Request: Build me Amaris' Insane Planet Killer

[Syzyx]

A bit of background-

I am running a MechWarrior game and the players have been chasing around the old Rim Worlds area of the Periphery for lost treasures. I've been dropping hints of an 'Ultimate Weapon' here and there and now it's gotten pretty close to the session where I pull the trigger on Chekhov's Gun. Unfortunate for me, I have long since decided that this was going to be a WarShip rather than a super 'mech or something like that and I have no idea how to build an actual frightening thing like that. Thus I come to the experts for help.

Some requirements:

     NO NUKES! This is supposed to be a terrifying display of the unstoppable might and insurmountable technology of the Amaris Empire. Killing people with ancient technology just won't do.

     It has to be able to destroy civilizations 'on its own'. I count being able to bring along whatever forces on dropships as part of 'on its own'. Sterilizing a planet isn't a requirement but making sure a world is reduced to neo-paleolithic status is a must.

Bonus Points:

     If this thing can be made as a Caspar style superweapon that'd be great. Yes, I know such systems lose their minds after jumping but Amaris probably would have considered that an 'undocumented feature'.

Remember: We're talking about a project ordered by a loon with an increasingly detached grasp on his real situation. Money is no object. Sensibility is no obstacle. Practicality is... Perhaps undesirable.

Go to! And thanks in advance for the help.

[Lagrange]

There is a particular attack mode which is possible in the BT universe but much more difficult in the real universe. 

Create a 500k ton warship, space station, and jumpship.

Give the warship a tug adaptor (takes 10% of mass).
Fill the space station full of an explosive mixed with small solid stuff.  Machine gun ammo is good.
Give the jumpship a 500K ton naval repair yard. 

Jumpship places space station in yard.
Jumpship and warship jump in-system far from detection range.
Jumpship releases space station from yard.
Warships connects to space station with Tug
Warships accelerates inbound at .5g for a long time. 
Warships releases once the space station is in-system and and aimed dead center at the planet.
Space station continues to coast at high velocity towards the planet.
Space station explodes slightly before impact, so that the blast wave has a circumference equal to the planet at the moment of impact.
Space station remnants convert into heat as they burn up in atmosphere.
Half the planet suddenly burns due to a huge heat pulse caused by the MG ammo fragments dumping all their kinetic energy into heat in the atmosphere.

The unrealistic part here is magical BT fuel which exceeds the theoretical energy density of fusion by a large amount.

[Syzyx]

Not a bad idea. Definite planet-killer potential and weapon of horrific consequence feel. But I don't know if it captures the 'miracle weapon' concept I'm going for. I'll have to ponder...

[Liam's Ghost]

I made this thing at one point...

Domination class Planetary Assault Cruiser
Mass: 2,500,000 tons
Technology Base: Inner Sphere (Advanced) 
Introduced: 2775
Mass: 2,500,000
Battle Value: 377,043
Tech Rating/Availability: F/F-X-F-F
Cost: 46,908,460,000 C-bills

Fuel: 10,000 tons (25,000)
Safe Thrust: 3
Maximum Thrust: 5
Sail Integrity: 9
KF Drive Integrity: 48
Heat Sinks: 10000 (20000)
Structural Integrity: 120

Armor
    Nose: 900
    Fore Sides: 1000/1000
    Aft Sides: 1000/1000
    Aft: 1112

Cargo
    Bay 1:  Fighter (60)            10 Doors  
    Bay 2:  Small Craft (40)        10 Doors  
    Bay 3:  Mech (108)              8 Doors   
    Bay 4:  Cargo (190835.0 tons)   5 Doors   

Ammunition:
    25,200 rounds of Anti-Missile System [IS] ammunition (2,100 tons), 
    480 rounds of Killer Whale ammunition (24,000 tons)

Dropship Capacity: 10
Grav Decks: 2 (250 m, 250 m)
Escape Pods: 800
Life Boats: 0
Crew:  138 officers, 687 enlisted/non-rated, 117 gunners, 536 bay personnel, 400 passengers, 756 marines      

Notes: Equipped with 
    lithium-fusion battery system
    1 Mobile Hyperpulse Generators (Mobile HPG)
    1 Satellite Imager [Infrared Imager]
    1 Satellite Imager [High-Resolution (Hi-Res) Imager]
    1 Satellite Imager [Look-Down Radar]
    1 Naval Comm-Scanner Suite (Large)
   5,940 tons of lamellor ferro-carbide armor.

