OBT Forum

MAXIM class Battleship

Overview

During the early 2700s, the SLDF came to the realization that there were simply too few Texas-class Battleships to effective serve as the 'low-cost' half of the SLDF Line of Battle.  Although there were plenty of larger and more effective McKenna-class (with additional units either planned or under construction), these very expensive battlewagons were extremely expensive (thanks to their Lithium-Fusion Batteries).

The lower-cost Texas had been expected to fill that gap . . . however, the effectiveness of the design suffered due to unintended gaps in its ability to project firepower.  Also, many SLDF Naval officers commented negatively on the firepower of that particular class as a whole, despite the ships having some of the best armor protection of any vessel fielded by the Star League to date.

In response to this apparent need, Blue Nose Clipperships of Mars unveiled what it called the 'ultimate battleship' . . . the Maxim-class.

Intrigued, the SLDF ordered a single prototype for evaluation with construction beginning in 2750 and the vessel entering the Fleet in 2762.   Committed to the Periphery Uprising upon completing trials, SLS Maxim proved extremely effective . . . many officers described her as a 'bigger, tougher, meaner Black Lion', a description that Blue Nose execs welcomed. 

Only the Amaris Coup prevented the corporation from winning a contract to produce additional examples for the SLDF.

The prototype (SLS Maxim, also known by her crew as 'Mad Maxine' . . . or as 'Maximum F***' by some of her more profane crew!!) served with distinction throughout the Amaris Crisis until her destruction during the Liberation of Terra by a swarm of Casper drone WarShips.

Capabilities

Massing 2,140,000 tons, SLS Maxim was one of the largest vessels ever constructed for the SLDF.  However, in a move that surprised many naval officers, the design engineers decided to forego mounting Lithium-Fusion Batteries in order to lower costs.

Three seperate transit drives were installed allowing for a full 1.5-g's of acceleration under standard power (2.5-g's emergency flank), matching the thrust rates of the older McKenna and Texas class vessels.

2,182 tons of ferro-carbide armor plating provided excellent protection for the vessel--almost matching the Texas in protective qualities.

Ample fuel supplies were stored aboard ship allowing for 360 days of thrust at 1-g, while 214,000 tons were set aside for cargo and stores.  Four 155-meter diameter Grav Decks were provided for the 1,500 officers, crew, and passengers of the vessel under maximum load. 

A full-strength Marine battalion (252 officers and men) was embarked, along with two ASF Fighter Groups (36 aerospace fighters) and a dozen small craft.

But it was the main (and only) weapon battery that truly set the Maxim apart.

Blue Nose Clipperships fitted the Maxim with an array of one hundred and sixty Imperator Code Omega Class 10 Naval Autocannons!  Arranged in forty four-gun turrets spaced across the ship, each turret was fed by its own magazine containing 200 quadruple bursts (800 individual bursts!!).

Although not the strongest or deadliest or farthest reaching weapon bays available, BNC officials and technicians noted that the Maxim included the latest targeting software allowing for maximum accuracy (at the cost of some damage) that few other existing ships could boast of.  And the sheer number of NAC-10 bays (and the extremely deep internal magazines) meant that SLS Maxim could often enough simply smother a foe in a hail of fire.

Besides, as one BNC official noted, not even the famed Texas carried enough armor plating to resist a penetrating hit from just one of Maxim's NAC bays.  And the new ship could target opponents (in their broadside arcs) with up to fifteen bays simultaneously!

Critics of the design noted that it would have been more efficient to use larger twin turrets of NAC-20s, -25s, or -30s . . . but BNC responded by explaining that the advantages of the new bracketing fire software lay in the ability to use at least four guns in a single mount!

Of course, SLS Maxim was vulnerable (in theory, at least) to hostile ASF, lacking any secondary weapons.  However, in practice, the ship's crew discovered that by using the bracketing software for maximum accuracy, the NAC-10 bays were often able to shred incoming fighter attacks long before the fighters were able to reach their own engagement range!

Altogether, SLS Maxim was a potentially revolutionary design; one which might well have had a significant impact on later naval development but for the Amaris Coup, the Exodus, and the collapse of the Star League.

                    AeroTech 2 Vessel Technical Readout
                                  VALIDATED

Class/Model/Name:  Maxim
Tech:              Inner Sphere / 2750
Vessel Type:       WarShip
Rules:             Level 2, Standard design
Rules Set:         AeroTech2

Mass:              2,140,000 tons
K-F Drive System:  (Unknown)
Length:            1,483 meters
Sail Diameter:     1,611 meters
Power Plant:       Standard
Safe Thrust:       3
Maximum Thrust:    5
Armor Type:        Ferro-carbide
Armament:         
  160 NAC/10
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Class/Model/Name:  Maxim
Mass:              2,140,000 tons

