Date: Wed, 17 Jan 1996 15:49:34 -0500 (EST) From: Alvin Plummer Subject: TL E Majesta MegaMerchant The MegaMerchants of the Imperium - merchant's over 100,000 Disp tons - is the mainstay of Imperial Commerce. Owned and controlled by either the Imperial Government or the Megacorporations, these vessels are the lifeblood of the Imperium, transporting billion's of tons of goods from one Hi-pop world to another. Practically all MegaMerchants are only to be found in the main body of the Imperium: only a handful exist in the Spinward Marches, none over 200,000 disp tons. The importance of MegaMerchants cannot be overestimated. When the Imperium speaks of 'protecting interstellar commerce', they are not talking of protecting 200 ton Beowolf free traders, but 5,000,000 ton Titan transports. A major task of the Imperial navy is protecting these ships. Even membership within the Imperium is related to the MegaMerchants: these ships are not permitted to visit nonImperial worlds (except,in special cricumstances, Imperial client states). When politicans talk of the Imperium being a 'trade confederation', they mean a confederation tied together partly by MegaMerchants. There are less than 8,000 MegaMerchants within the Imperium. Most, like the 'George Bolme' 200,000 ton class ships, are under the million-ton limit. Of the 600 ships over the million-ton limit, over 2/3's are single jump, 5,000,000 disp ton Titan ships, devoted to a single large main like the Vilani or Core Main. Only about 200 ships are Majesta's: Jump4, 2G modular transports of over 2 million disp tons, these ships are of great importance to GSbAG (the MegaCorp who builds them), Tukera Lines LIC (The MegaCorp who runs them) and the Imperium. These are the largest ships which follow the xboat routes, and thus the ships needed for 'long-haul, huge cargo' situations. They have been used to transport mile-long buildings from Vland to Capital, segments of grav cities from Solomani Rim to Antares, and entire fleets of smaller ships from Daibei to their Vargr buyers in the Marches. An entire strain of Tukera Line corporate culture surrounds the Majestas'. It was Majesta crews that started the Great Merchant Strike of 904, (still the only Imperium-wide labour action in history) which froze the entire Imperial economy for two years and sent entire sectors into a decade-long depression. It was Majesta crews that were the first MegaMerchants allowed to carry a (limited) number of dependents onboard, for their 3-6 year runs across the Imperium. It was Majesta ships that were the first MegaMerchants to get enough lifeboats for the entire crew (after the famous _Dragon's Trove_ disaster, which struck a mere 15 parsec's from Capital). For MegaCorp personnel, Majesta crews are a breed apart. Outspoken, vocal and fully aware of their own importance, they take nothing from nobody, be they Archduke, Administrator or Admiral. Solomani-dominated, they have a vigourous rivalry with the Vilani lines that dare challange their dominance on the xboat routes. (Nevermind free traders, who they view as figures of fun). Of course, Majesta crews recieve special care from Tukera Lines, who are careful of crossing swords with them and aware of their irreplaceable skills and experience. *****----- Majesta's carry up to sixteen 50,000 disp Sekio Modules. The cargo version is nothing but a hull and a powerplant to power the control systems. It's entire hull is a clam-shell cargo door. Of course, it has no crew, but is controlled remotely by RCV workstations. The passenger version is as above, but with basic life support and 49,900 low berths installed. As there is still no crew, 2495 x TL 13a robot brains are built-in (with a selection of robots) to service the medical needs of the low passengers. The 560 x 95-disp ton shuttles were originally to be used as lifeboats, but are more often used as cargo haulers, on-loading and off-loading items for the 200,000 kl internal cargo hold. They are manned by built-in robot brains for crew. *****----- P.S. Yes, I know I should have installed some missiles on this ship, but the problem is, it's _civilian_! Installing the number of missile turrents the ship deserves would make it very, *very* dangerous. Better to invoke some 'Imperial Regulation' forbidding missile emplacements on MegaMerchants. *****-----***** Brilliant Lances Statistic's TL E Majesta MegaMerchant Disp 2 000 000/2 800 000 Armour 20 Len 1 506.8 m Volume 28 000 000 kl Price 920 497.746 MCr Target G Config Open Frame USL Tech E Mass 11 198 209 mt unloaded 12 054 737 mt loaded with 16 low berth modules & internal cargo 24 429 703 mt loaded with 16 full cargo modules & internal cargo Power Plant Fusion 3 510 000 MW, 1 yr duration (100 MW/Hit; 61 172 MW surplus) Jump 4 (9 800 000 kl of fuel) G-rating 2 (1 221 485 MW/G w.cargo modules) ( 641 093 MW/G w/berth modules) G-turns w/cargo 30.0 G-hours (62.1 G-hrs w/jfuel), 305 