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SLS Reuben James: An Experiment in Sub-Capital Weapons
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master arminas
Clan Goliath Scorpion
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Joined: 07-Mar-2007 16:14
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Location: United States
PostPosted: 29-Sep-2011 00:48    Post subject: SLS Reuben James: An Experiment in Sub-Capital Weapons Reply to topic Reply with quote

Here is design that I did to highlight just how effective sub-capital weapons can be, especially on smaller ships. Let me know what you think!

MA

Code:
                    AeroTech 2 Vessel Technical Readout
                               * CUSTOM WEAPONS

Class/Model/Name:  Reuben James
Tech:              Inner Sphere / 2750
Vessel Type:       WarShip
Rules:             Level 2, Custom design
Rules Set:         AeroTech2

Mass:              420,000 tons
K-F Drive System:  (Unknown)
Length:            551 meters
Sail Diameter:     994 meters
Power Plant:       Standard
Safe Thrust:       4
Maximum Thrust:    6
Armor Type:        Ferro-carbide
Armament:         
    2 Barracuda
   16 Light SC Cannon*
   32 Light SC Laser*
   14 Stingray*
   16 Medium SC Cannon*
   16 Medium SC Laser*
    2 NAC/10
   14 Piranha*
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
==Overview:==
SLS Reuben James was an experimental prototype commissioned in 2766.  Designed
as an Escort Corvette (designated as hull number DLE-1477), this vessel
incorporated the first known examples of what would later become known as
'sub-capital' weaponry.  In reality, these weapons were based upon the
original armament for capital ships that were quickly superseded by newly
developed Naval Autocannon, Naval Lasers, and Naval PPCs during the early
decades of the 24th Century.

The design itself proved a success during the war against Stefan Amaris and
the campaign to liberate Terra from his occupation.  Unfortunately, with the
original design schematics and shipyards the victims of a nuclear terror
attack at Caph, it would prove impossible to duplicate the systems during this
time.  SLS Reuben James departed from the Inner Sphere on General Kerensky's
Exodus and has not since been seen.

==Capabilities:==
In order to save time, the development team for the Reuben James decided to
use a mothballed Vincent class Corvette.  The basic design and hull form were
retained, as were the powerful transit drives and well-tested K/F compact
core.  The interior of the ship was completely gutted, however, and the
internal decks and fixed weapons revamped.

Much of the refit consisted in the installation of larger fuel tanks, with a
total onboard storage capacity of 14,228 tons of fuel in four armored fuel
bunkers.  This nearly unprecendented quantity of fuel provided the Reuben
James with the ability to maneuver at high g-ratings for an extended time, and
also provided more than sufficient stores to replenish the tanks of its dozen
aerospace fighters and four small craft.  Two grav decks (each measuring
115-meters in diameter) were installed directly forward of the transit drives,
alleviating yet another failing of the old Vincents.  The crew quarters were
given special attention, and each spacer aboard--including aerospace fighter
pilots, techs, and small craft crews--were provided with their own private
compartment.  These quarters, while they were admittedly spartan and cramped
for space, provided each spacer with their own private space, a luxury that
the first crew aboard the Reuben James droned on and on about.

Total crew requirements increased to three hundred and thirteen men and women,
including gunners, officers, parasite crews, technical support teams, and the
twenty-eight man strong Marine Rifle Platoon embarked for shipboard security.
In addition, space was provided for up to forty-seven passengers.  Provisions
and life support were stocked in sufficient quantities to allow for
deployments of up to one standard year before requiring resupply, and sixty
escape pods were fitted to the hull allowing for the evacuation of the entire
ship's complement in the event of a catastrophe.

The internal structure of the Vincent was heavily reinforced to support the
installation of 502 tons of ferro-carbide armor plating--giving the Reuben
James better protection than a Fleet Destroyer massing a quarter of a million
tons more than the new ship.  Twenty-one thousand tons of spare parts was
stored aboard ship, and space was provided for an additional twenty-one
thousand and fifteen tons of general cargo.

