Solomani Confederation (Military)

[Condottiere]

Confederation Navy: Standard Torpedo Mix

1. Advanced, technological level fourteen, budget/increased size, thrust fifteen, seven dice, smart, 68'750.00 starbux
2. Multi warhead Standard, technological level ten, budget/increased size, accurate, thrust ten, four dice, smart, 100'000.00 starbux
3. Standard, technological level seven, budget/increased size, thrust ten, six dice, smart, 37'500.00 starbux
4. Multi warhead nuclear, technological level ten, budget/increased size, accurate, thrust ten, six dice, smart, radiation, 200'000.00 starbux
5. Nuclear, technological level seven, budget/increased size, thrust ten, eight dice, smart, radiation, 56'250.00 starbux
6. Plasma, technological level fourteen, budget/increased size, thrust ten, accurate, one deadly die, smart, armour piercing ten, 178'750.00 starbux
7. Antiradiation, technological level fourteen, budget/increased size, accurate, thrust ten, six dice times ten tonnes, smart, 100'000.00 starbux
8. Antiradiation, technological level twelve, budget/increased size, accurate, thrust ten, six dice, smart, 75'000.00 starbux
9. Ortillery, technological level eight, budget/increased size, thrust six, three deadly die, smart, 250'000.00 starbux
10. Ortillery, technological level ten, budget/increased size, thrust six, accurate, three deadly die, smart, 333'333.34 starbux
11. Electromagnetic pulse, technological level eleven, budget/increased size, accurate, thrust ten, four dice times ten, ion, smart, 63'250.00 starbux
12. Electromagnetic pulse, technological level nine, budget/increased size, thrust ten, four dice times ten, ion, smart, 75'666.67 starbux

a. multi warhead cost seems multiplied by 0.375
b. three way split seems damage reduction by either one fourth, or one third
c. multi warhead also seems one technological level up from default

 

[Condottiere]

Confederation Navy: Standard Missile Mix

1. Advanced, technological level fourteen, budget/increased size, thrust fifteen, five dice, smart, 21'875.00 starbux
2. Standard, technological level seven, budget/increased size, thrust ten, four dice, smart, 15'625.00 starbux
3. Multi warhead, technological level ten, budget/increased size, thrust ten, accurate, three dice, smart, 62'500.00 starbux
4. Long range, technological level eight, budget/increased size, thrust fifteen, three dice, smart, 31'250.00 starbux
5. Long range, technological level ten, budget/increased size, thrust fifteen, accurate, three dice, smart, 41'666.67 starbux
6. Standard, technological level seven, budget/increased size, thrust ten, six dice, smart, 37'500.00 starbux
7. Jumpbreaker, technological level thirteen, budget/increased size, thrust ten, six dice, smart, 62'500.00 starbux
8. Nuclear, technological level six, budget/increased size, thrust ten, six dice, radiation, smart, 28'125.00 starbux
9. Nuclear, technological level eight, budget/increased size, thrust ten, accurate, six dice, radiation, smart, 37'500.00 starbux
10. Ortillery, technological level six, budget/increased size, thrust six, one deadly die, smart, 18'750.00 starbux
11. Ortillery, technological level eight, budget/increased size, thrust six, accurate, one deadly die, smart, 25'000.00 starbux
12. Fragmentation, technological level eight, budget/increased size, thrust fifteen, three dice, smart, 12'500.00 starbux
13. Fragmentation, technological level ten, budget/increased size, thrust fifteen, accurate, three dice, smart, 16'666.67 starbux
14. Decoy, technological level nine, budget/increased size, thrust fifteen, two dice, smart, 21'875.00 starbux
15. Decoy, technological level eleven, budget/increased size, thrust fifteen, accurate, two dice, smart, 29'166.67 starbux
16. Shockwave, technological level seven, budget/increased size, thrust ten, six dice, smart, 12'500.00 starbux

 

[Condottiere]

Confederation Navy: Armaments and Railgun Spinal Mount

1. Since it's become canon that the Confederation Navy has an exceptional interest in missiles, I thought I'd look in the possible advantages of this form of warfare in Traveller, and investigate a ordnance concentric capital starwarship.

