Build a Reunion War Periphery Fleet Carrier. (1-1.5 megaton tonnage range)

[FastConcentrate8]

So more for my timeline, we have a lot of custom factions including Periphery Powers. This means that our Reunification War was a bit more crowded and in some cases a bit more of an even conflict though means that we're going to need a good number of ships for them.

Thus, once more I approach you the Aerospace Board on the BattleTech Forum with this challenge. Design a fleet carrier for a major Periphery power that possesses a very large and healthy industrial and economic base. These carriers while few in number caused the SLDFN and House Fleets one of the greatest threats in a very long time by running a campaign of delaying actions and attrition against enemy capital ships.

The requirements of the designs are as such.
1. 1,000,000-1,500,000 Ton range for displacement.
2. Reunification War (Early Star League tech).
3. These things were designed to overcome quantity through sheer quality so no cost limit as long as its within reason.
4. Needs to be able to carry and deploy a number of fighters and DropShips to overcome the fighter defenses of a large SLDF/House Task Force.
5. Designed to work in packs of two with one of their sisters plus multiple escort ships.

While not really a requirement, these things are named after (very much tempting fate) World War II Japanese Carriers. Don't worry, House Kurita is too non-existant in this timeline to care.

Build away gentlemen.

[Hellraiser]

This seems awfully big for a Periphery warship in the Reunification era.

The RWR barely hit the lower end of this size bracket at the peak of the SL Era with the Stephan Amaris class..

I get its an AU but how much tech do they have if your still limiting it to that era?

I'd think something in the 700-900 KT range would be plenty large for a Periphery faction, heck, at that time VERY FEW of the House ships were that large.

[FastConcentrate8]

This seems awfully big for a Periphery warship in the Reunification era.

The RWR barely hit the lower end of this size bracket at the peak of the SL Era with the Stephan Amaris class..

I get its an AU but how much tech do they have if your still limiting it to that era?

I'd think something in the 700-900 KT range would be plenty large for a Periphery faction, heck, at that time VERY FEW of the House ships were that large.

These guys have about 100 worlds and were the first Periphery Nation to consolidate. An unprecedented Industrialization plan has put them on the same level as an IS nation of comparable size so while the IS does have a numerical advantage, things are pretty even in tech though which has led them to go down the quality > quantity approach with a fleet doctine based around trying to Defeat in Detail the fleet of any Successor State or Periphery Nation that won't stop bothering their colonies and merchant fleet. They didn't expect the SLDF doomstacks that jumped towards their territory. Didn't help the SLDF that they were major trade partners and technological partners with one of our custom Successor States right up until the Star League began waving the Big Stick:TM: around and alarming the Periphery due to the push towards the Reunification conflict and a rather significant conflict between the Taurians and another Periphery state that turned into a nuke flinging contest which got propagandized by the Camerons.

So tech level, SL Era Inner Sphere to answer your second question.

[AlphaMirage]

The below was created by upsizing and ruggedizing (100 SI and Max Armor) the New Syrtis Carrier (and downsizing its engine slightly). It adds a lithium-fusion battery and another 24 fighters for a total of 144 Aerospace Fighters with 24 support small craft for SAR. Additionally the massive size of the craft increase the cargo and crew complement so that all of these fighters have the proper 7 man maintenance crew. Deep cargo bays (136 kilotons), fuel bunkers (20 kilotons), and a squadron of dropships (6 collars) can support long term operations, provide backup air frames, and transfer massive volumes of cargo. The nearly 3,000 strong crew is forced to share a very cramped pair of grav decks between them when the vessel is not under thrust. An extended MASH bay provides support for injured pilots or marines (5 platoons strong). Quad machine guns and large lasers provide close protection against enemy fighters assisted in the quarter decks by AC/10s, the nose by AC/20s, and aft by AC/5s. While limited in capital weapons the naval autocannons, lasers, barracudas, and HNPPCs provide protection against SLDF Pentagon and other assault dropships.

