Approved Tech Breshig War Forge Consolidated SM-01S Seismic Space Mine

[Shuklaar Kyrdol]

IMAGE

OUT OF CHARACTER INFORMATION

• Image Source: Here.

PRODUCTION INFORMATION

• Manufacturer: Breshig War Forge Consolidated.
• Affiliation: Breshig War Forge Consolidated and Strill Securities.
• Material: Duraplast frame, combat de-ionizer, Baradium, collapsium, electronics and mine components.
• Modularity: Can be launched out of any minelayer that can fit them.

SPECIAL FEATURES

Comms

Encryption/Decryption Suite Location Spoofing/Scrambling Communications Suite Utility Communications Systems Backup Communication Systems Security Systems

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  • Comm Unit Scrambler
  • Communication Wave Descrambler
  • Encryption Module
  • Ghostwave
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  • Ion Scrambler
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  When connected to compatible systems, the communication suite is an auto-negotiating, frequency hopping system with a self-modulating encryption key, making it extremely resistant to jamming and interception. The comm-lasers can mimic this by rapidly shifting their broadcast spectrum.
  
  • Subspace Image Transmitter
  • Holonet Transceiver
  • Comm Laser
  • Hypercomm
  • Holographic Comm Unit
  • Hyperwave Transceiver
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  • Optical-laser Pulse: Used in target designation and marking.
  • IFF Transponder
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  • PTP Link (w/ PTP Encryption Device)
  • Laser-flash Signaller
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  • RRDM
  • Socketguard
  • Echo Pulse
  • Pyrowall

Detection, Targeting and Tracking

Data-sharing Optics Software Scanners Sensors Targeting Suite Tracking Suite

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  The mines stablish a local area network between other mines where they share detection, targeting and tracking data.
  
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  • 360-degree FOV Coverage Wide-angle Electro Photo Receptor with Electrobinocular (1x - 250x magnification) functions: The Electro Photo Receptors used here have been modified with a number of additional sensor, scanner and imaging systems listed below. They are all built with the same magnification level as the listed Electrobinocular zoom. The view displayed is a composite image created from all the connected systems parsed and processed by advanced data processing algorithms and a secondary advanced Droid Brain with Gabonna memory crystal memory.
    • Automatic Anti-Flash functions.
    • Feed Recording: The composite sensor feed can be recorded to data cards or other storage mediums connected either wired or wirelessly.
    • Long-range Starship-grade Infrared Motion Sensor with supplemental Long-range Starship-grade Motion Sensors and Long-range Starship-grade Heat Detector
    • Light Amplification functions.
    • Long-range Starship-grade Ultrasonic Imaging System: A number of ultrasonic beam emitters are used to create a composite sonic image which allows the operator to see through most kinds of cover and concealment.
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  • Life form indicator
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  • Long-range Energy Scanner
  • Long-range Starship-grade EMS Scanner: The EMS Scanner can be used for targeting and tracking purposes of specific EM signatures or can store specific EM signatures for later use.
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  • LIDAR
  • Long-range Mass-detector
  • Proximity Indicator
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  • Macrolaser Tracker
  • Long-range Silhouette Tracker
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  • Fast-target Compensator, Target Acquisition and Tracking, Countermeasures Compensation augmented Tracking Computer

• Payload:
  • Spherically Detonating Seismic Charge.
• Propulsion:
  • IR Suppressed Thrust Trace Dampened Etheric Rudder-Vectral Maneuvering Unit
• Protocols:
  • Detection and Detonation: Provided no friendly IFF signals are in the detonation zone, the mine will detonate under the following circumstances if any of the following are tripped. The IFF safety feature can be disabled.
    • Contact: The mine's contact fuze will be set off by upon impact with a hostile or unknown entity.
    • Proximity: The mine's proximity fuse will be set off by a hostile or unknown entity entering its effective detonation radius.
    • Tamper Detection: Any attempt to gain unauthorized access to the mine either physically or via a its computer systems will trigger detonation.
  • Intercept: While these mines cannot hope to keep up with a starfighter at full speed they can still follow targets that enter their detection radius with the intention of intercepting them.
  • Remote Trigger: The mine can also be remotely triggered manually.
  • Self-dispersing: The mines communicate with one another and the host ship once deployed, spreading out to a configurable distance once deployed and will hold their assigned position unless another protocol overrides this.

STRENGTHS

• Self Dispersing, Station Keeping: These mines both disperse on their own and also keep their stations without phenomenon such as orbital drift becoming a concern.
• Networked: These mines are networked with one another which means if one mine has detected a hostile, they all have. These mines will also report potential new hostile contacts to the dispersing vessel, or any other vessel configured to receive such alerts.
• Big Boom: The mine's seismic charge is powerful enough to be capable of causing damage to even larger capital warships.
• Data Fusion: The mines employ data fusion, giving them a composite 'view' of the area around them, greatly reducing the effectiveness of electronic warfare and environmental factors.

