DropShip

Description

In the BattleTech universe a DropShip is defined as any spaceship massing between 100 and 100,000 tons that is itself incapable of faster-than-light (FTL) travel. They essentially conduct all other aspects space travel, including transit between planets and jump points and planetary landings (hence their name). For FTL interstellar movement, they dock with JumpShips by means of a Docking collar.

The mass range is given in the construction rules and reflects the fact that it is more or less impossible to build DropShips which are smaller than 100 tons or larger than 100,000 tons. Since DropShips are meant to be carried by JumpShips, a Docking collar is an implied neccessity and is automatically included in the structure of any DropShip.

DropShips are the workhorse of interplanetary space travel. It is the DropShips (and occasionally their smaller cousins, the Small Craft) that move cargo and passengers between planetary surfaces, orbits, space stations and jump points. While transport is their primary role, some have been built for special purposes and act as tugs, rescue ships, fighter carriers or even designated combat DropShips. Accordingly, a wide and diverse variety of DropShip types exist.

Even though many DropShips serve as military spaceships, naval terms such as "Corvette", "Destroyer", "Cruiser" etc. are never applied to them; these are exclusively used for true WarShips, i.e. the huge Combat JumpShips that outclass DropShips by an order of magnitude (typically massing several hundred thousands or even millions of tons).

Construction and Subtypes

DropShips are usually cramped inside, featuring relatively little in the way of creature-comforts or extra space. Every possible hole or space in a DropShip has some sort of system or mechanism important to the operation and maintenance of the vessel. Most crews live in small, spartan quarters bunking four crewman or more a piece, though Star League-era DropShips, as well as some newer ones as of the late 3060s, feature comparatively spacious twin cabins. Except for passenger liners, which afford their attendants a bit more privacy, DropShips are very public places. Most DropShips described talk of stale air and overly-cramped living conditions.

They are based around two basic hullforms, aerodyne and spheroid (egg-shaped). Depending on their intended role, DropShips can be constructed following either of these two alternative approaches.

Aerodyne DropShips

Aerodyne DropShips are shaped roughly similar to conventional aircraft. They are generally smaller than spheroid DropShips and cannot be bigger than 35,000 tons (the biggest known aerodyne class being the 12,000-ton Titan). Through their speed, they generate lift within an atmosphere which makes them easier to control. Even if the ship suffers damage or loses thrust it is still possible to crashland so that crew and cargo might survive. They usually require runways to land and take off, making them impractical wherever runways are not readily available.

Spheroid DropShips

Spheroid (egg-shaped) DropShips use sheer thrust to vertically descend onto a planetary surface and take off in the same way. This allows them to operate independent from runways or even spaceports, making them ideal for exploring unknown planets and giving them a tactical advantage in military operations. However, their simple and versatile landing and taking off pattern comes at a great risk as there is no failsafe whatsoever. They are utterly dependent on the functionality of their powerful engines to generate lift, and a control computer to manage their unstable flight. These systems require more maintenance than on aerodyne ships, and their failure means a swift and deadly crashlanding that leaves few if any survivors or salvageable parts.

Deep space DropShips

Although all DropShips are either of the aerodyne or the spheroid subtype, there is arguably a third subtype: Ships which are limited to operating in deep space for one reason or another and would be destroyed when attempting to enter an atmosphere or land on a planet, rendering the differences between aerodyne and spheroid designs irrelevant to them. Examples include the super-large Behemoth class cargo hauler, which is a spheroid design but too large and fragile for planetary operations, and the nominally "aerodyne" (i.e. non-spheroid) Achilles and Vengeance class military dropships which were never designed for atmospheric operations.

Manufacturing

Maintenance of a DropShip usually costs more in resources in a year than the average citizen in the BattleTech universe would ever earn in several lifetimes. The chassis itself costs a large fortune to make, let alone the weapons, armor, avionics, and those powerful fusion engines required to even lift it off the ground.

DropShips are precious LosTech items and, for a time at least, were considered sacrosanct and would be treated as non-combattants by all sides. As lost technology was rediscovered, they became viable targets again although they are still too valuable to be sacrificed lightly, and typically well protected. However, it would seem that the loss of a dropship was not quite as bad a blow as could be expected, as spare parts could often be scavenged from a downed DropShip that would bring another defunct ship back to functional status or keep others in operation for some more time.