Periphery Super-Carrier
Mass: 1,200,000 tons
Technology Base: Inner Sphere (Advanced)
Safe Thrust: 3
Maximum Thrust: 5
Dropship Capacity: 6
Mass: 1,200,000
Battle Value: 111,888
Cost: 27,021,317,000 C-bills

Code: [Select]

Fuel: 20,000 tons (50,000)
Sail Integrity: 6
KF Drive Integrity: 24
Heat Sinks: 7,500
Structural Integrity: 100

Armor
    Nose: 200
    Fore Sides: 166/166
    Aft Sides: 148/148
    Aft: 96

Cargo
    Bay 1:  Small Craft (12)        1 Door   
    Bay 2:  Small Craft (12)        1 Door   
    Bay 3:  Fighter (72)            3 Doors   
    Bay 4:  Fighter (72)            3 Doors   
    Bay 5:  Cargo (67908.0 tons)    4 Doors   
    Bay 6:  Cargo (67908.0 tons)    4 Doors   

Ammunition:
    80 rounds of AC/5 ammunition (1 tons),
    1,320 rounds of AC/10 ammunition (4 tons),
    300 rounds of NAC/10 ammunition (40 tons),
    186 rounds of NAC/20 ammunition (72 tons),
    1,000 rounds of Machine Gun ammunition (5 tons),
    60 rounds of AC/20 ammunition (1 tons),
    320 rounds of Barracuda ammunition (6,030 tons)

Grav Decks: 2 (145 m, 145 m)
Escape Pods: 90
Life Boats: 300
Crew:  300 officers, 739 enlisted/non-rated, 250 gunners, 408 bay personnel, 1176 passengers, 140 marines

Notes: Equipped with
    lithium-fusion battery system
    1 MASH Core Component
    10 MASH Operation Theater
    1 Naval Comm-Scanner Suite (Large)
2,160 tons of standard aerospace armor.

Weapons:                                    Capital Attack Values (Standard)
Arc (Heat)                              Heat  SRV     MRV     LRV      ERV    Class       
Nose (525 Heat)
3 Naval Autocannon (NAC/20)             180  60(600) 60(600) 60(600)   0(0)   Capital AC 
    NAC/20 Ammo (66 shots)
3 Naval Laser 55                        255  17(165) 17(165) 17(165) 17(165)  Capital Laser
4 Large Laser                           32   3(32)   3(32)    0(0)     0(0)   Laser       
3 Capital Missile Launcher (Barracuda)  30   6(60)   6(60)   6(60)    6(60)   Capital Missile
    Barracuda Ammo (60 shots)
4 AC/20                                 28   8(80)    0(0)    0(0)     0(0)   AC         
    AC/20 Ammo (40 shots)
FRS/FLS (164 Heat)
3 Naval Autocannon (NAC/10)             90   30(300) 30(300) 30(300)   0(0)   Capital AC 
    NAC/10 Ammo (60 shots)
3 Capital Missile Launcher (Barracuda)  30   6(60)   6(60)   6(60)    6(60)   Capital Missile
    Barracuda Ammo (50 shots)
4 Large Laser                           32   3(32)   3(32)    0(0)     0(0)   Laser       
4 AC/10                                 12   4(40)   4(40)    0(0)     0(0)   AC         
    AC/10 Ammo (60 shots)
4 Machine Gun                            0    1(8)    0(0)    0(0)     0(0)   Point Defense
    Machine Gun Ammo (200 shots)
RBS/LBS (887 Heat)
3 Naval PPC (Heavy)                     675  45(450) 45(450) 45(450) 45(450)  Capital PPC
3 Naval Autocannon (NAC/20)             180  60(600) 60(600) 60(600)   0(0)   Capital AC 
    NAC/20 Ammo (60 shots)
4 Large Laser                           32   3(32)   3(32)    0(0)     0(0)   Laser       
ARS/ALS (164 Heat)
3 Naval Autocannon (NAC/10)             90   30(300) 30(300) 30(300)   0(0)   Capital AC 
    NAC/10 Ammo (60 shots)
3 Capital Missile Launcher (Barracuda)  30   6(60)   6(60)   6(60)    6(60)   Capital Missile
    Barracuda Ammo (50 shots)
4 Large Laser                           32   3(32)   3(32)    0(0)     0(0)   Laser       
4 Machine Gun                            0    1(8)    0(0)    0(0)     0(0)   Point Defense
    Machine Gun Ammo (200 shots)
4 AC/10                                 12   4(40)   4(40)    0(0)     0(0)   AC         
    AC/10 Ammo (60 shots)
Aft (156 Heat)
3 Naval Autocannon (NAC/10)             90   30(300) 30(300) 30(300)   0(0)   Capital AC 
    NAC/10 Ammo (60 shots)
4 Large Laser                           32   3(32)   3(32)    0(0)     0(0)   Laser       
4 Machine Gun                            0    1(8)    0(0)    0(0)     0(0)   Point Defense
    Machine Gun Ammo (200 shots)
4 AC/5                                   4   2(20)   2(20)    0(0)     0(0)   AC         
    AC/5 Ammo (160 shots)
3 Capital Missile Launcher (Barracuda)  30   6(60)   6(60)   6(60)    6(60)   Capital Missile
    Barracuda Ammo (60 shots)