2. By the fifth millenia, only two variants make sense, the factor one and the factor six.

3. The factor one in order to obtain the spinal mount damage potential.

4. The factor six to maximize it.

5. Nothing inbetween is worthwhile since the railgun is only really effective in planetary sieges, rather like a trebuchet.

6. Throwing something at an object with a predictable route is pretty easy, especially since gravitationless inertia will carry the twenty tonne slug much further than medium range.

7. Because if your primary weapon system is limited to medium range, you either have to close with the enemy, or be in a position where the enemy has to close with you.

8. Otherwise, like with planetary sieges, you stand off beyond the normal weapon ranges, and just chuck things at them.

9. Coincidentally, twenty tonne slugs is what large mass driver bays chuck, and cost the same.

 

[Condottiere]

Confederation Navy: Armaments and Railgun Spinal Mount

10. There are two other competitors for the honour to be primus inter pares, more or less.

11. An equivalent particle accelerator spinal mount, is basically double the tonnage, and double the cost, though you do get more range and radiation.

12. This includes the fact that the particle accelerator needs twice the power plant, but excludes the need of ammunition stowage and cost for the railgun.

13. With the introduction of the meson gun spinal mount at technological level twelve, the railgun spinal mount was permanently obsoleted.

14. An equivalent meson spinal mount is about thirteen percent larger, has the same energy requirements, around eighty percent more expensive, which gets you more range, radiation and armour ignorance, when compared to the railgun spinal mount.

15. Being inventors of meson guns, the Terrans, and their Solomani successors, would certainly equip their capital ships with meson gun spinal mounts.

16. While it didn't matter at this point, the maximum size and destructive power of the mesons were seventy five kay tonnes and twenty dice.

17. And the railgun spinal mounts were capped at twenty one kay tonnes and six dice.

18. The three possible advantages that railguns spinal mounts have over meson spinal mounts were factor one was half the size, technological level was two points lower, and meson screens.

19. But that applies a bit more to particle accelerator spinal mounts, despite requiring twice the juice.


Notes

a. Railgun, technological level thirteen, factor six, sixteen thousand eight hundred tonnes
medium range, three thousand power points, six dice, thirty nine hundred megastarbux
forty one hundred megastarbux

b. Particle accelerator, technological level fourteen, factor six, sixteen thousand eight hundred tonnes
long range, six thousand power points, six dice, seventy eight hundred megastarbux, radiation
eighty two hundred megastarbux

c. Meson, technological level fourteen, factor three, nineteen and one eighth thousand tonnes
long range, three thousand power points, six dice, seventy two hundred megastarbux, radiation, armour ignorance
seventy four hundred megastarbux

 

[Condottiere]

Confederation Navy: Armaments and Railgun Spinal Mount

20. The hull needed to support a factor six railgun spinal mounted with capital ship capabilities wouldn't be worth the comparative cost to that of an equivalent particle accelerator or meson spinal mounted one.

21. The best option is a monitor type, something like the eighteen inch Lord Clive class, careful to avoid contact with a combat orientated warship.

22. Outside of the railgun spinal mount, the rest of the armament would be focussed on point defence and anti smallcraft optimized weapons.

23. Arguably, you could install the factor one version into a cruiser, who might have more luck getting closer to a target.

24. This variant would be constructed at technological level ten, sacrificing seven hundred tonnes in exchange for what should be much easier maintenance.

25. In Confederation Navy definition, any cruiser sized ship with a spinal mount would be classified as a heavy cruiser.

26. Add in lots of torpedo and missile launchers, and you actually would have a bombardment cruiser.

27. On a monitor hull, you could classify it as a bomb ketch, unless a bomb ketch is for a vessel with even a smaller railgun or mass driver.

