Directorate Officer
OUT OF CHARACTER INFORMATION
- Intent:To provide a brawling-style cruiser for the Directorate
- Image Source: Personal photograph of Spartan Game's Vanquisher-class Cruiser modified by yours truly combined with space background
- Canon Link: N/A
- Permissions: N/A
- Primary Source: N/A
- Manufacturer: Lucerne Labs
- Affiliation: Directorate
- Model: Achilles-class Assault Cruiser
- Production: Limited
- Material: Mirrsteel-iridium-condensed matter composite frame as per Ossis starship frame, Chimera Composite armor plating, ceraglass, Starship Components
- Classification: Assault Cruiser
- Length: 500 meters
- Width: 200 meters
- Height: 120 meters
- Armament: Extreme
- Defenses: Extreme
- Hangar Space: Very Low: 1 squadron
- Hangar Allocations:
- Starfighters: 0 squadrons
- Support Craft: 1 squadrons (Typically 12 Shyyyo-class Combat Transports or 8 Squall-class Patrol Boats)
- Maneuverability Rating: Low (Very Low with Nimble-5 Ion Engines Boost mode engaged) (Average with Gulfstream-class Maneuvering System engaged) (Low with Nimble-5 Boost mode engaged)
- Speed Rating: Low (Average with Nimble-5 Ion Engines Boost mode engaged) (Very Low with Gulfstream-class Maneuvering System engaged)
- Hyperdrive Class: Average: x1
- Encryption Network
- Escape Pods
- Electronic Security Systems (Pyrowalls, Rapid Repetition Defense Measure programming, EI-9 network security droids)
- Internal Security Systems (Embedded Mantraps, Automated Stormfire Repeater Emplacements, Internal Force Field Generators)
- Oracle-class Communications Package (x1)
- Ossis Starship Frame
- Standard Detention Cells
- Standard Life Support Systems
- Standard Navigational Systems
- Metis Sensor Array
- Tractor Beam Projectors (x6)
- Aegis II Anticoncussion Field Generator
- Assault tubes equipped with Plasma Cut Boarding Devices
- Chimera Composite Armor
- Aspis-class Shield Systems (x3)
- Biolux Organoform Circuitry
- Calor series Bio-computers
- Gulfstream-class Maneuvering System
- Nimble-5 Ion Engines
- Recycling Systems: Fuel scoops, molecular furnace, limited automated factory, Gyrowheel series recycling droids
- Automated: Achilles takes full advantage of Lucerne Labs pioneering biological-based computing systems to highly automate the warship, allowing the ship to use a smaller number of crew, and thus improving its ability as a long-distance endurance warship.
- Endurance Vessel: Designed to fight in highly remote reaches of space, the Achilles sports a number of systems designed to improve its long-term endurance. Fuel scoops ensure that the ship can refuel itself from the natural resources of uninhabitanted planets while a molecular furnance and automated factory allow it to produce more ammunition for its projectile weapons as well as any spare parts that might needed. The recycling droids help stretch out food supplies for the small crews if needed.
- Heavy Firepower: The Achilles's foremost strength is the high amount of firepower afforded to it via its large number of Homing Lasers, plasma railguns, and scatter cannons, making it an exceptionally dangerous warship.
- Impressive Defense: The Achilles is fairly durable on the battlefield thanks to a moderate thick hull, three layers of shielding, and the inclusion of anti-concussion field generator system.
- Small Hangar: The Achilles has a very small hangar that only hosts support craft. It cannot carry any starfighters.
- Low Speed: The Achilles is slower than most of its contemporaries.
- Low Maneuverability: The Achilles is not as maneuverably as most of its contemporaries.
The Achilles-class Cruiser is a product of Lucerne Lab's Gyndine shipyards reworking existing design elements of the old Defender-class Cruiser into a brawling-type assault cruiser designed to dish out and absorb large amounts of damage. To that end, the Achilles sports a large number of gun emplacements, ranging from long-range and large scale lasers to stubby and squat scatter cannons, all of which cannot only project large amounts of firepower, but can project it in different ways and with different effects, granting the Achilles some versatility with its punch. To absorb damage, the Achilles relies on three layers of shielding supplemented by an Aegis II Anticoncussion field generator and a thick Chimera Composite hull. Unfortunately, these fighting characteristics come at the cost of low flight performance and a very small hangar. As with other vessels of this design program, the Achilles also makes use of extensive automation along with a number of materials recycling and manufacturing technologies to greatly extend the ship's endurance with a minimum of support facilities which was key to winning the Tempered Wastes campaign. With that campaign now over, most members of the Achilles-classes are returning to the civilized areas galaxy with their hulls still covered in heavy carbon scoring after fighting dozens of battles with Warlord Frill's forces.