The smallest known spaceship to meet the DropShip criteria is arguably the 200-ton K-1 DropShuttle, although it is generally classified as a Small Craft instead. The largest DropShip ever constructed is the 100,000-ton Behemoth, which due to its sheer size tends to require (or block) a second Docking collar on JumpShips, and is incapable of operating in atmosphere or planetary gravity. The biggest DropShip that can actually land on a planet and take off again is the 52,000-ton Mammoth.

The most common military BattleMech transport classes are the Leopard (one Lance: 4 'Mechs, 2 Fighters), the Union (one Company: 12 'Mechs, 2 Fighters) and the much rarer 9,700-ton Overlord (one Battailon: 36 'Mechs, 6 Fighters) class; the most common Aerospace Fighter carrier is the Leopard CV class (one Squadron: 6 Fighters).

Known DropShip classes include (sorted alphabetically):

• Achilles - 4500 ton military aerodyne, introduced in 2582. Designated assault ship geared for space combat; incapable of atmospheric operations.
• Avenger - 1400 ton military aerodyne, introduced in 2816. Designated assault craft and heavy aerospace support.
• Behemoth - 100000 ton civilian spheroid; incapable of planetary operations, introduced in 2782. Cargo carrier. Bays for 20 Small Craft.
• Buccaneer - 3500 ton civilian aerodyne, introduced in 2708. Conceived as a military transport, but proved successful as a civilian cargo carrier.
• Broadsword - 1850 ton military aerodyne, introduced in 2979 by the Clans. BattleMech transport (5 'Mechs). Designed to replace the Leopard class.
• Carrier - 5000 ton military aerodyne, introduced in 2882 by Clan Snow Raven. Heavily armed fighter carrier (10 Fighters).
• Claymore - 1400 ton military aerodyne, introduced in 3054 by Davion at Skye. Designated assault craft.
• Condor - 4500 ton military aerodyne, introduced in 2801. Troop transport (20 light vehicles, 12 platoons).
• Confederate - 1860 ton military spheroid, introduced in 2602. Original Star League 'Mech transport. Clans have refitted theirs to carry 5 'Mechs.
• Excalibur - 16000 ton military spheroid, introduced in 2786. Combined arms transport (12 'Mechs, 90 heavy vehicles, 12 platoons).
• Fortress - 6000 ton military spheroid, introduced in 2613. Heavily armed combined arms transport (12 'Mechs, 12 heavy vehicles, 3 platoons). Noteworthy for mounting a heavy artillery piece; capable of securing its landing zone by itself.
• Fury - 1850 ton military aerodyne, introduced in 2638. Common troop transport (8 light vehicles, 4 platoons).
• Gazelle - 1903 tons (obsolete)/2400 tons (upgraded) military aerodyne, introduced in 2531. Common tank transport (15 heavy vehicles). Upgraded version launched in 3055.
• Hamilcar - 3575 ton military aerodyne, introduced in 3054 by Marik. Specialized space assault transport (8 'Mechs, 4 Fighters).
• Hannibal - 4850 ton military aerodyne, introduced in 3055 by Marik. Heavily armed troop/tank transport (12 heavy vehicles, 4 platoons).
• Hercules - 7200 ton military spheroid, introduced in 3053 by Steiner. Troop/tank transport (36 heavy vehicles, 12 platoons). Shares many components with Overlord class, making production and maintenance easier.
• Intruder - 3000 ton military spheroid, introduced in 2656. Heavily armed assault transport (2 Fighters, 4 platoons).
• K-1 DropShuttle - 200 ton military spheroid, introduced in 2536. Passenger/cargo shuttle. Usually classed as Small Craft instead of DropShip. Clan version known as K1-C is identical except for better armor and upgraded (though similar) weaponry.
• Kuan Ti - 2200 ton military aerodyne, introduced in 3054 by Liao, blueprints made available to Marik. Designated patrol/assault craft.
• League - One such ship still in use as a C3-/Relais ship for military operations around 3025. Star League relict; no further details known.
