Code: Select all
AeroTech 2 Vessel Technical Readout
VALIDATED
Class/Model/Name: Buccaneer Strike Carrier
Tech: Inner Sphere / 3090
Vessel Type: Aerodyne DropShip
Rules: Level 1, Standard design
Rules Set: AeroTech2
Mass: 3,500 tons
Length: 136 meters
Power Plant: Standard
Safe Thrust: 4
Maximum Thrust: 6
Armor Type: Standard
Armament:
1 Large Laser
1 LRM 5
6 Medium Laser
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Class/Model/Name: Buccaneer Strike Carrier
Mass: 3,500 tons
Equipment: Mass
Power Plant, Drive & Control: 910.00
Thrust: Safe Thrust: 4
Maximum Thrust: 6
Structural Integrity: 8 140.00
Total Heat Sinks: 58 Single 43.00
Fuel & Fuel Pumps: 164.00
Bridge, Controls, Radar, Computer & Attitude Thrusters: 27.00
Fire Control Computers: .00
Food & Water: (4 days supply) 2.00
Armor Type: Standard (240 total armor pts) 13.00
Standard Scale Armor Pts
Location: L / R
Fore: 70
Left/Right Wings: 60/60
Aft: 50
Cargo:
Bay 1: Battle Armor Points/Squads (8) with 1 door 80.00
Bay 2: Small Craft (6) with 6 doors 1,200.00
Bay 3: Cargo (1) with 2 doors 726.00
Life Boats: 2 (7 tons each) 14.00
Escape Pods: 6 (7 tons each) 42.00
Crew and Passengers:
2 Officers (2 minimum) 20.00
8 Crew (2 minimum) 56.00
2 Gunners (2 minimum) 14.00
78 Bay Personnel .00
Weapons and Equipment Loc SRV MRV LRV ERV Heat Mass
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1 Large Laser Nose 1(8) 1(8) -- -- 8 5.00
1 LRM 5(24 rounds) Nose 0(3) 0(3) 0(3) -- 2 3.00
2 Medium Laser L/RW 1(10) -- -- -- 12 4.00
2 Medium Laser Aft 1(10) -- -- -- 6 2.00
1 Lot Spare Parts (1.00%) 35.00
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
TOTALS: Heat: 28 3,500.00
Tons Left: .00
Calculated Factors:
Total Cost: 136,931,040 C-Bills
Battle Value: 1,048
Cost per BV: 130,659.39
Weapon Value: 1,900 (Ratio = 1.81)
Damage Factors: SRV = 38; MRV = 8; LRV = 1; ERV = 0
Maintenance: Maintenance Point Value (MPV) = 29,961
(15,490 Structure, 13,600 Life Support, 871 Weapons)
Support Points (SP) = 13,730 (46% of MPV)
BattleForce2: MP: 4, Armor/Structure: 4 / 4
Damage PB/M/L: 3/1/-, Overheat: 0
Class: DM; Point Value: 10
==Overview:==
In 3091 two legally registered Buccaneer-class dropships appeared at Kessel's
Zenith Recharge Point. The system's defenses were caught completely off-guard
when the two vessels each launched 4 Caerleon-class Small Craft and two
Aquartius M1 small craft. They promptly boarded and captured a Star Lord-class
Jumpship.
The captured Star Lord and one of the Buccaneers jumped out of the system. The
second Buccaneer, damaged by a nearby Naguma-class Dropship that had bravely
scrambled to intervene, surrendered.
The captured Buccaneer turned out to be a FWLM vessel. Converted into a
raiding craft with 6 small craft bays and a highly modular 80 ton bay that
could accommodate a range of battle armored troops, infantry or prize crew.
The Draconis Combine Admiralty also determined that this wasn't an aftermarket
refit. The captured Buccaneer was designed to be a raider from the keel up.
The Buccaneer Strike Carrier had been born in secret.
Seeing potential in the concept. The Admiralty ordered Hinsdale Electronics to
copy the design. Utilizing their own Oo-Suzumebachi battle armor transport and
assault ship, the first Combine Buccaneer Strike Carriers would see use in
support of DEST raids on Dieron.
By mid-3094 the secret was out. The design has since proliferated throughout
the Inner Sphere and into the periphery. It has been seen in the service of
every Great House, ComStar, some periphery nations and even a few major
corporations.
Ironically (given the relatively small size of their navy) the Taurian
Concordat may now be the most publicly prolific user of this vessel. Carrying
Tigress and Foxhound gunships on long patrols through the Concordat or
operating in conjunction with the Special Asteroid Support Forces. Most other
nations have reserved these specialized Buccaneers for more covert duties and
kept the number in service and their assignments, a state secret.
Externally the Buccaneer Strike Carrier is identical to the original
merchantman. Even its upgraded engine has been installed with an eye toward
giving it the same drive energy signature as a normal Buccaneer during normal
operations. Only when kicked up to full cruising or maximum thrust does the
Buccaneer Strike Carrier reveal its true colors.
The carrier has six small craft bays. Three are on either side of the hull
just over the wings facing to port and starboard, largely occupying the old
number 1 and 2 cargo bays. Externally the configuration matches the original
and the bay doors look like cargo bay doors or hull plating. Each bay has a
number of launch and recovery mechanisms, including catapults and docking arms
that can protrude several meters out of the hull.
A portion of the old Bay 3, split among multiple decks above the transit
drive, are where the new passenger quarters are located. Totaling 80 tons,
the modular bays can be configured to carry 80 tons of battle armored troops,
conventional marines, prize crew for captured vessels or special operations
teams. The modular nature of these facilities means that they can be
configured for a maximum loadout under very cramped conditions. Or they can be
made into comfortable quarters for a smaller contingent of personnel on longer
deployments.
The Buccaneer Strike Carrier is an ambush predator. Armed and armored like the
original merchantman, she is not fit for combat. Her job is to sneak her
complement of small craft into ambush position, often bypassing tough defenses
to strike at vulnerable jumpship convoys. Or she might use her cover as a
legitimate cargo vessel to stray into low orbit so that her small craft can
prosecute a quick raid on a ground target. To provide some semblance of
defense, she has been observed carrying a pair of Condottiere Assault Craft or
Heavy Aerospace Fighters in addition to a quartet of shuttles or assault
boats. But the flexible nature of the small craft bays means that she can be
outfitted to carry any small craft or fighter design.
Most civilian observers have described her as a dedicated covert operations
vessel. One naval commentator in the Federated Suns has publicly described
her as "the first purpose-built pirate ship constructed by any navy." Almost all
agree that with a large number of new small craft designs emerging, rooted in
every role from patrol, to boarding and assault operations to electronic warfare
support, the potential is there for the Buccaneer Strike Carrier to continue to
grow into more roles and functions in the future.
Note: Due to BTM's current dropship pricing policies generally reflect a sizable discount over the rule book constructed price for dropships. The total C-Bill cost of the Buccaneer Strike Carrier would probably be reduced by 45%-ish of its current HMAero C-Bill value. If for instance if it gets a 45% discount, it's list price would be 75,312,072.