Moa Class ShuttlePrior to the troubles in the Homeworlds, Clan Snow Raven had been developing a new class of shuttle that would replace the older craft in service but the tumult of the Evacuation, resettling in the Outworld Reaches and the Jihad hugely delayed this program and it was cancelled in 3075. But, following the Jihad and the rebuilding efforts in the Outworlds Alliance, the plans were dusted off again. If anything, the Jihad had made the small craft situation even worse. There was over a dozen different types of small craft in service of varying marks, models and manufacturers, each required their own part and facilities which greatly complicated the supply situation and increased costs.
Facing the prospect of having a budget for the first time in their lives, the Ravens had to tighten their belts and a vigerous series of standardization was undertaken. Instead of the multitude of fighters in service the Ravens would attempt to simplify their supply chain and win popularity with the Outworlders.
In a wide-reaching trade and construction plan known as the The Great Decommissioning, the older Spheroid fighters in service with the Outworlders would be retired or traded away with others retained for training purposes and ceremonial duties.
The still fairly new and battle tested Corax would be retained in service, but would be built to Clan standards of equipment and weapons for general use by the Alliance Air Corps. It would be joined by the newly developed Horus which would serve as the main fighter of the AAC and would see service in the Snow Raven’s Tourman as well.
Without facilities to produce the Vandal the fighter was retired from frontline service, only operating in specialist roles as a reconnaissance craft. The notoriously short legged Avar was also to be retired or given over to the AAC. The Ravens in turn would retain the Visigoth as one of their primary fighters as well as the Batu and Corax in the light fighter role. The venerable Kirghiz alongside the Hydaspes would be the main assault fighters whilst the Issus and Wusun would also see widespread use amongst the Tourman with the Issus mostly being deployed by the AAC. The Cimmerian would also enter service and would serve as both a heavy and assault fighter.
Also falling onto the chopping block was the dozens of different shuttle types in use. The old and reliable Type 49 and its larger cousin the Type-62 ‘Mule’ would be retained in service due to the huge amount of parts available and the sheer number of these shuttles in service. The Ravens would also reduce their shuttles to the Theta pattern Assault shuttle for boarding duties and a new multi-purpose craft that whilst not modular was near as damn it. The six variants all shared the same sensors, hull, thrusters and electronics whilst the weapons systems and cargo bays were modular and easily converted allowing a ship to be swapped into another role within a few hours. By using already existant systems and main component parts like engines the new shuttle was designed to be built easily and to be as maintenance friendly as possible. The shuttle would also be made for the Alliance and would be available for exports although it would feature Inner Sphere electronics and weapons when sold in this way.
PerformanceAt 200 tons the Moa used both a lifting body and blended hull shape to give it considerable internal volume without making it too physically large and allowing it to easily fit into a wide range of Small Craft bays on JumpShips, DropShips and WarShips. Four fusion engines provided ample thrust, allowing the shuttle to keep pace with friendly transport units or assault fighters like the Kirghiz. Over 28 tons of Ferro-Aluminium armour protected the craft and allowed it to take considerable punishment until friendly escorts could cover it.
Variants Although not an Omni-craft the Moa used the same naming sequence for Omni vehicles and Mechs.
Prime – Built for service in the fleet the Prime would become the standard C.O.D (Craft Onboard Delivery) shuttle and could carry 40 tons of cargo and supplies as well as five passengers with steerage level accommodation. Minimally armed with a quartet of ER Medium lasers (3 in the nose and one firing over the tail) the Prime would be used to bring new crew aboard or shuttle senior personnel around. Used in a veriaty of roles the C.O.D variant was also sometimes retrofitted to serve as a priority shuttle for high ranking personnel, trading cargo space for increased passenger capacity with better quarters often fitted.
Class/Model/Name: Moa Class Heavy Shuttle Prime
Mass: 200 tons
Equipment: Mass
Power Plant, Drive & Control: 61,00
Thrust: Safe Thrust: 5
Maximum Thrust: 8
Structural Integrity: 8 8,00
Total Heat Sinks: 10 Double 9,00
Fuel & Fuel Pumps: 15,50
Bridge, Controls, Radar, Computer & Attitude Thrusters: 1,50
Fire Control Computers: ,00
Armor Type: Ferro-aluminum (704 total armor pts) 28,00
Standard Scale Armor Pts
Location: L / R
Fore: 201
Left/Right Wings: 176/176
Aft: 151
Cargo:
Bay 1: Cargo (1) with 2 doors 28,00
Crew and Passengers:
1 Officers (0 minimum) 5,00
2 Crew (2 minimum) 10,00
1 Gunners (1 minimum) 5,00
5 Steerage Passengers 25,00
Weapons and Equipment Loc SRV MRV LRV ERV Heat Mass
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3 ER Medium Laser Nose 7 7 -- -- 15 3,00
1 ER Medium Laser Aft 7 7 -- -- 5 1,00
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TOTALS: Heat: 20 200,00
Tons Left: ,00A – Built to carry WarShip, JumpShip and DropShip crew the A was not a landing craft but it could find itself in such a role. The A could carry up 152 personnel or five platoons of infantry and two points of Battle Armour if needed with minimal changes to the interior. Whereas the Prime was built to carry small and sundry items, the A would ship a WarShip or DropShips crew from the surface to orbit and was often referred to as ‘The bus’. Flying one was not in any way, shape or form glamourous but its pilots prided themselves on smooth landings and keeping to schedules.
