Author Topic: What is an Ideal Escort Ship?  (Read 4586 times)

Maingunnery

  • Lieutenant Colonel
  • *
  • Posts: 7154
  • Pirates and C3 masters are on the hitlist
What is an Ideal Escort Ship?
« on: 23 December 2017, 11:15:13 »

I was trying to form an idea of what an Escort Ship would be.

This is what I have so far:
- Can't be brushed aside -> Relative thick Armor, structure & Point Defense
- Slightly faster then what it defends
- Must control the local environment -> Screen/Mine Launchers
- No a lot of capital firepower required, but the present capital bays must be dangerous enough that they can't be ignored.
- There should be various types of AA bays, preferably one of each type (energy/ballistic/missile) per facing.

Herb: "Well, now I guess we'll HAVE to print it. Sounds almost like the apocalypse I've been working for...."

The Society:Fan XTRO & Field Manual
Nebula California: HyperTube Xtreme
Nebula Confederation Ships

Daryk

  • Lieutenant General
  • *
  • Posts: 37046
  • The Double Deuce II/II-σ
Re: What is an Ideal Escort Ship?
« Reply #1 on: 23 December 2017, 12:53:25 »
Most importantly, it has to cost less than what it's escorting.

Vition2

  • Lieutenant
  • *
  • Posts: 856
Re: What is an Ideal Escort Ship?
« Reply #2 on: 23 December 2017, 12:57:21 »
I was trying to form an idea of what an Escort Ship would be.

This is what I have so far:
- Can't be brushed aside -> Relative thick Armor, structure & Point Defense
- Slightly faster then what it defends
- Must control the local environment -> Screen/Mine Launchers
- No a lot of capital firepower required, but the present capital bays must be dangerous enough that they can't be ignored.
- There should be various types of AA bays, preferably one of each type (energy/ballistic/missile) per facing.

I generally have three thoughts on how an Escort Ship would be designed, and most of the difference is in weapon set-up.  And I'll note that the following is using a warship as a base unit, a dropship is going to be significantly different and likely even less generalized.

The outline you started with is a good paradigm to start with.  With only two possible exceptions, IMO, the preference for one of each type of weapon per facing, instead I would choose two, energy and one of the others.  Energy is simply the most efficient, while the others are equally effective against Laser-reflective armors which ought to eventually become rife in space combat.  Another thing that is not quite necessary is that it needs to be slightly faster than what it defends - this certainly helps, but it absolutely necessary.  I would also strongly suggest an NCSS of some kind to help

The first thing to consider is what is it expected to do?  Generally speaking it should be able to annihilate dropships and swathes of aerospace fighters, virtually at a whim - sure it could still be swarmed, but the enemy ought to suffer significant losses in the assault.  At the same time a single one of these shouldn't be able to pose a significant threat to warships

The three types of Escort Ships have different enough layouts that they each require a their own considerations.  The first is missile-based, the second is a carrier, and the third is a sub-capital weapon-based.

A missile-based escort is able to amass fairly large numbers of missile launchers for relatively little cost, even when starting to amass extra fire control mass.  This weapon complement allows for potentially massive range and allows for both capital-scale threats and smaller to be targeted with equal certainty of impact.  The main downside is that the overall offensive potential is minimal when compared to the others especially when AMS comes into play.  This type of escort is very useful when the expected primary opponents are aerospace fighters.

The carrier is also a good option, having many of the same strengths as the missile-based escort.  It's aerospace fighters give it an effective larger range than any other option, but each aerospace fighter lost is a direct drain on the power of the warship.  This one can be worn down much more easily than the others.  In addition to this the massive numbers of personnel needed to keep the fighters in operable condition is a major drain on available personnel in the canon BattleTech Universe.  The York-class Destroyer/Carrier is a good start to this, though increasing the number of weapons and increasing the aerospace fighters to around 80 wouldn't be a bad idea.

