Unreviewed NZ DPT-1 Dual Purpose Turret

[Captain Charles]

OUT OF CHARACTER INFORMATION:

• Intent: To create a flexible dual purpose twin mount for use on the Imperial V-class Star Destroyer Stryker II
• Image Source: 5 Inch Gun Mount Mark 28, 32, and 38 - Description and Instructions, Ordnance Pamphlet 805 (First Revision), Department of the Navy Bureau of Ordnance, 19 March 1957. Hosted by Maritime.org
• Canon Link: Turbolaser, Ion Cannon
• Permissions: N&Z Umbrella Corporation
• Primary Source: Wookieepedia, NZ HP1 Turbolaser

PRODUCTION INFORMATION:

• Manufacturer: N&Z Umbrella Corporation
• Affiliation: Captain Charles, MIN Stryker II, First Scouting Squadron, Mahporeem Imperial Remnant
• Market Status: Closed Market
• Model: NZ DPT-1 Dual Purpose Turret
• Modularity: No
• Production: Limited
• Material:
  • Reinforced Durasteel (frame, barrels, structural components)
  • Duralium (internal plating and mechanical traverse components)
  • Ersteel SLCA - Super Light Composite Alloy (turret housing and casemate)
  • Heat Resistant Carbonite Coating (barrel thermal protection)
  • Ionite (ion cannon barrel and discharge components)
  • Electrum Wiring
  • Electrical Components
  • Ion Cannon Components

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS:

• Size: Average
• Weight: Average
• Ammunition Type: Tibanna Gas (turbolaser gun), Ion Bolt (ion cannon), High Explosive Shells, Armor Piercing Shells, Grapeshot and Heavy Flak Rounds.
• Ammunition Capacity: Large
• Effective Range: Medium Range
• Rate of Fire: High

SPECIAL FEATURES

• “One Turret Two Guns” - The DPT-1 features a modified NZ HP1 Turbolaser cannon and a Ionite Ion Cannon in one integrated mount. Each gun uses its own dedicated power feed but using an integrated targeting system allowing the gunner to fire turbolasers, ion bolts or both simultaneously depending on the situation.
• "Fast Tracking” - The DPT-1's rapid traverse mount can engage targets moving too fast for the HP-X to track, filling the coverage gap between the main battery and point defense network and ensuring the Stryker II always has a meaningful weapons response regardless of target type or engagement range.
• “Double Strike” - The DPT-1’s armament allows it to deal two different kinds of damage at the same time. The Ion cannon disables shields and critical systems while the Turbolaser deals the physical damage.
• Physical Ammo Availability - The DPT-1’s guns are equipped with a secondary loading mechanism allowing it to fire physical ammunition rounds alongside its standard energy weapons.

STRENGTHS

• “Dual Purpose” - The DPT-1 bridges the gap between the Stryker II’s HP-X main battery and its point defense network allowing the ship to meaningfully threaten ships that the HP-X cannot track but are too large for the point defenses to credibly threaten.
• “Fast Tracking”- The DPT-1's rapid traverse mount can engage targets moving too fast for the HP-X to track, filling the coverage gap between the main battery and point defense network and ensuring the Stryker II always has a meaningful weapons response regardless of target type or engagement range.
• “Shells of Ancient Times” - Although they must be hand loaded the DPT-1 is able to fire high explosive shells, armor piercing shells, grapeshot, and heavy flak rounds.

WEAKNESSES

• “Jack of All Trades” - Neither gun performs at the same level of a dedicated single purpose battery. The turbolaser hits less hard than a dedicated HP1 battery while the ion cannon disables systems less effectively than a dedicated ion mount. The DPT-1 brings both weapons to the fight while being the best at neither.
• “Medium Range Specialist” - The DPT-1 is optimized for medium to long range engagement. Its turbolaser bolts lack the energy to be effective at the extreme ranges of the HP-X and at close range its traverse speed cannot match the rapid tracking of dedicated point defense systems. It performs best in the engagement envelope between those two extremes.
• “Maunally Loaded” - The DPT-1’s physical rounds (the high explosive, armor piercing, grapeshot and heavy flak rounds) must be hand loaded significantly reducing its rate of fire when switching between energy and physical weapons mid engagement.

DESCRIPTION
The NZ DPT-1 Dual Purpose Turret was developed to fill a specific gap in capital ship weapons design: the mid range between the main battery optimized for capital ship engagement and the rapid point defense network optimized for star fighter interception. The space between these two weapons systems is not just physical, there are a wide variety of targets as well fast frigates, light cruisers, corvettes, large fighters all of which neither system is able to handle properly.

The solution was simple yet genius, combine a modified NZ HP1 Turbolaser cannon with a purpose built Ion cannon in a unified twin mount. Each gun uses its own dedicated power feeding systems but have a unified targeting system allowing for one gunner to operate both guns simultaneously or independently with ease.

A crucial feature of the DPT-1 is its fast traverse which allows it to catch targets moving too quickly for heavier capital ship batteries like the HP-X. Another useful feature would be its turbolaser and ion cannon which can credibly threaten the medium sized targets point defenses cannot.

But what makes this weapon truly unique is its ability to fire physical ammunition. These weapons draw on pre-Imperial naval traditions that predate the adoption of energy weapons. These physical rounds are high explosive, armor piercing, grapeshot and heavy flak rounds. High explosive and armor piercing shells bypass ray shielding entirely striking hull plates directly with kinetic force. Grapeshot turns the turret into a deadly close range weapon against fighters and unarmored targets. Finally heavy flak rounds provide area denial though expanding fields of shrapnell. These rounds come at the price of a slow reload as they must be loaded by hand and running out means waiting until the next resupply.

Another trade off when the weapon is firing in its energy mode is neither gun performs at the peak of its weapon type. A dedicated HP1 battery hits harder, a dedicated ion cannon installation disrupts more effectively. The DPT-1 accepts reduced peak performance from each in exchange for the flexibility of having both in every mount position, plus the option to reach for something older and more physical when the situation demands it.