Zu-99 class Ground Assault Craft
| Zu-99 class Ground Assault Craft | |
|---|---|
 Non-canon fan design. | |
| Type: FA [[Ground Assault Craft]] | |
| Category | [[Smallcraft]] |
| Size | 90 Tons |
| Hull Configuration | [[TBD Hull]] |
| Streamlining | Streamlined Hull |
| Tech Level | TL–10 |
| Engineering | |
| Computer | No information yet available. |
| Jump | J-0 |
| Maneuver | 5 G |
| Armaments | |
| Hardpoints | 1 |
| Accommodations | |
| Staterooms | 0 |
| Personnel | |
| Crew | 2 |
| Officers | 2 |
| High/Mid Passengers | 0 |
| Payload | |
| Cargo | 0 Tons |
| Fuel tank | 0 Tons |
| Construction | |
| Origin | Jurisdiction of Nadon |
| Manufacturer | Central Republic Design Bureau, Hanlon Central Treaty Defense Committee |
| Year Operational | No information yet available. |
| End of Service | Still in active service. |
| Price | |
| Cost | MCr137.45 (base) MCr109.96 (discounted) |
| Architect fee | MCrRonald B. Kline, Jr. |
| Statistics | |
| Quick Ship Profile | No information yet available. |
| Images | |
| Blueprint | No |
| Illustration | No |
| Source | |
| Also see | Ground Assault Craft |
| Canon | Published, fan design |
| Era | 1105 |
| Reference | Fan: Ronald B. Kline, Jr. |
| Starships are designed with the Classic Traveller format, using High Guard Shipyard v1.13 written by Andrea Vallance. | |
The Central Republican Zu-99 class Ground Assault Craft is a combatant smallcraft.
- It is a military ship and a Heavy Fighter.
Description (Specifications)
These are a lighter class of System Defense Boat, and after a series of disappointing trials and the crash and subsequent loss of two prototypes, the design went into limited production. As production times increased, the cost over runs began to mount. They were eventually sent for duty aboard the four Euphrates Rio class Fleet Tenders. The TL–10 military design was required to resist ground fire and be capable of dual environment combat within the atmospheres of gas giants, terrestrial planets and in space for the fleet requirements of the Jurisdiction of Nadon.
A pair of experimental Granger Photonics plasma guns were fitted. This line of research was not well tested in battle, and it took some time to work out the bugs. The crews assigned had very little experience with these weapons. Originally they were massed into a single battery to simplify fire control requirements. Late in development it was determined that a gunner should be added to the crew. This required that the small craft stateroom be shared in a hot bunking arrangement to stretch life support resources on the cramped vessel. This has not proven to be a wildly popular class feature. The streamlined flattened sphere hull was modeled from a popular civilian interface cargo shuttle design common among Jurisdiction starports. The added mass of thick layers of hull armor dramatically altered the formerly nimble flight characteristics. The acceleration rating dropped to 5 Gs. Additionally complex fire control software was required so both plasma cannons could engage separate targets. There was no place for a fiber optic back up system for the notoriously EMP sensitive PDE systems. These weapons excelled in close support for ground forces and as point defense versus enemy missile attacks.
Unfortunately, it necessitated a dangerous change in flight attack patterns. The ships are required to close to point blank range to engage enemy shipping. And while the armor is descent against routine ground fire and offers some protection to vital systems, it doesn't render them immune to massed weapon batteries. At this point the power plant doubled in size and costs sky rocketed, to cope with the demands of the model 4 computer, the plasma guns and the agility. Extensive maneuver packs were fitted to restore maneuverability and evasive agility. A hero, warrior-poet, a famous Lieutenant Colonel was lost in battle tragically. In the aftermath of the media firestorm, more hull armor was shed and an emergency low berth was installed. This was intended to allow the emergency evacuation of wounded soldiers from forward outposts and battalion aid stations. The tragic side effect is that the four wounded veterans all share the same fate upon revival attempts which can doom or save them all.
Image Repository
No information yet available.
General Description & Deck Plans
No information yet available.