Weapons:                                        Capital Attack Values (Standard)
Arc (Heat)                                  Heat  SRV     MRV     LRV      ERV    Class       
Nose (255 Heat)
5 Anti-Missile System                        5   2(15)    0(0)    0(0)     0(0)   AMS         
    Anti-Missile System Ammo [IS] (8400 shots)
10 Capital Missile Launcher (Killer Whale)  200  40(400) 40(400) 40(400) 40(400)  Capital Missile
    Killer Whale Ammo (160 shots)
5 Large Pulse Laser                         50   5(45)   5(45)    0(0)     0(0)   Pulse Laser 
FRS/FLS (255 Heat)
10 Capital Missile Launcher (Killer Whale)  200  40(400) 40(400) 40(400) 40(400)  Capital Missile
    Killer Whale Ammo (160 shots)
5 Anti-Missile System                        5   2(15)    0(0)    0(0)     0(0)   AMS         
    Anti-Missile System Ammo [IS] (8400 shots)
5 Large Pulse Laser                         50   5(45)   5(45)    0(0)     0(0)   Pulse Laser 
ARS/ALS (6,300 Heat)
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 
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 
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 
4 Naval PPC (Heavy)                         900  60(600) 60(600) 60(600) 60(600)  Capital PPC 
Aft (6,300 Heat)
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 
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 
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 
4 Naval PPC (Heavy)                         900  60(600) 60(600) 60(600) 60(600)  Capital PPC 

   


Imaging systems are to more precisely direct fire at hidden, buried targets.  The weapons are placed in such a way that all the naval PPCs are able to fire continuously on ground targets while the ship balances on thrust.

A regiment each of mechs and marines are on hand to deal with things using a more personal touch. A regiment of aerofighters is available to repel any pesky farm boys looking to land a lucky hit. You can bump up defense forces using the ten docking collars, but fundamentally it's intended to be a self contained world devastator intended to keep the local systems in line.

[Sir Chaos]

I´m thinking of something with a big mass driver, similar to the Erinyes.

[worktroll]

I´m thinking of something with a big mass driver, similar to the Erinyes.

I'd be looking at this, too. A super-dooper mega rotary mass driver. In reality unlikely to work at all, but a) would the players know enough to know that, and b) would anyone be telling the Usurper this?

A 300m asteroid hitting the surface at 17km/sec digs a 5km crater, before it slumps down. This would possibly crack oceanic crust, which is around 5km thick, except for all that pesky water absorbing the energy of impact. Continental crust can be 30 to 100km thick - so don't aim at mountains, kids!

And as per basic kinetics, E = MV². So a 100m rock moving at 25km/sec has the same kinetic impact as above. Not outside BT energetics, but not exactly crust-cracking. So that's why we go multi-barrel! You need 6 mass drivers, but only one set of power plants (mebbe 6 capacitor banks to hold power.) If the first six-tap doesn't crack the crust, the next 6 will - grouping will be extremely good, remember! And the test footage of one prototype barrel (even at 10km/sec) aimed at a 5km asteroid, or a stationary WarShip hulk, is very impressive!

And so the idea is sold. The reality - getting a 100m projectile up to 25km/sec is not going to be easy. Putting 6 accelerators in one hull is not going to be easy. Coping with the launch recoil is not going to be easy. Coping with 6 capacitor banks of the required scale is not going to be easy. Getting the parts made by different lowest-cost bidders (who are probably Amaris family) is going to play hell with Quality Control. So it's the boondoggle to beat all boondoggles. But who can tell?

Extra points if the mad scientist in charge is called either Zippermyer, or Nudleman.

[Syzyx]

Liam: Thank you for that build! Given my ignorance of such things, doesn't it have gaps in coverage on its broadsides, though?

worktroll: How would a rotary mass driver even work, build wise? 600,000 tons for effectively 6 heavy mass drivers but then what additional tonnage for the other needful odds and ends? I certainly love the idea of a 28th century Ratte-equivalent.

[Sir Chaos]

I'd be looking at this, too. A super-dooper mega rotary mass driver. In reality unlikely to work at all, but a) would the players know enough to know that, and b) would anyone be telling the Usurper this?

A 300m asteroid hitting the surface at 17km/sec digs a 5km crater, before it slumps down. This would possibly crack oceanic crust, which is around 5km thick, except for all that pesky water absorbing the energy of impact. Continental crust can be 30 to 100km thick - so don't aim at mountains, kids!

Even if it doesn´t crack the crust, it´ll cause a killer tsunami that wipes out half the world´s coast lines. Never mind what the shockwave from that impact will do to everything within hundreds, if not thousands, of kilometers of the impact point...

You don´t really need to kill a planet, just everyone who lives on it. That´s more than enough deterrent.

And as per basic kinetics, E = MV². So a 100m rock moving at 25km/sec has the same kinetic impact as above. Not outside BT energetics, but not exactly crust-cracking. So that's why we go multi-barrel! You need 6 mass drivers, but only one set of power plants (mebbe 6 capacitor banks to hold power.) If the first six-tap doesn't crack the crust, the next 6 will - grouping will be extremely good, remember! And the test footage of one prototype barrel (even at 10km/sec) aimed at a 5km asteroid, or a stationary WarShip hulk, is very impressive!

This is the Rim Worlds Republic we´re talking about. The people who built the prototype will probably ask to be pointed in the direction of a place full of troublesome rebels who Amaris wishes to no longer deal with, and their prototype will make the problem go away.

Gotta test the thing by doing what it is meant to do, after all.

