Aurora class Multimission Clipper
| Aurora class Multimission Clipper | |
|---|---|
| Type: RV Carrier Freighter | |
| Category | ACS |
| Size | 2,080 Tons |
| Hull Configuration | Open Frame Hull |
| Streamlining | Unstreamlined Hull |
| Tech Level | TL–12 |
| Engineering | |
| Computer | Model/5 |
| Jump | J-5 |
| Maneuver | 2 G |
| Armaments | |
| Hardpoints | 20 |
| Offensive | 1 Meson Spinal, 8 triple beam laser turret |
| Accommodations | |
| Staterooms | 20 |
| Personnel | |
| Crew | 85 |
| High/Mid Passengers | |
| Payload | |
| Cargo | 14 Tons |
| Fuel tank | 0 Tons |
| Carried craft | 1 30t boat, 1 50t cutter, 1 400t fueler, 4 100t grapples, 1 200t grapple, 1 400t grapple |
| Construction | |
| Origin | Reformation Coalition |
| Price | |
| Cost | MCr749.86 |
| Images | |
| Blueprint | No |
| Illustration | Yes |
| Source | |
| Also see | Maggart class Clipper |
| Canon | Published, canon design |
| Designer | Frank Chadwick, Dave Nilsen |
| Design System | TNE |
| Era | New Era |
| Reference | Path of Tears 154-157. |
The Aurora class Multimission Clipper is a TL–12 Multimission Clipper.
Description[edit]
Aurora-class clippers provide a tremendous variety of ship types from a single basic hull and an assortment of modular components. The Coalition's capacity to build jump capable ships is limited, while the demand for various types of ships large. In keeping with the Reformation Coalition Exploratory Service's policy of frugality, the greatest possible utility must be squeezed out of every ship. The extremely adaptable nature of the Aurora-class clippers fits in with RCES aims perfectly. While only a limited number of worlds can build the clippers themselves, many of the modules can be built partially or entirely on less-advanced worlds.
The overall layout of the Aurora-class clippers is straight forward. The vessels consist of a stern engineering section, a bow command section, and a connecting "spine" to which the various modules are attached, or "clipped," hence the name of the type.
The command section contains the crew quarters, bridge, four of the vessel's eight turrets (mounted on extended pylons for increased fields of fire), part of the vessel's life support machinery, and the clipper's electronic sensor and communications suite.
The spine contains the vessel's primary armament (a 144- meter spinal mount meson gun), and two dorsal small craft grapples (one 30-ton grapple and one 50-ton grapple). The spine houses a pair of horizontal "elevators" and four conventional corridors connecting the various modules with the command, spine, and engineering sections. The spine also contains various utility shafts, corridors and conduits for transfer of power, fuel, and life support. Finally, the spine contains the grapples and power hook-up adapters for the attachment of the various modules clippers can carry (four 100-ton grapples, one 200-ton grapple, and one 400-ton grapple).
The engineering section contains the clipper's fusion power plant, HEPlaR ignition chambers, the remaining four pylon-mounted laser turrets,the jump drives, and part of the vessel's life support machinery.The vessel's assigned Manta class fueler dock, on the dorsal surface of the engineering section at the 400-ton grapple located there.
The ship's Jump Performance is jump-2 at 2080 tons, jump-3 at 1560 tons, jump-4 at 1248 tons, and jump-5 at 1040 tons. Fuel used per jump varies with displacement and jump distance, but is always 312 tons for maximum jump at current displacement.
History & Background[edit]
The vessels of the Aurora-class were originally designed as mercantile/exploratory vessels, adaptable to various missions by means of their modular nature. The loss of all 12 of the Dawn League trading scouts persuaded the Dawn League leadership that their vision of peaceful mercantile expansion was flawed, and the first unit of the class (originally name DLS Boquist, eventually to emerge as the RCS Aurora) was modified during construction to an armed configuration. The second member of the class (DLS McDonagh, now RCS Eos) had her construction suspended pending the lessons of the modifications to the first unit. Although the McDonagh/Eos was completed to a modified Aurora layout, the remaining two clippers under contact were canceled and re-ordered to the McDonagh/Eos specifications and were the first units built as armed clippers from the keel up.
The additions to the vessel came at the expense of some of the fuel and quarters space, and as a result all Aurora/Eos-class (referred to simply as Aurora-class) clippers must carry supplementary fuel tankage, fuel processing machinery, and crew quarters modules.
Selected Variant Types & Classes[edit]
28 Representative Modular Freighter (RV) Classes[edit]
References[edit]
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This ship was originally designed using Traveller The New Era ship design rules. |
- Frank Chadwick, Dave Nilsen. "Technical Booklet." Brilliant Lances (1994): 44.
- Frank Chadwick, Dave Nilsen, Loren Wiseman. Path of Tears (Game Designers Workshop, 1994), 154-157.