What if: The Hunt for TAS Philadelphia?

[HeavyArmorMecha]

Recently I saw some discussions on the famous "TAS Philadelphia" conspiracy...



So I was thinking, what if in the mid-2600's the Star League "stumble" upon some fragments of JumpShip wreckage "implying" to be the long lost TAS Philadelphia, along with "intriguing" discoveries from the salvaged memory drives......

As such, what if the newly establish Star League Exploration Command in 2646 has taken a keen interest to "re-establish contact" with the "lifeforms" discovered by TAS Philadelphia... and they commissioned a specialized War...JumpShip to "study" such areas...

How do you think this design would fare for such a mission?

Code: [Select]

SLS Ishmael Science Frigate
Mass: 680,000 tons
Technology Base: Inner Sphere (Advanced)
Introduced: 2646
Mass: 680,000
Battle Value: 89,694
Tech Rating/Availability: F/E-X-E-X
Cost: 10,192,528,000 C-bills

Fuel: 10,000 tons (25,000)
Safe Thrust: 3
Maximum Thrust: 5
Sail Integrity: 5
KF Drive Integrity: 15
Heat Sinks: 1816 (3632)
Structural Integrity: 10

Armor
    Nose: 24
    Fore Sides: 24/24
    Aft Sides: 24/24
    Aft: 22

Cargo
    Bay 1:  Small Craft (18)        6 Doors   
    Bay 2:  Cargo (27061.0 tons)    6 Doors   

Ammunition:
    560 rounds of NAC/10 ammunition (112 tons),
    80 rounds of Light N-Gauss ammunition (0.2 tons)

Dropship Capacity: 0
Grav Decks: 4 (100 m, 100 m, 100 m, 100 m)
Escape Pods: 62
Life Boats: 0
Crew:  257 officers, 1124 enlisted/non-rated, 160 gunners, 90 bay personnel, 100 passengers

Notes: Equipped with
    lithium-fusion battery system
    1 Naval Tug Adaptor
    1 Naval Comm-Scanner Suite (Large)
    300 First-class Quarters
    1,500 Standard Quarters
136 tons of lamellor ferro-carbide armor.

Weapons:                           Capital Attack Values (Standard)
Arc (Heat)                     Heat  SRV     MRV     LRV      ERV    Class       
Nose (376 Heat)
4 Naval Laser 55               340  22(220) 22(220) 22(220) 22(220)  Capital Laser
4 Naval Gauss (Light)          36   60(600) 60(600) 60(600) 60(600)  Capital Gauss
    Light N-Gauss Ammo (80 shots)
FRS/FLS (460 Heat)
4 Naval Autocannon (NAC/10)    120  40(400) 40(400) 40(400)   0(0)   Capital AC 
    NAC/10 Ammo (80 shots)
4 Naval Laser 55               340  22(220) 22(220) 22(220) 22(220)  Capital Laser
RBS/LBS (460 Heat)
4 Naval Autocannon (NAC/10)    120  40(400) 40(400) 40(400)   0(0)   Capital AC 
    NAC/10 Ammo (80 shots)
4 Naval Laser 55               340  22(220) 22(220) 22(220) 22(220)  Capital Laser
ARS/ALS (460 Heat)
4 Naval Autocannon (NAC/10)    120  40(400) 40(400) 40(400)   0(0)   Capital AC 
    NAC/10 Ammo (80 shots)
4 Naval Laser 55               340  22(220) 22(220) 22(220) 22(220)  Capital Laser
Aft (460 Heat)
4 Naval Autocannon (NAC/10)    120  40(400) 40(400) 40(400)   0(0)   Capital AC 
    NAC/10 Ammo (80 shots)
4 Naval Laser 55               340  22(220) 22(220) 22(220) 22(220)  Capital Laser



[Daryk]

NAC/10s seem sub-optimal for the mission.  Why no NPPCs?

[HeavyArmorMecha]

NAC/10s seem sub-optimal for the mission.  Why no NPPCs?

Weight, and I want to keep a mix of "defensive measures" in case one type does not work well...

[Daryk]

That makes sense, though I'll note a lack of PPCs means you're missing that damage mechanism.  It's good to have kinetic, explosive and lasers, but you might want that fourth type too...

[Takiro]

Interesting concept for a BattleTech 'horror' story. Something shy of 'Event Horizon' but how could we work in 'Mechs? Hmmm.....

That makes sense, though I'll note a lack of PPCs means you're missing that damage mechanism.  It's good to have kinetic, explosive and lasers, but you might want that fourth type too...

I'd agree with Daryk here best to keep your options opened when going into this, I'd suggest AR-10 Missile Launchers too.

And then I'd probably hit that line from Jaws too. "I think we're gonna need a bigger boat"

[DOC_Agren]

Recently I saw some discussions on the famous "TAS Philadelphia" conspiracy...

I'm interested was it here and I missed it?

And then I'd probably hit that line from Jaws too. "I think we're gonna need a bigger boat"

Based on that picture agreed.. can I get a something like a Texas or Farragut or even fresh from the yard  McKenna

[HeavyArmorMecha]

I'm interested was it here and I missed it?

No, some posts on Facebook and Reddit.

[PuppyLikesLaserPointers]

Asides I wish we are allowed to use the robotic controls for warships while jumping without a problem.... It's where it really, really needed.

Perhaps having some drone dropships as its escort would be an alternative solution? Then the ship may bait those dropships while retreat.

Also isn't better to take some capital missiles? That provides really longer range than anything you already have and also able to pack a nuke too.

[ImperialistDog]

If you want to just do it, it's not like the game police will come arrest you for ignoring the written rules.

[mighty midget]

This would make for an awesome story.  Mid-2600s makes me think that something being mothballed would be a good contender for an overhaul before a special assignment, something nice and small...
https://www.sarna.net/wiki/Monsoon