Imperial Navy Plankwell Class Dreadnaught

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The Plankwell class dreadnaught is a more specialized ship than the multi-task oriented Tigress class. Lacking the extensive troop complement and the large fighter screen, the Plankwell fulfills are more traditional battleship role, as the centre of a fleet of supporting ships.

For decades, the Imperial Fleet in the Spinward Marches has included at least one BatRon of Plankwell class ships, but recently (1102), the last squadron was rotated to the strategic reserve in Corridor Sector. Sentiment in Naval and Sector circles runs high in favour of the return of at least one BatRon to the Marches.

(Post 5FW addendum - The Plankwell dreadnaughts performed excellently during the hostilities against the Zhodani invaders in the 5th Frontier War, but sufferred from having to travel from Corridor in the early days of the war. The Admiralty decided, after the war, to station Plankwells along the borders, to provide a fast reacting force, and allow time for the Battle Tenders and Riders to advance. The 101st BatRon is an example of this policy.)

Plankwell class dreadnaughts are named for notable admirals in the Imperial Navy. The class name is taken from Grand Admiral Olav hault-Plankwell, a sector admiral in the Spinward Marches who rose to Grand Admiral of the Marches and lead defeat of the Outworld Coalition during the 1st Frontier War (589 - 604). Following his victory in 604, he lead the fleet to the Core, personally dispatched the Empress Jaqueline I, and took over the government. The result was the long, bloody Civil War; Olav was the first of the Emperors of the Flag. Although Olav is in disrepute as an emperor, Grand Admiral Plankwell is still remembered and honored for his achievements as a naval commander in the First Frontier War; significantly, his name has not been assigned to any ship in the new Cleon class of battleriders, named for Emperors of the Imperium.

Modular Construction: Plankwell class dreadnaughts were built using a modular design and construction technique which has proven cost- effective in commercial ship-building. A central strut or keel serves as a foundation, bracing the drives and aligning the spinal mount, while all other parts of the ship are mounted to brackets or strengthened points along it. The technique allows seperate construction of the various modules (such as quarters, electronics areas, fuel tankage, and control areas), with a final mating of all the various components being performed only after the drives and keel have been tested and accepted. There was some initial concern that the connecting points would be focusses for weaknesses in battle, but the losses of two separate Plankwells in combat (prior to the 5FW) has been attributed by investigating boards to strategic misdirection.

- From Supplement 9 - Fighting Ships, (c) 1981 Marc W. Miller (with some extra bits from Craig Barnett)

High Guard Details:

To be added.

Crew:
2 x Command, 10 x Helm, 10 x Navigation, 33 x Commo/Sensor, 6 x Screens, 787 x Engineering, 892 x Gunnery, 4 x Stewards, 11 x Medical, 10 x Computer, 10 x Flight
Total Crew = 1775

Specifications:
200000ton Unstreamlined Hull, Heavy Compartmentalisation, Sealed, Heavy Frame Strength, Standard (Default) Hull Materials, Advanced Metal Armor, DR 66000, PD 4, +14 size mod, 212589.901 MCr, 3877983 HP, Turrets 1200 HP, Bays 9750 HP, Radical Stealth, Radical Emissions Cloaking, 10 Hardened Command Bridge, 1 Engineering, 400 Utility, 65578 Maneuver, 10000 Powered Jump, 80000 Jump Fuel (20000 for Jump 1), 416 Fuel Processor (24 hrs to process), 1000 Staterooms (950 Crew, 50 High Passage, 0 Middle Passage), 26 Low Berth (104 capacity, 0 Low Passage), 10 Sickbay, 2 Lab, 512 Nuclear Damper (50 miles), 20000 Meson Screen (DR 157477), 1000 Cargo, 3170 Power Plant (126800 MW output, 20 MW excess), 2 TL 12 AESA scan 50 (15 spaces, 0 MW), 2 TL 12 PESA scan 50 (15 spaces, 0 MW), 2 TL 12 Radscanner scan 45 (9 spaces, 0 MW), 4 EW Suites (DJ 16, AJ 16, 1 BE) (2 spaces, 0 MW), 20 Brig(s), 5 Complete Workshop(s), 4000 sq ft Conference Hall(s), 5 x 50 tons capacity Space Dock (50std Cutters or smaller), 630 turrets, 130 bays - 100 Triple 405Mj Laser Turrets, 100 Triple Sandcaster Turrets, 80 Missile Bays, 50 PAW Bays, 1 Spinal Meson Gun-100 (3600000MJ, 120000 MW), 400 PAW-1 Turrets (360MJ, 4800 MW), 30 Double Fusion Gun Turrets (1980 MW)

Performance:
Jump 4, EMass 3233255.94 tons, LMass 3239255.94 tons (Estimated carried craft mass = 1000 tons), EMass 3129255.94 tons (less fuel), LMass 3135255.94 tons (less fuel), Air Speed 0 mph (0 kph), Acceleration - 2.03G Empty, 2.02G Loaded, 2.1G Empty (less Fuel), 2.09G Loaded (less Fuel)

