My ilKhan, a Chattermail has arrived for you, as per standing instructions it was read as it was not secure nor from any of the Khans, and I think you may find this interesting. It seem the Technicians and Merchants also want to get involved with the Quicksilver and Reforging programs. I feel that this is a breach of discipline despite the impressive initiative shown and can have the Watch look into this if you so request. I am sure that some of the Khans will not be happy that their Technicians have been getting ideas in their heads again.
My ilKhan,
We of the Technician and Merchant Castes wish to support the Scientists and Warriors in the Quicksilver endeavour and have spent many months compiling reports related to the inventory of supplies and parts as per laid down in Document 031/D dated 28/02/3053.
By liaising with the Clans involved in the Quicksilver programme and communications through the ChatterWeb and in person we have carried out an extensive investigation of available equipment currently in storage in Brian Caches across the Kerensky Cluster. Whilst each Clan holds details on its front line strength and availability as Secret and above, the older equipment that still fills out our ranks in secondary and tertiary units is far more freely available.
Whilst this investigation is still ongoing we have been able to get hard numbers on older models of Aerospace fighters that are still used by some Clans and many who sit in storage.
Many of these old craft were found to be in a poor state despite being in mothballs. The march of time, metal fatigue and long periods of time without activation or suitable maintenance has taken its toll. But, these machines can still serve the Clans.
Below is a list of the more common ex-SLDF fighters that were located in storage across the Cluster, but as of this writing, Caches are still being investigated, and these numbers are a preliminary accounting, other Caches may yet be found and opened up for investigation. I would like to thank the SaKhan of Clan Goliath Scorpion for the invaluable assistance that was given. By cross-referencing the records at the Temple of Nine Muses as well as the extensive historical logs the Scorpions have made recordings of, we was able to complete this endeavour far quicker than we might have hoped
Name Number Number in working condition Weight
Trident Est 600 Est. 195 12,00 tons
Swift Est 400 Est 200 10,000 tons
Spad Est 350 Est 250 10,500 tons
Zero Est 400 Est 130 14,000 tons
Rogue Est 130 Est 50 5,200 tons
Tomahawk Est 1000 Est 500 45,000 tons
Hellcar II 335 185 16,750 tons
Hellcat 40 10 2,400 tons
Gotha Est 250 Est 100 15,000 tons
Ironsides 27 5 1,755 tons
Hammerhead Est 125 Est 75 9,375 tons
Rapier Est 400 Est 100 34,000 tons
Ahab Est 100 Est 30 9,000 tons
Total tonnage of metal – 184,980 tons
Total recoverable materials assuming 5% lost due to impurities and other wastage – 175,731 tons
Name Number Number in working condition Weight
Seydlitz 60 10 1,200 tons
Cheetah 45 10 1,125 tons
Sparrowhawk 80 25 2,400 tons
Corsair 62 8 3,100 tons
Lucifer 37 15 2,405 tons
Chippewa 33 8 2,970 tons
Stuka 139 40 13,900 tons
Total Tonnage of Metal – 27,100 tons
Total recoverable materials assuming 5% lost due to impurities and other wastage – 25,745 tons.
Total tonnage of available materials – 201,476 tons.
Please note the wastage of 5% is only an outlier, we hope to reduce it to 3% giving us – 207,718 tons. In either case, this will also yield up a considerable tonnage of useful materials such as those used in energy weapons as well as the magnetic bottles of fusion reactors, all of which are available in lesser numbers in the Kerensky Cluster and beyond, so this represents a considerable stockpile of strategic materials.
As you can see, this is a considerable amount of resources locked up in older equipment that in most cases simply is not combat viable. The large number of Tomahawk fighters in service have been retrofitted with our technology but these conversions have proven to be problematic. Due to the age of the spaceframe, as well as incompatibilities with power and targeting systems, the fighters had to be re-wired and re-engined as well as having a complete avionics overhaul, which is both time consuming and resource expensive for updating such dated equipment.
This will be the case should we choose to retrofit the available craft, all of which will need testing for metal fatigue before they can be deemed airworthy and the resources for any refit program would be better used elsewhere.
But there are several options available to us.
1 – Use several of the largest Brian Caches and convert them into small factories as was successfully done by Clan Mongoose to produce the Great Wyrm Mech. These facilities can be used to scrap the old Cached craft and render them down into useful materials for distribution elsewhere.
2 – Use the converted Caches to scrap the older craft and use new built facilities to build equipment for immediate redistribution.
3 – Use the converted Caches to update the older craft to modern Clan standards.
Attached at Annex A is the list of suitable locations for the reconditioning and recovery plants. Annex B lists the costs and resources involved as well as an estimated time of completion for any such conversion and construction.
We feel that option 1 is the better route, it offers the Clans an easy way to convert unwanted equipment into useful materials which can be used to construct new weapons and Mechs. A similar survey is also being completed for tanks and other equipment sitting in storage at Brian Caches and we hope to have similar numbers of recoverable materials, if not more.
