Hawker class System Defense Boat:

The Hawker class System Defense Boat is based on the venerable Dervish class System Defense Boat and has many advantages including more powerful engines, stronger shields, heavier missile batteries, and better point defense. They are far more expensive and actually push close to the cost of a new destroyer. Still, the vessels are a bit cheaper and can be very effective in system defense roles. They still have the standard weakness of most system defense vessels in that they cannot withstand a huge amount of abuse although they are far better than the Dervish class that they are based on. Most of the modifications were simply replacing old systems with newer and more effective systems and none of the systems are truly cutting edge. Several companies are licenced to produce the Hawker class System Defense Boat and there are several different system defense boat designs that are similar to the Hawker. As well new construction, many upgrades on the Dervish produce a similar vessel although hull, engine, and shields usually remain unmodified.

The Hawker replaces most of the weapon systems with new and more effective systems. The cruse missile battery can fire off one third more cruise missiles at one time making it a much harder hitting vessel. The interior has been modified so that more cruise missiles can be carried. Point defense is far more capable than the original design was. The four mini-missile launchers are replaced by two cruise missile launchers, allowing the ship to engage incoming missile volleys much further out. The direct fire point defense weapons are upgraded as well with the lasers being replaced by variable focus particle beams. The original rail guns are retained being in many ways easier to maintain than more advanced gravity rail guns. The main battery of the heavy lasers is also retained unaltered from the standard Dervish design.

Electronics and Sensors are generally improved but many of the components are a bit dated and many are of civilian design. Still, many of the civilian components are almost up to military specifications and allows for better systems without a vast increase of cost. The remaining systems are standard, not top of the line, military grade equipment.

The shields and armor of the Hawker are slightly better than those on the Dervish and the shields are basically standard destroyer shield generators. The shield generator produces about twenty percent greater power than the original shield. The ship still carries a fusion reactor but the reactor is of a slightly longer duration and produces more power. The extra power is needed because more powerful engines are mated to the ship and the ship is slightly faster. Like all system defense boats, the Hawker has no form of FTL propulsion.

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

Model Type: SDB-24
Vehicle Type: System Defense Boat
Crew: 14 (2 officers)

M.D.C. By Location:
Heavy Laser Cannons (2):800 each
Variable Focus Particle Beam Cannon Turrets (2):150 each
Point Defense Rail Gun Turrets (2):150 each
Cruise Missile Battery:800
Medium Range Missile Batteries (2):450 each
[1] Bridge:1,100
[2] Main Body:3,500
[3] Variable Force Field:1,000 a side (6,000 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 does not have an auxiliary bridge. Even if the bridge is destroyed, the ship can still be piloted from engineering but the 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 still injure crew members on or near the bridge.
[2] Depleting the MDC of the main body will put the vessel out of commission. All internal systems will shut down, including life support and internal gravity. The ship itself will be an unsalvageable floating wreck.
[3] Shields positions can be varied and all could be combined in one shield. Shields regenerate at the rate of 5% (300 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 50 percent of the speed of light. Star Ship can accelerate/decelerate at the rate of 1.0 percent of light per melee.
Atmospheric Propulsion: Maximum Effective speed is Mach 2, can enter an atmosphere because flight system is by contra grav.
Stardrive: The Ship carries no Stardrive.
Maximum Range: Effectively Unlimited by either Drive system. Carries only about four weeks worth of supplies on board. Life support systems are also limited to about three months.

Statistical Data:
Length: 240 feet (73.2 meters)
Height: 65 feet (19.8 meters)
Width: 88 feet (26.8 meters)
Weight: 2,350 tons (2,131.9 metric tons)
Power System: Fusion with a 10 year life span (fusion is far cheaper than anti-matter). The ship normally only goes 3 years between refueling and refitting.
Cargo: Cargo holds are scattered about the ship that allows for carrying up to 40 tons of Cargo in addition to standard compliment of supplies and ammunition. Each enlisted crew member has a small locker for personal items and uniforms. Ships officers have more space for personal items. Most of the ship's spaces are taken up by extra ammunition, armor, troops, weapons, engine, and other equipment.
Market Cost: 265 million credits. Other upgraded versions will range from 250 to 300 million credits and original version costs around 180 million credits.

