The ships presented here have been designed using the Naval Architect Manual included in the Star Cruiser boxed set. Ships listed above that do not have a write-up below have been published by others and are not available here.
Original Date of Design: 21 Mar 2297 First Example Laid Down: 16 Sep 2299 First Example Completed: 25 Jun 2301 Fleets of Service: Japan
The Starfish-class destroyer was built as a replacement for Marshall Foch-class destroyers that had been license-built by Japan over the past decade. The French design had several limitations for the Japanese; lack of a dedicated hanger bay for a troop lander; inadequate troop compliment, and poor warp efficiency.
In 2297, Japanese design teams were tasked to produce the plans for a replacement escort. Several designs were submitted, but the fueling requirement of a MHD power plant proved to be a major stumbling block to endurance. A second round of designs was requested with a fission or fusion power plant. These second generation designs provided sufficient endurance, but still suffered from poor warp efficiency during combat due to the specified particle beam weaponry load. The Imperial Japanese Navy was unwilling to compromise on the weaponry load and it seemed that the end design was going to be extremely expensive, due to the large power plant needed.
In early 2299, the design bureau of Mitsumami Industries submitted an innovative design that consisted of a fission power plant providing primary power and a MHD booster plant that would be used during combat to power sensors and beam weaponry. The design relied heavily on recent breakthroughs in power integration and management circuits to provide a steady power system. In September 2299, construction of the first hull began.
The hull is constructed of six equal box segments attached at right angles to each other at a common center to produce a six-pointed plus symbol. The Japanese class name translates as Starfish while the American military calls it Jacks, in reference to the pieces in the common children’s game. The entire hull is spun about a single axis so that the arms in the x and y planes rotate about the two arms in the z plane. The arms in the z plane remain un spun and contain the engineering section, hanger deck, and missile bays. Each of the rotating arms is capped with a jack turret containing beam weaponry and the arms are spun down during combat to reduce damage due to sudden imbalances caused by damage.
Power generation is provided by a primary fission plant. This plant provides sufficient power to run the drive unit at full efficiency. A MHD booster plant is engaged during combat to provide power to the sensors and beam weaponry. Fuel tankage is provided to run the booster plant for five hours. Additional fuel tankage is carried that can be used to refuel the MHD plant, but the plant must be powered down to transfer fuel; a process that takes approximately thirty to sixty minutes to complete.
Navigational: Navigational Radar, Deep Space Scanner, Gravitational Scanner; Military: Active sensor (range=10), Passive sensor (range=10); Survey: none
Bridge: 10 (Command, Navigation, Communications, Engineering, Computer); TAC: 8 (Sensors x2 (Active, Passive), Fire Control x4, Remote x2); Engineering: 10; Shipboard Vessels: 4 (Crew x3, Maintenance x1); Ship's Security: none; Ship's Troops: 16; Steward Section: none; Scientific: none; Medical: Medic x2; Passengers: none
Warp Efficiency: 2.77 with booster (2.11 without booster); Power Plant: 25 MW fission and 15 MW MHD booster plant; Fuel: 45 tons, sufficient for 5 hours of booster plant operation; Range: 7.7; Mass: 6,290 tons; Cargo Capacity: 165 m³ (100 tons) for lander fuel tankage; 150 m³ (300 tons) for ordnance, 725 m³ (2,180 tons) cargo; Hanger Decks: one (7m wide x 6 m high x 20 m deep); Comfort: 0; Total Life Support: 60 for 180 days; Ordnance: BMZ-150 particle accelerators, Ritage-2 missiles; ; Small Craft: one lander; Price: Lv Lv 99,780,000 including ordnance, excluding lander
Movement: 6 (4 without booster); Screens: none; Radiated Signature: 2 (5) or 3(6) with booster; Radial Reflected: 5; Lateral Reflected: 5; Targeting Computer: +2; Radial Profile: 0; Lateral Profile: 0; Armor: 4; Hull Hits: 23/57/114; Power Plant Hits: 6/30 and 6/30 booster; Surface Fixture Hits: one x3-2 UTES with arc 812, one x3-2 UTES with arc 234, one x3-2 UTES with arc 456, one x3-2 UTES with arc 678, 2x Communicators; Active Sensors: range=10 with primary antenna; Passive Sensors: range=10 with primary antenna; Critical Hits - Ship Sections: Computer, Life Support, Drive, Missile Bay #1, Missile Bay #2, Continuous; Critical Hits - TAC: Active Operator, Passive Operator, 2x Remote, 4x Fire Control; Critical Hits - Bridge: Captain, Navigator, Communications, Engineering, Computer; Damage Control: three 3 man and one 1 man; Comfort: 0; Ordnance: eight Ritage-2 in two bay of 4 each.
Original Date of Design: 13 Mar 2297 First Example Laid Down: 20 Aug 2298 First Example Completed: 24 Mar 2299 Fleets of Service: Japan
The Arrows of Nykai-class fighter was constructed in 2299 by the Japanese, with French assistance. A fast fighter, the Arrows of Nykai, relies solely on missiles for its weaponry, carrying two Ritage-2 missiles in magnetic slings. The Weapons Officer can control one missile at a time although the two may be fired together, with control of one or both handed off to another ship. The fighter has no defensive weaponry, and relies on the skill of the pilot, armor, and stealth characteristics to minimize damage to the craft. The Arrows of Nykai-class is fully streamlined, but this is reduced to partial streamlining when missiles are present. Booster units are used in most cases to assist the fighter in leaving orbit when carrying missiles.
The Arrows of Nykai is one of three fighters designs put into production by the Japanese space forces. Each design is unique in its weaponry-submunitions for the Soaring Dove, missiles for the Arrows of Nykai-class, and beam weaponry for the Rainbow Sword-class.