28. High Guard seems pretty clear that either a bay based mass driver or a railgun has only a short range.

29. Which only leaves the rather inaccurate small bayed General Purpose Mass Driver, with a very long range.


Notes

a. Railgun, technological level ten, factor one, thirty five hundred tonnes
medium range, five hundred power points, one dice, five hundred megastarbux
five hundred thirty four megastarbux

b. Mass driver, technological level eight, budget/increased size, sixty tonnes, dice modifier minus four if target can manoeuvre or evade
very long range, ten power points, four dice, three megastarbux
four megastarbux

c. Mass driver, technological level nine, budget/increased size, easy to repair, sixty tonnes, dice modifier minus four if target can manoeuvre or evade
very long range, ten power points, four dice, three and two fifths megastarbux
four and two fifths megastarbux

 

[Condottiere]

Confederation Navy: Standard Missile Mix

1. Dogfight, technological level ten, budget/increased size, thrust fourteen, close range, one dice, smart, 1'171.875 starbux, dice modifier plus four attack, 0.025 tonnes
2. Dogfight, technological level twelve, budget/increased size, thrust fourteen, accurate, close range, one dice, smart, 1.5625 starbux, dice modifier plus four attack, 0.025 tonnes
3. Interceptor, technological level ten, budget/increased size, thrust fourteen, short range, two dice, smart, 3'906.25 starbux, dice modifier plus two attack, 0.05 tonnes
4. Interceptor, technological level twelve, budget/increased size, thrust fourteen, accurate, short range, two dice, smart, 5'208.34 starbux, dice modifier plus two attack, 0.05 tonnes

 

[Condottiere]

Confederation Navy: Standard Freefall Ordnance Mix

1. High explosive bomb, technological level four, one dice, one tenth of a tonne, fifteen hundred starbux, armour piercing twenty, blast twenty
2. Heavy bomb, technological level four, three dice, one tonne, eight thousand starbux, armour piercing thirty, blast thirty
3. Earthquake bomb, technological level four, five dice, ten tonnes, one hundred kilostarbux, blast two hundred fifty

Guided munition, technological level seven, smart, cost plus fifty percent

 

[Condottiere]

Confederation Navy: Meson Gun Bayed Weapon Systems

1. Meson gun, large, technological level fourteen, budget/increased size, one hundred twelve and a half power points, two deadly dice, three hundred and twelve and a half megastarbux, armour ignorance, radiation, very long range, energy efficient
2. Meson gun, small, technological level fourteen, budget/increased size, five power points, eight dice, sixty two and a half megastarbux, armour ignorance, radiation, long range, seventy five percent energy efficient
3. Meson gun, small, technological level fourteen, budget/increased size, twenty power points, eight dice, sixty two and a half megastarbux, armour ignorance, radiation, very long range, energy efficient
4. Meson gun, small, technological level eleven, budget/increased size, twenty power points, eight dice, thirty seven and a half megastarbux, armour ignorance, radiation, long range


Notes

a. I actually wanted to do this all collectively in one shot, but I got trapped in the complexity, and probably will have to re-examine it as a whole, once all implications hit me, whether cost benefit, weapon system competitiveness, and/or volume.

b. small bay is sixty tonnes.

c. large bay is six hundred, with plus one damage per die in general, and plus four dice modifier for three kay tonne plus targets.

d. number four was designed as a relatively cheap variant that would allow fairly low level worlds for their planetary defence a rather nasty surprise in case of an attack.

e. number two was designed for constant harassment, rather than for a knock out blow.