The last option is the sub-capital-based escort.  This one has the greatest throw weight of all of them and is able to stay in the fray as long as the warship has staying power.  The downside is the range, most of these weapons max out at long range, allowing a well armed warship to stay out of range taking pot shots until the escort becomes ineffective.  This also decreases the envelope in which the escorted ought to stay, allowing for potential ambushes by drawing away the escort.  I consider a decent example to be the Unkindess-class I created with Dragon Cat's help, it's a little on the smaller side and has a few more capital-sized weapons than a more pure kind of this escort though (http://bg.battletech.com/forums/index.php?topic=58231.msg1340258#msg1340258).

Vition2

  • Lieutenant
  • *
  • Posts: 856
Re: What is an Ideal Escort Ship?
« Reply #3 on: 23 December 2017, 13:03:31 »
Most importantly, it has to cost less than what it's escorting.
I think this is a bit less detailed than it ought to be.  At first glance it appears that the cost of the cargo can be directly compared to the escort.  But going deeper, you have to take in the strategic importance of the cargo.  If the cargo can effectively supply assaults on 5 important worlds, though the escort itself is "worth" 100x the expense of the cargo, then it becomes worth it.  Potentially taking those worlds may be a greater boon than the potential loss of the escort - aversion to risk leads to a very stagnant setting.

Daryk

  • Lieutenant General
  • *
  • Posts: 37046
  • The Double Deuce II/II-σ
Re: What is an Ideal Escort Ship?
« Reply #4 on: 23 December 2017, 13:07:43 »
If the "escort" is too expensive, it becomes the target.  There's more than one way to bleed an enemy at the strategic level.

Hellraiser

  • Colonel
  • *
  • Posts: 13011
  • Cry Havoc and Unleash the Gods of Fiat.
Re: What is an Ideal Escort Ship?
« Reply #5 on: 23 December 2017, 13:31:42 »
I was trying to form an idea of what an Escort Ship would be.

In what context/era?

To me the Lola class Destroyers are probably the best canon examples of "Escorts".

3041: General Lance Hawkins: The Equalizers
3053: Star Colonel Rexor Kerensky: The Silver Wolves

"I don't shoot Urbanmechs, I walk up, stomp on their foot, wait for the head to pop open & drop in a hand grenade (or Elemental)" - Joel47
Against mechs, infantry have two options: Run screaming from Godzilla, or giggle under your breath as the arrogant fools blunder into your trap. - Weirdo

Maingunnery

  • Lieutenant Colonel
  • *
  • Posts: 7154
  • Pirates and C3 masters are on the hitlist
Re: What is an Ideal Escort Ship?
« Reply #6 on: 23 December 2017, 13:41:37 »
In what context/era?

To me the Lola class Destroyers are probably the best canon examples of "Escorts".
My current interest is mostly about current era, escorting Leviathans or ArcShips. But discussion about older eras is very welcome.


If the "escort" is too expensive, it becomes the target.  There's more than one way to bleed an enemy at the strategic level.
Concerning costs, I think that LitFusion-batteries should be used if possible. But have it limited to one docking collar to keep costs down.
Herb: "Well, now I guess we'll HAVE to print it. Sounds almost like the apocalypse I've been working for...."

The Society:Fan XTRO & Field Manual
Nebula California: HyperTube Xtreme
Nebula Confederation Ships

Daryk

  • Lieutenant General
  • *
  • Posts: 37046
  • The Double Deuce II/II-σ
Re: What is an Ideal Escort Ship?
« Reply #7 on: 23 December 2017, 13:45:50 »
If you're looking at Lithium-Fusion Batteries, I'd strongly recommend no docking collars at all (like a Vincent).

snewsom2997

  • Captain
  • *
  • Posts: 2187
Re: What is an Ideal Escort Ship?
« Reply #8 on: 23 December 2017, 17:48:12 »
Well if Escorting Leviathans, there is the Aesir, Vanir, and Isengrim

If Escorting Arcships, you have access to basically any PWS, Assaultship in the IS.

