TL16.FZ.Valkyrie.txt

Folks --

As promised, included below is my experiment with the edges of the
BL/FF&S rules, the 12G acceleration _Valkyrie_ Interceptor.  While
there may be some minor errors in the design since this was one of
the first craft I built with the new rules, I think that everything
has been interpreted properly.

Notice that the stats start off with _Battle Rider_ information.
While it is simple enough to derive this from the ship, I find
that including it is useful as a short summary of the craft's
capabilities.

Comments are welcome!

 --Steve


_Valkyrie_ Interceptor (Early Production)

BATTLE RIDER:

FZ Valkyrie
 --                      0
 --                  TL-16
 --                    --
L(x1) 10:1-1-0-0    M:0(2)
A:12 P:3 Msk       (S) G12
AV:4                   --
 --                      4

GENERAL
  Displacement:  50 tons       Hull Armor:  120
  Length:        22.4 meters   Volume:      700 cubic meters
  Target Size:   VS            Tech Level:   16
  Config'n.:     Cylinder AF   Price:    MCr 53.5
  Mass (Loaded/Empty): 882.4/854.6 metric tonnes

ENGINEERING
  Power Plant:       558 MW Fusion (558 MW/hit), 1 month duration
  Jump Performance:  nil
  G-Rating:          12G (44 MW/G), CG Lifters (5 MW)
  G-Turns:           70, 5.52 cubic meters ea.
  Maint:             8

ELECTRONICS
  Computer:  2 x TL16St (0.6 MW ea.)
  Commo:     1000 AU maser (infinite, 0.6 MW)
  Avionics:  TL10+ Avionics, TL16 Terrain Following Avionics
  Sensors:   PEMS fixed array 90 Mm (3 hex, 0.04 MW)
             AEMS 360 Mm (12 hex, 11 MW)
  Controls:  2 x workstation/crew G-tanks
  ECM/ECCM:  EM Masking (0.7 MW)

ARMAMENT
  Offensive:  1 x TL16 144 MJ laser lance (Loc. 1; Arc 1; 4 MW; no crew)
                 10:(1/10)-30  20:(1/10)-30  40:(1/4)-15  80:(1/2)-7
                          2 x AF grapples for standard missiles

ACCOMODATIONS
  Life Support:   Extended (0.14 MW)
                  Artificial Grav (7G, 3.5 MW)
  Crew:           2 (1 x Maneuver/Gunner, 1 x Engineer)
  Accomodations:  1 x Sm Stateroom (0.0005 MW)
  Cargo:          0.408 cubic meters
  Airlocks:       1 hatch

SYSTEMS
  LS 5H; ELS 2H; LT 1H; MD 1H; PP 1H; SSR (2h); AG (2h); CG (2h);
  Others (1h)

DAMAGE TABLES:
  AREA (1d20)  SURFACE       INT. EXPLOSION
  1            1: Ant.       1-14: Laser; 15-20: Electronics
               2: EMMR
  2-3                        1-7: Electronics; 8-20: Fuel
  4-5                        1-2: Weapon; 3-9: Elec.; 10-20: Fuel
  6-7          1: Hatch      1-16: Quarters; 17-20: Fuel
  8-9                        Fuel
  10,12-13                   1-5: Quarters; 6-20: Fuel
  11,14-15                   Fuel
  16-19                      1-16: Engineering; 17-20: Fuel
  20                         Engineering

Fuel scoops refuel in 40.6 minutes.  No purification.

The _Valkyrie_ was a very high-tech interceptor design which was being
developed by the Third Imperium in the early 1100s.  Unlike the lighter
9-ton _Iramda_, _Dragonfly_, and _Rampart_ fighters commonly seen in
Imperial service, the _Valkyrie_ was based on the 50-ton "heavy fighter"
model.  Heavy fighters trade stealth for the ability to carry additional
equipment, usually heavier weapons and more armor.  In the _Valkyrie_,
much of the additional available space was put into a high-performance
maneuver drive.  The primary mission of these craft was to intercept
enemy vessels and occupy them until reinforcements had a chance to
arrive.

The 12G maneuver drive installed in the fighter can make a squadron on
maneuvers perform maneuvers which can only be performed by missiles, and
the fighter has many more G-hours available than a standard missile does.
Imperial G-compensation technology was stretched to its' limits in order
to allow the crew to withstand so much acceleration for even a short
time.  Ensconced in their G-tanks and with the 7G compensators operating
at full capacity, the crew can function continuously at accelerations
of up to 10G, or 9G of evasion, with no ill effect.  Above these levels,
all tasks are one difficulty level more difficult per additional G-turn
applied.  Most crews are therefore equipped with neural links so that
they can regain a difficulty level under extreme maneuvers.  Even so,
accelerations above 10G are used only for brief periods and under very
specific circumstances.  Unfortunately, Virus-infected craft are not
bound by this restriction, as they need carry no organic crew.
Fortunately, such craft are quite rare.

The _Valkyrie_ design is very tight.  The original prototype had fiber
optic computers installed, but these were removed in later models on
the grounds that they were too expensive, and the space filled with a
small cargo bay and additional fuel.  A compact tech-16 144 MJ laser
was installed which replicated the performance of the tech-15 laser
lance of the same power.  The fighter can carry two fully-independent
missiles.  Both crew members are somewhat overworked, one with flying
and fighting the craft, the other with baby-sitting the gigantic
propulsion system.  Since the vehicle has no airlock, but only an access
hatch, the vehicle must be depressurized in order to perform an EVA,
but this is typical in fighter designs.  Facilities are provided to
allow the _Valkyrie_ to make extended patrols or sweeps of an area, a
traditional heavy fighter role.

While performing well in tests by the Massilia Fleet and Deneb Fleet,
two flaws exist in this vehicle.  First, she is somewhat under-armed
for her size, and second, she is a bigger sensor target than the
typical 9-ton fighter.  Additional missile grapples might be installed,
but at the cost of a G of performance; a slightly larger HEPlaR thruster
to help address this problem was proposed for the next variant.  Some
experiments with robotic assistance to lighten crew workload were also
performed.

Combat advice:  Note that if you aren't going to be using all twelve
gees of acceleration, you can overpower the laser x10 and pick up the
-2 bonus.

  Steve Bonneville
  <bonnevil@mermaid.micro.umn.edu>