 

[Condottiere]

Confederation Navy: Kinetic Bayed Weapon Systems

1. Torpedo, large, technological level nine, budget/increased size, twenty five power points, thirty megastarbux, thirty launchers, three hundred sixty magazine
2. Missile, large, technological level seven, budget/increased size, fifty power points, one hundred twenty five megastarbux, one hundred twenty launchers, fourteen hundred forty magazine
3. Railgun, large, technological level twelve, budget/increased size, seventy five power points, ninety megastarbux, four dice, automatic six, short range, twelve magazine
4. Mass driver, large, technological level eight, budget/increased size, forty power points, one hundred twenty megastarbux, two deadly die, short range, six magazine


Notes

a. going by the above, torpedo facilities are dirt cheap, and you'd have to assume adding in a bay in the hull should cost something.

b. default magazine seems to be one hundred twenty tonne magazines (or one hundred forty four in the above), basically twenty four percent of volume; remove twenty two percent of volume, and you have a one shot weapon system.

c. assume you could have one in the chamber, which if the captain wants to risk it, would have thirteen salvos.

d. one gunnery work station would be half a tonne.

e. thirty seven and a half tonnes divided by three would be twelve and a half tonne torpedo launcher, by twelve would be three and one eighth tonne missile launcher.

f. so that would be the principal reason the Confederation Navy uses combination launcher quadruple turrets, which gives it, if more expensive, a third more torpedoes, but a third less missiles; opportunity cost indicates that you could in theory double both amounts, since you would have dual use launchers, and targets are likely to be selected by tonnage.

g. despite possible malfunctions, torpedoes are likely to be used in a mass strike against a large target.

h. missiles would be used against smaller targets.

i. in comparison, I don't know if a railgun would be worth it, even with upgrades, because it doesn't appear to have a secondary use, and at best, you're likely shooting at large targets at medium range.

j. in theory, a mass drive could be tweaked for secondary functions, but energy weapon systems are probably better alternatives.

k. the reason for using a missile or torpedo bay is to ensure optimal use of their respective ordnance in mass strikes.

 

[Condottiere]

Confederation Navy: Energy Bayed Weapon Systems

1. Plasma pulse, large, technological level fourteen, budget/increased size, three hundred power points, eight dice, three hundred and forty megastarbux, medium range, energy efficient, automatic eight
2. Plasma pulse, medium, technological level fourteen, budget/increased size, ninety power points, eight dice, seventy six and a half megastarbux, medium range, energy efficient, automatic eight
3. Plasma pulse, small, technological level fourteen, budget/increased size, ninety power points, six dice, fifty one megastarbux, medium range, energy efficient, automatic six
4. Fusion gun, large, technological level fourteen, budget/increased size, two hundred and twenty power points, two deadly die, fifty megastarbux, medium range, accurate
5. Fusion gun, medium, technological level fourteen, budget/increased size, eighty power points, two deadly die, sixteen megastarbux, medium range, accurate
6. Fusion gun, small, technological level fourteen, budget/increased size, fifty power points, one deadly die, eight megastarbux, medium range, accurate
7. Ion cannon, small, technological level fourteen, budget/increased size, twenty power points, one dice times ten, fifteen megastarbux, long range, ion


Notes

a. fusion gets a full range so far, since it seems to be a favoured weapon system by the Confederation Navy.

b. plasma pulse may be an interesting advancement on quickfirers.

 

[Condottiere]

Confederation Navy: Armaments and Meson Gun Spinal Mounts

Current
1. Meson gun, technological level fourteen, factor ten, sixty three and three fourths kilotonnes, long range, ten thousand power points, twenty dice, twenty four thousand megastarbux, radiation, armour ignorance
2. Meson gun, technological level fourteen, factor five, thirty one and seven eighths kilotonnes, long range, five thousand power points, ten dice, twelve thousand megastarbux, radiation, armour ignorance
3. Meson gun, technological level fourteen, factor two, twelve and three fourths kilotonnes, long range, two thousand power points, four dice, forty eight hundred megastarbux, radiation, armour ignorance
4. Meson gun, technological level fourteen, factor one, six and three eighths kilotonnes, long range, one thousand power points, two dice, twenty four hundred megastarbux, radiation, armour ignorance

