 | | ||||||
The CONSTELLATION-Class Battleships are the REF's newest class of capital ships, designed for a slugging match with other capital ships. However, as the designator BB indicates, they are BATTLESHIPS, not Fighter Carriers, and as such only carry 05 FS-01
The main weapons of the CONSTELLATION-Class is their batteries of 06 Rail Launchers (See Weapons Systems, number 1). These provide more firepower than any vessel of similar size has ever before provided. The CONSTELLATION-Class ARE atmosphere-combat capable, and in fact can land a force of about 1,000 Marines under heavy fire if necessary, remaining on-station as close fire support. Although this is generally referred to as a waste of capabilities, since the ships can strike the same target from orbit and still fly anti-relief cover ("using a battleship as a tank"), the concept remains plausible just the same. To date, this has occurred once, during the relief of Uridane on Sedgewick, and has not been nor is likely to be repeated. The original ships of this class were not quite bilaterally symmetrical; The upper hull flared out slightly from the lower hull, creating the "saucepan" look. The UGC recently authorized a conversion to smooth out the sides for a fully bilateral symmetrical profile, with the additional spaces added to the lower hull being converted to additional crew berthing and crew survivability machinery spaces. The CONSTELLATION-Class is actually a variant on a much older design from the Clingohn Alliance, which had in turn inherited them from the Federate when that empire was invaded. The ships in question were the Ambassador-Class, itself a variation on the Saucer/Engineering/FTL Nacelle design commonly referred to as the "Space Eagle" configuration. The CONSTELLATION-Class was re-aligned to a stronger hull configuration, where the "head" was fitted directly over the engineering hull, making response faster and hull integrity more robust, as the "neck" had been removed. On the "Space Eagle" configuration, only one pair of FTL nacelles were installed, these on flimsy wing-like outriggers that were attached to the engineering hull. For the CONSTELLATION-Class, a singly, much shorter and fatter outrigger stretching from the engineering hull to a cross member which reached out to attach the FTL nacelles. This gave them much greater structural integrity and doubled the thrust systems, so that if a pair were taken off line (as could easily happen in a dynamic environment battle, such as in space) there would still be a pair on-line. A pair of T'sentraedi-style heavy laser turrets were installed, one ventral and one dorsal, with an early version of the L-22/35 Rail Launcher as the main weapons systems. Another rail launcher designed for space fighters was installed pointing to the stern; This one was actually quite a bit bigger than necessary, Being originally conceived for a QUILTRA DRAENITZS-Class Cruiser, until it was realized the CONSTELLATION-Class was simply too small to do that job and the idea was abandoned. The tunnel that would have been the Cruiser Bay was reconfigured as a fighter bay, with the Spacer Space Fighter being envisioned first, then re-configured to the Spacer II Space Fighter when the Spacer Space Fighters were refitted with missile packs. There are CONSTELLATION-Class configured for other types of fighters as well, including two, UGS HUNTER and UGS STALKER, configured for atmospheric fighters (HUNTER exclusively carries the F/A18 Hornet Fighter, while STALKER carries a combination of F/A-18 Hornet Fighters, F/A-22 Raptor Stealth Fighters, F-4U Corsair Fighter, and 01 B-25 Mitchell III Bomber, with the recent addition of 01 de Havilland DH.98 Mosquito as part of the testing and evaluation process- the crew reports the Mosquito is a good plane, but difficult to launch from the ship, and it probably won't be staying; no explanation why the Mitchell III isn't difficult to launch has yet been offered.) Note: The IKAZUCHI-Class is scheduled to remain in service as a Fighter Carrier; The advent of the CONSTELLATION-Class is not planned, intended, or capable, of relieving the IKAZUCHIS of this duty. As time passes and technology develops, the ships will eventually be transferred in full to the Patrol, then to regional customs enforcement. Current Status. The adoption of the CONSTELLATION-Class Battleship was mostly meant for its diplomatic implications than their militry