OBT Forum

These are both from my AU, so the fluff relates to that, they are based on the same hull and happened close to each other so that's why the fluff is similar to both.  Recently updated with StracOps and TechManual fun.

Congress Block II-class Frigate (Federated Suns)
Tech:            Inner Sphere 3064
Era:            What if
Vessel Type:         WarShip
Availability:         Federated Suns
Mass:            760,000 tons
K-F Drive System:      Derek Type One
Length:            708 meters
Sail Diameter:         1,207 meters
Power Plant:         Standard
   Safe Thrust:             3   Maximum Thrust:      5
Armour Type:         Ferro-Carbide
Armament:
   2 Kraken-Telescopic Capital Missile Launchers
   4 Naval Autocannon class-30
   10 Naval Autocannon class-10
   4 Screen Launcher
   16 Rotary Autocannon class-5s   
   16 Large Laser
   4 Silver Bullet Gauss Rifle
   40 Anti-Missile Systems

Congress-class Heavy Frigate (Clan Nova Cat)
Tech:            Clan 3060
Era:            What if
Availability:         Unique, True Vision
Vessel Type:         WarShip
Mass:            760,000 tons
K-F Drive System:      Derek Type One
Length:            708 meters
Sail Diameter:         1,207 meters
Power Plant:         Standard
   Safe Thrust:             3   Maximum Thrust:      5
Armour Type:         Ferro-Carbide
Armament:
   2 AR-10 Multi-Purpose Capital Missile Launcher
   20 Naval Autocannon class-35
   12 Large Pulse Lasers
   24 Extended-Range Large Laser
   12 Anti-Missile Systems

Overview
   In the late 3050s Clan Nova Cat’s Congress-class Frigate True Vision was heavily damaged in a trial when it helped the Anna Rosse, a York-class Destroyer, protect the Nova Cat’s Barcella OmniMech production plant from Clan Smoke Jaguar. 
   Instead of scrapping the True Vision or mothballing the crippled vessel in one of the Brian Caches throughout Clan Space the Nova Cat’s took advantage of the damage caused to the True Vision to completely renovate the aging vessel and the venerable Congress-class creating something completely different in the process.  Using the Snow Raven Lum shipyards they have also passed these stats to the Snow Ravens as part of the payment.
   In the late 3060s Challenge Systems began upgrading three Congress-class Frigates the Federated Suns had kept hidden damaged and disabled through lack of parts in the Succession Wars although there had been previous upgrades to the class Challenge decided to treat the Star League era ship as the Block I and make this the Block II although the Clans have dubbed it the Congress 64 because of its update time.  The Upgraded Clan version and the Federated Suns version of the new Congress bare little resemblance to the Congress that has been in use for centuries.

Capabilities
   Firstly neither the Nova Cats or Challenger Systems have changed the Congress’s engines, structure or armour making the vessel‘s appearance almost identical to a regular Congress at range.  Both factions have however changed the Congress turning into a far more aggressive and effective vessel all round fighting machine instead of the traditional sniper/picket vessel the Congress-class is so well known for.  Ensuring these ships could cope with the additional heat both Nova Cats and Federated Suns were throwing at them both ships had their heat distribution systems completely redrawn.
   The first major difference between the upgraded vessels have is that both the Federated Suns and the Nova Cat versions now carry far more fighters and small craft than the originals the Federated Suns vessel able to carry an entire Wing of aerospace fighters the Nova Cat carrying two Stars.  The Federated Suns model also carries two DropShips more than the original Congress bringing it to a total of four keeping in tune with Federated Suns naval concept of WarShips being escorted by a large DropShip force.  If the Federated Suns Congress carries assault DropShips the Block II vessel can take on the heaviest type of enemy WarShip because of the heavier fighter force.  The Federated Suns vessel also carries a Large Naval Communication Suite Scanner improving any accompanied fleets ELINT capabilities which allows the fleet to react faster.
   Offensively the Federated Suns Block II can be no more different from the original vessel carrying 2 massive Kraken Telescope Capital Missile launchers up front as its primary ranged armament.  If the ship needs to get close both flanks are armed with huge heavy Naval Autocannons able to cut a DropShip to pieces in a single volley and threaten even the thickest WarShip armour.  Around the rest of the Congress’ hull are ten more light Naval Autocannons stacked together in double or triple arrangements providing the Congress with plenty teeth.
   For fighter defence the ship carries an array of sixteen Rotary Autocannons, Large lasers and up front four still experimental Silver Bullet Gauss Rifles.  Because of the nature of these Gauss weapons the Congress carries far more gunners than it needs - these are on board purely to keep up with the maintenance of these weapons.  Many have noted that conventional Gauss rifles would likely be more effective and less costly but the Federated Suns has kept with them intent on making the weapon suitable for full time use.
   Finally the Federated Suns Congress carries four Screen launchers and forty Anti-Missile Defence systems providing the ship with plenty of anti-missile and blocking power making the Congress the perfect escort for troop DropShips or for heavier WarShips such as the Avalon -class Cruiser or First Prince-class Battleship.
   When the Nova Cat’s redesigned their True Vision’s weapons array they were obviously influenced by the Federated Suns upgrade of their own Congress Block II but at the same time they went for the brutally simple and effective approach much like their Nova Cat OmniMech.
   Up front the Killer Whale Missile Launcher was replaced with a Multi-Purpose AR-10, then a second launcher was added along with a magazine containing one hundred and twenty capital missiles distributed equally between White Shark, Killer Whale and Barracuda.  The Nova Cats then completely removed all the remaining Naval Autocannons on the ship and replaced them all with twenty heavy Naval-class Autocannons.  Placed together in ten dual turrets spread around the hull these weapons are absolutely devastating when hitting anything smaller than a major WarShip.  Surprisingly the Nova Cats dispensed with any other type of Naval weapon instead concentrating on the Autocannons.
   For defence they copied the Federated Suns Congress Block II with forty Anti-Missile Systems divided equally around the craft.  For anti-fighter defence four bays of six Extended-Range Large Lasers dominate the flanks forward and aft while in the broadside a further bay of six Large Pulse Lasers add volume and accuracy to the anti-fighter firepower.