Attached at Annex C is some initial designs done by a small team of Scientists who also assisted with the investigation into the Caches and represents what could be done with option 3. This option does offer slower returns, but could be used to bolster second line forces without detracting from front line production, as well as establishing up to 5 potential sub factories that could be operated for the benefit of all Clans
Master Technician Olivia
Tomahawk Sica
Base Tech Level: Standard (Clan)
Level Era
-------------------
Experimental -
Advanced -
Standard 3145+
Tech Rating: F/X-X-X-D
Weight: 45 tons
BV: 2,016
Cost: 6,169,896 C-bills
Movement: 8/12
Engine: 270 XL
Heat Sinks: 14 [28]
Fuel Points: 0/480 (6.0 tons)
Structural Integrity: 8
Armor: 201 (Ferro-Aluminum)
Armor
-------------------
Nose 60
Left Wing 50
Right Wing 50
Aft 41
Weapons Loc Heat
-------------------------------
ER Large Laser LWG 12
ER Large Laser RWG 12
Medium Pulse Laser NOS 4
Small Pulse Laser AFT 2
Medium Pulse Laser NOS 4
Equipment Loc
--------------------------
Active Probe [Clan] NOS
Based on the 45 ton Tomahawk, the Sica features the a similar weapons mix of easily produced ER and pulse lasers and an active probe provides targetting data during space combat. Note that it features and uses the common 300 rated XL engine, our most easily available engine of its type.
Gotha Peithon
Base Tech Level: Standard (Clan)
Level Era
-------------------
Experimental -
Advanced -
Standard 3145+
Tech Rating: F/X-X-X-D
Weight: 60 tons
BV: 2,873
Cost: 9,503,715 C-bills
Movement: 7/11
Engine: 300 XL
Heat Sinks: 15 [30]
Fuel Points: 0/480 (6.0 tons)
Structural Integrity: 7
Armor: 249 (Ferro-Aluminum)
Armor
-------------------
Nose 81
Left Wing 58
Right Wing 58
Aft 52
Weapons Loc Heat
----------------------------
LRM 15 LWG 5
LRM 15 RWG 5
ER PPC NOS 15
ER Medium Laser NOS 5
ER Medium Laser NOS 5
ER Medium Laser AFT 5
ER Small Laser LWG 2
ER Small Laser RWG 2
ER Small Laser AFT 2
Ammo Loc Shots
------------------------------------------------
LRM 15 (Clan) Artemis-capable Ammo LWG 8
LRM 15 (Clan) Artemis-capable Ammo LWG 8
LRM 15 (Clan) Artemis-capable Ammo RWG 8
LRM 15 (Clan) Artemis-capable Ammo RWG 8
Equipment Loc
---------------------
Artemis IV FCS LWG
Artemis IV FCS RWG
Also taking use of the 300 rated XL engine the reworked Gotha Staaken could serve as a heavy interceptor for second line forces, filling a notable gap between the Ammon and Xerxes.
Ironclad
Base Tech Level: Standard (Clan)
Level Era
-------------------
Experimental -
Advanced -
Standard 3145+
Tech Rating: F/X-X-X-D
Weight: 65 tons
BV: 2,711
Cost: 9,270,120 C-bills
Movement: 6/9
Engine: 260 XL
Heat Sinks: 18 [36]
Fuel Points: 0/400 (5.0 tons)
Structural Integrity: 6
Armor: 259 (Ferro-Aluminum)
Armor
-------------------
Nose 74
Left Wing 62
Right Wing 62
Aft 61
Weapons Loc Heat
-------------------------------
ER Medium Laser LWG 5
ER Medium Laser RWG 5
SRM 6 NOS 4
SRM 6 LWG 4
SRM 6 RWG 4
SRM 6 LWG 4
SRM 6 RWG 4
ER PPC NOS 15
ER PPC NOS 15
Medium Pulse Laser AFT 4
Ammo Loc Shots
------------------------
SRM 6 Ammo LWG 15
SRM 6 Ammo LWG 15
SRM 6 Ammo NOS 15
SRM 6 Ammo RWG 15
SRM 6 Ammo RWG 15
The Ironclad is a simple modernisation of the old Ironsides, mirroring its weapons fit but with considerably thicker protection as well as greater endurance on the battlefield thanks to its additional ammunition. Due to the scarcity of the Xerxes chassis outside of Clan Smoke Jaguar, this craft could be a cheaply made and hard hitting equivalent.
Gladius
Base Tech Level: Standard (Clan)
Level Era
-------------------
Experimental -
Advanced -
Standard 3145+
Tech Rating: F/X-X-X-D
Weight: 85 tons
BV: 3,331
Cost: 15,463,055 C-bills
Movement: 6/9
Engine: 340 XL
Heat Sinks: 18 [36]
Fuel Points: 0/400 (5.0 tons)
Structural Integrity: 8
Armor: 288 (Ferro-Aluminum)
Armor
-------------------
Nose 88
Left Wing 70
Right Wing 70
Aft 60
Weapons Loc Heat
---------------------------
LB 20-X AC NOS 6
ER PPC NOS 15
ER PPC NOS 15
ER Small Laser LWG 2
ER Small Laser AFT 2
ER Small Laser RWG 2
LRM 15 LWG 5
LRM 15 RWG 5
Ammo Loc Shots
----------------------------------
LB 20-X Cluster Ammo NOS 5
LB 20-X Cluster Ammo NOS 5
LB 20-X Cluster Ammo NOS 5
LB 20-X Cluster Ammo NOS 5
LRM 15 Ammo LWG 8
LRM 15 Ammo LWG 8
LRM 15 Ammo RWG 8
LRM 15 Ammo RWG 8
The Gladius is descended from the Rapier, a popular SLDF fighter and a craft that could be used to bridge the gap between other craft and the Hydaspes. Moving the weapons partially out of the nose fixes the Rapier's sometimes dangerous handling quirks and ensures that the craft can't be disabled by lucky hits to the nose. Armour protection is greatly increased over the original SLDF fighter and long range firepower is considerably increased.
Please note that these are only preliminary designs and can be ignored as needed.
OOC: Obviously i'm just pulling these numbers out of my ass, but I got the idea for looking into the caches with all the discussion about the WarShip caches. We know the Clans knew where many Brian Caches were, so this could be a thing they did to try and get a survey of numbers of equipment available etc.
