For today, we continue with our review of the Taurian Fleet, beginning with the 'Connies'--the Constellation class Frigate. Frigates--in Taurian service--are actually more of a light cruiser than anything else. These ships served as the heaviest vessels of the Fleet prior to the Reunification War, other than the Winchester class Cruisers--which were strictly limited in number. Throughout the War, Concordat Frigates performed missions and assignments most of the other great naval powers would have assigned to cruiser-class vessels.
Code:
AeroTech 2 Vessel Technical Readout
VALIDATED
Class/Model/Name: Constellation [Frigate]
Tech: Inner Sphere / 2750
Vessel Type: WarShip
Rules: Level 2, Custom design
Rules Set: AeroTech2
Mass: 600,000 tons
K-F Drive System: (Unknown)
Length: 670 meters
Sail Diameter: 1,061 meters
Power Plant: Standard
Safe Thrust: 3
Maximum Thrust: 5
Armor Type: Standard
Armament:
7 Killer Whale
8 White Shark
8 Barracuda
12 NAC/30
16 NL55
8 Heavy NPPC
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
==Overview:==
Launched in 2399, the Taurian Concordat Ship Constellation was hailed as the
first truely modern design of the Taurian Navy. The ship was classified as a
Frigate by the Concordat Navy, a designation that in their service indicated a
light line-of-battle ship designed for independent operations. Tactically
speaking, despite their low mass, Taurian frigates serve many of the roles
Inner Sphere Cruisers are expected to perform.
Indeed many observers in the Concordat press referred to this ship as the
Constellation class light cruiser for years before the proper naval
terminology won out. Arguably the best ship ever produced by the Concordat,
the Constellations were much loved by their commanders and crews. From 2399
when the Constellation entered the Fleet to the Day of Surrender on September
22, 2596, the Constellation class served the Concordat.
Two Constellation class vessels would survive the cataclysmic conflict. TCS
Cygnus (SFF-017) was being repaired at Prometheus station over New Columbia
when the surrender happened. She was scuttled by her own crew in order to
prevent her from falling into Star League hands.
TCS Aries (SFF-015) technically did not survive the war. She was lost in
action at 2nd Diefenbaker in 2585, and her hull drifted into the depths of
space. Later, she was found and recovered for service in the naval arm of the
Armed Forces of the Federated Suns--the only naval vessel on record to have
served under both of those flags.
==Capabilities:==
A powerful WarShip for her time, the Constellation class featured three
powerful GE-Westinghouse KCV-244 drives that allowed her to safely sustain
1.5-g's of thrust, and generate 2.5-g's for brief periods of time. This
thrust rating was more than satisfactory for a 600 kiloton ship, and
outperformed many comtemporary vessels.
839 tons of standard armor provided a Cruiser-class protective armor belt
around all vital spaces, while two air wings of sixteen aerospace fighters
allowed Constellations to maintain a Combat Air Patrol as well as having a
strike force reserve. Four small craft rounded out her parasite bays.
The lightest Concordat Navy vessel deliberately designed to carry DropShips
(at least until the Avalanche class debuted), Constellations could carry two
DropShips--typically Mirage class escorts. The three thousand ton Mirage
provided close-support versus hostile aerospace assets, augmenting the heavy
extreme-range anti-fighter batteries of the Frigate. For special missions,
the Mirages could be replaced with troop ships, giving the Navy an assortment
of options.
One hundred Marines were assigned to ships of this class to provide on-board
security and to handle boarding operations. These marines--and the fifty-two
officers and men assigned to the ship's parasite command--served alongside two
hundred and twenty-four other officers and enlisted personnel. Facilites were
also provided for forty-four passengers. Two 105-meter diameter grav decks
were provided to keep the crew in good conditioning.
The Constellations were the lightest ship capable of a year-long deployment.
14,400 tons of fuel--in twelve seperate armored fuel bunkers--gave the ships
over 364 burn-days at a 1-g acceleration. Sufficient food, water, and life
support was carried to support all crew and passengers for 360 days. The
spare parts lockers contained 15,000 tons of replacement components, while the
cargo holds could hold an additional 16,820 tons of supplies.
Anti-fighter armament of the Constellation was provided by twenty-three
Norman/Raytheon capital missile launchers. Eight each of the Barracuda and
White Shark launchers were placed in single bays in each of the ship's eight
firing arcs. Seven Killer Whale launchers covered every arc of fire except
dead astern. Each missile launcher had a individual armored magazine
containing 30 missiles; the Killer Whales also had a seperate
radiation-shielded magazine containing 5 nuclear-tipped weapons.
