HMS Horatio Nelson modified Kurganov class Missile Cruiser:
The Kurganov class cruiser has been serving since before the formation of the Consortium of Civilized worlds and although it can be expected to be in service for a long time to come, the design has simply become dated. A huge amount of the Human Alliance navy ships are of this class and this creates a weakness in their fleet even though the ships are still pretty effective. There had been various nebulous plans to upgrade the class but no concrete plans were laid until a Kurganov class cruiser was captured by the New Coventry Captain Mayfair from the hands of pirates. New Coventry shipbuilding decided that upgrading the ship would be much less expensive than it would be to construct another cruiser and that the ship still had a lot of life left in it. New Coventry has not actually completed the refitting but Human Alliance Forces division of shipbuilding has already approached New Coventry for the plans for the upgrade. After a lengthy discussion, New Coventry has provided the plans for the upgrade but at a relatively steep cost. It will cost 2 more Kurganov class cruisers at half cost as well as New Coventry has a contract to complete some of the upgrades of the missile cruisers. The first ship of the modified class is named after Admiral Horatio Nelson who defeated the Spanish in the battle of Trafalgar.
The upgrade to the ship is very extensive and includes virtually all systems. The two main exceptions are the engines and main hull. To upgrade the engines, the ship would have to have even more extensive reconstruction than is to be completed and be very expensive. The ships FTL and sublight and FTL speeds are not bad when compared to many newer classes so it not really needed. The hull could only be moderately upgraded so it was left unchanged as costing more than desired although stress cracks are to be repaired where needed. The entire computer systems have upgraded by a more powerful computer system adapted from a Warshield class Cruiser and the sensor system has been upgraded as well. Along with this upgrades, the automation has been increased which allows for about a ten percent reduction in ships crew. All these upgrades are window dressing for the most important upgrade, this is weapon systems. All weapons systems have been replaced and upgraded. The key to the ships weaponry has always been the missile launchers and both have been replaced by more modern launchers. The payload is a little less than some newer ships due to magazine space. The ships will also normally carry twelve pepperbox launchers when in service with New Coventry. The mini-missile launchers have been replaced by medium range missile launchers. This gives point defense a much better defensive range although the number of missiles has been reduced. The two heavy particle beams have been replaced by powerful laser cannon mounts. While they have a slower rate of fire, they inflict more damage and have a longer range than the particle beams they replace. The direct fire point defense weaponry has been replaced by six GR-1000 gravity rail guns, six point defense particle beams, and four tachyon scatterguns. This is similar was has been done on other ships in the New Coventry fleet and is quite effective.
While the crew has been reduced, the number of marines is identical to the original ships. On ships in service with New Coventry, all marines are in Combat Environment Power Armor except for those in Silverhawks but on Human Alliance ships, the troops will mostly be equipped the same way their are in a normal Kurganov class Cruiser. The same concept will likely also hold with the fighters. On Human Alliance ships, the fighter organization will be the same as on a Kurganov but New Coventry changes that layout.
This starship design uses modified starship speed and ranges. See Revised Starship Rules for Phase World for more details
Model Type: CL-23 (FRAM I)
Vehicle Type: Missile Cruiser
Crew: 265
Troops: 80 marines, 10 Silverhawk Pilots,
Vehicles: For the H.F.N. uses the standard numbers from the Kurganov
class.
Power Armors:
80 | Combat Environment Power Armors | |
10 | SH-CCW100 Silverhawk Attack ExoSkeleton |
8 | CSF-4 Badger class Light Interceptors. | |
2 | SF-101LR Black Eagle medium fighter | |
2 | SF-101I-LR Storm Eagle medium interceptor | |
4 | BIF-67 Katana fighter ship |
M.D.C By Location:
20 cm Main Laser Cannons (2, Front): | 1,200 each | |
GR-1000 Gravity Rail Gun Turrets (6): | 200 each | |
Point Defense Particle Beam Cannons (6): | 150 each | |
Tachyon Scatterguns (4): | 200 each | |
Cruise Missile Batteries (4): | 1,000 each | |
Long Range Missile Batteries (4): | 600 each | |
Medium Range Missile Launchers (4): | 500 each | |
Outer Hull (40 ft/ 12.2 m Area): | 150 | |
Inner Hull (40 ft/ 12.2 m Area): | 100 | |
[1] Bridge: | 8,000 | |
[1] Auxiliary Bridge: | 8,000 | |
Hanger Bay: | 10,000 | |
[2] Main Engines (2): | 10,000 each | |
[3] Main Body: | 35,000 | |
[4] Variable Force Field: | 4,000 a side (24,000 Total) |
Notes:
[1] In reality this is how much damage needs to be done for a weapon
to hit the bridge through the ships armor. This ship also has an auxiliary
bridge. Even if both bridges are taken out, 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.
[2] Destroying the main engines means that ship FTL systems are destroyed
and maximum sublight speed is reduced by half.
[3] Depleting the MDC of the main body will put the cruiser 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% (1200 MDC) per melee round.
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 0.95 percent of light per melee.
Atmospheric Propulsion: Maximum speed is 450 mph (724 kph),
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 4 lightyears per hour.
Maximum Range: Effectively Unlimited by either Drive system.
Carries about four years worth of supplies on board.
Statistical Data:
Length: 500 feet (152.4 meters)
Height: 350 feet (106.7 meters)
Width: 600 feet (182.9 meters)
Weight: 145,000 tons (131,700 metric tons)
Power System: Anti-Matter with a 25 year life span
Cargo: Cargo holds are scattered about the ship that allows
for carrying up to 4,000 tons of Cargo in addition to standard compliment
of supplies and ammunition.
Market Cost: An unmodified Kurganov would would cost about 1.8
billion credits to manufacture in present time in the Three Galaxies. Upgrades
cost 1.4 billion credits and if the ship was constructed new it would cost
about 2.6 billion credits.
WEAPON SYSTEMS:
[ Phase World TM, Naruni TM, Kreeghor TM, and CAF TM are trademarks owned
by Kevin Siembieda and Palladium Books Inc. ]
[ Rifts® is a registered trademark owned by Kevin Siembieda and
Palladium Books Inc.]
Image created and copyrighted by Dieter
Ludmann (dieter.ludmann@inka.de).
More Dieter Ludmann artwork at DL-SPACE
By Kitsune (E-Mail Kitsune ).
Copyright © 1999, Kitsune. All rights reserved.