Weapon Stats:
Spinal Meson Gun-100, 3600000MJ : 240000 (386160 km) 1/2 range, 610000 (981490 km) max range, 6d x 25000(!) damage
PAW-1 Turret, 360MJ : 2500 (4023 km) 1/2 range, 6300 (10137 km) max range, 6d x 300 damage
Fusion Gun : 4200 (6758 km) 1/2 range, 12600 (20273 km) max range, 6d x 500 damage

Notes:

Design Stats for Active Sensor Module:
TL 12 AESA (in pop turret): 64.34 tons, 7.5 spaces, 39.49565 MCr
Scan 50 in space, 3000000 miles (4827000 km)

Design Stats for Passive Sensor Module:
TL 12 PESA (in pop turret): 75.71 tons, 7.5 spaces, 120.27045 MCr, 0 MW
Scan 50 in space, 3000000 miles (4827000 km)

Design Stats for Radscanner Module:
TL 12 Radscanner: 56.25 tons, 4.5 spaces, 22.525 MCr, 0 MW
Scan 45 , 450000 miles (724050 km)

Design Stats for EW Suite Module:
Deceptive Jammer 16, Area Jammer 16, 1 Blip Enhancer(s)
1.535 tons, 0.5 spaces, 1.236 MCr, Internal Power

Design Stats for Complete Workshop:
3 spaces, 15 tons, 0.06 MCr, Internal Power

Statistics

Tons: 200000std (SL Monolith Hypersonic)
Volume: 2800000m3
Mass (L/C): 4130461t/4046130t
Dimensions: 384.7m x 171.4m x 42m
Maintenance Points: 84494
Size: 11
Crew: 2833
Cost: 198,354.903 MCr
Tech Level: 15

Electronics

Controls: Holographic, High automation. 6x FibComp (CM:0.2 CP:5.0). Bridge.
Communications: 2x Radio (500,000km, 0.17MW).
                10x Laser (1,000AU, 0MW).
                1x Meson (1,000AU, 5MW).
Sensors: 1x PEMS (13.5 [16mkm], 0.01MW).
         1x AEMS (11.5 [.5mkm], 1MW).
         10x LIDAR (15 [2mkm], 2.5MW).
ECM: 1x Radio Jammer (50,000km, 0.03MW).
     1x Area. Jammer (12, 500MW).
     1x Decp. Jammer (12, 1MW).
     1x Pas. Jammer (15, 0.5MW).
Signatures: Vis:0.5, IR:0.5 (0.5 at 444033MW, 0 at 84736MW), Act:1, Neu:1, Grav:2

Performance

4 Jump (20000std/pc fuel)
4.1/4.2 Maneuver (Thruster:420000MW)
4481kph/4527kph Atmosphere Maximum
3361kph/3395kph Atmosphere Cruise
8 Power (Fusion:847362MW,1yr)
86052.6 Fuel (Scoop:2 hrs/Purif:48 hrs,753MW)
0/214/612/0/0 Accommodations
11336 Life Sup. (Ty:St,Ex /'St)
4 G-Comp
40 Damper Turrets (5MW Rng:50000km0)
750 Damper Screen (372MW)
750 Meson Screen (703.125MW)
40 Force Field (Acc:9900000MJ/tn)
160 [3500] Armor, 59 Structure

Weaponry

1x 100k-Mj Spinal MG (+6) 2/16-12-10-8 [1,50/2245-1247-624-316] (LR)
3x Triple 256-Mj PA (+6) 2/11-9-6-4 [3,100/241-120-60-30] (LR)
20x 750-Mj Dual Laser Bay (+6) 1/13-13-13-13 [10,600/68-68-68-68] (LR)
40x 85-Mj Laser Turret (+6) 1/7-2-2-2 [10,100/23-23-23-23] (LR)
32x 20-pack Missile Bay Auto 20/20 (Mag:500 /MFD:500,000km)
        w/520 Cmd DL 1d6/2 6.0G12 1000AU
4x Missile Master Fire Directors (0MW 50,000km)

Features

1990x Airlock
10x Decontamination Airlock
6x Docking Umbilical
2x Electronic Shop (6std ea.)
2x Machine Shop (10std ea.)
4x Sickbay (8std ea.)
1x Ship's locker (100std ea.)
15x Prisoner Capacity (10/0/5)
1x Armory (2.14std ea.)
5x Gym (2.5std ea.)
9x Full Galley (Cap:100)
1x Capsule Launcher (60 rdy cap.)