All of the remaining tonnage was spent on weapons, cooling systems, and
auxiliary power generators.  The Reuben James retained the two nose mounted
Barracuda launchers of the older Vincent, along with the Class 10 Naval
Autocannon in the fore-quarters, but all other weapons were removed in toto.
The Barracuda magazines were increased to a total of sixty missiles, while
each of the NAC-10s was provided with 50 rounds of fire.

In addition to these true Capital guns, a diverse assortment of Sub-capital
guns was installed.  The nose featured two Light SC Cannons (50 rounds each),
four Light SC Lasers, two Stingray SC Missile Launchers (30 missiles each),
two Medium SC Cannons (50 rounds each), and two Medium SC Lasers.  This
armament was repeated on the fore-quarters, broadsides, and stern-quarters
arcs.  In addition, the six flank arcs also mounted two Piranha SC Missile
Launchers with 30 missiles each.  The stern was the weak point of the design,
possessing the Piranhas, but removing the Stingrays.  Six hundred and
thirty-eight tons of heat sinks, power amplifiers, auxiliary power generators,
and heat exchangers were installed to allow the Reuben James to make full use
of its extensive firepower.

The final result was an Escort ship that still cost less than two billion Star
League dollars, yet had more than six times the firepower of a Vincent.
Firepower that could be used against hostile small craft and aerospace
fighters much easier than than standard Capital weapons.  Combined with the
vessels high rate of thrust and heavy armor plating, this weapons arrangement
even posed a threat to other Capital ships, albeit at closer ranges than most
Corvette skippers cared to maintain.

During the Liberation of Terra, the Reuben James engaged regiment after
regiment of Rim Worlds fighters as they attempted to attack the vulnerable
troop carriers she was escorting; but time and time again, the plucky little
corvette made short work of Amaris's aerospace assets.  Her crew's valor
during the campaign prompted General Kerensky himself to award the vessel a
Distinguished Unit Citation, which the commanding officer had framed in brass
and welded to the aft bulkhead on the vessel's bridge.

==Battle History:==
Mothballed on arrival at the Pentagon worlds, SLS Reuben James was hurriedly
recommissioned when Nicolas Kerensky led his second Exodus to Strana Mechty.
Assigned to Clan Wolverine, CWS Reuben James participated in Operation
Klondike with skill and honor, earning a second DUC, from Nicolas Kerensky. 

During the flight of the Wolverines, Reuben James was one of the vessels that
shepherded the Clan's civilian castes away from the battles.  She survived the
long journey back to the Inner Sphere and took aboard several refugees at the
Draconis Combine world of Richmond.  Contacted by ComStar, the Wolverines--or
the Star League in Exile, as they often refered to themselves as--accepted the
offer to resettle on Terra.  Reuben James became part of ComStar's clandestine
Fleet anchored at the uninhabitated Ross 248 system.

Seized by spacers loyal to the World of Blake during the Schism, the ship
retired to Gibson where she was rechristened the Blake's Fury.  Her
sub-capital systems were dissected and studied in detail, until finally the
Word could begin to produce new sub-capital weapons with which to arm their
pocket warships.  Unfortunately for the Reuben James, her name change proved
to be an unlucky one; she was one of of everal Word warships lost during Case
White while attempting to defend Terra from the ComStar attack.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Class/Model/Name:  Reuben James
Mass:              420,000 tons

Equipment:                                                            Mass 
Power Plant, Drive & Control:                                      100,800.00
Thrust:  Safe Thrust: 4
      Maximum Thrust: 6
Kearny-Fuchida Hyperdrive:  Compact (Integrity = 10)               190,050.00
Jump Sail (Detachable): (Integrity = 4)                                 51.00
Structural Integrity: 60                                            25,200.00
Total Heat Sinks:    1,131 Double                                      638.00
Fuel & Fuel Pumps:                                                  14,513.00
Bridge, Controls, Radar, Computer & Attitude Thrusters:              1,050.00
Fire Control Computers:                                                   .00
Food & Water:  (360 days supply)                                       648.00
Armor Type:  Ferro-carbide  (438 total armor pts)                      502.00
                           Capital Scale Armor Pts
   Location:                            L / R
   Fore:                                 75
   Fore-Left/Right:                   75/75
   Aft-Left/Right:                    75/75
   Aft:                                  63

