Aleksandr Kerensky-class Troop Cruiser (Light)
We know that the Clans retained either 29 or 30 Potemkin-class Troop Cruisers in constant use from the time of Operation Klondike to the present day (depending upon whether or not you believe that the Clan Widowmaker Egg Sack was taken by Clan Wolf for conversion into their Troop Cruiser Full Moon).
But why? The Potemkin was designed to move massive quantities of war-material and combat units for the SLDF . . . and the Clans simply do not require such tremendous transport vessels. Sure, if you are planning to return to the Inner Sphere (permanently), than you need transport capacity on a large scale . . . but the Clans were not planning on doing this. Moving their civilian castes and getting away from the Homeworlds completely.
Not, at least until Clan Ghost Bear did just that and packed up everyone and everything and moved them all out (or a good portion of them, at least).
So why do the Clans still keep such costly (both to operate and maintain) vessels in service? That is a question that has bugged me.
And it got me to thinking: what if the Clans decided to replace the old Potemkins with smaller ships (less costly to acquire and keep in service) that could do most of what the old Potemkin did on a far smaller frame? And just how small could such a vessel be made?
The Aleksandr Kerensky is my answer to that. Built on refurbished and overhauled Aegis-class vessels (will they never just die??), the Clans designed and built the Aleksandr Kerensky class of vessels to replace their hard-used and well-worn Potemkin-class. With at least 38 (known) examples in service, the selection of the Aegis as the basic vessel allowed Clan Snow Raven to replace existing Troop Cruisers on a one-for-one basis, with an additional nine ships intended for storage within the Naval Caches. The Clans being who and what they are, however, those nine rebuilt ships were quickly claimed by various Clans in a series of Trials.
Massing 750,000 tons, the new Troop Cruiser (Light) concept was less than half the size of the old Potemkins, but retained fifteen docking collars (60% of the original design's capacity), greater onboard fuel storage, more than 98% of the armor protection, an increase in the amount of on-board firepower . . . all at the cost of some 70% of internal cargo storage (still more than 110,000 tons including spare parts!!).
The Snow Raven engineers braced the internal structure of the newly rebuilt Aegis, allowing for the installation of 1194 tons of ferro-carbide armor plating . . . just 169.5 tons less than the SLDF Potemkin. Internal passageways and corridors were expanded to accommodate a binary of Elemental Marines (50 total), along with the crew of 312 officers and men. The fighter bays of the existing heavy cruisers were removed and instead replaced with 10 Small Craft Bays (much like the original Troop Cruisers). While some Naval Warriors protested, the Ravens noted that even with arranging the fifteen docking collars in three rows of five (port, dorsal, and starboard), there simply was not room to accommodate the launch and landing facilities for another 20 Aerospace or OmniFighters. Raven Warriors noted, however, that it would be possible to accommodate up to a Star of Fighters at the expense of the onboard Small Craft (although without the dedicated refueling and maintenance infrastructure provided by dedicated fighter bays). They also pointed out that with fifteen DropShips, it was quite likely that an Aleksandr Kerensky would be carrying at least one carrier DropShip with onboard fighters of its own.
A second grav deck was added, however, allowing for the Aleksandr Kerensky class ships to accommodate up to 358 passengers in addition to the crew and Marines. Fuel stores was expanded from 10,000 tons to 14,425 tons; a most welcome addition as the SLDF Troop Cruiser had a pronounced tendency to run short while refueling her docked DropShips. Food provisioning, water, and life support was provided in sufficient quantities to allow these ships to operate for a standard year at full load (although additional provisions and life support could also be stored in the cargo bays).
Cargo storage is an ample (for a three-quarter of a million ton WarShip) 104,430 tons, with an additional 7,500 tons dedicated to spare parts storage. Raven engineers added Lithium-Fusion Batteries and a Hyper-Pulse Generator to this class during the extensive time spent in dry-dock as well, along with 120 Escape Pods for the crew and passengers.
The original armament of 8 Barracuda capital missile launchers (although magazine capacity was expanded to a total of 240 missiles), 16 NL-45 Naval Lasers, and 24 Heavy N-PPCs was also retained . . . although the Raven engineers repositioned many of the weapons. A sizeable anti-fighter/small craft/DropShip weapons array was also provided: 16 LRM-15 launchers with Artemis IV (with 1600 missile salvoes stored onboard), 8 Gauss Rifles (832 shots), 40 LB-5X autocannons (4000 cluster rounds stored!), 24 Ultra AC-5 autocannons (2400 twin bursts available), 8 ER PPCs, and 16 Large Pulse Lasers.