Class/Model/Name: Moa Class Heavy Shuttle A
Mass: 200 tons
Equipment: Mass
Power Plant, Drive & Control: 61,00
Thrust: Safe Thrust: 5
Maximum Thrust: 8
Structural Integrity: 8 8,00
Total Heat Sinks: 10 Double 9,00
Fuel & Fuel Pumps: 10,50
Bridge, Controls, Radar, Computer & Attitude Thrusters: 1,50
Fire Control Computers: ,00
Armor Type: Ferro-aluminum (704 total armor pts) 28,00
Standard Scale Armor Pts
Location: L / R
Fore: 201
Left/Right Wings: 176/176
Aft: 151
Cargo:
Bay 1: Infantry (foot) Platoons (5) with 1 door 25,00
Bay 2: Cargo (1) 13,00
Battle Armor Points/Squads (2) with 1 door 20,00
Crew and Passengers:
1 Officers (0 minimum) 5,00
2 Crew (2 minimum) 10,00
1 Gunners (1 minimum) 5,00
152 Bay Personnel ,00
Weapons and Equipment Loc SRV MRV LRV ERV Heat Mass
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3 ER Medium Laser Nose 7 7 -- -- 15 3,00
1 ER Medium Laser Aft 7 7 -- -- 5 1,00
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TOTALS: Heat: 20 200,00
Tons Left: ,00B - A simple variant of the A, the B was built to carry supplies and could carry up to 75 tons of cargo of any type from liquid to livestock and it was the A and B that were primarily built for the export market becoming popular in the Alliance and Dominion and was seen further afield in Federated Suns and Combine hands. Although flying one was seen as punishment duty for a Raven Pilot, the Outworlders assigned to these ships enjoyed their high performance and reliability and more than a few races took place between Cargo variants.
Class/Model/Name: Moa Class Heavy Shuttle B
Mass: 200 tons
Equipment: Mass
Power Plant, Drive & Control: 61,00
Thrust: Safe Thrust: 5
Maximum Thrust: 8
Structural Integrity: 8 8,00
Total Heat Sinks: 4 Double 3,00
Fuel & Fuel Pumps: 10,50
Bridge, Controls, Radar, Computer & Attitude Thrusters: 1,50
Fire Control Computers: ,00
Armor Type: Ferro-aluminum (704 total armor pts) 28,00
Standard Scale Armor Pts
Location: L / R
Fore: 201
Left/Right Wings: 176/176
Aft: 151
Cargo:
Bay 1: Cargo (1) with 2 doors 66,00
Crew and Passengers:
1 Officers (0 minimum) 5,00
2 Crew (2 minimum) 10,00
1 Gunners (1 minimum) 5,00
Weapons and Equipment Loc SRV MRV LRV ERV Heat Mass
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3 ER Small Laser Nose 5 -- -- -- 6 1,50
1 ER Small Laser Aft 5 -- -- -- 2 ,50
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TOTALS: Heat: 8 200,00
Tons Left: ,00C – One of the more specialized variants that was only used by the Ravens the C was developed to serve as a mobile refuelling post for friendly fighters. Most Clan fighters suffered from having ‘short legs’ due to their limited fuel tank size, which was a hinderance in combat as fighters would have to break off before Spheroid opponents to return to their carrier to refuel and return to combat. It also limited patrol time and if caught by surprise a WarShip or DropShip might not have fighters out on patrol due to their fuel constraints. Like the Prime and A the C is minimally armed with some ER lasers and AMS for self-defence the C can carry a maximum of 50 tons of hydrogen slush fuel for friendly fighters which can be distributed by two hose systems. An additional 10 tons of cargo are set aside for supplies for the crew as the ‘Mother Hen’ could be patrolling for a significant amount of time refuelling its ‘chicks’ when needed.