Ideally I would like lots of AMS on the Esccorts, as well as Big Guns to pop Droppers, Don't need so much ASF with a Leviathan, since some variants come with 100's. We have very little information on the Arcships, other than they are stretched Potemkins, with DS Hardwelded to the Hull.

You really don't want anything near your Arcship, it isn't going to be very agile, and I am not sure whether or not the Sea Foxes kept the Potemkins armarments. I would jump out of system the first sign of trouble with the Arcship, maybe never even jump in system to begin with, jump in way outside the Zenith or Nadir, and then jump you jumpships on into the system, without the arcship.

Dragon Cat

  • Lieutenant Colonel
  • *
  • Posts: 7827
  • Not Dead Until I Say So
Re: What is an Ideal Escort Ship?
« Reply #9 on: 23 December 2017, 19:20:07 »
IIRC the ArcShips weapons were mostly stripped in canon to allow them to travel through the Succession States without interference.  The ships are known to carry some weapons but it's never been defined as far as I know
My three main Alternate Timeline with Thanks fan-fiction threads are in the links below. I'm always open to suggestions or additions to be incorporated so if you feel you wish to add something feel free. There's non-canon units, equipment, people, events, erm... Solar Systems spread throughout so please enjoy

https://bg.battletech.com/forums/index.php/topic,20515.0.html - Part 1

https://bg.battletech.com/forums/index.php/topic,52013.0.html - Part 2

https://bg.battletech.com/forums/index.php/topic,79196.0.html - Part 3

Jellico

  • Spatium Magister
  • Freelance Writer
  • Major
  • *
  • Posts: 6120
  • BattleMechs are the lords of the battlefield
Re: What is an Ideal Escort Ship?
« Reply #10 on: 23 December 2017, 19:26:42 »
I was trying to form an idea of what an Escort Ship would be.

This is what I have so far:
- Can't be brushed aside -> Relative thick Armor, structure & Point Defense
- Slightly faster then what it defends
- Must control the local environment -> Screen/Mine Launchers
- No a lot of capital firepower required, but the present capital bays must be dangerous enough that they can't be ignored.
- There should be various types of AA bays, preferably one of each type (energy/ballistic/missile) per facing.

So you want. Fast well armoured ship with enough firepower to not be ignored? In what way is that not the capital ship?


Okay. It is all about context context context. A Lola III was an escort for non LF SLDF ships. A Riga II is an escort for McKennas. Eagles are escorts for Theras. Vanirs are escorts for Leviathan IIs and Nagasawas are escorts for arc ships.

Eagles and Lolas assume that they won't be the target and focus on firepower. Armour saves yourself not the target.

Riga IIs match your description well. It absorbs damage at short range allowing the McKenna to snipe.

Vanirs are AA platforms and missile defense. They are scaled for defending JumpShips which are low level or battleships which can defend themselves.

Nagasawas are damage sinks which can't be ignored. They buy time for other ships to do damage.

Minemech

  • Captain
  • *
  • Posts: 2719
Re: What is an Ideal Escort Ship?
« Reply #11 on: 29 December 2017, 09:20:51 »
The nature of an ideal escort depends in part on what you are trying to escort. Dropships acting as escort carriers can easily shadow a warship, and can be slower than the warship.

Minemech

  • Captain
  • *
  • Posts: 2719
Re: What is an Ideal Escort Ship?
« Reply #12 on: 29 December 2017, 12:09:44 »
I think this is a bit less detailed than it ought to be.  At first glance it appears that the cost of the cargo can be directly compared to the escort.  But going deeper, you have to take in the strategic importance of the cargo.  If the cargo can effectively supply assaults on 5 important worlds, though the escort itself is "worth" 100x the expense of the cargo, then it becomes worth it.  Potentially taking those worlds may be a greater boon than the potential loss of the escort - aversion to risk leads to a very stagnant setting.
It is also an issue which highlights why ships like the Mako can actually be a liability on campaigns. At least the Inazuma supplies dropship collars.