Deployment
   The Nova Cats field a single Congress named the True Vision, this vessel is the command version of Mystic WarShip Star.  While in the Clan Homeworlds this vessel acts as the Khan’s personal transport.  The Nova Cat’s have re-designated the vessel as a Congress-class Heavy Frigate due to the weapons upgrade.
   The Federated Suns have three Congress-class vessels in various states of upgrade, none are expected in service until sometime in the late 3060s.  In late 3061 following his return from Clan Space First Prince Victor Steiner-Davion was visited by Supreme Commander Jamie Wolf Founder, Owner and Overall Commander of Wolf’s Dragoons.  Wolf offered Victor an entire Regiment of Wolf’s Dragoons warriors for contract in exchange for the Federated Suns upgrading the Wolf Dragoon Congress-class Beowulf.  Victor accepted and Gamma Regiment accepted a year contract with the Federated Suns in August 3062.  The Dragoons were in fact the first to field the Congress Block II in combat in 3065 in the Melissa system of the Lyran Alliance when they destroyed the Green Lantern, a Jade Falcon Congress.  The Beowulf’s display clearly demonstrated the superiority of the Block II design.
   The Eridani Light Horse/SLDF Controlled SLS Shining Claw has also been upgraded to this configuration and has so far engaged Jade Falcon and Word of Blake forces taking light damage on both occasions but again proving the worth of the upgrade.  The Shining Claw was briefly docked at the Galax shipyards in the Federated Suns for maintenance following its combat in the Terra system.

Here's the Federated Suns one

Congress Block II-class Frigate WarShip       760,000 tons
Equipment:                                                          Mass 
Power Plant                                                      136,800
Thrust                          Safe Thrust 3
                                Maximum Thrust 5
K-F Drive                       Compact (Integrity 16)           343,900
Lithium Fusion Battery                                             7,600
Jump Sail                                                          0,068
Structual Integrity                        75                     57,000
Heat Sinks (Double)                        1,000 (2,000)           0.436
Fuel and pump                              12,500                  6,150
Bridge and Control systems                                         1,875
Large NCSS                                                         0,500
Armour            Ferro-carbide             800pts               1,000
        Fore             130 (+8 free SI)
        Fore Left/Right  135 (+8 free SI)
        Aft Left/Right   135 (+8 free SI)
        Aft              125 (+8 free SI)

Cargo
         Bay 1:     20 Aerospace Fighters with six Doors           3,000
         Bay 2:      8 Small Craft with two doors                  1,600
         Bay 3:     Cargo with one door                          146,858

Docking Collar                            4                        4,000
Gravity Deck                         1 Diameter 90 metres          0,050
Life Boats                               30                        0,210
Escape Pods:                             15                        0,105

Crew and Passengers:
   43 Officers                                                     0,430
  195 Enlisted                                                     1,365
   50 Gunners                                                      0,350
   20 2nd Class Passenger Quarters                                 0,140
  112 Marines                                                      0,560