Basic Ship Characteristics
Following the Imperial Navy and IISS Universal Ship Profile and data, additional information is presented in the format shown here. The small craft factor indicates the number of squadrons (of ten craft) carried on the ship. Tonnage on the universal ship profile is shown in kilotons (thousands of tons) when necessary. [1]
| Basic Ship Characteristics [2] | ||
|---|---|---|
| No. | Category | Remarks |
| 1. | Tonnage / Hull | The Zu-99 class is constructed using a 90 Ton hull built in a saucer configuration. The hull is fully streamlined, giving a good atmospheric performance assisted by its onboard gravitic systems. It is equipped with fuel scoops.
|
| 2. | Crew | x2 personnel. 1 pilot, and 1 weapons system operator.
|
| 3. | Performance | The vessel mounts a Maneuver-5 drive and a Power plant-10, giving performance of 5-G acceleration. The ship has an agility rating of 5. There is fuel tankage of 9 Tons, giving the power plant 4 weeks duration. |
| 4. | Electronics | Adjacent to the bridge is a computer model/4: no backup computer is installed.
|
| 5. | Hardpoints | x1 hardpoint. |
| 6. | Armament | The normal weapons fit-out for a Zu-99 class is:
|
| 7. | Defenses | The hull is plated, structurally reinforced, and built with secure bulkheads and compartments, utilising Hendricks' Hullwerks "Collapsium" hull armor that gives it a High Guard armor rating of 4.
|
| 8. | Craft | The vessel carries no dedicated subcraft. |
| 9. | Fuel Treatment | The vessel is not fitted with fuel purification equipment. |
| 10. | Cost | The basic cost of the vessel is MCr137.45
|
| 11. | Construction Time | 36 weeks as standard. Build times can be reduced by mass production and the efficiencies such processes generate, by increased financing, and by allotting additional yard resources and facilities to the construction contract. |
| 12. | Comments | The vessel has no cargo capacity.
|
History & Background (Dossier)
The Central Republic Design Bureau, and the Hanlon Central Treaty Defense Committee tried and failed to reach a consensus. And yet, the order was contractually required to be completed lest hefty fines be levied. So under protest, the design bureau designed and built the infamous Central Republican Zu-99 class Ground Assault Craft. They were granted treaty protected access to the unified Hanlon Boatyards and tonnage was set aside for their use. Raw materials arrived and work proceeded. As required by the Jurisdiction, on the planet of Hanlon (B624776-A) the Central Treaty Defense Committee made sure to build the required number of 90 ton warships.
Operational History: Fleet procurement complains that these boats are over priced for their size. The Central Republican Design Bureau was forced to incorporate hull armor systems, electronics and experimental weapons into a tried and true civilian cargo saucer design. The freakishly huge power plant leads to a high radiated thermal signature and it is infamous for its cooling issues. Once the painful development process was completed, skilled crews can make effective use of the design in a close support role for ground forces. They can fly combat support patrols around the tender to enhance its defensive fire power and intercept attacking missile salvos and fighter strikes. They can dog fight but the lack of acceleration and agility prevent them from excelling in that role.
Class Naming Practice/s & Peculiarities
No information yet available.
Selected Variant Types & Classes
References & Contributors (Sources)
| This article has metadata. |
- Marc Miller, Frank Chadwick, John Harshman. High Guard (Game Designers Workshop, 1980), 20-37. (Design Sequence Used)
- Traveller Wiki Editorial Team
- Author & Contributor: Lord (Marquis), Captain, and Lead Naval Architect Ronald B. Kline, Jr. of the Imperial Navy
- Author & Contributor: Lord (Marquis) and Master Scout Emeritus Adie Alegoric Stewart of the IISS
- Author & Contributor: Lord (Marquis) and Master of Sophontology Maksim-Smelchak of the Ministry of Science
- ↑ Timothy B. Brown. Fighting Ships (Game Designers Workshop, 1981), 10.
- ↑ Timothy B. Brown. Fighting Ships (Game Designers Workshop, 1981), 10.