Navigational: Navigational Radar; Deep System Scanner Military: Passive Sensors (range=10); Survey: none
Cockpits: 2 (Pilot, Weapons Officer)
Warp Efficiency: 3.46; Power Plant: 2.0 MW MHD; Fuel: 28.8 tons, sufficient for 24 hours, plus 30.0 tons thruster fuel, sufficient for one interface trip at 1.03 G with missiles (1.23 G without missiles); Range: 7.7; Mass: 204.3 tons; Cargo Capacity: none; Hanger Decks: none; Comfort: 0 for crew; Total Life Support: 2 crew; Ordnance: Ritage-2 missiles; Price: Lv 18,258,000
Movement: 7; Screens: none; Radiated Signature: 0 (2); Radial Reflected: 4; Lateral Reflected: 4; Targeting Computer: +2; Radial Profile: -3; Lateral Profile: -2; Armor: 2; Hull Hits: 2/4/8; Power Plant Hits: 2/6; Surface Fixture Hits: two Ritage-2 external slings; Active Sensors: none; Passive Sensors: range=10 with primary antenna; Critical Hits - Ship Sections: Computer, Life Support, Continuous; Critical Hits - TAC: Weapons Officer; Critical Hits - Bridge: Pilot; Damage Control: none; Comfort: 0; Ordnance: two Ritage-2 missiles in external slings
Original Date of Design: 13 Feb 2299 First Example Laid Down: 04 Aug 2299 First Example Completed: 12 Dec 2300 Fleets of Service: Japan
The Rainbow Sword-class fighter was constructed in 2300 by the Japanese, with French assistance. A fast fighter, the Rainbow Sword is a traditionally gunned craft with a duel beam turret controlled by the Weapons Officer. The last of the three designs constructed by the Japanese, it shares little in combination with the other two except for similar speed performance. The Rainbow Sword-class is a more massive dual engine design with extensive hull masking to offset the increase in radiated signature.
The Rainbow Sword is one of three fighters designs put into production by the Japanese space forces. Each design is unique in its weaponry-submunitions for the Soaring Dove, missiles for the Arrows of Nykai-class, and beam weaponry for the Rainbow Sword-class.
Navigational: Navigational Radar; Deep System Scanner Military: Active Sensors (range=7), Passive Sensors (range=10); Survey: none
Cockpits: 2 (Pilot, Weapons Officer)
Warp Efficiency: 3.50; Power Plant: 2.0 MW MHD; Fuel: 60.0 tons, sufficient for 24 hours, plus 60.0 tons thruster fuel, sufficient for one interface trip at 1.03 G; Range: 7.7; Mass: 376.5 tons; Cargo Capacity: none; Hanger Decks: none; Comfort: 0 for crew; Total Life Support: 1 crew; Ordnance: Guiscard LL-98 laser; Price: Lv 35,415,000
Movement: 7; Screens: none; Radiated Signature: 1 (4); Radial Reflected: 4; Lateral Reflected: 5; Targeting Computer: +2; Radial Profile: -3; Lateral Profile: -2; Armor: 2; Hull Hits: 4/8/15; Power Plant Hits: 2/6; Surface Fixture Hits: x1+0 dbl UTES with arcs 812; Active Sensors: range=7 with primary antenna; Passive Sensors: range=10 with primary antenna; Critical Hits - Ship Sections: Computer, Life Support, Continuous; Critical Hits - TAC: Weapons Officer; Critical Hits - Bridge: Pilot; Damage Control: none; Comfort: 0; Ordnance: none
Original Date of Design: 31 Jan 2297 First Example Laid Down: 23 Apr 2298 First Example Completed: 06 Dec 2298 Fleets of Service: Japan
The Soaring Dove-class fighter was constructed in 2298 by the Japanese, with French assistance. A fast fighter, the Soaring Dove, relies solely on submunitions for its weaponry. The lack of high powered weapons and an active sensors array allowed for the power plant size to be kept to a minimum and reduce the weight of the craft. Moderate armor and stealth characteristics, coupled with the small size of the fighter make it difficult to target.
The Soaring Dove is one of three fighters designs put into production by the Japanese space forces. Each design is unique in its weaponry-submunitions for the Soaring Dove, missiles for the Arrows of Nykai-class, and beam weaponry for the Rainbow Sword-class.
Navigational: Navigational Radar; Deep System Scanner Military: Passive Sensors (range=10); Survey: none
Cockpits: 1 (Pilot)
Warp Efficiency: 3.48; Power Plant: 2.0 MW MHD; Fuel: 28.8 tons, sufficient for 24 hours, plus 27.0 tons thruster fuel, sufficient for one interface trip at 0.96 G; Range: 7.7; Mass: 196.2 tons; Cargo Capacity: none; Hanger Decks: none; Comfort: 0 for crew; Total Life Support: 1 crew; Ordnance: LL-2 submunition dispensers; Price: Lv 18,571,000
Movement: 7; Screens: none; Radiated Signature: 0 (2); Radial Reflected: 4; Lateral Reflected: 4; Targeting Computer: +2; Radial Profile: -3; Lateral Profile: -2; Armor: 2; Hull Hits: 2/4/8; Power Plant Hits: 2/6; Surface Fixture Hits: two LL-2 submunition dispensers, one TTA; Active Sensors: none; Passive Sensors: range=10 with primary antenna; Critical Hits - Ship Sections: Computer, Life Support, Continuous; Critical Hits - TAC: none; Critical Hits - Bridge: Pilot; Damage Control: none; Comfort: 0; Ordnance: ten LL-2 submunitions (3x1 detonation laser) in two dispensers