Rapier Patrol Dropship (original:
http://www.sarna.net/wiki/Rapier_(Patrol_Destroyer))
Class/Model/Name: Rapier Patrol Ship
Tech: Inner Sphere
Vessel Type: Retrotech (2180) Spheroid Dropship
Mass: 8,500 tons
Safe Thrust: 3
Maximum Thrust: 5
Armor Type: Retrotech Standard
Armament:
2 Screen Launchers
40 Screen Canisters
24 Hyper-velocity Autocannon Class 5
8 MML-9 with Artemis IV
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Class/Model/Name: Rapier Patrol Ship
Mass: 8,500 tons
Equipment: Mass
Drive & Control: Retrotech 3,099.00
Thrust: Safe Thrust: 3
Maximum Thrust: 5
Structural Integrity: 35 595.00
Total Heat Sinks: 112 Single 50.00
Fuel & Fuel Pumps: 428.50
Cargo and Consumables: 1,000.00
Armor Type: Retrotech Standard (1331 total armor pts) 126.00
Standard Scale Armor Pts
Fore: 368
Right: 368
Left: 368
Aft: 367
Cargo:
Bay 1: MASH Unit w/10 Operating Theaters 5 doors 12.50
Bay 2: Small Craft Bays (4) 2 Doors 800.00
Bay 3: Cargo (1,000 tons) 1 Door 1,000.00
Crew and Passengers:
67 Officers, Crew, and Bay Personnel- Quarters 335.00
204 Passengers-Steerage Quarters 1,020.00
Weapons and Equipment Loc SRV MRV LRV ERV Heat Mass
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1 Screen Launcher Nose 15 -- -- -- 10 40.00
1 Screen Launcher Nose 15 -- -- -- 10 40.00
4 MML-9 w/Artemis IV Nose 56 28 28 -- 20 28.00
4 HVAC-5 FR/L 20 20 20 20 12 96.00
4 HVAC-5 FR/L 20 20 20 20 12 96.00
2 HVAC-5 FR/L 10 10 10 10 6 48.00
2 MML-9 w/Artemis IV FR/L 28 14 14 -- 10 28.00
2 HVAC-5 AR/L 10 10 10 10 6 48.00
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Ammo
HVAC-5 1080 Rounds 72.00
MML-9 LRM 1040 Salvos 80.00
MML-9 SRM 440 Salvos 40.00
40 Screen Canisters 400.00
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Other Equipment
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Field Kitchen 3.00
With the Wakamiya MRD put into action, House Davion became much more interested in the work of Project Yamato. The First Prince personally requested the services of the Yamato engineers to work on a concept for the Rapier patrol destroyers employed by the AFFS.
The requirements for the new vessel was to be an in-system ship, and as easy to build as possible. This was to allow systems to build their own on-site, which would provide many jobs at the local level across the Federated Suns, and allow systems to actively contribute to their own defense.
The original design was a heavily Armed Gunship as well as a patrol vessel. This new one would attempt to maintain the attack capability of the original, while drawing a greater focus on patrol. Specifically, the ship should be able to be a fast responder across a system, for disaster relief.
With these guidelines the Yamato Engineers began work. Delving back into the Universal Export's records, the design team found technical specifications for ancient shipbuilding techniques, and built the hull to a 2180 standard. Shipbuilding had advanced a great deal since 2180, and the old techniques were comparatively simple. The engine, structure, and armor shells of the ship would be able to be built damn near anywhere, including someones (very big) back yard.
The new design stripped the infantry contingent of the original, and added even further quarters, allowing the ship to evacuate over 200 people easily, and even more using cargo space. Of course, these quarters could also be filled with marines, enabling the ship to be outfitted as desired, for either enforcement, or disaster relief work.
To further it's ability to support disaster relief, or even combat recovery, the design had 10 surgical facilities, and 4 small craft, allowing it to meet the needs of a disaster, and respond to multiple areas of a dangerous zone simultaneously. If outfitted for enforcement duties, these small craft instead fulfill an escort or battletaxi role.
The armament was the only part of the ship that would have to be imported to a planet that was building one of these on their own. To ease this possible problem, the armament was altered to a smaller number of different types of weapons. The long range lasers were replaced by twin Hyper Velocity Autocannons allowing the ship to maintain it's ranged capabilities and damage potential, while reducing the cost of the weapons. The missiles and torpedoes were replaced by the advanced Multiple-Missile Launchers, allowing the ship to either diversify it's ammunition for a variety of situations, or allowing it to fire whatever missiles the militia had available. The Arrow IV systems were removed and replaced by Screen Launchers, which allow the ship some very nice defensive options, while also giving it one of the few area attack weapons available in black water actions, even though it is relatively short range.
Once the designs were completed, the deal the Federated Suns wanted was to purchase the blueprints themselves, for distribution. With the plans for any world in the Federated Suns to build them, Universal Exports saw an opportunity it couldn't pass up. They made a counter offer to build the production site on any planet that wanted one, and hire from the local population to man the facility. This would allow UE to have build more facilities across the nation, and sell products locally without having to import nearly as much, and was actually their preferred business model. It would benefit the Federated Suns by allowing many more planets to jump-start production of the Rapiers, than would have been available. The First Prince accepted the deal and work began.
In practice, the Rapier fills several roles, and as long as it maintains a non-combat posture, it is often ignored in battle. When engaged it will fight visciously, but during large engagements it is often seen recovering lifeboats, or rendering aid to the crews of stricken ships before it is too late.
On the ground is another story. It will often land, grab passengers, relocate them, and come back. All the while rendering medical assistance with it's surgical facilities.
Attacking one on the ground is a daunting prospect. With the majority of it's weapons located on it's sides, the ship can bring most of it's fire to bear against an enemy while it is landed, and between range and damage potential, it can do a great deal of harm before it is disabled. The unique feature of the HVACs add another element to it's defense as well, since the smoke exhaust of the weapons will swiftly shroud the dropships in a cloud of smoke, making it more difficult to attack than most dropships, whether landed or airborne.
So far the systems that have been interested in the design are ones with colonies on multiple planets, large aerospace presences, and a few that have numerous cities across the one inhabited planet. Rural planets with only one city, no matter how large, have shown little interest, since they wouldn't be able to use this class to it's full advantage.
Even the AFFS has ordered a few, giving more business to the local yards across the territory. Due to the primitive construction standards however, the AFFS must upgrade their orders with K-F booms in order to transport them. Universal Exports is also happy to sell those as well, however they are unable to build them at the local level, so the AFFS charges for import taxes on them.
The only two things I wish I could have done better on, was getting it up to a 5-8 speed, and getting more passengers on it at a time. If it was built to modern standards I would have been able to, however retrotech engines are much, much heavier than standard engines, if you go as far back as I did with this design. Overall I am satisfied with how it turned out. I hope you all enjoy.