These weapons were arrayed in identical configurations firing into the bow, stern, and all six flanking arcs. Each location contained one Barracuda launcher, two NL-45s, three Heavy N-PPCs, two LRM-15s, 1 Gauss Rifle, 5 LB-5 autocannons, 3 Ultra AC-5s, 1 ER PPC, and two Large Pulse Lasers. All of the secondary weapons feature enough reach to expand the firing solutions into Long (standard) range and present a formidable defense (especially on the flanks) against hostile ASF and OmniFighters. Since the return of the Clans to the Inner Sphere and the launch of the Jihad, the class has been heavily criticized for lacking dedicated AMS systems to deal with nuclear weapons; it must be said in the defense of the Clans, however, that such WMDs were (at the time these ships were designed and built) considered 'honorless' weapons fit only for dezgra bandits and worse. It is therefore quite disingenuous to suggest that the Clan engineers should have been prophets and installed such equipment against a threat that simply did not exist at the time of their construction.
The power production and supply system, as well as the cooling and heat dissipation systems, were radically overhauled and upgraded with double-strength heat sinks in sufficient quantities to allow for the use of all weapon systems simultaneously.
AeroTech 2 Vessel Technical Readout
VALIDATED
Class/Model/Name: Aleksandr Kerensky (Light Troop Cruiser)
Tech: Clan / 3067
Vessel Type: WarShip
Rules: Level 2, Standard design
Rules Set: AeroTech2
Mass: 750,000 tons
K-F Drive System: (Unknown)
Length: 761 meters
Sail Diameter: 1,116 meters
Power Plant: Standard
Safe Thrust: 2
Maximum Thrust: 3
Armor Type: Ferro-carbide
Armament:
8 Barracuda
24 Heavy NPPC
16 NL45
16 LRM 15+ArtIV
8 Gauss Rifle
40 LB 5-X AC
24 Ultra AC/5
8 ER PPC
16 Large Pulse Laser
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Class/Model/Name: Aleksandr Kerensky (Light Troop Cruiser)
Mass: 750,000 tons
Equipment: Mass
Power Plant, Drive & Control: 90,000.00
Thrust: Safe Thrust: 2
Maximum Thrust: 3
Kearny-Fuchida Hyperdrive: Compact (Integrity = 16) 339,375.00
Lithium Fusion Battery 7,500.00
Jump Sail: (Integrity = 4) 68.00
Structural Integrity: 80 60,000.00
Total Heat Sinks: 3,528 Double 3,059.00
Fuel & Fuel Pumps: 14,714.00
Bridge, Controls, Radar, Computer & Attitude Thrusters: 1,875.00
Fire Control Computers: .00
Food & Water: (360 days supply) 1,296.00
Hyperpulse Generator: 50.00
Armor Type: Ferro-carbide (1,123 total armor pts) 1,194.00
Capital Scale Armor Pts
Location: L / R
Fore: 178
Fore-Left/Right: 201/201
Aft-Left/Right: 201/201
Aft: 141
Cargo:
Bay 1: Small Craft (5) with 2 doors 1,000.00
Bay 2: Small Craft (5) with 2 doors 1,000.00
Bay 3: Cargo (1) with 2 doors 104,430.00
DropShip Capacity: 15 Docking Hardpoints 15,000.00
Grav Decks #1 - 2: (95-meter diameter) 100.00
Escape Pods: 120 (7 tons each) 840.00
Crew and Passengers:
45 Officers (45 minimum) 450.00
150 Crew (150 minimum) 1,050.00
67 Gunners (67 minimum) 469.00
358 2nd Class Passengers 2,506.00
50 Marine Battle Armor Troopers/Elementals 350.00
50 Bay Personnel .00
Weapons and Equipment Loc SRV MRV LRV ERV Heat Mass
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1 Barracuda(30 msls) Nose 2 2 2 2 10 990.00
3 Heavy NPPC Nose 45 45 45 45 675 9,000.00
2 NL45 Nose 9 9 9 9 140 1,800.00
2 LRM 15+ArtIV(200 rounds) Nose 2(24) 2(24) 2(24) -- 10 34.00
1 Gauss Rifle(104 rounds) Nose 2(15) 2(15) 2(15) -- 1 25.00