Out of production
5. Meson gun, technological level fourteen, factor four, twenty seven kilotonnes, long range, four thousand power points, eight dice, eighty eight hundred megastarbux, radiation, armour ignorance
6. Meson gun, technological level thirteen, factor two, thirteen and a half kilotonnes, long range, two thousand power points, two dice, forty four hundred megastarbux, radiation, armour ignorance
7. Meson gun, technological level thirteen, factor one, six and three quarters kilotonnes, long range, one thousand power points, one dice, twenty two hundred megastarbux, radiation, armour ignorance
8. Meson gun, technological level twelve, factor two, fifteen kilotonnes, long range, two thousand power points, two dice, four thousand megastarbux, radiation, armour ignorance
9. Meson gun, technological level twelve, factor one, seven and a half kilotonnes, long range, one thousand power points, one dice, two thousand megastarbux, radiation, armour ignorance


Notes

a. seems kinda obvious that the Confederation Navy would have factor ones and twos.

b. the Zeus class would have to be able to be knock out Imperium battleships before they can do that to them, since as battlecruisers they wouldn't be designed to absorb the expected blowback.

 

[Condottiere]

Confederation Navy: Armaments and Combination Missile/Torpedo Launcher

Turret, default
1. single, two tonnes, technological level seven, two and one fifth megastarbux
2. double, three tonnes, technological level eight, four and a half megastarbux
3. triple, four tonnes, technological level nine, seven megastarbux
4. quadruple, five tonnes, technological level twelve, ten megastarbux

 

[Condottiere]

Confederation Navy: Armaments and Combination Missile/Torpedo Launcher

Hardpointed mounted fixture
1. single, one tonne, technological level seven, two and one tenth megastarbux
2. double, two tonnes, technological level seven, four and one fifth megastarbux
3. triple, three tonnes, technological level seven, six and three tenths megastarbux
4. quadruple - not this edition

Firmpointed mounted fixture
1. single, one tonne, technological level seven, two and one tenth megastarbux
2. double, two tonnes, technological level seven, four and one fifth megastarbux
3. triple - I've never bothered

 

[Condottiere]

Confederation Navy: Armaments, Pulsations, and I(r)onerymongery

1. Basically, stuff that doesn't permanently harm a spaceship, just incapacitates it temporarily.

2. Jumpbreaker missiles are expensive and relatively slow, but some relationships you just want to keep clinging to; so mix one in a salvo of shockwave missiles.

3. Against a really valuable target, I guess you can splurge out more to ensure a hit.

4. Since I foresee a heavy usage of pulse lasers by the Confederation Navy, their starwarships carry a stock of shockwave missiles.

5. Using bayed ion cannons seems a waste of resources against the general run of spacecraft, since you're likely to miss, and you have to close to medium range to use them; my estimation is that you probably need at least a hundred to seriously effect a cruiser's operations.

6. Ion cannons and torpedoes aren't what we would be familiar with in Star Wars, where one successful hit knocks out power long enough to kamikaze the bridge, or get shoved into a neighbouring star destroyer.

7. Which would leave us with the barbette variant, which should be enough to deal with small merchantmen.

8. While inherently more expensive, electro magnetic pulse torpedoes would more likely be used by the Confederation Navy, since they could be used en masse against a major combatant, at a distance.

