Lyran Commonwealth Turn 1, 2350-2360.
This one is a NOVEL, because it covers doctrine, deployment, design rationales, and the like clear. Expect later turns to be much more cut and dried, unless those things change.
This post may be edited to include a fluff/RP post or two going into more detail on doctrine, and/or an RP piece set from the POV of the LCN First Lord of Admiralty 2350, Jacqueline Angler.
Lyran Commonwealth, Turn Beginning 2350
Starting Funds: 0
Income: 80,000,000,000
Starting Shipyards: Alarion: 3/3 New Kyoto: 3/1 Tamar 1 Gibbs 1
Starting Warships: None
Starting Jumpships: None
Starting Dropships: None
Starting Fighters: None
Expenditure Cost
Maintenance 0
Prototype Production: 1 Heimdaller FF 10.234B
Standard Production: 5 Heimdaller FF 25.635B
Jumpship Production: 30 15B
Dropship Production: 0 0
Small Craft: 240 (4 Regiments) 2.4B
Fighter: 4,800 Fighters (80 Regiments) 24B
Research: 2.731 Billion 2.731B
Total: 80B
Lyran Commonwealth, Turn Ending 2360
Ending Funds: 0
Ending Shipyards: Alarion: 3/3 New Kyoto: 3/1 Tamar 1 Gibbs 1
Ending Warships: Heimdaller FF x6 30.702B
Ending Jumpships: 30
Ending Dropships: 0
Ending Small Craft 240 (4 Regiments)
Ending Fighters: 4,800 (80 Regiments)
Rationale/Explanation:
The first flight of Heimdaller class 240Kt Frigates are intended as multi-purpose, maid-of-all-work ships, able to deploy
20 fighters, two brigades of troops, suppress enemy fighter strikes with their 150 Barracuda missile tubes, or stand off
and hopefully dissuade (or arrange to disengage from) larger enemy vessels with those same massed missile launches.
Jumpship production is intended to encourage trade and ties between the three realms of the new LC. Any unused
warship yard space will also be made available to building unlisted jump ships for the civilian market at cost. In
exchange for this, all interstellar carriers are subject to being nationalized in times of national crisis, as well as expected
to carry consumables (fuel, food, parts, etc) as required for any LCN ship operating in their area.
The lack of Dropship production is based on the lack of docking collars on LCN Warships. Civilian shipping concerns are
considered to provide their own dropships when using LCN “Military Reserve” Jumpships.
Heavy Small Craft (and -massive- fighter) production is for utility and defensive purposes. The LC is surrounded by
larger, not necessarily friendly, powers. It further has two of its shipyards located almost on the border with those
powers. Fighters represent an essentially defensive posture, as a few regiments of fighters, coupled with the heavy
ammunition and fuel loads carried by a planet, can far more effectively defend a world than the same C-Bills in Warship.
All fighters not carried on ships may be considered deployed to forward -Naval- fighter bases, where they will defend the
world and its assets against hostile landing, as well as operating in support of ground forces if the enemy is able to land.
Lyran fighters are designed and optimized for this purpose.
The remainder spent on research (equivalent to half of a 7th frigate!) may be misspent (I am still not certain R&D is a
worthwhile expenditure under these rules, given the fact that it gives only a 1 turn advantage), but it fits the fluff of the
nation and no navy has long prospered by ignoring the advance of technology, so the LCN will not.
Naval Doctrine:
1.) The Seat of Purpose is on the Land. All Naval activities (including destruction of enemy naval assets) exist to
further territorial purposes. Commerce Protection is still a territorial purpose. The massive fighter regiments are
primarily defensive.
2.) Calculated Risk. Lyran ships will generally be tough for their class (14% mass to SI) and with extensive defensive
armaments. Fighters are primarily a defensive and second-strike weapon. They are expected to use this resilience to
take calculated risk. Vessels are not to be risked without a reasonable chance for commensurate gain, with the
exception of the defense of civilian lives. So long as the sacrifice has even a chance of making a meaningful difference,
Lyran ships are expected to fight to the last to allow civilians a chance for shelter, succor, or flight, and to risk
themselves in support of troops. This is not entirely altruistic, as a Navy that the Army loves is a Navy that gets more
money, in a battlemech centric universe. :)
3.) Extended Deployment/Agile Posture: Lyran ships are intentionally and heavily over-engineered and provisioned.