Technical Explanations
Crew & Automation: The Achilles runs on a two section crew that extensively uses the ship's Calor Series BioComputers connected by Lucerne Labs Biolux series Organoform circuitry to automate as many of the ship's basic functions as possible for non-combat, day to day operations. This usually results in each watch overseeing these processes from their stations, and moving to trouble shoot problems as they arise. When battle is eminent, both sections come onto duty simultaneously, taking over any previously automated tasks.This leaves a small pool of crewmen that can supplement certain department's manpower as needed. All of this activity is directed from a CIC-style bridge buried near the center of the ship. The ship also a cramped auxiliary bridge located at the tip of the vessel's bow, which unlike the main bridge, has viewports that look out into space. Achilles is also notable in that it has a morale, welfare, and resource section located at the very rear of the ship placed between the two engine blocks. Multiple layers of ceraglass offer an expansive star vista while sailors and soldiers work out, play sports, eat, and drink in this multi-level multipurpose space which makes long deployments much more bearable.
Engine Systems: The Achilles uses twin banks of Nimble-5 Ion Engines, which temporarily allow the cruiser to "boost". This is typically used to close gaps in formations or to avoid collisions, as the temporary nature of the boost rarely aids in pursuing ships. When engaged in close quarters maneuvering, the Achilles frequently engages its Gulfstream Maneuvering System, which enhances its ability to make maneuvers at the cost of even lower speed. Despite these advanced systems, the sheer bulk of the Achilles's armor makes it a relatively low performance starship. The Achilles sports an otherwise typical hyperdrive and repulsorlifts typically found on a vessel its size.
Shielding systems: The Achilles uses three independent Aspis-class Shield Systems to provide it with several layers of redundant shielding, much like earlier Mon Calamari Cruisers. This allows local systems to be briefly taken offline for repair if damaged or burnt out while still leaving some shields still up in that area. The ship also has an Aegis II Anti-concussion Field Generator with its own dedicated power source, providing it an additional means of resisting and dispersing kinetic attacks. This makes the Achilles exceptionally durable on the battlefield.
Hull: As an evolution of the Defender, the Achilles was designed from the ground up with the Ossis series starship framework, making its base bones durable and resilient to variety of potential dangers. Because of its intent to fight prolonged battles in close-quarters setting, this frame has been covered with multiple layers of criss-crossing Chimera-Composite Plates. While this provides more resilient armor than many of its contemporaries, much of the ship's defense is the result of its extensive shielding systems. The rear morale, welfare, and resource section is the exception to this rule, but automatic shutters quickly move Chimera-Composite plates over the exposed panes of ceraglass.
Weapon Systems: The Achilles is designed to progressively grind down an enemy's defenses before breaking through them to cause almost surgical injuries in some areas and chaotically indiscriminate damage in other areas of its target. This starts at long range, where its Scythe Homing Lasers begin to steadily bore through shielding and hulls. This is often a coordinated strike, with many lasers converging on a single point to pierce through defenses and surgically knock out subsystems of the enemy vessels. As the distance between the two ships decrease, the Firestorm Plasma Turbolaser batteries begin to fire, operating like typical turbolasers with the exception of the ability to also deliver specialty plasma payloads, such as electromagnetic pulses or biohazardous radiation. At even closer ranges, the Achilles is able to bring its extensive scatter cannon batteries to bear, which can pepper areas with speciality munitions. This last weapon is fairly indiscriminate, making it useful for destroying smaller and faster craft that can dodge its other weapons and also further breaking down defenses that rely on precise and target application, such as fast-tracking shield projectors. Consequently, the Achilles is somewhat unusual in that it can effectively attack starfighters with much of its heavy weapons: the Scythe Homing Lasers can 'scythe' through formations of starfighters at long range, while few starfighters want to engage with large clouds of cluster submunitions at closer ranges. For more precise countermeasures against with small threats like starfighters, the Achilles also has equidistantally spaced point defense batteries of quad autoblasters and starfighter-grade missile launchers. The largely wedge-shape of the vessel's bow allows the Achilles to fire the vast majority of its capital-grade weapons in a full forward arc while still projecting reasonably good broadside fire, much like the classic Imperial Star Destroyer. It does have a few weapons though that do have rear firing arcs due to the ship's rounded stern.
Carrying Capacity: The Achilles has a small stern hangar that opens up between the twin engine blocks. This hangar hosts a single squadron of support craft used to help handle general logistical tasks and for moving troops. This hangar is usually protected by a pair of thick blast doors made out of Chimera composite. In terms of passengers and cargo, the Odysseus carries up to an old Imperial Battalion worth of men and their equipment, much like the older Strike-class Medium Cruiser. The Achilles has several dozen assault tubes with plasma cutting devices, which allow the Achilles to directly insert its troops into enemy starships and space stations if need be. Exact passenger and cargo loadouts vary from mission to mission and user to user: A Odyssseus on a charting expedition is more likely to carry extra probots and supplies rather than thousands of infantrymen.
Recycling Systems: Because of their original design intent to operate in the furthest regions of known space, the Achilles-class has a number of systems designed to extend its endurance. Perhaps the most important of these are fuel scoops, which allow the Achilles to gather up liquids and gases from naturally-occurring sources and convert them into different chemicals. This not only provides the ship's reactors and engines with fuel, but also its Plasma Turbolasers with different types of plasma. A molecular furnace with an automated machine shop and ammunition factory helps meets the ship's other basic needs for spare parts for any of its equipment or carried vehicles and munitions for its scatter cannons. Lastly, a several dozen Gyrowheel recycling droids and their associated recycling stations can further extend the ship's food supply if need be.
