Playing around with my little corner of the Tuffleyverse:
The NPC (original sanctioned colonists of the planets in the two star systems
I have my little wars in) have the biggest (and original) ship yards in the
systems. The original designs were system defense
boats/cruisers under NAC sponsorship and Technically the "Coast Guard"
type force (name still has not jelled) is under delegated NPC authority from
the NAC and required to protect the various political faction
recognized by the NAC as "NAC constituent" (NPC, LLR, NEA - although
they
refuse to pay for the ships operations - ) members and "auxiliary/guest
tenants" (IJK, RRR) groups but not the PHR 'cult' from outside threats.
The two designs I have come up with are the 'Patrol Boat" - CSAR, SAR,
Revenue cutter, anti-smuggler patrol (there have been ships intercepted
tied to groups within the NEA running WMD materials without
documentation,) and anti-piracy detection missions; the "Patrol cruiser"
design to act in 'short of war' anti-pirate or alien/outside forces
raider type missions (although the border of that role has been gray several
times) or in combat support of the "Patrol Boats." Needless to say the ratio
of PB to PC is high (10 to 2.)
PB Hull Mass 30 (okay, it's a bit big but it was used as a practice model for
later FTL light ship designs and the ["Space Coast Guard" name TBD]
decided to use these non-FTL ships for their purposes.)
Integrity 3 (average) - 3/2/2/2 Hull boxes
Main Drive 4 FTL None FCS 2 Beam 2, 3 arc x 2; F, FS, AS and F, FP, AP. Beam 1
x 3 PDS 4 (used 'close in' (6") for ship to ship on occasion, damage on a 6, 1
point, no rerolls) Armor 2 (2 armor boxes)
PC Hull Mass 80
Integrity strong (4) - 8/8/8/8 Hull Boxes
Main Drive 6 FTL None
FCS - 2
Beam 2, 3 arc x 4 (as above only in pairs) Beam 1 x 4
PDS - 4 (used 'close in' (6") for ship to ship on occasion, damage on a
6, 1 point, no rerolls) Armor 6 (6 armor boxes)
Comments solicited.
Gracias,
> --- Glenn M Wilson <triphibious@juno.com> wrote:
I'd also have a swarm of little Patrol Craft also. I
use a mass-14 boat that's modular--mix of Salvo Missle
modules and Class 2 modules in any squadron. Makes for nastiness.
> PC
In my humble opinion, that's a waste. I'd strip them out and add a Beam 3 or
PT. Or at least, a pair of Beam 2s.
On Sat, 26 Jan 2002 18:23:52 -0800 (PST) John Atkinson
> <johnmatkinson@yahoo.com> writes:
I agree but there are several reasons why they are there:
NAC believes they can 'support' PDS's in a pinch
NAC puts them on ships (remember who partially bank-rolled the NPC and
almost fully bankrolled the ship yard and whose designs were the basis of the
early NPC designs) NAC paid a larger percentage of cost of early designs to
encourage the building of the ship yard and exercised more control on design
process.
NPC space navy (mostly own designs) thinks the Beam 1 is a "wasteful
compromise" between a Beam 2 and a PDS. Said Navy likes Beams (size 2 and 3,)
Needle Beams (very selectively,) Pulse torpedo, PDS, (limited use of) MTM,
'filler' Submunitions (no more then 1per ship) and some armor. Said Navy
dislikes SM's (Budget restraints,) Screens (capital ships have
Screen-1 in the old designs that make up the Heavies in the Line of
Battle - such as it is...) and 'exotic weaponry.'
NPC managed 'Space Coast Guard' - "SCG" - [real name still pending] gets
95% of maintenance costs from NPC, LLP and SAI; nothing from NEA; 'Fees' from
IJK and 'grants' from RRR. Development of new designs is a much debated but
never implemented item in NPC budgets. The LLP avoids the
subject vigorously and the SAI policy is plain - "You want it , you pay
for it." The NEA parties all have one thing in common, lobbying
(unsuccessfully) for the NAC to turn control over to a 'joint commission'
which they think they could politically come to control. Most personnel of the
"SCG" are NPC, SAI (!) and LLR citizens in that order.
The SCG grew to 12 fairly quickly, maxx'ed out at 15 and the last three
(original small craft) scrapped were not replaced due to 'budget constraints'
and the ship yard being scheduled full of commercial and military craft
building.
Gracias,
Glenn,
For a SAR vsl I would also look for a pinnance or two hangared for support
(think helicopters today). Multi unit searches are much more efficient.
For CSAR you generally know where the target is (Hopefully they are talking to
you by radio), but you have to have the force to go in and get them. In a CSAR
role I would see one PC providing escort for 2 PBs in a low threat environment
and the same setup escorted by a larger force for higher threat. Again your
support craft (pinnance, shuttle whatever) would be the ones that go in and
make contact (make contact with your smallest maneuver element).
Nice designs and if I can get over lethargy I have promised to provide Tomb
some CG mission stuff converted to Space.
Bob Makowsky
[quoted original message omitted]