WEAKNESSES

• Deep Space, Orbit or High Atmosphere: These mines are really only designed to function in deep space, orbital space or high in a planet's atmosphere, they will not function at lower altitudes.
• Unintentional Friendly Fire: These mines can be set off by a contact without an explicitly recognized friendly IFF which can lead to unintentional friendly fire situations.
• EMP/Ion: While protected against EMP/Ion damage, any weapon sufficiently powerful to overwhelm these protective measures can cause damage to the mine's more sensitive systems such as its detection, targeting and tracking suite and comms.
• Fuel: These mines don't carry enough fuel for a sustained chase of targets.
• Not True Stealth: The mine's stealth systems aren't 'true' stealth given that the mine can be picked up by visual mean and are difficult to detect as anything but sensor ghosts on gravity and magnetic sensors at anything but closer ranges.

DESCRIPTION

The S variant of the SM-01-series of space mines is designed to guard medium-high priority facilities and especially during offensive mining operations. These are especially used aboard company capital ships for use in minelaying shells. The seismic charge in these mines is capable of doing considerable damage to even large capital ships, though is sensitive and mobile enough to engage even smaller starfighters. In these cases, the effect on target is usually nothing short of devastating.

These mines are self dispersing and station keeping, meaning that once deployed from a vessel, they will automatically spread out a configurable distance but will not close to the point that they can sympathetically set each other off. Additionally, they will keep to these positions without outside aid. They are also fully networked, meaning if one mine detects a potential hostile, they all have. The mines employ data fusion, giving them a composite 'view' of the area around them, greatly reducing the effectiveness of electronic warfare and environmental factors.

These mines are completely useless outside of deep and orbital space as well as high atmosphere on most worlds. Another major flaw is that these mines can be set off by a contact without an explicitly recognized friendly IFF which can lead to unintentional friendly fire situations. Additionally, while protected against EMP/Ion damage, any weapon sufficiently powerful to overwhelm these protective measures can cause damage to the mine's more sensitive systems such as its detection, targeting and tracking suite and comms. Finally, these mines don't carry enough fuel for a sustained chase of targets.

 

[Admiral Burtch]

Shuklaar Kyrdol

Fantastic use of research, as always!

The Wookiepedia has the IR Suppressor and Thrust Trace Dampener listed as stealth technologies. These will have to be removed, or the production rating lowered to semi-unique, please.

Please tag me when this is ready.

 

[Shuklaar Kyrdol]

Admiral Burtch I have spoken with John, since the system in totality isn't perfect stealth, apparently that's alright. It does not have perfect sensor stealth.

 

[Admiral Burtch]

Shuklaar Kyrdol

That's fine, then. If these systems are being used to provide reduced-signature effects rather than the full stealth capabilities normally associated with them, they can remain at the current production rating.

I will need that limitation made explicit in the submission, however, so that the intended effect is clear to anyone using or encountering the technology later. In particular, please add language clarifying that the IR Suppressor and Thrust Trace Dampener reduce their respective signatures but do not render the seismic space mine undetectable, and that the system does not provide perfect sensor stealth.

Adding this as a weakness would probably be the cleanest way to handle it, though you're welcome to clarify it elsewhere in the submission as well.

Separately, and this is only a suggestion rather than a requirement for approval, it may be worth considering a custom technology submission in the future that provides the reduced-signature effect you're looking for without relying on Wookieepedia stealth technologies. That would give you more control over the exact limitations and make similar future submissions more straightforward to judge.

Please tag me when this is ready.

 

[Shuklaar Kyrdol]

Admiral Burtch That's been specified, and I do have those engines, but they're for starfighter and starfighter+ sub capital vessels, not mines. Great minds, I suppose xD

 

[Admiral Burtch]

Shuklaar Kyrdol

Alright, we're getting very close with this one, but I'd like one further adjustment to this weakness.

My concern is specifically with the wording "at closer ranges." As currently written, this creates an implication that the mines cannot be detected by these methods at longer ranges. That inadvertently gives the weakness an additional stealth benefit while it's intended to establish a means of countering the stealth.

I think a good compromise here would be for the mines to remain detectable as indistinct or "ghost" contacts on sensors at longer ranges, becoming progressively easier to locate and resolve as the detecting vessel gets closer.

You don't have to use that exact wording. The important distinction I'm looking for is that the mines remain detectable at range, even if their stealth systems make them difficult to accurately identify or localize until closer proximity.

Make that distinction clear for me and I think we'll finally have this one wrestled into submission.

 

[Shuklaar Kyrdol]

That is the assumption with sensor warfare, but that's been made more apparent.

 

[Admiral Burtch]

Shuklaar Kyrdol

I think I agree with you on that. However, assumptions can also create ambiguities, and when we're dealing with an application of restricted technology that is intended to fall within a non-restricted exception, I think those ambiguities need to be explicitly defined.

This is good! Excellent work, as always!