Warship

  • Sergeant
  • *
  • Posts: 129
  • Once more into the fire
Re: What is an Ideal Escort Ship?
« Reply #13 on: 01 January 2018, 20:46:05 »
What about a modified Pinto?  Upgrade the armour, add an LF (at the cost of some cargo), and it has one docking collar.  Add a larger carrier class dropship for even more fighter support (the Pinto has 12 already) and you should be good.  They cost so little that most small nation states could afford several.  12.5 (if you do not add the LF) to one Lev II.  Granted, a II would blow through these guys in a heartbeat, but if you have a dedicated crew to sacrifice themselves and their ship, what is left could pick through its carcass.
« Last Edit: 02 January 2018, 19:12:32 by Warship »

Warship

  • Sergeant
  • *
  • Posts: 129
  • Once more into the fire
Re: What is an Ideal Escort Ship?
« Reply #14 on: 06 January 2018, 14:06:23 »
Come on team, I was hoping some responses with points for and against...

Vition2

  • Lieutenant
  • *
  • Posts: 856
Re: What is an Ideal Escort Ship?
« Reply #15 on: 06 January 2018, 15:07:06 »
The Pinto's armor is so paper thin that I don't think it would be able to last long enough against even a relatively small ambushing force - even if you maximize the armor it's going to top out at roughly 22/22/21/21.  It would be a decent picket ship, but, imo, it's a bit flimsy to serve as a proper escort.

But if I were to consider modding them and using them as escorts, I'd rather have twice the number of them than putting an LFB on them - an LFB is a strategic offensive/defensive asset and an escort doesn't usually have to worry about that level of potential deployment.

Maingunnery

  • Lieutenant Colonel
  • *
  • Posts: 7154
  • Pirates and C3 masters are on the hitlist
Re: What is an Ideal Escort Ship?
« Reply #16 on: 06 January 2018, 15:15:43 »
About the Pinto,
I agree with adding LF and upgrading the armor (and structure if possible).

Personally I would also replace all the weapons with Sub-cap weapons, update the PD weapons and add screen launchers.
Offensively it can't be really improved, but it should likely focus on creating such a thick screen cloud that what it is escorting can't be hit.

But if it must it is a very fast WarShip, so that might help it make suicide jumps, but this will require some pretty fanatical crews.
Herb: "Well, now I guess we'll HAVE to print it. Sounds almost like the apocalypse I've been working for...."

The Society:Fan XTRO & Field Manual
Nebula California: HyperTube Xtreme
Nebula Confederation Ships

truetanker

  • Lieutenant Colonel
  • *
  • Posts: 9901
  • Clan Hells Horses 666th Mech. Assualt Cluster
Re: What is an Ideal Escort Ship?
« Reply #17 on: 06 January 2018, 20:28:31 »
I was trying to form an idea of what an Escort Ship would be.

Comitatus!

TT
Khan, Clan Iron Dolphin
Azeroth Pocketverse
That is, if true tanker doesn't beat me to it. He makes truly evil units.Col.Hengist on 31 May 2013
TT, we know you are the master of nasty  O0 ~ Fletch on 22 June 2013
If I'm attacking you, conventional wisom says to bring 3x your force.  I want extra insurance, so I'll bring 4 for every 1 of what you have :D ~ Tai Dai Cultist on 21 April 2016
Me: Would you rather fight my Epithymía Thanátou from the Whispers of Blake?
Nav_Alpha: That THING... that is horrid
~ Nav_Alpha on 10 October 2016

Alexander Knight

  • Peditum Generalis
  • BattleTech Volunteer
  • Major
  • *
  • Posts: 4960
  • O-R-E-O
Re: What is an Ideal Escort Ship?
« Reply #18 on: 07 January 2018, 04:00:05 »
I would suggest a smaller dropship, perhaps armed with some Sub-Capital weapons and other anti-fighter weapons.  The primary purpose of this dropship would be to carry multiple Screen Launchers into action.