107 kl each w/berths 60.7 G-hours (125.8 G-hrs w/jfuel), 150 794 kl each Maint 462 611 Computer 2 x TL E st (.5 MW ea), 2 x TL E fb (1 MW ea) Commo 3 x Radio 1000 AU (20.0 MW ea) 10 x Laser 3000 km ( .04 MW ea) Avionics TL A+ Sensors 3 x P-EMS fixed (6 hex, .2 MW ea) 3 x A-EMS (10 hex, 15.0 MW ea) 20 x Ladar (10 hes, 2.5 MW ea) ECM/ECCM None Controls Bridge x 6157, Engineer x 29 250 Offensive 100 x TL E 150 Mj Laset Turrent (Loc: 1-20, Arc: All, 4.2 Mw, 0 Crew* ea) 400 x empty turrent sockets (Loc: 1-20) Defensive 500 x TL E Sandcasters (Loc: 1-20, Arc: All, 1 MW, 1 Crew ea, 2D6x5 per hit, 40 C) MFD's 100 x TL E Beam (-5 Dif, 2 hex, 0.9 MW, 1 Crew ea) -0 Dif 150 Mj Laser Turrent 2:1/10-31 4:1/10-31 8:1/10-31 16:1/10-31 Extended Life Support (5 600 MW) ArtiGrav (140 000 MW) Complement 87 618 Engineering 29 250 Maint 4 616 Line Admin 102 Electrical 5 Stewards 1 546 RCV Control 30 Maneuver 2 Command 5 918 Dependents 43 809 Gunnery 600 Troops 1 000 Medical 730 [NOTE: one dependent per crew: optional. Also, 14 RCV's are strictly unneccessary, and 636 stewards are 'surplus' (they may be still needed: after all, the Majesta has a population greater than many worlds...) Accomo Sm. Strooms x 37 789 (double: .0005 MW ea) Lg. Strooms x 6 020 (double: .001 MW ea) Other Facilities 30 x Electrical Shops (.6 MW ea), 30 x Mechanical Shops (1 MW ea) 30 x Sickbay (.8 MW ea) Small Craft & Launch Facilities Minimal hangar x 28. Each hangar holds 20 x 95 disp shuttles/lifeboats. Ten shuttles can launch at one time. NOTE: crew has been replaced by robot brains. External grapples for 16 x 50 000 disp modules Airlocks: 20 000 Cargo: 200 000 kl Bridge, Fire Control Centre No fuel scoops, purification *****----- Surface Area 1 Launch Port 2-19 Ext. Grapples for modules (If loaded, see module damage chart) Damage Area [Important note: weapon volume is so small compared to ship volume as to be meaningless. Weapons cannot be hit without serious targeting] 1-15 Hold 16-17 1-3 Electrical 4-10 Hold 11-20 Engineering 18-19 1-15 Quarters 16-20 Engineering 20 Engineering System Damage Electronics 10 x Laser, 3 x Radio (1h) Ant (1h) ea. 3 x P-EMS (1h) (2h) ea. 3 x A-EMS (2h) ea. Hold 28 x Hangar 107H ea. 30 x Mech Shop, 30 x Elect Shop 1H ea. Cargo [2 000H ] Quarters Sm. Stroom x 37 789 (2h) ea. Lg. Stroom x 6 020 1H ea. ArtiGrav 5 600H Life Support 12 805H Emerg. Life Support 6 403H Weapons Laser Turrent x 100 1H ea. Sandcaster Turrent x 500 1H ea. Engineering Jump Drive 49 000H HEPlaR 3 300H Power Plant 35 100H NOTE: asterisks after some crew numbers means that these positions *can* be manned in lieu of the MFD stations. *****-----***** Battle Rider Statstic's MM = MegaMerchant MM Majesta - -5 - TL E - FC: -5 L(x20)2:1 - A:10 P:6 J4 G2 AV:1 - SC:100 741 *****-----*****-----***** TL E Sekio Module - Cargo Disp 50 000 Armour 20 Len 224 m Volume 700 000 kl Price 157.527 MCr Target L Config Cylinder USL Tech E Mass 703 800/4 912 Power Plant Fusion 50 MW, 1 yr duration (50 MW/Hit; 0 MW surplus) No Jump No G-rating No G-turns. No CG's. Maint 116 575 (Practically all due to cargo: done at port) RCV controls. No computer. Commo 2 x Laser 3000 km (0.04 MW ea) No Avionics Sensors 1 x P-EMS fixed 3000 km (0 hex (use very long range), .008 MW ea) No ECM, ECCM No Life Support. No ArtiGrav. No Crew. No Airlocks. Cargo: 698 888 kl. Entire hull is a clam-shell cargo hatch. *****----- Surface Area 1-20 Hatch Damage Area (Power plant is so small compared to ship, it's pratically impossible to hit) 1-20 Hold System Damage Hold Cargo [7016 H] Engineering Power 1 H *****-----***** Battle Rider Statstic's Didn't even bother. *****-----*****------***** TL E Sekio Module - Low Berth Disp 50 000 Armour 20 Len 224 m Volume 700 000 kl Price 3 845.537 MCr Target L Config Cylinder USL Tech E Mass 58 445 (+1 if loaded: for fuel) Power Plant #1 Fusion 50 MW, 1 yr duration (50 MW/Hit; 0 MW surplus) #2 Fusion 120 MW, 1 yr duration (120 MW/Hit; 2 MW shortfall) No Jump No G-rating No G-turns. No CG's. Maint 9 016 RCV controls. No computer. Robot brain x 2495 [NOTE: Each brain is programmed with Medical (Diagnosis) - 10 (14) Medical (Trauma Aid) - 6 (10) ] Commo 2 x Laser 3000 km (0.04 MW ea) No Avionics Sensors 1 x P-EMS fixed 3000 km (0 hex (use very long range), .008 MW ea) No ECM, ECCM Basic Life Support (70 MW) No ArtiGrav. No Crew. No Airlocks (connector tube, with built-in airlock is needed to board) Low Berths x 49 900 *****----- Surface Area 1-20 Hull Damage Area (Power plant is so small compared to ship, it's pratically impossible to hit) 1-20 Quarters System Damage Quarters Low Berths x 49 900 (1h) ea. Engineering Power Plant #1 1H Power Plant #2 1H *****-----***** Battle Rider Statstic's Didn't even bother. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Alvin Plummer "Preserve what we created, Norris, and remember what we stood for." - Strephon, 179-1126 Reply to: alvin.plummer@SHERIDANC.ON.CA