[Coldstone]

Hmm. Borrowing from Warhammer 40k. Some Kind of Killer Virus or similar thing might do the trick.
Or from Star Wars. I think the Yuzhang Wong had a beetle thing which could ignite the athmossphere of a Planet.
Or think of Wing Commander IV. There it was some kind of Nano Machine which could be programmed to destroy humans by setting genetic characterisitcs and they destroy all which doesn't match said characteristics.

Otherwise Nuclear Weapons still are the to go imo in the BT Universe to sterilize an entire planet.

[Syzyx]

I absolutely recognize that nukes are the realistic way to go to actually achieve the objective. But this isn't about realistic. This is about what Stefan the Usurper would have wanted.

[Coldstone]

Then pick one of my other options. An Exterminatus like device should do the trick then.

[Luciora]

Found among the scribbled notes of a would-be designer, it had some ideas not possible at the time. Meant to be keep everything at arms reach, with some close in defense.

Code: [Select]


 Metatron 

Source: My Own Custom
Type/Model: Metatron 
Tech: Inner Sphere / 2750
Vessel type: WarShip
Rules: Level 4, Experimental design

Mass: 2500000 tons
Safe Thrust: 1
Maximum Thrust: 2
Armor Type: 3000.0t Ferro-Carbide
Armament:
 1 Heavy Mass Driver
 2 MCMLS
 6 Heavy N-Gauss
 38 NL35
 1 Ground Mobile HPG
 1 Hi-Res Imager
 1 Hyperspectral Imager
 100 Small Laser
 26 NAC/10
 100 PPC

   
----------------------------------------------------------------
Type/Model:  Metatron 
Mass: 2500000 tons

Equipment:                                                  Mass
Engine:          0 Fusion Engine                             150000.00
Power Plant, Drive & Control:                                150000.00
Structural Integrity:60                                      150000.00
   Safe Thurst:      1
   Maximum Thrust:   2
Heat Sinks:   1269 Double [2538]                                677.00
Dropship Capacity:6                                            6000.00
Life Boats:34                                                   238.00
Escape Pods:100                                                 700.00
Armor (Standard): 3600 pts Ferro-Carbide                       3000.00

                                Standard Armor
   Front:                              726
   Left/Right Side:                582/582
   Left/Right Aft Side:            582/582
   Rear:                               582

Bridge, Controls, Radar, Computer & Attitude Thrusters         6250.00
Fire Control Computers                                        44004.50
Food & Water(180.0 days supply)                                 784.00
Spare Parts(15.0 percent)                                    375000.00
Fuel & Fuel Pumps(62500.0 Points)                             25500.00
Jump Sail Jump Sail Jump Sail(9.0 Integrity)                    155.00
Kearny-Fuchida Hyperdrive  Kearny-Fuchida Hyperdrive  Kearny1131250.00
Towing Adapter                                               250100.00
Large Naval Comm-Scanner Suite                                  500.00
Cargo Bays:
 Bay 1:Reinforced Repair Facilitiy with 2 doors                   0.50
 Bay 2:Unpressurized Repair Facilitiy with 2 doors                0.50
 Bay 3:Small Craft Bay with 2 doors                             800.00
 Bay 4:Cargo Bay (Standard) with 4 doors                     115324.50
Gravdecks:
 #1:200-meter diameter (4)                                      400.00
Crew:
 433 Crew (454 minimum)                                        3031.00
 112 Officers (91 minimum)                                     1120.00
 12 Specialists (6 minimum)                                      84.00
 20 Bay Personnel                                                 0.00
 114 Gunners (10 minimum)                                       798.00
 
Weapons and Equipment     Loc    SRV   MRV   LRV   ERV   Heat    Mass
----------------------------------------------------------------------
1  Heavy Mass Driver      Nose   140(1400)140(1400)140(1400)0(0)  90    102701.00
2  Heavy N-Gauss          Nose   60(600)60(600)60(600)60(600)36    14030.00
2  Heavy N-Gauss          Nose   60(600)60(600)60(600)60(600)36    14030.00
4  NL35                   Nose   14(140)14(140)14(140)0(0)  208   2800.00
10 PPC                    Nose   10(100)10(100)0(0)  0(0)  100     70.00
10 Small Laser            Nose   3(30) 0(0)  0(0)  0(0)  10       5.00
1  Hyperspectral Imager   Nose   0(0)  0(0)  0(0)  0(0)  0        7.50
1  Hi-Res Imager          Nose   0(0)  0(0)  0(0)  0(0)  0        2.50
2  NAC/10                 FL/R   20(200)20(200)20(200)0(0)  120   8024.00
2  NAC/10                 FL/R   20(200)20(200)20(200)0(0)  120   8024.00
10 PPC                    FL/R   10(100)10(100)0(0)  0(0)  200    140.00
10 Small Laser            FL/R   3(30) 0(0)  0(0)  0(0)  20      10.00
3  NAC/10                 L/RBS  30(300)30(300)30(300)0(0)  180   12024.00
3  NAC/10                 L/RBS  30(300)30(300)30(300)0(0)  180   12024.00
6  NL35                   L/RBS  21(210)21(210)21(210)0(0)  624   8400.00
8  NL35                   L/RBS  28(280)28(280)28(280)0(0)  832   11200.00
20 PPC                    L/RBS  20(200)20(200)0(0)  0(0)  400    280.00
20 Small Laser            L/RBS  6(60) 0(0)  0(0)  0(0)  40      20.00
3  NAC/10                 AL/R   30(300)30(300)30(300)0(0)  180   12024.00
10 PPC                    AL/R   10(100)10(100)0(0)  0(0)  200    140.00
10 Small Laser            AL/R   3(30) 0(0)  0(0)  0(0)  20      10.00
2  Heavy N-Gauss          Aft    60(600)60(600)60(600)60(600)36    14030.00
6  NL35                   Aft    21(210)21(210)21(210)0(0)  312   4200.00
10 PPC                    Aft    10(100)10(100)0(0)  0(0)  100     70.00
10 Small Laser            Aft    3(30) 0(0)  0(0)  0(0)  10       5.00
1  Ground Mobile HPG      Body   0(0)  0(0)  0(0)  0(0)  20      12.00
1  MCMLS                  Body   0(0)  0(0)  0(0)  0(0)  0     5000.00
1  MCMLS                  Body   0(0)  0(0)  0(0)  0(0)  0     5000.00
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Totals                                                   4074  234283.00   
 
