BARD PAPER: SARA0054

Bastion Command Planetoid Missile Platforms

design by Richard Perks

For all those TL 8 planets with moderate populations who can't afford those nice TL15 Imperial standard warships (or the cheap vargr knock offs), and have not got the starport or heavy infrastructure for building fancy starship hulls; there are two designs to provide close in protection for the system mainworld against commercial vampires. The vessels are wholly TL8 construction for ease of maintenance and to reduce balance of payments problems. They are designed to be placed in orbit around the main world and to remain hidden pretending to be minor moons or old belter mining sites until the unsuspecting vampire closes in to perform planetary bombardment.

They are designed to operate in groups of three; 1 bastion command base and 2 bulwark missile bases - Total cost MCR 92.47693 approx half the cost of a dragon class SDB but with twice the fire power.

They are based upon the planetoid hull rules devised by Rupert Boleyn and listed on the BARD pages. Missiles where chosen as the main armament due to the poor laser performance and lack of fusion PP at this TL.

The Bastion will detect the vampire and handoff sensor locks to the more heavy armed Bulwarks via the laser coms.

Bastion Command Planetoid Missile Base

General Data

Displacement: 200 tons	Hull Armor: 30
Length: 17 meters	Volume: 2800m m³
Price: 57.63611MCr	Target Size: S
Configuration: USL Sphere, Buffered Planetoid	Tech Level: 8
Mass (Loaded/Unloaded): 4732.56 / 4207.16

Engineering Data

Power Plant: 12MW Fuel Cell, Duration 1 day combat, 15 days standby operation

Jump Performance: None

Jump Fuel: 0 m³

G-Rating: 0

G-Turns: 0

Maint: 48

Electronics

Computer: 3 x TL8 Fiber

Commo: Radio 3,000km; 3 x laser com, 300,000km

Avionics: None

Sensors: Radar, 30,000km; High Resolution Thermal, 60,000km (both fixed arrays)

ECM/ECCM: None

Controls: 4 bridge, 1 normal, 2 gunnery

Armament

Offensive 2 standard TL8 Missile turrets each with 2 ready missiles (Loc 10/11 Arcs: all)

Defensive: None

Master Fire Directors: None

Accommodations

Life Support: Extended life support

Grav Compensation: None

Crew: 7 (1 command, 3 elec, 2 gun, 1 medic)

Crew Accommodations: 2 small staterooms, 5 bunks, 5 low berths

Passenger Accomadation: None

Other Facilities: None

Cargo: 7 m³ 1 Small Cargo Hatch

Small Craft and Launch Facilities: 1 x 8Dtn Docking ring + launch port. (no craft carried)

Air Locks: 2

Notes

No fuel scoops or plant. Fuel: 518.4kl HG Hyd. The ship has been provided with a full bridge to allow ease of sensor lock handoffs to the bulwarks via laser com.

The ship configuration is unsuitable for spin, so only the medic and 1 elec operator are normally awake (and are rotated planetside every month to prevent zero g effects building up), the remainder of the crew are frozen and are awakened if a vampire is detected. The additional bunks are provided for the crew (staterooms used by the medic and the elec - except when the commander is awakened, when he gets bumped down to a bunk). Full power operation is with the radar running full 12MW output, standby is with everything else running but no radar. Standby days can be traded for combat days at the ratio of 3 to 1.

The missile armament is for self defense or when sensor locks can not be passed to the two escorting bulwarks.

Damage Tables

Lcom 1h x 3, radio 1h, 2ssr 1h, 5low 1h, HRT, 2h, LS 27H, ELS 13H, Hanger
1H, Radar 1H, PP1H, MT 1H.

Surface
1 (1 LC ant, 19 radio ant, 2-18 HRT ant0
2 (1 airlock, 2-10 radar ant)
3-5 None
6-7 (1 LC ant)
9-12 None
13 (1 airlock)
14 None
15 (1-10 launch port)
16-20 None
Interior
1 Elec
2-9 Quarters
10-11 (1-6 MT, 7-20 Hold)
12-18 Quarters
19 (1-10 hold, 11-20 quarters)
20 (1-4 eng, 5-20 hold)