[Liam's Ghost]

My first thought was to offer my ranger class carrier, but I think instead I'll try whipping up something later.

This seems awfully big for a Periphery warship in the Reunification era.

The RWR barely hit the lower end of this size bracket at the peak of the SL Era with the Stephan Amaris class..

I get its an AU but how much tech do they have if your still limiting it to that era?

I'd think something in the 700-900 KT range would be plenty large for a Periphery faction, heck, at that time VERY FEW of the House ships were that large.

"periphery nation" is a very broad category that encompasses both the outworlds alliance (whose navy was non-existent) and the Taurian Concordat (whose navy was the second largest in the universe behind the Terran Hegemony and ahead by a wide margin every other inner sphere power).

A state larger than the Taurian Concordat with a similar mindset towards building a navy probably wouldn't have trouble with building ships of that size.

[Liam's Ghost]

So here we go. Mass is 1.2 million tons. Aerofighter group is limited to 144 fighters and 40 small craft. You can move things around to increase it, but I wouldn't. Ultimately, all those fighters need fuel, repairs, and munitions, so a gigantic aerowing like you might see on a Thera or an Enterprise (boondoggle edition) isn't really all that practical. 144 aerofighters should be plenty to handle the fighter screen of a Hegemony cruiser squadron or any ad-hoc task force a member state might put together. A Hegemony line squadron would probably be too much for one ship to engage, but a line squadron is a squadron of battleships. During the Reunification War they should be relatively rare, and there's no realistic way to build a single ship able to engage entire squadrons of larger ships.

Because it's a carrier, I avoided a heavy gun battery to save space for fuel and supplies. I made the ship fast enough to outrun Hegemony cruisers and destroyers, well protected enough to hang in there against a Defender (the Federated Suns doesn't have many of those), and well armed enough to deal with smaller ships or assault dropships. Missile tubes are included to improve standoff attack capability, and a basic point defense system is there to ward off at least some return missile fire. Once the main armament was decided, like a world war II American shipyard I crammed in light AA defenses wherever they'd fit.   

Also a naval comm scanner because its role as a carrier benefits from detecting enemies at an extended range. Technologically, I limited it to standard armor and weapons, single heatsinks, and no lithium fusion battery, because the better stuff was pretty much Hegemony exclusive at the time.

Carrier Proposal
Mass: 1,200,000 tons
Technology Base: Inner Sphere (Advanced) 
Introduced: 2570
Mass: 1,200,000
Battle Value: 134,162
Tech Rating/Availability: E/E-X-E-F
Cost: 14,658,504,000 C-bills

Fuel: 10,000 tons (25,000)
Safe Thrust: 4
Maximum Thrust: 6
Sail Integrity: 6
KF Drive Integrity: 24
Heat Sinks: 3,803
Structural Integrity: 90

Armor
    Nose: 153
    Fore Sides: 153/153
    Aft Sides: 153/153
    Aft: 153

Cargo
    Bay 1:  Fighter (72)            6 Doors   
    Bay 2:  Fighter (72)            6 Doors   
    Bay 3:  Small Craft (40)        6 Doors   
    Bay 4:  Cargo (113442.0 tons)   2 Doors   

Ammunition:
    150 rounds of Killer Whale ammunition (150 tons), 
    320 rounds of NAC/35 ammunition (4 tons)

Dropship Capacity: 6
Grav Decks: 2 (100 m, 100 m)
Escape Pods: 100
Life Boats: 200
Crew:  64 officers, 233 enlisted/non-rated, 83 gunners, 488 bay personnel, 90 marines      

Notes: Equipped with 
    1 Naval Comm-Scanner Suite (Large)
   2,160 tons of standard aerospace armor.

