Nightward
02/04/02 05:35 PM
203.134.13.194
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Type: Shadow Storm
Technology Base: Inner Sphere, Draconis Combine 3060
Mass: 400,000 Tons
Chassis: Simchassis 2
Length: 458 Metres
Width: 128 Metres
Sail Diameter: 700 Metres
Power Plant: Simplant Type X
Cruising Speed: 3 Gravities
Maximum Speed: 4.5 Gravities
Armour: Simplate 505 Lamellor Ferro-Carbide
Armament:
16 Medium Naval PPCs
24 LB-10X Auto Cannon
24 Anti-Missile Systems
Communications System: SimmComm 204
Targeting and Tracking System: Simtracker 9TX
Primary Manufacturer: Dante Enterprises
Primary Factory: None. Computer simulation only.
OVERVIEW
Each month, Dante Enterprises is expected to hand a computer-modelled design over to the DCMS for analysis. This month, the DCMS liason to D.E. was expecting a work up of the AKU-X2 Akuma Mark II, but was more than a little surprised when the holoprojector came up with the multi-thousand-ton Shadow Storm.
If anything, the story of the design’s creation is even more bizzarre than it’s presentation. The vessel had not been created by one of D.E.’s Aeronautical engineers, but a young undergrad student D.E. had co-opted for the Akuma project. The team had built a prototypical AKU-X2 but it’s elbow and knee actuators kept burning out. The student was bought in to use the information his biomechanics degree ad taught him to redesign the actuators. Somehow, the Akuma files and a program used for running mass computations for WarShips were both uploaded to his P.C.. The student finished the Akuma’s new joints in a few minutes, then played around with the WarShip utility for a while. He saved the calculations for his vessels along with the actuator schematics and mailed them back to the engineers at D.E., who were gobsmacked by the WarShips. Although several of them were too outlandish to even consider (a 100,000-ton Missile corvette, a 1-million ton Heavy cruiser, and a 2.5-million ton Dreadnought), the 400,000-ton Shadow Storm was given to the Aeronautics division, who promptly ran it up on a BattleSpace simulation program. The unconventional Corvette proved a challenge to the engineers, and they tweaked the design a little, eventually coming up with a vessel matching the calculations the student had run.
The student was not at fault concerning the security breach, but he was sworn to secrecy on its account. A retired DEST computer specialist has been engaged to improve D.E.’s security protocols.
CAPABILITIES
Although the design itself cannot be tested outside of BattleSpace simulators, the computer projections for the vessel are extremely promising.
The vessel masses 400,000 tons, approximately double that of an Inazuma-class Corvette. Even though the vessel weighs so much, the Shadow Storm is not projected to cost a great deal more than the Inazuma, as several of it’ design features minimise the vessel’s cost.
The Shadow Storm also carries a considerable armament. It’s closest competitor in mass is the Vincent Mark 42, but the blocky Clan vessel is almost 40% slower than the Shadow Storm, and it has less than a third of a Shadow Storm’s firepower. The Shadow Storm is equipped with 16 Medium Naval PPCs, two in the nose, one on each fore-side, and six on each broadside. This allows the ship to attack whilst maneuvering into combat, and then provide a shattering broadside of firepower. Each arc is also home to two turrets that contain a pair of LB-10X Auto Cannons. These weapons are not intended as an offensive weapon, but rather to fend off enemy aircraft. They will also be useful against enemy DropShips. Each arc also houses a number of AMS cannon, protecting the Shadow Storm against attacks from enemy vessels.
However, the aft arcs of the vessels contain only LB Cannon and AMS, so it cannot defend itself against a capital opponent which maneuvers to its rear. Fortunately, thanks to the Shadow Storm’s incredible speed, this should be a rare event. Even if an opponent manages to sneak onto the Shadow Storm’s ‘6’, the vessel’s heavy aft armour should preserve it from a few hits.
However, the Shadow Storm has considerably less cargo than the Vincent, as it carries only 13,000 tons of additional equipment.
The Shadow Storm has a heavily reinforced internal structure, allowing for a incredible amount of armour plating to be used. Computer projections for the vessel indicate that it’s armour is even stronger than that found on a Sovetskii Soyuz-which weighs over double the amount of the tiny corvette.
Additionally, the Shadow Storm is no slouch when it comes to speed. Computer modeling shows that the vessel’s massive maneuvering drives will allow it to move at 4.5 gravities. This allows it to move faster than the Inazuma, and makes the Shadow Storm the fastest known WarShip-even if it only exists in holographic simulations.
The vessel also has an unusually large fuel bunkerage system. Although its internal cargo may not support enough spare parts, the vessel has more than enough fuel to remain in space for over 3 years.
The Shadow Storm’s incredible performance does come at a cost, however; the vessel has no Docking Collars. Although this seems like a major disadvantage, several Star League Defence Force WarShips-such as the Davion/Whirlwind and Vincent-Class WarShips did not support docking collars either. This could be a major flaw, but the engineers have designed ingenious pressurised airlocks, which allow DropShips to temporarily mate with the Shadow Storm’s cargo bays to transfer goods and passengers. These systems, however, are not strong enough to lock a DropShip down for FTL transit.