 

[Condottiere]

Confederation Navy: Armaments, Range and Weapon Systems

Distant
1. Torpedoes, priority two kay tonne targets
2. Missiles, long range, priority small spacecraft
3. Spinal mounted railgun, stationary targets
4. Mass driver, stationary targets
5. Torpedoes, ortillery, priority ground targets/non manoeuvring spacecraft

Very long range
1. Large bayed very long ranged meson guns, priority three kay tonne plus targets
2. Torpedoes, priority two kay tonne targets
3. Missiles, long range, priority small spacecraft
4. Missiles, advanced/decoy/fragmentation, priority small spacecraft
5. Missiles, multi warhead/nuclear/shockwave/standard, priority approaching small spacecraft
6. Pulse lasers long ranged, priority small spacecraft

Long range
1. Spinal mounted meson gun, priority ten thousand and one tonne plus targets
2. Large bayed very long ranged meson guns, priority three kay tonne plus targets
2. Torpedoes, priority two kay tonne targets
3. Missiles, long range, priority small spacecraft
4. Missiles, advanced/decoy/fragmentation/multi warhead/nuclear/shockwave/standard, priority small spacecraft
5. Missiles, ortillery, priority ground targets/non manoeuvring spacecraft
6. Pulse lasers long ranged, priority small spacecraft

Medium range
1. Spinal mounted meson gun, priority ten thousand and one tonne plus targets
2. Large bayed very long ranged meson guns, priority three kay tonne plus targets
3. Medium bayed accurate fusion guns, priority two thousand and one tonne plus targets
4. Small bayed accurate fusion guns, priority two thousand and one tonne plus targets
5. Medium bayed plasma pulse energy efficient cannons, priority two thousand and one tonne plus targets
6. Small bayed plasma pulse energy efficient cannons, priority two thousand and one tonne plus targets
7. Turreted accurate plasma pulse cannons, priority small spacecraft
8. Barbetted low orbit long ranged ion cannon, priority small spacecraft
9. Torpedoes, priority two kay tonne targets
10. Missiles, advanced/decoy/fragmentation/multi warhead/nuclear/shockwave/standard, priority small spacecraft
11. Missiles, ortillery, priority ground targets/non manoeuvring spacecraft
12. Pulse lasers long ranged, priority small spacecraft
13. Beam lasers accurate, priority small spacecraft
14. Fusion gun, priority small spacecraft
15. Plasma pulse energy efficient cannon, priority small spacecraft

 

[Condottiere]

Confederation Navy: Armaments, Range and Weapon Systems

Short range
1. Spinal mounted meson gun, priority ten thousand and one tonne plus targets
2. Large bayed very long ranged meson guns, priority three kay tonne plus targets
3. Medium bayed accurate fusion guns, priority two thousand and one tonne plus targets
4. Small bayed accurate fusion guns, priority two thousand and one tonne plus targets
5. Medium bayed plasma pulse energy efficient cannons, priority two thousand and one tonne plus targets
6. Small bayed plasma pulse energy efficient cannons, priority two thousand and one tonne plus targets
7. Turreted accurate plasma pulse cannons, priority small spacecraft
8. Barbetted low orbit long ranged ion cannon, priority small spacecraft
9. Torpedoes, priority two kay tonne targets
10. Missiles, advanced/decoy/fragmentation/multi warhead/nuclear/shockwave/standard, priority small spacecraft
11. Missiles, ortillery, priority ground targets/non manoeuvring spacecraft
12. Pulse lasers long ranged, priority small spacecraft
13. Beam lasers accurate, priority small spacecraft
14. Fusion gun, priority small spacecraft
15. Plasma pulse energy efficient cannon, priority small spacecraft
16. Missiles, interceptor, priority torpedoes or missiles