Class/Model/Name: Moa Class Heavy Shuttle C
Mass: 200 tons
Equipment: Mass
Power Plant, Drive & Control: 61,00
Thrust: Safe Thrust: 5
Maximum Thrust: 8
Structural Integrity: 8 8,00
Total Heat Sinks: 3 Double 2,00
Fuel & Fuel Pumps: 10,50
Bridge, Controls, Radar, Computer & Attitude Thrusters: 1,50
Fire Control Computers: ,00
Armor Type: Ferro-aluminum (704 total armor pts) 28,00
Standard Scale Armor Pts
Location: L / R
Fore: 201
Left/Right Wings: 176/176
Aft: 151
Cargo:
Bay 1: Cargo (1) with 1 door 9,00
Bay 2: Liquid Cargo Space (50 tons) (1) with 1 door 55,00
Crew and Passengers:
1 Officers (0 minimum) 5,00
2 Crew (2 minimum) 10,00
1 Gunners (1 minimum) 5,00
Weapons and Equipment Loc SRV MRV LRV ERV Heat Mass
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1 ER Medium Laser Nose 7 7 -- -- 5 1,00
1 Refueling Drogue* RW(A) -- -- -- -- 0 1,00
1 Refueling Drogue* LW(A) -- -- -- -- 0 1,00
2 AMS Aft -- -- -- -- 2 1,00
Ammo (AMS) 24 --- 1,00
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TOTALS: Heat: 7 200,00
Tons Left: ,00D – The most specialized and the only purpose built variant the D is designed as a FCC or Fighter Control Craft which mirrors the ancient AWACS jets that saw service on Terra and during the Age of War. During the Jihad the Ravens found that coordinating and controlling large numbers of fighters was exceptionally taxing for a WarShips CAG (Commander Aerospace Group) and for larger engagements the Fighter controller could simply be overwhelmed trying to coordinate and control scores or even hundreds of craft. This is where the Moa FCC steps in. Loaded with communications equipment and advanced electronics the FCC can ease the workload for a CAG and direct friendly fighter units as well as provide reconnesance information and additional targeting data for friendly capital units by extending their LIDAR and RADAR envelopes. These expensive to produce and tactically important craft were always escorted and were part of most WarShips Small Craft complements.
Class/Model/Name: Moa Class Heavy Shuttle D
Mass: 200 tons
Equipment: Mass
Power Plant, Drive & Control: 61,00
Thrust: Safe Thrust: 5
Maximum Thrust: 8
Structural Integrity: 8 8,00
Total Heat Sinks: 7 Double 6,00
Fuel & Fuel Pumps: 15,50
Bridge, Controls, Radar, Computer & Attitude Thrusters: 1,50
Fire Control Computers: ,00
Armor Type: Ferro-aluminum (704 total armor pts) 28,00
Standard Scale Armor Pts
Location: L / R
Fore: 201
Left/Right Wings: 176/176
Aft: 151
Cargo:
Bay 1: Cargo (1) with 2 doors 10,00
Crew and Passengers:
1 Officers (1 minimum) 5,00
7 Crew (2 minimum) 35,00
1 Gunners (1 minimum) 5,00
Weapons and Equipment Loc SRV MRV LRV ERV Heat Mass
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1 Large Pulse Laser Nose 10 10 10 -- 10 6,00
1 Active Probe Nose -- -- -- -- 0 1,00
1 Infrared Imager* Nose -- -- -- -- 0 5,00
1 Look-Down Radar* Nose -- -- -- -- 0 5,00
1 Medium Pulse Laser Aft 7 7 -- -- 4 2,00
1 ECM Suite Aft -- -- -- -- 0 1,00
1 Communications Equipment 5,00
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TOTALS: Heat: 14 200,00
Tons Left: ,00E – Somewhat better armed the E was built to serve as a Customs Cutter, launching from ground bases and often under the control of the AAC, the Moa E could carry a small complement of Troops for boarding actions as well as being well armed with a trio of ER large lasers in the nose giving it a respectable punch against any smuggler or pirate craft. Some E variants were used by the S-Corps and would take part in boarding operations against immobile targets like stations or factories but the opportunity to carry out this role was few and far between and most were used as Customs cutters and orbital patrol craft.
DeploymentFrom the initial prototype built in the final year prior to the Evacuation from the Homeworlds the Moa was massively delayed by the upheaval of the retreat to the Inner Sphere and then the Jihad and would only see service in the years of relative peace following. Built at RF-03 on Wynn’s Roost the shuttle would eventually be built at Quatre Belle for import. The exported versions were ‘monkey’ versions, lacking their Clan designed electronics and weapons but were otherwise identical and these ships also saw service in the public sector in the Raven Alliance along with the latest version of the popular DrOST . One heavily modified Moa even became the Presidential shuttle for the leader of the Alliance’s parliament and was rumoured to rival the personal transports of the leader of a Great House for luxury and was a fairly common sight on diplomatic visits to the Raven Reaches.
Ships by Maingunnery which he fixed now because I'm a dullard and didn't say it was an Aerodyne craft.
As always, thoughts or comments are most welcome!