Weapons:                                       Capital Attack Values (Standard)
Arc (Heat)                                 Heat  SRV     MRV     LRV      ERV    Class       
Nose (170 Heat)
10 Small Laser                             10   3(30)    0(0)    0(0)     0(0)   Point Defense
20 Large Laser                             160  16(160) 16(160)  0(0)     0(0)   Laser       
FRS/FLS (1,060 Heat)
5 Capital Missile Launcher (Killer Whale)  100  20(200) 20(200) 20(200) 20(200)  Capital Missile
    Killer Whale Ammo (50 shots)
2 Naval Autocannon (NAC/35)                240  70(700) 70(700)  0(0)     0(0)   Capital AC  
    NAC/35 Ammo (80 shots)
8 Naval Laser 55                           680  44(440) 44(440) 44(440) 44(440)  Capital Laser
5 Large Laser                              40   4(40)   4(40)    0(0)     0(0)   Laser       
RBS/LBS (930 Heat)
2 Naval Autocannon (NAC/35)                240  70(700) 70(700)  0(0)     0(0)   Capital AC  
    NAC/35 Ammo (80 shots)
8 Naval Laser 55                           680  44(440) 44(440) 44(440) 44(440)  Capital Laser
10 Small Laser                             10   3(30)    0(0)    0(0)     0(0)   Point Defense
ARS/ALS (160 Heat)
20 Large Laser                             160  16(160) 16(160)  0(0)     0(0)   Laser       
Aft (790 Heat)
5 Capital Missile Launcher (Killer Whale)  100  20(200) 20(200) 20(200) 20(200)  Capital Missile
    Killer Whale Ammo (50 shots)
8 Naval Laser 55                           680  44(440) 44(440) 44(440) 44(440)  Capital Laser
10 Small Laser                             10   3(30)    0(0)    0(0)     0(0)   Point Defense

[PuppyLikesLaserPointers]

Code: [Select]

Yorktown Class Supercarrier (Standard)
Mass: 1,500,000 tons
Technology Base: Inner Sphere (Advanced)
Introduced: 2560
Mass: 1,500,000
Battle Value: 87,597
Tech Rating/Availability: E/E-X-E-F
Cost: 65,572,618,000 C-bills

Fuel: 55,000 tons (137,500)
Safe Thrust: 5
Maximum Thrust: 8
Sail Integrity: 7
KF Drive Integrity: 30
Heat Sinks: 1620 (3240)
Structural Integrity: 84

Armor
    Nose: 214
    Fore Sides: 283/283
    Aft Sides: 283/283
    Aft: 214

Cargo
    Bay 1:  Small Craft (6)         1 Door   
    Bay 2:  Fighter (12)            2 Doors   
    Bay 3:  Fighter (12)            2 Doors   
    Bay 4:  Fighter (12)            2 Doors   
    Bay 5:  Fighter (12)            2 Doors   
    Bay 6:  Fighter (12)            2 Doors   
    Bay 7:  Fighter (12)            2 Doors   
    Bay 8:  Fighter (12)            2 Doors   
    Bay 9:  Fighter (12)            2 Doors   
    Bay 10: Fighter (12)            2 Doors   
    Bay 11: Standard Repair Facility (Unpressurized) (1,500,000)2 Doors   
    Bay 12: Cargo (53537.5 tons)    2 Doors   

Ammunition:
None

Dropship Capacity: 15
Grav Decks: 9 (150 m, 150 m, 150 m, 150 m, 150 m, 150 m, 150 m, 150 m, 150 m)
Escape Pods: 180
Life Boats: 180
Crew:  87 officers, 329 enlisted/non-rated, 104 gunners, 246 bay personnel, 480 passengers

Notes: Equipped with
    lithium-fusion battery system
    1 MASH Equipment (10 theaters)
    3 Field Kitchen
    1 Naval Comm-Scanner Suite (Large)
2,520 tons of improved ferro-aluminum armor.

