Author Topic: Goalkeeper Defense Craft (w. Art)  (Read 3723 times)

Maingunnery

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Goalkeeper Defense Craft (w. Art)
« on: 18 September 2017, 17:49:26 »
Here is another Small Craft that (in my opinion) the BT universe was missing.
Let me known what you guys think.




                    AeroTech 2 Vessel Technical Readout
                                  VALIDATED

Class/Model/Name:  Goalkeeper Defense Craft Mk4
Tech:              Inner Sphere / 2515
Vessel Type:       Spheroid Small Craft
Rules:             Level 1, Standard design
Rules Set:         AeroTech2

Mass:              150 tons
Length:            21 meters
Power Plant:       Standard
Safe Thrust:       4
Maximum Thrust:    6
Armor Type:        Standard
Armament:         
   15 Small Laser
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Class/Model/Name:  Goalkeeper Defense Craft Mk4
Mass:              150 tons

Equipment:                                                              Mass
Power Plant, Drive & Control:                                           39,00
Thrust:  Safe Thrust: 4
      Maximum Thrust: 6
Structural Integrity: 6                                                  2,00
Total Heat Sinks:    15 Single                                           8,00
Fuel & Fuel Pumps:                                                      20,50
Bridge, Controls, Radar, Computer & Attitude Thrusters:                  1,50
Fire Control Computers:                                                   ,00
Armor Type:  Standard  (288 total armor pts)                            16,50
                           Standard Scale Armor Pts
   Location:                            L / R
   Fore:                                 72
   Left/Right Sides:                  72/72
   Aft:                                  72

Cargo:
   Bay 1:  Cargo (1) with 1 door                                        10,00


Crew and Passengers:
      1 Officers (1 minimum)                                            10,00
      2 Crew (2 minimum)                                                14,00
      3 Gunners (3 minimum)                                             21,00
Weapons and Equipment      Loc        SRV    MRV    LRV    ERV  Heat    Mass
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
5 Small Laser              Nose         3     --     --     --    5      2,50
5 Small Laser              RW           3     --     --     --    5      2,50
5 Small Laser              LW           3     --     --     --    5      2,50
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
TOTALS:                                                    Heat: 15    150,00
Tons Left:                                                                ,00

Calculated Factors:
Total Cost:        6.719.320 C-Bills
Battle Value:      723
Cost per BV:       9.293,67
Weapon Value:      1.068 (Ratio = 1,48)
Damage Factors:    SRV = 41;  MRV = 0;  LRV = 0;  ERV = 0
Maintenance:       Maintenance Point Value (MPV) = 1.161
                   (231 Structure, 690 Life Support, 240 Weapons)
                   Support Points (SP) = 6.865  (591% of MPV)
BattleForce2:      MP: 4,  Armor/Structure: 7 / 0
                   Damage PB/M/L: 2/-/-,  Overheat: 0
                   Class: DS;  Point Value: 7





Overview
   Many students in contemporary naval academy's often wonder why old WarShips had very little to no point defenses. The short answer to this is fleet doctrine. In the old days ships travelled in groups and these were screened by combat DropShips and Fighters. Between the main group and the screening force there would be a point defense squadron, which usually consisted out of either Small Craft or Light ASFs. The main job of this squadron was to defend the main group from Capital Missiles.
   Before the extinction of WarShips during the Succession Wars, the most common defense craft was the Goalkeeper, which also had the longest and widest service record. Compared to a light ASF these Goalkeepers had a number of advantages and disadvantages. They weren't as fast as interceptors but they were fast enough to keep up with the groups that they had to defend. The y also had more endurance in both fuel, armor and life-support. However Goalkeeper duty was quite unpopular with crews as it was nearly defenseless, being only armed with point defense lasers. As such it was often seen as, and used for punishment duty. However there are rare cases in where crews were so fanatical that they would 'catch' capital missiles by ramming into them. 
   Thankfully for many Goalkeeper crews, it turned out that the usage of nuclear armed missiles was way lower than predicted during the time of when the Goalkeeper was originally designed. However during engagements in where nuclear warheads were used, Goalkeepers Defense Craft were a priority target for Fighters and Naval Lasers. 


Capabilities
   The initial versions of the Goalkeeper Defense Craft were deployed as part of the WODEN defense network around Terra, these relied on primitive small chemical lasers. These lasers were hard to maintain, toxic and explosive. When standard lasers became available the design was quickly updated and brought into production. In many cases the old Goalkeepers were simply thrown overboard upon receiving the new models.
    The design would receive some minor updates until it was completely standardized in the mark four. This version quickly spread to all known corners of space and became the default version of a defense craft, with WarShip squadrons of every faction having at least a dozen escorting them. 
   The SLDF eventually wanted to have their own variant and came up with a special refit. The SLDF refit upgrades the single strength heatsinks to double strength models and completely revised the point defense weapons. The nose lasers were changed to medium lasers for improved self-defense, while the side lasers were replaced with Anti-Missile Systems which were more capable in engaging a wider range of missile attacks.
   No known SLDF Goalkeeper survived the campaign to liberate Terra, as ASF drones designated Goalkeeper Defense Craft as priority targets. Because of this, no examples were taken along with the Exodus. The Goalkeeper also wasn't brought back to production by the Clans as they reject the use of nuclear weaponry, thus making the design nearly unnecessary among the Clans.