Screens can, after all, block LOS and can also do damage to fighters/small craft when deployed.

Warship

  • Sergeant
  • *
  • Posts: 129
  • Once more into the fire
Re: What is an Ideal Escort Ship?
« Reply #19 on: 07 January 2018, 22:00:06 »
Maybe mount a PWS instead of a carrier?  Leave the LF battery off to save money.  I only have access to Heavy Metal Aero, so I am not up to date on sub-capitol weapons.  But, I would want to change the standard version.

BTW, in which publications are the rules for PWS's and sub-caps?

Vition2

  • Lieutenant
  • *
  • Posts: 856
Re: What is an Ideal Escort Ship?
« Reply #20 on: 07 January 2018, 22:29:35 »
Pocket Warships are just a subclass of combat dropship, they don't have any special rules, but have a tendency to mount sub-capital weapons and/or capital missiles.

Sub-capital weapons are located in Tactical Operations.
And now that I have access to my books, they are located on pages 342-344, and 410-411.

Minemech

  • Captain
  • *
  • Posts: 2719
Re: What is an Ideal Escort Ship?
« Reply #21 on: 08 January 2018, 18:28:39 »
 A PWS can invigorate your anti-fighter power, as well as screen against other dropships, but it will find itself challenged against actual warships. Particularly warships with strong PD, and those with descent weapons arrangements.

 As for the FLB, it is a matter of strategic mobility. When comparing the Tatsumaki (Actually it has a FLB according to TRO 3067, but I am going to use the Sarna error) with the Impavido, the FLB enables the Impavido to escort ships to a battle, and flee if it is getting overwhelmed. An escort warship retains strategic significance, even if what it is escorting outclasses it. Even a corvette is a strategic asset. The superior armor of the Tatsumaki cannot be ignored, as well as the Impavido's lack of DHS, but I would take an Impavido as an escort over a Tatsumaki. The Impavido also has an edge on speed, enabling it to better dictate its role in a battle. 
« Last Edit: 08 January 2018, 18:33:36 by Minemech »

Liam's Ghost

  • Lieutenant Colonel
  • *
  • Posts: 7856
  • Miss Chitty finds your honor rules quaint.
Re: What is an Ideal Escort Ship?
« Reply #22 on: 08 January 2018, 19:11:56 »
Comitatus!

TT

The Comitatus is actually a great convoy escort. It would be more flexible if it had the extra docking collars, but the lack makes it cheaper and the fighter complement can't be ignored.

Of course it's mostly useless for protecting anything that has to move anywhere in system... Still, the jumpships would appreciate the cover. 
Good news is the lab boys say the symptoms of asbestos poisoning show an immediate latency of 44.6 years. So if you're thirty or over you're laughing. Worst case scenario you miss out on a few rounds of canasta, plus you've forwarded the cause of science by three centuries. I punch those numbers into my calculator, it makes a happy face.

(indirect accessory to the) Slayer of Monitors!

Minemech

  • Captain
  • *
  • Posts: 2719
Re: What is an Ideal Escort Ship?
« Reply #23 on: 08 January 2018, 19:44:12 »
 I want you to consider the importance of knowing what you are supporting before attaching escort dropships. An Inazuma can easily carry and Okinawa, a PWS, and a cargo ship (Mule). A Zechetinu has only 1 collar, and therefore it has to be pickier on what accompanies it. Choose the dropships based on the role. A Zechetinu cannot not provide solid support for a Vengence as it lacks needed armor, unless bigger warships are are assisting it. It can use a PWS well. It can work with a leopard CV.

Charistoph

  • Major
  • *
  • Posts: 3532
Re: What is an Ideal Escort Ship?
« Reply #24 on: 01 February 2018, 00:24:51 »
An escort ship really doesn't have to be heavily armored, just armored enough.

Consider that most escorts in wet navies do not really compare on any of the levels that have been considered here.  Your basic destroyer had enough armor so that it wouldn't be confused as a yacht.  Enough heavy guns to threaten your average merchant and kill soft targets (subs, aircraft, and other destroyers).