Weapons and Equipment      Location    Damage (C)      Max Range    Mass
2 Kraken-T                   Nose        20             Extreme    0,440
4 Silver Bullet Gauss Rifle  Nose         4 (36)         Long      0,060
Screen Launcher              Nose        --             Short      0,040
5 AMS                        Nose        --             Point      0,002.5
2 NAC/30                     FL/R        60             Long      14,000
4 RAC/5                      FL/R         8 (80)        Medium     0,080
5 AMS                        FL/R        --             Point      0,005
3 NAC/10                     R/LBS       30             Long      12,000
4 Large Laser                R/LBS        3 (32)        Medium     0,040
Screen Launcher              R/LBS       --             Short      0,080
5 AMS                        R/LBS       --             Point      0,005
2 NAC/10                     AL/R        20             Long       8,000
4 Large Laser                AL/R         3 (32)        Medium     0,040
4 RAC/5                      AL/R         8 (80)        Medium     0,080
5 AMS                        AL/R        --             Point      0,005
2 NAC/10                     Aft         20             Long       4,000
Screen Launcher              Aft         --             Short      0,040
5 AMS                        Aft         --             Point      0,002.5

Ammo
Kraken-T                 60 Missiles (30 per launcher)             6,000
NAC/30                  120 Rounds (30 per cannon)                 0,192
NAC/10                  385 Rounds (25 per cannon)                 0,077
Screen Launcher          60 Rounds (15 Screens per launcher)       0,600
RAC/5                   960 Rounds (60 per cannon)                 0,048
AMS                   1,920 Rounds (48 per system)                 0,160
Silver Bullet Gauss     160 Rounds (40 per rifle)                  0,020
And the Nova Cat's True Vision

Congress-class Heavy Frigate WarShip            760,000 tons
Equipment:                                                          Mass 
Power Plant                                                      136,800
Thrust                          Safe Thrust 3
                                Maximum Thrust 5
K-F Drive                       Compact (Integrity 16)           343,900
Lithium Fusion Battery                                             7,600
Jump Sail                                                          0,068
Structual Integrity                        75                     57,000
Heat Sinks (Double)                        1,000 (2,000)           0.436
Fuel and pump                              5,000                   2,100
Bridge and Control systems                                         1,875
Armour            Ferro-carbide             900pts                 1,000
        Fore             148 (+8 free SI)
        Fore Left/Right  151 (+8 free SI)
        Aft Left/Right   151 (+8 free SI)
        Aft              143 (+8 free SI)

Cargo
         Bay 1:     20 Aerospace Fighters with six Doors           3,000
         Bay 2:     10 Small Craft with two doors                  2,000
         Bay 3:     Cargo with one door                           96,575

Docking Collar                            2                        2,000
Gravity Deck                         1 Diameter 90 metres          0,050
Life Boats                               10                        0,070
Escape Pods:                             10                        0,070

Crew and Passengers:
   43 Officers                                                     0,430
  195 Enlisted                                                     1,365
   25 Gunners                                                      0,175
   25 Elemental Battle Armour Marines                              0,175

Weapons and Equipment      Location    Damage (C)      Max Range    Mass
2 AR-10                      Nose      Various          Various    0,500
5 AMS                        Nose        --             Point      0,002.5
2 NAC/35                     FL/R        70             Medium    16,000
2 NAC/35                     FL/R        70             Medium    16,000
6 ER Large Laser             FL/R         6 (60)        Extreme    0,072
5 AMS                        FL/R        --             Point      0,005
2 NAC/35                     R/LBS       70             Medium    16,000
6 Large Pulse Laser          R/LBS        6 (60)        Long       0,036
5 AMS                        R/LBS       --             Point      0,005
2 NAC/35                     AL/R        70             Medium    16,000
6 ER Large Laser             AL/R         6 (60)        Extreme    0,072
5 AMS                        AL/R        --             Point      0,005
2 NAC/35                     Aft         70             Medium    16,000
2 NAC/35                     Aft         70             Medium    16,000
5 AMS                        Aft         --             Point      0,002.5

Ammo
Killer Whale             40 Missiles (20 per launcher)             2,000
White Shark              40 Missiles (20 per launcher)             1,600
Barracuda                40 Missiles (20 per launcher)             1,200
NAC/35                1,200 Rounds (50 per cannon)                 1,200
AMS                   3,840 Rounds (96 per system)                 0,160

Comments welcome, hope you enjoy!!