This flaw is compounded by the small complement of 6 Fighters which serve on board the Shadow Storm. This number is more than adequate to protect the vessel from enemy fighters, but it does not allow Shadow Storms to press an advantage in the fashion that other vessels, with more fighters, can.
When these factors combine, they paint a compelling picture of the small WarShip; it is intended to serve as a fleet-defense boat, protecting JumpShips from enemy combat vessels, or functioning as an interceptor WarShip due to it’s incredible speed. It has been noted that the Shadow Storm would be an excellent pairing for the Kaga, as its high speed and solid weaponry could shield the WarShip from enemy attack runs, whilst at the same time remaining within the protective sphere of the massive Kaga’s capital weapons and fighter screens.
In either case, the vessel will be operating in an environment where other vessels can share supplies or spare parts with it.
DEPLOYMENT
As of this time, the Shadow Storm exists only as a simulation. The Dragon’s resources are considerably stretched at the moment, refitting Yamamoto, fitting the Kaga-Class ships with integral AeroSpace Fighters, and consolidating the worlds we recently took back from the Smoke Jaguars. We believe we could construct a Shadow Storm in about 3075.
COST ANALYSIS
A Shadow Storm should cost about 7,000 million C-Bills to construct.
MY BLURB
This ship has been lurking in the back of my head for a long time, and I’ve been looking for something to call the ‘Shadow Storm’ for a long time. It just seems like a cool name, but it didn’t seem to fit any 'Mech I built.
I realised at the end of things that it would do well to accompany my Kaga, for reasons I outlined above.
That’s about it, really.
MASS BREAKDOWNS
Engines: 144,000
K-F Drive: 170,000
Jump Sail: 50
Lithium-Fusion Batteries: 4,000
Structural Integrity: 20,000
Armour: 400
Fuel: 5,443
Pumps: 111
Cargo: 13,000
3 50-Metre Grav Decks: 150
2 Small Craft: 400
6 AeroSpace Fighters: 900
30 Officer’s Quarters: 210
150 Enlisted Personnel’s Quarters: 1,050
30 Escape Pods: 210
30 Life Boats: 210
16 Medium Naval PPCs: 28,800
24 LB-10X A/Cs with 4 tons ammo each: 360
24 AMS with 5 tons ammo each: 132
534 Additional Double Heat Sinks: 534
GAME STATISTICS
Safe Thrust: 6
Maximum Thrust; 9
Fuel: 5,443 Tons
--: @ 2.5 Points per Ton, 13,608 Points
--: @ 39.52 Tons per Burn Day, 134 Burn-Days
Total Heat: 2,232
Total Heat Sinks: 1,016 (2,232) Double Heat Sinks
Cargo Bay 1: 6 Fighters, 2 Small Craft. 6 Doors. (All Craft use same Doors)
Cargo Bay 2: Officer’s Quarters (30), Enlisted Quarters (150). 4 Doors
Cargo Bay 3: Cargo (13,000 Tons). 4 Doors
Notes: Equipped with a Lithium-Fusion Battery. Armour is Ferro-Carbide Lamellor.
BVs
57,059
ARMOUR DISTRIBUTION
(Threshold Values in Parenthesis)
Nose: 80 (8)
Fore-Sides: 75 (8)
Aft-Sides: 60 (6)
Aft: 50 (5)
LOCATIONS
Nose Arc
2 Heavy Naval PPCs
--: 1 Bay of 2
4 LB-10X A/Cs
--: 2 Bays of 2 LB-10X A/Cs
--: 40 Shots per LB Cannon
4 AMS
--: 60 Shots
Fore-Side Arcs
1 Heavy Naval PPCs
--: 1 Bay of 1
4 LB-10X A/Cs
--: 2 Bays of 2 LB-10X A/Cs
--: 40 Shots per LB Cannon
4 AMS
--: 60 Shots
Broadsides
6 Heavy Naval PPCs
--: 3 Bays of 2
4 LB-10X A/Cs
--: 2 Bays of 2 LB-10X A/Cs
--: 40 Shots per LB Cannon
4 AMS
--: 60 Shots
Aft-Sides
4 LB-10X A/Cs
--: 2 Bays of 2 LB-10X A/Cs
--: 40 Shots per LB Cannon
4 AMS
--: 60 Shots
Aft
4 LB-10X A/Cs
--: 2 Bays of 2 LB-10X A/Cs
--: 40 Shots per LB Cannon
4 AMS
--: 60 Shots
Yea, verily. Let it be known far and wide that Nightward loathes MW: DA. Indeed, it is with the BURNING ANIMUS OF A THOUSAND SUNS that he doth rage against it with.
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Karagin
10/20/05 11:59 PM
24.243.178.223
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Very nicelly done...if I haven't already said so...
Karagin
Given time and plenty of paper, a philosopher can prove anything.
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