Weapons:                 Capital Attack Values (Standard)
Arc (Heat)           Heat  SRV     MRV     LRV      ERV    Class       
Nose (180 Heat)
20 Small Laser       20   6(60)    0(0)    0(0)     0(0)   Point Defense
20 Small Laser       20   6(60)    0(0)    0(0)     0(0)   Point Defense
20 Small Laser       20   6(60)    0(0)    0(0)     0(0)   Point Defense
1 PPC                10   1(10)   1(10)    0(0)     0(0)   PPC         
1 PPC                10   1(10)   1(10)    0(0)     0(0)   PPC         
1 PPC                10   1(10)   1(10)    0(0)     0(0)   PPC         
1 PPC                10   1(10)   1(10)    0(0)     0(0)   PPC         
1 PPC                10   1(10)   1(10)    0(0)     0(0)   PPC         
1 PPC                10   1(10)   1(10)    0(0)     0(0)   PPC         
1 PPC                10   1(10)   1(10)    0(0)     0(0)   PPC         
1 PPC                10   1(10)   1(10)    0(0)     0(0)   PPC         
1 PPC                10   1(10)   1(10)    0(0)     0(0)   PPC         
1 PPC                10   1(10)   1(10)    0(0)     0(0)   PPC         
1 PPC                10   1(10)   1(10)    0(0)     0(0)   PPC         
1 PPC                10   1(10)   1(10)    0(0)     0(0)   PPC         
FRS/FLS (180 Heat)
20 Small Laser       20   6(60)    0(0)    0(0)     0(0)   Point Defense
20 Small Laser       20   6(60)    0(0)    0(0)     0(0)   Point Defense
20 Small Laser       20   6(60)    0(0)    0(0)     0(0)   Point Defense
1 PPC                10   1(10)   1(10)    0(0)     0(0)   PPC         
1 PPC                10   1(10)   1(10)    0(0)     0(0)   PPC         
1 PPC                10   1(10)   1(10)    0(0)     0(0)   PPC         
1 PPC                10   1(10)   1(10)    0(0)     0(0)   PPC         
1 PPC                10   1(10)   1(10)    0(0)     0(0)   PPC         
1 PPC                10   1(10)   1(10)    0(0)     0(0)   PPC         
1 PPC                10   1(10)   1(10)    0(0)     0(0)   PPC         
1 PPC                10   1(10)   1(10)    0(0)     0(0)   PPC         
1 PPC                10   1(10)   1(10)    0(0)     0(0)   PPC         
1 PPC                10   1(10)   1(10)    0(0)     0(0)   PPC         
1 PPC                10   1(10)   1(10)    0(0)     0(0)   PPC         
1 PPC                10   1(10)   1(10)    0(0)     0(0)   PPC         
RBS/LBS (180 Heat)
20 Small Laser       20   6(60)    0(0)    0(0)     0(0)   Point Defense
20 Small Laser       20   6(60)    0(0)    0(0)     0(0)   Point Defense
20 Small Laser       20   6(60)    0(0)    0(0)     0(0)   Point Defense
1 PPC                10   1(10)   1(10)    0(0)     0(0)   PPC         
1 PPC                10   1(10)   1(10)    0(0)     0(0)   PPC         
1 PPC                10   1(10)   1(10)    0(0)     0(0)   PPC         
1 PPC                10   1(10)   1(10)    0(0)     0(0)   PPC         
1 PPC                10   1(10)   1(10)    0(0)     0(0)   PPC         
1 PPC                10   1(10)   1(10)    0(0)     0(0)   PPC         
1 PPC                10   1(10)   1(10)    0(0)     0(0)   PPC         
1 PPC                10   1(10)   1(10)    0(0)     0(0)   PPC         
1 PPC                10   1(10)   1(10)    0(0)     0(0)   PPC         
1 PPC                10   1(10)   1(10)    0(0)     0(0)   PPC         
1 PPC                10   1(10)   1(10)    0(0)     0(0)   PPC         
1 PPC                10   1(10)   1(10)    0(0)     0(0)   PPC         
ARS/ALS (180 Heat)
