Guantanamo Class Stealth Carrier

RPG Stats by Daniel Henwood (dhenwood@hotmail.com)
Design layout adapted from DAVE DEITRICH (deitrich@mcs.net)
Background info provided by the MACROSS ONLINE COMPENDIUM

BACKGROUND

The GuantanamoCarrier is the new breed of ARMD Platform, where the original ARMD Platforms where limited movement Variable Fighter Carriers, only capable on intra-system journeys, the GuantanamoCarrier is a fully mobile Carrier in space, capable of sub-light speeds, and equipped with Fold Drives for long distance inter-stellar Folds. The Guantanamo Carrier is the most prevalent Carrier within the UN Spacy Fleet with at least 6 per Fleet, and every VF pilot will have served aboard one at one time or another. These Carriers are an important part of any Fleet serving as both middle line Combat Vessels and Fighter Carriers at the same time. When assigned to New Macross Class Colonisation Fleet's they can also be attached to the Sunflower Class Agricultural Platforms to serve as Defence for them should they become separated from the rest of the Fleet. Due to their inexpensive cost, ships of the same type were deployed in massive numbers as the main-force carrier of colonization fleets.

RPG STATS

Crew: 985 total

Command Tower: 74

Main Ship: 741

VF Pilots: 140

Troops: 30

MDC BY LOCATION:

(1) Main Body                                  12,000
(2) Command Tower                               2,000
(2) Sensor Array (on top of Command Tower)        350
(3) Main Engines/Power Plants (2)               5,000 each
(3) Secondary Engines (4)                       1,500 each
(3) Small Guidance thrusters (24)                 200 each

    Anti-Ship Laser Cannons (4)                   500 each
    Heavy Missile Launchers (2)                   400 each
    Retractable Laser Turrets (30)                300 each
    Retractable Missile Turrets (6)               250 each

    Small Airlocks/Access Hatches (30)            250 each
    Large Airlocks/Access Hatches (4)             500 each
    Main Flight Deck                            5,000
    Outer Hull (per 40ft area)                    120
    Interior walls (per 20ft)                      20
(4) Pin Point Barriers (4)                      2,500 each

1. Depleting the MDC of the main body will put the Carrier out of commission. All internal systems will shut down, including life support and internal gravity. The ship itself will be an unsalvageable floating wreck.
2. Destroying the command tower will instantly kill the command staff and deprive the ship of all forms of long range communications, radar and targeting. The range and targeting capabilities of the secondary systems are equal to that of a VF-11 Thunderbolt. The ship can still operate, but is at -3 on initiative, -3 to strike, and number of attacks per melee of the weapon systems are reduced by half. Destroying the main sensory array atop the command tower will have the same effect, but the command staff will not be killed instantly.
3. Depleting the MDC of the main engines will force the ship to rely on its secondary engines. Depleting the MDC of the main engines AND secondary engines will leave the ship adrift in space. If in an atmosphere, the ship will crash (destruction of the main engines will render the antigravity system useless due to loss of power).
4. The Pinpoint Barriers regenerate at a rate of 1,250 MD per second (2,500 MD per melee round). If destroyed, a barrier will completely regenerate within 2 seconds (1 melee rounds). See the Pinpoint Barrier System entry for details.

SPEEDS:

Speed(sublight): 0.20 speed of light (32,000 miles per second)

Speed(Auxiliary Drives): Mach 3
Space Fold: Range Unlimited (1 light year every 6 minutes)
Planet bound:

Can land if necessary but not designed to maneuver in an atmosphere. Can only land in a body of water (does not have landing gear).

Maximum Range: Unlimited (estimated 20 year life span, which can be extended with regular maintenance and overhauls)

STATISTICAL DATA:

Length: 400 m

Weight: 9,500 tons

Power System:

ORTEC/General Galaxy Main reactor

Fold System:

ORTEC/Shinnakasu/General Galaxy Advanced Fold Cluster

Sublight Drive:

ORTEC/Centinel Impulse Drive Cluster

Gravity Control System: Internal

Auxiliary Engine:

Shinnakasu/Shinsei Industries/Agar Nuclear Pulse Rocket Motor Cluster

Sensor System: Standard & Subspace Mass Detector

WEAPON SYSTEMS:

1. ANTI-SHIP LASER CANNONS (4): The main weapon systems of the Guantanamo Carriers are the four Anti-Ship Laser Cannons. The Laser Cannons allow the Carriers to engage in ship to ship combat despite their primary role as Variable Fighter Carriers. The Cannons are capable of causing severe damage to enemy vessels daring to attack the small Carriers often suprising their opponents.