The main punch of the ship came from the twelve Jankowski Mark IV Class 30
Naval Autocannons. Four two gun bays were arranged on the fore-quarters and
the aft-quarters firing arcs, each with a hundred round magazine. The
remaining four Mark IVs were assigned singly to the fore, broadsides, and aft
firing arcs, each with a 50 round magazine.
Ammuntion independent firepower was provided by eight High Energy Systems Nova
class Heavy Naval PPCs and sixteen Martin-Gordan Sunburn Class 55 Naval
Lasers. The Sunburns were mounted in twin mounts, one per arc, while the
Novas were mounted singly, one per arc.
==Variants:==
No known variants of the Constellation class were ever recorded.
==Notable Vessels & Crews:==
Below are listed all known vessels of the Constellation class.
Constellation class Frigate
Constellation (SFF-001)
Columbia (SFF-002)
Gemini (SFF-003)
Taurus (SFF-004)
Leo (SFF-005)
Orion (SFF-006)
Serpens (SFF-007)
Virgo (SFF-008)
Aquarius (SFF-009)
Capricorn (SFF-010)
Scorpius (SFF-011)
Libra (SFF-012)
Pisces (SFF-013)
Cancer (SFF-014)
Aries (SFF-015)
Sagittarius (SFF-016)
Cygnus (SFF-017)
Fornax (SFF-018)
Aquilia (SFF-019)
Cetus (SFF-020)
Scutum (SFF-021)
Fornax (SFF-022)
Crux (SFF-023)
Andromeda (SFF-024)
==Deployment==
Despite the popularity of the design, production ceased in 2449 with the
commissioning of the TCS Andromeda (SFF-024). These ships formed the core of
nodal reaction forces across the Concordat during the 25th and 26th Centuries,
acting as flagships for Resolution and Formidable class Destroyers, and
Wildcat and Pegasus class Corvettes. On occassion, a Constellation would
serve as a heavy escort to one of the Winchester class Cruisers, but not
often.
The Connies--as local press termed the class--were still more likely to serve
in independent operations. While on these duties they would cruise around the
Concordat, investigating any occurances their captain deemed warranted
Concordat intervention. On more than one occassion, pirates who thought they
had the firepower to tackle the border patrols of corvettes instead met a
Constellation in orbit. Needless to say, those fights did not last very
long.
By 2485, grumbling from within the Fleet had reached the ears of the
Protector. Alarmed at what he considered their valid compliants, he
instructed that production of the frigates resume.
The Admirality had already planned to do so. However, not with the
Constellation. Instead, they revealed the plans for the newer, larger,
Endeavor class Frigate. Accepting their new ship, the Protector assured the
Fleet that none of the Constellations would be retired into mothballs. While
not what the Concordat Navy had planned, the Admirality accepted the
Protector's order.
It was just as well that they did. When war with the Star League erupted, the
Concordat Navy had forty-eight exceptional frigates on hand--with more of the
even more advanced Hector class under construction. Even the old
Constellations were capable of engaging and defeating an Aegis class Cruiser
in a one-on-one fight.
Few engagements of the war were fought one-one-one, however. And as the years
passed, more and more of the old Constellations were destroyed. While some
lobbied to refit the designs with the new armors, there were never enough
shipyards, times, or armor material to do so.
Regardless, the Connies served their nation well. One such ship--TCS Aries
(SFF-015)--that had been lost in action at 2nd Diefenbaker was rediscovered in
a long-duration orbit around Diefenbaker's star in 2722 by an AFFS naval
flotillia on maneuvers.