20 Small Laser       20   6(60)    0(0)    0(0)     0(0)   Point Defense
20 Small Laser       20   6(60)    0(0)    0(0)     0(0)   Point Defense
20 Small Laser       20   6(60)    0(0)    0(0)     0(0)   Point Defense
1 PPC                10   1(10)   1(10)    0(0)     0(0)   PPC         
1 PPC                10   1(10)   1(10)    0(0)     0(0)   PPC         
1 PPC                10   1(10)   1(10)    0(0)     0(0)   PPC         
1 PPC                10   1(10)   1(10)    0(0)     0(0)   PPC         
1 PPC                10   1(10)   1(10)    0(0)     0(0)   PPC         
1 PPC                10   1(10)   1(10)    0(0)     0(0)   PPC         
1 PPC                10   1(10)   1(10)    0(0)     0(0)   PPC         
1 PPC                10   1(10)   1(10)    0(0)     0(0)   PPC         
1 PPC                10   1(10)   1(10)    0(0)     0(0)   PPC         
1 PPC                10   1(10)   1(10)    0(0)     0(0)   PPC         
1 PPC                10   1(10)   1(10)    0(0)     0(0)   PPC         
1 PPC                10   1(10)   1(10)    0(0)     0(0)   PPC         
Aft (1,980 Heat)
20 Small Laser       20   6(60)    0(0)    0(0)     0(0)   Point Defense
20 Small Laser       20   6(60)    0(0)    0(0)     0(0)   Point Defense
20 Small Laser       20   6(60)    0(0)    0(0)     0(0)   Point Defense
4 Naval PPC (Heavy)  900  60(600) 60(600) 60(600) 60(600)  Capital PPC
4 Naval PPC (Heavy)  900  60(600) 60(600) 60(600) 60(600)  Capital PPC
1 PPC                10   1(10)   1(10)    0(0)     0(0)   PPC         
1 PPC                10   1(10)   1(10)    0(0)     0(0)   PPC         
1 PPC                10   1(10)   1(10)    0(0)     0(0)   PPC         
1 PPC                10   1(10)   1(10)    0(0)     0(0)   PPC         
1 PPC                10   1(10)   1(10)    0(0)     0(0)   PPC         
1 PPC                10   1(10)   1(10)    0(0)     0(0)   PPC         
1 PPC                10   1(10)   1(10)    0(0)     0(0)   PPC         
1 PPC                10   1(10)   1(10)    0(0)     0(0)   PPC         
1 PPC                10   1(10)   1(10)    0(0)     0(0)   PPC         
1 PPC                10   1(10)   1(10)    0(0)     0(0)   PPC         
1 PPC                10   1(10)   1(10)    0(0)     0(0)   PPC         
1 PPC                10   1(10)   1(10)    0(0)     0(0)   PPC         



Since the most notable feature of Yorktown class, Death of imperial japanese navy, is its durability. I think that it should armored with good armor as well as great length of point defense weapons. Its only capital weapons are two bays of naval PPCs on the aft, intended to be only used for self defense against the enemy while retreat. Well, I like the extreme design. After all, it needs to be set behind of the lines.

Yes it lacks good amount of ASF bays, as well as lacking much K-F Booms(although 15+2 is still not something to be ignored). But, since the fleet needs to be work alone, I think that it is a good start to give it a yardship capability, so it can recover its own sister, as well as repair the escort warships/dropships as well. Because the number of doors are limited, I think that it is better to leave the escort warships and dropships to carry the other ASFs. Actually, while it is a carrier, but it is more likely to be the mobile base of operations.

It is shame that while reinforced repair bays are developed since the star league era but it is only usable from 31th. So even if you may repair stuffs you need to be careful.