Imperial Star Frigate

[CRMcNeill]

This ship is depicted in one of the scale comparison images on the Holocron, but I haven't been able to locate stats for it. I'm working on my own, but I'd like to know if anyone else has their own version before I post.
_________________
"No set of rules can cover every situation. It's expected that you will make up new rules to suit the needs of your game." - The Star Wars Roleplaying Game, 2R&E, pg. 69, WEG, 1996.

The CRMcNeill Stat/Rule Index

[Dromdarr_Alark]

I've always wondered about this odd ship. Never seen stats for it.
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"I still wouldn't have a roll for it - but that's just how I roll."

[Mikael Hasselstein]

It's certainly good looking, and it fits with the Imperial 'look'.

Currently, however, I feel a bit wary off all this mass proliferation of different ship ideas/stats for the Imperial Navy. Given what seems, to me, to be a regime that prizes uniformity, structure, and mass production, I'm more in favor of greater detail-development of existing/canon-accepted designs. (For Fringe stuff, on the other hand, I think variety is the spice of life.)

But if there's more on this thing, I'd certainly be interested. Did someone in the fan community just make this?

[Lokar]

I've seen that one pop up in some fan made size charts with a length of 350 meters. I think it might have appeared in the comics as Darklighter's ship.

Possibly this one (tho the hangers don't match and lack of sensor globes): http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Imperial_II-class_frigate ?(click now before its hidden behind a paywall)

[garhkal]

Looks to me like it was a smaller ISD.. Though what did they use as the source for it?
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Confucious sayeth, don't wash cat while drunk!

[Fallon Kell]

[CRMcNeill]

[CRMcNeill]

[CRMcNeill]

[CRMcNeill]

[Fallon Kell]

[CRMcNeill]

So, what I'm thinking here is folding the Class II frigate in with this ship and calling it the Ecliptic-Class. Since an ecliptic is the apparent path that a sun takes in a planet's sky, the nomenclature for the class would be very specific, in that each ship would be named for a different star. There would be three different classes of the ship, with the primary difference being the hangar bays.

Ecliptic I-Class frigates would have the ISD hangar bay in miniature as shown in the above image. They would carry a single squadron of TIEs as well as being able to transport larger ships (such as dropships or captured freighters) in their hangar bay, but would not be able to launch TIEs while doing so.

Ecliptic II-Class frigates would replace the ventral bay with four recessed launch bays (two on either side), below the mid-line trench (as with the Class II Frigate linked above). They could carry two squadrons of TIEs but have no accommodations for larger ships, apart from a few light shuttles.

Ecliptic III-Class frigates would revert to the ventral bay of the Class I with the addition of two of the lateral launch bays (one on either side) of the Class II (as well as to a single TIE squadron) and would now have the ability to transport larger ships in the bay while still being able to launch TIEs.

I will likely just take my usual tack of explaining the differences in artwork by just blaming Dark Horse's shoddy quality control.

Thoughts?
_________________
"No set of rules can cover every situation. It's expected that you will make up new rules to suit the needs of your game." - The Star Wars Roleplaying Game, 2R&E, pg. 69, WEG, 1996.

The CRMcNeill Stat/Rule Index

[CRMcNeill]

Ecliptic-Series Star Frigate

Image

The Ecliptic-Class was part of the Imperial Navy's initial construction surge after the declaration of the New Order. Reflecting the Emperor's desire for uniformity and structure, the Ecliptic bears a striking visual similarity to the much larger Imperial Star Destroyer, so much so that Ecliptics are commonly called "Pocket Destroyers". Designed to serve as an escort to larger ships or as a solo patrol vessel, the Ecliptic-Class is actually large enough to be classified as a Light Cruiser, but changes in ship missions and design during the Clone Wars (as well as internal naval politics) led to the ship being classified as a "Star Frigate".

The Ecliptic is also an example of the kinds of mistakes that can occur in starship design without proper oversight. When the Emperor ordered a massive increase in the size of the Army and Navy, they were quick to respond, with new ships being produced on a massive scale. Unfortunately, the rapid pace of expansion meant that ships were mass produced by the thousands and rushed into service before flaws could reveal themselves through a more thorough design process.

In the case of the Ecliptic, there were two variations initially produced, the Ecliptic I-Class with a large ventral hangar bay enabling it to carry medium sized space transports through hyperspace, and the Ecliptic II-Class, which did away with the more versatile ventral bay in favor of four smaller launch bays on its flanks, enabling it to carry more starfighters. While the Ecliptic II was well received, the Ecliptic I ran into major issues in that, because it used the ventral docking bay for all small ship traffic, it could not launch or recover its TIEs due to the limited space within the bay if any shuttles or transports were docked in the main bay. As a result, the Ecliptic I was redesigned with a combination of the ventral bay linked with two of the Ecliptic II's lateral docking bays, and went into production as the Ecliptic III-Class. The Ecliptic I-Class is currently out of production, with existing units being refitted to Ecliptic III standards or removing their TIE decks completely to serve as combat tenders for blastboats or light scout ships.