This is reflected in power systems (200% of required heatsinks), the lack of bay quarters (all personnel in full up
quarters – this improves morale on long deployments and reduces supply usage), quirks (easy to maintain), extensive
small craft loadouts, the presence of marines on every ship (useful for flag showing, customs, etc), largish cargo holds
(though smaller than Star League, the LCN does not need to deploy for years across the entire periphery), commonly
installed Large Comm-Sensor Suites, and the like. Lyran ships do not operate Drop Ships or a Jump Ship/Drop Ship
Fleet Train, being provisioned to function without them. Each ship has two crews, one relieving the other.
The intention is that Lyran ships should need little yard time or rest/replenishment time, and be ready to respond at all
times to any opportunity presented. To this end, the large cargo holds are a reserve – on deployment in friendly or
neutral space, Lyran vessels will where possible take on supplies from civilian bases, so that their onboard cargo serves
as reserve if they are required to go forward for offensive action.
4.) WMD Policy: Biological and Chemical Agents will not be used, developed, deployed, or carried. Nuclear weapons
are carried. Nuclear weapons are on a strict ‘no first use’ policy, but once an enemy has used them, they are weapons
free and will be used without restriction against naval targets. Nuclear weapons will not be used against a planetary
surface. Warship weaponry may be used as fire support, but only well outside civilian areas. There is no justification
sufficient for mass civilian casualties, and even limited civilian casualties (such as are common in commerce warfare)
will be avoided when operationally possible.
Heimdaller (Frigate)
The Heimdaller frigate was the first warship laid down by the nascent Lyran Commonwealth in 2350. Originally envisioned as a fast, well armed heavy destroyer capable of 4G’s acceleration and carrying heavy broadside armament, the intent was for the Heimdaller to be able to stand as a military equal with anything being produced by the surrounding states, and even to if necessary stand-off forces from the nascent Terran Hegemony, if that giant should turn its attention to conquest.
This was not to be. First Lord Jaqueline Angler, 1st Baron Angler, TVR, FR, ACM, was to be disappointed as her budget, plans, and priorities were ‘nibbled to death by ducks’. The 9 Archons of the Lyran Commonwealth did not speak with a single voice. The Army wanted an armed transport. The Naval Aviation advocates demanded vast flight decks and enough docking collars to support a virtual cloud of light, dropship hulled carriers. Military Manufacturers wanted something carrying as many, and as large, a set of guns as possible – except for the ones that wanted as many Capital Missile Launchers as possible. Leaders of border worlds wanted warship monitors and defense satellites stationed over their worlds. The great trading cartels wanted armed jumpships, but would settle for ‘Warships’ that were essentially vast cargo holds with some notional weapons.
It should have been a disaster. Instead, Lord Angler engaged in a series of compromises with the vessel, and the naval procurement board, trading favors like horses from one concern to another. The Army got transport for a heavy armored brigade and an infantry brigade, and a promise that the navy would look out for them. The Naval Air arm got a flight of fighters shipboard, and an order for a massive fleet of new Aerospace Fighters – which were then parceled out to naval air bases along the threatened boarder worlds. The Manufacturers got missile launchers, and a promise to buy more missiles. The cartels got additional jumpship production on the condition that the navy have use of those jumpships when necessity demanded it.
And Jane Angler, TVR, FR, ACM, got a warship. What was left after the horse-trading finished was a capable, flexible ‘maid of all work’. The over-large hullform originally designed is expensive to produce (Heimdaller costs nearly half as much as the originally planned warship – which would have been three times her size) but saves space for many items that normally are secondary priorities. Her over-large engine spaces and downrated drives result in the GN-3 Ginny “Torchdrives” requiring little maintenance, and that easy to perform. Crew berthing spaces are extensive for even the lowest rating or private, improving morale and efficiency on long deployments. Spare space that once was intended to carry Naval Cannon ports is packed with advanced sensors and monitoring equipment, complete with redundant systems. Extensive small boat bays and the presence of a company of marines allows the vessel to serve as relief, support, or customs duty – and those same boat bays allow it to deploy its carried armored brigade in just a handful of trips.