Cargo:
   Bay 1:  Fighters (12) with 6 doors                                1,800.00
   Bay 2:  Small Craft (4) with 2 doors                                800.00
   Bay 3:  Cargo (1) with 2 doors                                   21,015.00

Grav Decks #1 - 2:  (115-meter diameter)                               200.00
Escape Pods:  60 (7 tons each)                                         420.00

Crew and Passengers:
     43 Officers (43 minimum)                                          430.00
     86 Crew (86 minimum)                                              602.00
    112 Gunners (112 minimum)                                          784.00
     47 2nd Class Passengers                                           329.00
     28 Marines                                                        140.00
     44 Bay Personnel                                                     .00
Weapons and Equipment      Loc        SRV    MRV    LRV    ERV  Heat    Mass
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2 Barracuda(60 msls)       Nose         4      4      4      4   20  1,980.00
2 Light SC Cannon*(100 rounNose         4      4      4     --   24    450.00
4 Light SC Laser*          Nose         4      4      4     --   96    600.00
2 Stingray*(60 msls)       Nose         7      7     --     --   24    960.00
2 Medium SC Cannon*(100 rouNose        10     10     --     --   60  1,100.00
2 Medium SC Laser*         Nose         4      4     --     --   56    400.00
1 NAC/10(50 rounds)        FL/R        10     10     10     --   60  4,020.00
2 Piranha*(60 msls)        FL/R         6      6      6     --   36  1,600.00
2 Light SC Cannon*(100 rounFL/R         4      4      4     --   48    900.00
4 Light SC Laser*          FL/R         4      4      4     --  192  1,200.00
2 Stingray*(60 msls)       FL/R         7      7     --     --   48  1,920.00
2 Medium SC Cannon*(100 rouFL/R        10     10     --     --  120  2,200.00
2 Medium SC Laser*         FL/R         4      4     --     --  112    800.00
2 Piranha*(60 msls)        L/RBS        6      6      6     --   36  1,600.00
2 Light SC Cannon*(100 rounL/RBS        4      4      4     --   48    900.00
4 Light SC Laser*          L/RBS        4      4      4     --  192  1,200.00
2 Stingray*(60 msls)       L/RBS        7      7     --     --   48  1,920.00
2 Medium SC Cannon*(100 rouL/RBS       10     10     --     --  120  2,200.00
2 Medium SC Laser*         L/RBS        4      4     --     --  112    800.00
2 Piranha*(60 msls)        AL/R         6      6      6     --   36  1,600.00
2 Light SC Cannon*(100 rounAL/R         4      4      4     --   48    900.00
4 Light SC Laser*          AL/R         4      4      4     --  192  1,200.00
2 Stingray*(60 msls)       AL/R         7      7     --     --   48  1,920.00
2 Medium SC Cannon*(100 rouAL/R        10     10     --     --  120  2,200.00
2 Medium SC Laser*         AL/R         4      4     --     --  112    800.00
2 Piranha*(60 msls)        Aft          6      6      6     --   18    800.00
2 Light SC Cannon*(100 rounAft          4      4      4     --   24    450.00
4 Light SC Laser*          Aft          4      4      4     --   96    600.00
2 Medium SC Cannon*(100 rouAft         10     10     --     --   60  1,100.00
2 Medium SC Laser*         Aft          4      4     --     --   56    400.00
1 Lot Spare Parts (5.00%)                                           21,000.00
44 Bay Personnel Quarters                                              308.00
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
TOTALS:                                            Heat: 2,262     420,000.00
Tons Left:                                                                .00

Calculated Factors:
Total Cost:        1,905,889,024 C-Bills
Battle Value:      93,723
Cost per BV:       20,335.34
Weapon Value:      35,507 (Ratio = .38)
Damage Factors:    SRV = 2,671;  MRV = 2,671;  LRV = 2,109;  ERV = 372
Maintenance:       Maintenance Point Value (MPV) = 218,815
                   (57,272 Structure, 137,805 Life Support, 23,738 Weapons)
                   Support Points (SP) = 536,400  (245% of MPV)
BattleForce2:      Not applicable
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