5 LB 5-X AC(500 rounds) Nose 2(15) 2(15) 2(15) -- 5 60.00
3 Ultra AC/5(600 rounds) Nose 2(21) 2(21) 2(21) -- 6 51.00
1 ER PPC Nose 2(15) 2(15) 2(15) -- 15 6.00
2 Large Pulse Laser Nose 2(20) 2(20) 2(20) -- 20 12.00
1 Barracuda(30 msls) FL/R 2 2 2 2 20 1,980.00
3 Heavy NPPC FL/R 45 45 45 45 1350 18,000.00
2 NL45 FL/R 9 9 9 9 280 3,600.00
2 LRM 15+ArtIV(200 rounds) FL/R 2(24) 2(24) 2(24) -- 20 68.00
1 Gauss Rifle(104 rounds) FL/R 2(15) 2(15) 2(15) -- 2 50.00
5 LB 5-X AC(500 rounds) FL/R 2(15) 2(15) 2(15) -- 10 120.00
3 Ultra AC/5(600 rounds) FL/R 2(21) 2(21) 2(21) -- 12 102.00
1 ER PPC FL/R 2(15) 2(15) 2(15) -- 30 12.00
2 Large Pulse Laser FL/R 2(20) 2(20) 2(20) -- 40 24.00
1 Barracuda(30 msls) L/RBS 2 2 2 2 20 1,980.00
3 Heavy NPPC L/RBS 45 45 45 45 1350 18,000.00
2 NL45 L/RBS 9 9 9 9 280 3,600.00
2 LRM 15+ArtIV(200 rounds) L/RBS 2(24) 2(24) 2(24) -- 20 68.00
1 Gauss Rifle(104 rounds) L/RBS 2(15) 2(15) 2(15) -- 2 50.00
5 LB 5-X AC(500 rounds) L/RBS 2(15) 2(15) 2(15) -- 10 120.00
3 Ultra AC/5(600 rounds) L/RBS 2(21) 2(21) 2(21) -- 12 102.00
1 ER PPC L/RBS 2(15) 2(15) 2(15) -- 30 12.00
2 Large Pulse Laser L/RBS 2(20) 2(20) 2(20) -- 40 24.00
1 Barracuda(30 msls) AL/R 2 2 2 2 20 1,980.00
3 Heavy NPPC AL/R 45 45 45 45 1350 18,000.00
2 NL45 AL/R 9 9 9 9 280 3,600.00
2 LRM 15+ArtIV(200 rounds) AL/R 2(24) 2(24) 2(24) -- 20 68.00
1 Gauss Rifle(104 rounds) AL/R 2(15) 2(15) 2(15) -- 2 50.00
5 LB 5-X AC(500 rounds) AL/R 2(15) 2(15) 2(15) -- 10 120.00
3 Ultra AC/5(600 rounds) AL/R 2(21) 2(21) 2(21) -- 12 102.00
1 ER PPC AL/R 2(15) 2(15) 2(15) -- 30 12.00
2 Large Pulse Laser AL/R 2(20) 2(20) 2(20) -- 40 24.00
1 Barracuda(30 msls) Aft 2 2 2 2 10 990.00
3 Heavy NPPC Aft 45 45 45 45 675 9,000.00
2 NL45 Aft 9 9 9 9 140 1,800.00
2 LRM 15+ArtIV(200 rounds) Aft 2(24) 2(24) 2(24) -- 10 34.00
1 Gauss Rifle(104 rounds) Aft 2(15) 2(15) 2(15) -- 1 25.00
5 LB 5-X AC(500 rounds) Aft 2(15) 2(15) 2(15) -- 5 60.00
3 Ultra AC/5(600 rounds) Aft 2(21) 2(21) 2(21) -- 6 51.00
1 ER PPC Aft 2(15) 2(15) 2(15) -- 15 6.00
2 Large Pulse Laser Aft 2(20) 2(20) 2(20) -- 20 12.00
1 Lot Spare Parts (1.00%) 7,500.00
50 Bay Personnel Quarters 350.00
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TOTALS: Heat: 7,056 750,000.00
Tons Left: .00
Calculated Factors:
Total Cost: 43,324,065,400 C-Bills
Battle Value: 115,669
Cost per BV: 374,552.09
Weapon Value: 75,773 (Ratio = .66)
Damage Factors: SRV = 4,940; MRV = 4,787; LRV = 3,544; ERV = 1,338
Maintenance: Maintenance Point Value (MPV) = 406,359
(69,293 Structure, 159,938 Life Support, 177,128 Weapons)
Support Points (SP) = 581,175 (143% of MPV)
BattleForce2: Not applicable
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Clan Cloud Cobra: True Sight; Wisdom of Ages
Clan Coyote: Midnight Star; Morning Star
Clan Diamond Shark: Kraken, Poseidon, Titanic, Tsunami
Clan Fire Mandrill: Fire-Eater
Clan Ghost Bear: Leviathan; Great Bear
Clan Goliath Scorpion: Karttikeya, Prometheus
Clan Hell's Horses: Blood Horse; Steel Shield
Clan Ice Hellion: Coterie; Taney
Clan Jade Falcon: Frost Falcon, Hawkeye
Clan Nova Cat: Blade; Bond; Chronicle; Principle
Clan Smoke Jaguar: Osis' Pride; Red Fang
Clan Snow Raven: Bonaventure; Eden Rose; Rook; Snowflake; Treachery; Wild Swan
Clan Star Adder: Renown; Stellar Serpent
Clan Steel Viper: Ophidian; Serpentes
Clan Wolf: Full Moon
Wolf's Dragoons: Alexander
Author
Topic: WarShips of the Clans (A Group Project) (Read 4645 times)