The Scimitar class patrol is an excellently constructed ship but the truth is that for the thousands of Scimitars on active duty, these ships are not the preferred escort for most Battle Groups and in a missile battle commonly become in real trouble. Because of this reason it was decided to refit a number of these ships with a different weapons array with a concentration on long range missiles. This is actually similar to the minesweeper configuration of the Scimitar but does not have the special sensors of a minesweeper. These ships have been very successful in tests and plans to construct a new escort class have been dropped in priority although contractors have tried to get the upgrades dropped because they may lose allot of money. Senior fleet officers have been fighting this but government representative are feeling the pressure from the companies and the refits have been delayed. The Admirals realizing that these upgrade need to be done have come up with a cleaver subterfuge. They listed the ships as needing heavy repair and then refitting the ships to the new configuration. This work is done in shipyards that are owned by the military and not civilian owned yards. The problem is that the time period it will take to refit the ships is far longer than they wished but at least some can get refitted. This will allow some cruisers to be released from escort duties. The name Long Bow comes from the fact that the ship prefers to fight from a long range.

The ships hull, shields, and propulsion are unmodified from a standard Scimitar but due to weapon changes, the computers and sensors have been modified. The main modifications is in the ships weapon systems. The two heavy laser cannons have been retained although the eventual plan is to replace the lasers with Grazers. Both heavy G-Cannons have been removed. In their place, two long range missile batteries have been added. To make room for the weapon systems, two fighters were also eliminated as well as most of the cargo space. While the missiles can be used against other ships, the primary purpose of the launchers is for anti-missile defense of the ship. All of the ships secondary weapons have been retained. The ship has a slightly larger crew and has a slighly reduced number of marines and much of the extra berthing areas have been eliminated.

The Shark class minesweeper actually pre-dates the Long Bow class but is a modified Scimitar class and is ver similar to the Long Bow class. The ship main difference is though the elimination of the two heavy laser cannons, the ship carries a powerful directional sensor system.

This starship design uses modified starship speed and ranges. See Revised Starship Rules for Phase World for more details.

Model Type:	SFFG-22	Long Bow class Patrol Ship
	MSF-20A	Shark class Minesweeper

Vehicle Type: Frigate Combat Ship or Minesweeper
Crew: Long Bow: 116 (12 Officers and 104 Enlisted), Shark Minesweeper: 135 (18 Officers and 117 Enlisted)
Troops:
Long Bow: 80 (8 fighter pilots & crew, 10 silverhawk pilots, 12 ground pounder pilots, and 60 standard marines)
Shark Minesweeper: 18 ( (8 fighter pilots & crew and 10 silverhawk pilots)

Vehicle, Robots, and Power Armors:
Power Armors:

	12	Ground Pounder class Power Armor
	10	Silver Hawk Power Armors

Fighter Compliment:

4

SF-69 CAF Scorpion Star Interceptor

M.D.C. By Location:

	12 cm Heavy Laser Cannons (2):	800 each
	Point Defense Particle Beam Cannons (4):	150 each
	Long Range Missile Batteries (2):	600 each
	Mini Missile Launchers (8):	100 each
	Fighter Hanger Bay Door	500
	[1] Main Engines (2)	1,200 each
	[2] Bridge:	2,000
	[3] Main Body:	5,000
	[4] Variable Force Field:	1,000 a side (6,000 Total)

Notes:
[1] Destroying the main engines means that ship FTL propulsion systems are destroyed and maximum sublight speed is reduced by half.
[2] In reality this is how much damage needs to be done for a weapon to hit the bridge through the ships armor. This ship does not have an auxiliary bridge. Even if the bridges is destroyed, the ship can still be piloted from engineering but ship is -3 to dodge and all weapon systems will be at local control. Weapon hits near the bridge that do not penetrate the ships integrity can injure crew members on or near the bridge.
[3] Depleting the MDC of the main body will put the destroyer out of commission. All internal systems will shut down, including life support and internal gravity. The ship itself will be an unsalvageable floating wreck.
[4] Shields positions can be varied and all could be combined in one shield. Shields regenerate at the rate of 5% (300 MDC) per melee

Speed:
Driving on the Ground: Not Possible.
Sublight: Has a special sublight engine that allows the ship to travel up to 60 percent of the speed of light. Star Ship can accelerate/decelerate at the rate of 0.8 percent of light per melee.
Atmospheric Propulsion: Maximum speed is Mach 2, can enter an atmosphere and can leave but is not designed for atmospheric flight
Stardrive: Uses a Gravitonic Drive system that allows the ship to reach a maximum of 5 lightyears per hour.
Maximum Range: Effectively Unlimited by either Drive system. Carries about one year worth of supplies on board and has a small hydroponic section.

