Phalanx class Defensive Fighter

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This design by Justin Engler was created in response to my Blunderbuss class Fighter. Since he designed this to accompany my design, I requested his permission to post his design to my site. He was willing to allow this, so you have this resource available now!

Below are his comments preceeding his design in the source message:

"Well, I was inspired by Joseph's Pepperpot, and seeing as he notes that the design is defenseless, I thought I would throw together a close escort fighter for it and try out HGS while I was at it. You will note the blatant disregard for canon rules (turrets on a small craft?!?).

It's been a long time since I've used high guard to build anything, and I have a few questions about the results.

First up, I ended up with a power plant of 26 to get power the weapons and M-drive and still end up with 6 Agility (to match the blunderbuss). I'm not sure if this is correct as I don't have the books handy right now to check by hand. Could it be that HGS isn't set up to handle small craft properly?

Secondly, the forms in HGS led me to believe I was selecting 2 turrets total in 2 batteries total (one turret/battery), however, the output looks like it's saying I have 2 turrets each in 2 batteries, for a total of 4 turrets. (I'm just talking about the lasers, not counting the sand).

Third, how can I have 3 batteries and only 1 gunner assigned? (again, a friend has my CT stuff so I'm stuck on looking up the answers myself).

Below is the design output, with a rather lenghly commentary. Maybe someone with the inclination to be heretical with us will follow in our footsteps and design the Legion class carrier and/or perhaps some other specialty ships (troop transports/landing craft, fighters, ECM support fighters, fuel scoopers/tankers, etc) to fit in the (now standard? :) 76dt slots on it."

Ship: Guardian
Class: Phalanx
Type: Fighter, Defensive
Architect: Justin Engler
Tech Level: 15

USP
FD-0306ZR1-040000-40000-0 MCr 57.205 32 Tons
Bat Bear 1 2 Crew: 2
Bat 1 2 TL: 15

Cargo: 0.420 Fuel: 8.320 EP: 8.320 Agility: 6
Fuel Treatment: Fuel Scoops
Substitutions: Z = 26

Architects Fee: MCr 0.572 Cost in Quantity: MCr 45.764

Detailed Description

HULL
32.000 tons standard, 448.000 cubic meters, Cylinder Configuration

CREW
Pilot, Gunner

ENGINEERING
Jump-0, 6G Manuever, Power plant-26, 8.320 EP, Agility 6

AVIONICS
No Bridge Installed, Model/2bis Computer

HARDPOINTS
3 Hardpoints

ARMARMENT
2 Triple Beam Laser Turrets in 2 Batteries (Factor-4)

DEFENCES
1 Triple Sandcaster Turret in 1 Battery (Factor-4)

CRAFT
None

FUEL
8.320 Tons Fuel (0 parsecs jump and 28 days endurance)
On Board Fuel Scoops, No Fuel Purification Plant

MISCELLANEOUS
3 Acceleration Couches, 0.420 Ton Cargo

USER DEFINED COMPONENTS
1 Twin Docking Latches (2.000 tons, Crew 0, Cost MCr 1.000), 2
Hideaway Turret retrofits (0.500 ton, Crew 0, Cost MCr 0.250)

COST
MCr 57.777 Singly (incl. Architects fees of MCr 0.572), MCr 45.764 in
Quantity

CONSTRUCTION TIME
17 Weeks Singly, 13 Weeks in Quantity

COMMENTS
The Phalanx class light fighter was designed after Naval authorities
expressed concern over the vulnerability of the new Blunderbuss class
fighters to laser and missile fire.

Imperial Naval Design Administration put forth a requirements list
for a new fighter class to provide a point-defense and
countermeasures presence to existing Blunderbuss battle groups.
Since most Blunderbuss fighters were deployed onto Legion class light
fighter carriers, compatibilty with systems aboard Legion class ships
was a paramount design feature.

Several companies issued prototypes for the new fighter class. Most
companies built their new fighter in the same basic hull as the
original Blunderbuss, but these designs were found to be cost-
ineffective and lacking in their fufillment of the design role.
Combat trials showed that a single defensive escort was insufficient
in defending a squadron of 10 fighters (9 blunderbuss and 1 defensive
fighter), and two defensive escorts in a squadron reduced the
offensive capability of the squadron to levels unacceptable to
Naval officials.

Enter the Phalanx class light fighter. Having carefully analyzed
field tests of the Blunderbuss and her parent Legion class carrier,
it was determined by the small ship design and manufacture firm EDC
that a single 76 ton heavy fighter was too large for a squadron
defense role. They therefore designed a 32 ton light fighter to fill
this role. Following the same basic shape as the Blunderbuss,
the design for the Phalanx class defensive fighter called for a
cylinder shape with the same radius as a Blunderbuss, but less than
half of its length. Special docking clamps were designed and affixed
to the "front" side of the craft to allow two Phalanx fighters to
dock together, taking up nearly exactly the same space as a
Blunderbuss. Two triple beam turrets and a triple sandcaster were
selected as armament, providing a likeness to the shields
and spears of its namesake. Special retracting turrets were installed
to allow the Phalanx to fit in standard Blunderbuss bays and launch
tubes.

The Phalanx won the INDA trials and the Imperial Navy immediately
placed an order for many more vessels than EDC could manufacture.
They therefore made arrangements with several other small shipyards
in the sector by which the other shipyards would produce and sell
Phalanxes to the Navy and would then pay a royalty fee to EDC.

The Phalanx has performed admirably since its depolyment. An
unforseen advantage of the design was that a pair of docked Phalanxes
with turrets "down" have a sensor signature nearly identical to that
of a Blunderbuss. In situations where the squadron is in no great
hurry to reach its destination, a Blunderbuss squadron with its
Phalanx escort would fly at 3G (as fast as 2 docked Phalanxes),
making it unclear to the enemy whether the squadron had any defensive
escort. Indeed, during several of the first skirmishes involving
the Phalanx, a whole squadron of Phalanxes would pose as
Blunderbusses moving to strike a capital ship with heavy missile
bombardment. The enemy would launch missiles and interceptors to
counter, which were decimated by the sudden appearance of 20 heavily
armed escorts where there was expected to be 10 defenseless
missleboats.

The major weakness in a Phalanx's design is a lack of armor and
redundant systems, as in the Blunderbuss. It was decided by EDC that
a significant hit on a ship as small as a Phalanx would most likely
result in its destruction despite what minimal armor and redundancy
they could install, so space was given to active defenses (agility,
lasers, and sand) instead.

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