From: Charles Taylor <charles.taylor@c...>
Date: Thu, 26 Apr 2001 19:47:08 +0100
Subject: [FT] SENTRI Drones.
No, not a _new_ system this time, but something inspired by the towed
decoy drones used by one (or more) of Laserlight's Islamic Federation designs.
Also inspired by the 'WHISKERS' used on the Seaquest.
SENTRI Drone system
(SENsors Tactical Reconnaissance / Interception)
Each SENTRI drone is a small remote/autonomous pilotless vehicle;
TMF: 2 NPV: 6 Hull: 1 (Super) Thrust: 12 (could be as high as 14 depending how
close you want to push the rounding) Sensors: Basic
Support equipment upon the ship consists of:
Extra FTL to 'tug' patrolling drones 2 MASS, COST 4 ('tugs' up to 6 SENTRI
drones) Small service bay (hanger with 2 mass capacity) 3 MASS, COST 9
Total: MASS 5, COST 13
This set-up can support a flight of 6 drones + 1 spare in the bay.
SENTINAL Drones
(SENsors Tactical / INterception - Armoured ******)
A larger version:
TMF: 3 NPV: 6 Hull: 1 (Average) Armour: 1 Thrust: 8 (could be as high as 9
depending how close you want to push the rounding) Sensors: Basic
Support equipment upon the ship consists of:
Extra FTL to 'tug' patrolling drones 2 MASS, COST 4 ('tugs' up to 4 SENTRI
drones) Small service bay (hanger with 6 mass capacity) 9 MASS, COST 27
(double bay to get around a rounding problem)
Total: MASS 11, COST 31
This set-up can support a flight of 4 drones + 2 spare in the bay.
(in 'reality' both types of drone are smaller - but require extra remote
operations equipment on the parent ship)
USAGE
Both drones can of cause function as banzai jammers, of cause, but could also
be used as remote sensor platforms (ok, they only have a basic
sensor system - but they are fast).
I just like the idea of having a number of small drones orbiting my
Sol-class SDN-X :-)
An alternative possibility is to treat them as a special form of
screening fighter - with no weaponry, but an ability to stop incoming
missiles (sacrificial), as well as have individual ones fly off and
scan things - but the way I've outlined them above can be done just
using the fleet books. In this case, the 'support system' is effectively a
fighter hanger.