Besalisk Brigadier
OUT OF CHARACTER INFORMATION
Image Credit: Michael Oberschneiderhttps://www.artstation.com/prador
Intent: To make neat ships from nice art.
Canon Link: N/A
Restricted Missions: N/A
Primary Source: N/A
PRODUCTION INFORMATION
Manufacturer: Botajef Shipyards
Model: Voulge-class Fast Attack Ship
Affiliation: Open Market
Modularity: N/A
Production: Minor Production
Material: Duralloy Hull with Laminasteel weaving reinforcement, Ferroceramic Armor Plating, Glasteel and Transparisteel where appropriate.
TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS
Classification: Frigate
Role: Fast Attack Ship
Length: 223m
Width: 52m (not including wingspan)
Height: 36m
Sublight Speed: Moderate
Maneuverability: High
Hyperdrive Class: Average - 2.0, 10.0 backup
ARMAMENT
Armament Rating: High
1 x Spinal Mount Condensed Pulse-Beam Turbolaser
3 x Twin Turbolaser Turrets
8 x Twin Laser Cannon Turrets
1 x 12 Tube Multipurpose Missile Turret
Discord Missile (Warhead Tubes)- Flechette Missile (Warhead Tubes)
- Ion Torpedo / Disruptor Torpedo (Warhead Tubes)
- Cluster Missile (Warhead Tubes)
- Advanced Concussion Missile (Warhead Tubes)
- Type-B Homing Mine (Warhead Tubes)
Defense Rating: Low
HANGAR: Base
Strikecraft: 0 Squadrons
Support Craft: 0 combat craft.
Combat-Rated Ray Shielding
Combat-Rated Particle Shielding
Standard Sensor Suite (HSI/DER/EPR/AS/LFI)
Standard Encrypted Communications and C4I Suite
Standard Navigation Systems
Ionic Shielding Package
Ion Shields
Cap Drains
Duraplast Plating
Energy Sinks
[*]
Standard Electronics Warfare/Countermeasure Package
Sensor Jammer
220-SIG Tactical Sensor Jamming Device
Electronic Countermeasures
Full-spectrum Distortion Projector
ADVANCED SYSTEMS
Spinal Mount Condensed Pulse-Beam Turbolaser - Detailed below.
Strengths:
- One Big Gun: The Voulge-class is built around a single very powerful weapon. It is capable of doing significant damage to ships much larger than itself thanks its firepower and speed.
- One-Gun Pony: The Voulge-class is not terribly effective at doing anything other than hunting other ships. It is vulnerable to strike craft and quick Hunter/Killer Corvettes in particular.
DESCRIPTION
Power Core Generator/Reactor: BHI 8891Sv2 Micro Hypermatter Reactor
Minimum Crew: 58
Optimal Crew: 215
Passenger Capacity: Some 20 passengers can be comfortably accommodated.
Consumables: Approximately 1 year
A relatively recent offering from the famous planetary shipyards of Botajef, the Voulge-class started as a weapons development program, seeking new ways to utilize the basic mechanics behind the millenia-old Turbolaser. Inspired by the now legendary Composite Beam weapons of the Galactic Empire, and numerous more recent similar derivitives across the galaxy today, the researchers at Botajef came up with the 'Condensed Pulse-Beam Turbolaser.' Utilizing multiple gas chambers the weapon is many times more powerful than a conventional turboaser, a solution that quickly saw major issues with overheating, volatility, and spontaneous combusting gas chambers during testing. The solution was to 'pulse' the flow of blaster gas, reducing immediate impact power but giving the weapon a long sustaining 'beam' capable of punching through armor and shields and inflicting grevious damage, if it could be kept on target.
Pleased with the result of the weapon development program, Botajef next embarked to design a ship to carry it. The concept was simple. It need to be fast and manuverable, and *just* big enough to mount the main battery cannon and a handful of defense armaments. With rapid technological advancment in the years following the Netherworld disaster, the trend of combatant vessels in teh galaxy was shifting away from big lumbering destroyers back to cruisers and smaller vessels, andthe engineers were able to lock down enough power and structural support into a frame barely larger than a corvette. Sure the CBP-T jutted out like a sore thumb from the prow of the ship, but it was a success nonetheless.
There were drawbacks. So much power devoted to armament left the Voulge-class with a substandard shield array, and little mass to spend on armor. Botajef did what it could with Ferroceramics and other superhard, superlite materials, but the end result is a ship that, while not quite fragile, is certainly less resiliant than other vessels its size. The secondary armament also leaves much to be desired, and the fixed, spinal nature of the CBP-T means the Voulge absolutely needs its mobility to fight against other ships its size. With only a single missile turret and handful of twin laser cannons, it is also vulnerable to strike craft attack. Finally, it was also simply too expensive to produce en masse.
Nevertheless the vessel can be considered a research, engineering, and market success, as it has sold across the galaxy and sees widespread, albeit somewhat uncommon use by any number of planetary governments, mercenary outfits, corporate armadas, pirate flotillas, and so on.