All of this flexibility and sustainability does not come for free. Capital armament is limited to an array of light capital missiles, license-built McRoss Industries knockoffs of the Hegemony Barracuda based on plans sourced from DiTron Industries. The phenomenal number of tubes allows the Heimdaller to sweep the skies of enemy fighters, or threaten even larger ships from extreme ranges, but reloads are limited – the Heimdaller will have to roll ship to present fresh ammunition supplies after a mere five salvos. Much debate was had over the -choice- of capital missile, with strong advocates existing for both the medium and heavy weight missiles - both outperform the Barracuda in firepower per ton, and the medium weight 'White Shark' clone was notable for its armor piercing qualities. The light missile was ultimately chosen for its greater accuracy, both in having a built in anti-fighter guidance system, and because the missile itself is more accurate against all targets than almost any other naval weapon.*
Further, the heavy internal bracing and structural members of the planned heavy destroyer were greatly reduced in the smaller frigate – leaving the Heimdaller far more fragile than Admiral Angler intended.
For all her flaws, compromises, and drawbacks, the Heimdaller proved a generally useful light warship, as much at home transporting and supporting troops as she is doing customs work, anti-piracy patrols, showing the flag, or providing escort to ‘true’ capital ships. Indeed, the LCN was much taken with the positive qualities that came from the original, unintentional downsizing, and in many ways the Heimdaller set the pattern for what would follow.
*Footnote: The Humble Barracuda, while having slightly less absolute range than the NL/55 or HNPPC, actually has a longer 'Short' 'Medium' and 'Long' Bracket than -any- other naval weapon, due to having a double-sized 'short' range (Barracuda is 'Short' from 1-20, 'Medium' from 21-30, etc. All other naval weapons have equally sized brackets). As a result, the Barracuda is firing at 'Medium' at least as soon as the big energy naval weapons, and is actually at THN 6 Medium while the mighty NAC/30, king of Naval Weapons, is still in its THN 10 extreme bracket. A small advantage, but potentially a telling one for one turn of nearly unreturned fire.
Heimdaller FF
Tech: Inner Sphere
Introduced: 2350
Mass: 240,000 tons
Length: 857 meters
Width: 133 meters
Height: 90 meters
Sail Diameter: 773 meters
Fuel: 2,000 tons (5,000)
Tons/Burn-day: 39.52
Safe Thrust: 3
Maximum Thrust: 5
Sail Integrity: 4
KF Drive Integrity: 7
Heat Sinks: 3,320 (200%)
Structural Integrity: 60
BV2: 104,620
Cost: $5.127B
Armor
Fore: 20
Fore-Sides: 34
Aft-Sides: 40
Aft: 40
Cargo
Bay 1 (Nose): 20 Fighters (4 Doors)
Bay 2 (RBS): 9 Small Craft, 9 Light Vehicles, 9 Heavy Vehicles (3 Doors)
Bay 3 (LBS): 9 Small Craft, 9 Light Vehicles, 9 Heavy Vehicles (3 Doors)
Bay 3 (Aft): 84 Marines, 252 Infantry (0 Doors)
Bay 4 (Aft): 8190 Tons Cargo (1 Door)
(Typical Cargo is 1 Year of Food, 2,400 Tons Spare Parts/Supplies, and 4000 Tons mission tailored)
DropShip Capacity: 0
Grav Decks: 1 (80 meters diameter)
Escape Pods: 80
Life Boats: 80
Crew: 618 (Includes Vehicle Crews and 1 Tech per 2 Vehicles/Spacecraft)
Marines: 84
Troops: 252
All Crew, Marines, Troops in 1st/2nd Class Quarters
Ammunition: 750 Barracuda Missiles
16000 AC/5 Rounds
16000 MG Rounds
Notes:
Large NCSS
Mounts 288 tons of Standard armor.