Calculated Factors
Total Cost:        2,633,195 C-Bill
Battle Value (BV1):550
Battle Value (BV2):566 


[phoenixalpha]

Why not just build a ship which has a cluster of dropships which are armed with PROJECT THOR style weapons. Get the dropships orbiting around said planet and drop a pattern of weapons around the planet at a certain period of time. That way they'll crisscross the planet, everything will die in horrid massive repeated explosions. Jobs a good one. Get the dropships back to the ship, jump out system. Repeat ad naseum.

[Liam's Ghost]

Liam: Thank you for that build! Given my ignorance of such things, doesn't it have gaps in coverage on its broadsides, though?

Nope, the fore and aft side arcs cover the broadside arc.

[Sir Chaos]

I absolutely recognize that nukes are the realistic way to go to actually achieve the objective. But this isn't about realistic. This is about what Stefan the Usurper would have wanted.

You´re looking for the BattleTech universe´s equivalent of the Death Star, then? A WarShip with a heavy mass driver is probably as close as you´re going to get to that with the existing technology; it can still achieve something like the "low power" shots we saw in Rogue One.

Luciora´s design looks like a good starting point for that.

[Coldstone]

Don't know about that. Wasn't Amaris Goal to reign with Terror? I think some kind of Bio/Chemical Weapon would be far more terrifying than a mere oversized Railgun. So either some kind of Virus or a chemical which can be launched in the athmossphere to do terrible things.

[Syzyx]

I would definitely agree he was a rule by fear type. But he did seem to focus on the immediate sorts. Flamers on everything rather than poisoning the water or infecting the cattle.

On the other hand I'm not sure it was him or his underlings who stopped that sort of thing from happening at large.

[Liam's Ghost]

I think his schtick is not just about fear, but visibly undeniable displays of his power. A tailored bioweapon might be effective, but it just isn't as grandiose as spending fifty billion bucks a pop for planet killing superweapons that hang above you, close enough to be visible before raining death upon you from orbit.

It's all about the spectacle here. It's the kind of superweapon a guy who insisted his engineers create the Matar would want.

[Luciora]

If the rules allowed, I would have put twin or triple spinal moun....mass drivers on the design.  The bays are to allow maybe modifying asteroids for surprise gifts.  And just like any design it was meant to be faster and leaner, but there were so many nifty things to put on it.

[worktroll]

I think some kind of Bio/Chemical Weapon would be far more terrifying than a mere oversized Railgun.

Don't be too proud of this biological terror you've mutated. The ability to sicken a planetary population is insignificant next to the power of the Rotary Mass Driver. I find your lack of faith ... disturbing.

Now, Lord Aramis, sign here for the next quarter's appropriations.

worktroll: How would a rotary mass driver even work, build wise? 600,000 tons for effectively 6 heavy mass drivers but then what additional tonnage for the other needful odds and ends? I certainly love the idea of a 28th century Ratte-equivalent.

Oh, nothing as simple as the mass of 6 heavy mass drivers. Add a 50% surcharge for the extra speed & mass, and remember, it'll never really work - they'll be lucky to get one barrel firing once in a month. But that one barrel will still generate impressive mayhem, and great video footage.

All failures blamed on the slave engineers forced to work on the plant (their families on a world under the gunsights), insufficient budget, and "internal enemies" - eg. other factions in Amaris' government.


My spirit animal here is Herr Doktor Mario Zippermeyer's Whirlwind Cannon, late 1944-1945. A variant of the Vortex Cannon, it exploded an air-hydrogen mix in an L-shaped tube, which created powerful vortexes which could shatter building planks at up to 600 feet, and wooden beams the thickness of a Spitfire main spar at 300 feet (note: the Spitfire main spar was made of duralumin, not wood.) The difficulty, of course, was to lure planes made of wooden planks into the cannon's range.  Almost as good as the Bates Eight-Barrel Bottle Thrower, for the look on the resume, quiaff?