applications; They are quite outdated by REF standards, and even by Atran standards aren't exactly the sort of front-line defenders one might expect. The Clingohn Empire was more or less forced to take them on, as so many of this class of ship was able to escape the Remulous Empire's advance across the Federate- Most limping into safe territory. The Clingohns were loath to destroy them- They were a symbol of Remulous treachery, study hulls, and in any case there were so many that it would be difficult to just abandon them outright. The UGC has no actual use for battleships- Their utility eclipsed decades ago. But much as the Clingohns were forced to press them into service, so too was the REF as a diplomatic move, a subtle nod that Atran and more so Clingohn technology was not ‘inferior,' even though it really was. The plan was to stop building hulls after 100 years, then rotate the hulls to the Patrol over the next hundred years, and finally to the regional forces over the next century after that. That plan remains intact. Name: REF CONSTELLATION-Class Battleship Model Type: Battleship Crew: 100 Passengers: Another 250 can be accommodated. MDC By Location: | |||||||
| Main Hull- Bridge- External Hatches (about 150)- | 10,000 1,000 150 each | Internal Hatches (up to 10,000)- Fighter Hanger Doors (5)- Thrusters (10)- | 100 each 500 each 10,000 each | ||||
| Speed and Statistical Data: | |||||||
| Spacefold: Equipped. FTL: Factor 10 Cruising Speed: Mach 20 In Atmosphere: Mach 20 Clearance: 2,000 feet Beam: 1,500 feet Length: 200,000 feet Weight: 20 million tons Cargo: 50,000 tons | Power Systems: Primary: AMRS-1,O02 (Anti-Matter) Lifespan: 200 years. Secondary: Solar Sails Lifespan: Unlimited, but can not achieve FTL; Used for station keeping in system. Tertiary: Emergency Batteries 20,000 Lifespan: 10,000 hours on emergency power status. Cost and Availability: 100 million credits; Extremely rare. Black Market: Not available; Even re-habed T'sentraedi warships are worth more, and not NEARLY as expensive. The REF can't even sell reclaimed ones as warehouses, and are forced to scrap them out (at a cost of some 80,000 credits). | ||||||
| Weapons Systems: | |||||||
| 1. Automated Rail Missile Launcher Battery (06): 06 "Rail Launchers" are positioned at strategic locations around the hull, giving a complete 360 degree coverage of fire. The weapons launch what is, essentially, an LRM in the body of an MRM. The warheads preferred by ship commanders are High-Explosive, though Reflex are often used as well. The redesign of the system to use an electromagnetic rail gun system provides an INCREDIBLE rate of fire, while the relatively compact size increases payload. This system is scheduled to fully replace ALL missile launcher systems eventually. Missile Type: Effectively any MRM or LRM. Purpose: Anti-Ship. MD: Varies by type used. Note: The size of the warhead has no bearing on the size of the engine. Effective Range: 18,000 miles. Note: Though the missile has FAR less engine, it still has GREATER range. Rate of Fire: TEN times per melee. Payload: Up to 100,000. 2. T'sentraedi Style Heavy Laser (2): Still a highly effective design, it is an REF standard weapon throughout the fleet. Each CONSTELLATION-Class Battleship carries 02 of these turrets, one dorsal, one ventral. MD: 1D4 times 100 per blast. Rate of Fire: Twice per melee. Range: 200,000 miles. Payload: Unlimited. | 3. 30 Missile Turrets Scattered across the ship. The turrets are nomally concealed within the ship's hull, but rise up when needed to attack the enemy. Each turret can rotate 360° with a 180° arc of fire. Missile Types: Any type of Long Range Missile can be used. Reflex missiles are commonly used to avoid hitting friendly aircraft. MD and Range: Varies. Rate Of Fire: Each turret can fire one missile once per melee. Payload: Effectively unlimited (hundreds of missiles). 4. Defensive Laser Batteries (200): Each vessel has at least 200 defensive laser batteries for anti-missile and meteorite defense. MD: 5D6 per blast. Rate of Fire: Per gunners attacks per melee plus bonuses (generally 4 or 5 per melee). Range: 500 feet. Payload: Unlimited. 5. Ships, Fighters, Power Armor, and Robots: Shuttles- 01 Any type, though typically it will be a ROIL TILUVO-Class Assault Corvette or ROIL LIHINAL-Class Gunboat. Space Fighters- 05 (mostly for scout and spotting duties). | ||||||
| Features: | |||||||
|
| ||||||
| |||||||