Deployment
   With the extinction of Warships in the Inner Sphere, the surviving Goalkeeper Defense Craft were relegated to civilian authorities to serve as orbital debris sweepers. The accurate lasers were very capable in this task of vaporizing small debris that could cause problems for civilian traffic and infrastructure. In cases of large pieces, the Goalkeeper could simple spend more time vaporizing it away or the crew would attach cables to slowly tow it away.  For a long time this design didn't see any conflict, but this changed with the Jihad, in which a number of Goalkeepers were deputized to defend vital transports. Since the Jihad this design has returned to civilian service as more capable defense Small Craft have come to take its old role.
« Last Edit: 09 October 2017, 13:44:10 by Maingunnery »
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worktroll

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Re: Goalkeeper Defense Craft
« Reply #1 on: 18 September 2017, 18:13:50 »
Excellent story, and believable design!

In practice, do you think the AMS or SL versions would be more effective? Would SPLs be a possible alternative?

W.
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Maingunnery

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Re: Goalkeeper Defense Craft
« Reply #2 on: 18 September 2017, 18:21:49 »
Excellent story, and believable design!

In practice, do you think the AMS or SL versions would be more effective? Would SPLs be a possible alternative?

W.
Currently AMS can fire multiple times (in the same turn) at Capital Missiles, so as long as there is enough heatsinks and ammo they can be far more effective then small lasers.
SPL's are a slight upgrade to SL's, but they are also heavier and hotter.
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Daryk

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Re: Goalkeeper Defense Craft
« Reply #3 on: 18 September 2017, 20:26:51 »
It strikes me the original WODEN versions would have machine guns (and multiple tons of ammunition) vice Chemical Lasers.

Maingunnery

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Re: Goalkeeper Defense Craft
« Reply #4 on: 19 September 2017, 17:09:13 »
It strikes me the original WODEN versions would have machine guns (and multiple tons of ammunition) vice Chemical Lasers.
I have thought about that but decided against that for several reasons:

1. Machine gun rounds would add more orbital pollution.
2. The WODEN is fluffed as having access to high powered energy weapons, so having primitive predecessors would be plausible.
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Daryk

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Re: Goalkeeper Defense Craft
« Reply #5 on: 19 September 2017, 18:01:24 »
That makes sense.

worktroll

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Re: Goalkeeper Defense Craft
« Reply #6 on: 19 September 2017, 19:23:34 »
   With the extinction of Warships in the Inner Sphere, the surviving Goalkeeper Defense Craft were relegated to civilian authorities to serve as orbital debris sweepers. The accurate lasers were very capable in this task of vaporizing small debris that could cause problems for civilian traffic and infrastructure. In cases of large pieces, the Goalkeeper could simple spend more time vaporizing it away or the crew would attach cables to slowly tow it away. 

Aha! THat's what's been in the back of my mind all along!

* No, FASA wasn't big on errata - ColBosch
* The Housebook series is from the 80's and is the foundation of Btech, the 80's heart wrapped in heavy metal that beats to this day - Sigma
* To sum it up: FASAnomics: By Cthulhu, for Cthulhu - Moonsword
* Because Battletech is a conspiracy by Habsburg & Bourbon pretenders - MadCapellan
* The Hellbringer is cool, either way. It's not cool because it's bad, it's cool because it's bad with balls - Nightsky
* It was a glorious time for people who felt that we didn't have enough Marauder variants - HABeas2, re "Empires Aflame"

Dragon Cat

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Re: Goalkeeper Defense Craft
« Reply #7 on: 19 September 2017, 21:14:10 »
I like it the AMS variant especially and the reason they are not around... CASPERs even better
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

marauder648

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Re: Goalkeeper Defense Craft
« Reply #8 on: 20 September 2017, 03:34:41 »
I really like this idea, great background as well and it makes sense too.  Have like a ship carry one of these if they can for self defence whilst larger, more valuable ships would have a group of them if they can. I can picture it like this for a fleet


Outer screen/CAP - ASF
Inner screen - Aquarius/Lyonesse analogues and dropships.
Point defence - Goalkeeper squadrons
WarShips

You'd have to get through those layers to get at the WarShips.
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Maingunnery

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Re: Goalkeeper Defense Craft
« Reply #9 on: 20 September 2017, 12:12:20 »


I have no clear idea for the looks of this small craft, do you guys have any ideas?
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Maingunnery

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Re: Goalkeeper Defense Craft
« Reply #10 on: 21 September 2017, 18:19:21 »
[reserved]
« Last Edit: 26 September 2017, 18:38:48 by Maingunnery »
Herb: "Well, now I guess we'll HAVE to print it. Sounds almost like the apocalypse I've been working for...."

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DOC_Agren

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Re: Goalkeeper Defense Craft
« Reply #11 on: 21 September 2017, 21:35:06 »
This ship came to my mind when thinking about this craft, note took me forever to find the ship online..
Silent Death
0739 Sapper (2006, Operation Dry Dock II)
"For the Angel of Death spread his wings on the blast, And breathed in the face of the foe as he passed:And the eyes of the sleepers waxed deadly and chill, And their hearts but once heaved, and for ever grew still!"

Maingunnery

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Re: Goalkeeper Defense Craft
« Reply #12 on: 09 October 2017, 13:43:46 »

A WarShip's best friend.





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

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marauder648

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Re: Goalkeeper Defense Craft (w. Art)
« Reply #13 on: 09 October 2017, 14:00:52 »
Oh my! I LOVE it!
Ghost Bears: Cute and cuddly. Until you remember its a BLOODY BEAR!

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Dragon Cat

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Re: Goalkeeper Defense Craft (w. Art)
« Reply #14 on: 09 October 2017, 16:38:20 »
Impressive artwork for a cool design
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