[idea weenie]

I would definitely agree he was a rule by fear type. But he did seem to focus on the immediate sorts. Flamers on everything rather than poisoning the water or infecting the cattle.

On the other hand I'm not sure it was him or his underlings who stopped that sort of thing from happening at large.

Now I'm imagining the ship having a golden throne with links to the ship's sensors, targeting array, communications, and a Big Red Button.  Amaris would scroll over the world to see what targets looked good, and were on the facing side of the planet.  Once he found a nice location he would lock in the selection, which would take over the ship's navigation and maneuvering systems to bring the target into the correct arc, activating the ship's alarms if harder maneuvering would be done.  If Amaris was seated and buckled in the maneuvering would be harder as Amaris would not need to be inconvenienced.  If Amaris was not buckled in, the maneuvering would be milder so Amaris wasn't inconvenienced.

(The rest of the fleet escorting Amaris would receive maneuvering orders automatically so they could maintain position around him.) 

Amaris would use it by opening communications with the planet below, showing him, the planetary display, and making sure that the Big Red Button was visible.  Part of the display would be a map of the world with a red targeting cursor showing where the ship was currently aiming or where Amaris wanted it to aim, along with time until it was in position to fire.  The Big Red Button was in view of the camera, so the person on the planet can see how close Amaris is to pressing the button.

The focus would be on Amaris, how helpless you are, and how easy it would be for him to destroy you

[worktroll]

Now I'm imagining the ship having a golden throne with links to the ship's sensors, targeting array, communications, and a Big Red Button.  Amaris would scroll over the world to see what targets looked good, and were on the facing side of the planet.  Once he found a nice location he would lock in the selection, which would take over the ship's navigation and maneuvering systems to bring the target into the correct arc, activating the ship's alarms if harder maneuvering would be done.  If Amaris was seated and buckled in the maneuvering would be harder as Amaris would not need to be inconvenienced.  If Amaris was not buckled in, the maneuvering would be milder so Amaris wasn't inconvenienced.

(The rest of the fleet escorting Amaris would receive maneuvering orders automatically so they could maintain position around him.) 

Amaris would use it by opening communications with the planet below, showing him, the planetary display, and making sure that the Big Red Button was visible.  Part of the display would be a map of the world with a red targeting cursor showing where the ship was currently aiming or where Amaris wanted it to aim, along with time until it was in position to fire.  The Big Red Button was in view of the camera, so the person on the planet can see how close Amaris is to pressing the button.

The focus would be on Amaris, how helpless you are, and how easy it would be for him to destroy you

Klytus: "Most effective, Your Majesty. Will you destroy this planet?"

Amaris: "Later. I like to play with things a while before annihilation."

[Coldstone]

Don't be too proud of this biological terror you've mutated. The ability to sicken a planetary population is insignificant next to the power of the Rotary Mass Driver. I find your lack of faith ... disturbing.

Now, Lord Aramis, sign here for the next quarter's appropriations.

Hmm. I thought more on the line of a chemical which can ignite the whole athmossphere of a planet. So kinda like the ultimate form of scorched earth

And please no bad Star Wars quotes. And I don't know if you ever have played Wing Commander IV, but there the Gene Selection Bio weapon (actually more a form of Nano Machines set to destroy human beings by presetting genetical factors) was quite terrifying in my opinion. And Malcolm McDwel was playing Tolwyn's Madness quite good.

[Syzyx]

Now worktroll and Coldstone have got me thinking... Why not both? I mean, give Amaris' enemies not only the terror of a rotary mass driver and the fear of a planet that's no longer going to be as tectonically stable as it once was but also the dread, mostly for the impact on orbital facilities or facing moon colonies or whatever, of watching their homeworld engulfed in a genuinely global fireball. So a nose mounted superweapon with all the giant apertures of those barrels for people to fear and to give Amaris his obvious sign of danger, and then an aft mounted dispenser for whatever canister that has the atmosphere igniting device. What better way to show disdain than to be obviously leaving while the world burns?

And the throne room thing sings to me. Thank you, idea weenie.

I'm also thinking that maybe it'll be more enticing to my players if the mass driver does actually work! It's just that the ship itself can't survive its firing and tends to gradually disintegrate over the next few minutes due to the stresses and shock of firing. I can then leave video for them to find of the superweapon in full action and, just like Amaris' engineers, leave out the pesky inconvenient aftermath.

[Coldstone]

Another interesting Device from Wing Commander. The Temblor Bomb. This is a bomb which can be carried by a Fighter. Its Drawback though is it works only on tectonical instable planets. Therefore it can destroy the planet due to massive Earthquakes which in the end rip the planet apart. Ahh. I remember the Kilrah Bombing run in my Excalibur.....

I think it is obvious I am not a fan of big targetable super weapons, but more for a stealthier aproach.