Close range
1. Spinal mounted meson gun, priority ten thousand and one tonne plus targets
2. Large bayed very long ranged meson guns, priority three kay tonne plus targets
3. Medium bayed accurate fusion guns, priority two thousand and one tonne plus targets
4. Small bayed accurate fusion guns, priority two thousand and one tonne plus targets
5. Medium bayed plasma pulse energy efficient cannons, priority two thousand and one tonne plus targets
6. Small bayed plasma pulse energy efficient cannons, priority two thousand and one tonne plus targets
7. Turreted accurate plasma pulse cannons, priority small spacecraft
8. Barbetted low orbit long ranged ion cannon, priority small spacecraft
9. Torpedoes, priority two kay tonne targets
10. Missiles, advanced/decoy/fragmentation/multi warhead/nuclear/shockwave/standard, priority small spacecraft
11. Missiles, ortillery, priority ground targets/non manoeuvring spacecraft
12. Pulse lasers long ranged, priority small spacecraft
13. Beam lasers accurate, priority small spacecraft
14. Fusion gun, priority small spacecraft
15. Plasma pulse energy efficient cannon, priority small spacecraft
16. Missiles, interceptor, priority torpedoes or missiles
17. Missiles, dogfight, priority torpedoes or missiles
18. Grounded gauss cannon, priority torpedoes or missiles
19. Grounded heavy autocannon, priority torpedoes or missiles
20. Grounded light autocannon, priority torpedoes or missiles
21. Support mortar

Adjacent range
1. Spinal mounted meson gun, priority ten thousand and one tonne plus targets
2. Large bayed very long ranged meson guns, priority three kay tonne plus targets
3. Medium bayed accurate fusion guns, priority two thousand and one tonne plus targets
4. Small bayed accurate fusion guns, priority two thousand and one tonne plus targets
5. Medium bayed plasma pulse energy efficient cannons, priority two thousand and one tonne plus targets
6. Small bayed plasma pulse energy efficient cannons, priority two thousand and one tonne plus targets
7. Turreted accurate plasma pulse cannons, priority small spacecraft
8. Barbetted low orbit long ranged ion cannon, priority small spacecraft
9. Torpedoes, priority two kay tonne targets
10. Missiles, advanced/decoy/fragmentation/multi warhead/nuclear/shockwave/standard, priority small spacecraft
11. Missiles, ortillery, priority ground targets/non manoeuvring spacecraft
12. Pulse lasers long ranged, priority small spacecraft
13. Beam lasers accurate, priority small spacecraft
14. Fusion gun, priority small spacecraft
15. Plasma pulse energy efficient cannon, priority small spacecraft
16. Accurate energy efficient laser drill, priority ground targets/non manoeuvring spacecraft
17. Missiles, interceptor, priority torpedoes or missiles
18. Missiles, dogfight, priority torpedoes or missiles
19. Sandcaster, chaff/pebble/sand/sandcutter, priority defence
20. Point defence system, priority torpedoes or missiles
21. Grounded gauss cannon, priority torpedoes or missiles
22. Grounded heavy autocannon, priority torpedoes or missiles
23. Grounded light autocannon, priority torpedoes or missiles
24. Grounded vulcan machinegun, priority torpedoes or missiles
25. Support mortar
26. Water cannon

 

[Condottiere]

Confederation Navy: Carrier Squadron and Organization

170. The aerospace group capacity of sixth millenia aerospace carriers could be guided somewhat by their third millenia counterparts.

171. Basically, you double their size.

172. Escort carriers would range from twenty to sixty.

173. Light fleet carriers would be about sixty to a hundred.

174. Fleet (heavy) carriers one hundred fifty to three hundred.

175. Fleet (medium) carriers arguably between hundred to hundred fifty.

176. Confederation Navy fighter (super) carriers would be four hundred and above.

177. Merchant aerospace carriers would have about one or two flights worth, so around six to twelve.

178. Tenders would have less ten.

179. Default tonnage of subsidiary craft would be thirty five, basically a medium fighter or utility spacecraft, though the group could contain larger of smaller spacecraft.

 

[Condottiere]

Confederation Navy: Carrier Squadron and Organization

180. An armoured variant could also be termed a battle carrier, in that it is meant to be in or next to the line of battle, providing a protective shield over a battle squadron, plus scouting and strike elements.

181. A strike variant isn't meant anywhere near the line of battle, but should be considered a capital asset whose aerospace group could and should sink capital ships, whether deployed or sitting happy and hapless in harbour.