Equipment:                                                            Mass 
Power Plant, Drive & Control:                                      385,200.00
Thrust:  Safe Thrust: 3
      Maximum Thrust: 5
Kearny-Fuchida Hyperdrive:  Compact (Integrity = 41)               968,350.00
Jump Sail (Detachable): (Integrity = 8)                                137.00
Structural Integrity: 90                                           192,600.00
Total Heat Sinks:    2,400 Double                                    1,478.00
Fuel & Fuel Pumps:                                                  14,513.00
Bridge, Controls, Radar, Computer & Attitude Thrusters:              5,350.00
Fire Control Computers:                                                   .00
Food & Water:  (360 days supply)                                     2,700.00
Armor Type:  Ferro-carbide  (1,800 total armor pts)                  2,182.00
                           Capital Scale Armor Pts
   Location:                            L / R
   Fore:                                300
   Fore-Left/Right:                  300/300
   Aft-Left/Right:                   300/300
   Aft:                                 300

Cargo:
   Bay 1:  Fighters (18) with 3 doors                                2,700.00
           Small Craft (6)                                           1,200.00
   Bay 2:  Fighters (18) with 3 doors                                2,700.00
           Small Craft (6)                                           1,200.00
   Bay 3:  Cargo (1) with 4 doors                                  214,475.00

DropShip Capacity:  6 Docking Hardpoints                             6,000.00
Grav Decks #1 - 4:  (155-meter diameter)                               400.00
Escape Pods:  250 (7 tons each)                                      1,750.00

Crew and Passengers:
    110 Officers (110 minimum)                                       1,100.00
    363 Crew (363 minimum)                                           2,541.00
    160 Gunners (160 minimum)                                        1,120.00
    113 1st Class Passengers                                         1,130.00
    370 2nd Class Passengers                                         2,590.00
    252 Marines                                                      1,260.00
    132 Bay Personnel                                                     .00

Weapons and Equipment      Loc        SRV    MRV    LRV    ERV  Heat    Mass
------------------------------------------------------------------------------

4 NAC/10(800 rounds)       Nose        40     40     40     --  120  8,160.00
4 NAC/10(800 rounds)       Nose        40     40     40     --  120  8,160.00
4 NAC/10(800 rounds)       Nose        40     40     40     --  120  8,160.00
4 NAC/10(800 rounds)       Nose        40     40     40     --  120  8,160.00
4 NAC/10(800 rounds)       Nose        40     40     40     --  120  8,160.00

4 NAC/10(800 rounds)       FL/R        40     40     40     --  240 16,320.00
4 NAC/10(800 rounds)       FL/R        40     40     40     --  240 16,320.00
4 NAC/10(800 rounds)       FL/R        40     40     40     --  240 16,320.00
4 NAC/10(800 rounds)       FL/R        40     40     40     --  240 16,320.00
4 NAC/10(800 rounds)       FL/R        40     40     40     --  240 16,320.00

4 NAC/10(800 rounds)       L/RBS       40     40     40     --  240 16,320.00
4 NAC/10(800 rounds)       L/RBS       40     40     40     --  240 16,320.00
4 NAC/10(800 rounds)       L/RBS       40     40     40     --  240 16,320.00
4 NAC/10(800 rounds)       L/RBS       40     40     40     --  240 16,320.00
4 NAC/10(800 rounds)       L/RBS       40     40     40     --  240 16,320.00

4 NAC/10(800 rounds)       AL/R        40     40     40     --  240 16,320.00
4 NAC/10(800 rounds)       AL/R        40     40     40     --  240 16,320.00
4 NAC/10(800 rounds)       AL/R        40     40     40     --  240 16,320.00
4 NAC/10(800 rounds)       AL/R        40     40     40     --  240 16,320.00
4 NAC/10(800 rounds)       AL/R        40     40     40     --  240 16,320.00

4 NAC/10(800 rounds)       Aft         40     40     40     --  120  8,160.00
4 NAC/10(800 rounds)       Aft         40     40     40     --  120  8,160.00
4 NAC/10(800 rounds)       Aft         40     40     40     --  120  8,160.00
4 NAC/10(800 rounds)       Aft         40     40     40     --  120  8,160.00
4 NAC/10(800 rounds)       Aft         40     40     40     --  120  8,160.00

132 Bay Personnel Quarters                                             924.00
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
TOTALS:                                            Heat: 4,800   2,140,000.00
Tons Left:                                                                .00

Calculated Factors:
Total Cost:        8,639,317,024 C-Bills
Battle Value:      342,099
Cost per BV:       25,253.85
Weapon Value:      148,504 (Ratio = .43)
Damage Factors:    SRV = 14,667;  MRV = 14,667;  LRV = 11,556;  ERV = 4,444
Maintenance:       Maintenance Point Value (MPV) = 1,176,282
                   (216,047 Structure, 557,035 Life Support, 403,200 Weapons)
                   Support Points (SP) = 733,874  (62% of MPV)
BattleForce2:      Not applicable