[glitterboy2098]

I´m thinking of something with a big mass driver, similar to the Erinyes.

meh, don't even bother with the mass driver, just use the Erinyes's main shtick. Take a newgrange, and have it building drive packs for asteroids. it can jump in with a couple large rocks in its unpressurized bays and drop them off in the deep outer fringes of a solar system where they push themselves up to notable % of C on the way to the target.

if you want to make it a secret project with Caspar connections, instead of it being an Amaris specific project, have it be an SLDF project for an automated yardship, unfinished when Amaris pulled his coup and which he ordered completed for a different purpose.

[Maingunnery]

Now how silly is acceptable?

Code: [Select]

TerrorStar Modular Station
Mass: 2,500,000 tons
Technology Base: Inner Sphere (Advanced)
Introduced: 2775
Mass: 2,500,000
Battle Value: 524,738
Tech Rating/Availability: F/F-X-X-X
Cost: 461,872,650,000 C-bills

Fuel: 100,000 tons (250,000)
Safe Thrust: 0
Maximum Thrust: 0
Sail Integrity: N/A
Heat Sinks: 35000 (70000)
Structural Integrity: 1

Armor
    Nose: 1400
    Fore Sides: 1400/1400
    Aft Sides: 1400/1400
    Aft: 1300

Cargo
    Bay 1:  Fighter (700)           18 Doors 
    Bay 2:  Small Craft (360)       12 Doors 
    Bay 3:  Standard Repair Facility (Pressurized) (100,000)2 Doors   
    Bay 4:  Standard Repair Facility (Pressurized) (100,000)2 Doors   
    Bay 5:  Standard Repair Facility (Pressurized) (100,000)2 Doors   
    Bay 6:  Standard Repair Facility (Pressurized) (100,000)2 Doors   
    Bay 7:  Cargo (758237.0 tons)   4 Doors   

Ammunition:
None

Dropship Capacity: 1
Grav Decks: 2 (1500 m, 1500 m)
Escape Pods: 1
Life Boats: 0
Crew:  152 officers, 415 enlisted/non-rated, 525 gunners, 3200 bay personnel, 1000 passengers, 3000 marines

Notes: Equipped with
    1 Mobile Hyperpulse Generators (Mobile HPG)
    1 SDS Self-Destruct System
    1 Naval Comm-Scanner Suite (Large)
8,300 tons of lamellor ferro-carbide armor.

Weapons:                  Capital Attack Values (Standard)
Arc (Heat)            Heat  SRV     MRV     LRV      ERV    Class       
Nose (22,500 Heat)
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
4 Naval PPC (Heavy)   900  60(600) 60(600) 60(600) 60(600)  Capital PPC
FRS/FLS (22,500 Heat)
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
4 Naval PPC (Heavy)   900  60(600) 60(600) 60(600) 60(600)  Capital PPC
ARS/ALS (740 Heat)
20 PPC                200  20(200) 20(200)  0(0)     0(0)   PPC         
10 Small Pulse Laser  20   3(30)    0(0)    0(0)     0(0)   Point Defense
10 Naval Laser 35     520  35(350) 35(350) 35(350)   0(0)   Capital Laser
Aft (740 Heat)
20 PPC                200  20(200) 20(200)  0(0)     0(0)   PPC         
10 Small Pulse Laser  20   3(30)    0(0)    0(0)     0(0)   Point Defense
10 Naval Laser 35     520  35(350) 35(350) 35(350)   0(0)   Capital Laser

Yes those are 300 HNPPCs and a SDS self-destruct system.
And as a modular station it can be moved to new systems.

[Syzyx]

And it only takes 25 collars to move! Now it's still not too bad of an idea. How many arcs can fire at a single target, 1? 2? And what are the repair facilities for?

[Maingunnery]

And it only takes 25 collars to move! Now it's still not too bad of an idea.

There is a lot of fat that can be trimmed as it has excessive cargo and lot armor.

How many arcs can fire at a single target, 1? 2?

2.

And what are the repair facilities for?

The original idea was for servicing its own Tug Dropships, but upon further through those repair bays should be increased in size so that it can also service/protect its own JumpShips.


v2    now merely 2.2MT

Code: [Select]

TerrorStar Modular Station v2
Mass: 2,200,000 tons
Technology Base: Inner Sphere (Advanced)
Introduced: 2775
Mass: 2,200,000
Battle Value: 505,488
Tech Rating/Availability: F/F-X-X-X
Cost: 1,256,042,450,000 C-bills

Fuel: 100,000 tons (250,000)
Safe Thrust: 0
Maximum Thrust: 0
Sail Integrity: N/A
Heat Sinks: 35000 (70000)
Structural Integrity: 1

Armor
    Nose: 1200
    Fore Sides: 1200/1200
    Aft Sides: 1200/1200
    Aft: 1200

Cargo
    Bay 1:  Fighter (700)           18 Doors 
    Bay 2:  Small Craft (360)       9 Doors   
    Bay 3:  Standard Repair Facility (Pressurized) (500,000)2 Doors   
    Bay 4:  Standard Repair Facility (Pressurized) (500,000)2 Doors   
    Bay 5:  Standard Repair Facility (Pressurized) (500,000)2 Doors   
    Bay 6:  Standard Repair Facility (Pressurized) (500,000)2 Doors   
    Bay 7:  Cargo (346222.0 tons)   3 Doors   

Ammunition:
None

Dropship Capacity: 1
Grav Decks: 2 (1500 m, 1500 m)
Escape Pods: 1
Life Boats: 0
Crew:  152 officers, 415 enlisted/non-rated, 525 gunners, 3200 bay personnel, 1000 passengers, 3000 marines

Notes: Equipped with
    1 Mobile Hyperpulse Generators (Mobile HPG)
    1 SDS Self-Destruct System
    1 Naval Comm-Scanner Suite (Large)
7,200 tons of lamellor ferro-carbide armor.