• PRIMARY PURPOSE: Heavy Assault
• SECONDARY PURPOSE: Anti-Warship
• RANGE: 100,000 miles (160,000 km)
• DAMAGE: 1D8x1000 M.D. per blast
• RATE OF FIRE: Twice per melee.
2. HEAVY MISSILE LAUNCHERS (2): To back up the Anti-Ship Laser Cannons, the Guantanamo Carriers have been equipped with two heavy missile launcher tubes that launch ICBM-like missiles at enemy ships. The missile tubes resemble torpedo launchers and are mounted alongside the main laser cannons on each side of the ship. The launchers contain long-range nuclear or reflex missiles and are usually used only during assaults and heavy combat.

• PRIMARY PURPOSE: Assault
• SECONDARY PURPOSE: Anti-Warship
• RANGE: 3,000 miles (4824 km)
• SPEED: Mach 2 (1340 mph/2140 kmph) in an atmosphere.
• DAMAGE: 4D6x1000 M.D.
• BLAST RADIUS: 3,000 feet (915 m)
• RATE OF FIRE: The rapid reload system used on the missile launchers allows each tube to be loaded and fired once per round.
• PAYLOAD: A typical Carrier carries 20 missiles in storage that can be readied for firing in about 30 minutes. Additional missiles can be carried if deemed necessary.
• NOTE: These missiles CANNOT be used by variable fighters. Each missile is approximately the same size as a VF-11 Thunderbolt. Variable fighters that require nuclear ordinance usually carry RMS-1 Anti-Warship long range missiles.
3. RETRACTABLE LASER TURRETS (20): The greatest threats to Guantanamo Carriers is enemy Mecha, hence the large number of Anti-Aircraft weapons equally distributed across the surface of the Carriers. These Close in Weapons Systems,(CIWS,) can either be computer or manually controlled and do not suffer the negative modifiers to hitting attacking Mecha, that larger Starship based weapons do. The Laser Turrets are retractable and are hidden beneath sliding panels in the hull normally.

• PRIMARY PURPOSE: Defence
• SECONDARY PURPOSE: Anti-Mecha
• RANGE: 5 miles (8 km)
• DAMAGE: 2D6x10 M.D. per shot
• RATE OF FIRE: Each cannon can fire four times per melee. The cannons can fire individually or be combined to fire a single volley.
• PAYLOAD: Unlimited.
4. RETRACTABLE MISSILE TURRETS (6): For anti-aircraft defense the Carriers are armed with medium-range missile launchers set at key locations along the ship's hull. Each launcher contains 6 missile tubes allowing volleys of up to 6 missiles to be fired at a single target per launcher. Once depleted, the missile launchers are reloaded by an automated loading system that takes 15 seconds (one melee round) to reload all 8 missiles. Armor-piercing smart missiles are usually used to avoid chances of friendly fighters being shot down by the missiles.

• PRIMARY PURPOSE: Anti-Aircraft
• SECONDARY PURPOSE: Anti-Warship
• MISSILE TYPES: Any type of UN Spacy Medium Range Missile can be used. Smart missiles are commonly used to avoid hitting friendly aircraft.
• RANGE: Varies, typically 60 miles (80.4 km).
• SPEED: Varies, typically 1600mph (2571kmph).
• DAMAGE: Varies, typically 2D4x10 M.D.
• BLAST RADIUS: Varies, typically 15 feet.
• RATE OF FIRE: Volleys of 2, 4 or 6 missiles per launcher.
• PAYLOAD: Each launcher holds 6 missiles. Once the missiles are expended the launcher is reloaded within 1 round via an automated system. The reload system holds 36 missiles per launcher.
5. PINPOINT BARRIER DEFENSE SYSTEM: Originally developed by researchers onboard the SDF-01 Macross during Space War One, the Pinpoint Barrier System is a standard defense system on board all UN Spacy starships, including the Guantanamo Carriers. The system generates four small disc-shaped force fields that can be positioned anywhere along the ship to deflect missiles, energy beams or projectiles. Each pinpoint barrier is about 200 ft (61 m) in length and can absorb up to 2,500 MD in damage, which then regenerates within four seconds (1 melee round). The barriers can also be layered on top of each other to generate a field which provides 10,000 MDC and can even deflect heavy particle beams (sometimes).

The four barriers are controlled by operators in the command tower of the carrier. These operators are instructed to defend (1) the command tower, bridge, and sensor array, (2) main engines, (3) hangar bays, and (4) weapon systems, in that order. The operators primarily concentrate on defending the ship against larger spacecraft and leave defense against mecha attacking the carrier to the VF pilots.

• PRIMARY PURPOSE: Defense (the pinpoint barrier system cannot be used as a weapon)
• RANGE: Up to 300 feet (91.5 m) from the surface of the vessel.
• DAMAGE CAPACITY: Can sustain up to 2,500 MD per round. Regenerates at a rate of 2,500 MD per melee round.
• RADIUS: 200 ft (61 m)
• DEFENSIVE MOVEMENT: Can move from one end of the carrier to the other in less than a single round. Trained operators can attempt to block attacks up to 8 times per melee (counts as a parry) and are at 7 to block. Untrained characters can parry up to their number of hand-to-hand attacks with their normal parry bonuses only.
• PAYLOAD: Nearly inexhaustible. Will work as long as system is functional (see below) and engines are intact. If main engines are destroyed, the barrier will loose power and not function.
• NOTE: If all four barriers are grouped in a single spot they can deflect a heavy particle beam attack, such as the one generated by the Macross Cannon, Zentraedi/Varuta command warships, and some Protodeviln. However, the beam will completely destroy all four barriers and put incredible strain on the pinpoint barrier system, to the point where it may short out. After deflecting an energy beam, roll percentile dice on the table below to determine additional effects/damage.