• Leopard - 1720 ton (obsolete)/1800 ton (upgraded) military aerodyne, introduced in 2537. Standard BattleMech transport (4 'Mechs, 2 Fighters) since Star League era. Affectionally referred to as "Brick". Upgraded version launched in 3056.
• Leopard CV - 1720 ton (obsolete)/1800 ton (upgraded) military aerodyne, introduced in 2581. Standard fighter carrier (6 Fighters) since Star League era. Looks decidedly different from the classic Leopard, having a round fuselage. Upgraded version launched in 3054.
• Lion - 7215 ton military spheroid, introduced in 2595. Combined arms transport (8 'Mechs, a light vehicle company and possibly unspecified numbers of infantry). Predecessor of the Union class. Essentially extinct in the Inner Sphere; all Clan Lions were modified to carry 10 'Mechs and 10 regular infantry Stars.
• Lung Wang - 2550 ton military spheroid, introduced in 3055 by Liao. Heavily armed raider/transport (4 'Mechs, 2 Fighters, 1 platoon).
• Mammoth - 52000 ton civilian spheroid, introduced in 2808. Cargo carrier. Largest DropShip capable of planetary operations.
• Miraborg - 9750 ton military spheroid, introduced in 3053 by Clan Smoke Jaguar. Fighter carrier (30 Fighters). Originally named "Charybdis" during its design phase, the class was renamed in memory of Tyra Miraborg shortly before the launch of the first ship.
• Model 96 (aka "Elephant") - Star League predecessor to the Model 97 tug; no details known besides Model 97 described as a refit of the Model 96 class.
• Model 97 (aka "Octopus") - 15000 ton civilian spheroid, introduced in 3051. Designated tug/rescue ship.
• Monach - 5000 ton civilian aerodyne, introduced in 2759. Standard passenger liner.
• Mule - 11200 ton civilian spheroid, introduced in 2737. Common cargo carrier.
• Nagumo - 4200 ton military aerodyne, introduced in 3056 by Kurita. Heavily armed troop transport (12 platoons).
• Noruff - 1900 ton military aerodyne, introduced in 3056 by Clan Steel Viper. Designated assault craft. Only one prototype known to exist by 3057.
• Okinawa - 4500 ton military spheroid, introduced in 3055 by Kurita. Fighter carrier (18 Fighters).
• Overlord - 9700 ton military spheroid, introduced in 2762. Common BattleMech transport (36 'Mechs, 6 Fighters).
• Overlord-C - 11550 ton military spheroid, introduced in 2818. Fighter transport (45 'Mechs). Clan re-design of the classic Overlord class.
• Rose (aka "Bara no Ryu") - 16000 ton military spheroid, introduced in 3054 by Kurita. Heavily armed freighter with advanced avionics, designed to have an unconspicious appearance. Can carry 1 platoon of infantry and 4 Small Craft.
• Sassanid - 3000 ton military spheroid, introduced in 2875. Clan Battle Armour carrier (15 Elemental Points). Based off the Intruder design.
• Seeker - 3700 ton military spheroid, introduced in 2815. Troop transport (64 light vehicles, 4 platoons).
• Titan - 12000 ton military aerodyne, introduced in 2647. Heavily armed fighter carrier (30 Fighters). Extinct in the Inner Sphere, but still in use with the Clans.
• Triump - 5600 ton (obsolete)/6000 ton (upgraded) military aerodyne, introduced in 2593. Common troop/tank transport (45 heavy vehicles, 8 light vehicles, 4 platoons). Upgraded version launched in 3057.
• Union - 3500 ton military spheroid, introduced in 2708. Standard BattleMech transport (12 'Mechs, 2 Fighters). Iconic DropShip class.
• Union-C - 4700 ton military spheroid) Introduced in 2829. 'Mech transport (15 'Mechs). Clan re-design of the venerable Union class.
• Vampire - 400 ton military aerodyne. Small superfast troop transport from the Star League era. Extinct.
• Vengeance - 10000 ton military aerodyne; incapable of atmospheric operations, introduced in 2782. Fighter carrier (40 Fighters, 3 Small Craft).
• Vulture - No details available. Class described as tank transporter similar to Seeker class.