While the Ecliptic-Series remains a mainstay of the Imperial Navy at the frigate level, production has recently slowed in favor of the lighter Nebulon-B Escort Frigate. Economic reality can affect even the Emperor's plans, and the sheer size of the galaxy combined with the Emperor's wish that his military exercise control of all known space means that some sacrifices must be made. While the Nebulon B is not as capable of a warship as the Ecliptic, two of them can be produced for the same cost as a single Ecliptic, and the Nebulon B has a much lower operating cost (smaller crew, fewer consumables, etc). In a sense, the Ecliptic has fallen victim to being too good at its mission, as the Empire realized it only needed something "good enough". In the short term, however, Ecliptics still fill the need for a frigate-level vessel in main combat units, leaving Nebulon Bs to perform convoy escort and skirmish missions.

Craft: Kuat Drive Yards' Ecliptic-Series
Type: Heavy Frigate
Scale: Frigate (+10D)
Length: 350 meters
Skill: Capital Ship Piloting: Ecliptic-Class
Crew: 1,185 (Skeleton: 380 @ +10) & 68 gunners
Crew Skill:
Astrogation 3D
Gunnery 4D+1
Piloting 3D+2
Shields 3D
Sensors 3D+1
Passengers: 240
Small Craft Complement:
Ecliptic I / III-Class:
--12 Starfighters (1 Squadron)
--2-4 Utility Craft
Ecliptic II-Class
--24 Starfighters (2 Squadrons)
--4 Light Utility Craft
Cargo Capacity: 6,000 metric tons
Consumables: 2 years
Hyperdrive Multiplier: x1
Hyperdrive Backup: x10
Nav Computer: Yes
Maneuverability: 1D
Space: 6 (3D)
Atmosphere: 330; 950 kmh
Hull: 4D+1
Shields: 2D
Sensors:
Passive 50/1D
Scan 75/2D
Search 150/3D
Focus 4/4D+2
Weapons:
16 Dual Turbolaser Cannon
Fire Arc: 4 Front, 5 Left, 5 Right, 2 Rear
Crew: 2
Skill: Capital Ship Gunnery
Fire Control: 2D
Range:
--Space: 2-10/25/50
--Orbital: 4km-20km/50km/100km
--Atmosphere: 200m-1km/2.5km/5km
Rate of Fire: 1
Damage: 5D
4 Ion Cannon
Fire Arc: 2 Front, 1 Left, 1 Right
Crew: 2
Skill: Capital Ship Gunnery
Fire Control: 3D
Rate of Fire: 1
Range:
--Space: 1-7/17/35
--Orbital: 2km-14km/34km/70km
--Atmosphere: 100m-700m/1.7km/3.5km
Damage: 4D (ionization)
16 Dual Laser Cannon
Fire Arc: 4 Front, 4 Left, 4 Right, 4 Rear
Scale: Starship (+6D)
Crew: 1
Skill: Starship Gunnery
Fire Control: 2D
Range:
--Space: 1-3/12/25
--Orbital: 2km-6km/24km/50km
--Atmosphere: 100m-300m/1.2km/2.5km
Damage: 5D
4 Tractor Beam Projectors
Fire Arc: 2 Front, 1 Left, 1 Right
Scale: Special*
Crew: 3
Skill: Capital Ship Gunnery
Fire Control: 3D
Range:
--Space: 1-3/10/20
--Orbital: 2km-6km/20km/40km
--Atmosphere: 100m-300m/1km/2km
Rate of Fire: 1 (Full Round)
Damage: 4D
*May switch between Frigate (+10D) and Starship (+6D). Switch takes one round, during which the projector can not be used.

House Rule Notes:

COMMAND DIFFICULTY MODIFIER: +11
SHIELD & SHIELD CONTROL: 2D @ 2D
VELOCITY MODIFIER: 1D+2 Flight
BATTERY DICE:
Dual Turbolaser Cannon: 2D Front, 2D+1 Left, 2D+1 Right, 1D Rear
Ion Cannon: 1D Front, 0D Left, 0D Right
Dual Laser Cannon: 2D Front, 2D Left, 2D Right, 2D Rear
Tractor Beam Projectors: 1D Front, 0D Left, 0D Right

_________________
"No set of rules can cover every situation. It's expected that you will make up new rules to suit the needs of your game." - The Star Wars Roleplaying Game, 2R&E, pg. 69, WEG, 1996.

The CRMcNeill Stat/Rule Index

[RexMundiAbu]

I like the effort and thought you have put into this ship , the stats also seem good , but I have to say I really don't like the ship itself and prob wouldn't use it myself - but that's just me .

[CRMcNeill]

That's cool. There are no hard rules about what we must all include in our own versions of the SWU.
_________________
"No set of rules can cover every situation. It's expected that you will make up new rules to suit the needs of your game." - The Star Wars Roleplaying Game, 2R&E, pg. 69, WEG, 1996.

The CRMcNeill Stat/Rule Index