Weapons:                  Capital Attack Values (Standard)
Arc (Heat)            Heat  SRV     MRV     LRV      ERV    Class       
Nose (22,500 Heat)
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
4 Naval PPC (Heavy)   900  60(600) 60(600) 60(600) 60(600)  Capital PPC
FRS/FLS (22,500 Heat)
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
4 Naval PPC (Heavy)   900  60(600) 60(600) 60(600) 60(600)  Capital PPC
ARS/ALS (740 Heat)
20 PPC                200  20(200) 20(200)  0(0)     0(0)   PPC         
10 Small Pulse Laser  20   3(30)    0(0)    0(0)     0(0)   Point Defense
10 Naval Laser 35     520  35(350) 35(350) 35(350)   0(0)   Capital Laser
Aft (740 Heat)
20 PPC                200  20(200) 20(200)  0(0)     0(0)   PPC         
10 Small Pulse Laser  20   3(30)    0(0)    0(0)     0(0)   Point Defense
10 Naval Laser 35     520  35(350) 35(350) 35(350)   0(0)   Capital Laser


[Syzyx]

So a Potemkin has the 22 collars needed to move this thing and now three extra collars for whatever carriers or other defenders desired... Hmm...

Which is more frightening?

a) watching a single warship with an array of horrifying muzzles pointed at your planet coming closer

b) watching a world crippling superstation assemble itself in orbit around your world

[idea weenie]

So a Potemkin has the 22 collars needed to move this thing and now three extra collars for whatever carriers or other defenders desired... Hmm...

Which is more frightening?

You tell me:

a) watching a single warship with an array of horrifying muzzles pointed at your planet coming closer

Having your planetary tracking stations report this (where the ship has Heavy Mass Drivers rather than just generic gun barrels)

b) watching a world crippling superstation assemble itself in orbit around your world

Or your orbital telescopes seeing this?

[DragonKhan55]

Gentlemen, Gentlemen. Why go through this complexity with Naval PPCs, Railguns, Mass Drivers and WMDs when the oldest play in the Davion handbook is perfectly adequate?

Step One: Point at Planet

Step Two: Overthrust.

Code: [Select]

Planet Rammer Prime
Mass: 2,500,000 tons
Technology Base: Inner Sphere (Advanced)
Introduced: 2700
Mass: 2,500,000
Battle Value: 46,664
Tech Rating/Availability: E/D-E(F)-E-F
Cost: 15,935,124,000 C-bills

Fuel: 20,000 tons (50,000)
Safe Thrust: 7
Maximum Thrust: 11
Sail Integrity: 9
KF Drive Integrity: 48
Heat Sinks: 2,000
Structural Integrity: 109

Armor
    Nose: 491
    Fore Sides: 404/404
    Aft Sides: 359/359
    Aft: 229

Cargo
    Bay 1:  Cargo (9374.0 tons)     1 Door   

Ammunition:
None

Dropship Capacity: 0
Grav Decks: 0
Escape Pods: 0
Life Boats: 0
Crew:  100 officers, 445 enlisted/non-rated

Notes: Mounts 5,450 tons of standard aerospace armor.

Weapons:     Capital Attack Values (Standard)
Arc (Heat) Heat  SRV     MRV     LRV      ERV    Class       
None




[Luciora]

This amuses me greatly.   

Gentlemen, Gentlemen. Why go through this complexity with Naval PPCs, Railguns, Mass Drivers and WMDs when the oldest play in the Davion handbook is perfectly adequate?

Step One: Point at Planet

Step Two: Overthrust.

Code: [Select]

Planet Rammer Prime
Mass: 2,500,000 tons
Technology Base: Inner Sphere (Advanced)
Introduced: 2700
Mass: 2,500,000
Battle Value: 46,664
Tech Rating/Availability: E/D-E(F)-E-F
Cost: 15,935,124,000 C-bills

Fuel: 20,000 tons (50,000)
Safe Thrust: 7
Maximum Thrust: 11
Sail Integrity: 9
KF Drive Integrity: 48
Heat Sinks: 2,000
Structural Integrity: 109

Armor
    Nose: 491
    Fore Sides: 404/404
    Aft Sides: 359/359
    Aft: 229

Cargo
    Bay 1:  Cargo (9374.0 tons)     1 Door   

Ammunition:
None

Dropship Capacity: 0
Grav Decks: 0
Escape Pods: 0
Life Boats: 0
Crew:  100 officers, 445 enlisted/non-rated

Notes: Mounts 5,450 tons of standard aerospace armor.