200% of required heat sinks
Quirks: Easy to Maintain, Improved Communications, Poor Performance
Weapons:
Nose:
10 Barracuda (50 Rnds)
20 AC/5 (2000 Rnds)
20 MG (2000 Rnds)
Fore Left/Right:
20 Barracuda (100 Rnds)
20 AC/5 (2000 Rnds)
20 MG (2000 Rnds)
Broadside:
20 Barracuda (100 Rnds)
20 AC/5 (2000 Rnds)
20 MG (2000 Rnds)
Aft Left/Right:
20 Barracuda (100 Rnds)
20 AC/5 (2000 Rnds)
20 MG (2000 Rnds)
Rear:
20 Barracuda (100 Rnds)
20 AC/5 (2000 Rnds)
20 MG (2000 Rnds)
Shu Heavy Fighter
Named for the Egyptian Goddess of the wind that stood between the realms of Earth and Sky, the Shu Heavy Fighter was the result of a design competition announced in 2340 to build what would become the primary naval fighter of the budding LCN.
Two primary designs made it into the final phase. The leading entry, from Bowie Industries, topped out the fighter weight class and practically dripped with firepower, its wide flying wings supporting a full 8 autocannon. Firepower demonstrations never failed to impress the politicians, and it was looking as if Bowie had a lock on the contract as it entered the final phase.
CBM Corporation of Donegal’s lighter Shu class fighter, though still formally a ‘heavy’ unit, offered less than half of the firepower of the Bowie entry, in exchange for greater performance and much greater resilience. Though the Naval Procurement office preferred the lighter craft, it was in the process of being overruled by those who held the purse strings, and CBM Corporation publicly challenged Bowie Industries to a fly off, with the contract on the line. Unable to back out without losing face, Bowie agreed.
The initial stages of the competition involved testing handling, time-to-climb, endurance, and firepower tests. Both designs performed well, but the Shu’s minor advantage in maneuverability was more than offset by the massive firepower of the Bowie’s 8 cannon as the test entered into its final phase.
The final round of testing was atmospheric combat maneuvering. Here the Shu’s performance mattered more, but even with an advantage in hits scored, the Bowie entry looked too far ahead to catch. In the closing minutes of the timed match, the Bowie fighter lost control in a close pass, driving itself headlong into the Shu.
The Shu’s reinforced structure and 23 tons of armor plate sheared through the Bowie’s wing as if the heavier fighter was made of tissue. The heavier fighter had sacrificed almost all armor protection in the name of firepower, and its structure collapsed on impact. The Shu was thrown out of control, but the pilot recovered in time to look over his shoulder and see the Bowie’s pilot floating to the ground under a canopy.
When asked about this surprising turn of events, the test pilot for CMB Corporation merely winked and said ‘Are you kidding? It was a shoo-in.”
CBM Corporation of Donegal Licensed its winner to Lockheed of Gibbs, as it was unable to complete all orders itself. This competition and purchase set the pattern for future aerospace procurement in the Lyran Commonwealth. Even centuries later, it is stated as an important day for the Lyran Air Forces, with one historian reported as saying “Imagine if Bowie got the contract? Centuries later our entire heavy air force would have consisted of flying wings with more guns than sense.”
Type: SH-2 Shu
Technology Base: Inner Sphere
Tonnage: 85
YIS: 2350
Cost: ~5,000,000
Equipment: Mass
Engine: 340 VOX 27
Safe Thrust: 6
Maximum Thrust 9
Structural Integrity 8
Heat Sinks 10 0
Fuel 400 5
Cockpit 3
Armor Factor: 368 23
Armor
Value
Nose 128
Wings 90
Aft 60
Weapons and Ammo Location
3xAC/5 Nose 24
Ammo, AC/5 (60) Nose 3
Quirks:
Easy to Pilot, Easy to Maintain, Atmospheric Flyer, Poor Cooling Jacket (Autocannon)
SH-2B Shu
Bomber/Strike Variant. Removes 2 Autocannon and 2 Tons of Ammo. Replaces with 18 Tons Cargo. Equipping the Shu
with a large internal bomb bay forced several adjustments to the reaction control system and internal linkages, so that
the SH-2B became a bit of a hanger queen compared to its fighter cousins and lost its gentle and forgiving nature in the
air.
Quirks: Internal Bomb Bay, Difficult to Maintain, Hard to Pilot