In Battletech, escorts should be small warships or pocket warships whose job is to make people question sending missiles and ASFs near them, while having enough armor so they aren't worth the trouble of capital attention.

That only works when you have regular navies building up coherent fleets with ships that are the focus of the fleet, like pre-SW2.  When you are dealing with clan behaviors and the minimal fleets of post Clan Invasion, all this goes out the window.  Any Warship and Dropship during this time will not be ignored and represents too much of an investment to not be a star player in its own right.

I'm not as familiar with the navies from the Jihad onward, so I can't say which mold they would fit more in, though.  But they would fit in one or the other and the design scheme should fit the expectations of enemy actions and attentions that fit the period.
Are you a Wolf, a Sheep, or a Hound?
Quote from: Megavolt
They called me crazy…they called me insane…THEY CALLED ME LOONEY!! and boy, were they right.

Charistoph's Painted Products of Mechanical Mayhem

Korzon77

  • Captain
  • *
  • Posts: 2441
Re: What is an Ideal Escort Ship?
« Reply #25 on: 01 February 2018, 03:19:04 »
That's a good point-- and this is one thing--it really depends on the time era.  A time when you can build a number of warhsips means that the cost per warship will be more important, so escorts will likely have to be cheaper-- you need lots of them. 

A time when you don't have a lot of slips to build ships in, say, the 3050s-3060s, will see escorts be somewhat more powerful, since the limiter isn't so much money as build space.

Alsadius

  • Lieutenant
  • *
  • Posts: 926
Re: What is an Ideal Escort Ship?
« Reply #26 on: 01 February 2018, 13:12:44 »
An escort's job in most contexts is to gather intelligence, provide a screen so that the main battle units can organize themselves at the start of combat, engage light combatants, and provide small units that can be detached for errands ad hoc. They also want to do all this at a low cost, because they're intended to be at least somewhat expendable. They are not intended to perform well against heavy combatants - their principal weakness is that against heavy ships they need to run instead of fighting. As such, speed is usually a priority over armour, large numbers of light weapons are preferred over a few giant cannons, and flexibility is important.

In BT terms, that means fairly high speed, no great emphasis on armour(you want some, but don't go crazy), and the ability to swat down huge numbers of fighters and DropShips. Taking down battleships is for battleships, and you're not going to even try outside of an emergency.

You do want a L-F battery for your K-F drive, because otherwise you can't keep up with the heavy units on a strategic scale, but the (somewhat silly) way that costs scale for K-F drives means that you want to avoid having DropShips to avoid costs ballooning.

Intel isn't well-represented in gameplay, but screen launchers, naval C3 systems, and ECM systems are all good choices for interfering with enemy capital ships and/or assisting your own.

After that, you want a mountain of light weapons - usually things that'd be heavy on mechs but where you can mount them by the gross with tonnage left over. Break them into as many bays as you can get away with, because hitting one fighter with 30 LRM-20s is just a waste, and operate as the bristling porcupine of death against fighter attacks. Keep a few of the longer-ranged capital weapons on hand to avoid getting kited(NL55's are good here - huge range, not awful on weight, no ammo, and good against DropShips), and then consider adding fighter bays to operate like the helicopters on wet-navy escort ships.

Alsadius

  • Lieutenant
  • *
  • Posts: 926
Re: What is an Ideal Escort Ship?
« Reply #27 on: 04 February 2018, 15:44:07 »
I threw a sample of what I think of as a "proper escort" together using CryHavoc's spreadsheet.