Weapons:     Capital Attack Values (Standard)
Arc (Heat) Heat  SRV     MRV     LRV      ERV    Class       
None




[Kerfuffin(925)]

I greatly enjoy that it has 0/0 life boats and escape pods

[Tyler Jorgensson]

Best thing is you can assign 100 Amaris supporters to oversee the 500 odd ‘volunteer space battalion’ for crew.

[DragonKhan55]

I greatly enjoy that it has 0/0 life boats and escape pods

Best thing is you can assign 100 Amaris supporters to oversee the 500 odd ‘volunteer space battalion’ for crew.

Relatively easily solved-if I were being serious about this one, adding a single docking collar for a dropship and 200 life boats only requires offloading about 2400 tons from the cargo bay. Could also add more small craft bays too.

It's just the sheer chutzpah of this that is hilarious. A 2.5M ton ship, with 5,450 tons of armor going 7/11 aiming DIRECTLY for a planet. Nukes will kill it, but if it can get up to speed and get past your defenses, your planet is SCREWED.

[Kerfuffin(925)]

Relatively easily solved-if I were being serious about this one, adding a single docking collar for a dropship and 200 life boats only requires offloading about 2400 tons from the cargo bay. Could also add more small craft bays too.

It's just the sheer chutzpah of this that is hilarious. A 2.5M ton ship, with 5,450 tons of armor going 7/11 aiming DIRECTLY for a planet. Nukes will kill it, but if it can get up to speed and get past your defenses, your planet is SCREWED.

I mean I don’t mind it at all. I find it very Amaris.

Just jump too far out, accelerate like crazy, hope you don’t have to do any adjustments. Too fast for anyone to do anything that matters

[DragonKhan55]

I mean I don’t mind it at all. I find it very Amaris.

Just jump too far out, accelerate like crazy, hope you don’t have to do any adjustments. Too fast for anyone to do anything that matters

Yup. And had I truly wanted to, I could have taken off 10k tons of fuel, added a crapton of antifighter weapons and just made a joke as the new Lyran Superheavy Fast Dogfighter ASF

[Syzyx]

This is hilarious! I have my session tomorrow and I may well put this one in the files of 'Proposals' they are set to find.

[Luciora]

Why do I want to see a simulation of that crash so very badly now?   

[Tyler Jorgensson]

Why do I want to see a simulation of that crash so very badly now?   

Someone, at this very moment on this forum, is trying to calculate the speed, velocity, and force that this will produce doing so.

Edit: probably a Davion fanboy

[Dreadpool]

I've got a simple solution to this question

1) take a Colossus-class dropship and load its cargo bays to their maximum capacity; could be anything 9even 40,000 tons of dried cat shit), what's important is the mass

2) launch it towards the target planet from a distance equal to 50 days maximum burn

3) just before it hits, said Colossus will be perking along at 0.3c and will have a KE load 50% greater than the Chixulub impactor.

The impact will instantly kill everything within 1,000 miles of Ground Zero.; in a short time thereafter, every living thing on the planet weighing more than 10 kilograms will die.

The planet's ecosystem will take 10,000,000 years to recover.

[Maingunnery]

I've got a simple solution to this question

1) take a Colossus-class dropship and load its cargo bays to their maximum capacity; could be anything 9even 40,000 tons of dried cat shit), what's important is the mass

2) launch it towards the target planet from a distance equal to 50 days maximum burn

3) just before it hits, said Colossus will be perking along at 0.3c and will have a KE load 50% greater than the Chixulub impactor.

The impact will instantly kill everything within 1,000 miles of Ground Zero.; in a short time thereafter, every living thing on the planet weighing more than 10 kilograms will die.

The planet's ecosystem will take 10,000,000 years to recover.

2b/ The DropShip hits something (satellite/Small Craft) on the way and completely disintegrates into a light-show.

[Syzyx]

For those who may have been following this travesty against decency and science, my players finally got to the lab/station/factory site and found the files in question. I was deeply disappointed by the sudden attack of morality they had.

I ended up using the rotary mass driver idea as the actual produced ship, with the mega-incendiary for final effect. But I had the players find test video and schema for most of the other ideas in this thread. The players didn't even attempt to board the vessel or even see how many hulls were in the gantries. They became convinced that the Cappies or Dracs would expend overwhelming resources to acquire whatever was present and actually use it.

In the end they sacrificed a Leopard loaded up with all kinds of boom to destroy the entire facility.

[Luciora]

Thats....very decent of them.   

[Maingunnery]

It just means that we went far enough. 

[Dreadpool]

2b/ The DropShip hits something (satellite/Small Craft) on the way and completely disintegrates into a light-show.

Instead of one piece, the debris from the dropship hits all over the targeted planet and f**ks it up even worse

[Maingunnery]

Instead of one piece, the debris from the dropship hits all over the targeted planet and f**ks it up even worse

Depending on where the premature collision is it is likely just a rapidly expanding cloud of gas that mostly misses the planet.