After they stablized the orbit of the Aries, the flotilla commander sent for
repair ships. Though it took forty-two months to restore the ship, many
considered it a worth-while endeavor. On August 17, 2726, AFFS Aries was
formally commissioned into the service of the Federated Suns. She proudly
served until the First Succession War, when she was lost defending Kentares
against the Kurita attack.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Class/Model/Name: Constellation [Frigate]
Mass: 600,000 tons
Equipment: Mass
Power Plant, Drive & Control: 108,000.00
Thrust: Safe Thrust: 3
Maximum Thrust: 5
Kearny-Fuchida Hyperdrive: Compact (Integrity = 13) 271,500.00
Jump Sail (Detachable): (Integrity = 4) 60.00
Structural Integrity: 70 42,000.00
Total Heat Sinks: 4,700 Single 4,191.00
Fuel & Fuel Pumps: 14,688.00
Bridge, Controls, Radar, Computer & Attitude Thrusters: 1,500.00
Fire Control Computers: .00
Food & Water: (360 days supply) 756.00
Armor Type: Standard (378 total armor pts) 839.00
Capital Scale Armor Pts
Location: L / R
Fore: 63
Fore-Left/Right: 63/63
Aft-Left/Right: 63/63
Aft: 63
Cargo:
Bay 1: Fighters (8) with 2 doors 1,200.00
Small Craft (2) with 1 door 400.00
Bay 2: Fighters (8) with 2 doors 1,200.00
Small Craft (2) with 1 door 400.00
Bay 3: Cargo (1) with 2 doors 16,820.00
DropShip Capacity: 2 Docking Hardpoints 2,000.00
Grav Decks #1 - 2: (105-meter diameter) 200.00
Escape Pods: 70 (7 tons each) 490.00
Crew and Passengers:
39 Officers (39 minimum) 390.00
126 Crew (126 minimum) 882.00
59 Gunners (59 minimum) 413.00
13 1st Class Passengers 130.00
31 2nd Class Passengers 217.00
100 Marines 500.00
52 Bay Personnel .00
Weapons and Equipment Loc SRV MRV LRV ERV Heat Mass
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1 Killer Whale(35 msls) Nose 4 4 4 4 20 1,900.00
1 White Shark(30 msls) Nose 3 3 3 3 15 1,320.00
1 Barracuda(30 msls) Nose 2 2 2 2 10 990.00
1 NAC/30(50 rounds) Nose 30 30 30 -- 100 3,540.00
2 NL55 Nose 11 11 11 11 170 2,200.00
1 Heavy NPPC Nose 15 15 15 15 225 3,000.00
1 Killer Whale(35 msls) FL/R 4 4 4 4 40 3,800.00
1 White Shark(30 msls) FL/R 3 3 3 3 30 2,640.00
1 Barracuda(30 msls) FL/R 2 2 2 2 20 1,980.00
2 NAC/30(100 rounds) FL/R 60 60 60 -- 400 14,160.00
2 NL55 FL/R 11 11 11 11 340 4,400.00
1 Heavy NPPC FL/R 15 15 15 15 450 6,000.00
1 Killer Whale(35 msls) L/RBS 4 4 4 4 40 3,800.00
1 White Shark(30 msls) L/RBS 3 3 3 3 30 2,640.00
1 Barracuda(30 msls) L/RBS 2 2 2 2 20 1,980.00
1 NAC/30(50 rounds) L/RBS 30 30 30 -- 200 7,080.00
2 NL55 L/RBS 11 11 11 11 340 4,400.00
1 Heavy NPPC L/RBS 15 15 15 15 450 6,000.00
1 Killer Whale(35 msls) AL/R 4 4 4 4 40 3,800.00
1 White Shark(30 msls) AL/R 3 3 3 3 30 2,640.00
1 Barracuda(30 msls) AL/R 2 2 2 2 20 1,980.00
2 NAC/30(100 rounds) AL/R 60 60 60 -- 400 14,160.00
2 NL55 AL/R 11 11 11 11 340 4,400.00
1 Heavy NPPC AL/R 15 15 15 15 450 6,000.00
1 White Shark(30 msls) Aft 3 3 3 3 15 1,320.00
1 Barracuda(30 msls) Aft 2 2 2 2 10 990.00
1 NAC/30(50 rounds) Aft 30 30 30 -- 100 3,540.00
2 NL55 Aft 11 11 11 11 170 2,200.00
1 Heavy NPPC Aft 15 15 15 15 225 3,000.00
1 Lot Spare Parts (2.50%) 15,000.00
1 Bay Personnel Quarters 364.00
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
TOTALS: Heat: 4,700 600,000.00
Tons Left: .00
Calculated Factors:
Total Cost: 3,893,623,200 C-Bills
Battle Value: 158,749
Cost per BV: 24,526.91
Weapon Value: 48,678 (Ratio = .31)
Damage Factors: SRV = 5,843; MRV = 5,843; LRV = 4,624; ERV = 1,840
Maintenance: Maintenance Point Value (MPV) = 410,177
(50,507 Structure, 156,150 Life Support, 203,520 Weapons)
Support Points (SP) = 259,855 (63% of MPV)
BattleForce2: Not applicable
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