuel Module, 14 x 15T Kurnass Fighter-Interceptor, 28 x 6T Dagger Attack Fighter
Fuel Treatment: On Board Fuel Purification
Architects Fee: MCr 2.940 Cost in Quantity: MCr 267.172
Detailed Description
HULL: 1,000 tons standard, 14,000 cubic meters, Dispersed Structure Configuration
CREW: Pilot, Navigator, 2 Engineers, Medic, 5 Gunners, 57 Flight Crew
ENGINEERING: Jump-1, 1G Manuever, Power plant-1, 10 EP, Agility 0
AVIONICS: Bridge, Model/2 Computer
ARMAMENT: 2 Triple Beam Laser Turrets organised into 1 Battery (Factor-4)
DEFENCES: 8 Triple Sandcaster Turrets organised into 4 Batteries (Factor-5)
CRAFT: , 50 ton Modular Cutter Crew of 1, Cost of MCr 30), 30 ton Fuel Module (Cost of MCr 2), 14 x 15 ton Kurnass Fighter-Interceptors (Crew of 2, Sold Separately), 28 x 6 ton Dagger Attack Fighters (Crew of 1, Sold Separately)
FUEL: 270 Tons Fuel (2 parsecs jump and 28 days endurance, plus 60 tons of additional fuel), No Fuel Scoops, On Board Fuel Purification Plant
MISCELLANEOUS: 34 Staterooms, 24 Tons Cargo
COST: MCr 296.904 Singly (incl. Architects fees of MCr 2.940), MCr 235.172 in Quantity, plus MCr 32.000 of Carried Craft
CONSTRUCTION TIME: 120 Weeks Singly, 96 Weeks in Quantity
COMMENTS: The Starjammer Procyon was designed and constructed by Eurospace Industries as a replacement for the Procyon Conveyer class bulk cargo carrier.
The Starjammer Dubhe and the Starjammer Alkaid were the only two members of the class owned by Freyaspace. both ships were turned over to the Freyan Navy for conversion to escort carriers and were renamed FNS Ranger and FNS Goddard.
Both ships participated in the campaign to liberate the planets Eos and Konkin.
Ship: Starjammer Procyon
Class: Starjammer Procyon
Type: Bulk Cargo Carrier
Architect: Eurospace
Tech Level: 11
USP
MH-A711121-000000-00000-0 MCr 306.099 1 KTons
Bat Bear Crew: 7
Bat TL: 11
Cargo: 540, Passengers: 8, Fuel: 212, EP: 10, Agility: 1
Craft:, 1 x 50T Modular Cutter, 1 x 30T Fuel Module
Fuel Treatment: On Board Fuel Purification
Architects Fee: MCr 2.741 Cost in Quantity: MCr 251.279
Detailed Description
HULL: 1,000 tons standard, 14,000 cubic meters, Dispersed Structure Configuration
CREW: Pilot, Navigator, 2 Engineers, Steward, Medic, 1 Flight Crew
ENGINEERING: Jump-1, 1G Manuever, Power plant-1, 10 EP, Agility 1
AVIONICS: Bridge, Model/2 Computer
ARMAMENT: None
CRAFT: 1 x 50 ton Modular Cutter (Crew of 1, Cost of MCr 30.000), 1 x 30 ton Fuel Module (Cost of MCr 2.000)
FUEL: 212 Tons Fuel (2 parsecs jump and 28 days endurance, plus 2 tons of additional fuel), No Fuel Scoops, On Board Fuel Purification Plant
MISCELLANEOUS: 15.0 Staterooms, 16 Low Berths, 8 High Passengers, 540 Tons Cargo
COST: MCr 276.840 Singly (incl. Architects fees of MCr 2.741), MCr 219.279 in Quantity, plus MCr 32.000 of Carried Craft
CONSTRUCTION TIME: 120 Weeks Singly, 96 Weeks in Quantity
COMMENTS: The Starjammer Procyon was designed and constructed by Eurospace Industries as a replacement for the Procyon Conveyer class bulk cargo carrier.
Ranger-Class Escort Carrier
Ship: Ranger (ex-Freyaspace Starjammer Dubhe)
Class: Ranger
Type: Escort Carrier
Architect: Eurospace Industries - Converted by the Freyaspace Yards on Freya
Tech Level: 11
USP
CVE-A711122-050000-40000-0 MCr 325.965 1 KTons
Bat Bear 4 1 Crew: 67
Bat 4 1 TL: 11
Cargo: 24, Fuel: 270, EP: 10, Agility: 0
Craft: 1 x 50T Modular Cutter, 1 x 30T Fuel Module, 14 x 15T Kurnass Fighter-Interceptor, 28 x 6T Dagger Attack Fighter
Fuel Treatment: On Board Fuel Purification
Architects Fee: MCr 2.940 Cost in Quantity: MCr 267.172
Detailed Description
HULL: 1,000 tons standard, 14,000 cubic meters, Dispersed Structure Configuration
CREW: Pilot, Navigator, 2 Engineers, Medic, 5 Gunners, 57 Flight Crew
ENGINEERING: Jump-1, 1G Manuever, Power plant-1, 10 EP, Agility 0
AVIONICS: Bridge, Model/2 Computer
ARMAMENT: 2 Triple Beam Laser Turrets organised into 1 Battery (Factor-4)
DEFENCES: 8 Triple Sandcaster Turrets organised into 4 Batteries (Factor-5)
CRAFT: , 50 ton Modular Cutter Crew of 1, Cost of MCr 30), 30 ton Fuel Module (Cost of MCr 2), 14 x 15 ton Kurnass Fighter-Interceptors (Crew of 2, Sold Separately), 28 x 6 ton Dagger Attack Fighters (Crew of 1, Sold Separately)
FUEL: 270 Tons Fuel (2 parsecs jump and 28 days endurance, plus 60 tons of additional fuel), No Fuel Scoops, On Board Fuel Purification Plant
MISCELLANEOUS: 34 Staterooms, 24 Tons Cargo
COST: MCr 296.904 Singly (incl. Architects fees of MCr 2.940), MCr 235.172 in Quantity, plus MCr 32.000 of Carried Craft
CONSTRUCTION TIME: 120 Weeks Singly, 96 Weeks in Quantity
COMMENTS: The Starjammer Procyon was designed and constructed by Eurospace Industries as a replacement for the Procyon Conveyer class bulk cargo carrier.
The Starjammer Dubhe and the Starjammer Alkaid were the only two members of the class owned by Freyaspace. both ships were turned over to the Freyan Navy for conversion to escort carriers and were renamed FNS Ranger and FNS Goddard.
Both ships participated in the campaign to liberate the planets Eos and Konkin.
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