Hercules (DropShip class)

This article is about the DropShip. For the BattleMech, see Hercules (BattleMech).

Hercules
Production information
Manufacturer	Bowie Industries
Production Year	3053
Use	Troop Carrier
Type	Military Spheroid
Tech Base	Star League
Technical specifications
Mass	7,200 tons
Structural Integrity	9
Length	87 meters
Width	84 meters
Height	120 meters
Safe Thrust	1.5 g
Max Thrust	2.5 g
Fuel (tons)	145 tons
Fuel (days)	78.8 days
Armament	3x ER large laser 3x ER PPC 12x medium laser 2x large pulse laser 2x AC/5 1x Gauss rifle 3x LRM-15 with Artemis IV FCS 1x LRM-20 with Artemis IV FCS 2x SRM-6 with Artemis IV FCS
Armor	30 tons standard
Crew	28 5 Officers 18 Enlisted 5 Gunners Bay Personnel: 624
Escape Pods/Life Boats	2/2
Heat Sinks	101 double
BV (1.0)	3,881
BV (2.0)	3,884

Description

Developed in 3053, the Hercules-class DropShip is an armor and infantry carrier based in part on the venerable Overlord. The Hercules uses many of the same components, which sped up both development and production. This commonality also gives the class a decent supply of viable spare parts -- handy given the Hercules’ relatively scant 30 tons of evenly distributed armor and light weapons array.

Originally designed and produced in the Lyran half of the Federated Commonwealth, the class has seen extensive action against the Clans and became a common sight within the Lyran Alliance Armed Forces. The prototype Hercules destroyed a pair of aerospace fighters from the Gurbeng Garrison Cluster of Clan Jade Falcon while assisting in the successful La Grave raid by the 13th Donegal Guards. This raid was the first successful attack on a Clan-held world post-Tukayyid, leading to increased patrols by the Jade Falcons and worry about maintaining The Truce earned by ComStar.

The lowest deck of the vessel is engineering, while the second and third deck are for the cargo. The fourth through seventh are vehicle crews, infantry, and their support staff. Deck eight houses the vessel's crew with five single-occupancy officer cabins and quad-occupancy cabins for the remainder. Notable for the class is the addition of a loading supervisor position on the deck nine bridge. In addition to the usual crew, this three-person station can assist in the embarking operations of an inexperienced unit.

Roughly two vessels per year were produced before the sundering of the Federated Commonwealth. The vessel continued to see use throughout the former Federated Commonwealth and Free Worlds League states into the thirty-second century.

Armament

With the exception of its impressive nose bays, which carry a Gauss rifle, AC/5, an ER PPC, a Artemis enhanced LRM-20, twin ER large lasers and four medium lasers, the Hercules is lightly armed given its size and role. The remaining forward-facing firepower consists of twin medium lasers, an LRM-15, ER PPC, and an SRM-6 on each angle, with each aft angle protected by a single standard medium and large pulse laser. Directly aft features an AC/5 supported at long range by an LRM-15 and ER large laser, backed up by two medium lasers.

Cargo

Taking up a large portion of the Hercules's internal space, its two massive vehicle holds can transport, repair, and maintain a complete armor battalion with the lower hold able to carry 12 vehicles of any size, while the upper deck can carry 24 vehicles, though its loading ramps cannot support more than 75 tons. Directly above the vehicle bays are the accommodations for the vehicle crews and twelve platoons of infantry. An additional bay can accommodate 1,381 tons of supplies.

• Bay 1: Vehicles (36 Heavy), 2 doors
• Bay 2: Cargo (1,381 tons), 2 doors
• Bay 3: Infantry (12 foot platoons), 2 doors

Notes

• In German products, the unit's proper name was translated to Herkules.

Gallery

• 

  Original Hercules from TRO:3057

Bibliography

• AeroTech 2 Record Sheets
• Jade Falcon Sourcebook
• Field Manual: Lyran Alliance
• Technical Readout: 3057
• Technical Readout: 3057 Revised