Small Craft

4x Spacious Hanger (40std, 4 hatches) Pinnaces
2x Spacious Hanger (95std, 2 hatches) Shuttles
60x Jettison Bay (10std) Liferafts

Backups

Drives: 2x Thruster 0.4G / 0.4G.
Screens: 2x Meson Screen (/PV:500). 2x Damper Screen (/PV:500)
Communications: 4x Radio (50,000km). 2x Meson (500,000km)
Sensors: 2x PEMS (12.5 [1.6mkm]).
         2x AEMS (11 [.16mkm]).
         20x LIDAR (14.5 [500kkm])
ECM: 1x Radio Jammer (5,000km).
     1x Area. Jammer (11).
     2x Decp. Jammer (11).
     1x Pas. Jammer (13)
Power & Fuel: Fusion (24022MW). Purification Plant (480hr)

Crew Details

9x Maneuver
1x Electronic
1876x Engineering
143x Maintenance
207x Gunnery
16x Screens
16x Flight
60x Marines
388x Command
94x Stewards
23x Medical

Built to be the centerpiece for the defense of the Domain of Deneb, the Plankwell-class battleship is considered by many Naval observers to be the best example of modern capital ship design.

The class breaks the traditional mold of Imperial battleships by placing heavy emphasis on it's missile batteries. Fired in volley, a Plankwell can fire an astonishing 640 missiles in a single action. This rate of fire can be sustained for hours due to large magazines. For most missions, the standard ASM-37P "Detail" missile is stored, though other models may be carried based on the ship's mission.

This isn't to say that the Plankwell skimps on energy weaponry. The main ship-killing weapon is the 100k-Mj Spinal Meson Gun, along with numerous laser batteries for both offense and close-in anti missile defense. The class' particle accelerator array is three triple mounted 256-Mj torodial weapons. These weapons are limited to a secondary role against enemy cruiser, or in surface bombardment of airless worlds. It is thought that later versions of the class will omit the PA bays in favor of additional defenses.

The ship itself is a long, blocky monolith nearly 400 meters long. The vessel is divided into three distinct sections, the engineering hull, the crew hull, and the weaponry hull, with the last being offset from the first two to allow the muzzle of the MG to clear. As their names suggest, the ship's functions are divided between the various hulls.

The engineering section contains the ship's drives and power plant. The ship is rated for Jump-4, and can make 4g acceleration. A secondary set of thrusters are available for emergencies, and can generate .4g. A back-up power plant can provide power for essential systems (life support, sensors, etc.,.) while the crew makes repairs to the main systems.

The crew section contains the bulk of the ship's living spaces. The crew is housed in fairly spacious quarters, and ever effort has been made to give each crewman a space of his own, where he can "get away from the Navy." The nine dining facilities serve surprisingly good food, and are the envy of the fleet. The crew section also contains the ship's bridges. There are two: the running bridge, contained in a tower on the vessel's port side, allowing day-to-day operations with a view of the outside. The other bridge is the Combat Command Center, which is deep in the heart of the ship. CCC is where the full command center of the ship is found, and is manned at all times, even when the command staff is on the running bridge. CCC is actually several different areas, such as Sensor Control, Gunnery Control, Engineering Control, all of which report to the Officer of the deck, who sits in the center of all the action.

The weapons hull contains the ship's armament, as described above. In desperate actions, a Plankwell commander can jettison the weapons hull. This act raises the performance of the engines to an amazing 11.6g! To make use of this power, all crew members must be strapped down, and no maneuvering can be attempted. It is a way to get out of a bad fight quickly.

While the Plankwell is streamlined, it is not design to make any sort of planetary landing, and any touchdown would be catastrophic at best. Interface is handled by the four 40dt pinnaces and two 95dt shuttlecraft. One of the pinnaces is outfitted to IMF standards, and is used by the on-board Marine platoon as a recovery craft. Even with the onboard compliment, personnel transfer is very slow, and liberty call is usually accomplished via the aid of local assets.

When the class was proposed, there was great controversy surrounding the choice of Grand Admiral Olav haut-Plankwell for the class. Remembered as a hero in the Spinward Marches for his defeat of the Zhodani in the First Frontier War, he is reviled elsewhere as the instigator of the Civil War. At the time the class was being tested, the Fourth Frontier War had just ended, and the naming of the class may have been a message to the Iridium Throne "ignore us at your peril."

Operationally, the Plankwell is a single mission platform. It is a ship killer. The class has none of the flexibility seen in other battleships, but in giving up that flexibility, it becomes that much more lethal. Plankwell BatRons are organized around two Plankwells, with several supporting cruisers and escorts. In wartime, it is envisioned that Plankwell equipped BatRons would form the heart of the line of battle, and carry the fight directly to the enemy fleet. Another possibility is using Plankwells as raiders, sending them deep into Out World Coalition territory to destroy orbital starports and shipyards.

Whatever the mission, the sophonts who crew these mighty ships have come up with an unofficial nickname for their charges: "Kaddushaggur", or "God's Own Hammer."

- By Douglas E. Berry

By Craig Barnett , Last updated 12 February 1999.