Pentagon

Pentagon (DropShip).jpg
Pentagon
Production information
Manufacturer Terran Hegemony
Production Year 2623[1]
Use Attack Ship,
Escort Vessel
Type Assault
Tech Base Inner Sphere
Technical specifications
Mass 4,000 tons
Structural Integrity 21
Length 89 meters
Width 75 meters
Height 75 meters
Drive System GM 5600 Sublite Maneuver Drives
Safe Thrust 3.5 g
Max Thrust 5.5 g
Fuel (tons) 600 tons
Fuel (days) 1.84
Armament
Armor 75.5 tons Standard
Nose = 368
Sides = 323
Aft = 278
Crew 4 officers
10 enlisted/non-rated
8 gunners
25 marines
Passengers None
Escape Pods/Life Boats 8/1
Heat Sinks 170 (340)
BV (1.0) 12,186[2]
BV (2.0) 12,658[3]
12,402[4]


Description[edit]

The Pentagon-class assault DropShip was first designed for the Terran Hegemony Navy in the twenty-sixth century when it needed an anti-fighter escort for its Congress-class Frigates. With a maximum acceleration of 5.573 Gs and six hundred tons of fuel, it was faster than any other DropShip of its era and could keep pace with most other aerospace fighters over great distances. Over seventy-five tons of armor and a mix of lethal weaponry made it one of the most heavily armed and armored DropShips of its time.[5]

During the Star League era, the Pentagon served with distinction in the Periphery uprisings and the Amaris Civil War. One of its more noted actions occurred during the Second Periphery Uprising. The SLS Star Devil, a Congress-class frigate, was conducting a sweep of an uninhabited star system when it had a chance encounter with a Taurian assault convoy, consisting of four Lola II-class Destroyers and a number of JumpShips, heading for Brisbane. The Star Devil launched her two Pentagons, which engaged the convoy's fighter escorts and destroyed four enemy JumpShips before being destroyed themselves. The Star Devil was also destroyed, taking three of the Lola IIs with her.[5]

It was thought the design had become extinct after the liberation of Terra. However, during ComStar's Case White assault against Terra in 3068, Word of Blake forces deployed a new version of the Pentagon with much heavier armament.

Armament[edit]

The nose of the craft carries two each of Gauss rifles, LRM-20s, ER PPCs and ER large lasers, with a similar set providing additional coverage along its left and right forward firing arc. Covering the rear firing arcs is a single ER large laser with four medium lasers in addition to an ER PPC and LRM-20. Located in the aft of the craft is another ER large laser with four medium lasers and an ER PPC. Each of the missile launchers is fitted with an Artemis IV fire control system, and at full capacity the Pentagon carries 80 Gauss rounds and 180 LRM-20 missiles.[4]

Cargo[edit]

The ship has a single cargo bay, with a total capacity of 573.50 tons.[4]

Variants[edit]

  • 2540 original 
    The original build variant of the Pentagon differed from the more modern Star League variant introduced in 2623; mounting single heat sinks rather than double, the original Pentagon had a lighter weapons array, mounting standard Large Lasers rather than the ER Large Lasers of the later variant, the LRM-20 launchers lacked Artemis Fire Control systems and where the later variant mounted Gauss Rifles, the original mounted AC/10s with ninety rounds of ammunition. The lighter weapons load allowed the original Pentagon to carry an extra twenty-one tons of cargo. BV (2.0) = 10,011.[6]
  • 2751 upgrade 
    Available only to Royal (Terran Hegemony) units, the 2751 upgrade met the same fate as the other variants of the Pentagon. Also taken with General Kerensky into exile following the fall of the Star League,[7] the Royal Pentagon had ER PPCs replacing the standard PPCs of the regular version. BV (2.0) = 12,938[8]
  • Pocket WarShip 
    Developed in secret during the 3060s by Word of Blake, the design drops its marine complement, missile armament and a significant amount of cargo capacity for an AR-10 missile launcher. The capital missile capacity of this variant includes two White Sharks, four Killer Whales, and four Barracuda missiles.[9] BV (2.0) = 15,939[10]

Gallery[edit]

References[edit]

  1. online date for the Pentagon
  2. Technical Readout: 3026 Revised, p. 112
  3. Technical Readout: 3075, p. 192
  4. 4.0 4.1 4.2 Record Sheets: 3075 Unabridged - Age of War, p. 81: "Pentagon 2540"
  5. 5.0 5.1 Technical Readout: 3026 Revised, pp. 112–113
  6. Record Sheets: 3075 Unabridged - Age of War, p. 84: "Pentagon 2540"
  7. MUL entry for Royal Pentagon
  8. Record Sheets: 3075 Unabridged - Age of War, p. 86: "Pentagon 2751"
  9. Technical Readout: 3075, p. 192: Word of Blake variant of the Pentagon
  10. Record Sheets: 3075 Unabridged - Age of War, p. 87: "Pentagon 3071"

Bibliography[edit]