WEAPON SYSTEMS:

  1. Two (2) 12 cm Heavy Laser Cannons: Laser cannons are used against frigates and against heavily reinforced targets. Each is mounted in an individual turret on either side of the ship. The weapons have standard minuses to hit fighters and small targets. The barrels can be rotated 180 degrees in all directions. Both cannons can be fired as one volley.
    Maximum Effective Range: 16 miles (25.8 km) through atmosphere and 16,000 miles (25,800 km) in space.
    Mega Damage: 2D6x100 MDC each or 4D6x100 for two.
    Rate of fire: Maximum of Two (2) times per melee each laser cannon.
    Payload: Effectively Unlimited.
  2. Two (2) Rail Guns: Unlike most of the rail guns used on Phase World Starships, these are standard electromagnetic rail guns. They are used as an anti-Starfighter and missile weapon and against targets that are impervious to energy. Each Rail Gun is in a Turret that can rotate 360 and has a 180 arc of fire. Projectiles come out of launchers at close to the speed of light. Cannon uses a 15 mm depleted uranium projectiles.
    Maximum Effective Range: 16 miles (26 km) through atmosphere and 800 miles (1,290 km) in space.
    Mega-Damage: 80 round burst does 3D6x10 M.D.
    Rate of Fire: Equal to the combined hand to hand attacks of the Gunner (usually 4 or 5).
    Payload: 16,000 Rounds (200 Bursts) each cannon.
  3. Two (2) Particle Beam Mounts: These particle beams are copied from those carried on the CAF Assault Shuttle and will fire a very powerful narrow beam and can fire a scatter effect that is less powerful but is capable of striking multiple targets. The weapon system is quite useful against missiles although the cone is not as wide as Tachyon cannon sprays are. Weapons are mounted in turrets that can rotate 360 and have a 180 arc of fire. Each mount can be operated by a gunner or a gunner program (+2 to strike, 3 Attacks per melee).
    Maximum Effective Range: 300 miles (480 km) in space and 3 miles (4.8 km) in an atmosphere.
    Mega Damage: Single Target: 4D6x10 Wide Beam: 5D6 to all targets within a 5,000 foot (1,524 meter) diameter area. When fired as a wide beam, the cannon cannot be used on targets closer than 5,000 feet (1,524 meters) away.
    Rate of fire: Equal to the combined hand to hand attacks of the Gunner (usually 4 or 5).
    Payload: Effectively Unlimited
  4. One (1) Cruise Missile Battery: Missiles have a top speed of Mach 25 in an atmosphere and in space has an acceleration of 10% of light per turn (far 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, launching starship, and missile. When drive goes dead, missiles will still cruise unless preset to self destruct or receives a destruct code but has very low odds of hitting star ships (Great for hitting bases and planets because target does not move and missiles when dead are at -25% to detect.) See Modified starship rules for more details, Cruise missiles have standard penalties hit small targets but are all considered smart missiles. This launcher is a standard CAF launcher and the ship could have larger batteries than the original Dervish class System Defense Boat. Batteries can launch on multiple targets each at the same time.
    Maximum Effective Range: Missile range is 8000 miles (12,875 km) in an atmosphere and 4,000,000 miles (6,437,376 km/ 21.5 light seconds) in space
    Mega-Damage & Properties: See Phase World Missiles (Anti-Matter does 4D6x100 MDC).
    Rate of fire: One at a time or in volleys of 2, 8, 16, or 32 per melee round. Launchers are reloaded on the same melee and can be fired again on the next.
    Payload: 32 cruise missiles with 3 reload of missiles (96 cruise missiles total in reloads)
  5. Two (2) Medium Range Missile Batteries: Weapon system is used for hitting enemy robots, fighters, and against incoming cruise missiles. Like other Phase world systems, weapon system range and speed has been greatly increased compared to Rifts Earth systems. Missiles have a top speed of Mach 15 in an atmosphere and in space has an acceleration of 6% of light per turn. Batteries can launch on multiple targets each at the same time.
    Maximum Effective Range: 160 miles (257.5 km) in an atmosphere and 80,000 miles (128,750 km/0.43 light seconds)
    Mega-Damage: Varies with medium range missile type (See Phase World Missiles.)
    Rate of fire: Can fire missiles one at a time or in volleys of 2, 4, or 8 missiles per battery.
    Payload: 160 per launcher for a total of 320 medium range missiles.


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