"M Variant" Type: Cruiser Producer: ? In class: ? In service: ? Mass: 900,000 Sail Integrity: 5 Thrust: 3/5 Fuel: 4000 tons Structural Integrity: 100 Armor: 1800 tons of lamellor ferro carbide (300+10 each facing) Docking Collars: 4 Fighters: 24 Small Craft: 6 Crew: 600 Lifeboats: 60 Escape Pods: 0 Grav Decks: 1 120 meter Cargo: 36,169 Bay 1: Small Craft (6) 3 doors Bay 2: Cargo (36,169) 2 doors Bay 3: Fighters (12) 6 doors Bay 4: Fighters (12) 6 doors Other equipment HPG Weapons: Heatsinks: 7,000(14,000) (enough) Forward 20 Extended Range PPCs Fore Left/Fore Right 20 Heavy Naval PPCs Left Broadside/Right Broadside 20 Extended Range PPCs Aft Left/Aft Right 8 Heavy Naval PPCs 5 Maelstrom AR-10 Aft 20 Extended Range PPCs Ammo: 100 Killer Whale or Adcap standoff guided weapons Overview: Design schematics for the mysterious cruiser known as the M variant were first discovered in the year 3058 on the world of New Home by ROM operatives investigating a hidden star league computer database. Though complete schematics for the M variant were located within the database, much of the historical data about this ship was unrecoverable due to poor storage of the data discs. As a result, the order is unable to determine when this ship was designed, and by who, though some educated guesses can be made. Its weapon load and basic design principles are strongly reminicent of the SLDF's Genesis class destroyer and unrealized Scylla class frigate. It is possible, and indeed probable, that this ship is the unamed cruiser which was to follow the Scylla. There are no existing records of ships of this type serving in the SLDF fleet. Capabilities: The M variant's design seems to indicate a warship meant to opperate as a part of the main battlefleet. Though its arsenal is almost completely energy based, the ship's cargo capacity is insufficient for independent opperations. With heavier armor than even the mighty Texas class battleships and with a main battery of nearly sixty heavy naval PPCs, the M variant would have proven to be a deadly addition to the fleet. Ten Maelstrom AR-10s support the main battery. These missile tubes, however, are at first glance something of a design flaw. The ship's missile magazines are too small to accomodate more than a hundred weapons, limiting the flexibility of the AR-10s. Futher examination, however, indicates that this apparent design flaw was in fact a deliberate act, and the M variant was in fact intended to carry the expensive and deadly adcap standoff guided weapon rather than a normal mix of naval missiles. It is debatable, however, how many adcaps these ships would have actually carried if they had ever been built, given the scarcity of such weapons. Anti-fighter defense is provided by a network of eighty extended range PPCs, providing more than enough protection against attacking aerofighters, especially when combined with the M variant's integral fighter complement of four squadrons. The M variant's manueverability is subpar compared to most modern warships, however for its day it was more than adequate, matching well with other ships of its size such as the Black Lion. Deployment: There are, of course, no known ships of this type in service. The order has at times considered constructing at least one M variant, however the need for such a ship has not been felt. It is not known at this time whether or not the Word of Blake knows about this ship or if they have possession of the plans. One of the most confusing reports the order has recieved recently has come from ROM agents in the Outworlds Alliance. For the last year or so there have been sightings of an "unknown warship" prowling around the spacelanes of the Alliance. Though these sightings have long been regarded as mistaken identity or hoaxes, ROM agents recently uncovered circumstansial evidence that not only are the sightings true, but apparently the vessel is a clan warship. Not only that, but it matches the design schematics of the M variant almost exactly. We cannot even begin to guess where the clans acquired plans for the M variant, or for that matter what they are doing in Alliance space. We are currently looking for confirmation of this information. Variants: What little background information that could be recovered about the M variant makes repeated reference to another version of the ship, designed as part of a project known only as Lost Tribe. There are no known details about Lost Tribe, however there is some indication that some sort of test ship existed as part of the project. This ship's identity and current status is unknown, though it has been suggested as a possible source for the clan M variant reported in Alliance space. Though this is the most promising lead, the Precentor Martial has determined that further inquiry into Lost Tribe is not worth the effort, and all investigations into the project have been ordered shut down.