Code: [Select]
Class/Model/Name: Escort Ship
Tech: Inner Sphere
Ship Cost: $9,913,580,000.00
Magazine Cost: $5,600,000.00
BV2: 83,486

Mass: 500,000
K-F Drive System: Compact with L-F Battery
Power Plant: Maneuvering Drive
Safe Thrust: 5
Maximum Thrust: 8
Armor Type: Lamellor Ferro-Carbide
Armament:
160 Laser Large ER (IS)
40 Naval Laser 55
20 Capital Launcher AR-10
4 Screen Launcher

Class/Model/Name: Escort Ship
Mass: 500,000

Equipment: Mass
Drive: 150,000.00
Thrust
Safe: 5
Maximum: 8
Controls: 1,250.00
K-F Hyperdrive: Compact with L-F Battery (12 Integrity) 231,250.00
Jump Sail: (4 Integrity) 55.00
Structural Integrity: 75 37,500.00
Total Heat Sinks: 1500(3000) Double 908.00
Fuel & Fuel Pumps: 2500 points 1,020.00
Fire Control Computers: 16.00
Armor: 750 pts Lamellor Ferro-Carbide 750.00
Fore: 140
Fore-Left/Right: 125/125
Aft-Left/Right: 125/125
Aft: 110

Dropship Capacity: 0 0.00
Grav Decks:
Small: 2 100.00
Medium: 0.00
Large: 0.00
Escape Pods: 20 140.00
Life Boats: 20 140.00

Crew And Passengers:
41 Officers in 1st Class Quarters 410.00
104 Crew in 2nd Class Quarters 728.00
91 Gunners and Others in 2nd Class Quarters 637.00

# Weapons Loc Heat Damage Range Mass
40 Laser Large ER (IS) Nose 480 320 (32-C) Long 200.00
40 Laser Large ER (IS) RBS 480 320 (32-C) Long 200.00
40 Laser Large ER (IS) LBS 480 320 (32-C) Long 200.00
40 Laser Large ER (IS) Aft 480 320 (32-C) Long 200.00
10 Naval Laser 55 FR 850 550 (55-C) Extreme-C 11,000.00
10 Naval Laser 55 FL 850 550 (55-C) Extreme-C 11,000.00
10 Naval Laser 55 AR 850 550 (55-C) Extreme-C 11,000.00
10 Naval Laser 55 AL 850 550 (55-C) Extreme-C 11,000.00
5 Capital Launcher AR-10 FR Extreme-C 1,250.00
5 Capital Launcher AR-10 FL Extreme-C 1,250.00
5 Capital Launcher AR-10 AR Extreme-C 1,250.00
5 Capital Launcher AR-10 AL Extreme-C 1,250.00
1 Screen Launcher FR Short 40.000
1 Screen Launcher FL Short 40.000
1 Screen Launcher AR Short 40.000
1 Screen Launcher AL Short 40.000

Ammo Rounds Mass
Capital Launcher Barracuda Ammo 50 1,500.00
Capital Launcher Killer Whale Ammo 50 2,500.00
Capital Launcher Barracuda Ammo 50 1,500.00
Capital Launcher Killer Whale Ammo 50 2,500.00
Capital Launcher Barracuda Ammo 50 1,500.00
Capital Launcher Killer Whale Ammo 50 2,500.00
Capital Launcher Barracuda Ammo 50 1,500.00
Capital Launcher Killer Whale Ammo 50 2,500.00

Equipment Mass
Naval C3 5,000.00
Cargo, Standard 3,736.00

Defensive Ammo Rounds Mass
Screen Launcher Ammo 10 100
Screen Launcher Ammo 10 100
Screen Launcher Ammo 10 100
Screen Launcher Ammo 10 100

That's sort of the "light cruiser" approach - it's pretty fragile against battleships, but it packs a punch, has good speed and support abilities, and it can take on whole squadrons of fighters at once from all angles. All for a total cost of under 10 billion. I'd probably divide all the weapons into bays of 5 each, which would be enough for the LLs to hit fighters damned hard without over-concentrating your firepower too badly, and enough for the big guns to put the hurt on DropShips or smaller WarShips, especially if you turn broadside to them(a full broadside is 185 capital-scale damage, which is enough to breach a McKenna in one round if everything hits it on the nose).