• 01-05: Lucked out, system will be operational in 1D6 hours.
• 06-20: Minor damage, system will require 4D6 hours to repair.
• 21-35: Major damage, system will require 2D6x10 hours to repair (yes, DAYS of work).
• 36-64: Completely destroyed! System can be rebuilt, but will require new parts and 2D6 DAYS of work to replace.
• 65-79: Major damage, system will require 2D6x10 hours to repair.
• 80-94: Minor damage, system will require 4D6 hours to repair.
• 95-99: Lucked out, system will be operational in 1D6 hours.
• 00: It's a miracle! Trivial damage only, system will be operational again in only 4D6 melee rounds!

SYSTEMS OF NOTE:

• ANTIGRAVITY PROPULSION SYSTEM: The Guantanamo Carriers are equipped with an anti-gravity propulsion system used for planetary landings and liftoffs. The system is good for vertical ascent/descent only and can lift the ship at speeds of up to 1,320 feet (400 m) per minute. The system will function so long as the main engines can supply energy to it.
• STEALTH COMPOSITION: The Carriers feature a 'stealth' hull which gives them advantage over enemy ships. This stealth composition hull disrupt enemy radar and tracking systems, making it difficult for them to lock onto the Carrier with sensors and weapons. This gives the Carrier a +2 to dodge, +2 to strike and +1 on initiative in combat WITH OTHER STARSHIPS ONLY. VFs and other close-range combat mecha are not affected by these systems, nor are Protodeviln.
• HYPERSPACE COMMUNICATIONS: Based on the same technology as the space fold system, the hyperspace communications relay allows faster-than-light communication between UN Spacy starships and other vessels or planetary bases. Hyperspace communications are still not instantaneous, however. Audio/video communication travels through hyperspace at a rate of about 1 second per light year, so messages communicated over vast distances can still take seconds or minutes to arrive.
• LIFE SUPPORT SYSTEMS: The Stealth Carriers have sufficient life support to provide breathable air and comfortable temperatures for 750 people for up to 20 years (air is recycled). In an emergency the life support system can support up to 1,000 people at one time, though living conditions onboard will get extremely cramped at that point. The carrier also holds sufficient food and water to support 750 people for up to 6 months.
• LONG-RANGE LASER/SATELLITE RELAY COMMUNICATIONS: The impressive communications array of the Stealth Carrier can communicate with up to 1,000 craft simultaneously at ranges of up to 900 miles (1,440 km). This range can be boosted indefinitely by using satellites or other spacecraft as to relay communications.
• LONG-RANGE RADAR: The radar array of the Stealth Carrier is equally as impressive as the communication system, and can track and identify up to 2,000 craft simultaneously. The radar system has a 2,000 mile/3,200 km range.
• SPACE FOLD SYSTEM: For FTL propulsion, the Stealth Carrier is equipped with an ORTEC/Shinnakasu/General Galaxy Advanced Fold System Cluster, capable of propelling the carrier through hyperspace at speeds up to 3.28x10^10 mps (5.25x10^10 kmps), or 1 light year per 6 minutes. The range of the fold drive is theoretically unlimited except by the life expectancy of the spacecraft.
• SUBLIGHT ENGINES: As a backup to the Fold System, the Stealth Carrier is equipped with ORTEC/Centinel Impulse Drive Cluster engines that can propel the craft at speeds up to 0.20 speed of light (32,000 miles per second) in space. Note that these engines are mainly intended for rapid movement inside a planetary system and are not suited for long voyages between star systems. In a planetary atmosphere the Carrier is limited to speeds of Mach 3 maximum due to hull stress.
• SUBSPACE MASS SENSORS: The Guantanamo Carriers are equipped with subspace sensors, which are based on the same principles as the hyperspace communications array. These sensors can essentially instantly detect mass readings and movement of objects up to 1 AU (93 million miles) distant from the Carrier, and the readings are used both for early warning and for navigation when travelling at sublight speeds. Readings taken with the subspace sensors are not very detailed (-25% penalty when trying to identify a detected object) and cannot detect objects of less than 60,000 kg (this includes most variable fighters).

MECHA COMPLEMENT (STANDARD):

• VF-11C Thunderbolt: 108 (9 Squadrons) on active status.

REFERENCES USED IN THIS DESIGN

• "Doe's All The Worlds' Starship Guide: Guantanamo Class Stealth Carrier Entry"
• Macross 7 TV series