Statistical Data:
Length: 500 feet (152 meters).
Height: 80 feet (24.4 meters).
Width: 140 feet (42.6 meters).
Weight: 12,500 tons (11,339.8 metric tons)
Power System: Anti-Matter with a 50 year life span
Cargo: Small cargo hold that can carry up to 400 ton of cargo not including standard compliment of supplies and ammunition. Hold is 20 x 20 x 40 feet in dimensions (6.1 x 12.2 x 12.2 meter).

WEAPON SYSTEMS:

1. Two (2) 12 cm Heavy Laser cannons: They cannot be used faster than the speed of light. Weapon has standard minuses to hit fighters and small targets. The barrels can be can be rotated 180 degrees in all directions. Up to two may be fired as one volley.
   Range: 16 miles (25.8 km) through atmosphere and 16,000 miles (25,800 km) in space.
   Mega Damage: 2D6x100 MDC each. Both laser cannons can be combined for 4D6x100 Mega Damage.
   Rate of fire: Maximum of Two (2) times per melee each.
   Payload: Effectively Unlimited.
2. Four (4) Point Defense Particle Beams: These weapons are used for anti-missile, anti-power armor, and anti-star fighter defense.
   Range: 600 miles (960 km) in space and range is 6 miles (9.6 km) in atmosphere.
   Mega Damage: 3D6x10 MDC each.
   Rate of fire: Equal to gunners hand to hand (Usually 4 or 5).
   Payload: Effectively Unlimited.
3. Two (2) Long Range Missile Batteries: Missile has a top speed of Mach 20 in an atmosphere and in space has an acceleration of 8% of light per turn (faster than any starship). Since star ships will no longer engage at rock throwing distances, whether weapons can be shot down is calculated from the speed of target, launcher, and missile. When drive goes dead, missile will still cruise unless set to self destruct but has very low odds of hitting star ships (Great for hitting bases and planets because target does not move and missile when dead at -25% to detect.) Long range missiles do not have minuses to hit small targets unlike cruise missiles and are all considered smart missiles. Batteries can launch on multiple targets each.
   Range: Missile range is 3400 miles (5470 km) in an atmosphere and 1,800,000 miles (2,89700 km/9.7 light seconds) in space.
   Mega-Damage & Properties: See Phase World Missiles (Fusion does 2D4x100 MDC).
   Rate of fire: One at a time or in volleys of 2, 8, 16, or 32 per launcher, per melee attack.
   Payload: 512 total, 256 long range missiles per battery.
4. Eight (8) Mini-Missile launchers: These are missile turrets used for point defense against enemy fighters and missiles. Missile has a top speed of Mach 10 in an atmosphere and in space has an acceleration of 2% of light per turn (slightly faster than any starship except if it is exceeding it maximum safe acceleration).
   Mega-Damage: varies with mini-missile type (See Phase World Missiles).
   Range: Missile range is 2 miles (3.2 km) in an atmosphere and 100 miles (161 km) in space
   Rate of fire: Can fire missiles one at a time or in volleys of 4 or 8 missiles
   Payload: 128 per launcher for a total of 1,024 mini-missiles. Cargo hold has an additional 2,048 mini-missile. Reloading launchers from cargo hold takes 1D6 minutes.

Sensor System of Note for Minesweeper:

• High Powered Mine Hunting Sensor System: This system includes radar, neutrino sensors, gravitic sensors, and tachyon based sensors. This is an active sensor system with a range of 1,550,000 miles (2,500,000 km / 8.34 light seconds) and covers a 15 degree radius cone. As stated, the system is an active system and is easily detected but gives a bonus or +20% to read sensory rolls to detect targets and a +4 on weapon systems when aiming at targets with the cone. Targets that are invisible but the invisibilty is not specific to gravity sensors will also be detected. The other ships sensors are at civilian level except the ships close range fire control sensors.

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By Kitsune (E-Mail Kitsune ).

Copyright © 1999, Kitsune. All rights reserved.