182. Attack should mean the same as strike, it just sounds more active.

183. Merchant is a hybrid, whether it's actually a freighter or a tanker, with minimal flight facilities and aerospace group.

184. Flight deck is usually a warship hybrid, either a cruiser or battleship with a sizable aerospace group.

185. Through deck cruiser (carrier) is more a form of bureaucratic deception.

186. Space control ship would be a souped up escort carrier, specialized in protecting merchant traffic and hunting down (small, stealthy) commerce raiders; you could also term it as anti commerce raider warfare carrier.

187. Assault would be a specialized troop carrier with an aerospace group earmarked for ground assault; commando tends to imply a smaller variant.

188. Landing platform implies barebone launch facilities, and not necessarily an organic aerospace group; though it's been used as a category of assault carrier, it could also be used as a prepositioned (forward) operating base(ship), like a lilypad.

189. Drone goes into a direction I'm not sure I quite understand the implications of, yet.

 

[Condottiere]

Confederation Navy: Carrier Squadron and Organization

190. I don't doubt that the Confederation probably has an accumulation of differing sized and performing aerospace carriers and carrieresque starwarships.

191. The (super) fighter carriers would just be the most efficient, and by nature of that efficiency, largest and best performing of these carriers.

192. And since by the interstellar scale of the setting, mass production makes then even more efficient and cheaper to manufacture, since we're not looking at one or two, or ten, but at least forty slots at the front, and maybe another ten or twenty in the strategic reserve.

193. Four hundred is attributed to the fighter complement, with maybe another hundred being utility craft.

194. That's rather large for what you might imagine would be an aerospace group, and might be closer to a (numbered) aerospace force, which would nominally include other aerospace wings and squadrons from associated starwarships.

195. If nominally a fighter squadron would number twenty fighters plus spares, a fighter wing three squadrons for sixty fighters plus spares, a fighter group two hundred fighters plus spares, and a (numbered) aerospace force between two to five fighter groups, plus two to five bomber groups, reconnaissance squadrons, and utility craft.

196. I thought I'd add in a tenth fighter squadron for the fighter group to act in the semi aggressor role, and occupational conversion unit, to get new pilots familiar with the fighter, and keep the experienced ones honed.

197. So a (super) fighter carrier is specialized for screening the fleet and escorting and protecting bomber, strike and assault craft to their objectives, and will have twp fighter groups onboard.

198. It's not mentioned, but let's add in an organic strike group, a utility group and a dedicated reconnaissance squadron, which should tip the scales at upwards of five hundred.

199. And drones, lots of drones.

 

[Condottiere]

Confederation Navy: Carrier Squadron and Organization

200. So we now have that strike group.

201. So in this (Traveller) context, let's say that the strike group is made of specialized light/mediumish bombers, compared to heavy bombers, but both would use the same organization.

202. Bombers aren't going to need the tactical flexibility of fighters, but an efficient delivery of their payload on a target, so you start off with a three craft cell.

203. Three bomber cells make up a bomber squadron.

204. Three bomber squadrons make up a bomber wing, plus command cell, which comes out at thirty bombers plus spares.

205. Nominally, three bomber wings make up a bomber group, with around a hundred bombers, plus spares.

206. Strike, attack and bomber indicate the same primary role, but connotations vary slightly.

207. If you had to parse it, attack would be a lightish hull, so below thirty five tonnes, strike a medium one, basically thirty five to forty nine, and a bomber, fifty tonnes and above, though in that event, I'd further divide that into light, below a hundred, medium, between a hundred and one hundred and ninety nine, heavy above two hundred, and maybe strategic.

208. Fighter bomber would be basically a fighter popping out one it's weapon slots for something kinetic, or maybe a really heavy hitting energy weapon system.

209. This would imply at minimum a mediumish build, but missiles are quite versatile, so that a light fighter could just have a mixed magazine and select the most suitable missile for any particular target.